For Lauena, because she was sweet enough to take the time to review...aloha!
Disclaimer...Mike, Bryan, Nick - we bow because you are gifted and hell ya we know you own it and I don't...but I do like taking liberties with 'em.
Two years after the Volcano Moon…
Katara and utSarra, the Ice Dragon, had just returned to the South Pole from one of their training games in the tundra. He swirled around her as he flicked the back of her ear with his tongue, then sank down to his favorite place in all of the South Pole; an ice cave that she'd carved especially for him.
It was a smiling Katara that made her way back to her father's residence in the middle level of the Southern Water Tribes village. She'd noticed the black snow and this time her heart was lighter for seeing it. She emerged un announced into her fathers main room as she called out, "Father, I have returned!" Once she shed her outerwear she turned and looked over the occupants of the room.
"Commander Xiao!" she smiled as she approached him with a deep bow, then to the woman at his side with a sideways grin she glanced at the Fire Nation Commander, "This better be your wife commander," she smiled at him with a mild threat.
The Commander sighed, "Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe I would present my honorable Wife the Lady Arris."
Katara smiled and hooked her arm through the older woman's as she sat her down, with out her father's permission. "Why has your dotting husband brought you all the way down here," she paused, "with out proper clothing!." She was up off her feet and calling for her father's housekeeper. "Yatala!" she yelled as she retrieved her over coat and settled it around the woman's shoulders. "There now," she smiled, "that is better."
Yatala arched her brow, "I have chores young Master bender, why are you bothering me?"
"Father has guests from the Fire Nation," she replied.
Yatala narrowed her eyes at Chief Hakoda, "Why wasn't I informed?"
Hakoda's blue eyes dazzled, "Because they aren't staying."
Katara glanced at her father and shook her head, "Of course they are, they are half frozen already. Send word for students Pitta and Hassana to attend me and get real cloths down to the ship!"
"Katara," Hakoda snapped, "Enough! They are not staying."
Katara focused her own sapphire eyes upon her father, "Why? If you reply because I said so," she growled, "I will remove all the walls to your bedroom while you sleep."
Hakoda snorted, "Impudent girl child."
"Relic of a shipwreck," she retorted.
He grinned, "You haven't called me that since I refused to consider remarrying."
Katara snuggled up against him, "Father," she sighed, "the Fire Nation must have their fleet, it's there freedom, like our ships are ours. You take away their fleet and they have no feet, only knees to make them crawl."
Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe sighed as he wrapped his arms around his daughter, "When exactly did you decide this?"
Katara sighed as she chewed her lip, "During the Volcano Moon, Prince Zuko and I had some words."
Hakoda snorted, "Some words? My girl you do not have some words with the heir of the Fire Nation you have battles and wars of words."
This time Commander Xiao smiled.
Hakoda noted the quiet upturn of lips on the normally reserved soldier, "You were the one that returned her to us." He waved Yatala to serve the tea to their guests, "Were you perhaps present when this was decided?"
Xiao smiled at the Southern Chief, "It wasn't decided, Prince Zuko was the recipient of one of Master Healer Katara's lessons."
Hakoda smirked at his daughter, "What did you say Katara?"
Katara sighed as she resigned herself to relieving, "I told him he was being a sacrificing fool, to straiten his spine and apologize for what happened during the war but refuse to cripple his Nation for the actions of his ancestors."
Hakoda's laughter echoed through his icy residence and out into the village.
Even Lady Arris tittered at the honesty of both the Chief and his daughter.
After a leisurly meal Katara asked, "Not that something needed to bring you to our frozen home, but why are you here?"
Commander Xiao's smile faded and his wife swayed as he spoke, "I come to beg healing Master Katara." He dropped his head in a bow.
Katara's eyes glittered, "There is no begging in the Southern Water Tribe, we give freely what we can."
Lady Arris broke out into tears as her husband held her close and spoke, "Arris was with child during the Volcano Moon, the babe was born healthy and lived as such until seven months ago. Now two years have passed since his birth and he does not thrive as he should. He is often with fever or chills with in the same hour."
Katara considered the soldier and his wife, "could none of the Earth kingdom healers detect the malady?"
Arris's golden eyes flamed, "the Earth Kingdom recalled all of their healers and closed their schools of healing to those of Fire Nation students."
"Why in Kalmar's name would they do that?" Katara asked as she moved to her feet.
"The Prince's Doll," Arris hissed through her husband's words.
Katara looked at Commander Xiao who paled at his wife's words.
"She was exchanged for all the Earth Kingdom healers, so that he may enjoy her course company." She spat the words.
Katara glanced at the Commander, "Toph?"
He barely nodded.
Katara squatted in front of the Fire Nation Noble woman, as she said politely, "Lady Arris Xiao, I will do my best to heal your child and I am sorry for the cost of Lady Bei Fong, but her worth to your Nation is greater than those who would benefit from Earth Kingdom Healers. She is the reason that your home still stands. It is because of her strength and fortitude that you were not left with ash and memory. Lady Toph Bei Fong has earned her place, she is the only known bender of lava though it sounds as though few know this."
