Author notes: Three things:

Firstly, Lazyartisan did an accidentally-scarily spot on drawing for this chapter. I also did one, and both links are now up in my profile. Secondly, HUGE MEGA THANKS to DustyJack for the beta-reading, and Robert for his insight. You two are freakishly helpful. :) Thirdly the first segment of this story, for some reason, wanted to be written in Sokka's more sarcastic POV. I don't question these things. I just go with them. :)

Forthly, (I did say there would be three things, but I lied) to answer some questions: Everyone is the same age as in canon. Aang is 12, Katara is 14, Sokka is 15 and Zuko is 16. BUT Zuko thinks of himself as younger than Sokka... if by only a few months.

That's all!


OoOoOoO

Things will never return to normal...

- Iroh, The Storm

OoOoOoO


It took a few moments of furious blinking for Sokka to clear his light-dazzled eyes. Slowly, the colorful dots in his vision faded away and the strange figure at his feet resolved itself.

It… was just a kid. He was eleven, maybe twelve, and shaved completely bald. The glowing arrows that had been so unearthly strange had now become light blue tattoos, each running down an arm and tipped at his forehead. He was dressed differently, too; with strange, high pants and an overcoat of yellow and red.

Zuko prodded him again with the toe of his boot.

"Stop that!" Katara snapped, and shrugged away from them both to kneel down and lay her mitten across the strange boy's cheek. The boy stirred at her touch and blinked grey eyes up at her.

"Hey," she said, giving the kid a smile. Sokka nearly groaned aloud. He had seen that smile before; that time she adopted a seal-kitten, forgetting it would soon become too large to fit the tent. "Are you okay?"

The boy winced and blinked again, and when he spoke his voice was weak. "I need to ask you something."

Katara hesitated and bent her head to hear him. "What?"

Suddenly, the boy's grey eyes widened, and what could only be called a mischievous smile crossed his face. "Do you want to go penguin sledding with me?"

"Uh," she was taken aback. "Sure…"

Sokka, at least, had recovered his wits and stepped forward. He had retrieved his bone club and daringly prodded the boy with it. "Stand back, Katara. He could be dangerous."

But the boy just casually batted the club away, and too quickly for Sokka to really see, somehow leapt to his feet. "Where am I?" asked the boy, scratching the back of his head.

"South pole." Zuko answered. He had wisely kept his distance, and watched the scene with arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed. "How are you not frozen?"

"I dunno." The boy gave a shrug. "Huh. I didn't know I made it. I was just flying with Appa — oh! Appa!" He turned, and with three graceful leaps, he somehow scaled the enclosure of ice and jumped back inside. The three Water siblings turned, shrugged at each other, and followed.

Personally, Sokka didn't think that he could be surprised by anything else today. He had seen a giant mountain of ice split into pieces, Zuko doing some freaky fire thing with his hands, and now a crazy tattooed kid rise up from an iceberg. But when he scaled the ice globe, and looked inside… yeah, the giant white and brown furry monster with six legs and beaver tail surprised him.

Zuko made a choked sort of sound, and Sokka looked over to see he had dropped his 'tough guy' pose, and was trying to pick his jaw off the floor. Come to think of it, so was Sokka.

"What… is that thing?" Zuko sputtered.

"Appa." The boy chirped, climbing around the thing's head to pull at his eyelids. "He's my flying bison. C'mon buddy, wake up."

Sokka had a pretty good view from where he stood and he didn't see any wings on the thing. "Right," he said, jerking a thumb at Katara. "And this is Katara, my flying sister."

The giant animal stirred, shaking himself to the kid's obvious delight. Then, without warning it sneezed, and had Sokka not been standing over by Zuko, he might have been hit by a big load of green (and possibly contagious) snot. As it was, it smacked against the ice wall right behind him, and the two boys nearly tripped over one another in their scramble to get out of the way.

"These are my brothers," Katara said, stepping forward to tentatively reach out and lay a hand on the giant muzzle. "The sarcastic one is Sokka, and Mr. Grumpy over there is Zuko."

The kid beamed. "Oh, hi. I'm—" a strange look came over his face, and before Sokka could put his club out to defend himself, he sneezed.

But he didn't just sneeze. He flew at least twenty feet straight up in the air, as if — well, Sokka couldn't think of a proper analogy, but it was straight up IN THE AIR. Then he floated downward, overcoat billowing around him, as if it were nothing. "I'm Aang."

"You're an airbender." Katara breathed.

Personally, Sokka would have settled for 'freak', but airbender worked too.

"Yup!" Aang confirmed, with a smile.

"No… you can't be an airbender." Zuko stepped forward, holding out his hands as if pleading for sanity. Sokka knew the feeling. "I mean, no one has seen an airbender for a hundred years."

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

But Sokka knew where his brother was going. He strode forward importantly, jabbing a finger into the kid's chest. "What he means, buster, is that clearly you're a spy." He could almost feel Katara's silent objection. Poor, naive Katara. He'd set her straight. "That bolt of light was probably a signal to the Fire Navy."

"Why would I want to signal the Fire Navy?" Aang asked. "I don't know anyone in the Fire Navy. Oh hey," he turned to Zuko, "Do you know Kuzon?"

