Chapter 0.5
Ok so as many of you may know I have already started this story but from a different point.
So I'm going to go back a chapter and continue it from then, this is chapter 0.5, the one before captured. Enjoy.
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Katara awoke suddenly, her heart pounding in her head as she clutched at her chest.
Groaning with irritation, Katara pulled her sleeping bag back round her shoulders and laid her head back down on her pillow.
It was only a few days away from the full moon and already her dreams were restless, haunting images flooded her mind, dancing faces and dark shadows disrupted her sweet dreams. Pushing the bad images from her head, Katara closed her eyes and let her mind wander to better places that lay far from her reach, the scenes taking on a new life as she fell back into her deep sleep.
Morning came soon enough for the weary travelers, groans of exhaustion and hunger filled the camp as everyone emerged from their tents.
"What's for breakfast?" Sokka asked rubbing his back as her scrambled out of his tent, half in half out of his sleeping bag.
"I think we ate the last of it last night" Aang replied, rummaging through Appa's saddle and shrugging back at the gang as he came up short.
Katara, hearing the ruckus outside, pulled herself wearily out of her warm sleeping bag and climbed out of her tent. Yawning and stretching as she enjoyed the room out in the open, Katara realized that she had become the focus of everyone's attentions.
"What?" she asked, checking herself incase something had become attached to her during the night.
"We're all out of food" Aang replied, holding up the empty food bag for emphasis.
She sighed "I'll go catch us some fish". Aang handed her the food bag as she swept past him on her way to the lake "I'll be back soon, you had better get a fire started" Katara replied disappearing into the thick shrubbery that sheltered the camp from the vast open lake.
"God, I slept like a log last night" Sokka laughed, stretching out his back as she walked to the middle of the camp where the fire pit sat "how about you guys?"
"I would have slept better if sugar-queen hadn't kept tossing and turning all night" Togh complained, rubbing the sleep out of her blind eyes.
Sokka and Aang exchanged confused looks "I wonder why she couldn't sleep? She seemed pretty exhausted when we landed last night?" Aang wondered aloud.
"You guys honestly don't know?" Togh laughed ironically, wasn't she supposed to be the blind one "the full moon—she sighed, answering their puzzled looks—Katara always gets restless around the full moon".
Aang and Sokka groaned, they all knew how Katara got around the full moon when her sleep patterns became irregular and her power flared. They were in for a long week of dancing around Katara's mood swings and.
"Hey—Togh called, arousing the two men from their thoughts and bringing them back to the real world—where's Sparky?" Sokka and Aang looked from Togh to Zuko's tent and then back again.
"Dibs not!" Sokka cried, running off into the forest to find spare wood for the fire, avoiding Aang as he called after him.
"Don't look at me twinkle-toes, you're the guy, what if he's bathing?" Togh argued holding up her hands and backing away from the bald monk.
"Then Katara's in for a big surprise" Aang smiled to himself, remembering the direction Katara had just disappeared off into. Laughing as his mind produced images of Katara standing at the edge of the lake with her water whip out, as Zuko scrambled to find his clothes.
Katara followed the lightly trodden path from the camp to the lake; the forest seemed so much different during the day. Upon landing in the clearing late last night, Katara had scanned the area nervously, it was such a place that could conceal a fire nation army.
But now that she was able to see clearly into the dense forest, her worries seemed to disappear like the rising sun before her.
"If two distant lands I scatter, if I sail to farthest seas, would you find and firm and gather, till I only dwell in thee?" Katara sang, remembering the lullaby that her mother used to sing to her all those years ago in the South Pole.
Katara sighed as she reached the banks of the gigantic body of water, smiling as she felt comforted by being so close to her element again. The feel of the water pushing and pulling against her as if inviting her into its wet warmth.
Katara beamed as she pulled at the sash at her waist 'an few extra minutes of waiting for breakfast never killed anyone' she laughed, pulling away her yukata and letting it fall in a pile of soft material at her feet.
It felt good to be able to walk around in just her under wrapping again, she had worn that same item of clothing for so long she was surprised she didn't have fly's trailing after her everywhere she went.