Xiao hung his head, "It is not discussed Master Katara, Fire Lord Iroh has commanded it." He glanced at his wife, "Upon pain of death."
Lady Arris Xiao paled as she looked between her husband and the healer they sought, "Word shall never pass my lips."
Xiao relaxed.
Katara grinned, "I'm not a subject of the Fire Lord."
Xiao paled.
Katara stood up, "Please stay and enjoy my fathers hospitality, the Healer with in needs to attend to her duties." She bowed to her father first, then to their guests.
Hakoda shook his head, "We really should know better than to let the two of them near each other when there's any kind of crisis."
Commander Xiao raised his cup in toast.
"May I ask why?" Arris asked softly.
Hakoda smiled at the door as his wife returned from her own duties, "Talia, Lady Arris has just asked why we should not allow Katara and Toph near each other during a crisis."
The tall dusky skinned, pregnant woman smiled at her husband as she sat next to him, "During the months following the end of the war, they wormed their way into Omashu during one of the rebellion attacks. Lady Bei Fong dared Katara to freeze several key gondola shoots, where after Katara, Sokka, Suki and the Avatar ice skated down the shoots and dropped blasting jelly into the fighting as an indicator for Lady Bei Fong to smash the area into unrecognizable bits."
Hakoda grinned, "You forgot the sleep bomb."
Lady Arris blinked, "Sleep bomb?"
Hakoda's smile was wicked, "My son Sokka determined that if Katara could get just the right thickness of ice and Toph could cause a sudden absence of shoot in a certain places around Omashu, they could gas all the area's where fighting occurred at the same time. It worked perfectly." Hakoda's familial pride showed through.
"How can you say that?" Commander Xiao asked, "Every single person fighting that night ended up unconscious."
Hakoda smirked, "that was Sokka's plan. They restrained every single combatant and interrogated them when they woke up. Any soldiers loyal to their Nations efforts for peace were marked in blue paint and any body who fought against peace was marked in black paint for bad guy. That way if they escaped they'd be instantly recognizable."
"Doesn't paint wash off?" Lady Arris asked confused.
Hakoda's smile was wicked, "Not Southern Water Tribe war paint, it only comes off with a combination of animal fats and each families recipe is slightly different from the others."
Lady Arris snickered as she looked at her husband, "No wonder you didn't want to come home for a month."
Commander Xiao sighed, "At least it wasn't green."
"What influence did Lady Katara and Lady Toph have, aside from the destruction and mayhem?" Commander Xiao paused, "Never mind. Destruction and Mayhem, two of Lady Toph's top priorities in life."
Hakoda smiled, "It is safe to say that when Toph and Katara get together, they find interesting ways of causing destruction and mayhem."
"During the volcano Moon," Lady Arris said softly, "there was no destruction or mayhem."
Commander Xiao groaned, "My dear wife, during the Volcano Moon, the Ladies in question borrowed the Avatar's Air Bison, flew it into potentially hazardous conditions, did not tell a soul of their plans and together diverted three of the four volcano's that we expected to erupt. All three successful diversions were attempted and completed before the end of the full moon. Lady Toph has still not deemed us worthy to know how she learned or was granted the ability to bend lava or how exactly they managed what they did. They have caused much mayhem. The extent of which I'm not certain I ever want to know, if you want the truth."
Katara returned not a moment after the food was cleared, holding the child softly in her arms. She delivered the now relaxed boy into his mothers arms. "It is a temporary fix," she sighed, "the cure lives with in the fire nation." She rested her head on her knee's. "When was he born, what day?"
"The dawn after the full moon two years ago," Lady Arris answered absently.
Katara nodded, and it wasn't in surprise. She glanced at her father, "I need to return to the Fire Nation Father, they will need to know now."
Hakoda's smile faded, "Will he be well?"
Katara smiled, "It is the place of his birth, even if this is the place of his nature."
Hakoda nodded once.
Katarra, focused herself and called her dragon utSarra. No more than moments later his giant head sought her and flicked his tongue behind her ear in greeting as he rested his massive head in her lap. "This is utSarra, he is an Ice Dragon, though his siblings were all born to fire."
UtSarra flicked his tongue gently at the young child and nudged his own rider.
"yes, yes, that is why," she sighed. She noticed the surprise and wonder on the faces of the Fire Nation natives. "He also has just turned two, we will have to consult your Fire Sages as to why the bond activates at a year and a half but boy are they a handful until their first hunt."
"Hunt?" Commander Xiao asked softly.
Lady Arris fainted with the child in her arms.
"Katara," Hakoda sighed, "Let him rest."
Katara focused herself once more and nudged the two year old to return to sleep. His head disappeared out of the floor as he returned to his ice cave.
"Daughter," Hakoda said sternly, "Did you tell Prince Zuko of the dragon hatchlings."
Katara straitened her spine, "No Father I did not, the last Dragons of the Fire Nation – the ones that taught both the Avatar and Prince Zuko the ways of fire, herded them away from the place of their hatching."
Hakoda relaxed, "So he knows already that his land cares for Dragons?"
