||| Disclaimer
I do not own any of the characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and do not intend for this work to be used for commercial purposes.
||| Author's Note
First, a quick thanks to everyone for your reviews! Now, many of you have been wondering when Aang & Co. will appear. Never fear, they'll be around shortly!
And a quick clarification about something from earlier; someone asked about why Zuko drove the tank over the cliff. If you watch the Northern Air Temple, you'll notice that the Fire Nation Tanks are equipped with grapplers for mountain climbing. I figured if one could use them to go up, why not use them to go down?
…not that you'd do this on a regular basis…hopefully…
An edit from after I finished! We have a snow day tomorrow, so I was able to spend extra time writing this one, and whew, is it long! Four thousand words is longer than usual (since I like to update quickly, when possible), but I really like how this came out, and I hope you enjoy too!
||| Chapter Ten
The morning was crisp and cool, with a faint hint of dew misting leaves and branches. When Zuko awoke, he saw a familiar mist swirling around the campsite, not quite thick enough to be opaque, but sufficient to completely obscure everything from a distance.
A slight chill graced the morning's air, and Zuko watched the fog slowly creep deeper into the woods, driven by air sliding off the nearby mountains. Taking note of this observation, he looked about for the sun, but could see no sign of his patron spirit.
You rise with the moon…I rise with the sun. The memory came to the surface of his thoughts when he looked at Katara, who was still sleeping soundly. The girl was curled into herself, her arms crossed tightly to conserve warmth.
Zuko watched her sleep pensively, noting the peaceful look she had about her. But the fog is too good an opportunity to pass up…now that I know which way is which, we should set off to get out of the Fire Nation…and now.
As gently as he could, the firebender knelt down beside Katara, taking her by the shoulder and shaking her. "Katara?" he whispered, conscious of the deaden silence cloaking the forest. "It's time to wake up, Katara."
He was expecting her to leap to her feet quickly, as she must have done while she was on the run. Instead, he was surprised when Katara gave a low moan and tried to turn away. "…go 'way," she muttered, voice husky with sleep. "'m sleepy n' cold…"
To back up her words, she shivered and continued to hug herself. Feeling the same protectiveness that had been nagging him, Zuko looked at Katara, disbelief written all over his features. Giving in despite his better judgment, he hesitantly put his hands on her sides, taking a deep breath. In seconds, his bending had warmed both palms, sending a pulse of heat into the sleeping girl.
She made a tiny, appreciative noise before her hands gripped Zuko's wrist. The prince froze instantly, uncertain.
Great…what do I do now? he wondered. If I pull away, now she'll notice for sure…and…I don't really want her to wake up right now. In a few seconds however, he no longer had to worry about Katara getting up; she took matters into her own hands.
Deep blue eyes opened groggily, meeting Zuko's own. They were serene, unclouded by the worries of the past few days. Zuko was taken aback by those eyes, and the soft way they caught the glowing light around them.
Then Katara realized who was holding her, and could not help but give an undignified squeak.
She wasn't sure when the cold had begun to creep upon her, only knew that it had poisoned her dreams with discomfort, edging up slowly and insidiously during the night. Although she was aware of the chill, that tiny vestige of warmth from the night before kept her asleep.
Something was disturbing her; she shooed it away, desperate to sink back into the blank haven of sleep. But the cold was so much stronger now, reaching with icy tendrils between the real world and her dream. She shivered.
Warmth suddenly blossomed around her, focusing on the sides of her body, and she could not help but smile, the blissful feeling immediately erasing the irritating chill from her thoughts. She reached unconsciously for that warmth, wanting to bring it closer.
Like it or not though, that brief, stabbing cold had started her sluggish thoughts, and she was forced from her reverie, emerging from sleep to a glowing white, unbroken but for one, looming shadow in the center of her vision.
It wasn't ominous, but rather familiar… Katara blinked once, and suddenly it was as if freezing water had been poured all over her. She knew who was standing over her prone form right now, providing her with the comfort she'd wanted.
Her cheeks burned red the moment she let out a startled squeak, twisting suddenly and feeling hands tighten abruptly. Her panic and embarrassment gave way suddenly to an uncontrollable giggle, and through the mess of emotions she managed to backpedal slightly.
When her vision cleared, she regarded Zuko warily, panting for breath. …I can't get a break… she moaned to herself. Look at where you've wound up now, Katara!