"Uh, no?" Zuko looked completely taken aback, which Sokka had to admit, was a difficult reaction to draw from his brother. And he'd tried.

"Sokka, look at his face." Katara said, "Is that the face of an evil Fire Nation spy?"

He had to admit the kid looked fairly innocent. And, if he really thought about it, it was a little bit of a stretch to think that an airbender would be working for the Fire Nation. But still…

Sokka had enough.

"You know what? Giant light beams, flying bison, guys named Kuzon… airbenders. I think I've got mid-night sun madness. I'm going home where things make sense," he declared, but he had no sooner turned around and looked out to the now desolate sea that he remembered they were all kinda, sorta, stranded.

"Yeah, you let us know how that goes." Zuko snorted, which earned him a glare from Sokka. After all, he was supposed to be on his side.

Of course, the weird flying kid had the answer. "Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I can give you a lift." Then he promptly floated to the top of the giant flying bison, extending a hand as if all were welcome.

Katara said, "We'd love a ride! Thanks!" and climbed up before Sokka could grab her to shake some sense into her.

"Oh no, we are not getting on that fluffy snot monster." Sokka had only the faintest idea about how whiny and petulant he sounded at that point. But really, could anyone blame him? Was it too much to ask for this world to start making sense again?

Apparently it was, because Zuko gave a sort of a shrug and pulled himself on board, calling over his shoulder. "Better than freezing to death out on the ice."

"But… but he could eat us!"

All three were looking at him from the bison's back, and finally Sokka gave a defeated sigh, walking up to the beast. However, he refused to let go of his spear, and his sister and brother had to help pull him up.

Aang sat at the thing's head, gripping a pair of leather straps attached to the curved horns like reins. "Okay, first time flyers, hold on tight!" Then he flicked his hands. "Appa, yip yip!"

The creature stirred, its muscles rolling under the thick pelt of fur. It slapped its wide beaver tail against the ice, and with a massive jerk and a rush of wind, it leapt out into the sky…

… only to fall down again with a sickening lurch and a splash that once again got Sokka all wet.

The fates hated him. They really did. For the second time today, he was forced to wring out the bottom of his parka. "I knew he couldn't fly," he muttered.

Zuko grunted, arms folded. His attention was elsewhere, for Aang had turned back around and was staring at their little sister with a dreamy expression on his face. "Hey kid," Zuko snapped, "eyes in front."

He had to admit, his little brother could really pull the intimidating firebender thing off sometimes. Aang gulped and quickly turned back around. Slyly, on the down-low, the two brothers gave each other high-fives.


OoOoOoO


Even though the sun had not fully set, it was well past what anyone could consider bedtime. Katara and Sokka were dozing, curled up in the middle of the thick-padded bison-saddle. Zuko inched himself upright, bracing his back against the wooden wall, and watching the bison's slow swim with his arms still crossed over his chest. He had no chance of sleep at all; the sun still sat low in the sky and shone fully upon the scarred side of his face.

Katara stirred, turning her head, and caught his eye. "Still awake?"

"Can't sleep." he grunted, and then cast a dubious glance at the stranger sitting at the bison's head. The kid was sitting cross-legged, but leaning forward as if exhausted. Zuko wouldn't be surprised if he was. The fact that he was even alive had to be some kind of miracle.

His sister had followed his gaze, and the look in her eyes was something he didn't want to see; soft, compassionate, and hopeful all at once. "He's an airbender," Katara breathed, as if releasing a long awaited sigh.

"So he says."

"Do you think…"She paused, sitting up and biting her bottom lip. She glanced about for Sokka, but he was snoring peacefully, completely oblivious to their conversation. "Do you think Aang knows what happened to the Avatar?"

Something strange jerked in Zuko's chest, like a tug at his innards sending a cold sort of shiver down his spine. He couldn't place the feeling, and in a moment, it was gone.

He shook his head, but only to clear his thoughts. It was best that Sokka was asleep, because he would have just jumped in proclaiming the Avatar as just a made up legend. Katara always believed the stories, and although Zuko could never quite pinpoint why, he did too. "I don't know," he said, at last. "I could ask him."

"Ask him nicely." Katara had no idea how much she sounded like Gran Gran Kana. But before he could tell her, she reached out and gripped his hand. "He's an airbender," she repeated, eyes locked with his, "Maybe he could teach us—"

"What? Airbending?"

"I don't know. Something. Anything."

He caught the hope in her voice, and another tingle went up and down his spine; one of excitement. He broke his gaze with Katara to look back at the kid, this time appraisingly. Air was probably different from Water and Fire all together, but he and Katara had learned from each other, right? It wasn't so far-fetched... "Maybe," Zuko allowed, but couldn't hide the thread of excitement in his voice. He dropped her hand. "I'll ask about the Avatar, and you ask him to teach us after he rests. Get some sleep."

He would leave it up to Katara to convince the kid to teach them more bending. After all, she had worked her magic on him years ago, despite his fear and doubt.