Katara smiled, "As does Fire Lord Iroh, he also learned fire bending from Masters Ran and Sho."
"Good, then you will return to the Fire Nation with the Commander and his family and explain to the Fire Lord why you held this secret from him." Hakoda's voice was stern. "You will also personally deliver messages from me to both Prince Zuko and Fire Lord Iroh as well as convey our Tribes' joy at finding their feet."
Katara blushed as she replied, "Yes Father."
They left two days later to cheers from the Southern Water Tribe and one very exited two year old Ice Dragon leading the way.
Katara watched her home shrink behind them, when suddenly her view was blocked by the giant head of utSarra. She smiled and scratched his eye-lid just where he liked it, he hung his head on the railing of the ship and undulated his body in the water. Surprising the Captain as they gathered speed with out increasing their fire or coal.
Katara leaned against utSarra's head as the sun sank into the sea and they passed ice burgs on their way to warmer waters.
"Lady Katara?" Lady Xiao called from the upper deck of the ship, "Will you not join us for dinner?"
Katara glanced at the dragon as she told him he could go hunting or relax.
With a great shake of his head he slipped off the railing and disappeared into the icy waters.
The Captain frowned when they slowed down so unexpectedly.
By the time they reached warmer climates, Captain Drakken was in love, with tuSarra. He greeted the great beast by name every morning, with a loaf of sweet bread that he fed to him slowly. The captain enjoyed his sunrise tea as the ice dragon undulated his body and gave his men an extra hour's rest. While still keeping him ahead of his planned schedule.
When they were a week from Aluzon, tuSarra suddenly shrieked in pain and the deck was covered in ice.
At the sound of her dragon distress Katara slid onto deck in far fewer cloths than she should have. In moments she held onto her boys head and saw what he felt. She released him from his routine and allowed him to retaliate. That was when she saw the five boats trailing them from the crest of a wave. In a moment of great anger and joined distress, she used her bending to protect the young dragon. In devastatingly angry waves, she capsized three of the vessels and simply sank the two whose harpoons were injuring the young dragon. She cut the harpoon lines with razor sharp blades of water and coaxed her beautiful boy onto the deck of the ship.
His cries of pain tore at her heart and made most of the crew grey or green.
"Captain Drakken, I need three of your strongest men to pull the harpoons out!" she yelled as she moved to tuSarra's face. She scratched him in his favorite spot as she focused herself enough to show the young dragon what was going to happen and to keep his attention on her.
She bent his icy breath away from her and into the sea as he howled his distress at the pain of the first harpoon. Giving no time for the crew to react or the Dragon she locked eyes with him again as she soothed him. When his great mouth opened to release it's frozen furry, she once more cast it aside into the sea. This stalwart crew managed once more to remove the third and final harpoon. After the final harpoon was removed, tuSarra's icy breath gave out and his great head collapsed onto the deck.
Katara cleared the deck of the ice, bending it into her hands. She laid her hands to the third and deepest wound first, her young dragon shuddered as the wound slowly closed. She moved onto the second it closed easily as did the last wound. After caressing his soft skin, she faced the crew and with a deep bow said, "I am in your debt."
One of the men stepped forward with his own bow, "Master Katara, we would not have him injured. He has made light work of our trip and your hunts have provided bounty from the sea." He paused, "Dragons once thrived in the Fire Nation, our ancestors hunted them for sport and glory." His voice disaproving, "Is he the last?"
Katara raised from her bow, "No, though he may be the first of his kind. There were four other hatchlings, during the Volcano Moon."
The men all glanced at each other as they considered the young dragon before them, "He is but two years?" Another man asked.
Katara nodded. "I ask you in the name of his safety, please do not spread the joy of his birth until it is known of the survival of the others. He only left the warm lands of the Fire Nation because, like me, water is his element."
The third man stepped forward, "Lady Katara, if you have need of us to ensure his safety," he bowed to Commander Xiao, "With my commander's approval, I would protect tuSarra with all that I am."
The other two men stepped forward as well, once Xiao nodded his approval.
"Lady Katara!" Lady Xiao screeched, "Return to your quarters and dress this instant!"
Katara finally looked down to find she was only wearing her under cloths, and now a blush that traveled from her ears to her toes.
A soldier she passed grinned not because of her attire but because she was mumbling, "how many times do you have to be told to get dressed, before sliding like a penguin on the ice."
TuSarra slept all afternoon, curled up on the deck of the ship, enjoying the warmth of the sun almost as much as he did the cold of the ice.
One night from Aluzon Island and the Capital of the Fire Nation.
Katara sighed in the heat of the Fire Nations's waters, she'd arranged with Commander Xiao to stop for a night at the Island of their hatching. That night she and tuSarra's self appointed guardians walked through the vegetation to come upon a fresh water lake in the middle of the Island. In the dark, Katara could just make out the darker forms of more eggs. She'd have to come back in the morning to be certain.
They returned to the ship and Katara slept greatfully in the dark belly, with ice placed strategically through out her room, keeping her cool.
"Lady Katara!" Commander Xiao's Lt. Yi-an, shook the young woman awake, "You need to get outside immediately there's more dragons!"