Awkward silence filled the already muted air, until Zuko shuffled his feet for a moment. "Erm…" he began, looking feverently as if he'd rather be anywhere else, "I…was trying to get you to wake up."
"I…guess you did," she said, looking down at the ground. She couldn't meet his eyes; that would be too much. "Er…thanks?"
In the gloom, she missed his smirk. "I'm sorry…I didn't know you were…ticklish."
Katara felt herself turning red all over again. "Don't," she warned indignantly, "ever do that again. Okay?" Spirits…that was unexpected…
Zuko only gave a dry chuckle. "I will if it wakes you up in the morning. Now come on, let's see if you can walk today." At this, Katara felt a brief shiver, not of fear, but anticipation.
"I can," she announced, confidently, and when she stood, it was with one fluid motion. The night's sleep did the trick…I'm good to go now. Immensely pleased, she walked in circles around the dead fire to demonstrate, then turned to Zuko.
"I can carry some of the supplies—oh…" she stopped, realizing exactly how little they had. Zuko shrugged in response, wordlessly communicating that it was enough.
"Let's head out now," he said, Katara nodding her assent. "We need to get out of the Fire Nation as quickly as possible. Azula will have patrols combing the area, and we don't want to be around for that…especially with your…handicap."
Katara was about to protest when she realized how he'd tried to soften the words—and how true they were. Sadly, she looked down at her cuffs, then set her face and looked ahead. "I can still keep up," she said, and with that, they set off into the fog.
Having taken his initial bearings by the direction of the winds, Zuko's memory brought a detailed map of the Fire Nation to mind. The border was clearly their destination, and they set their feet towards the Earth Kingdom proper.
They'd scarcely been walking for a few minutes when Zuko felt a pang of unease, and while his face betrayed no sign of his discontent, the heat radiating from his body took on a strained hue. Walking next to him, Katara picked up on the shift almost immediately, turning to her companion in concern.
"What is it?" she asked, disregarding Zuko's raised eyebrow. "Something's wrong, I can feel it from…well…you."
Zuko didn't answer for a moment, his thoughts unsettled, giving him nothing but a vague feeling of warning. "I'm…not sure," he replied. "I feel like…I've forgotten something. Like I'm leaving something behind."
They trudged on some moments more, deep in thought before Zuko stopped, straightening. A pained expression crossed his face. "Uncle," he said simply. "I was forgetting Uncle…we have to help him."
Katara frowned, unwilling to state the obvious, yet knowing it had to be said. "Zuko…as much as I want to help your uncle, is now the right time? I mean…you're a wanted man now." She bit her lip, knowing the part she'd played in his second fall. "If…you went alone though…"
The prince shook his head, dismissing the offer out of hand. "No, Katara. We're deep in Fire Nation territory, and you have no idea of how the land looks like. We need to stick together."
"But if you cut my cuffs, I'll be able to bend. I can take care of myself, Zuko…I mean it."
"I know that. And I'm going to try…now, if you like." Katara nodded to this, and both came to a stop, Zuko depositing his bag and swords onto the ground. "Remember, though," he said, preparing to bend, "there's no way we're splitting up after this."
Again, he cleared his mind, focusing on concentrating his inner fire. Zuko closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Power comes from the breath, not the muscles. When he opened them again, exhaling, he saw the same, thin jet of flame spouting from his fingertip.
Katara held out her manacles, and for the second time, Zuko touched the beam to the metal, golden sparks dropping in a slow cascade to the ground before, winking out against the still-damp ground.
The prince felt sweat beading on his face as he inhaled again, feeling the stress that accompanied such intense firebending. The same energy he used in battle was now being concentrated into a single, cutting edge, and it took all of his willpower to keep it steady.
The fire sank deeply into the metal, yet Katara never uttered a word. Her gaze was riveted on the strange, darkened metal, which never heated up nor changed colors despite Zuko's torch. Bit by bit, the sparks crept closer to her torso, firebending inexorably overpowering the cuffs.
Minutes passed, and Zuko abruptly fell back, his chest heaving. Katara was immediately by his side, grabbing one of the small, steel flasks that they'd salvaged the day before. Zuko accepted the water with a quick, uttered "thanks," gulping down the liquid in great draughts.
Once the bottle was half empty, the prince nodded. "It's almost through," he explained, gesturing at the clean incision. "I'm ready to crack it now."