"Mmm, that feels so good" Katara whispered to herself as she walked swiftly into the water, stopping once it reached her waist.
The water swelled around her like an old friend, welcoming her back into its domain.
Taking a deep breath, Katara closed her eyes and sunk into the coolness of the blue liquid, letting it engulf her whole body from head to toe in one swift movement.
Zuko sat off to one side of the path, close to the rocky shore that mirrored the cliffs above him.
He hadn't felt this clean since joining the avatar and his gang and as much as he loved the freedom, Zuko missed the heated baths that he used to visit every day back at he palace.
The fire bender sighed as he thought of the life he could never return to, the title of the banished prince scorched into the back of his mind.
A soft rustle coming from the trees to his left, alerted him of the approaching person, concealing himself against the rock face as he recognized the sound of the persons voice.
Katara appeared seconds later, a large bag swinging in her hands as she sung, thinking herself alone.
Zuko continued to watch in awe as she sighed and looked out over the lake longingly, his eyes bulging as he watched the young water bender remove her obi and slide out of her dress.
Never had he seen a sight so beautiful and natural, as he watched the woman gave herself over to her element.
He watched as Katara smiled and floated through the water like the goddess she was, his whole body completely entranced by her beauty and nature. The water seeming as if it were alive as it moved fluidly around her perfectly curved body.
Zuko's stomach lurched in panic as she was suddenly submerged beneath the smooth surface of the water, he held his breath as he watched the spot where she had been standing seconds ago, eagerly awaiting for her to re-surface.
Katara felt the press of water as it engulfed her every fiber, encasing her in a protective shell cool liquid.
She sat submerged for a while loving every minute of her watery exile, finally coming up for air as her lungs began to scream in protest.
Katara pierced the tranquil surface of the water as her head shot to the surface, her mouth opening wide as she sucked in as much air as her screaming lungs would allow.
Her eyes flickered as her vision re-adjusted, the shapes becoming more defined as her sight began to focus on the area around her.
A large hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around in a 180 degree turn, her eyes meeting with two of the most beautiful irises she had ever seen, melted gold in the center, amber in the middle and a deep rich hazel that skirted the edges of his eyes.
Katara stood entranced as she gazed up at the stunning eyes that captured her attention and burned her insides like molted lava.
"Katara, did you hear what I said?" Zuko asked anxiously, staring deep into her eyes as he placed another hand on her shoulder to steady her swaying form.
Katara snapped out of her little world, returning her attention back to the tall handsome man standing before her. It wasn't until she heard his voice and felt his other hand on her shoulder that she realized that she was only in her under-garments.
Katara screamed and whipped Zuko with the water that surrounded her, pulling free of his grasp as she attempted to push past him and up onto the shore.
"OW!" Zuko cried, as the whip hit him straight across his back, leaving an angry red line that stretched from his left shoulder to his right hip.
Her eyes bulging with embarrassment Katara threw herself in the direction of her clothes, the water supporting her weight as she glided along the surface.
"Katara, wait!" a stunned Zuko called, rushing after her through the water and up onto the sandy banks.
"Stay away from me!" she called reaching for her yukata and wrapping it around herself in a feeble attempt to cover up before the banished prince.
"Please let me explain?!" Zuko called back, stopping in his tracks as he saw the horrified and scared look written all over her face.
"You see I was taking a bath and then, before I could get to my clothes you showed up and began taking off your clothes" Zuko justified, still staying submerged in the water to give the water bender her space.
Katara's eyes flew open with horror as the prince shared his side of the story; she hadn't even known she was being watched the whole time. The whole idea sending shivers down her spine, but what frightened her most was that she liked the idea of the prince watching her.
"—and then suddenly popped up from the water" Zuko continued, unknown to him that Katara's mind had wandered so that she was no longer paying attention to him.
"I was afraid that you were hurt" he finished, his shoulders sagging as he watched her clasp the robe tighter around her form.