That jump started Katara, he blocked her way with a blushing face as he said, "I've been ordered to make certain you are more fully dressed than last time."
Kartara blushed again to the tips of her toes, "Uh thanks?" she replied as she hastily pulled on the lightest set of outer cloths that she could find. "Ok, dressed now!" She darted passed the also blushing Lt. She was on the deck in moments watching as tuSarra swam around the ship protectively.
Once he felt her, his great head rested on the stern and she immediately went to him. He flicked his tongue behind her ear and watch these others. Katara felt the threat he felt by their presence and sighed. She caught the golden eyes of the largest red and focused herself to flash him a picture of the hatchling. He tasted the air then, his tongue touched behind her ear and he shivered, flashing with reds.
Katara blocked tuSarra's icy blast and swirled it in her hands as she waited for the next one, the largest blue came in to her space and did the same thing. Again she caught the icy blast from her jealous tuSarra and spun it into flowing water. Then her dragon shivered in surprise when they touched him behind the ears with their tongues as well. And just like that, he launched himself into the air and started playing with the two larger ones.
The smaller red came next, he licked behind her ear then buggled as he flew into the air. Then it was the smaller blue ones turn, she was hesitant in her touch and stayed close when her body rippled in shades of blue. Katara flowed the healing water out over the length of the smaller females back and smiled when she shivered in pleasure and rested on the deck of the boat as the water healed her. Once the water faded into her hide she curled up in the sun and stayed on board.
Katara realized suddenly what this meant, "Commander, your son bring him up," she demanded.
Lady Xiao handed the sleeping child to the young water tribe woman and held onto her husbands arm. Katara removed the blanket and held the child to her as she approached the resting dragon. Once she was close enough she scratched the females lid right were they liked it best. The female lazily opened one eye then both as she saw the new creature. She flicked her tongue at it, then launched herself into the air with a blast of fire and a triumphant bugling sound. When she landed she curled around Katara and the sleeping infant. The other young dragons all drifted down and perched on the sides of the boat. Coming dangerously close to sinking it.
Katara took a fortifying breath and tried to project the danger that they were placing her in. They all lifted from the boat at once causing it to bounce in the water twice before it settled. "We'd better go." She paused as she remembered her battle for dominance with tuSarra. "I," her voice faded out, as she glanced at the Fire Dragons, "I'm not going to be able to make them stay." Her voice quiet, "It's a battle of elements to get them to obey until after their first hunt.
She moved to hand the boy back to his mother when the young female shot a blast of fire in her way. Katara unexpecting the blast was barely able to take the brunt of the fire on a sudden ice shield. The toddler wailed in her arms as the fire caught his shoulder, the young blue shrieked in pain as a blood mark appeared on her own skin.
Commander Xiao had launched himself off the deck above and landed battle ready to protect his son.
"No!" Katara yelled, "she doesn't understand!"
"She burned my child," Xiao replied in a hard voice with wisps of smoke escaping his mouth.
Katara stepped up to the young dragons head and scratched beneath her lid.
The young blue flicked her tongue behind the water benders ear, then again at the toddler. Then her soft blue tongue flicked the boys burn and her head turned to taste her own burn. Her whine was pitifull as she tried to ease both their burns.
Commander Xiao's flame dispersed at hearing the sound, he stepped forward and took the screaming toddler from the water bender. He stepped forward and scratched where he'd seen the water bender scratch, when her great eyes focused on him. Her tongue flicked at the babe, then did the same to him.
Xiao softened as he caressed the young female dragons face, he turned to his wife and beckoned her to his side.
Lady Xiao, accepted her child and went through the same motions as her husband. Her relief was great when the young blue dragon did nothing more than she had done.
Katara relaxed, "Commander Xiao, would you touch her face while I heal her and your son?"
Xiao nodded and caressed the soft hide of the dragon as he watched the glowing water soak into both his sons shoulder and the dragons side.
After the healing was complete the female touched the boys shoulder with her tongue once more and immediately tasted her own lack of wound. She glided around the Xiao family and the water bender then launched herself into the sky. Off to play with her siblings.
Katara collapsed onto the deck.
"Lady Katara!" Lady Xiao called out as she rushed to her side.
Katara could barely breath, she was exhausted and she was, thirsty beyond measure. "Water," she rasped.
Two of the crew men immediately stepped forward with their canteens, they held her head as they slowly dripped the water into her mouth. After the first canteen was emptied she was able to sit with assistance and drink from it on her own. After the third canteen she could sit on her own and after the fifth she felt back to full awareness, if still tired.
Lady Arris returned to her husband's quarters with their child after she was certain that Lady Katara regained her strength.
Commander Xiao sat across from her on the deck of his ship and waited as she slowly recovered. When she was able to command her own body he asked, "Master Katara?"
Katara blushed, "I pulled the water I used to heal from myself." She glanced at her empty sides, "It's been two years since I had to travel with a bending skein. I'd forgotten how warm the islands of the Fire Nation are, how the very air seems to pull the moisture from you."
