They had moved to the dinning room and had it decked out with fish and shrimp and risotto and a few sides to choose from.
William cleared his throat. "Thank you for make this food, Sapphire and Lucy. May this food nourish us and then find it's way back to the water."
Then it was a free for all to grab what ever they wanted.
Kai hadn't eaten lunch so he was starving. He grabbed some fish and risotto along with potatoes. He took a bit and loved the taste of home cooking.
"So, we are going to have to leave tomorrow." Kai said once everyone had food in their mouths. Then it was a race to see who could swallow first to reply.

Kara nibbled on her shrimp without much else on her plate, some salad and that was about it, she looked at him surprised but nodded and didn't say anything.

Sapphire was the first to speak up due to her small lady-like bites. "Why do you have to leave?"
Kai took a bite and ate it quickly. He was going to miss this while he was gone. "Everyone have to know Kara, the last earth bender is here. The Smothers have to know we are here and are planning on attacking. We have to leave to stay safe."

Kara nodded sadly. "I'd really like to stay but I don't want to be a danger to all of you."

William took the information in. "They wouldn't even know where to look. We would be fine. You won't be a danger to us."
"I don't think so." Kai said. "Think about it, how do you think they found out that the earth benders were in air territory? Who knew about that? There have to be people of every tribe involved in the Smothers."
William cursed. "We need to be on high alert then. I think it will be a good idea for you to go. I will get provisions. Do not tell anyone where you want to go or when you will be back."
The happy meal had turned somber, slowing everyone's eating.

Kara looked down at her unfinished shrimp salad, her appetite gone, she felt like such a burden, she put anyone she was with in danger and she was dragging Kai away from his family. "I'm sorry..." She said quietly, looking down.

Everyone turned to her but it was Lucy who spoke. "Sweety, you have nothing to be sorry for. It is the evil people who have been killing who need to be sorry. You are but a victim don't apologize for this. It is not your fault."

Kara looked up at her, her eyes wide and grateful. "Thank you... Thank you so much everyone..."

William smiled. "You are welcome here anytime. But for now eat, you need your strength little one for the journey ahead. And you too Kai."
Rain finally spoke up. "I'm going."
Everyone turned to her flabbergasted. "No you're not." Kai said quickly.
Rain held her head high. "You need my help. I can fight and take care of myself."

Kara quickly objected. "But I don't want to put anyone more than necessary in danger, I already feel bad enough risking Kai..."

Kai scoffed. "I was trained for this. I would be risking my life somewhere, at least this way I'm doing something good. But Rain, you weren't trained to be a warrior. You can't.
Rain scoffed at Kai. "I can."
William finally spoke up. His usual booming voice firm and angry. "You are not going. You are staying here. You are my heir. You are not risking your life to explore the outside world. If you want to travel you tell me, not go on a trip that could kill you."
Rain shriveled back a little. "But I want to go and help."
"You would be no help. You would slow them down and be a liability." William gave her a look bordering on a glare before he went back to his food.
Sapphire patted her hand. "Your place is here like Kai's place is out there fighting."

Kara looked at Rain apologetically. "I really appreciate the offer Rain but I just really don't want to see you be hurt..."

Rain nodded. "I do want to travel." She looked at William.
"We will set something up when things calm down a bit." William smiled at his only child.
"I think we better get going. We need sleep for tomorrow. Will the things be at my house by tomorrow morning?"
William nodded taking a drink of wine. "Yes. Tell me exactly what you will need."
"Food, money, packs, medicine, clothes for both of us, I need fire tribe and she needs something not earth tribe. Anything else?" Kai asked Kara.

Kara thought for a moment. "Oh, and whatever tribe outfit I wear, could you make sure it covers my neck?" She said pointing to the choker around her neck with the symbol of the earth tribe future leader. "My father gave it to me and I can't bear to take it off."

William nodded. "It will probably be water tribe. We have the supply to get you many outfits with high necks."
Kai got up. "Thanks for the food. It was delicious and I could hardly take another bite." He went around and gave everyone a hug. "I will miss you."
He was ready to leave, he just waited for Kara.

Kara set her fork down. She hadn't eaten all of her salad but it was more than she'd been eating. "Yes, it was delicious thank you, I hope to see you all again sometime soon." She gave them a warm smile and followed Kai out of the mansion.

Kai smiled. "You feel you're risking my life by bringing me with you?"
He was wondering why she thought that.

Kara looked up at him then back down shamefully. "Of course. People are out for my life, it naturally puts anyone close to me in danger, especially if they're trying to protect me..."

Kai laughed. "I'll be in danger anywhere so don't feel bad. At least if I'm protecting you I know you have one of the best warriors out there."
They made it to Kai's house and it was dark inside.
"And this has to be the best job I've ever had. You make good company." He went and turned on one of the oil lamps in the living room.

Kara smiled. Kai always somehow managed to make her feel better. "Thank you. I'm glad you think so." She yawned and stretched in the dim light. "I think I'm going to bed." She said sleepily.

"Night. I need to stay up and practice a few things." Kai said grabbing a pot and setting it in the little living room before siting by it.
Kai filled it with water from his tap about to practice water bending.

"Hmm...?" Kara couldn't help but be curious and walk over to sit down across from him. "Mind if I watch you for a little while?"

Kai nodded a small smile on his face. He first froze the water and then floated it out of the pot. He made it break and fall, chip by chip, back into the pot. He then made the water go from freezing to boiling in seconds. Then he cooled it down.
He looked up at Kara. "Put your hands in the water."

Kara did so, the water was comfortably warm. "Wow..." She said smiling.

"That's not the wow part." He was trained this way when he was younger. He put his hands in the water and had to shift the temperature comfortable from hot to cold. He nearly lost his pointer figure when he was seven from this.
He cooled the water down nearly freezing it and then slowly warmed the water up. He then lifted the water from the pot with her hands still in it. Her floating hands were now above the pot and he continued to shift the temperature. Finally he let the water fall back into the pot and caught Kara's hands before they fell into the water.
"That was the wow part. It took many years to gain such control. This skill I have isn't easy to master and many people with it end up dying without mastering it. Though it might not seem like much, doing that was a feat." He let go of Kara's hands and continued to practice water bending.