Getting up, he carefully picked his way past the saddle, over the giant bison's back. It was an odd sensation; quite unlike padding across a fur-rug. The muscles under his feet bunched and unbunched as the animal swam, and a couple of times he had to kneel down and grip the fur to keep from losing his balance. There was a sharp dip between the body and the head. After a hesitation, he leapt over the short neck, catching one of the black tipped horns in his hand to steady himself.

Aang startled, jerking out of what must have been a light doze. At once he relaxed and offered him a chipper grin. "Hey, Zuko," he said, as if he had known him all of his life. Then he scooted over and patted the space next to him, allowing the taller boy to take his seat.

Zuko had to admit, there was a strange sense of power from sitting on the bison's head. From this vantage point, it seemed as if an entire watery world was laid out before him; his to command. It was an interesting feeling, and not unwelcome.

But he pushed it away for the time being, and focused on the kid next to him. "Hey… Aang." He tried — and failed — to copy that same sort of familiarity in his voice. Quickly, he went on. "Look, I was sort of wondering… since you're an airbender, do you ever know what happened to the Avatar?"

"The Avatar?" Aang squeaked, raising his hand up to the back of his smooth head. "Uh… no, I didn't know him. I mean, I knew people that knew him, but… I didn't. Sorry."

"Oh." He really didn't expect the kid to know anything, but all the same he felt a pang of disappointment.

An awkward sort of silence stretched between the two. Aang, for some reason seemed somewhat twitchy, and Zuko was at a loss of what to say next. Sokka would know. He had a way with words that Zuko knew he could never have. So, out of slight desperation — and because the question had bugged him at the time — he asked, "So, who's Kuzon?"

Aang gave small chuckle at this. "Oh, he's one of my best friends. He's Fire Nation, too."

It felt as if Zuko had been simultaneously slapped and doused with a cold bucket of water. He straitened, narrow-eyed at the boy. "I'm not Fire Nation." he growled, and stood up. "Goodnight." With that, he jumped across the small gap between Appa's head and back to rejoin the others.

Behind him, Aang looked surprised. After a moment, he bent down, hand coming to rest by one of Appa's ears. "Was it something I said?"


OoOoOoO


The 'flying' bison continued on his leisurely, yet steady pace, and by three in the morning they found shore. Everyone, sans Zuko, was sleeping. He quietly woke Katara and Sokka, and told them to get to their tent. After a moment of hesitation, he did the same for Aang; walking the extremely drowsy boy to one of the unused tents. The airbender was so sleepy that Zuko doubted he barely understood what was going on, and when he came back with some extra pelts for bedding, he found Aang curled up and asleep on the floor of the tent; perfectly comfortable without blankets.

No one in the camp was up, and the sun was still at the horizon, ever present during the summer months. It was just as nearly bright as full day, with only a pallid sort of grey to mark the time. Zuko's body screamed for sleep, although he knew he could lay down for hours and not get any of it.

Returning to the home tent, he quietly poured himself some of the special tea that Gran Gran made for him during the summer. It was the only way he could get more than an hour worth of sleep during midnight-sun. He bent the liquid to warmth with a short breath, and wincing, downed the entire bitter cup.

Then he crawled in between the furs, ignoring Sokka's wide-mouthed snoring, and waited for it to kick in.

His dreams were troubled, full of dark mist and faceless beings who reached towards him with spindly fingers like claws, screaming gibberish right in his face… something about the Avatar…

Zuko awoke, a good seven hours later, alone in the tent, with the energy of the sun singing harshly in his veins.

Rubbing his eyes, he dressed quickly. He could hear all sorts of sounds just outside the fabric, but which were muffled and distorted beyond understanding. Dressing quickly, and shaking his head to rid himself of the last of his night-terrors, he pushed past the tent flap and walked out.

"Great!" Sokka was saying, sounding anything but happy. He stood facing Aang and Katara, outnumbered. "You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, and Zuko's a firebender, and together you can just waste time all day long!"

He was, then, completely surprised and gave a most undignified yelp when Zuko came up from behind and thumped him upside the head.

Unnoticing, Aang turned to Katara. "You're a waterbender!"

"Well," she bit her lip, suddenly shy in a way that Zuko had never seen her shy before. "Sort of—"

"Yes, she is," Zuko snapped, cutting her off. "She's a good one." He didn't understand. She was the better bender out of both of them, the one who usually was able to pick up their ideas with ease… and wasn't she always saying how they were real benders, despite the lack of training?

But now Katara wouldn't quite look at him, and he didn't know why.

"And… you're a firebender?" Now Aang's grey eyes were turned on him again, and Zuko met it with a glower.

"Yes, I am."

"Yeah, you can tell by his flamboyant personality." Sokka was sure to stay just out of arm's reach.

Luckily, they were saved by Gran Gran who had come up to see why the kids were gathered around, apparently not working. "All right, come on, enough playing. There are chores that need to be done around here."


OoOoOoO


Since he and Sokka were the only men of the village, it fell to them to train up the new generation of warriors in their father's absence. This, Zuko had to admit, was Sokka's expertise. He liked to talk and make important speeches about being a man. And although he would never admit it, Zuko was sure it was his way of dealing with missing Dad. Where Zuko became introverted and moody, Sokka would puff himself up and overcompensate by treating toddlers like new recruits.

