More Iften cause I love him.
Hc that most people of the Si Wong desert are sandbenders. It is rare for a member of the Si-Wong tribes to be born without the ability, but in the case someone isn’t, most children are taught ways of self-defense; such as sword fighting.
Under the thing is Iften’s epic tragic backstory 😈
Iften’s father (Yedder) was notorious in the desert areas for his sandbending ability and sword fighting skills. He had mastered the physical as well as the spiritual aspects of sandbending that many can not due to the rough and sometimes immoral ways of Si-Wong.
He learned from benders of every corner of the earth, and eventually found his way to the fire nation. He went about the same way he always did, until he met a woman. She was married and pregnant, but as they began to speak, she told him about how unhappy she was. Her family had forced her to marry a wealthy fire nation man, but it wasn’t what her heart wanted.
They spoke everyday at the market, Yedder looking forward to it more than the teachings he was receiving. He eventually admitted to the woman, Manae, that he loved her and that she deserved to be happy. She knew her family would never approve of her loving a sandbender, so he convinced Manae to run away with him back too Si-Wong.
They did, starting a happy life in Si-Wong with her daughter, Hathai. And eventually, their son, Iften.
They discovered Iften was the avatar when he was a young child due to his ability to bend both sand and fire. The young boy was only three, playing in the sand with his sister before sneezing, sending fire out of his nose and turning the sand too glass.
This started Yedder’s training of his son, who happily followed.
Years later, Yedder went off one night for a raid, as is the way of many sandbenders due too hardships, so Iften was left with his mother and sister for the night.
While his mother was preparing dinner, Iften and his sister decided to pull a prank. They cut Hathai’s hair and dressed her in Iften’s clothes to see if their mom would notice. She did, and she was not very happy. Iften and Haithai were sent to their rooms to wait until their father got home, while Manae finished dinner. Iften ended up falling asleep.
Iften woke up to screams. He ran to his door and it felt hot to the touch to the point he couldn’t open it without hurting himself. He went to hide under his bed, not knowing what to do.
A few seconds later, the door was kicked open. Two people entered, he could only see their feet. When the door creaked open further, he could see the bodies of his sister and mother burning on the ground. He froze, not making a sound and thankfully, the men left, leaving Iften undiscovered under the bed.
But house was burning and he couldn’t move. He couldn’t even bend he was so scared.
Then, his father came. With one swoop, the fire was smothered by sand, the house now scarily dark and smelling of smoke and burning flesh.
His father was quiet, more quiet than the typically goofy man had ever been. He heard the young boys erratic breathing in the scarily quiet home so he walked over. He was suddenly filled with anger. Anger that his family was taken from him, anger that his son had seen it, anger he hadn’t protected him.
He instructed Iften to stay under the bed until he got back, quickly running off to try and track down who had done this.
So he waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Iften remained under that bed for two days, terrified to step out from under it incase those men were still there…waiting.
That was until a sandstork walked into his room, picking at his belongings and looking under the bed. Iften jumped, his cracked lips pulling into a scared frown. The sandstork tilted its head before gently tugging at his shirt, attempting to pull him out.
Iften figured if a sandstork- creatures known for their flighty nature- was here, there were no threats.
He allowed himself to be pulled out, the bird dipping down almost as if it was inviting him on its back. The dehydrated and starving boy climbed onto its back, near immediately falling asleep.
When he awoke, the bird had taken him to his uncles bar in the Misty Palms Oasis. His uncle, Warmaksan, took him in after that.