The water bender watched the prince as he continued to re-tell his side of the story, her anger suddenly flaring up again as she realized how stupid shed been, how embarrassed she felt as she stood there half naked. How could he, how could that blackguard stand and watch as she stripped down to her bare essentials and not say anything.
"I am perfectly able to look after myself, you…….you…….pervert!" Katara fumed at the half naked fire bender as he stood there his lower half safely submerged under the water.
"I know you're probably used to getting your way all the time—Katara hissed at the astonished fire bender—but let me make one thing clear, if I find you spying on me again, I'll make sure it is the very last thing you see on gods green earth!" and with that Katara stormed off into the sheltered recesses of the dense forest to make herself decent before heading back to camp.
'Although' she thought, a dark though creeping into the back of her mind 'it would be entertaining to watch Sokka beat the pulp out of him'. Katara laughed evilly, pulling her clothes back on and beginning the short walk back to camp.
"Hay Katara" Togh called from where she sat prodding at the meek little fire in the centre of the camp.
"Um, Katara, where's the fish?" Sokka piped in, walking past her and grabbing the bag from out of her hand, only to find it empty.
Katara bit her lip; she had completely forgotten about breakfast for everyone, she was still too shocked and embarrassed from her little encounter with Zuko earlier this morning.
"I couldn't find any" she mumbled, averting everyone's gazes and climbing into her tent and attempted to tidy her self up, bending the water out of her hair and into her water pouch. Outside she could hear Sokka groan about his stomach "I'm so hungry" she heard his muffled tones whine "Couldn't find any? Couldn't find any my ass! She was probably too busy playing with her little water whips".
Katara felt her anger flair for the second time this morning as her brother continued to falsely accuse her, if only he knew what had happened.
Zuko watched in shock as Katara stormed away from him and into the bushes, blocking his sight of the beautiful bender.
"What's she getting all worked up about?!—Zuko fumed in return—I was only trying to help her".
"Zuko!" Aang called, landing in a small clearing near the lake, folding his glider away as he began walking through the shrubs.
"Over here" Zuko replied, wading through the water towards the shore and his clothes, pulling the coarse material of the shirt over his damp hair and smoothing it over the hard plains of his abdomen.
"I thought I'd find you around here" Aang sighed as he spotted the older man through the thick shrubs; it was obvious that he had been bathing like Togh had predicted.
"I'd cover up too if I were you, the last time I checked Katara was heading this way" he warned, laughing as the image of Katara kicking the fire benders butt as she caught him swimming around half naked.
Zuko watched curiously as the young monk began to laugh hysterically at something he'd just thought of, leaving the prince to get dressed in peace before following the avatar back to the camp.
"If you want breakfast so much, why don't you go get it!?" Katara screamed, flinging back the tarp sheet that worked as a front door to her tent as she stormed up to Sokka and glared at him.
Sokka glanced nervously over at Togh, looking for some support but instead ending up empty handed with only so much as a 'I did tell you' look from the small earth bender as she sat idly on a rock, observing the whole scene by sensing the vibrations in the ground.
Sokka—seeing the fury in his sisters eyes—picked up the sack from the floor and headed towards the lake, passing Aang and Zuko on the way.
"Hay Sokka, why have you got the food bag?" Aang asked confused as his friends brushed past them as he headed for the lake.
"I'm off to get us some breakfast!" he huffed, giving them a weary smile before disappearing back into the bush.
Aang shrugged and continued to walk silently next to Zuko, thinking of how one day—once they had finally defeated Ozai—Zuko would be the next fire lord, it sounded strange to him but it gave him hope.
"I wonder what was up with Sokka?" Aang thought out loud, hoping that it would spark some conversation between them.
"I don't know" Zuko replied to Aang's relief. "He said something about breakfast, maybe he's just hungry".
Aang smiled and nodded "Sokka is one for his food" he joked, looking up at the banished prince, hoping for a reaction of some sorts. But it was obvious that Aang had run short, Zuko just nodded and kept walking, his eyes focused and concentrating, almost as if he was somewhere else entirely.
Aang shrugged and continued to walk; he'd tried to reach out to the older man but it was obvious Zuko had other things on his mind.