"Lady Katara, you must temper your impulses," his golden eyes twinkled, though no smile crossed his lips, "You are a mother of dragons now, you are key to their very survival." He glanced at his crew, "You have returned something to our lives that we thought none could replace," he gazed sky ward. "They are the very soul of the Fire Nation, as important to us as our honor."
Katara groaned as she looked skyward to find indeed, all five of the beasts were playing in that circular bending motion and twining around each other. "What do you recommend Commander? I have a hard enough time with tuSarra following my requests and he is of my own element."
Commander Xiao stood and offered his hand to the Master Katara, "I think," he paused, "I think I'm going to be cortmartialed if not executed for recommending this, I think that the people of Aluzon, of all the islands need to see them, just as they are. Can you ride tuSarra?"
Katara's head fell into her hands as she muttered, "I'm gonna be in so much trouble with Uncle Iroh."
Upon hearing her muttered words, he paled slightly, then smiled as though all the pieces of a puzzle finally formed a picture he could understand. If she called the Fire Lord, Uncle then her familiarity with Prince Zuko and the Fire Lord was finally understandable. She was now of legal age to be wed, by Fire Nation custom.
He clasped his hands behind his back and his eyes danced. The only way a commoner could marry one of the royal line was to perform a task of such service to the Fire Nation, that none could doubt their inherent nobility. Lady Katara had performed three such tasks, that he knew of. He needed to speak to Arris.
While Katara watched the five dragons dancing in the light of the afternoon sun, her future was unfolding in the private quarters of the Commander's cabin.
Lady Arris was one of a coven of Archvists to the Fire Nation. When her husband spoke to her of his thoughts, her golden eyes flickered and flamed, "There has not been a Dragon Master since before Fire Lord Aluzon's father. How long can we stay in the far islands?"
Commander Xiao smiled at the fire in his wife, "We are not expected to return for another 8 days."
Arris nodded and wrote five letters, "Have these delivered, by the fastest means possible and wait for a response. Tell your men to not speak of our delay to Lady Katara, distract her my husband." Was his lady wife's command.
He instructed one of his men to be commanded by Arris as his own voice in this matter, then after all her missives were sent he took her to bed.
Before the sun set Katara was allowed to return to the inland pool with a group of four men. With out removing her clothing she sunk into the water and swam to the center of the crater pool. She glided over the five large stones and once she touched them she smiled, more eggs. She touched each of the eggs and a smile fluttered across her lips.
Beginning with the first egg, she focused her mind to help the young dragon grow and when it no longer needed the energy that she offered, she moved on to the next one. By the time she finished with the fifth egg, all the water from the pool was gone and she stood once more on familiar dry stone.
The four men sent as her guard watched through the night as Lady Katara's glowing hands drained the pool of water. At dawn they were surprised to find that the five two year old dragons curled themselves around the five stones and four of them randomly breathed fire on the ones they faced. Their tuSarra faced the fifth stone as he rested his great head against the stone, but did not breath upon it.
They returned to the ship for the morning meal, leaving the dragons to their sunning and fire breathing.
Katara slept the heat of the day away. That night at dinner she asked about the most dangerous beasts that could be hunted on the islands. The platapus-bear and the sea-rino were the most deadly on the larger outer islands. That night she visited the sleeping dragons once more and moved confidently among them. Scratching under the large red male's eye she woke him and focused her thought to him. 'Hunt'. She mounted behind his head and held onto his growing horns as he suddenly lifted into the air.
Katara laughed as the young male dragon focused all of his energy onto the picture she had in her mind of their quarry.
They returned at midday with the broken form of the largest sea-rino that any of the crew had ever seen. All the crew were stunned to see Lady Katara covered in blood and gore as she dismounted the dragons head and with a fond scratch sent him back to his nest mates.
With a glorious smile resting on her lips she yelled, "I think we'd better skin it and roast it on the island, he's gonna take a while." Her words startled all the men into action, she'd been missing for all of last night and it was well into midday. Fortunately it worked in the crews favor as Commander Xiao ordered that she be distracted from leaving the island.
Katara glanced down at herself she was covered in blood, seaweed and who knew what else, but it had been a glorious hunt. She walked into the warm sea water and stripped off her over cloths. When she felt rinsed, she returned to land and pulled the water from her cloths and hair, sending it back into the sea.
Two of the guards from last night raced toward her with a fresh set of clothing, they had her dressed before Lady Arris noticed anything improper. With a sigh they collected her still soaking cloths and took them to the laundry.
On deck Lt. Ji grinned at his fellow Lt. Yu-ji and said, "I've never tasted sea-rino before."
Lt. Yu-ji rolled his eyes, "Your stomach." Then his own smile returned as he watched their head cook skin and dress the great beast.
At dusk Katara returned to the sleeping dragons and took a moment to relax with tuSarra before the next hunt. At moon rise she gently woke the largest female and they took off into the night sky on their hunt. They returned the next dawn and the female dropped the lifeless form of a platapus-bear on the beach then returned to her rest near the eggs.