The fragments of molten metal seemed to fall more slowly than before, the rippling hues of white fire becoming more languid in their pulse. And while Zuko's breathing became heavier with exertion, Katara could feel her own pulse quicken, anticipation flooding her senses.
It's going to be over…they'll be gone at last. A smile came to her face when the flare of light quivered at the near edge, hesitating for an instant against that last sliver of material.
Then it was finished. Burning heat assaulted the insides of her arms for an instant before Zuko stopped, falling back with a gasp. She felt her wrists come apart slightly, no longer bound by the hated shackles.
And then she began to cry.
"Hold your wrists apart, up to the air," instructed Zuko after Katara had calmed down slightly. Grinning widely, the waterbender obliged, watching in fascination when cracks appeared on the inside of the cuffs, cooling rapidly and becoming brittle.
Seconds later, two broken, almost shriveled part-loops of metal lay on the forests floor. Katara didn't watch them fall, instead fascinated by the pale marks against her otherwise darker skin. Then she looked up at Zuko, who, winded, was leaning against a tree.
Zuko had just regained his breath when the air was forced from his lungs. Choking, he blinked to see Katara, who'd wrapped him in a tight embrace that belied her smaller frame. Spots danced in his eyes from the impact and unexpected pressure.
"K-Katara," he gasped, still struggling to recover, "l-loosen up a little!" Yet, looking down at Katara, who was weeping anew, he let a tiny smile slip over his trademark smirk. Feeling the girl drawing back slightly, he took another breath before putting his arms around Katara's back, holding her while she cried.
At last, they pulled away, both somewhat red in the face. Katara sniffled, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "T-thank you…" she said, watery smile lifting her features with happiness Zuko hadn't seen before.
The joy of release, I suppose…it's good to see her so happy…like everything's going to be alright for her. "You're welcome," he answered. His next words were cut off when he was pulled back into an embrace, feeling Katara's almost radiant happiness through the very air.
Katara lost herself in the moment, the gentle warmth she was wrapped in promising security and safety that she had sorely missed. The joy she had felt from her newfound freedom began to mix with something else, not entirely unfamiliar, yet not clearly defined.
Confused, she stepped back again, feeling a blush rising to her cheeks. Although she refused to meet Zuko's eyes, some part of her was glad to see he had flushed slightly too. Nevertheless, she couldn't quite place the lightheaded feeling and raised pulse the thankful hug had given her.
They stood for a moment, awkwardly unsure of what to do. Then Zuko cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
"We should…get moving."
"Right," said Katara, almost automatically. Glad that's over…spirits…I'm so silly. There's nothing wrong…ugh, why am I still feeling…warm? I could be…glowing. She wasn't aware that her blush was deepening until Zuko pointed it out a few moments later.
"No, I'm not!" she denied, before vehemently stalking off with a purposeful stride. Only a stifled snort that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle made her stop.
"The capital is that way, Katara."
Dinner that night was a cheerful affair. Zuko had managed to bring down a small saber-tooth moose-lion roaming the forest with a well-placed burst of fire, and with her waterbending back, Katara had been delighted to prepare a meal better than the standard bread and cheese.
As she cooked, Zuko elaborated their travel plans for the next few days. Dimly, she was aware of his words passing by, almost lost amidst her own thoughts. The good spirits had diminished slightly as she pondered their—her next move.
"…we'll reach a port tomorrow…"
Zuko's going to find his uncle. That's a good idea.
"…ship to the capital…money…"
But…should I really accompany him with this? He was right…I know next to nothing about the Fire Nation…and I don't exactly blend in.
"…being held outside the palace…"
…that's right. I can meet him later. I'll only drag him down if I accompany him now. I can make it on my own.
"…think? Katara?" She shook her head, startled, before turning to give him a small grin.
"Sorry, Zuko, I got caught up on making the soup," she answered, shelving her thoughts for the moment. Not like I won't have time later…I know what I have to do.
She lay on her back, watching the full moon rise. For a little while longer, she could simply enjoy the sensation of being able to rest comfortably, without her hands held in front of her all day. Katara had nearly wrenched her shoulders, what with all the spinning she'd been doing that day.
A brief smile flashed over her face, accompanied by what she'd heard was a merry twinkle in her eye. She still had a few minutes left to bask in the moonlight, the soft beams making her feel alive. Reconnected with her bending, the night invigorated her in a way she'd sorely missed.