"There you guys are" Togh called from where she sat perched on a rock, cleaning her feet. "Katara was beginning to worry" Togh giggled, as Katara poked her head out of her tent at the mention of her name.
"Aang there you are, I was wondering where you'd gotten to—Katara smiled, brushing aside the tarp door and stepping out into the open—I thought we'd do some training today?!"
Katara watched as the young avatar nodded his head enthusiastically "I haven't had a good fight in ages" he laughed, stretching his arms over his head before gliding over to where Togh was sitting.
"Hay Katara—Aang called from where he sat, a puzzled look crossing his face—whys Sokka off fishing?" Katara stared at the air bender, a pink blush spreading across her face as she remembered the humiliation she had felt earlier this morning.
"I couldn't find any fish, something must have scared them off" she added acidly, glaring at Zuko from across the camp, she wanted to put as much distance between them as she could.
Aang shrugged and looked at Togh, a smile breaking out across her face "good god, sugar-queen, calm down. Your hearts beating a mile a minute" she giggled, pointing in the direction of the abashed water bender.
"Its not, I'm perfectly fine" Katara lied, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at the blind earth bender.
"I'm going to find Sokka!" she huffed, storming away from the camp site, any excuse to get away from a certain fire bender that sent her pulse racing every time their eyes met.
"What's up with Katara?" Aang sighed; everyone had been acting so weird lately. 'Maybe it's just the stress' Aang thought, dismissing it to the back of his mind, in a few days they would pack up and continue their journey to the fire nation. The thought of dueling Zuko's father sent shocks of lightning down his back that was definitely something he didn't want to think about.
Aang pulled back from his thoughts "hay Zuko you want to…" Aang stopped mid sentence, suddenly noticing the prince's disappearance 'what had happened to Zuko?' he questioned, looking quizzically at Togh.
"Don't look at me!—Togh exclaimed—I'm not a mind reader".
Aang sighed annoyed at the fact that both Zuko and Katara had promised to train him, and now here they were disappearing at every chance they had.
"Brighten up twinkle-toes" Togh smiled, hopping off her rock and heading off away from the camp. "Katara and Zuko aren't the only bending masters" Aang smiled, he could always count on Togh to make him feel better.
"Ok!" he laughed, floating up next to her, the pair of them giggling as they disappeared off to find a clearing.
"Katara, wait!" Zuko called, striding up to the water bender ahead of him and stopping in front of her so she too had to stop.
"What?" she spat back, her words holding such venom it would shame a two headed-viper-snake. She didn't know how or why her body reacted to the banished prince the way it did, but it scared her, making the young master more aggressive than she ever thought she could be.
"I thought we were all past this? I thought you trusted me now?!" Zuko asked confronting Katara, his anger beginning to rage like the fire he could produce and control but at that moment, Zuko wasn't sure whether he could control it or not, she just made him feel so fervent.
Katara stepped back, wondering what to answer to that, what Zuko said was true, she had forgiven him, made him feel like part of the group. "I…I…do, I mean I did" Katara stuttered, trying to find the right words as she found herself falling into the dark princes golden eyes.
"But that's beside the point and you still haven't explained what you were doing spying on me this morning!"
Zuko shook his head and stepped forward, closing the gap between the confused water bender and him self.
"I told you, I wasn't spying, I was bathing and before I could warn you, you began undressing!" Zuko's temper flared again, his hinds shaking as he towered over Katara, loosing himself as he stared into her large, opal blue eyes.
Katara blushed at the memory of Zuko's hands on her bare skin as he pulled her towards the surface, her skin tingled from the memory and she looked away, unable to meet his golden eyes, she knew deep down that he was right. The sight of the cool, familiar liquid had made her feel so free and relaxed she had been unable to help herself.
"But you know I'm right—Zuko continued, grasping Katara's arms, causing a shudder to run through the beautiful water benders body—deep down you know that you have no real reason to hate me right now!"
Katara shook her head and looked up at Zuko, flinching as she saw the fierceness in his eyes.
"Well do you?!" Zuko asked, shaking her so that she wobbled unsteadily on her feet.
