A.N. 4-27-07 - This is the entirely rewritten and changed version of the story, I hope it is more clear, better organized, and more interesting, than the original.

Disclaimer: Avatar, its world and characters are all Nickelodeon's and not mine! Kat and her friends are mine though.

Chapter 1: First Encounters

Almost 2 years ago, not long after Aang, Katara, and Sokka have escape Zuko's grasp at the end for the first time...

The avalanche rumbled with destructive force. Hunks of snow and ice tumbled downwards as it broke away from the side of the iceberg. Its ominous growl echoes across the frozen wasteland. As chunks of ice strike the Fire Nation ship, metallic thuds are added to the cacophony, followed by the shouts of soldiers. The snow comes to a stop after pushing the ship off at an angle and covering its deck in ice.

Riding the avalanche downwards, five teenagers leap onto the deck. Soldiers stream out of the lower decks like ants and begin to encircle the teens.

The deck quickly became dangerous, coated in ice and water as three teens waterbend to hold off the soldiers. One girl used a thin stream of water as a whip, and sent two soldiers back over the railing into the icy waters below. "Watch it!" she yells to her companions, apparently the leader.

The second girl was visibly younger. She leapt high to avoid the downward arc of a soldier's sword, but was met mid-air by a fireball. Screaming, she fell into the water below, disappearing from sight. They were sorely out numbered yet fought violently and with coordination. Their coordination was the only thing saving them; their moves were intermediate and certainly none of them was a master.

"Kai!" the girl in charge yelled, "Go get Saki!" The teen hesitated for a moment – he didn't want to leave his three friends on the ship, but he was panicking over his sister's fate – then ran for the railing and dove over it.

The remaining three teens were backed into a circle. Despite their disadvantage, 13 injured and barely conscious soldiers lay strewn about the ship's deck. The surprise attack and the coordination had given them a brief advantage, but now it was gone.

Fire came at them from multiple sides. The lead girl swore and brought up a shield of water, freezing it into ice as quickly as possible. It left them singed but mostly unharmed. One of the boys brought up a second ice shield, forming a dome around them.

Through the icy shield they could see the angry orange glow – the fire bending soldiers would melt through their protection in minutes.

"We're going to blow this shield; it'll knock the soldiers back for a second. You two run for it, find Kai and Saki, and get to the southern water tribe," the lead girl commanded. She didn't think, she just acted. What have I gotten us into? she wondered, I have to get them out of here, now.

"But Kat –" the boy was visibly upset. The two boys were brothers, similar in build and facial features, although the one who spoke up was slightly younger than the other. They were clearly uncomfortable with the idea of leaving her behind.

"No but's – you have to warn the southern tribe. I'll be fine. Ready?" The boys nodded hesitantly. "Good, on the count of three – one, two, THREE!"

Kat and one of the boys raised theirs hands to their chests and then quickly pushed them outwards, as if they were pushing two arguing people apart. The ice dome exploded, sending shards of ice and surprised soldiers flying backwards.

"GO!" The boys broke into a sprint for the side of the ship. Two soldiers struggled to get their footing on the icy deck and go after them. The delay was enough – both boys dove clear over the railing. The fire sent after them hit the railing and dispersed, harmlessly. They were gone.

Kat however, was in trouble. One firebender regained his footing quickly, and a surprise ball of fire struck her back and sent her flying face-first into a bank of snow. Her back was sore and burned, every movement was followed with a new wave of pain. This was stupid, she realized.

She didn't stop though. Leaping to her feet, Kat brought up a wall of water against the next round of attacks. It melted under the assault of fire, and Kat quickly reformed it into a whip and struck the nearest soldier, knocking him down. What the hell was I thinking? she wondered, dodging another blast of fire. She tried to make a run for it, sprinting for the railing. Trying to leap over a fallen soldier, she slipped and hit the deck hard, sliding to a stop.

"How DARE you attack MY ship!"

Kat dared to glance in the direction of the yell as she struggled to get to her feet. With determined steps, a boy about her age was striding towards her. She drew the water at her feet into a whip and struck this new fire bender across the cheek, leaving a small cut. He growled and retaliated by evaporating her whip, then sending another blast at her arm just as she tried to respond again.

