~(~

Zuko slowly woke up from the strangest dream. It was a . . . storm? Yes, a storm, and his sister had . . . screamed? Pain echoed through Zuko's skull and he groaned. He reached up to touch the sore area of his head and winced. Zuko noticed that his head rested on a soft surface; not the firm bed he remembered.

Zuko slowly opened his eyes and shut them immediately when harsh light hit them. He tried again and realized it was not the sun that shown down on him, but the moon. It was in its waxing stage but strangely bright. Zuko tried to look around but his vision began to blur.

"Whoa!" he heard a strongly accented female voice say, "not too fast. You're injury is great,"

Zuko reached out and tried to find the source of the comforting voice but could not. Something was placed into his empty hand. He felt the heaviness of the water skin and he had a strange feeling about it. Zuko knew he had never held such a primitive form of water, but it also had a familiar feel to it.

Then, everything rushed back to the weak man. Zuko felt as though the wind was ripped from his lungs and he struggled to breathe. He was on the verge of hyperventilation. Suddenly, there was a hand caressing his face and warmth surrounded his front side. Whoever was with him, was now embracing him.

It wasn't a dream? The storm was real? The rocks? The shipwreck? Where was the rest of the crew? Where was his sister? Where was Mai?

Zuko lost it and cried while this strange woman stroked his hair. When he could no longer release the tears he pulled away from her, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Zuko looked up at her through his puffy eyes and froze for a moment. His eyes widened.

A Water Tribe girl, he thought. Zuko tried to remember where the ship had been before the storm; they had been southeast of a popular port in the Earth Kingdom . . . She couldn't be Northern Water Tribe; they were too far and there was no way the storm could had pushed them all that way.

She had to be Southern; however, no one had seen a Southern Water Tribesman in years. They had disappeared off the face of the world nearly overnight. Yet, this woman was sitting in front of him with a concerned look on her face. Perhaps, she was stranded on this island as well.

Zuko looked over the woman's skillfully crafted clothing and noticed the blush in her cheeks at his apparent curiosity. No, she was too well fed and dressed to be alone.

"Drink," the woman said. Zuko took the water skin and drank deeply. When he drained the skin, she put one hand on his stomach and the other behind his shoulders.

"Lay back," she said. He did as she said and laid on the soft bedroll beneath him. Zuko let out a sigh and relaxed and then looked at the girl. She was studying him with burning curiosity.

Zuko felt nervous under her gazed and cleared his throat. "Who . . . who are you?" he asked.

"My name—Katara," she answered and gestured to herself. "Who are you?"

"Zuko, Prince Zuko," he saw a strange look in her blue eyes. "Where am I? How did you get here? Where did you learn the language of my people?"

Katara hesitated. She knew this man was an enemy of her people and she wasn't entitled to give him the answers he wanted. She had saved his life—not the other way around. What she should do, is get up and run to her father. She should go to her village and announce the arrival of the Red People. However, it was only one . . . what harm could he do?

She was angry at her father, anyway. He had demanded she marry by the next full moon. Sure she could protest, but if she truly refused, she could be Archibanded—her hands and feet would be frozen with water bending and then broken off. Did she really think her father would do such a thing? No. However, the village would be angry enough to veto his decision and her grandfather would be forced to give the punishment.

Katara took a deep breath. "You are on island Tarlaka. I was born here."

Zuko was surprised she even understood what she had said for he had spoken so quickly. He did notice that she didn't answer his last question though.

"And the language?" he asked. "How did you learn that?"

Katara hesitated but decided to answer. "We are taught the language of our enemy,"

Zuko frowned. "Enemy?"

Katara nodded. "The Red People," she gestured to Zuko's worn but otherwise bright attire.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," he said. How could the Fire Nation be this barbaric woman's enemy when they had no idea she even existed?

"We are Southern Water Tribe,"

Realization struck Zuko features and Katara knew he understood.

The Fire Nation had attacked the Southern Water Tribe nearly sixty years ago. The Tribe was nearly wiped out completely. However, there had been a rumor that a male water bender still lived in the tundra. The fleet had returned and found the area disserted. They had assumed they simply died out—they never considered relocation!

Zuko stared up at the woman with amazement. No one had ever been able to hide from the Fire Nation for so long. He wondered how many off them lived on this lone island.

Katara knew what was going through his head; the crashed pride of the Red People. However, she also knew he was helpless and wouldn't try anything funny.

"You will listen to me," Katara said, "If my people find you, they will kill you, I'm certain,"

Zuko agreed, partly out of fear and mostly because—what else was he going to do?

~(~

Katara stayed by Zuko's side almost endlessly for three days and cared for him for an additional week. She healed him regularly and fed him calorie packed food. He never complained about the taste of her cooking—which was refreshing. Sokka always whined about her culinary skills.

Katara would freeze water into chunks and wrapped them in cloth. She held the ice to Zuko's head. His pain from the concussion was beginning to fade.

Zuko and Katara talked about many things; her world and his, mostly. They compared culture and tradition. Though Katara was obvious about her bending, Zuko kept his a secret. He didn't want her to be afraid of him.

