One The Huntress

The one Watcher has been replaced by seven Watchers. These new Watchers were not malicious, really. Instead they find it both amusing and insulting that Katara and Zuko were able to hide their relationship for so long.

But it was almost scary, that overnight the couple went from apparent disdain to affection, and now act like any other couple in love.

Even Hakoda, who was ready to kill Zuko, has gotten used to the idea, especially since he saw Zuko hard at work carving a pendant in Water Tribe style.

Sokka thought his father was losing his mind, because the man had been cackling the rest of the day about grandchildren.

Fire Nation soldiers fell to their faces as she walked past, snarling. Somehow, without the two that had usually accompanied her, she seemed even more terrifying. Azula glanced at the twin rows of prostrate men, as if searching for someone out of line to reprimand.

"All of you worthless fools may stand." Azula spoke. "Any of you who cannot bend are dismissed. I have no need for you."

A full two-thirds of the soldiers quickly left, worried about falling into the path of the princess' wrath.

Azula glanced over those who remained, watching as they shifted to close ranks. "Good. You are all promoted to my father's personal guard."

The firebenders did not break rank, but many felt a chill of fear. The training for the Elite Guard was harsh, and a full fifty percent of those nominated were killed during training.

"Dismissed. Get out of my sight." Azula commanded. Once they were all gone, she turned to a dark corner. "So very glad you could make it."

A thin young woman stepped out of the shadows. "My lady." She said in a voice hardly stronger than a whisper. "What may I do for you?"

"You will find my treacherous brother. You will kill him, and not only him, anyone who gets in your way." Azula commanded. "With my brother dead, there will be no one to teach the avatar firebending." She didn't say it out loud, but it would also hopefully make her feel better. She was still feeling betrayed by Mei and Ty Lee. "You are dismissed, Long Nu."

The woman bowed, and seemed to vanish as she stepped back into the shadows.

"I told you, I'm fine." Zuko protested, grunting in pain when Katara poked him in the chest.

"I told you, no walking without the crutches." She said. "Now, when are you going to tell me what my Dad and Sokka had to say to you?"

Zuko looked away. "Later."

Katara frowned, then let it go. "You better. Come on, let's get some sun."

Zuko looked at her, eyes wide, and Katara thought about what she said. "Well, you spent so much time under the moon, its only fair we spend time in the sun."

"Yes, milady." Zuko said, somewhat sarcastically. He got to his feet, tucking the crutches under his arms. "Hey, when your Dad makes a decision, he pretty much never changes his mind, right?"

"Right." Katara replied. "Does this have to do with what he spoke with you about?"

"Stop fishing for details, woman!" Zuko hobbled out the door, followed by Katara's laughter.

The men whimpered in terror as one of their own was slowly and deliberately cut to ribbons, unable to move for the chains binding them to the wall.

"The sooner one of you tells me what I want to know, the more likely it will be to save this worthless one's life." Long Nu spoke emotionlessly, wielding a thin, sharp dagger affixed like a glove over the tip of her right index finger.

"We don't know were Prince Zuko fled!" One of them burst, almost squealing with fright.

Long Nu slit her victim's throat, and moved to the speaker, trailing the dagger gently down his cheek. "But you saw the war balloon, did you not?"

"Yes!" The man panted, trying not to lose control. "We believe he was following the avatar! Who knows where they might be?"
Long Nu smiled thinly, her look predatory as she took a breath, lowering her claw-like dagger. The man looked relieved, but that changed to agony when Long Nu exhaled, flame incinerating the man.

"I know where they've gone." Long Nu whispered. "Little Airbender, going home."

Suki peeked into the large room Sokka had marked off as a "Laboratory." Frowning, she saw that Sokka and Teo were bent over a table, discussing charge, delay, and delivery systems.

"What are you doing?" She asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Sokka jumped, and grinned, his eyes telling Suki he was on another rant, so was oblivious to the fact that he was completely ignoring Suki. "Suki, what do you know about fireworks?"

"Not much." Suyki replied, stepping inside. She gave up on Sokka for the moment. "Why don't you ask Zuko?"

"He's…well, he's busy." Sokka lied. At Suki's look, the tribesman tried again, a little embarassed. "I don't want Katara to attack me for 'over-stressing' his injuries?"

Suki snorted. "Talking isn't going to hurt him, Sokka. Besides, everyone else has checked in on Zuko, except for you."

Teo looked up, nodding as he joined the conversation. "I went, too, but not long. Katara said he had to sleep."

Sokka sighed. Visiting his sister's boyfriend was not something he wanted to do, for the mere fact that Zuko was in fact Katara's boyfriend.

"Is Zuko awake?" Sokka asked as Katara left Zuko's room. He'd been waiting outside for about fifteen minutes, trying to get the nerve to enter.

"Yes." Katara replied. "I was just going to get him something to eat, so don't bother him too much."

Sokka grinned disarmingly. "Me? I would never, ever bother my little sister's boyfriend." Katara rolled her eyes and walked off. Sokka walked inside, grabbing a seat next to Zuko's bed. "What's up, Zuko?"

"Your sister won't quit babying me." Zuko replied. As an afterthought: "Not that I mind that much."

"Yeah, well, that's Katara." Sokka replied evenly. He leaned forward. "Listen, Teo and I were working on plans for his 'flying bombs'…"

"Fireworks." Zuko said.

"Huh?" Sokka asked. "Fireworks? How does that help?"

"The colorful sparks you see from a rocket are the result of a small explosion." Zuko explained. "If you can take that theory and make a larger scale rocket, with a stronger explosive charge, you'll have an accurate, long-range explosive."

Sokka's eyes gleamed, and he jumped to his feet. "Thanks, Zuko…" Sokka stopped at the door, a thought occurring to him. He checked to see if Katara was nearby. "I'm…uh…I'm glad you're all right. Katara's been through enough already."

Zuko sat up again. "I know." He replied evenly, then smiled slightly. "Now, go impress Teo."

Sokka nodded, and left, thinking that it hadn't been as bad as he had imagined.

Ah, I love it. The first chapter of Part Two: The Hunter, finished at long last. Hope I didn't dissapoint you all too much since there was no Aang/Iroh/Chit Sang in this chapter. In fact, there won't be a lot of any of those three for a while.

I again want to thank everyone who reviewed for The Watcher, your comments are appreciated. And, if any of you are waiting for the closing chapters of After the Black Sun, bear with me. I finally got my computer lab in place, but someone stole my tower's power cord.

Adversus solem ne loquitor.