The hit to her arm made Kat spin, off balance. She dropped to one knee. Get up damnit, get up! Kat swore at herself, but her body would no longer listen. She looked up at the fire bender. She had cut him just below an angry red scar that stretch across his eye. Her world was spotted with black. Kat managed to push herself back to her feet, only crumple to the ground again, unconscious.

-----------------------------------------------

The room was warm and there was a faint scent of smoke. Someone must be cooking some fresh caught fish outside, Kat thought. She inhaled again, and realized the smoke was acrid - the burning smell of coal, and not of cooking fish.

Slowing regaining consciousness, Kat became aware of cold metal on her bare wrists and ankles. Her entire body ached, and her attempt to straighten up was rewarded with a fresh wave of stinging pain as her burned skin cracked and split in response.

She was chained to a wall; hanging limply by her wrists. Her clothes were in tatters, what skin was exposed was damaged in one way or another. Black spots danced again in her peripheral vision; unconsciousness threatened to return. Smooth move Kat, you didn't really think you could take on the Fire Nation Navy and get away with it did you? she chided herself.

The door to the prison creaked as it opened. Two soldiers entered; or it looked like two soldiers to her. One was a physician. He sighed as he approached her, arms full of cloth bandages and a bowl of some sort of foul-smelling salve.

The physician reached towards Kat, a pair of scissors in one hand to cut her free of her clothes. Kat hissed and gathered what little saliva she had and spat at him. "Don't touch me!"

The physician backed up, frowning. "We are under strict orders to tend to your injuries." He reached towards her again, to start by removing her shirt.

Kat bit his hand when it got within range. "I don't want your help!"

"Fine, die here then you water brat!" The physician cursed and grabbed a bandage to hold to his bleeding hand. The door slammed shut and its reverbation slowly faded, leaving Kat with her pain. What am I going to do now? she wondered.

------------------------------

"She won't let anyone get near her, Sir. We've tried three times now. Every time is the same. The more she struggles the more she injures herself. The physician says she may die of her injuries if not treated. She says give her water and she'll do it herself." The soldier finished his report, and bowed.

Zuko frowned. He dismissed the soldier with a wave of his hand. "If we give her water she'll just use it to escape," he stated angrily. "It's a ploy."

"She is badly injured Prince Zuko. She is not in a position to escape I do not think." Iroh replied, sipping a cup of tea. "They say the powerful water benders can heal with water."

"Even if she can I won't risk it!" Zuko was fuming. The past two weeks had been full of ups and downs. He had known hope, when he saw the tower of white light reaching the skies and realized the Avatar was still alive. He had known victory in capturing the young airbender. And he had known defeat, as he watched the avatar and his little friends escape. For the second time in two weeks his ship needed to be dug out of the snow. Zuko hated the South Pole with a passion.

"Perhaps you should go try and convince her to accept medical treatment Nephew." Iroh offered helpfully.

------------------------------

They would have to release her, or else watch her die. At first, Kat was merely being stubborn; the thought of accepting help from Fire Nation soldiers disgusted her. She hated them, their nation and their leader, and the war they had started. As the hours passed, she realized she did need medical treatment. She continued to refuse it though, on a risky plan.

Whoever was in charge didn't want her die – else they wouldn't have kept sending the physician to try and take care of her. Whether they wanted her for ransom or what, Kat didn't know. She was betting though, that would break down and give her the water if it meant keeping her from dying.

The number and size of the black dots dancing her vision continued to grow as time passed. Kat's plan might have worked, if she had been just a bit stronger, or just a bit less injured, than she was. By the time she heard the door open, for the fourth time, she was conscious through sheer will power only.

"Why won't you accept medical treatment?" The boy with the scar didn't ask, he demanded.

Kat managed a soft, bitter laugh. "I won't take help from fire benders." She wanted to spit at him, but her mouth was too dry.

The boy growled but didn't say anything else. Kat lifted her head a bit, wincing in pain as she did so. His eyes were a startlingly bright gold color. She held his gaze. Kat saw the spark of anger that was there, but more importantly a hint of guilt at her condition.

Zuko stared at the chained up girl. Her eyes were a shade of hazel; brown flecked with gold. They blazed with stubbornness, but were darkened with pain. He felt his stomach turn.

"Bring me water, and I'll do it myself." Kat's voice was weakening, even though her attitude was not. I can't do this much longer, who's going to break first? she thought.