"One day, they won't be kids anymore," Sokka told him, some time ago when the training first started. "And I'll be leading them as Chief." He had paused, and added, "You can help, of course."

"…Thanks."

But Sokka was right, of course. They wouldn't be kids forever, and Zuko knew that war didn't stop for anyone. They all had to be ready for the day it would inevitably reach their shores.

He still felt a little groggy from the sleeping tea, so today he sat along the sidelines, watching Sokka parade in front of a group of six of the oldest boys (some, barely out of diapers), gesturing wildly with his boomerang and talking of wild fights and evil firebenders.

For his part, Zuko used his time to sharpen a large whale-tooth for what he hoped would be his new spear-point. He had lost his best one in that ridiculous canoe accident yesterday, and he didn't want to be without for very long. As he ran his sharpening stone again and again over the ivory, he listened with half an ear to his older brother.

"Now, men," Sokka said importantly. "Never show any fear when facing the Fire Nation. In the Water Tribe, we fight to the last man standing…" he went on, and Zuko found his mind wandering elsewhere.

The main village seemed quiet, somehow. At least, quieter than usual. It wasn't exactly a bustling hive of activity even on the best of days, after the men had gone to war. Zuko cast a glance around, did a swift headcount and came up short Katara and one tattooed airbender.

Auya was walking by, her arms laden with driftwood for the fire. He called out to her, "Hey, do you know where Katara and Aang went?"

The woman paused. She and Zuko had still never liked each other after she more or less rejected him as a child, but the bonds between the people of the Water Tribe were not something taken in jest. They retained a more or less civil attitude towards one another; a cap of paper-thin ice overlaying a sea of intense dislike. "She and the boy went off towards the hills about an hour back." she said, curtly, "Said something about penguin sledding."

He nodded to indicate he understood, and sat down again to sharpen his spear, muttering under his breath, "Penguin sledding better not be a metaphor…"

"What's a metaphor?" Little Denahi asked, at his side.

Zuko groaned and flopped back in the cool snow.


OoOoOoO


After more lecturing from Sokka (and about three requested potty breaks from the boys — Zuko seriously considered limiting what they ate and drank for breakfast in the morning) the little boys were ready for an example of a good way to fight any Fire Nation invaders.

Zuko stood up with a leisurely sort of air, aware that all the children's eyes were on him. He took his time, dusting off bits of snow from his parka and building up the suspense. Only when the boys started to fidget in anticipation did he twist around, reaching towards the flames of the nearest campfire. They came to his command, and with his feet centered he streamed the flames through the air, and then sent them, like a bright ribbon of fire, over to Sokka.

His brother was ready, and quickly stepped to the side as they had practiced, letting the flow of fire fly past him and land with a hiss in a nearby snow bank. "There, you see that, warriors?" Sokka said, over the ohh's and aww's of the little boys. "Fire travels in more or less a straight line. Once it has left the control of the bender, you can avoid it. More importantly, while they are doing their weird little arm wavy thing—"

"It's called a kata," Zuko reminded him.

"…Whatever. While they're doing that, it's the perfect time to strike. My method? I prefer the boomerang." Sokka held up his own with just more than a little reverence.

But the boys weren't listening to Sokka any longer. Something else had caught their attention.

"Zuko, can you do that, next?" Tuktu asked, and pointed up to the sky.

At first Zuko thought it was the sun, but that was impossible because he could feel the actual sun shining brightly on his back. The bright orange glow against the blue sky had to be unnatural and as they watched it rose rapidly from the horizon; a trail of smoke in its wake.

All activity in the village paused as the phenomenon was sighted by more and more people. Then, just as the light reached its zenith, it exploded in a shower of loud and bright red fireworks.

"It's a flare." Sokka had come over to his side, and Zuko looked down at him in surprise, seeing his brother's fists clenched. "That's coming from the direction of the old Fire Navy ship! Where are Katara and Aang?"

Zuko's stomach felt like it dropped out from his stomach. "Out… Auya said they went penguin sledding."

Although Sokka didn't know it, the dark look that crossed his features was so fierce that Zuko had to restrain himself from stepping back. He had seen Sokka angry, but always before there had been an undercurrent of goofiness that mellowed it out. Now, that was gone. "He's trying to signal the Fire Navy with that flare! He's bringing them straight to us."

It wasn't often that Zuko found himself the voice of reason, but it was hard to reconcile in his head the overly-friendly kid with what he knew of the Fire Nation. "Hold on, Sokka… I don't think…"

But Sokka wasn't looking at him now. He was glaring out beyond the village. And following his gaze, Zuko too felt a hot coal of anger settle within his heart.

Past the ice road and towards the abandoned Fire Navy ship came two figures set against the misty sunlight; Katara and Aang.


OoOoOoO


By the time the two had trudged up the icy path towards the village, they were greeted by the full village: a wall of disapproving glares and crossed arms. Even the little children, mostly oblivious to the political turmoil in a small village, hung back behind their parents, confused. Sokka had been seething the entire time, and he was the first to break rank and step forward, pointing angrily at Aang. "I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're trying to lead them straight to us, aren't you?"

