Chapter one- Premonitions

Katara woke up and looked around her. Aang, Toph, Sokka and Zuko slept around the remains of a campfire that Zuko had taught Aang to make just yesterday. The sun hadn't come up yet, and the forest was still bathed in moonlight. Slowly, she rose from her bedroll, so she wouldn't disturb any of the others, and walked to the stream they'd washed in the night before. She looked at the moon's reflection in the water and tried to sort out her emotions. She was best friends with Toph and Aang, but whenever she saw them together, she felt…jealous, and she didn't know why. She was happy for them, and she really didn't mind them being together, but she got this feeling in her stomach…And Zuko…every time their eyes met, she couldn't hold the gaze. She really wasn't shy, but when she was around him she felt something…indescribable. It was like she wanted him to notice her, but then again, she really didn't. She didn't understand it at all… She bended some water up and let it wrap itself around her arm. She enjoyed the cold feeling of the water running across her skin. Suddenly she felt someone watching her. She jumped up, water at the ready.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" she commanded, scanning the trees.

"Okay, okay! Jeez, stop yelling before you wake up twinkle toes, will ya?" Toph said, stepping into the clearing, holding her hands above her head in mock surrender. "What are you doing here so late?" she asked, coming over and sitting by Katara. Katara was silent. Toph looked towards her with empty eyes. "It's Zuko, isn't it?" she asked, softly. Katara didn't answer, but Toph could tell from the way she shifted and stiffened that she'd hit the nail on the head. Katara sighed.

"I don't know about him…" she trailed off.

"What are you talking about? We put him through tests, and he proved himself to us! He's on our side! How can you still doubt it?" Toph exclaimed.

"I…it's not that…it's just…" Katara shifted around some more. Toph's empty eyes widened as her friend's heartbeat quickened.

"You like him, don't you?" she said, a grin spreading across her face.

"I don't know…I really haven't felt this way before…" Katara said, looking at her reflection in the water. Toph grinned wider.

"You'll figure it out eventually, just wait. In the mean time I supposeI'll keep quiet…." She said, winking. Katara smiled.

"Thanks, Toph."

"Yeah, well, don't expect it to happen again. I really hate these heart to hearts. They're so uncomfortable…" Toph smiled. "I'm going back to bed. See ya tomorrow, Katara."

"I'll come too. We need to get some sleep, we're going back to The air temple tomorrow, so Aang can train there." Katara said, as they walked back to camp. Toph curled up next to Aang, who, groaned and put his arms around her, muttering,

"Lemme sleep a bit longer…" Toph smiled and closed her eyes. Katara laid down and started to drift off. The last thing she saw was Zuko open one eye and then close it again, very quickly.

The next morning Katara was waken by a soft shove.

"C'mon! Even twinkle toes is up and you're still asleep? I should make you do push ups for that!" Toph shouted in Katara's ear. She sat up and rubbed her eyes to see everyone rolling up their bedrolls and packing them onto Appa, who was half-awake. Momo flew over and landed on her lap, trilling. She picked him up and tried to roll up her bed roll with one hand, but it wasn't working out. Suddenly another hand was helping her. She looked up only to come face to face with Zuko, who was determinedly looking straight ahead as he helped her. She felt a blush creeping into her face and looked down again. As they tied it up she looked at him again.

"Ummm, thanks…" she said, not sure what else, if anything, to say.

"No problem. I mean, you looked like you needed help, with Momo and your bed…" he said, fading off. "I'll go pack it." He said, standing. "You get some breakfast, we leave soon." With that he hurried off towards Appa. Katara looked after him and saw Toph grinning at her. She had a biscuit and some water from the stream, then climbed aboard Appa with everyone else. As Appa lifted off and they started to fly, Sokka at the reins, Aang asked,

"So where are we going?" He was smiling, holding Toph in his lap, while Katara sat across from them and Zuko sat on top of the rolled up bedrolls. Everyone shifted uncomfortably.

"Aang…please don't be mad at us…" Katara started, and his smile faded. "We're going to the air temples. It's the best place for you to train in secrecy!" Katara said, quickly, looking at the young avatar. He didn't speak for a few minutes.

"I…I suppose you're right. I… I can't stay away from there forever, I suppose."

"We'll be able to train better and faster there, without having to worry about hiding so much." Zuko said from behind them. Katara felt her heart speed up for a moment. Toph smiled.

"Yeah, plus there's actual buildings and rooms for us to sleep in, not just some forest. And I bet Momo and Appa will enjoy the break, too." She said, squeezing his hand.

"But we've only got a week that we can stay, so you better train hard, Aang!" Sokka called back. Momo, feeling like he was the only one who hadn't said anything yet, trilled at Zuko inquiringly, who petted his head and watched the horizon. Katara laid down and drifted off. When she woke up, the air temples were close, and someone had laid a blanket over her. They landed and started unpacking all of their belongings. The trip had taken most of the day, and Katara started on dinner. Lately, Aang was supposed to start the fires as part of his training, but he was showing Toph and Sokka where the bedrooms were and so Zuko was set to the task. As she chopped carrots and peas for a soup she was making, he gathered sticks and brush as kindling for the fire. She watched him out of the corner of her eye , and came close to cutting the tips off her fingers several times. He stood back and lit the flames with his bending. She put the water over the flames so it would boil, then tried to chop some radishes to add flavor to the water, but it's skin was too tough and the knife slipped, clattering to the floor as she jumped back to avoid getting cut…straight into Zuko.