Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

Description: Book 1 Chapter 16 the Deserter - Sokka's POV His thoughts when Katara gets burned.

.

He was just minding his own buisness, fishing. It was a perfect evening. The sun was setting and he could see fish jumping right out of the water. He'd make a good haul tonight. "Fish fish fish fish fish fish fish..." Fish for dinner. He grinned. He could hear Aang and Katara talking upstream. There was crackling of fire and then Katara screaming out. He dropped his pole and sprinted up stream.

"Katara!" Aang screams. Oh god! It's the fire nation. "I'm so sorry!" His boomerang was back at camp. He didn't have time. He broke into the clearing and saw only Aang and Katara. He was standing above her looking scared and she was crouched down on the ground, curled into herself and sobbing. The last time he saw her cry was the night their father left the village two years ago.

"Katara, what's wrong?" He knelt down next to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. The smell of burnt flesh fills his nose. Only Aang and Katara were in the clearing. "What did you do?" He glared at Aang. It didn't matter that Aang was his best friend, his brother in arms. He hurt her.

"I-it was an accident!" Nothing good ever came from firebending. "I-I was... Katara I'm so-"

He leapt at Aang, tackling him to the ground and pinning him. "I told you you shouldn't mess around with this!" Katara crying. "Look what you did!" His little sister. His mother. His reason for staying in the village and out of the war. "You burned my sister!" His reason for later leaving the village and everything else he'd ever known. He can't bend but he could beat Aang black and blue. He could-

Katara bolted down stream, hiding her tears and stiffling her sobs. He stood up, looming over Aang. He looked so small and fragile. "You burned my sister!" he yelled. He could crush him. Right now. His brother in arms. He notices Jeong Jeong approach. "This is all your fault!" Right. Aang wouldn't hurt -(Katara crying)

"I know, now pack your things. You must leave immediately," Jeong Jeong said. He didn't run or make excuses. He faced up to his mistakes like a man should.

"I-I'm sorry." Aang stayed still on the ground, still just a boy. "I didn't-" Sokka left before he could say or do something he'd regret. "I'm sorry!" Aang was too young for a war. He wasn't built for fighting. He was even younger than Sokka was when he was left at the Village to protect Katara. Oh, Katara. He wanted to go to her and take her pain away but he couldn't. He wasn't even strong enough to see her hurting. They'd leave. All of them. Together.

Aang looking so scared

Burnt flesh

Katara crying

Aang lying on the ground

"Cursed firebending!" Sokka bit out. He wanted to take his sister's pain and Aang's burden but he was just a normal guy. He wiped the tears of his face and started prepping Appa. He wanted to gather them both up in his arms and go back south.

Katara ran up the trail. "Katara!" His little sister. "Are you alright?" His mother.

"I'm fine," she said calmly, holding out her uninjured hands. "We've got to get out of here." Her body was relaxed but her eyes were alert and still held shadows of pain. "Where's Aang?" He points to the shack on the river. She runs past him.

They'd go north. Aang and Katara both need to learn waterbending first. He'd make sure they'd always have some supplies both food and medical. He'd make them all carry a full water skin and he'd have his weapons on him at all times. Katara should learn to protect herself without water. Maybe Aang could teach her the staff? But first, he'd have to find out how badly Katara was hurt and how she got better. Depending on her answer, he might have to apologize to Aang.

.

The End