"He didn't do anything." Katara shot back, wholly unrepentant. "It was an accident!"

Aang looked at them with wide eyes. "Yeah, we were just on the ship and there was a booby-trap and—"

But Sokka cut him off. "Oh, that's a likely story. Katara, get away from him!"

"And you," Zuko snarled, stepping forward toward Aang with anger in every line of his body. "What were you thinking?! You put us all in danger!"

Sokka was trying to lead Katara away, but at Zuko's words she shrugged off his touch and went over to stand between Aang and the angry firebender. "Zuko, you're making a mistake. Aang is not our enemy!"

Now Sokka had joined up against Zuko's side, and the four teenagers squared off against each other. "We're keeping our promise to Dad," Sokka snapped. "We're protecting you from threats like him."

"Yeah," Zuko added, glaring at Aang. "Get lost."

Katara glared at him, and behind her the snow trembled ever so slightly. When she spoke, her voice was low, and dangerous. "I can't believe that you of all people would turn someone out, just because they're different. This tribe took you in."

Sokka stepped in front of Zuko, intending to forestall the impending fight. There was no point; Zuko was rooted to the ground in shock. He and his siblings had been in plenty of arguments before, and the words might have been harsh, but they were never meant to truly hurt…. Now he felt pierced right through the heart.

Gran Gran, perhaps sensing the sudden impasse, stepped in. "Katara, you knew that going on that ship was forbidden. Your brothers are right. The airbender must leave."

"Then I'm banished, too!" With that Katara swung around, gripping Aang by the shoulder and practically marching him away.

"Hey!" Sokka looked at Zuko, who only shrugged. Sokka ran a few steps after them. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To find a Waterbender Master!" Katara yelled over her shoulder. "Aang is taking me to the North Pole!"

"I am?" The airbender wondered. Then, "Great!"

"Fine!" Zuko snapped to Katara's retreating back. He was so angry and hurt that he felt he couldn't even breathe properly. Behind him at the campsite, every fire flared up in bright orange colors. He marched over, past Sokka who hurried to catch him, to Katara. "Go learn waterbending properly, if that's all you want! Never mind about your family, or your tribe. I guess we're not important enough for you anymore!"

Katara hesitated and for the first time he saw indecision in her step. "That's not it, Zuko. This is important to me." She paused again, looking up at the broad back of the great bison. "You could come, too. I'm sure we could find a Firebending Master."

He hated that part of himself that was tempted, if ever so slightly, by her offer. He wanted to yell at her. He wanted to hurt her just as much as she was hurting him. But it felt like the words, all of the anger and disappointment, had collected somewhere around his neck scar. He shook his head; a sharp, angry gesture, and turned away.

"Katara, I don't want to get between you and your family." Aang offered, tentatively.

"You're not," she lied.

Sokka moved forward, hands out, pleading. "You're really choosing him over us?"

She hesitated one last time before reaching out and gripping Sokka in a tight hug. "I'll be back. As soon as I've learned— I'll be back… I promise." Then before Sokka could say anything, she stepped away and went to her other brother. But Zuko was glowering off at an invisible point in the snow, refusing to look at her. She held up her hand as if to touch him, but drew back at the last moment and reached up to Aang, who was sitting on Appa's head. In a moment she was up, and with a snap of the reins, the great beast turned and plodded slowly away.

Zuko turned only once to watch them leave. And back in the village, every campfire went dead.


OoOoOoO


"Hey," Sokka grabbed his arm hard to get his attention. His blue eyes were bright with withheld emotions. "You know she's didn't mean any of that. She's just… angry. She'll be back, when she calms down."

They were walking back to the village. Everyone was still gathered, open curiosity and horror on their faces. Seeing all the woman looking to them for an explanation, Zuko took in a deep, shuddering breath and willed himself to feel the wisdom in Sokka words. He was probably right. Katara wouldn't get ten miles away before she got homesick and came back…

He nodded, once, and Sokka straightened himself up, almost unconsciously, before plastering an easy smile on his face for the sake of the rest of the village. "She'll be back," he said again, this time louder for everyone's benefit. "She's just seeing him off."

Zuko took his brother's cue and did the best to relax his shoulders and uncurl his fists. He couldn't manage a smile — not yet, but when the little kids swarmed around his legs, asking where Katara went, he was able to answer easily that she was just leading the airbender out past the boundaries. She'd be back… soon.

In the meantime, Sokka had other things to occupy the minds of his warriors in training. "Alright men!" he said, and at once all the little boys snapped to attention. "Ready our defenses! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any minute now. I want each and every one of you on the ice wall, looking for any sign of them!"

Denahi raised his hand, "But I gotta—"

"And no potty breaks!"

Zuko crossed his arms over his chest, smirking, as all the boys fell into action. "It's about time you thought of a good use for them," he said in a low aside.

Sokka preened. "Yup, and they'll be able to tell us as soon as Katara comes back. And if any of them start sleeping on watch, you can just scare them with a quick fire blast."