Katara took a breath, slowly sitting up and looking around. Zuko was asleep, slumped over with his back to a tree, long legs sprawled in front of him. The light from the moon was clear, giving her all the illumination she'd need.
As quietly as she could, Katara stood, picking up the small bundle she'd made and tucking it into her waistband. It contained a small crust of bread, a survival knife, and one of the smaller flasks of water.
But no parchment at all, she thought ruefully. I wish I could leave a note… Looking around to check that she hadn't missed anything, Katara started when Zuko stirred, freezing in place. Then she heard a long sigh and began to relax, shoulders dropping.
On quiet feet, she padded to the edge of the camp, and slipped into the night.
She wasn't aware of the golden eyes watching her go.
Katara…what are you doing? The thought echoed in his head as he watched her go, slinking without a word into the forest. Haven't I done enough for you…that you'd at least say something?
Drawing upon the memory of his days as the Blue Spirit, Zuko too got up noiselessly, following the oblivious waterbender on a parallel course. The rugged outfit he wore was far more suited for night travel than Katara's flowing dress and pants, which produced a quiet rustle that any tracker could hear.
Gradually, the prince worked his way in front of the waterbender, not missing Katara's worried glances around her. Somehow, this hurt Zuko; did she not trust him? Was she afraid of him? And that defining question; why?
Stilling his breath, he waited for Katara to pass by, directly next to him. Then he reached around, and grabbing her by the shoulder spun her about.
He didn't even have time to flinch before a water whip shot past his head, flying into the leaves and lost to the night.
Katara had panicked when she felt the strong grip ensnaring her, reminded too much of her capture by the forceful gesture. By the time her eyes registered who'd caught her, the water whip was already sailing off into the air, barely missing the fallen prince.
Immediately, her hands flew to her mouth in astonishment. "Zuko! I'm sorry!"
"Sorry for what?" asked Zuko cryptically. "Nearly hitting me with a water whip, or running away?" Katara looked down, ashamed.
"…both…" she muttered miserably. "I'm doing what's right. Trust me."
"What are you doing?" pressed Zuko, feeling his temper begin to flare. "You didn't mention any of this, back at camp, or at dinner. Trust you? How about me?"
"This isn't about that! You wouldn't let me leave, you said it yourself!"
"I don't even know why you want to leave!"
"I told you already!" she screeched. "I'm trying to help you!"
"…by running away?" His voice was soft now, in stark contrast to Katara's shout. Again, the waterbender turned away, her face ashen.
"…you don't understand."
"Try me."
"You're trying to rescue your uncle. You know everything about the Fire Nation; I know next to nothing. I'd get in your way—I'm not exactly inconspicuous amongst your people, and I have no useful knowledge to offer in this situation."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Think, Zuko! It has everything to do with everything! I'm more useful traveling alone than with you. I don't want to hinder you! And I can take care of myself, thank you," she snapped, seeing the protest on Zuko's lips. "But going into the middle of the Fire Nation? Aren't you trying to do this…I don't know, inconspicuously?"
Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Katara, in case you haven't noticed, the Fire Nation does let women do many of the things men do. You're hardly more noticeable than me." He paused a few seconds for effect, and Katara felt a pang of guilt when she realized what he was referring to.
"…still," she muttered resolutely. "I'm doing the right thing. This kind of mission is better done alone."
"Katara, I'm a firebender. I'm about to attack a prison guarded by…guess who, firebenders. Think yourself! I don't have an advantage or a disadvantage over an odd three dozen benders from my own country. If you help, it'll balance the odds!"
"You're quite a fighter too," she shot back. "I think I'd know that very well."
"Two against a prison is better than one."
"T-this is ridiculous," sputtered Katara, sensing she was losing. "I'm leaving, whether you like it or not!"
"You'll have a pretty hard time getting me to step aside." Quiet fell after his proclamation, one that Katara knew he wouldn't budge from. She bowed her head and whispered.
"…I'm sorry…but I have to do this." Quick as lightning, she popped the lid off her flask and drew out the remaining water, hurling another whip at Zuko's head.
Zuko was surprised, to say the least, but he recognized the signature tense in Katara's body and sidestepped neatly, avoiding the initial strike. What he wasn't prepared for was the return blow, the water slapping wetly against his back, causing him to stumble forwards.
