Woot woot! Made it to chapter 10! Many thanks to Lucrezia6565, DearFriends, and icedragoncat for the lovely reviews!! To the rest who read but did not leave a friendly comment, shame on you! Give my poor self esteem a boost and leave a note this time; and maybe then I won't wait a whole year for the next update! :)
Disclaimer: The characters and the show don't belong to me. I couldn't afford to buy it if I wanted to.
Penetrating the Smokescreen
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Chapter ten
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Katara and Zuko walked through the woods in a companionable silence, although Zuko had now fallen back to trailing behind the waterbender. They were both painfully aware of the fact that the young firebender was more than lacking when it came to directional skills.
Although Katara understood the severity of their mission, she could not help but enjoy the weather and her pleasant surroundings. Even the company wasn't that bad, she reflected. Definitely quieter than she was used to, but the exiled prince had proven to her yet again that he wasn't as inhuman as she had first suspected.
As a matter of fact, the girl realized, neither had spoken since Zuko's apology. And now that she was focusing on the lack of conversation between them, the less companionable it seemed. Katara glanced back briefly, but the firebenders thoughts seemed elsewhere. Turning her attention back to the path ahead, her own thoughts shifted to her brother, Sokka. Please be alright... She could not help but worry about the warrior, despite the knowledge that he was in completely capable hands. Thinking of her brother invariably made her feel guilty, and the young waterbender forced her thoughts elsewhere.
Aang, where are you? They were following the road, although they were keeping to the surrounding forest as it was too dangerous to risk any encounters with potential enemies. They did this with the good faith that Azula was bringing Aang to the Fire Lord along that route. Although Zuko seemed certain that this was the path his sister had taken, Katara could not help but be doubtful. What if he's wrong? The waterbender shook the unwelcome thought from her mind. This was the path they had decided on, and she better trusted Zuko's judgements on the Fire Nation's internal affairs than her own. Either way, Katara realized, they'd have to find a town, or some people, to confirm that Azula had truly passed this way.
I really need to be focussing on something else, Katara realized. Her mood had gone from optimistic to sour in a matter of minutes. Fingering the familiar canvas of her water canteen, Katara frowned as she considered her currently impotent state. How on earth had that girl managed to effectively handicap a master waterbender?
Who were those two, anyways? The acrobat's name was Ty Lee, Katara recalled. Her movements had been so quick they had been hard to track, let alone intercept. And the other girl... hadn't even fought. She obviously knew Zuko, that much was clear. And she hadn't seemed to be appreciative of the waterbenders interruption, either.
Her cerulean gaze wandered back to the firebender, who still seemed lost in his own thoughts. I wonder what's on his mind, Katara puzzled. Either way, she knew that she definitely couldn't keep operating under the assumption that all he cared about was the capture of the Avatar so that his father could win the war. After all, he was helping her save Aang, right? I wonder if he's thinking about that girl? She had been pretty, Katara recalled. Dark hair, refined features. To say their meeting had been brief was an understatement - the waterbender had definitely had more pressing matters on her mind; but the girl's nobility had been blatant regardless.
Zuko said her name.... Mai? How well do they know each other, I wonder? ... And why on earth would I care? She shook her head at the thought. Really, she shouldn't care at all who Zuko called friend, or girlfriend, or whatever this Mai girl was. After all, it's not like the two of them were friends. They were just allies, united in a common goal... right?
Katara groaned inwardly. I should have just kept thinking about Aang and Sokka. Now that the issue was on her mind, she couldn't shrug it off. Just who was this girl, anyways?
Now I'm being silly, she chastised herself, obviously I don't care what their relationship is. So why should I be afraid to ask?
Glancing back, she sought to meet the exiled prince's eyes. "Hey, Zuko?"
Finally looking up, he seemed somewhat surprised that she had spoken at all. "Yes?"
"Back in Omashu, when we were escaping, those two girls... who was Mai? It seemed like the two of you knew each other."
Zuko's amber eyes widened at the question, and a flush of color rose rapidly to his cheeks. He broke eye contact and glanced away, his jaw tightening. "Mai was my sisters friend growing up, the same as Ty Lee."