"No." Zuko snapped quickly and left the room. Outside the prison door he paused. Unconsciously his hand lifted, drifting his finger tips across his scar. The water benders burns would leave marks, like his. Seeing the side effects of a fire benders wrath is never pretty.

------------------------------

The door opened again not 15 minutes later. Two soldiers brought in a metal tub, dropping it to the ground in front of her with a metallic clunk. Three more soldiers brought in buckets of water and poured them in. Four of them stood guard, while the fifth moved towards her. He was cautious. Kat laughed inside her head; five big burly guards to guard a little girl.

When both arms were unlocked from her shackles, Kat tumbled forwards towards the ground. She managed to catch herself with her hands. Her ankles were freed too, but Kat struggled to get to her feet. Every movement brought a new wave of pain. The black spots from her peripheral vision crept into her main sight, sparking and fading.

The soldier offered her a hand up. Kat didn't have the strength to be stubborn anymore; she took it, and he helped her stand. She fell ungracefully into the tub of cold water.

The water swirled with streams of pink and red from her blood. Like pouring oil paint into a stream, her blood drifted and mingled in various patterns. Kat didn't even care that she was still wearing the tattered remains of her clothes. Beneath the water her hands glowed a soft white. Slowly, her wounds began to close. Kat lasted a few minutes, enough to heal the most serious damage, before she passed out in the tub.

------------------------------

For the second time in 24 hours, Kat found herself rousing from unconsciousness. This time, the room was dimly lit from a port window. It was sometime in the early morning she figured.

Her wrists and ankles were bound again, but this time, with a bit more chain. She was lying on a bed too, or at least, a stiff uncomfortable cot. At least it wasn't the cold metal floor.

Craning her head, Kat looked down at her battered body. Someone had finally managed to put that salve on her burns. Her skin still ached, but it wasn't cracking and blistering anymore. White bandages bound her torso, and they'd given her some plain black pants.

Kat sat up and swung her legs off the bed. She sighed. This wasn't what she had planned. Were Saki, Kai, Tashu and Lei safe? She'd put them into harm's way, and then abandoned them. Some friend she was.

Four days ago Kat and her friends had seen the Fire Nation ship, while they themselves were on their way to the South Pole. Even though it was heading away from the southern water tribe at the time, the teens felt they had to do something, even if it was just slow it down. It was a foolish act fueled by years of hatred against the nation that took their parents away.

They were supposed to strike and slip away. The water and ice of the South Pole was their element.

That couldn't have gone too much worse, Kat thought. Actually it could have, the others could have been hurt more, or I could be dead, she corrected herself, I would be dead if they didn't bring me that water, that was even more stupid. They were all alive, and that was what really counted.

There was a soft knock at the door, and then it opened. An old man meandered in with a tray full of food in his hands. "I thought you might be hungry." He beamed; it seemed the thought of food made him happy.

Kat narrowed her eyes. Her stomach rumbled a little but she wasn't about to admit it.

"My nephew is a stubborn boy, quick to anger. But he did not mean to hurt you."

Kat found that hard to believe. She didn't really know what to say, so she kept her mouth shut.

"I will just leave this here." The old man bent down and placed the tray on the floor beside her cot. "You need to rest." He bowed slightly, and left.

His nephew? The kindly old man seemed out of place on this Fire Nation ship. In fact, he didn't fit with Kat's stereotypes of Fire Nation people at all. He must mean the boy with the gold eyes, Kat thought, and the scar. She didn't think of the scar first, although it was the first thing she had noticed the first time she saw him.

"How DARE you attack MY ship!" that was what he said. It was his ship, and he was scarred…Kat frowned as she pieced the information together. She had heard of the banished fire nation prince before. For a time, it had been the hottest gossip in the marketplace. She didn't know his name though.

If he's the prince, and the old man's his uncle… Kat shook her head. That would make the pudgy friendly old man the famed Dragon of the West. That didn't seem right, nor possible. Maybe she was missing something.

------------------------------

Iroh came back to the prisoner's cell an hour later, this time with a tray of tea. He knocked and entered again. The food was still on the tray, untouched. It made him frown. This girl was as stubborn as his nephew. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Would you share a cup of tea with an old man?" He smiled brightly.

Kat stared at him a moment. No, there was no way this was the Dragon of the West. "Sure…" She sat up on the bed, sliding her legs under her, giving him room to sit at the other end. Iroh poured two cups of tea with the tray in his lap, and offered her one.