Three days later Lady Ariss was hunting for her husband only to find him sitting on the sand drinking yew flower juice and eating skewered meat next to Master Katara and her permanent retinue of guards. She finally allowed herself to be persuaded to taste one of the strange meats, she sighed as the sweet and spicy tang of it exploded into her mouth. She settled herself next to her husband and blatantly stole another skewer off his plate as she sipped from his mug. She glanced at the yew flower juice it was most pleasantly cold. "What is this delicacy?"
"Sea-rino," her husband sighed, "Kiva spent a day on the marinade for Lady Katara's skewers."
Lady Arris smiled, "It has a fine flavor, I will speak to Kiva." She moved gracefully to her feet and through the sailors of her husbands ship.
"Lady Katara!" Crewman Yip, called out as he came crashing out of the vegetation, "they are hatching."
Katara sucked down the rest of her skewer and jumped to her feet, chewing as she ran.
She arrived before the first hatchling tumbled out of it's protective egg, she stood next to the two year old watching and absently scratched it's eye. A wide smile rested on her face, as she watched the young blue female curled herself around the largest red male. The she giggled when the hatchling did the same to her as it flicked her behind the ear with it's tongue.
Katara left the little one caressing the older one as she moved between two giant heads, rubbing their lower lids as the hatchlings caught their bearings. These two hatchlings sought her first then the other dragons, happily making odd bugling sounds deep in their young chests. They wrapped themselves around the older dragons for a moment, then started to explore the area around them. The fourth hatchling licked behind Katara's ear as she watched two of its siblings greet the older dragons.
All the hatchlings acknowledged each other and the others by touching the backs of the ears with their tongues, even tuSarra whose focus never left the still unhatched egg before him.
Letting the other hatchlings play, Katara waited with her dragon for the last little one to break it's self free. With the rising of the sun Katara roused herself as she heard a loud cracking sound and the final egg opened, it just split in two as a flash of white passed her eyes. Somewhat startled she was instantly awake at the flash of light, it reminded her of something.
The body of the hatchling uncoiled it's self and with determination lifted herself into the air, unlike it's nest mates. It headed directly for Katara and flicked her behind the ear with its tongue. Katara received a slight static charge from the hatchling, then watched with a pleased expression when the little black dragon greeted tuSarra as she had done Katara. She was not unsurprised when the small black form returned to her, curled it's slight body around her and rested it's head on her shoulder.
Then the sun was blocked by the forms of Ran and Sho as they moved in to greet this next generation of Dragons. After all the hatchlings, the two year olds and her four guards had been greeted by the ancient beasts they faced her and acknowledged her as well as the ice-blue dragon behind her and the little black one wrapped around her. Then they disappeared into the sun as all the young ones played or rested on a two year old.
Po smiled as he watched the two great beasts fly into the sun, he couldn't help the tears that cascaded from his eyes at their majesty. He glanced at the young water tribe woman who was the herald, if not the reason for the hatchlings. "Can they fly?"
Katara was startled by the sudden speech and smiled, "the elder will bring them if they can not."
"We need to return to the Capital Dragon Master Katara," he said with a low bow, "there they can be protected."
Katara's blue eyes glittered with a rebuttal until she remembered that her dragon, had been hunted as nothing more than a great sea snake. With a nod of understanding all the soldiers relaxed, they'd protect the hatchlings with their lives in a heartbeat. But the hatchlings would be safer in a more controlled environment, at least until they were old enough to protect themselves.
The guards moved back to the beach confident that the mass of dragon bodies would follow.
Katara and two of the guards were allowed to stay the night, they would follow the ship's progress to Aluzon to arrive at the same time, on dragon back.
Lt. Ji and Crewman Po were found to be acceptable riders to the two female dragons. As Commander Xiao had no female crew the other's were left rider less. At dawn Katara's slender form was shrouded by the young black female as she mounted behind tuSarra's head. With a quick glance at the other two riders she grinned, "Just hang on, they'll follow tuSarra."
The two soldiers nodded and suddenly found themselves airborne.
Katara laughed as tuSarra played in the clouds and the little black one swirled around him in their endless dance. They dropped low under the clouds and in general had a lazy flight, ignoring any who saw them from the ground. When the black female tired she wrapped herself around Katara and rested.
By midday the ten dragons and three dragon riders were approaching the island of Aluzon. Here she was instructed to rendezvous with Commander Xiao. "Keep them in the air!" Katara called out as she allowed tuSarra to rest his head on the Commander's ship. "Commander Xiao," Katara smiled, "You made excellent time."
Xiao's eyes twinkled as he smiled, "Dragon Master Katara, welcome."
Katara's brow lifted, then she noticed that all the crew were decked out in their formal uniforms so she returned the bow.
He held out his arm for her to take and managed not to flinch at the slight electric shock he received from her touch. He led her into his ship where she was handed off to his wife.
"Dragon Master Katara," Lady Arris smiled as she bowed, "Welcome home."
That shut Katara up.
Lady Arris pushed her into a chair and attacked her hair, she undid the loopies and the wild braid and pulled a brush through the soft locks. "You have beautiful and soft hair Dragon Master Katara."
Katara frowned, "Thank you, what is going on?"
