We reached a battlefront, for the first time since Zuko had joined us.

"Aang, I wouldn't attack with firebending. You know how to defend it now, but there's a chance you could hurt the rest of us if you tried to attack," Zuko advised. Aang nodded obediently. I pulled the airbender aside.

"You're going to have to do it. You can, just don't think about it." I put a hand on his shoulder. "Promise me you won't hesitate."

"I promise." His face looked too tired. I gave him a small smile.

"Suit up, soldiers." Sokka finished putting on his war paint and looked to me. "Katara, you using paint?"

I nodded, taking the black, white, and gray and smearing it liberally on my face in the traditional warrior patterns.

"Do you always wear paint?"

I turned to Zuko, shocked to find his face obscured by a grinning blue mask. "Do you always wear a mask?"

"I'm fighting my own people here." He pulled out two swords and spun them about expertly. I shrugged.

"It's war paint, it's supposed to be intimidating." I drew my long dagger and picked up my spear, considering them both. I finally sheathed the dagger and strapped the spear across my back. "Toph, you set?"

"Always, Sweetness."

"Sweetness?" Zuko smirked.

I stuck my tongue out at him. Toph laughed. "Well, guess I need a nickname for Zuko . . . how does Hotman sound? Or maybe Sparky?"

"Oh no."

"Sparky it is." Toph put on her metal gauntlets and flexed them. "Do we have a specific plan of attack?"

Sokka scowled in the General's direction. "No, this guy isn't what I would call organized."

"Well, we can have a plan," I said firmly. "I say we pair up. Well, except one person has to be alone."

"I'll be alone," Aang volunteered. "Airbending only works when I can use it unreservedly. If I have to worry about knocking any of you over . . ."

"Are you sure?" I stared at him intently. He smiled.

"I'll be fine."

"How do we want to pair up?" Sokka asked.

"I'll be with Katara," Zuko decided. I winced and watched as Sokka glared at the firebender.

"She gets hurt, and you die," he threatened.

"I don't think you have to worry about Katara. You should worry about me."

"True enough," Sokka returned. The horn blew.

We sprinted forward, splitting up as we went. Aang created a ball of air and shot away. I lost sight of him among the hills that made up the beginning of the battlefield. Toph and Sokka left us on a platform of rock. Gritting my teeth, I settled into a pounding rhythm.

Three firebenders, running as we were, seemed to sprout from the ground in front of us as we reached the top of one hill. The two of us transitioned from running to fighting. Zuko blocked their immediate attacks while I followed up by lashing out with icy daggers, slitting one's throat and piercing another's eye. The last one was taken care of by Zuko's twin swords. I pulled out my spear and we rushed down the hill, into the main valley of battle. Once or twice I lost track of Zuko, but he always managed to have my back when I needed it most.

A flash of orange passed me, and I saw Aang knock over an enemy soldier. He didn't kill him. Forgetting Zuko, I rushed forward, pulling out my dagger as I went. Aang looked to me, panicked.

"I can't. . ."

I threw him my dagger. "Be strong, Aang."

Without looking, the airbender stabbed the prone soldier. I nodded, and he tossed me my knife, looking sick.

"Save the vomiting for afterwards," I advised. Leaving him, I found Zuko taking on two firebenders at once, and helped him finish them off.

"Doing okay there, Katara?"

"Of course," I panted, kicking away a body. Blood spurted from the wound I had just inflicted on the man, and I winced.

"How is this battle still going on?"

I glanced around. "This is really drawn out." Bodies were piled everywhere. I scanned them quickly for Toph and Sokka, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Retreat?" Zuko suggested.

"I guess," I replied, still searching for any sign of my brother and Toph.

The two of us took two bodies of fallen Earth Kingdom soldiers each for a proper funeral. I felt like throwing up or destroying something. It had to have been the commanding officer's fault for how many had died on the battlefield.

By the time we made it back to camp the sun was setting.

"Katara, get over here, quick!" Aang's voice was panicked, and I unceremoniously dumped the bodies on the ground and rushed over to them.

"Sokka, what did you do this time?"

"It's just a scratch."

I gasped. "Some scratch," I managed to say, pulling water to what was left of his ear.

Sokka shrugged. "I don't like that ear anyway. Stuck out too much." The healing glow left the water, and I stared at Sokka's ear stump.

"Sorry I wasn't there," I whispered.

Sokka pulled me into a one-armed hug and said nothing.

"Hey, let me see."

"But Toph, you can't . . ."

The blind earthbender had put her hands on Sokka's wound, resulting in Sokka jumping with a yelp and Toph falling over.

I helped Toph up. "Watch out, Sokka is fragile." Sokka spluttered, and I continued on. "I say we get out of here. It's suicide fighting on this battlefield."

"Agreed."


A/N: Here, have a tiny chapter. So far I've been staying ahead of myself, writing at least one chapter extra before I post . . . hopefully I can keep it up. I am not sure how long this will draw out, but unfortunately college calls in two weeks. Anyway, please review! :)