Zuko learned that, though Katara was not stranded here, she was stranded to the ways of her tribe. He could see the brilliance of her mind but her barbaric people kept her down. Zuko felt Katara would fit in in the Fire Nation quite well—except for the physical differences. He imagined her sitting in the courtyard gossiping about current event with other women. Zuko believed Katara had been born out of place. She shouldn't be here but in a greater land—his father's land.

Zuko found himself comparing Katara to Mai. At first, it was only by appearance; Mai had the common skin tone, golden eyes, and dark shiny hair that was pact with stiffening creams. Mai was tall and thin—bony almost, as many of the Fire Nation women were. Her facial features were sharp, which Zuko had always admired.

Katara, on the other hand, had skin the color of chocolate. Her hair was medium shade of brown and swayed in the breeze. Her eyes were a stunning shade of blue. Katara's features were soft—gentle. She was petite and looked soft in comparison to his girlfriend.

Then, he learned that Katara was motherly and nurturing. She cared about the world around her; not just herself. Katara talked about the flow of nature and how everything kept balance. Zuko was nearly entrapped by the words she spoke. She was so different from what he was always around.

Over the past many days, he had come to think of Katara as more than just a friend, but a life source, home. He knew he would never be able to leave this island and so he was thankful for the girl.

They taught each other about their cultures, family, and language. Katara easily learned the new words and phrases; however, Zuko could hardly mumble the words correctly. They laughed together and felt comfortable with each other—which surprised both of them.

"And that is why the women gather," Katara said, pulling Zuko out of a trance. He frowned and tried to remember what she had said a few moments ago.

"You have odd customs here," he said and took a bite of one of the strange fruits she had brought him. Delicious, sweet flavor erupted inside of his mouth and he quickly took another bite.

Katara stifled a laugh at the purple juice dripping down his chin. Katara simply shrugged. She was so jealous of him and land world he came from.

"Women and men are equal in the Fire Nation," Zuko said around another bite of fruit.

"Equal?" Katara cocked her head to the left.

"Yes, women can work and own property. They have rights just like men . . ." Zuko trailed off when he noticed her expression. She was staring at him with wide eye, as though he had just revealed the secret of life to her.

"Is that so?"

"Of course,"

"Hmm . . ." Katara looked up at the sky and realized the sun had already set. She hadn't realized the day was passing as she talked with her guest. Zuko recognized her expression.

"Will I ever get to see your village?" He said.

Katara stood. "I don't think so,"

Zuko stood as well.

Katara bowed to him and turned away but froze when she felt Zuko's hand around her wrist. Her pulse quickened.

"Do you really have to leave now?"

She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "I will be back. Maybe you will try finding food? It is hard to support both of us alone,"

Zuko felt heat rise to his cheeks. Katara grabbed is hand and pulled it away from her wrist.

~(~

"Where have you been!?" exclaimed Catori when Katara entered the village.

"On the west side of the village," Katara said with a wave of her hand. It wasn't true of course; the west side was where the sisal and cotton grew. Her private lagoon was completely opposite.

Katara had walked home slowly as she thought. She dreamed of seeing Zuko's home and learning as much about it as possible. However, she knew that would never happen.

"You know we aren't supposed to be outside of the village after dark and the sun set three hours ago! Katara! What is going on?" When Katara kept walking toward her home, Catori grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at her.

"There is trouble," Catori said urgently.

"What?" Katara said, alarmed.

"Your brother was on the east side early this morning to count the otter population so that we would know the amount of competition for fishing and—"

"Get to it, Catori!" Katara was now gripping her friend's shoulders.

"And he was—"

Katara was running toward the village center. They would keep him right in the middle of her home—tied to a post and naked. He would be starved for three days and then frozen to death in a block of ice. Katara ran as fast as she could. So many emotions were pounding through her; fear, angst, rage . . .

However, it was not Zuko who was tied the post. It was a female; she was covered in bruises and cuts; some fresh and some scabbed over. Her long dark hair was tangle and had twigs and leaves embedded in it. The woman was crying—no, not crying, sobbing.

The woman looked up and Katara felt like she was looking at the female version of Zuko. She had his pale skin and dark hair, his honey colored eyes. Unlike Zuko, she had full, pink lips and rosy cheeks. Katara took a step toward the nude woman but was unsure of what she could do.

"Katara!" She turned and saw father coming toward her hurriedly. "Don't get too close to it, it's a firebender!"

"Father" she said, "She is also a human!" without being able to control herself.

Hakoda's head jerked and he stared at his daughter. "Do you not know what they did to us?" he said angrily.

"Her ancestors,"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does!"

"Do you know what she did to your brother?"

Katara was speechless for a moment.

"Are you going to defend her now?" her father asked in a gruff voice. How dare his daughter commit this—this treason. He hoped no one had overheard her.

"What happened?"

"Go ask him yourself,"

Katara, concerned for her brother, hurried to her house.