Gran Gran Kana listened to their conversation, her face lined with worry. "Sokka, you don't expect them to actually fight if the Fire Nation do invade?"

He waved away her worry with an errant flip of his hand. "Naw, the chances of a Fire Navy ship actually being down close enough to see that flare are — well, they have to be really low. Like rock bottom, or next to none." He met Zuko's eyes, and he gave him a nod. "We're going to be fine, Gran Gran."

No sooner than he said that then a small, high shout pierced the wind. "Sokka! Zuko! I see them!"

"Katara?" Zuko called back in relief.

"No!" The boy pointed his mittened hand back towards the sea. "The Fire Nation!"

The two brothers exchanged a glance that was equal parts shock and dawning horror. Without a word they turned, scrambling to the watch tower. They had built it last summer, over the remains of Zuko and Katara's old fort. It was the tallest structure in the village and apt to lean dangerously in one direction or another unless Katara fortified it regularly with new ice.

The steps were mushy with summer melt and a couple of times Zuko nearly slipped off, but within moments he and Sokka were at the top and looking out towards sea. The sun was setting — or at least as close to setting as it ever got, and they had to shield their eyes from the bright reflection of the water. But there, just beyond the far field of icebergs, was a grey metal point along the horizon.

"Maybe they won't spot the village." Zuko breathed. "They are pretty far out there."

But as the boys watched, the metal bow turned ever so slightly, becoming smaller as it lined up directly to their village. A lazy line of smoke drifted above it as the engines kicked into high gear. There was no doubt about it… the Fire Nation ship was headed to their shore.

Sokka cursed.


OoOoOoO


The giant bison plodded slowly onward though the dense snowdrifts. Every step of its six-legged foot broke through a thick casing of ice and permafrost as if it was eggshells. The path Appa left would have been pathetically easy to find, if not for the wide-beaver tail which dragged easily upon the ground, smoothing out the snow and leaving behind nearly no trace at all.

Aang and Katara sat at Appa's head, not talking, letting the distance between themselves and the village increase in mutual miserable silence.

Finally they came to a low rise of a hill. And beyond that lay a landscape of snowy rock-columns. The winds were fierce in this part of the country, and it had stripped and scoured ancient strewn volcanic boulders into strange twisted objects which sat, glittering, under a layer of crystal ice and snow.

Feeling the bare wind on his face, Aang took in a deep breath and then tugged on the reigns which had sat loosely in his hands. Appa groaned and then halted.

"This isn't right, Katara." Aang's young, high voice was gentle, but firm. "The monks who raised me used to say that to put the world in order, you have to put your family in order, and to do that you have to put your heart in order."

Katara had been crying, silently, and at her friend's words she raised a hand up to brush away an errant tear. "I know," she said at last, and together they sat in silence and watched the tendrils of fog being blown here and there through the ice columns. Finally, she continued. "All of my life, I've wanted to be a waterbender. When Zuko came, I thought we could learn together… and we did. But we don't know what we're doing half the time."

Aang looked thoughtful. "My best friend, Kuzon, was a firebender. Oh, he could do the craziest things with fire! One time we—" He broke off, perhaps realizing that this was not the time or the place for that particular story. "Anyway, I never thought about learning anything from him, because Fire and Air are different elements. I… can't imagine how hard it would be to work Fire and Water, because they're opposites. You two must be really great benders to be able to do that."

"Really?" A slight smile tugged at her lips, and she was looking at him as if trying to judge whether he was just being nice. "You think so?"

"Yup!" And with a tug on Appa's reigns, he directed the great bison around. "Maybe once everyone calms down, I can come back for a visit… I'd really like to see what you can do."

She looked down, shyly. "I'd like that."

He grinned, and within a few moments the bison had made his slow way around and they were plodding back towards the way they came. From this direction they could see far up the coast, and out to the far flung ice-fields.

"So what will you do, next?" Katara wondered.

"I guess I'll visit the Southern Air Temple… wow…." Aang blinked, and then grinned again as a particular thought struck him. "I haven't cleaned my room for over a hundred years. Not looking forward to that." He was going to add more, maybe tell her about the time he and Monk Gyatso played the best prank on some of the elders. Something, anything to get her to smile… because Aang really liked it when Katara smiled.

But then he caught a glint of silver out over the sea, just above the far horizon. He blinked again, and rubbed his eyes, but the dark smudge of silver was still out there when his vision cleared. "There's something out there!" he exclaimed, and before Katara could react he dropped the reigns and leapt high into the air to get a better look, letting a rush of wind float him back down again. There was no doubt about it; the ship was exactly like the one he and Katara had explored earlier.

She too, had seen the silver glint, and she stood up, her eyes wide. "It's heading towards the village!"

And there was no doubt in his mind, about who the Fire Nation was coming for.

"This is all my fault…" He gripped his airstaff, but at that moment he knew he would never be able to fly high enough or fast enough. The dark, heavy burden of responsibility pulled him down like a ton of literal bricks. To fly, one had to detach himself from the world — but how was he supposed to do that when it was his job to save the earth?

"No…." Katara let out a low groan under her breath. The ship was advancing at a fast pace. Only a few moments ago it had just been a streak of silver. Now they could see its clear outline.

