This is my first ever Avatar fanfic. The events take place after The Day of Black Sun, but deviate from canon. There are no post-DoBS spoilers. Shipping is Sukka. Please read and review, it makes me happy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these amazing characters, Mark and Brian do. I just have the honor of writing about them.


Chapter 1

There was hardly enough sunlight streaming through the bars of the dungeon to create sunstripes on the dirt floor. And what light did penetrate somehow just made it gloomier, as if reminding its occupant of what she could no longer have.

At first glance she could be mistaken for a heap of old laundry someone had decided to toss in a corner, but her form rose and fell with her breathing. Still, she was such a far cry from her former self she was almost glad her fellow warriors could not see her.

I used to be Suki, the Kyoshi Warrior. Now I'm just one more prisoner.

That thought came too often for her liking, but it was too true to resist. She looked at her clothing, not really seeing it. She was dressed in nothing but cloth rags that had once been white, but were now stained with dirt. No more sleek green tunic, with the insignia for honor on the sleeve in gold thread, and the slim sheaths for her fans in the wrists…

Stop it!

As if someone had answered her wish for a distraction from her thoughts, the voices of two guards swelled abruptly not too far away. Immediately, Suki scooted sideways across the dirt floor and leaned up again the bars. It was uncomfortable, especially when she had to do it casually and subtly enough that the guards didn't suspect. But it was worth it, if she got to eavesdrop. She closed her eyes, long since cleaned of their dark makeup, and pretended to be sleeping.

"I still can't quite believe it, Chun…"

"You've been saying that for days now Shan, it's getting annoying."

"But for a force so small to penetrate that far…!"

Suki's eyes nearly flew open, but she caught herself in time. She couldn't stop her blood from surging with sudden excitement, though. It was as she had hoped; the guards were discussing their favorite topic, the invasion. She guessed they probably had little else to do; the other prisoners were all quiet except for an occasional snore, whimper, or sigh. They were so beaten and dejected that the guards had lost interest in tormenting them as well, and unless the bored wardens wanted to discuss the Admiral's new hairstyle or the fall of Ba Sing Se's walls, which were old news by now, it was the invasion they talked about. But up until now, Suki had caught only snatches of words and phrases from conversations.

She knew Aang was alive. The dungeon would have looked like an overturned anthill if the Avatar had been killed or imprisoned. For that information she was immensely grateful. She had nearly gone mad that day, thinking of what might be happening as guards dashed past yelling to each other about the capital being breached. The second she had heard, she had known. There was no one else who would ever have attempted such a thing, no one but Aang.

Now she strained her ears to the two guards talking.

"So many rumors are flying around about what happened…I wish I had been there on the front lines," said the one named Shan, who had jet black hair and was fairly young.

The other one, an older veteran named Chun, was less naïve. "I don't wish any such thing. I've heard reports from the generals themselves, it was madness. They say they saw the whole force swarming up to the capital, and they had machinery even we've never heard of! Our airships saw them off, as you know, but it was closer than anyone liked to admit."

"So, it's true! They were all there, weren't they? The Avatar and his group?" Shan's eyes were bright with excitement.

Chun nodded wisely. "I should say so. It's strange, they actually lost sight of the Avatar himself for a while, but his other close cohorts were certainly there. That waterbender girl caused absolute chaos on the guard towers…and the soldiers on the front lines admitted that they nearly broke ranks when the Avatar's bison came through the gates, especially with that warrior boy astride him."

Suki tensed, every muscle in her body going taut with remembered reflex from her days as a Kyoshi Warrior. She was barely breathing now, afraid she'd miss something. This was more information than she'd ever dared hope for. But even as her ears strained, her brain was racing.

Of course they wouldn't know his name, they're just simple guards. But that description is enough…warrior boy…on Appa. There's no one else Aang would trust with him in battle, it has to be, please let it be…

She couldn't, wouldn't say the name. She was done speaking it, it was just too hard. When she had first arrived, she had uttered it all the time, first softly, then louder, until she was shouting the name aloud to the whole dungeon, in sheer desperation. As if he would spring from the shadows and smash one of the guards, so she could leap free and join him, back to back, scything a path through the wardens together.

Even after she had been securely locked in one of the single cells, and the other Kyoshi Warriors imprisoned around her, she had kept on whispering his name to herself, almost like a charm of protection. Sometimes she would say the name of her best friend, Nali, who was in a cell several down from her. Sometimes Nali had responded to her weak calls, but now the Kyoshi deputy spoke less and less. But it was usually his name, and Suki was sure she said it in her dreams too. It had become something almost unconscious. But now she had promised herself she would stop. It hurt too much, and besides, she wasn't that weak. She didn't need to rely on anyone that much, it wasn't in her nature as a Kyoshi Warrior.

