Disclaimer: I own Aneko, the rebels, and Sentou. That is all. I don't own Avatar, or Katara, or anything. Just Aneko, the rebels, and Sentou.

The ride didn't go exactly as planned. Everyone was able to go except Aunt Toph, but Aunt Katara insisted that Sentou come along, and he insisted on rambling on about new water bending techniques the entire time. I managed to avoid the tedium by riding ahead with mother and Uncle Aang. We raced for a time (Uncle Aang won as usual, but I was close this time), and then dropped back to the others. Ty Lee was showing Sentou and I how to trick ride when suddenly ten men appeared on the path. Sentou and I were at the front of the group, closest to the men, maybe five feet away. One glance at the men and their ragged appearance told me all I needed to know. These were rebels. Sentou had been in the middle of doing a handstand on his ostrich horse, and the abrupt stop threw him from the animal. I was closest to him, and I tried to grab the back of his shirt, but he was out of my reach. He fell to the ground and rolled as he had been taught. Unfortunately, he rolled in the direction of the rebels, and a big, brawny, one, probably an earth bender, snatched him up. Before we could do anything, there was a knife to his throat. Aunt Katara gasped. Sentou was her son after all. Uncle Zuko growled deep in his throat. Another man, this one thin and wiry with the blue clothing of a Water Tribe spoke.

"If any of you so much as move, the boy dies. And you wouldn't want that, would you?" Aunt Katara shook her head slowly.

I was feeling increasingly nervous, but at the same time calm. I was about twenty feet in front of everyone else, and the obvious choice if they wanted another hostage. I was the niece of the Fire Lord, with no legendry record of bending or fighting abilities like the others. I was also the favorite of the Avatar. That made me a big bargaining chip for these men. But I was almost a master fire bender, and mother had taught me the proper breathing and stances for lightning bending, even if she hadn't let me try it yet. I might have a chance to get to Sentou if only I had the right opportunity.

The man startled me out of my thoughts by speaking again.

"You! Girl! Come here. Now. Or this boy gets some instant ventilation in the neck area."

I made as if to dismount from my ostrich horse, and I spoke to the man with courage that surprised me.

"There's no need to threaten. I'm coming."

The man laughed.

"You're a feisty one. Must come from that traitorous Fire Nation blood you've got."

I slowly made my way towards the men. From this perspective, I could see the look of terror on my cousin's face. I felt for him. The poor boy didn't deserve this, but as the son of the Fire Lord, it had been bound to happen sooner or later. I tried to summon a reassuring smile to my face as another big man grabbed me and forced my arms to my sides.

Before I had been facing towards the rebels, taking in their cold expressions, their ragged clothes, everything about them. Now I was facing my family. Mother's face was set like stone; even her eyes did not give her emotions away. Aunt Katara, Uncle Sokka, and Uncle Zuko were barely controlling their anger. Aunt Ty Lee was frowning, clearly running through different strategies in her head and realizing none of them would work. And poor Uncle Aang was clearly blaming himself for suggesting the ride and not being able to do anything.

I was sure my face showed no fear, and I looked into my mother's eyes. She nodded her approval with the slightest movement of her head.

The man started to speak again.

"Now, my friends and I are going to go, except Joufu here." He gestured to yet another big man.

"If any of you try to follow us, Joufu will send us a signal. Don't think you'll be able to stop him. If any of my men get this signal, they will kill the little girl here. The next offence offs the Crown Prince. Understand?"

Mother shifted her gaze from me to the man.

"We understand. But do you understand what you have done? I hope not. It will be amusing to see your face when you realize what you've brought upon yourself and your men."

He laughed again.
"Whatever you say lady. You'll hear from us again in a few days. Be ready."

The men turned me around and marched me away from my family.

For all I knew, this would be the last time I would see them.