Then Aang had an idea. "Wait! Do you still have any fish left?"

She fished around in her pocket and brought out one single frozen minnow. Aang grinned in renewed delight. "A penguin would be able to get me there no problem! Stay with Appa." Before she could react he snatched the fish from her hands, and with one great bound he cleared the bison and landed some twenty feet away.

"Aang!" she yelped, "No! Wait!"

It was too late. Another three giant leaps and he was over the next rise of the hill.

Katara sat back down. But her shock lasted only for a moment, before indignation kicked in. No. No way was she going to just sit by and be safe while a Fire Nation ship steamed towards her village…

… Oh Spirits, her brothers… her stupid, lovable brothers would be the only thing to protect them.

Taking the reigns into her hands, she snapped them with all the authority she could muster. "C'mon, Appa. We need to hurry! Please!"

The bison let out a low groan, but picked up his shuffling pace.


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The two brothers went through their battle preparations in near silence — trading parka's for thick close fitting wraps dyed in Water Tribe blue. A warrior's greatest weapon was his brave heart, but actual weapons didn't hurt, either. Their boomerangs were holstered, and whale bone machetes were secured to their backs with a strap of leather. Finally, their ivory spears were checked for imperfection — Zuko missed his best spear, and promised himself that if they survived this he wouldn't be as foolish as to bring something like that fishing ever again.

Lastly came the war paint. Made of melted seal blubber mixed with finely ground coal and flour, it was applied thick and heavy to the face and neck. Zuko pulled his hair back into an unshaven wolf's tail, and when he took a glance at himself in a small looking glass the face of a Water Tribe warrior scowled back at him. Behind the black and white paint, he saw himself for the first time without any scars — his left eye being more narrowed than his right the only indication.

"Ready?" Sokka asked.

Zuko put down the mirror and nodded. "Ready."

His brother reached forward and gripped his arm by the elbow, and Zuko did the same — one man to another. There weren't any words between them. There didn't need to be.

There was every chance one or both of them wouldn't make it back.

"Let's go knock some Fire Nation heads," Sokka said, and with those words the two walked outside.

The village was in pandemonium — women scurrying back and forth, children crying, tent flaps being hastily closed up, polar-dogs howling from the smells of fear… and on the backdrop of it all, the Fire Navy ship drew steadily closer.

There was a gap in the parameter ice-wall, and between those two points the brothers waited; ready to make their stand.

Thick black smoke seemed to nearly pour from the steel column of the ship, as if it had caught the panic of the village and was hurrying for the kill. And now they could see small figures scurrying back and forth, across the deck — there were so many, and only two warriors to fight them.

They expected the ship to stop on shore, and they would meet their enemy disembarking. It was quite the surprise when the ship did not even slow, but plowed headlong into the icy ridge that separated sea from land.

Zuko's heart leapt — just for a moment. But this was not a wooden Water Tribe ship. And with a crashing, squealing, and a grinding sound of metal plates against the tortured snapping of ice, the Fire Nation ship advanced.

The two exchanged mutual looks of surprise, and although they backed a step or two in surprise, they held their ground. Now the ship plowed towards them, banks of snow shoved forcefully to each side… and bit by bit it slowed as the weight of the snow collected against the metal hull.

The sheer weight of the ship warped the ice around it, and with a muffled sound of defeat, the unsteady watchtower fell inward on itself.

Sokka gave a low groan.

But it seemed like they were to be the next to be plowed over. It took every fiber of Zuko's resolve to hold steady. His panicked heart beat against his chest, and he tried to quell it down. He would not turn. He would not run.

Finally, finally the ship halted; a mere ten feet from where the boy warriors stood.

Zuko realized he was no longer scared — he was too angry to be scared. What right did these people have to come into his village, break down his brother's watchtower, and terrify all of the women and children? The fire inside bloomed up with savage force, and his fingers nearly smoked against the wooden shaft of the spear. He sent one more glance to Sokka and saw the steel resolve in his brother's eyes. Let them come. They were ready.

A hollow clang of a metal release was heard inside, and Zuko didn't know how he knew, but he did. He cried, "Watch out!" and pushed Sokka back. It was not a moment too soon, because the entire bowsprit of the ship fell forward, crashing down where they had stood, revealing a ramp — and the enemy.

The last time Zuko had set eyes on a Fire Nation man was when they had boarded Hakoda's ship; the night Nunka was killed. The six intervening years had dulled the memory, but now looking at the faceless white masks, the rust red armor, every detail of that night came back to him full force.

There were five soldiers, arranged in a flanking position — two in front and three in back. And in front of them, seeming oddly short and pot-bellied, was a grey haired man with what Zuko somehow recognized as a General's sash — order of the Dragon.

Sokka let out a warrior's yell and charged, aiming for the old fat one, marking him for their leader. The armored soldier to the right stepped forward, meeting Sokka's spear not with any weapon, but with his bare hands. He grabbed the spear, using Sokka's momentum against him, and broke it into two halves. Then he dealt Sokka a kick that sent him flying off the rampart, and back into the snow.