Lady Arris smiled, "We are preparing you for your arrival at the palace, fortune smiles upon us that you are restricted in your clothing in only two ways, everything must allow for riding a dragon, and that your hair is secured only by the marks of your station." She removed five long claw like hair sticks. "These are made from the bones of dragons from the times when they thrived in the Fire Nation."
Katara when given the mirror was surprised by the complex series of braids, twists and loops that her hair made. All secured by the double pronged bone pins. A soft smile rested on her lips, she looked like she was water tribe. Untamed, but disciplined. Tears gathered in her eyes, "It's beautiful."
Lady Arris released a breath she didn't know she was holding, as she nodded. "If you will follow me and bath carefully."
Katara let the warm water sooth her, sooner that she would have hoped Lady Arris was pulling her out of the bath and into the dressing area. Not more than a half hour later Katara emerged from her former quarters dressed in the traditional colors of her tribe with her mothers necklace in it's usual resting place around her neck.
She was led to the deck of the ship where all the soldiers were still in their dress uniforms at attention. Commander Xiao stepped forward and bowed, "Dragon Master Katara," he handed her the scrolls she was too take to the Fire Lord and Prince Zuko, she tucked them into the belt of her robes and returned the bow. There was a small ruckuss behind the Commander as the little black female sought out Katara then wrapped her body around the young woman's.
"Thank you Commander Xiao, for all that you have done for tuSarra and myself on this voyage from my village to Aluzon." She bowed once more, then turned and faced her ice dragon. He huffed at her and though the wind was chilly it lacked moisture or substance. Katara settled herself behind his head and they were once again in the air. Lady Arris asked her to fly slowly from the ship through the town, careful to fly low over the main street and up to the palace. Once at the palace the dragons were to perch on the walls until she was granted entry.
The woman had looked so serious about her request that Katara nodded and acquiesced to her demands. Praying that the two year olds would feel receptive to the request and follow tuSarra's lead. She let the young dragons spin, twirl and dance all the way to the walls of the palace.
Fire Lord Iroh stood on the balcony of his private quarters looking out over his beloved home and to the sea when he first saw the twisting shapes. It took longer for his mind to catch up with his eyes, he had watched them for some minutes before they were near enough to be recognized.
In sudden anger fire exploded from his mouth and drifted out over the courtyard. He tamed his temper when he realized that there were five dragons. He caressed his beard as the smile worked it's way into his eyes, these were not the firebending masters Ran and Sha these were something else. A new generation of dragons? He feared and hoped. When the five larger dragons settled themselves on the wall he finally saw the twisting and playful smaller versions.
Fire Lord Iroh's tears came unbidden as his legs found strength and speed. His guards had to jog to keep up with him as he moved quickly through the palace. Just as he was going to pass into the courtyard his private guard intercepted him and he was protected on all fronts.
Iroh sighed as they moved enmass into the courtyard. As soon as they arrived and stopped, he watched as one of the riders landed the light blue dragon and dismounted. Before she had a chance to speak, he and the guards moved forward aggressively.
TuSarra responded to the implied threat to himself and his rider with his frozen breath as he coiled himself around Katara. The little black one let forth a small static charge, as she hissed and wrapped herself around her dame protectively.
Katara whirled on her dragon as she pulled the frozen water from the surprised guards. "tuSarra!" Katara barked as she snapped a water whip at the young dragon, projecting her disappointment in him. The dragon wilted as she gave her command, "Go! Sit with your kin." Then she forcibly removed the little black one, "You as well hatchling," her voice a growl that could be heard across the courtyard.
Iroh's amber eyes tracked the movement of the blue dragon and the small black one as they retreated defeated to the wall. Where they rested between their hatchlings.
Katara shook her head at her dragon, then she faced the unfrozen guards and bowed, "He is still young." Unconsciously swirling the glowing water around her.
The guards were still on edge as their eyes tracked the large amount of glowing blue water that flowed around the woman.
Suddenly the ground split and out popped Toph, "Sugar Queen! What in the name of Bayton took you so long!"
Surprised the water danced up into the air and returned as hail, everyone ducked.
Katara blushed as she pulled the water back to her, "Toph it's not nice to suddenly just pop out of the ground."
"Sweetness," Toph growled.
"I haven't been here long enough to have done anything!" Katara retorted.
"What just pelted me in the head then?" Toph growled.
"tuSarra froze the Fire Lords guards, I unfroze them and now I don't have any where to put the water; what am I supposed to do with it!" Katara growled back.
"Cork it!" Toph yelled.
"Excuse me?" Katara yelled at the young woman, "You didn't just tell me to put a cork in it."
Toph rolled her neck and popped her knuckles, "So what if I did?" she moved her feet into her fighting stance.
"No." Katara demanded of all the dragons as she pushed her will onto theirs.
"No? What are you a lizard-chicken Sweetness?" Toph demanded.
"Not you lava lips, I was telling the dragons to stay out of it." Katara replied as she settled into her own stance, she glanced at the guards, "You guys may want to get the Fire Lord out of the courtyard."
With a single slam of her powerful foot, the entire troupe was pushed back to the Palace proper. "That better for you Sweetness?" Toph mocked.
