Day 1: Dragons

Cloudbending

Zuko, are you sure it's okay?"

"It's fine."

"But what if he gets angry?"

"Trust me."

Katara gazed into Zuko's golden-bronze eyes and her worried frown softened. The calm and tenderness she saw there brought up a sense of peace within her. She took in and released a deep breath.

"Okay," she said firmly. "I'm ready."

Zuko slipped his hands onto her waist as the beautiful crimson dragon took off for the skies. Katara felt the instant jolt as she was forced backward into Zuko but he was steady and strong, staying upright while firmly holding onto her.

"Relax. He can tell if your uncomfortable."

She leaned into Zuko as the magnificent beast strove higher and higher toward the puffy white clouds. Smoke curled from its nose as the dragon let out a contented-sounding groan.

Everything looked so different from that high up. Katara felt her eyes mist over as she gazed at the beauty of the landscape below and the skyline before her. It was her first time riding on a dragon and it was all she had dreamed it would be.

After spending several minutes encircled in Zuko's arms, Katara began to feel more and more comfortable. She eyed the numerous clouds above her and got an idea. She leaned forward, shifting her weight to her knees, and began to slowly raise herself upward. Zuko's grip on her waist tightened.

"Katara, what are you doing? You'll fall!"

"Don't worry. You said to trust you, right? Well, I also trust him."

She gave the dragon an affectionate pat and he gently growled in response. Then she continued to lift herself up until she was several inches off the dragon's back. Zuko's hold on her remained strong but he continued to voice his concern.

"Please be careful," he called up to her. He sounded almost as nervous as she had only moments ago.

She nodded, reaching skyward. As they passed through a grouping of giant clouds, she began to swirl her hands above her head, pulling the water from them and forming a circular pattern. She loved bending water from the clouds…it smelled more pure than any water she could find on the ground and felt as smooth as glass between her fingertips. The crystal clear liquid seemed to bend easily to her will, which made it much more fun to work with, too.

After spending a little more time creating shapes with the water and grinning like a child the entire time, she released the element into the sky. As soon as she lowered herself back into her seat, Zuko immediately slipped his arms around her waist and clutched her tightly. She could feel his heart hammering away against her back.

"You did all of that just to waterbend?" He shook his head in exasperation, trying to sound stern but failing.

"Hey, it's called cloudbending and it was completely worth it."

She wrapped her arms as best she could around the dragon, resting her head against its smooth scaly back, and smiled.

"Thank you," she said as the graceful, flying creature voiced another guttural tone. She then sat back up and snuggled into Zuko's arms. She cocked her head backward toward him and met his gaze.

"And thank you for taking me on my first dragon ride."

Zuko responded with a warm kiss to her forehead. She could tell he had been nervous about her bending on a dragon, but how often would she get that chance? It had been a special moment for her and something she would cherish for the rest of her life.

With a contented sigh, she returned her gaze to the panoramic view surrounding her, excited to enjoy the rest of the ride.