Kat raised the cup to her lips, first taking a deep breath. It was ginseng, but with a bit of orange in it. It smelled delightful, but it made her stomach rumble loudly.

Iroh chuckled as he watched her smell it first. "Tea is a joy for many of the senses. My nephew does not appreciate it like you do though it seems."

Kat took a sip, and then lowered the cup. She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Forgive me for being so rude, I am Uncle Iroh."

"So you are the Dragon of the West," Kat murmured, somewhat to herself, "The famous general." She stared into her teacup and bit her lip, hard. Of all the ships to attack, I have to pick the one with the Banish Prince and Dragon of the West, she couldn't believe it.

"Retired General."

He certainly wasn't what she had pictured. Her heart raced as she lifted her golden-flecked gaze to the old man and tried to objectively study him. His belly stuck out and he had a pointed, light grey beard. At first glance, he seemed a jolly old man, perhaps a grandfather with many grandchildren to spoil. Appearances really are deceiving, Kat realized.

"And what is your name?" He asked pleasantly.

"People call me Kat," She stated quietly. Am I really sitting here having a conversation with the Dragon of the West?

"A pretty name for a pretty young woman!" Iroh smiled brightly. Already his mind was scheming with how to convince this girl to put up with his nephew. She had shown herself to be a promising young bender, as well as stubborn and strong willed. All were necessary traits for dealing with his hot-headed nephew. Perhaps he would listen to someone his own age when he won't listen to me, he thought, Zuko really could use a friend.

Kat blushed almost instantly; she wasn't honestly used to compliments and it was purely reactive. She tried not to let it get to her, but she found herself at ease. He's your enemy! She reminded herself, but it does little good. The tea was calming and the old man kind.

------------------------------

Kat's stomach rumbled angrily. She was trying to be stubborn, refusing to touch the food on the tray Iroh had brought her yesterday afternoon, but her stomach wasn't making it easy on her. Rolling over on her cot, Kat stared at the tray of food.

"Ahhhhhh screw it." Kat snatched a sticky bun from the tray and took a bite. Icing stuck to her dark lips and she licked it off with a grin. The ship had a decent chef that was for sure. She pictured Iroh in her head and laughed to herself; of course the ship would have good food. I suppose royalty would have a good chef on board, even banished royalty.

Kat finished the sticky bun in a few minutes and licked her fingers clean. With every movement her chains clinked and jangled as they hit the metal supports of the cot. It was annoying, but she tried to ignore it. She looked down at the tray again and grabbed an orange. Sitting cross-legged she began to peel it with her finger nails.

There was a knock at the door, but Kat didn't bother lifting her head. She raised her gaze a bit though, and saw red robed legs as the door opened from beneath a few strands of dark brown hair.

Iroh looked first to the tray on the floor, and seeing it mostly untouched, he frowned. But then he looked at the teenager on the cot and saw the orange in her hands and smiled. "Here, some fresh fruit and still-hot bread, you should eat, it will help you heal."

It was almost impossible to be angry or rude to such a kindly old man. Her inability to be angry with the old general frustrated Kat to no end suddenly. They were her enemy, and yet here she was making small talk with the Dragon of the West. He's responsible for hundreds, maybe thousands of deaths in the war! Kat tried to remind herself of who he was, but she couldn't stir up her righteous anger.

Iroh sat with a tray of tea in his lap and poured a cup for each of them. I only get liquids when I'm being watched, Kat realized as she watched him. She smirked; a ship full of firebenders afraid of one lone waterbender.

"Thank you." Kat took her teacup with both hands, raising it and inhaling the steam as it rose. "So what is he going to do with me?" She decided to cut right to the point, rather than further muddle her opinion of fire nation citizens.

"I do not think my nephew has considered that yet. He expected to have the Avatar as his prisoner, not a waterbender."

"The Avatar?" Kat gasped, her steely eyes widening with surprise. "You've seen him?"

"He was on this very ship not too long before you and your friends arrived." Iroh chuckled, "He too buried the ship in snow and ice."

The Avatar is alive! And was at the South Pole! Kat couldn't believe it. She had heard the stories of course. There is hope! Hope for the end of the war, hope for peace. She couldn't help but smile. Then it hit her.

"…Why did you expect to have the Avatar as a prisoner?" Her smiled instantly faded.