He's embarrassed! This revelation brought Katara a certain measure of glee, and perhaps a small amount of relief at knowing that Zuko did actually experience human emotions. It also served to pique her curiosity. "Oh, come on, Zuko! I'm not stupid, there was obviously something going on there!"
The firebenders fists clenched as his eyes flashed anger, and Katara had an itching feeling that she may have gone a little too far. "It's nothing. We grew up together. Maybe if I hadn't been banished something would have come of it, but any chance of that was pretty much destroyed over two years ago. End of story."
Katara stopped, turning around to face him. For a brief moment, it looked as though Zuko was contemplating plowing straight through her. Reconsidering, he stopped, choosing to instead glare angrily at the branches of the trees above. "Well you didn't need to snap at me about it, I was just curious, that's all." The waterbender felt guilty about prodding him so far on an obviously touchy subject, but also a little stung by the ferocity of his rebuttal. Why did he have to get so angry and defensive about everything? Spinning on her heel, she strode forward at a more rapid pace. "Forgive me for bothering you, your royal highness!"
Why bother? Fuming as she stomped forward, she missed the company of her companions even more. At least you could have a conversation without getting your head bitten off by some soiled ex-prince! What made him think he could treat people that way, anyways?
The next dozen minutes dragged by painfully for both of them. The waterbender became increasingly aware her aching legs, and grumbling stomach. It was nearing late afternoon, and they had maintained a steady pace all day. Ahead of them, she could see a small clearing in the woods, a rest spot off the road with a spring and some enticing looking grass to sit down on.
"I'm taking a break." Without any further ado, Katara strode up to the spring, refilled her canteen, and sat down forcefully on the grass nearby. Following behind her, Zuko stood almost awkwardly, not knowing whether to sit or stand, and well aware of the fact by now that Katara's glare was piercing daggers in his direction. He shifted his weight uncomfortably, but she refused to meet his gaze. Finally clearing his throat, she gave him a withering glance.
To the boys credit, he was able to meet her eyes and still manage to form coherent sentences. "Look, I'm sorry. Again. I flew off the handle... it's a bit of a touchy subject for me. The terms of my banishment are... well, something I'd rather not spend too much time reminiscing about." Unconsciously, the firebender reached up to finger his scar.
Katara frowned, noticing the gesture. Where had the scar originated from, anyways? Obviously a firebender, but who? It would probably be best to wait for another time to bring up that subject, she reflected. For now, she should probably be relishing in the fact that the egotistical prince was actually apologizing to her - for the second time in one day.
"Don't worry about it too much, Zuko. I probably shouldn't have asked, anyways." A slight smile tugged at her lips as she visualized the blush on his cheeks once again. "But you know, you really don't need to get so defensive all the time - having feelings for someone else is perfectly natural." Her voice was sweet as honey, but her smile betrayed her humor.
For a moment, she was concerned that the prince might actually explode. Finally, he let out a breath, and sat down across from her. "You know, you're right, peasant. I should really learn to control my emotions," his words could not have been more insincere. The firebender continued, "And you're right, it was a perfectly honest question. Come to think of it, I've been curious about something as well:
Just what is your relationship with the Avatar, anyways?"
Katara sat back, opening and closing her mouth several times as she beheld the firebender. This was not at all what she was expecting. To her vexation, she could feel the heat seeping into her cheeks as her thoughts invariably flew to the events at the Cave of Two Lovers. Zuko's smirk only made matters worse as she struggled for words, visualizing only the darkness of the cave, the pale flickering of the light as it began to die out, and Aang's lips, illuminated eerily in the darkness.
"Th-there's nothing going on between Aang and I!" The waterbender stammered, desperately trying to get the image out of her mind and her emotions under control. "We're friends! Just friends!" Her words sounded hollow, even in her own ears. They were true, though, weren't they? Aang was just her friend, after all. Although they had come dangerously close to a kiss, they had been interrupted by the illumination of the cave just prior. And Katara was honestly grateful for the interruption. A lot had happened since the event in the cave, and she hadn't had much time to piece it out. She definitely had feelings for the Avatar, but... who knew just what they were? Friendship was a strong association, and Aang was the closest friend she had, next to Sokka. He was also one of the first males her age she had come into contact with besides family. Of course she'd had a crush. Who wouldn't? He was the Avatar, after all.