"No" she sighed in defeat.
Zuko smiled down at her in triumph, his heart pounding as he watched her shiver under his touch. A greedy grin washing over his face as he watched Katara's reaction, straining to control himself Zuko stepped closer to her, pushing their body's together as he continued to hold her gaze. His body exploding in a wave of desire and passion as he held her close.
Katara could feel his heart race in time with hers as she stood locked in Zuko's embrace, hot flushes running wild through her body.
Zuko looked into Katara's bewildered expression, that one look said it all; she was feeling the same, mind numbing pleasure as he was. Closing his eyes, Zuko let go of his self control and cupped Katara's cheek tightly in his hand, swiftly lowering his mouth onto hers.
Katara's heart began to hammer harder—making her fear the moment it would fly out her chest entirely—as Zuko gripped her chin in his hand. Katara quivered again at this sudden act of dominance and passion, fearing but eagerly anticipating his next move at the same time.
They stood there for a second, completely wrapped in them selves as they stared deeply into each others eyes.
Katara's heart stopped completely as she felt Zuko's arms circle her waist before he leaned over and covered her lips with his. Katara's eyes flew open with the shock of the whole situation, however it wasn't long until she had given over to him, his lips causing her such pleasure she wondered how long it would take for her pass out.
Zuko smiled to himself as he felt Katara melt against him, her lips moving with his as she got over the shock of his sudden actions. Grasping her waist, Zuko plunged deeper into the kiss, running his tongue along Katara's bottom lip, asking for permission to explore her mouth.
Katara sighed angelically and opened her mouth, letting Zuko lick at her as if he were feeding, her hands making their way up the front of his body to wrap loosely around his neck.
"Katara!" Sokka cried, stumbling across Zuko and his little sister locked in a passionate embrace.
"Um…this isn't what it looks like, Sokka" Katara said, pulling away from Zuko and stepping toward her brother, preparing herself for a lot of damage control.
"Oh, really, I think it's exactly what it looks like" Sokka scoffed, letting the dripping bag fall to the floor as he strode menacingly past Katara and up towards Zuko.
"Sokka, please it was just a kiss!" Katara interrupted, drawing her brother's attention back to her and away from the angered Zuko.
"Just a kiss? JUST a KISS!" he fumed, stomping back over to where his sister now stood "That was not just a kiss!"
"I'm a grown woman, Sokka, I know the difference between a kiss and other things!" Katara fumed, her anger beginning to rise as the shock of Zuko's kiss began to wear off.
"That may be so, Katara—Sokka yelled, his face turning red—but I know what I saw, and no matter how much you deny it, I know where it was eventually going to lead to!"
"Sokka, calm down so we can discuss this like rational adults" Zuko called over the sound of Sokka's straining voice.
"Calm down! Calm down!—Sokka screamed, turning all his fury from Katara and directing it a Zuko—don't you tell me to calm down after what I saw you doing to my sister".
"I told you Sokka, nothing happened! Zuko replied, striding over the to the infuriated water tribe warrior.
"Nothing happened yet! You mean" Zuko rolled his eyes as the warrior began to stomp around the two of them.
"I don't know how it works over in the fire nation, but where we come from—Sokka explained motioning to Katara and himself—that sort of thing is unacceptable until after marriage".
"Sokka!" Katara cried in horror "do you really think so little of me".
Sokka sighed and turned to face his younger sister "no, I don't think that lowly of you, all I'm saying is that I wouldn't put it past him" emphasizing his words as he jabbed Zuko in the chest.
Zuko growled at the water tribe warrior, he had gotten away with many things in Zuko's book, but questioning his honor was something Zuko didn't take lightly.
"How dare you question my honor—he snarled, his gaze locking with Katara's for a split second before he tore it away to stare at Sokka—I have the deepest respect for Katara".
"You're all the same, you fire nation folk, thinking you can take what you want when you want!" Sokka retaliated, reaching out behind him self and grabbing Katara's wrist.
"This is why Katara will be sleeping in my tent tonight and for the rest of the journey until I feel as if I can trust you again".
