Sokka wasn’t shy. Nope. He wasn’t. He just wanted to protect his mother against a hostile. Yeah, that was why he was backing up against her as the strange, dark mare with weird ears came up. He’d never seen ears like that. They were strange. But the mare was unabashed and came up to bump noses with him.

Then his mother definitely bumped him and he stumbled a bit. He looked up at the strange mare. Pila his mother had called her. He could feel his mother’s eyes telling him that he had to do what she said. This introduction stuff was hard.

“Hella,” Sokka said, his eyes down. Dia bumped his rump again. “Miss Pila. Ah’m Sawkah.” He looked back at Dia who nodded. Dia turned back to look at Pilar.

“Sa, ‘ow’r dings oud ‘ere?” Dia asked. Grown up conversation was about to start. Sokka rolled his eyes, but stayed close to Dia. You know, in case his mother needed protection. Yeah, that was why.

SOKKA