Sukka knew when she saw that flare shoot overhead, that her life was about to change. She had this realization a moment before rage tore through her, but smothered her anger quickly – always so quickly - to smoulder beneath her skin. Flares didn't just set themselves off, and there was only two people not in the village at the moment.

'I'm going to kill Katara. Not to mention that air kid.' Sukka had known he was trouble. 'Spirits, why hadn't I done something about it when I'd had the chance?'

Dread coiled low in her stomach when she turned to look around her. Sukka hadn't been the only one too stop and watch the flare, the whole village seemed frozen as they stared up, looks of horror etched onto their faces. It was only the fact that it was clearly inland that stopped an outright panic, though that didn't diminish the anger over the fact that it had basically given away the villages' location. The women knew what this could mean. So did Sukka. She looked up again, and with a mix of fear and fury prayed that they would be the only people too have seen the old war signal.

The villagers returned to their normal routines, there wasn't anything to do even if they wanted too. Nowhere and no way to run – not with the village made up of the elderly and young, who couldn't travel anywhere in any reasonable amount of time. Or without a way to transport supplies so that they wouldn't starve and freeze. Tension hovered in the air, it was easy to spot the anxious glances thrown towards the sea, and the relieved ones every time Sukka climbed the wall next to the now useless watchtower, (courtesy of that brat) and came back down with nothing to report.

If (though Sukka felt it was more a case of when) the Fire Nation came they would be defenceless. Sukka was the only warrior here and she knew to call herself that was a joke; a half trained girl that hadn't had a real teacher in three years wouldn't be able to slow down one real soldier let alone a number of them. Not that it would stop Sukka from trying anyway – she would gladly fight and die for her family and home, as any good tribe member should.

Family. That was what really troubled Sukka; the thought of what would happen to Katara. Really it was her and Sukka who would be in the worst positions if (when) someone did come. Being a bender and not from the Fire Nation was as good as a death sentence. This was probably why Sukka had worked herself into a state of worried fuelled fury, by the time she finally spotted the two figures heading towards them in the distance.

Fuming to herself Sukka waited at the village edge, fur lined boots tapping in the snow. She could feel the other villagers crowd behind her as they drifted closer to watch. Gran-Gran stood only a few steps back from her as Aang and Katara trudged into town, Katara dragging her feet. Katara knew what she had done was wrong, but Sukka knew her little sister well enough to know she didn't appreciate having her mistakes pointed out. She especially wouldn't appreciate it in front of her new little friend. Katara would fight Sukka on this, knowing full well that she was in the wrong.

'Let her', Sukka thought grimly. In Sukka's eyes there was little short of imminent death that would justify what they had done.

The children Aang had played with went to rush forward, but a sharp word from Sukka stopped them. She could feel the scowl on her face as they both finally stopped in front of her.

Her voice rang out like a whip. "What were you thinking?! Katara you know going anywhere near that ship is forbidden! So why did you?!"

Katara stiffens in response and the dribble that then pours from her sisters' mouth makes Sukka want to jump up and down and shake Katara until she sees sense!

"Bravery!" Sukka shouts. "That isn't an excuse Katara! You broke tribe law on some childish test of courage! You were told not to and you did it anyway, knowing the danger!"

Aang takes this moment to step in and try and take the blame. Not that Sukka didn't already blame him. But it's the ease that he explains and his large guileless eyes, that shows her Aang is not a child raised in war. He doesn't realize what he's done. Sukka hadn't believed him when he claimed ignorance of the Hundred Year War, after all how could someone not know? But she's starting too believe him now.

It still doesn't stop Sukka continuing when Aang finishes. "The traitor confesses! Get away from him Katara, he might be a Fire Nation spy!"

'No he isn't!'

Sukka silently agreed, but didn't change her stance. Going against what was basically an unspoken tribe law, endangering everyone – doing it unknowingly wasn't an excuse, and really she faulted Katara for this more than Aang. Katara knew full well what the consequences could be and he so clearly didn't.

'Was our mother's death already so faded from her memory?' The thought whispers through Sukka's mind. It makes her next words sharp.

"Katara get away from him now!"

"No!" Katara straightens up. "Sukka can't you see…"

'I can see the start of a speech', she snarks to herself.

"…that Aang has given us something that we haven't had in a long time," here Katara pauses dramatically, "Fun."