Sokka lay on the table on a bedroll. He was stripped aside from undergarments and was sweating. As soon as he saw his sister, his expression relaxed.

"Katara," he let out a sigh.

Katara's grandmother, Kana, was already healing him but was growing weak. Katara took her place at her brother's side. He had a deep, clean, cut on his shoulder and mid-section. Katara took the water from her grandmother's withered hand and began bending it into a thick salve that would slowly heal his wounds.

Sokka relaxed completely under his sisters familiar healing hands.

"What happened?" Katara asked without looking up from her work.

"There were three," Sokka said and stared at the ceiling.

"Firebenders?" Katara asked.

"No, three girls. One had brown hair, two had very dark hair." He laughed suddenly. "I thought was becoming dehydrated or something because I thought they were so beautiful. They had features I had never seen before . . . I am ashamed of finding them attractive," he said the last thing quietly.

"However," he continued, "I saw one of them bend fire—blue fire. I approached them slowly, but the really tall one attacked me immediately. I missed her neck when she ducked but sliced her arm. There was a dainty one, who was very acrobatic, but my goal was the bender—and I got her.

I had the girl trapped and gave the emergency call, but the one—the tall one—threw two knives at me . . . She nearly killed me." Sokka was quiet for a moment, "I think the bender is a leader because—and you know I never paid attention in school but, she yelled 'Go find him!' in the Red People's language," Sokka shuddered at the thought.

Katara felt a chill run up her spine. She knew exactly who he was.

"We sent warriors out an hour ago to find all of the benders." Sokka said. "Of course, I won't be able to join them,"

"You will have to stay put for a few days, that's for sure," Katara agreed and kept her voice calm.

Katara felt conflicting emotions tear at her insides. Her people's enemy had nearly killed her brother, yet she had saved one of their lives. Katara felt that she had betrayed not only her village, but herself. However, she also felt that if she hadn't saved Zuko, she would have betrayed herself in a completely different way.

Katara prepared dinner for her family quietly. She listened to her boys—meaning her brother, father, and grandfather—yell angrily. The cussed and spit as they talked. It seemed as though they never even breathed. Katara didn't say a thing, for her own emotions were already trying to kill her.

Finally, her grandfather went to his own hut and her father settled down for bed. He would join the search at dawn. Katara helped Sokka relax onto his bedroll and stroked his hair. He had tears in his eyes and seemed to be in a different world altogether. Katara didn't leave his side until he was sleeping soundly.

Katara lay on her own bedroll and listened as her father's breathing became heavier. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Katara heard a whimper from outside and a chill ran up her spine.

She wished none of this had happened; that she had just married and life had gone on. Of course she knew none of this was her fault but she couldn't help feeling horrible remorse for what was being done to the girl not thirty feet away from her. Katara knew the girl had probably already been raped by at least twenty men and kicked or beaten by an equal amount of women.

Katara felt a strange feeling pulse through her and she got up. She grabbed her pack and quietly shoved a few items inside it. Katara didn't even realize what she was doing until she stepped outside. She looked at the woman. The moon shone on her white shine and made it look flawless. Her wrists were tied behind her and she was gagged.

Katara placed her foot back into her house. She took a deep breath to steady herself and then walked toward her very slowly and knelt down in front of her. The girl lifted her eyes and terror silently screamed from them. Katara lifted her finger to her lips. She slowly reached for the dagger at her own hip and unsheathed it. The girl screamed against the leather in her mouth and Katara dropped the knife. She clapped her hands over the captive's mouth and shushed her.

Katara waited until she was sure the girl would be quiet and picked up the knife again. She reached around to her wrists and grabbed ahold of them. Katara sliced the rope with her dagger. The captive girl took a sharp in a breath. Katara picked up the blanket she brought and wrapped it around the girl's shoulders.

The captive looked up at Katara with amazement and suspicion. She waited as the dark skinned girl cut the rope at her ankles. When all of her limbs were free she stretched them and they popped loudly. Katara helped her quickly to her feet and the girl pulled the blanket closer around her.

Katara tried to lead her away from the place but the captive resisted.

Katara turned and looked at her. "I will not hurt you," she whispered. "But they will. Follow me."

The girl obeyed and Katara led her through back ways to the north gate. She stopped when she saw to clan members guarding the exit. Katara pulled the girl behind a hut.

"Wait here," she said. Katara pushed her shoulders down so that she was squatting and then ran out of her sight.

Katara rounded a few huts quietly and entered the main pathway through the village. She tossed her bag to the side and ran toward the north gate.

"Hey!" Katara yelled and waved her arms frantically. The two warriors looked at her with alarm and came running to her. Katara bent over and gripped her knees. She breathed heavily.

"I—heard—something—over—there," she gestured off to her left.

"Wait here," said one of the warriors and the two hurried off.

Katara straightened and retrieved her bag. She ran back to the girl and pulled her up quickly. Katara grabbed her hand as she led her to the north gate. She stopped behind a hut and made sure they were safe and then she led the girl away from the village.

~(~

I really hope you enjoyed it! Please review! :D

-Kayleigh