Hema

Appearance
Hema is a light skinned woman with long black hair and blue eyes. She is relatively normal in height and rather slim, making her quite agile.

History
Hema was born in Republic City twenty years prior. She never knew her parents, for they died early in her childhood. For much of her life, she lived among adults who were always busy. They fed her and took care of her, but they were usually far too busy to pay any attention. The closest thing to an authority figure she had was a woman named Ratna, who taught her to read. Thus, when Hema was alone, she occupied her time by reading books.

At the age of seven, the men who had been so busy had begun her training. That was where she learned that she wasn't the only orphan taken in. They learned hand-to-hand combat, though it wasn't pleasant. Their teachers weren't quite as pleasant as Ratna was, and it seems that Hema was lucky to have known her in the first place. Some were underfed and anti-social, doing their best to please the teachers to avoid the beatings.

At some point in the future, the facility was raided, forcing everyone to abandon it. Hema could still remember the the sound screams. She never saw Ratna again, forced to abandon the facility alongside one of the instructors; a waterbender named Onartok. He wasn't like the other instructors. No, he was more light-hearted. They dispersed, Onartok taking them to an old cabin outside of Republic City. Hema could remember him rambling on about some sort of gang. They couldn't go back, he said.

Some time after, Onartok opened a shop on Republic City, selling the meat from animals he hunted and food he planted in his garden. He often took Hema when he hunted, which is how she learned to use a bow. For several years, they stuck together, bonding. Onartok became the closest thing to a parental figure Hema had. He understood her even without her having to speak. Hema was finally able to forget about the isolation and pleasing the instructors, until one day.

By the time Hema was nineteen, she had formed a small garden and sold some of these plants in Onartok's shop. She was finally able to think for herself. She finally had peace of mind. But this peace of mind was tragically ripped away when Onartok woke her up one night. He looked worried, though Hema was unable to ask what's wrong. Even if she could, he was in far too much of a hurry, speaking vaguely; "They're coming! They're coming!" He warned Hema to leave through the window. Thought hesitant, Hema obeyed timidly. Then, it happened. She heard screams; the same terrible noise that haunted her years earlier. She knew what happened, but didn't know what to do. Panicked, she ran, unsure where to go.

One year later, after recovering from her grief, she is ready to uncover the mystery Onartok hid from her, starting with the vague talk of this gang...

Personality
Being a mute, Hema has always had trouble communicating. She primarily uses body language, though there are times it isn't very clear. As such, Hema can be quite bashful and prefers to keep to herself due to her silent nature.

Due to this nature, Hema has developed great humility. Despite that, however, she can be quite courageous and skillful, given her lifestyle. Hema is intensely loyal to those she considers her friends, willing to go to great lengths to defend them.

When not working, Hema is an avid reader and, ironically, loves music. Onartok, her mentor and father figure, always said she was a great pipa (four stringed instrument) player.