Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA. Just the story.

A/N: I'm on a roll with this story. It's only been two days, not even a full second day, and I'm chapter eleven. That'd be chapter nine, ten and eleven, mind you. Huzzah be amazed at my random inspiration and short lived dedication.

So, hoped everyone enjoyed chapter ten, I had fun writing Katara's fight and retreat scene. I had to watch a couple of episodes from ATLA to remember how the two main characters in this fanfiction acted toward each other. Anyways, enjoy.

Ming has very little appearances, but that's because I don't like his name. :)

Promoting Peace

Chapter Eleven

"Why do you want to know?" Zuko asked, hesitant to even respond, more willing to get up and leave the room, as well.

"Why?" Katara mimicked his reaction. "Because, you know as well as I do, that it's a trap set up for Aang." Katara was astounded that he had avoided answering, making her answer instead.

"Then why did you agree?" Zuko turned around and pinned the question against her. Irritation obvious in his tone.

"Because..." She trailed off.

"Because?"

"I, um, I..." Katara wasn't sure what to say really. She went with the truth. "My tribe was being threatened, honestly."

Zuko's jaw dropped. Of course. She did it for her tribe.

"You're no better, Zuko." Katara muttered. As if reading his thoughts.

"What makes you say that?"

"I bet your honour is at stake, just like how it's been for the last year." Katara stated. Feeling like she had to make a point.

Zuko quieted. That was exactly why he accepted.

Katara moved over to him, placing her hand to his scar, like she had done in Ba Sing Se. This brought old memories back. "I trusted you once to do the right thing, Zuko." Pausing, letting the words hang in the air. "Can I trust you to do the right thing a second time, without betrayal?" Her voice was quiet, angry, sad, full of emotion.

Zuko sat there stunned. He heard her move closer, not expecting her to touch his scar again, but to ask him such a serious question. Sitting there, with the palm of his hands on his thighs, he gripped at the fabric. Why? Why is she so serious?

Katara inched closer, stroking his scar with her finger tips. "I need this Zuko." She whispered, he almost missed it. Doing the only thing he knew how, he closed his eyes. Her strokes her gentle, the palm of her hand resting on his cheek, her fingers cupping his face, her thumb resting against his lips.

Exhaling Zuko lifted his right hand, and reached for the back of her head. The heat from his breath, tingled Katara's thumb and the feeling trailed down her wrist. "Katara..." He said almost helpless. His hand dropped to his side and he pulled his face away from her hand. Inhaling and exhaling. "I'm sorry." He spoke, sincere.

Sorry?She sat there, confused, probably almost as much as he was. Zuko rose to his feet, and stepping away from Katara. When he reached the door, he paused and looked back to where she would've been sitting still. He sighed and walked through the beaded door. Leaving behind an extremely confused Katara.


Zuko headed back to the room with the others. He laid down back in the spot he had chosen before, curled up and mentally cursed himself for going with Katara. He laid there wondering what she meant by needing this. Closure, perhaps? Agh, his head hurt and his gut turned. He was confused and mentally kicked himself. Ten minutes passed as he laid there. On the brink of sleep. Katara had come back into the room. She dropped to her side of the room, and also curled up.

Somehow Zuko managed to sleep under the circumstances. Katara, however, did not. She was awake for several more hours, until she deemed it time to get back on the trail. Sitting up. Katara headed out the beaded door to prepare tea. Before she could get there, familar guards were entering the small inn. Katara turned around and high-tailed it back to the room. Silently waking everyone up. "Guys' wake up, Zhao's men are here. At the inn!"

Sokka rolled over, not wanting to get up, but with the mentioning of Zhao, everyone shot up, except for Sokka. "Ten more minutes, mom." He mumbled. Zuko sat up, rubbing his eyes. Daylight peaked through the cracks of the of broken straw walls. Hitting Sokka in the arm, woke him up, Katara covered his mouth, so the shout didn't echo. Katara looked at Zuko, with an expression of 'what are you doing?'. Zuko shrugged and pointed to Sokka who was awake and alert now. Katara understood and nodded.

Sokka slowly realized what was going on. He packed up his items and he was ready to go about the time everyone else was.

Everyone stood up and prepared themselves to leave.

"Search all the rooms." Zhao shouted to his men. They froze.

Quickly apologizing silently, they tore through the wall in their room, after all, it was only made of sticks and straw in the first place. Booking it out of sight, they headed north, toward the mountains.


Exhaling, everyone propped themselves against a large boulder. Allowing herself and group only a moments rest, Katara pushed herself from the boulder. Stepping ahead, securing her pack. "We shouldn't stop here. They could be trailing us, still." Katara sighed, when she saw everyone's expressions. She saw they were still tired, she herself was tired, without any sleep. "Come on, lets keep moving." Walking ahead, along the dirt path toward mountains that seemed to reach the sky.

Zuko pushed himself from the rock with his palms, he looked back in the direction they had just come. The huts just over the hill, a safe place for traveling merchants had smoke rising over the hills they just crossed. Sighing he followed Katara. He thought it must be hurting her, to just leave those people to fend for themselves, considering how quiet she was.

Sokka had put on his shirt, as he was still shirtless and noticed there was a stain on his shirt. "Oh, c'mon. Katara, you didn't get it all out." Whimpering as he spoke.

Katara's brow twitched. "Well, forgive me, but I was a little preoccupied with running for my life." She replied sarcastically.

