Cat: My first Avatar fic, and I gotta admit that I'm totally Kaang. This just magically appeared in my head and I had to get rid of it before it took over my life. Also, I'm avoiding exams (see my new chapter on What Do We Do Now? For further proof)
Disclaimer: If dozens of clowns can fit in one tiny car…how many lawyers can?
The storm raged around her, almost a total white out. Katara hugged her parka closer to her body, trying desperately to maintain some warmth. She may have grown up with the snow and ice (though admittedly at the entirely different side of the world) but that didn't mean she wasn't freezing. In fact, all it really meant was that she knew how long she'd live if she didn't find shelter and the thought wasn't at all comforting.
She shook her head. She wouldn't think like that. Aang was looking for her, she'd bet her life on it. And almost as soon as he found her she'd be back safely at the pole. Where it was warm. But until then she had to be proactive. Walking about in circles might have been keeping her body working, but it wasn't getting her anywhere but exhausted and lost. It was time to fall back on old teachings.
It was a story her grandmother had told at least a dozen times. Her grandfather and three of his friends had been out hunting. They'd accidentally stumbled across a massive walrus—not a friendly one. They'd run, and in the process, gotten hopelessly lost. The sun was setting, and they needed shelter. The four had worked together and created a small igloo. The building had trapped their combined heat and save all their lives. Katara rubbed her hands together in preparation. Maybe she didn't have a bunch of friends around to help her, but she did have bending. And if ice had saved her grandfather it was sure as heck going to save her.
And it did.
She lowered her arms to her sides, the snow beneath her twitching eagerly as it awaited her command. As she brought her hands forward, the snow followed and she fell.
Her scream accompanied her fall and ended as she struck hard earth. The cavern had been underneath her the entire time, hidden and blocked by the ice. She grumbled under her breath as she rolled onto her feet. The cave may have been dark and her landing painful, but it was noticeably warmer and she was very grateful. Breathing deeply she smiled.
"You!" The voice was accusing, angry, and familiar. Katara spun around so fast her frozen legs wobbled so badly she was terrified that she would fall. She pin-wheeled ungracefully, but gratefully remained standing. Her eyes rose challengingly. She already knew who shared her sanctuary.
"Zuko. What are you doing here?"
"I think the better question is what are you doing here?" He responded, meeting her gaze. "Where's the Avatar?"
"None of your business."
"Well, I think it is." Zuko replied, holding a fist before her face threateningly. It ignited suddenly, and Katara tried to hide her surprise. She failed, but Zuko noted it silently. Katara, calm after the initial shock, examined the warning flame. It was far enough away that she wasn't burned but close enough for her to feel the heat. Despite its hostile intent, it was nice against her frigid face.
"Don't try anything." She replied, just as menacing.
"And what's to stop me?"
"How about the fact that we're entirely surrounded by snow. That's frozen water." She pronounced it slowly, like he was stupid. Zuko took a step back, considering, then extinguished the welcome heat. The cave was suddenly much darker.
"I'd have to deal with the smell anyway." He grumbled.
"You'd loose anyway you mean." Corrected the water bender.
"In your dreams." Katara, unable to think of any response besides, "In your face's dreams!" made a rather undignified 'humph' and sat down directly before him. Zuko waited a moment, and then sat down right where he stood.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Like I'm turning my back on you. I'm not an idiot."
"Says you." She retorted. Zuko looked intentionally towards the opposite wall. He'd wanted the last word, but the only phrase that came to his mind was, "bite me" and he was mildly afraid that she actually would.
There was a long silence. While the cave was warmer than outside, it was far from comfortable. A chill hung in a darkness that was growing eerier by the second. Katara shifted as circulation returned to all her limbs and color to her fingers and toes. Her eyes darted around the cave but there was not much to look at in the gloom. They flicked across the face of the fire bender across from her.
It was an interesting face. It had history behind it. Apart from the grotesque burn that screamed of a tale waiting to be told, Katara knew there were stories to be found in that countenance. Something had set that mouth into such a firm line. Probably the same thing that had put the faint wrinkle between his eyebrows. Katara wondered at it, but wasn't brave enough to ask. Suddenly realizing what she was doing, Katara's gaze snapped to the floor at her feet. There was hard dirt there. She dug at it with a fingernail as an excuse to allow her eyes to rest somewhere.
She heard Zuko get to his feet and she looked up, more questioning than fearful. "My foot's asleep." He answered the unspoken question. He walked to the back of the cavern, uncomfortably aware of every step, every motion, every sound. The situation was incurably awkward and he'd thought that by extracting himself from her direct presence he could release some of the tension in the air. Needless to say, he'd failed miserably.
He heard a yawn behind him, loud and echoing slightly. "If you're tired," he called over his shoulder, "just go to sleep. It doesn't look like the storm's letting up any." It was true, if anything the wind had picked up and a few stray snowflakes had found their way into their refuge.
"How do I know you won't…" Katara trailed off, unsure of which words to use. 'kill me' sounded very harsh. She was going to say 'try something' before she realized the potential sexual interpretation. She really hoped that Zuko couldn't see her blushing.
"I thought we already agreed not to try to kill each other." Zuko said, oblivious.
"Oh. Right." The girl scrambled. "I just wasn't sure if—"
"I keep my word!" Zuko shouted. Years of Fire Nation disciple kicked in at the moment and he released a slow breath. When he next spoke it was quiet, almost tender. "Just get some sleep, Katara."
She stretched out on the ground as the significance of what he had said struck him. One of his uncle's unwelcome adages floated through his mind. "To know another's strategy is to know an enemy, to know another's name is to know a friend." No! He mentally shouted, grasping his arms tightly. He refused to go there! No no no no!
"You know," Her voice sounded thin from the floor, "you should get some rest too."
"I'll keep watch." He said tersely. Then, not wanting to sound mean or angry, added, "in case the Avatar shows up looking for you."
"Oh." She said softly, almost to herself. The thought of Aang's appearance had cheered her in the storm but now it inexplicably quieted her. His overly bright smile and open, innocent, eyes jangled loudly in her mind's eye, disturbing the stillness of the place.
She rolled over, her eyes shut determinedly, but she couldn't relax. In a rush, she wanted to know everything. Who was Zuko? What was his story? Why was he so hell-bent on capturing Aang? She shot up and blurted the first thing that came into her mind. "What happened to your face?"
Zuko turned and met her eyes, openly stunned. Katara glanced down. "That's didn't come out right."
Internally, he smiled slightly at her bluntness.
Cat: It didn't come out like I'd hoped, and I'd really love feedback.