She's trying to knock me out, was his first realization. His second: she needs to conserve water! Taking advantage of the opening, he sent a blast of fire towards Katara, who was frantically trying to recollect the limited liquid at her disposal.
Too late he realized that firebending in the woods wasn't the best idea. Yet to his surprise, the blast fizzled out just after passing Katara, who'd ducked beneath the flames. He frowned.
It's happening again… He was snapped out of his thoughts by another water whip, knowing it was the only attack she could use given the shortage of usable water.
"A pity you won't be able to beat me tonight," he called, punctuating his words with a roundhouse kick. "Even though the moon's almost full!"
"You won't say that come morning!" blustered Katara, preparing to leap out of the way of the tongue of fire arcing towards her. Blocking it directly was out of the question; she'd be unable to reclaim the evaporated water in time to run. Yet again, the flames seemed weaker than usual, dissipating harmlessly behind her as she sidestepped.
Zuko felt his temper flare at his weakened bending, halting in place when Katara's next move came sailing at him. Instead of evading the attack, he let a screen of fire rise in front of him, boiling off some of Katara's precious water.
His good eye widened in shock when the flames that leapt to defend him towered above his head, nearly singing the tree branches before with a fluid movement, he drew the curtain of fire back towards him and extinguished it with a hiss. That was stronger than before! So why aren't my attacks as strong as they used to be?
Katara halted in surprise, though for a different reason. That…that was a waterbending move! The way Zuko had handled the flames had been just as she'd done so many times, manipulating the elements into a defensive, flowing screen.
Even in the comparative dimness of the moon, she could see his smirk. "Now who's winning," he taunted. "I thought you were stronger at night!"
Yue…help me, she thought, before she stumbled back in alarm as a thin whip of fire shot towards her. Again, though, the blaze faded as it drew away from Zuko. Her own water, diminished by Zuko's last defense had flown off into the forest, and in desperation, she whirled about, searching for water.
A shaft of moonlight falling on a leaf brought the answer to her, and with a sweep of her arms, she pulled a shimmering globe of liquid from the budding dew around her, the orb hovering behind her.
Just enough for a water whip…unless I can find more. Knowing that Zuko would be making a move, she hurled a strand at him, which he dissipated again with the annoyingly familiar screen.
Her eyes widened in alarm and she began to backpedal when Zuko approached at a run. His attacks aren't working for some reason…but he knows close combat! Twirling her hands, she flattened the entire sphere into a sheet, freezing it into ice and using it to bar the prince's path.
Too late she realized her mistake when Zuko delivered a scorching kick to the barrier, melting a hole before the impact shattered the wall into dozens of crystal shards that spun through the air, reflecting the pale light before being lost amidst the leaves and twigs on the forest floor.
Katara swept her hands in front of her, drawing more dew from her surroundings, but before she could bend it into an attack or defense, Zuko pushed directly through the center of the floating liquid, evaporating it with a direct blow from his fist.
The next moment, he had her backed up against a tree, her wrists firmly in his hold. Despite her surprised gasp, from the horrible, cornered feeling and unpleasant sensation around her recently-freed wrists, she agreed with the next thing Zuko said, ignoring the smirk as best she could.
"We've been here before, haven't we?"
They sat on a log together in front of the recently rekindled campfire, Katara slumped dejectedly and Zuko, with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. After a long pause, Zuko looked Katara directly in the eye.
"…I understand why you did it," he began, "but you won't be hurting my shots at rescuing uncle. You'd be helping me in the best way you could if you accompanied me."
After a second, Katara gave a slow nod, then sighed. "I'm sorry for running away," she admitted. "…it seemed like a good idea at the time."
"We'll work something out," promised Zuko. "As I said before, we have to find a way to hide me, too."
"I suppose…" Zuko frowned at the lingering doubt coloring Katara's voice, and sent a pulse of warmth into her through his hand.
"Two great benders working together? Those guys at the prison won't know what hit them." Seeing Katara's thankful smile, he could not help but add a jab at the end.
"Even if we now know that I can beat you at night."
Katara's lip quivered as she made as if to strike him, playfully swatting the top of his head. "J-jerk!"
To her complete astonishment, Zuko stared for a few seconds, then began to laugh, a sound she'd never heard before, but was as hearty and welcome as the laughs of any of her friends. And before long, she joined in too.
The sounds of merriment only died away reluctantly, lingering on the night air.