Sokka shrunk, recalling his sisters wound, the one she had gotten in her knee. Daring to speak, mumbling, "could of at least gotten the smell out."

Katara turned around, whipping the water out of her pouch and into his face. "Oops." Withdrawing the water, she brought it back, closing the pouch. Then continuing on.

Sokka frowned. Zuko couldn't help but chuckle.

"Is something funny?" Directing her annoyance at Zuko.

Shifting his eyes away to the scenery and bringing his hands up in his defense, "no, no, nothing". Not wanting to end up like Sokka, even though he could easily deflect or dodge any water she whipped his way.

Iroh noticed a new something in the area around Katara. Approaching her, he walked with her. Not speaking, merely giving her his company. Katara somehow always felt at ease with him near. His aura was calming and relaxing. Though, she, just like the rest, were on high alert. As a precaution they couldn't let their guard down a second time.

Proceeding to their destination, it was best that they get there before Zhao caught up with them a second time. Iroh pulled out a map, Sokka strolled to his side. "I have a map too." Sokka stated proudly, quite fond of his map, though it was also quite old. Getting a better look at Iroh's map, he pulled out his own to compare maps with him. "Hey, yours tells of a path through the mountains, rather than over, like mine does."

Iroh grinned, "I believe you've been to these mountains before." Sokka took a closer look at Iroh's map.

"The cave with the annoying nomads, huh?" He questioned.

Iroh nodded, paused and looked at Sokka. "Annoying nomads?"

"Yeah, they go around playing music and singing in about everything they see and everywhere they go. They were really annoying." Sokka sighed, remembering being stuck with them in the caves.

"Ah, I'd like to meet them. I'd sing along with them." Iroh chuckled.

Katara's ears perked up. She remembered being stuck in that cave, and how her and her group had gotten stuck in it because of the firenation originally. Her memory lingered to the almost kiss-to-be that would've been shared with the Avatar. Blushing over the memory, she brought her hands to her lips, vaguely remembering Zuko's lips against her own. Her face getting hotter, she shook the thought from her head.

Focus Katara. Must stay focused, she told herself. Also recalling that caves enterance had been closed intentionally behind them, by the firenation. "The firenation closed the entrance." Stating what was on her mind.

"Ho, ho, ho. Earthbenders reopened the entrance." Iroh responded, Ming nodded in agreeance.

Zuko glanced back to Katara as they approached the mountains, it didn't take long for them to reach them. With experience in travelling so much, they walked pretty fast and managed to outrun the enemy. Picking up his pace, he caught a glimpse of the blush that came to her cheeks, before she shook it away, cooling herself down.


Reaching the cave entrance, or rather where it was supposed to be. They stopped, dropping their luggage to the ground, and themselves as well. Bringing her knees to her chest, and putting her head in her down against them. Heaving, gasping for air. "We..Should..Find..Another way..Around." Saying through gasping breaths.

Bringing his finger to his lips, he made shhingsound, with the same finger he pointed to the entrance. Seconds later the ground began to shake and shiver beneath their rears. Moving to their feet they watched in awe as the mountain side shifted apart and moved to the left and right. Revealing an entrance into the intertwined tunnels of the caves. Two shadowed figures, both approximately Zuko's height appeared from the caves. Tall and skinny was one, with shaggy black hair falling into it's face, the obvious appear that is of a male. Tall and plump was the other, with brown neatly tripped short hair, at first glance you wouldn't be sure of it's gender. Though, as it spoke, it gave off of the sound of an adult male.

"Howdy there, folks. I'm Renee', I'll be your tour guide, this 'morrow." Renee' said, he was the taller, plumper one. And this here is my lil' brother, . But, you can call him Fix."

"Howdy." Fix's voice was small and meek. A strong southern Earth Kingdom accent could be heard in both of the brothers.

"Why do they call you Fix?" Sokka asked with that curious sound ring to vocal chords.

"I fix things." Fix replied, solemnly.

Durrr. Sokka thought. "Of course." Ending that short lived conversation and beginning a new one.

"Folks, if you'll step right this way. We can begin the tour." Renee' said, making a guiding movement with his hands.

Accumulating their possessions, slinging them over their shoulders, they followed the siblings inside. Renee' taking the lead and Fix taking the rear. Once inside, Fix replaced the wall to the entrance.

"Do you folks know of the tale that formed these caves?" Renee' asked.

"My brother and I have been stuck in these caves once, the moles that roam here, helped us find the exit." Katara spoke up.

"Aye, I know of the tale." Iroh mentioned, smiling as he did.

As they stood there in the dark, the crystals along the ceiling began to glow, to mark the path the would use. Another fond memory coming to mind, Katara giggled. "Last time, Sokka made a map and led us to many dead-ends."

"Heyyy, I was right in the end though. The tunnels were changing!" Sokka pronounced in his defense. "We were seperated and I got stuck with the nomads... They wouldn't stop singing!" Pressing his palms to his face.

"Who knew giant ferocious beasts would save you." Katara giggled.

Zuko recalled being fed, going by the name of Jr. Li and stealing an animal to prevent his uncle and himself from walking; from the people who fed them.

"Alright, next stop Omashu." Sokka shouted.


End Chapter Eleven

A/N: Okay, so, I didn't finish this in one day, took two days. I'm sure this chapter feels a little rushed, but I had so many different ideas for it, and pretty much just wanted to get it out of the way.

The moles I mentioned, are badger-moles. I can't recall if I did mention them or not.

Anyways, review! Reviews make updating that much faster. :)

wolf-girl87