Suddenly aware of the silence stretching between them, and of the heat in her face, Katara met Zuko's gaze. "The Avatar and I are just friends, Zuko. Nothing more."
"Whatever you need to say to convince yourself." Zuko's voice was dry, but... was that a smile? The waterbender paused to stare at the firebender, who was now eyeing her as though she had lost her mind. "Are you alright?"
Katara grinned, and Zuko looked puzzled. Before the shared moment could become awkward, Katara stood up, brushing bits of grass from her robe. "You know, Zuko, I'm pretty sure that's the first time I've seen you actually smile."
Almost as if her words had broken the enchantment he was under, the expression melted from his face as the firebender stood up. "We should carry on. Hopefully there'll be a town up ahead, so when can get some information before nightfall. We need to find out if Azula passed this way."
"I seem to remember one being nearby, when Sokka was looking at the map a few days back." Rummaging through the pouch containing their meagre supplies, she selected two ripe apples, tossing one to Zuko. "We should pick up some more supplies, too. I left most of them with your uncle."
Zuko nodded his thanks as he caught the apple. "You're probably right. We should get going if we want to reach that village before sundown."
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Iroh eyed his opponent with a frown. "Well played, my friend. I haven't met such a challenging opponent in a very long time." Placing down another tile, he motioned graciously towards the lemur. "Your move."
His bright green eyes taking in the pieces of the board, Momo chattered inherently, before moving one of his chips.
Iroh stroked his beard, eyeing the board thoughtfully. "Interesting..."
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Twilight was slowly descending as Katara finally caught sight of several small cottages ahead. A further look indicated that it was a small, fairly average looking Earth Kingdom town.
"We can set up our camp nearby, then someone can head into town for more information," the waterbender said as she set down her satchel. "This should be a good place to rest for the night; and if we make our fire near that hill there, no one should be able to see the smoke." Katara indicated the area she was speaking of, a relatively secluded area surrounded partway by a hill with a steep rock face, and partly by tall pine trees. Unless someone else happened to be stumbling around seeking to stay off the road, it would be a perfect place to spend the night unseen.
It was still light out as the two set down to a light meal, each ravenously hungry. When they had both satisfied their stomachs, and filled their water canteens from a nearby river, Katara stood and donned her cloak. "I'll head into town to ask around to see if you're sister has passed this way. There's no way a group of Fire Nation troops could have passed this way without someone noticing."
Zuko stood quickly. "No way; it's too dangerous for you to go. My sister could have stopped for the night, or left some soldiers behind in case we pursued. I should be the one to go."
"Your scar is way too recognizable, Zuko. Plus you're way better known to the Fire Nation than I am." Katara frowned towards him slightly. "I can take care of myself - you know that. I'll be back before it gets too dark; I can't promise it'll be before nightfall though."
The firebender opened his mouth to argue, but Katara had already turned her back, and was striding off into the trees before he could get a word out. His amber gaze followed her blue-clad form as she threaded her way through the trees and eventually disappeared from sight. Letting out a small sigh, the firebender turned back around, getting started on making up camp for the evening, and trying not to think too much about the potentially dangerous situation the waterbender was now facing on her own.
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Katara entered the hazy, smoke filled inn, adjusting her hood around her face to hide her features. She stood in a relatively crowded pub, and was uncomfortably aware of the fact that other than a single waitress doling out large pints of amber ale to the customers, she was the only female in the room. Get a grip, Katara. Swallowing back her nervousness, she waded into the smoke filled room, trying not to look too conspicuous and she glanced at the customers. She breathed a small sigh of relief as she failed to catch sight of any firebenders.