Zuko was right behind him, and seeing Sokka's mistake, stopped short and swiped instead at the soldier in front with the tip of his ivory point spear. The man let out a cruel chuckle, and moved faster than Zuko had ever expected. He stepped past Zuko's defense, and grabbed the spear from his hands, shoving him away. He fell backwards against the snow.

The two siblings had been dispatched in a matter of seconds, and with the threat gone the Fire Nation soldiers continued their path down to the village.

But then there was another roar from Sokka. He seemed to explode out of the snow, taking one of the men down in a tackle. It was ungraceful, sloppy, and Sokka was about half of the soldier's weight… but it did have the element of surprise. One of the soldiers cursed and stepped forward to help his comrade, flame erupting from his fingers, and Zuko only had a second to react. He charged forward, sliding in between his brother and the Fire Nation soldier a moment before the fireball hit.

He held up his hands and with one sweep of his arms, diverted it to the side so that it landed harmlessly with a hiss in the nearby snow.

A cry went up from one of the armored soldiers. "He's a firebender!"

Zuko got to his feet, centering himself in a graceful stance. Sokka had leapt up too, and threw his boomerang, aiming it once more for the leader in the middle who was watching the scene with perfect calm. The General barely needed to move. One hand jabbed, as quick as a bolt of lightening, and the boomerang was instantly engulfed in flames and fell scarcely before it had begun to fly

The General punched out, and a lance of flame shot towards the two brothers. Zuko took a deep breath, throwing up his arms to create a wall of fire that canceled all of it out before it could hit them. But he had never fought fire before, and he couldn't have counted on the sheer force of the impact. He was unburned but blown backward, crashing into Sokka, and knocking them both once more into the snow.

He groaned, and rolled away only to feel the cold steal of a broadsword touching his neck — right where the scar was hidden under his black and white warrior's paint.

Another soldier held Sokka in much the same way, and both boys froze, helpless as the Fire Nation soldiers walked to the village.

Hearing the fighting, the women had come out from their huts. Some were clutching their children tightly. All of them were staring, wide eyed at their invaders.

There was a beat of silence, and then the aged General spoke. His voice crackled, almost in the same way Zuko's crackled — and in some ways it was genial and almost kindly — but there was also hint of steel under it that brooked no rebuke. Under this man's calm, kindly manner was a seasoned warrior. He was just as dangerous as all the rest of them.

"I am in search of the Avatar." The General said, folding his hands into the large sleeves of his russet robes. He paused for a moment, letting this sink in. "Perhaps, you have seen him?"

The women said nothing. They were terrified, perhaps stunned by the duel realities of their most horrible nightmare crashing into their peaceful village, and the kindly looking old man in front of them.

"I see," said the General, when it became apparent that no one was going to talk. "I know that you are hiding him, and I do not wish for this to come to violence." He unfolded his arms, holding out the palm of his hand. A spark of fire lit within and despite the fact that they had seen Zuko do the same thing a hundred times before, the women drew back, fearful. The threat was very clear.

Suddenly one of the soldier's gave a cry of surprise as a blur of something orange and yellow swept under his knees. He fell down, and none other than Aang slid before them, riding on top of a penguin. The children gave a cheer, and the little airbender gracefully leapt off of the penguin before turning to face the General. "Looking for me?"

The old man's calm demeanor changed in an instant, looking shocked, before his lips pressed into a thin, grim line. "You are the airbender. You are the Avatar." It wasn't a question.

"Aang?" Zuko whispered.

"No way…" Sokka answered. The two shared another glance. This one of hope. Aang was the Avatar! Their village was saved.

… and where was Katara?

Aang held out his palms, maneuvering himself between the enemy firebender and the rest of the village people. But the aged man had simply tucked his arms in his robes again. "If you wish to save these people," he said, almost kindly, "you will come with me."

Aang hesitated, and cast a glance behind him to the terrified women and children. "Do you promise?"

The General nodded his head stiffly and then turned, his eyes flickering to Sokka and Zuko. "I will take the firebender, as well."

"NO!" Sokka made to get up, but was forced back again by the point of the soldier's blade.

Zuko lay stunned for a moment, but he saw the helpless women and children… he saw Gran Gran's tear filled eyes, and he knew that Aang was making a sacrifice to save these people. If the kid could do it, he would as well. He nodded, and the sword was drawn away from his neck. As rose to his feet, he had a sudden flash to one of Dad's old stories; the one about how the Chief's son put himself out as bait for the giant elephant-wasp in order to save the rest of the Tribe. Remembering this, Zuko stood to his full height, shoulder's back; proud.

"I'll go," he said and his voice was strong and clear. "I'm not afraid of you, old man."

"Show your Prince some respect, whelp!" One of the soldiers struck him between the shoulders for his insolence, driving him down to his knees, and his arms were pulled behind his back and bound. But he caught a flash of something — perhaps amusement in the General's eyes.

Aang's hands were also bound, and together the two of them were walked up the ramp and to the ship. They turned, and Zuko took one last look at his home… the people who were his family… Sokka's snarl of helpless rage… before the ramp closed completely and he and Aang were plunged into darkness.


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Next time: Questions will be raised! Answers will be given!