Zuko scowled at Sokka, his gaze softening as he caught Katara's eye.
'I'm sorry' her look read as she gazed into his face, one that she now felt universally linked to.
Zuko smiled weakly in return as Sokka dragged Katara back towards camp, trailing the dripping bag with him.
"Hay Sokka—Aang called, hopping off the rock where he had been sitting with Togh—did you get us something to eat, I'm starving".
"Wow what's wrong with you?!" Togh called, her feet picking up the tense vibrations that ran through the group of three that had just emerged from the dense forest.
"Nothing!" they all snapped in unison as Katara pulled herself away from Sokka, breaking the grip he had on her wrist.
"Ok, Ok, don't need to bite my head off!" Togh muttered, holding her hands up in surrender.
The day passed by pretty quick after everyone had sat down to eat, of course it was too late for breakfast, so they all tucked into an early lunch, which seemed to brighten Sokka's spirits significantly.
"Katara, where are you going?" Sokka called to his younger sister as she headed away from the camp fire and back to her tent.
"To bed" she replied acting as if Sokka was dumb in the head or something.
"You're sleeping in my tent tonight, remember!?" he called to her, holding the tarp door open in anticipation.
"You're being ridiculous" she scoffed, glaring at her brother.
"Do I have to come over there and get you myself?" the water tribe warrior retaliated impatiently.
"GGRR, you're such a pain in my ass, Sokka" Katara shouted, grabbing her sleeping bag and storming over to her brother's tent.
"What can I say, it's my job!" he shrugged, following her through the gap and snuggling into his sleeping bag next to hers.
"You do realize it's the full moon tonight?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked down on her brother's sleeping form.
Sokka mumbled, "So?" rolling away from her and towards the tent entrance.
"So, I guess that you don't mind staying up with me, since I won't be getting any sleep tonight?" she whispered baiting her overprotective brother.
"Nice try Katara, but I can stay awake just as long as you can" Sokka replied confidently sitting up in his sleeping bag and crossing his arms as he watched his younger sister curl up.
"Want a bet?" she muttered, closing her eyes and pretending to fall asleep.
Katara's eyes flew open as she heard Sokka snore loudly, silently slipping out of her bag she crept across the tent floor and disappeared into the dark shadows outside.
There was too much foliage for her to see the moon clearly, so with her water pouches tied securely to her back Katara headed towards the river, her heart pounding with the power and strength that the full moon filled her with.
Azula stepped assertively out of her elaborate tent and looked up at the sky "perfect" she hissed, noting the circumference of the moon.
"What's perfect?" The chirpy voice of Tai Le asked coming from the inside of the tent.
"Tonight is the full moon—she grinned sadistically, looking over her shoulders to the two girls who sat playing Pi Shaw inside—and we all know who comes out to play during the full moon!"
"Your point being?" Mai sighed unenthusiastically from where she sat across from the other girl that was her complete opposite.
"My point being, is that the avatars little girlfriend is a water bender, so if it's a full moon where is she most likely to be?" Azula smiled cunningly, waving at her friends to follow her.
Mai and Tai Le shrugged and swapped confused looks before following their princess's lead.
Azula gathered the group of Di Le agents she had been traveling with and lead them towards the lake they were camped close to, slinking through the shadows like mist.
Katara smiled as she stepped into the blissful moonlight, her power surging like a tsunami as she basked in its ghostly glow.
"It's a shame this only happens once a month" she sighed pulling off her shoes and wading into the water until it constricted around her slim waist.
'What to try out first?' Katara thought going over a few moves in her head that she hadn't tried in a while.
Picking one that she had never fully mastered Katara took up her stance, creating numerous blades out of the shimmering liquid and with a flick of her wrists sent them twirling around her body like you would with a sword.
"I've never seen you water bend during a full moon" Zuko cooed from the tree he was leaning casually against, his hands folded calmly against his chest and a smile playing on his lips "It's enchanting".
"My brother would kill you if he knew you were here" she smirked remembering her brothers bent form as he slept sitting up. She must remember to lay him out when she got back, otherwise they would all suffer his complaining come morning.