"Prince Zuko has been seeking the Avatar for two years. He believes capturing the Avatar is the only way for him to restore his honor." Iroh stared down into his teacup.

He wants to hand the Avatar over to the Fire Lord?! Kat frowned sharply, he's worse than I thought! Her lips parted to speak, but no words came out. She shut her mouth and looked down at her own tea. "Why?"

"That is a long story Miss Kat," Iroh sighed. His breath sent ripples across the shimmering brown surface of his tea. He looked up at the young woman. Although she was trying to hide it, she was clearly angry. It was understandable. "My nephew was banished from his home by his own father. He believes that if he captures the Avatar his father will welcome him home."

Kat's brows furrowed. It didn't make a lot of sense; what kind of man banishes his own son? It wasn't new information though; Kat had heard that much before. "Why was he banished?" She knew a lot of rumors, stories of horrible atrocious things that the Prince was said to have done to earn his banishment.

"That is a story for another time, Miss Kat. I should be going." Iroh turned and exited the room. He wanted to tell her the sad tale of Zuko's banishment, but it wasn't the right time yet.

"Oh," unable to think of anything else to say, Kat just sipped her tea.

"I do not like to see a young woman chained up. Perhaps my nephew could be convinced to let you wander the ship freely, if you were to promise to behave." Iroh stood up, and bent to pick up the tray of tea. "Perhaps something could be worked out?"

"I….I'll think about it," Kat stammered.

----------------------------------------------

"You want me to do WHAT?" Zuko's shout echoed down the metal hallway.

"Keeping a young woman locked up is not proper Prince Zuko." Iroh was calmly sitting at the wooden table, staring at a Pai Sho board. "I am sure you can convince her not to run away, she is a reasonable young lady."

"She attacked MY SHIP!" Zuko was pacing the room, back and forth. He stopped to stare at his uncle, with flames leaping from his clenched fists. "Or have you forgotten that already?!"

Sliding a game piece across the board, Iroh sighed. Teenagers can be so stubborn.

---------------------------------

Kat dreamed. She stood before an old rickety wooden earth kingdom house. Kai, Tashu, Lei, and Saki were beside her. She raised her arm and threw a rotten chicken-ferret egg at the house. It smacked into the wall, breaking and splattering its putrid yellow liquid all over it. Her friends followed suit and the wet smacking sound of eggs hitting the house filled her ears, along with their laughter. The house was covered in no time.

"Katsumi!"

She spun around, immediately hiding the egg in her hand behind her back.

"Katsumi Saifong what on earth do you think you're doing?"

An older woman stalked down the road, materializing from the mists that shrouded the world behind them. Her dark blue eyes glared angrily at the group of teens. "What do you think you're doing?"

"M…Mom?!" Her jaw dropped and she stared. The woman was tall and shapely. Long brown hair was piled on top of her head in a bun. She had a hawkish nose and high cheekbones that gave her an air of aloof beauty. Her robes were the pale blue of the water tribe.

"Don't you stare at me like that Katsumi. You know what you've done." She shook her head, brows furrowed with anger and disbelief. "How could you Kat?" she softened and sighed.

"He…he's Fire Nation!" Kat protested, letting the egg in her hand drop to the ground.

"That's not an excuse, look at him."

She turned back to the run down house and saw that an old man had come out onto the porch. He walked with a cane; he was missing a leg. Taking a look at the mess that covered his house, and the garden below that had been trampled down, he began to cry. Kat frowned and looked back to her mother.

"How could you treat him like that?" She was clearly disappointed in her daughter.

Kat stared at the ground, she couldn't face her mother. "I…I…he's FIRE NATION!" She sighed with exasperation, "He…he deserved it!"

"The citizens of the Fire Nation are no more responsible for the war than you or I are. Blame the men who started the war, and those that continue it. Blame the men that carry war in their hearts Kat, and no one else. If you carry so much hate in your heart it will corrupt you too one day."

"But...but…they took you from me!" Kat began to cry. She wanted to turn and look at the old fire nation man again, but she can not. She can only look at her mother and see the disappointment in her eyes.

"No one can take us away from you Kat, not if you remember." She hugged her daughter briefly, and then turned to leave.

Kat reached out for her, grabbing the soft blue robes, but they slipped through her fingertips.

----------------------------------