An Update... and I'm really sorry it takes me so LONG!
Okay guys... thanks for reviewing! It is greatly appreciated. I tried to make this chapter a bit longer than normal.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Cuz they would really help.

I changed the rating to T, just to be safe. This chapter is just a bit more intense than the last ones, but not much.

Enjoy!

The silent wanderer so known as 'Tyron' carefully considered the map before him. Plotted on the paper were the various towns and cities that made up this section of the Fire Nation. So far, half of these cities had proven to be failures, no good, and their spot on the map, as a reward, had been given a large slash. There were only several more places to look.

He wondered if the girl had met her new master yet.

The girl…

Again, Tyron found himself debating on why he had 'saved' the girl. Why?

Memories began to trickle through his warped mind, eagerly he tried to focus on them and bring them into clearer view, but they slipped away.

Tyron growled, but concentrated harder on the action. He sat there, in the dirt, focusing, trying… to remember.

Finally, he was rewarded with something… he concentrated a bit harder…

And then there was an explosion of it.

Girls, clad in fluffy blue parkas, screaming and running, grey and blue eyes stretched wide with terror. A woman raced past him, and he could make out the blood that seeped through the protective blue clothing. Men cried orders, as the Chief desperately tried to assemble his men.

He saw himself. He was younger, his skin, tan. His eyes, the same dark grey they were now. His face, as emotionless as it always had been, and always would be.
The snow around him was sooty and red. A mix of spilt substances, their reasoning not too far from each other.

The crisp, two-step beat of footsteps marching on the snow seemed to echo throughout the whole place.
He turned, and saw that the fights had begun…

A woman screamed and fought, nearly smothered by the sheer ranks of the enemy. Even the scorned woman's rage and skills couldn't hold up against the power of these men. Could it?

"Tara! Run!" The voice echoed.

"Mom?"
"Tara… I love you… run!"
"But-"
"Now!"
The voice was cut off abruptly, and Tyron looked upon the billowing flames with a cold satisfaction.

But then suddenly, a chilled wailing met his ears, all stopped at the sound of it. It was unearthly… it was unnatural…
And still the wailing intensified in pitch… it went higher and higher… until it was a shrill whistle.

And then everything was red, bloody red, just like the snow. Everything was gone. His senses filled with snow, then filled with blood… faster and faster. He felt his heart pounding, his blood roaring, his limbs straining…

Until someone turned it off. Like a flip of a switch everything went out.

He was gone.

Tyron's eyes snapped open. He leapt upwards, only to topple over onto his side again. Momentarily, he gave up his struggle to stand, it had always been hard with metal body parts, and instead tried to recuperate.

He had never had such a disturbing vision… he had never felt anything like that… it seemed so real! It was horrifying and disturbing and…

What had he just seen?

Tyron blinked slowly. He stared down at his metal claw of an arm.

He hadn't just had a dream.
Had he?

No.

How can one have a dream if you don't remember anything about it?

Tyron shook his head.

His once shiny eyes glazed over. He stared back down at his crumpled map, once more, he began to methodically plot, all machine once more.

&& &&&

"We've got to go look for her, Aang."

"I know Sokka…" Aang agreed, "but how?"
"I'm still thinking about that…" Sokka growled to himself, continuing his rapid pacing around the small campsite.

"I've got it!" Aang crowed suddenly, and both Toph and Sokka whirled to the boy.

"Yes?" They both said breathlessly.

"Okay!" Aang stood up eagerly and began to babble out his idea.

"Aang… I can't understand you." Sokka cut across him.

Aang tried again.

"Twinkletoes!" Toph growled, when the Avatar failed again to make himself articulate.

"Sorry!" Aang blushed a bit, before plunging into his plan once more, "Remember at that port, when we tried to get that family to Ba Sing Se by boat?"
"When that creepy lady wouldn't give us our passes?" Sokka recalled.

"And you were my valets?" Toph smirked, despite the situation.

"Yeah…" Sokka sighed, "good times…"
"What about it, Aang?" Toph asked.

"Well, anyways, remember how there were all of those fake, dressed-up Avatars?"

"Yeah…" Toph shrugged.

"So… what you're saying is… that we somehow get someone stupid enough to dress up like you, so we can push them into Combustion Man's way, and while he's distracted with him, we run and get Katara?" Sokka stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah!" Aang nodded eagerly.

"But… how are we going to find someone like that?" Toph pointed out.

"And we don't have the supplies for that…"
"And we can't put an innocent person in that kind of danger, could we?" Aang sighed.

"No…" Toph agreed.

"Sorry Aang…" Sokka exhaled, deflated as another plan failed.

"Don't worry, Sokka, you'll come up with something!" Aang smiled, but the smile contained none of its usual optimism or sincerity. Everything seemed so bleak at the moment, and hopeless. Was this what it was like for the people who thought he, the world's last hope, was dead? Was this what Katara felt like right now?
Was Katara even alive?
She better be, and if she was indeed alive, there would be no Fire Nation prison that could hide her.

He'd make sure of it.

&& &&

Katara rubbed her eyes. She hated the cold, despite being raised in it. Well, not the cold that snow or rain brought. She despised the cold of caves, of icy rock and metals.