It's a close thing but Sukka valiantly fights the urge to slap her own forehead. When she speaks it's practical a growl.

"We can't fight firebenders with fun!" The 'you idiot' goes unspoken.

"You should try it sometime," Aang pipes up.

The flippant response has Sukka seeing red, but she's quick to reign in her temper, the central fire a bright spot in the back of her mind. If Sukka hadn't braced herself she's convinced something would have went up in flames. Probably something bald and tattooed.

It helps her cement the decision she'd already made. Living in such a harsh place everyone has to work together for the good of the group. There was no tolerance for those who didn't contribute or those who posed a threat – unknowingly or not. Aang couldn't stay. And without further delay Sukka announced his banishment.

Katara eyes watered even as the rest of her face tightened in anger. Before Sukka's eyes Katara grabbed a yellow clad arm and tugged the boy away; choosing someone she'd known less than two days, over the people she'd known her whole life.

A sharp whistle from Aang and that enormous snot-monster appeared, actually flying this time. In a few second both children had clambered up into the saddle and were airborne, even as Sukka got over Kataras' betrayal and the 'oh Spirits that thing really can fly' shock too race after them. She screamed and threatened, cursed and pleaded until they were but a speck in the sky.

Sukka stood watching until even that speck was gone, before walking back to where the rest of the village hovered about, disbelieving that someone could do what her foolish little sister just did.

'It wasn't that Katara had chosen a stranger over them', Sukka acknowledged dazedly. 'It was waterbending that Katara had valued more than her tribe. Aang was just her means to it.'

That didn't make it hurt any less. Sukka understood what Katara went through. She felt the draw of her own element just as keenly. She'd never admit it though. After all, no one would think anything against Katara talking on about waterbending, but if Sukka was to do the same with her firebending…well she could understand why the villagers wouldn't take it so well. Even if the flames frightened her more than she cared to admit, they would frighten the others more. After all Sukka still possessed the potential to be dangerous.

She'd give anything too trade her potential for destruction for the potential that Katara had to create and be useful. So yes Sukka understood, but that didn't make Katara's choice right. Not by a long shot. Especially not for someone of Katara's standing – of the chiefs' daughter and heir.

With that thought Sukka cursed Katara again as she took in the hard faces around her. In a place where your life depended on working together as one, trust was everything. Katara had just broken that trust, and those here today would not soon forget it. Katara would be lucky to be accepted among them again let alone be recognized as chief. And didn't that open a whole new kettle of fish. Though Sukka felt guilty thinking about it, when technically her little sister was missing.

Sukka would never be able to inherit – as a bastard firebender who was the result of rape, she would never be accepted as leader. Though Hakoda claimed her as his firstborn and treated her like his own in every way, she wasn't his by blood. It had always been assumed that Katara would inherit, but this might as well as just dropped a herd of tiger-seals in the way. At fourteen Katara was considered an adult. A young one, yes, but an adult none the less. She would not receive the leeway a child would.

It was a problem that had Sukka going round in circles. What she really wanted to do was go out in the middle of nowhere, where it wouldn't matter if she accidently bended, and scream and shout so she didn't have to keep feeling this way. But she didn't have that luxury. Instead Sukka helped Gran-Gran back to their igloo and went about her chores, her eyes constantly scanning the skies.

If that hairy thing still couldn't fly Katara wouldn't have even made it two steps before reconsidering. As it was now she'd be back. Katara was loyal – though apparently not as much as Sukka would like her to be – but there was no way she'd make it all the way to the North Pole without feeling guilty and coming home. Since Katara had committed to 'running away' when she hopped on the magic flying bison, 'and how had Katara thought that was a good idea?' it would probably take her a day or so before she cooled down and came back.

'She wouldn't just leave me and Gran-Gran like that', Sukka was sure of that and stubbornly ignored the part of her that reminded her that before today she was sure Katara wouldn't have done what she just did either.

The sun was setting and there was still no sign of Katara or any Fire Nation ships. Sukka could see the tentative hope, that there wouldn't be any, start to grow on the faces of the villagers. She wished she could believe the same, but her sinking stomach was telling her otherwise. And below that the horrible feeling that was slowing drowning her, that no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she fought against it, change was coming.

The next morning when Sukka woke, Katara was still gone and there was grey ash in the snow.