Disclaimer --- I don't own Avatar. If I did Zuko would have never chosen Azula's side and the series would be close to an ending.
Katara placed Aang back against Appa and let the tears of joy flow down her face. He was alive she had managed to save him. But now what? Ba Seng Se had fallen to the princess of the fire nation.
Azula had managed to kill the Avatar and de-thrown the Earth King all in one afternoon. How could she have been so stupid as to not see through Azula's disguise? But would it really have made a difference if she had?
Katara shook her head; there wasn't time to dwell on what might have been. Not when there was so much that needed to be done. And the first order of business was to find somewhere safe to camp.
She looked up and over at her three – no make that four companions. Her brother was flying Appa while the Earth King and Toph hang onto Appa's fur for dear life. Katara couldn't help the corners of her mouth from wanting to twist up as she watched Bosco crawl up to Appa's head and try to push Sokka off for a better look at what was going on.
"Hey get out of here you stupid bear. Your going to make us crash," Sokka attempts to push Bosco backward. Bosco's ears flatten a bit at Sokka's words but he refuses to move.
Katara couldn't resist just a little jibe at her brother's expense, "Ah Sokka it looks like somebody loves you." She let's out a small giggle and the incensed look on her brother's face. " Or it's the seal jerky you have in your bag. Maybe if you gave him some he'd let to drive in peace."
Sokka's head quickly turns in Katara's direction, a few shades paler then normal. "My seal jerky? Are you crazy woman!?! Dad gave me that!"
"Well what would you prefer? Crashing into the ground or losing a piece of Jerky to Bosco?"
"Do you even have to …" Sokka's reply was interrupted as Toph's voice cut in, "Snoozels if we crash I'm going to bend a whole 20 meters deep with spikes at the bottom and throw you in."
Katara watched in interest as Sokka gulped, "lose of seal jerky it is." He reached into his bag and placed a piece of the dried meat in Bosco's jowls then watched as the beast made his way back to his masters side.
Katara managed an encouraging smile for her brother's sake, knowing how much the sacrifice had meant to him. "I'm sure Bosco appreciates it." She shifted her weight and got herself into a relatively comfterable position, then asked her brother, "Do you think we can land soon?"
Sokka frowned. "I don't know if that's a good idea. We don't know where the fire nation camps are. And now that Ba Seng Se has fallen we can't assume the earth kingdom camps are still under EK control."
Katara let out a sigh, "I know, but we can't stay up here forever. Plus I need to get a better look at Aang and as much as I hate to admit this it can't really be done from up here. Plus there is the whole part about Toph going crazy in about an hour and trying to kill us if she has to endure flying for very much longer."
Toph looked over at the water bender and narrowed her sightless eyes a bit, but didn't say anything. Sokka looked back and forth between the two girls not knowing what to say.
The Earth King coughed, "um … if I may interrupt? Bosco really has to use the bathroom. So unless you want him to use Appa's tail as a toilet I suggest we land as soon as possible."
Appa let out a grunt and started to descend. "Hey, I didn't even signal to go down," Sokka shouted at Appa.
Toph let out a laugh, "I guess you have been out voted Snuzzels."
Sokka muttered something under his breath, which Katara was glad she was far enough away not to hear.
She turned her head back to look at the sleeping Avatar at her side. When they landed she would get a chance to make sure that the lighting strike had been completely healed and heal any other scraps he had gotten in the fight with the fire nation royalty.
The image of Zuko flashed in her mind and she felt a vice like grip on her heart. She had trusted him … just for a moment but she had trusted him none the less. And how had he repaid her kindness? He had chosen to side with his sister.
His choice shouldn't have surprised her. After all he had been chasing them for well over 4 months now, with the sole goal of capturing the Avatar. But there was something about the way he looked in the cave.
She let out a growl of frustration. She didn't have time to waste on thoughts of the fire prince, and how he made her feel. He was her enemy. And the next time they met she would fight him and win. It was as simple as that. Or was it?
The idea poped into my head while I was having one of my insomac moments. Sorry for any spelling mistakes I asked for some to beta it for me but all I got in response was good fic. Not what might need to be corrected.