But when she opened her eyes, there was no cold, bleak metal cage, she wasn't sprawled out on the frosty and unforgiving cell floor. In fact, she was warmer than she had been in a long while. There weren't any bars in sight. The secluded room was glowing with firelight.

She gasped.

Where was she?

She looked down at herself, to discover that a thick mahogany blanket had been draped over her. Under careful inspection, she realized that she had also been set upon a couch… made of silk.

She lifted up her arms, and saw that nothing bound them together. Gently, she touched her chest, before automatically wincing.
Stupid… she berated herself. Ribs can't be healed in a matter of days!

How long had she been here anyways?

Katara sighed and stared up at the ceiling. What were the possibilities? What could have happened? She tried to recall everything she knew.
"Ship… cell…" Katara whispered hoarsely to herself, "and… someone?"
Her mind churned as she remember her last conscious moment in the cell. Someone had come and taken her. But who?
A savior? If he/she was, then why had she been drugged?
An enslaver? Then why wasn't she in another cell?

&& && &&

The flowers and serenity of the Palace Gardens were soothing, but nothing nearly as close to the balm that he needed. He needed someone to comfort him in his time of anxiety, but Zuko didn't know who to turn to.
Uncle? Uncle wouldn't help.

Mai? Mai… would Mai really understand? How could she, if she never seemed to experience this kind of thing, herself?
So, Zuko decided to turn to objects for comfort. But could the flowers and ponds really help his turmoil?
"Zuko!" Mai called, striding across the neatly trimmed grass and vegetation.

"Mai…" Zuko greeted as he turned his head towards her.

"What are you doing here?" Mai sighed exasperatedly as she sunk down to the grass beside him.

He shrugged and looked away. What was he doing here?
"Is something wrong?" Mai demanded, "Why haven't you been talking to me?"
Zuko just shrugged again, "I'm sorry. It's just… something has come up."
"What?" Mai growled, and then whispered angrily, "Are you trying to break up with me?"
Zuko instantly met her grey eyes and shook his head, "No… it's not that… it's just…"
"Sure Zuko… sure." She snarled as she stood to her feet and stalked away.

Zuko watched her go, before hanging his head. He always had the worst of luck.

He glanced up at the sky. The sun was hanging low in the sky, streaking the sky with beautiful oranges and reds.

It would be time to go back soon. Everyone would be suspicious if he spent the night outside. He didn't know how he was going to face the… thing temporarily living inside of his room.

He should have just left her in the prison. He had been thinking about it too, but something had stopped him from leaving. Was it chivalry? Chivalry to the enemy?

What were his options? It had to be a secret… or else it was only a matter of time before the Avatar's survival was discovered. He had to keep her quiet and secret, while extracting the information himself. She would be stubborn, unfortunately. Or maybe she wouldn't… maybe the peasant would see how her situation had changed?

He could kill her… but then he wouldn't be any better off. She could be used as a bargaining chip. A classic exchange.

What if the others found out? He would have to think of something fast, else they would take her quickly.

There was always that… other option. Something that would destroy his relationship with Mai, gross out Azula, disappoint Iroh and possibly please his Father. But who said he would actually have to do that. It could all be an assumption.

There were so many possibilities in this game… and they all led to different paths.

He sighed, signaling the end of his mental conversation. He stood and began to walk back to the Palace's chambers.

"Hey-" He called to one of the servants walking by.
"Yes, sir?" The man instantly dropped to his knees.

"Have a cook bring me up some food." He commanded, somewhat amused at the man's over-submissive posture.

"Yes, sir. Would you have any preferences?" The servant spoke to the floor.

Zuko paused momentarily. What would be suitable for a barbaric peasant? "Nothing too fancy."
"Yes, sir." The servant jumped to his feet, "Right away sir."
Zuko rolled his eyes as he watched the man dart away. Couldn't anyone just talk to him normally?

Zuko stared at his door. Now that he was actually in closer-range with it, he felt his anxiety returning. He was a Prince. He could handle this. Right? Right.

I am the Prince. I'm the Prince. Me. Me…

He growled to himself- he didn't need to get all worried over a stupid peasant girl!
He angrily shoved the door open. It collided against the wall with a thud, which was accompanied by a gasp and then a painful yelp.

Zuko walked in, and glared down at the girl, who's eyes were as wide as the moons.

"What?" He snarled, to which she flinched, but didn't respond.

Zuko waited for several moments. Strange… she wasn't saying anything. She didn't even attempt to move. She was just… lying there, looking up at him.

He felt guilty. He looked away furiously, before stalking away and slamming the door behind him.

He needed more time to think… and he sure couldn't do it in there.

"Sir? You're food?" Someone called behind him.

"Leave it at the door." Zuko bellowed angrily as he paced away, distancing himself from his source of trouble.

He needed a plan… and he needed it bad.

THERE YOU GO! PLEASE REVIEW!
(It wasn't confusing, right? There'll be more on Tyron later!) BTW, it would really help if you guys had any suggestions on a 'Rescue Katara' plan, because i'm not quite sure how that's going to go. No Guarantees, obviously. Thanks!
Jeez, its taking the Avatar crew SO long to air the new episodes...

Suggestions? Comments?
Please no flames though...