As you will see, I "borrowed" some dialogue directly from the show, I hope you don't mind. But I think that is something Katara really needed to get it out of her system, so she might move on. Oh, and there is a minor bit of implied Kataang, but don't worry, that's just how she feels TODAY that will change soon. I hope you enjoy it at least as much, as I enjoyed writing it.

No Happy View

The first thing that she registered was the movement. She was riding on something - an animal. But it couldn't be Appa, this animal was walking and it was much smaller than Appa.

Katara think! What's the last thing you remember?

Ah, yes. The fight with the girls from Omashu. Wait one of them was missing. I bet that means that she went after Aang. I hope he is ok.

What else?

Oh. No! Sokka! I saw him go down, and then it was me against two. When I open my eyes, will I see you, Sokka? Please be ok, please be ok!

I'm so afraid. Once I open my eyes this all becomes real. What if Sokka isn't here? What if he is dead? Katara, don't even think something like that! He can't be … he just can't!

Will they notice that I'm awake? What will happen to me, if they do?

Carefully she pried open one eye and registered with a start the distance to the ground. She never thought lizards were this big. After the initial puzzlement she could focus and realized that she must be on an ostrich-horse.

Strange. Why did they put me onto an ostrich- horse? And what do they plan to do with me anyway?

She tried to gather more information with her ears. But to no avail.

For Toph this seems to be so easy. Why can't I hear anything? So unfair!

But soon she realised, that she could hear something. Footsteps! Not much, but it was a start.

So somebody has to walk, because I took the ride. Ha, serves her right!

"Hm, you are finally awake, I see."

Zuko?! What the?! How?! Why?!

Katara sat up slowly, trying to take in the situation. She was sitting on an ostrich-horse that was led by Zuko, of all people. And nobody else was around; neither the frightful girls nor Sokka.

"What did you do to my brother?" she demanded to know.

He looked at her strangely and seemed to contemplate his answer.

"He was long gone when I found you."

She was used to his harsh, hateful words, but now he seemed to genuinely be sorry for her. She couldn't take it.

"What is this? What's your big plan? Are you trying to get Aang by using me, AGAIN?!"

He stopped and turned around. Looking her straight in the eyes, he challenged:

"So what if I am? What could you do to stop me?"

She knew he was right; there was no water to bend, so her only weapon at the moment was her sharp tongue, and she would use it.

"You are a terrible person, you know that?! Always following us, hunting the Avatar; trying to capture the world's last hope for peace? But what do you care? You are the Fire Lord's son; spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!"

Her words dripped with loathing and they cut deep into his soul.

"You don't know what you are talking about."

"I DON'T?! How dare you?! You have no idea what this war has put me through; me personally!

Oh. No! I'm not going to cry. Not in front of HIM. I won't. Don't cry!

She tried to calm herself with some steadying breaths. Her glistening eyes burned with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fall.

Zuko looked away then, not knowing how to react. He had seen too many things over the last few months. The girl with the burned leg came to mind. He knew Katara was right. This war did terrible things to the people and the Fire Nation was the main reason all those innocent people had to suffer.

"We need to keep going. Scoot over! Now that you are up again I'll ride on the ostrich-horse too."

She didn't like it; not one bit. He was too close, pressed against her backside, his arms circled around her. This was bad, she felt so helpless. Katara had contemplated to flee, but she knew it was pointless. As long as he had that ostrich-horse, Zuko would get her back in no time.

If this was Aang behind me, this actually would feel nice. Yeah, if …

Where are you guys? I hope you are alright.

She'd send a silent prayer to who ever might listen for the safety of her brother and friends, and then went back to the task of figuring a way out of this awful situation.

They moved fast; soon they would leave the forest behind and reach the mountains. Katara felt weak; she couldn't remember when the last time she'd had a proper meal had been, and she was in dire need of something to drink. Though she hated it, she was ready to ask Zuko for some water and anything to fill her empty stomach, when he suddenly stopped the ostrich-horse.

"The sun is about to set. We will rest here for the night." Zuko stated.

When Katara sat on the hard ground, she realized how sore and tired she was from the long ride. Watching him tie the animal to a tree, she noticed, for the first time, that Zuko had only one small bag with him.

Where are all his supplies and his sleeping bag? He is a prince, for crying out lou! Come to speak of it, shouldn't he have some servants around?

Zuko sat down across from Katara, opened his bag and took out some fruits and bread. "You must be hungry, here have some." And with that he offered her his meagre dinner. She didn't have to be told twice; without stopping herself to think if this was wrong, she took some of the fruit and munched them greedily.

An unwanted pang of remorse hit the prince when he watched the girl. What had he put her through, in this condition? He had no idea how long she had been unconscious when he'd found her, but since then it had been hours. He should at least have given her some water. But there lay the problem; how to do so without endangering himself?

He could hear his uncle scold him in his mind; "You never think things through!"

Yeah, right! The water was one issue, and the other was, how to ensure that she wouldn't run off during the night.

That's it for today. Please review!... Special thanks to Appa-Appa-Away, who helps me to make this story so much better, no, even more, without her I would never had the guts to start writing in the first place. So bow down to my mentor and go read her stories too, if you haven't already! She just started a new one called "Behind the lies", which is going to be so awesome. I can tell, because I already had the pleasure to read the first chapter.