"What Sokka doesn't know—'which is substantial' Zuko added silently—can't hurt him" the prince replied, watching the water bender more intently as she began to move the water intricately around her body.
"Mmm… and after he's done with you, what do you think he's going to do to me?" she laughed thinking of hundreds of ways that Sokka could make her life hell for the next few years.
"I'm not sure, but I think it may involve something along the lines of handcuffing yourselves together" Zuko replied joining in with Katara's laughter as images of the girl forever chained to her brother filled their heads.
"I can just see it now—Zuko laughed his eyes still fixed on Katara's back—Sokka and you one hundred years from now, sitting on a porch and still handcuffed together".
Katara burst into a fit of giggles as Zuko painted the image into her head, the water that circulated around her splashing back into the lake as she lost control, doubling over as he sides began to hurt.
"Stop!—she cried wiping a tear from her eye—you're killing me" Katara hiccupped, gasping desperately for air.
Zuko stopped laughing first and walked up to the waters edge completely forgetting that he was fully clothed, Zuko strode through the water and up to where Katara was standing.
He couldn't believe how anyone could look so beautiful, even when they were still having a fit.
Katara stopped laughing and looked up at the dark prince as she felt his hand brush her cheek, making her heart hammer like a drum against her ribcage.
"This is torture" he said scowling into her face as her eyes looked up to meet his, the feel of her skin so soft against his hand twisting his stomach into knots.
"We can't be together, your brother, Aang, everyone, they would never allow it" he replied answering her questioning gaze.
"Since when have you ever cared about what anyone thinks?" Katara smiled reassuringly, cupping his cheek in response and pulling his face closer to hers.
"I care about what you think" Zuko answered still scowling at the thought of how he felt right now and how the one thing that he knew he must have, he would never get.
She was his forbidden fruit.
"Oh, damn them all!" he growled letting his emotions rule his body as he swept Katara up in his arms and kissed her fiercely, crushing his lips against hers as if at any moment she would slip through his fingers like the swift water that was her element.
Katara smiled, working her lips against his as flames erupted deep in her body sending scorching heat from the tips of her toes all the way up to the top of her head.
Katara knew it was wrong, utterly wrong for her to feel this way towards Zuko after everything that had happened, but as she stood wrapped in his arms, feeling as if nothing in the world could top what she was experiencing, she couldn't deny how right it felt.
Zuko groaned as he felt Katara pull herself closer to him, his right hand finding the small of her back as he pulled her firmly against him, her left leg slipping between his knees.
"Katara, my self control can only be stretched so far" Zuko breathed pulling away from her tender lips, making his gut twist in anticipation and want for the feel of her body wrapped around his.
"Then don't stretch" Katara smiled seductively, kissing at the hard muscled skin that lay exposed at his chest. Her body too aching for the touch of his skin bare against hers.
"You don't know what you're asking" he murmured gripping her head with his hand and lifting her chin so that their foreheads rested against each other as they learnt how to breathe again.
"Well, well, isn't this touching?!" a cruel hiss echoed from the shadows of the forest, freezing the couple where they stood.
Zuko squeezed his eyes close and wished for it to be a trick of the wind and that his brutal sister was not standing right behind him, but back in the fire nation where she belonged.
Zuko's anger burned deep inside him, it was just like his sister to ruin such a perfect moment. Feeling a growl rip from between his lips the prince pulled away from Katara, sending a round of fireballs towards the direction of the voice.
"You're going to have to do better than that" Azula yawned dodging her brother's measly attack with ease "how about I duel your little water bending peasant, it's a full moon and I would love to know the extent of her 'talents".
Katara moved to step around Zuko but he held her back with his arm, putting himself directly in the line of fire between Katara and his sister.
"Let me handle this and at the first opportunity grab the gang and get out of here!" he instructed glancing back over his shoulder at Katara.
"What about you?" she asked placing her hand on his cheek and looking into his eyes.
"I'll be fine, I promise just get everyone out of here" he sighed watching her eyes scan his face before he leant back and laid a soft kiss on her lips.