Katara rolled her eyes, "You really are an irritating brat," she replied.
"Oh that hurt." Toph smirked. Then snarled as her cheek was hit with the tip of one of Katara's water whips.
"Doubt it, but I know that did," Katara smirked. "It's interesting to learn how to bend," she blocked Toph's boulder attack and sliced through the stone with an ice blade. "when riding on dragon back." As she launched ice daggers that instead of shattering when they contacted stone, melted through and reformed.
Toph growled as several ice daggers cut her skin. She launched the water bender into the air and waited for her to return to the earth.
The two continued moving around the courtyard, managing to destroy a fair chunk of the ground in the process as they fought.
"So how does Dragon water differ from regular water," she asked as she hovered on a small puddle, over the mud pit that Toph had captured her in a moment ago.
"It's brighter," Toph grinned as she finally found her victim, 'er friend.
"I remember you saying it was especially bright when I healed, kinda like Spirit Water." Ice suddenly slipped between Toph's feet and the ground, then encased her ankles and moved up her legs.
Toph snarled as no amount of earth moved the ice, then she smirked and lava flowed from her toes. The smirk became a frown as the ice refused to melt.
"Interesting creatures Ice Dragons," Katara grinned as she slipped up behind her friend, "they can actually pass through ice. Problem?"
"My toes are cold!" Toph yelled in her ear.
"Fine," Katara returned the yell, "I'm not deaf you know!"
Toph snorted, "Missed you Sugar Queen."
The water flowed around Katara again, "And I still have no place to put this."
Toph sighed when her feet were braced on ground again, in a series of pushes, pulls, slides and one hell of a stomp, a large stone pool suddenly erupted out of the stone as the rest of the courtyard smoothed it's self out.
Katara twisted her heel in the dirt as she smiled, then let the water flow into the newly constructed pool, filling it. Then she hugged her shorter friend, "Hey, you didn't get any taller."
A rock smacked her in the shoulder.
Katara blushed, "Sorry." Then she glanced down at her cloths, "Why must you always go for the mud ploy? I was perfectly clean on the whole ride to the palace until little Miss Mudd slinger started in on the cloths."
Toph wrapped her arms around the taller woman, "It's good to have you back Sugar Queen."
"Sparky!" Toph yelled across the courtyard, as Prince Zuko moved into position next to his uncle, "look who it is!"
Katara smiled as she wrapped an arm around the smaller girl and they passed through the guards to face Prince Zuko and Fire Lord Iroh. She bowed as she handed each of them a scroll, "My father bid me to give you these and to convey his glad tidings about recovering the use of your sea legs." She bowed once more.
Zuko returned the bow, but said nothing. He couldn't take his eyes of Katara, her fluid grace and woman's body. As usually happened, the rest of the world fell away when her gloriously blue eyes found his own amber ones and she smiled at him.
Fire Lord Iroh smiled as he accepted the scroll and the words from the young healer. "Welcome to the Palace Master Katara."
Before Katara could answer a loud and rowdy group entered the courtyard. Commander Xiao and Lady Xiao smiled as they made their way to the stairs, "Fire Lord Iroh, Prince Zuko, Dragon Master Katara," Lady Xiao bowed. "Please try this most excellent treat, sea-rino caught fresh off the coast of our lands."
Katara bowed as the others singled out did as well.
With a sniff Toph tried one, then convinced the man carrying the tray to give them all to her or she'd trip him.
Fire Lord Iroh glanced at the dragons on his walls and asked, "Dragon Master? From your words the light blue one is your mount."
Katara blushed, "Yes, his name is tuSarra he is an ice dragon and the little black one is hatched but a day ago."
Zuko frowned, "There are no Ice Dragons."
"Maybe there weren't any Ice Dragons, but I can say with absolute certainty that he is indeed an ice dragon." Katara replied with a scowl.
Iroh kept his smile to himself, "Well then Dragon Master Katara, please call them off the Palace walls and let them rest in the courtyard."
Katara, glanced at the two riders and called, "tuSarra!" her voice filled with warmth.
The light blue dragon and the little black one launched themselves from the wall and flew directly to Katara. The black hatchling wrapped herself around Katara and tuSarra nudged his rider with his head, as he presented her with his favorite hard to reach scratching place. Katara indulged the two year old until she could tell that he was perfectly content. She flashed him a picture and he settled himself in the newly created pool, his great head resting on the side as slowly the water turned to ice around him. He drifted off to sleep.
The rest of the dragons settled themselves in the remaining sun and entwined themselves in masses of blue and red.
Katara turned from the dragons and faced Fire Lord Iroh, "If you would allow Dragon Rider Ji and Dragon Rider Po to attend them, I would consider it the deepest honor."
Iroh smiled at the girls deep blue eyes, "Of course Dragon Master," his own mind racing down corners and avenues he thought long closed. He led the way back into the Palace, followed by his nephew, Lady Katara, Commander Xiao and his wife, then the guards and finally the servants with the feast of skewered meats.
Once Toph polished off her plate of meat she tracked down the older girl, curious as to why Sugar Queen suddenly felt like Sparky.