So now she just said, "him" whenever she thought about him. And that wasn't much either. She had begun to keep herself on a tight mental leash as far as he was concerned. But sometimes late at night, when she was having trouble sleeping on the hard earth floor, she would let her memories wander back. Those were the moments of true escape. If she tried hard, she could still see the misty glow of moonlight, and feel the hard stone beneath her feet, and hear the indignant note that made his voice go up several octaves, "Is he taller than me? Is he better looking?" And then she could actually smile, though it was a pained, sad smile. She didn't dare remember anything past that night, however. Because the next morning was…that day. The last day she had ever seen him. The day they had ki-

No!

She brought herself up short and forced herself to turn her attention back to the conversation. But her heart was thrumming now, because if the soldiers had seen him at the invasion, that meant he was alive.

But the guards were moving away now, still chatting as they went. The young guard Shan was still spouting rapid questions. "Is it true they had tanks, moved by earthbenders? And that some of them actually got inside the underground palace to try and find the Fire Lord himself?"

"Rumors," scoffed Chun. But he leaned close, as if imparting a great secret. "They did say they lost track of the earthbending girl and the warrior boy for a while. There could be some truth to it."

And then they passed out of sight and out of earshot. Suki let go a shuddering sigh and slumped back against the wall. Her mind was spinning. He was alive. He tried to find the Fire Lord…! Her first emotion was anger at his rashness, followed by affectionate pride at his bravery. And she wished she could have been there to see him ride Appa into battle, it would have been a sight to behold…

She looked up to the barred window set high up in the stone wall. Not for the first time she wished she was an earthbender. It would be the work of seconds to bust herself out, and then she wouldn't have to lie here thinking weak thoughts about waiting helplessly for rescue. Now, with the new information, it was much harder not to think about him.

Suddenly, there was someone outside her cell. Her head jerked up involuntarily, but it was only Yana. Suki relaxed. Yana brought the prisoners their meager food everyday, and she was not someone to be feared. She was a kindly, stooped woman of middle-age with brown hair tied back in a traditional bun. She had amiable eyes, and had never said a harsh word to any prisoner. In fact, she usually had a pitying smile for Suki, though she was careful to do it when no guards were around.

Suki forced herself to return Yana's smile, though she hardly felt like it, and accepted the bowl of mealy mush that was her ration. She lowered her head to begin eating, since their short exchange was over. But after a few moments of scooping up the tasteless goop, she became aware that Yana had not left. The woman was still standing there, but now she had a piece of parchment clutched in her fist that Suki hadn't noticed.

With a furtive, almost fearful glance around the dungeon, Yana bent suddenly over and thrust the parchment through the bars. In a hurried whisper, she said, "At every battle, no matter how unexpected, there is a royal artist. The Fire Lord likes his victories captured for later generations. I managed to take this one…don't let anyone know you have it!" Yana paused, and then said in an even softer voice, "I've heard you saying his name at night, and I guessed. There are days I can't bear to be in this place…" She trailed off, looking pained. At the sound of approaching footsteps, Yana breathed, "Goodbye!" and paced quickly away.

Suki waited until the dungeon was completely clear of all guards, and then withdrew the tattered parchment from where she had stuffed it under her rags. With trembling fingers, she unfolded it, somehow knowing what she would see. But it didn't prepare her any better.

It was a masterfully done drawing, she admitted that. The black brushstrokes were smooth and beautiful, capturing movement and detail perfectly. The painting was of Appa, tossing his head and roaring at the advancing Fire Nation soldiers. On his back was the clear silhouette of a wolf…no, someone with a helmet modeled after a wolf, with pointed ears and low slung skull. That person was holding a sword pointed forward, pointing to the Fire Nation soldiers in fierce defiance.

Suki almost crumpled the drawing. It was him…so brave and warrior-like that he took her breath away, even in drawing. But it hurt so much to see him like that, and know that she was stuck here in this stupid prison when she should be out there, helping him and Aang and Katara fight for freedom. She was a warrior too, a Kyoshi Warrior. And nothing could be more frustrating than being unable to fight when there was plenty to fight for. And people to fight with…

She closed her eyes, giving in to rare tears. Sometimes it just seemed so incredibly hopeless…

Unable to bear it anymore, she clutched the drawing to her chest and pressed her face to it, keeping her sobs silent so as not to attract attention. And she allowed herself to do the thing she had promised not to do, just as a light in the darkness. She said it. It could have been a blessing or a curse, a charm or a swearword, the way she said it.

Sokka.

And then she heard wingbeats.