"If you two are quite finished over there" Azula sighed impatiently, tapping her foot against the soft shore as she watched her brother play tonsil hockey with the water bender.
"I'll come back for you" Katara whispered kissing him one last time.
"No! meet me where this lake joins with the sea, if I'm not there by sunset tomorrow take Aang and keep flying north" Zuko instructed looking at her one last time before turning to face the fight that lay ahead of him.
"Zuko…" Katara whispered trailing off, her heart plummeting into her stomach as the full force of Zuko's words hit her full on.
"Please, Katara" Zuko sighed catching Katara nod her head.
"Come on Zuko I'm dying of old age over here" Azula whined crouching into her form.
"Now!" Zuko cried sending wave after wave of fire hurdling towards Azula, distracting the princess as Katara made a run for it.
Hearing her cue, Katara disappeared under water, creating an air pocket around her nose and mouth so that she could breathe as she made her way towards the shore just to the right of where Zuko and Azula stood battling.
"Follow her—Azula hissed to the two girls hidden in the thick shrub of the forest—she'll lead us to the avatar!"
Mai and Tai Le nodded silently as Azula barked their orders and swiftly disappeared back into the shadows to hunt the water bender.
Katara ran through the forest as fast as her legs could carry her, yelping when the branches bit into her skin as she whipped past them. She hadn't been running for long when she burst out into the clearing that held their camp "what is it Katara?" Togh's concerned tone appeared as she poked her head out of her tent.
"Azula!" Katara gasped, wheezing as she fought to catch her breath "Azula's here, Zuko's distracting her but he can't hold her off for long".
The small earth bender took in what Katara was saying, although it was hard through her puffing and panting but Togh got the gist of it. Stomping her foot Togh was able to wake Aang and Sokka sending them stumbling into the clearing still half asleep.
"What's going on?" Aang yawned rubbing his eyes as he stumbled up to the two girls, Sokka trailing not far behind him.
"We have to go! Azula's here" Katara exclaimed pushing the avatar and everyone else towards Appa.
"I'm afraid you're not going anywhere" Mai's cold voice floated in on the wind as she and Tai Le appeared in the clearing.
Katara looked up at Aang as he sat atop the flying bison's head "go—she called catching his attention—I'll hold them off".
Aang shook his head in disbelief "no Katara, come on!"
"AANG, JUST GO!" she shouted spinning around to face the two girls in front of her as Appa took of leaving Katara alone with Mai and Tai Le.
"This is way too easy I'm not even going to bother" Mai sighed, tucking her daggers back up her sleeves at the same time waving the acrobat forward to do her thing.
Katara pulled the water out of her pouches and sent the water out in whips snapping at the air between her and Tai Le, cursing the canopy that screened her from the moon.
"You know you should wear your hair up it'll really bring out your eyes" Tai Le instructed, dodging Katara's whips as she poked at the benders body, blocking her chi and immobilizing her victim.
"Now, now Zuzu—Azula cooed as she sent her lightning bolts at him—I'm sure father would let you keep her as a pet".
The fire nation princess smiled as she watched the anger fume on her brothers face, dodging his offense with ease as she circled him like a hawk.
Zuko growled at his sister, his wet clothes weighing him down as he advanced onto dry land, making him a lot more nimble and able to dodge Azula's attacks.
"What would you know you've never loved anyone! I bet you don't even love father, you just want the throne!" Zuko hissed watching as his sisters face faltered for a second before returning to its cruel grin as his comment hit home.
"You're going to pay for that you ungrateful little snob!" she screamed unleashing all her power on him ten fold, exploding with joy as she saw the shocked look on Zuko's face as he was hit with one of her lightning bolts.
Searing pain ripped through Zuko's chest as he coughed for air, the image of Azula's grinning face swimming before him as his vision faltered and it wasn't long until the banished prince was plunged into obliterating darkness.
(I would just like to point out that I do not own the avatar or any of the characters involved in that show—that right belongs to the lucky B******* that create and air the show—I, however just enjoy letting my imagination run wild in order to create these little fan fics)!