Author's Note: This is the sequel to To Keep Fighting. I started the first one before the Serpeant's Pass episode, so I'm still going off of that episode when I started the story. I don't own Avatar. If I did it wouldn't be a good kids show.

Hiro was always loud after coming back from school. This was always the worst part of the day because I'd spend the rest of the day listening to what they did during the day. Of course it was always interesting the first time, but the seven year old would keep talking about the same things until either food entered his mouth or his friends, Nao and Taj, come over and they'd play for hours around the small wooded hills behind our little house. Today though, was going to be different.

Earlier I had bought a board and some paints for making a board game. I remembered a game that Azula played with her friends once in a blue moon, no pun intended. Although I never played against Mai and Ty Lee, Azula was bored and taught me how to play just so she could beat someone else. Just like everything else she taught me, it was to prove how better the Fire Nation was, but that's all over with.

I brought home the wood pieces and found my old sword to cut the pieces into their proper forms. It wasn't easy with a sword, but it was the only sharp object in the house. I would have used waterbending, but I decided to do something different for a change. It took most of the day before I decided to use waterbending. Whittling wood is harder and slower than I thought.

Then I got paint on my robe. I cleaned it off and went to find another olive green robe.

When it was done, I begged the ocean and moon spirits that it would work in quieting my nephew. The best part is that it started raining, so Hiro's friends would stay home. Those kids were really loud; seriously. I don't hate them, but I don't remember Sokka and me as loud as kids.

"Aunt Katara, guess what we did today?" Hiro came running in slamming the door, soaked.

"You're getting my rugs wet." I yelled.

"Oh yeah, sorry." He opened the door and waterbended it off.

Hiro continued in the door carrying his books and lunch box that he made his first day of school. He had his hair up in a top knot instead of the wolf's tail he loved two years ago. We live outside of a town with the Fire Nation style and people. Although the war's been over for four years, they still haven't gotten over it, and Hiro was convinced by friends to wear his hair that way.

"So what did you do today?" I asked, knowing what was about to happen.

Hiro opened his mouth and I swear a river of words came out.

"We learned our adding and take away numbers today." He started, "Then we went out to the river and looked at rocks. Rock are boring Aunty Katara. They don't do anything but sit there. Then an earthbender decided to throw one, and hit Mrs. Chong in the head. She was really mad at him. Then we played in the water. That was my favorite part. Then we learned about our take away numbers and…"

"You talked about subtraction already." I said, stopping him.

"Oh yeah. What's subtraction?"

"Take away numbers."

"That's a big word." He laughed.

"Hey, I found a game if you want to learn how to play tonight." I sort of nonchalantly added.

"Really? Does it include the boomerang you gave me?"

"No, not really."

"Oh, well I just want to go throw the boomerang tonight." Hiro said running to his room.

I pouted; so much for the bonding I was trying to get. I slaved over this idea all day and he just wants to throw his boomerang. Sokka would be proud that his boy plays with weapons all day instead of playing board games with his aunt. So what does a twenty-three year old unmarried woman do when rejected by her nephew? She drinks lots of rice wine. Lots. It's a horrible hobby of mine that I picked up with the townsfolk from festivals, but I feel better afterward and not so much in the morning.

The next day Hiro went back to school. I woke up with the usual headache. The lights were too bright for a house with few windows. I got up anyways to meet with a friend.

My friend Nattawan met me outside the town's teahouse. Nattawan was about my age, taller than I am, and born on Kyoshi Island. When the war was over, she moved out of the city and headed northwest to this new town. We bumped into each other and she recognized me from the last visit I took with Sokka.

"You're trying to teach your brother's son a Fire Nation game?" she asked with a puzzled face.

"Why not? He's just like Sokka, just more into Fire Nation culture, and he ignores what I have to say. Besides the Fire Nation's not a nation anymore and he needs to learn about the other cultures." I defended myself.

"By other cultures, do you mean the Earth Kingdom's?"

I frowned, "Yeah."

She laughed at me, and drank her tea. She laughed again before continuing, "You're not going to get over that, are you?"

"No. It would be a miracle to find other tribesmen from the poles."

"You have to get over that, but I got a letter from Suki. I thought you'd like to read it later when trying to teach Sokka's son a game doesn't work again." She laughed at me some more.

"Thanks." I said sarcastically, "Am I that pathetic?"

"Yes you are and have been since we bumped into each other here."

We continued to talk for another hour, before meeting Hiro at home.

When he came home, he went over what he did during the day and I brought up the game again. He told me that he was meeting Nao and Taj at the fishing hole, I packed the game up and stuffed under my bed. Then I found the letter and read it.

Dear Nattawan,

I'm glad that you sent me the letter that Katara wrote about getting Sokka and Kirma's things, but I have even better news. I found him south of the village in a cave after returning from guard duty in Gaoling. He looks horrible from the burns, and he's got quite the poppy seed addiction but he's alive. Don't let Katara come here though. He's not here, and he isn't very happy. Make sure Katara knows about this. She might have a visitor asking about Hiro.

Suki

"He's alive?" I made a mental note about the visitor.

Then there was a knock on the door. I walked over there slowly hoping to the spirits that it wasn't who Suki was talking about.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"A messager from the King and Queen in Ba Sing Se."

I opened the door, sighing with some relieve.

"What do they want?" I asked puzzled as to why Zuko and Toph would send me something.

"The King is asking to meet with you on an important matter. We have a wagon for you and your son if you'd come wth me."

"It'll take a while. I have to find him first." I said, ignoring the fact that I have no son.

"We can pick him up in town." he seemed in a hurry.

"Fine. Let me get my things."

I ran to my room and packing clothing, my water pouch, and that damn sword. The letter from Suki was also in my belt. The I moved to Hiro's room to pack his clothing.

It didn't take long to find the fishing hole. Hiro asked me about what's going on, and I could only say that we are needed my the King. Hiro yawned, and went to sleep. I would have too, but all I could think about was what could Zuko possibly want with me, and Sokka. It was going to be a long trip. Today was different.

Sokka: What? I'm not a creep. Watch it, I have a sword and I know how it use it. Oh fudge, just review for Der. She's lost her mind.