A man burped loudly nearby, and the waterbender winced. Maybe firebenders wouldn't be so bad. After all, they did seem to be a little more refined than the intoxicated men in here. Walking towards the barkeep gingerly, she eyed him as he doled out several more pints, before clearing her throat loudly. He glanced down towards her, his expression showing mingled surprise and irritation at her interruption. "We don't serve your kind here- you should be upstairs with the other girls; you'll get your drink later."
Katara flushed red as she realized what he was implying. "I'm not some whore, you idiot!" Her retort came out louder than she intended, and she realized uncomfortably that several men nearby were taking more of an interest in her than she'd like. "I just want information," she hissed quickly. "Did a group of firebenders pass through here earlier today?"
The barkeep eyed her suspiciously. "And just why do you want to know, little lady?" His voice was deep as he turned to eye her, and despite his graying hair he still looked about twice her size and weight.
She shifted her weight, shooting a glare towards a man who was ogling her in a manner that she was altogether uncomfortable with. "Why should it matter to you? Just tell me if they passed this way!" This conversation was not passing nearly as well as it should have, a small part of her reflected. Coming into this bar was probably a bad idea in the first place, but it had seemed the most sensible place to look for information.
The waitress approached the bar with more orders, and the barkeep frowned, clearly wanting her gone. "Yes yes, alright. They came and left. And the whole town's all wound up about it." He began doling out several more pints. "Now get out of here before you cause any trouble with the men!"
Katara didn't need any more encouragement. She spun around, intending to make straight for the door, and let out a yelp as she collided straight into the chest of the man that had been eyeing her up. His strong hand gripped her as he smiled lustily at her chest.
"Get your dirty hands off of me!" Katara pushed him back, and the pint spilled down the man's chest. Acting quickly, she kneed him where it hurt, and as he broke his grip with a shout, she slipped quickly out the door.
Leaning her back against the closed door and sucking in a deep breath of fresh air, Katara let out her breath. That was too close...
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"She's been gone way too long," Zuko muttered as he paced back and forth near the campfire. It hadn't taken him long to get set up, and the rest of his time had been spent contemplating what could be happening to the waterbender. Several scenarios played through his mind, one of which involved his sister, who would most likely be eager to exact revenge.
"Way, way too long." Zuko paused, and for the dozenth time considered following after her. As he went to take his first step, he could already visualize Katara's furious gaze as she concluded that he hadn't been able to trust her to handle things on her own.
Caught in a dilemma between two potentially furious women, the firebender glanced upwards towards the darkening sky, noting that the first few stars were steadily making their appearances in the deepening twilight.
"She's definitely late." Nodding almost as if to agree with himself, the exiled prince decided on his course of action. "It's not my fault the peasant can't keep track of the time, after all." Justifying his reasons that way was far easier than admitting that he just might be concerned about her welfare.
With his rationale now sorted out, the firebender made his way quickly through the trees, following the path that Katara had trod only hours before.
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"Thank goodness that's over with." Katara wrinkled her nose as she made her way down the darkening alley. "I hope Zuko's got some tea going..."
Her footsteps echoed loudly in her ears as the waterbender moved forward. Frowning, the waterbender halted. Her footsteps weren't echoing at all. She was being followed.
Spinning around, she didn't even have time to let out a shout as a sweaty hand clamped around her mouth, and a strong arm swung her back into the wall of the inn. Wincing, her blue eyes widened as they took in the sight of the same drunkard she had injured just moments before. His eyes narrowed as he pushed her harder against the boards behind her.
Swinging her arm to grasp at the hand that held her, she winced as another assailant grabbed at her and twisted her arms painfully behind her back. Her eyes teared slightly as she bit her lip to prevent a moan from escaping, quickly taking in the number of attackers.
Four. Four was nothing for her, a master of her element. Using her fingers with a practiced motion, she moved to uncork her water canteen, already envisioning an immensely painful experience for her assailants.
Nothing happened.
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Dun dun dun!
What next?? Will Zuko ever make it in time? And who will win the game of pai sho?! I guess we'll all have to wait for the next chapter to find out!!
P.S.- I'd feel way more motivated to write if I received a few inspiring reviews. Just saying. : )