"Have you received word, Captain?" Azula asked, lightly tapping her nails together, her eyes focused on the letter before her. She heard the man clear his throat, and suppressed a smile at the knowledge that he, a seasoned war veteran, was intimidated of a fifteen-year-old girl.

"Bison sightings, your highness," he reported, his hands clasped formally behind his back. "However, the sightings are…erratic, to say at best." Azula continued to tap her nails together, and the Captain shifted slightly, causing the corners of her mouth to twitch upwards.

"Erratic?" she questioned, her tone friendly, but her eyes dark and dangerous.

"Yes, Highness. It appears as though they were at the Eastern Air Temple to reach Chameleon Bay and..." he cleared his throat again when he saw the young princess' eye twitch and her hand tighten into a fist. "…hinder our progress," he finished, choosing his words carefully. 'Since then, only obscure, superstitious villages have reported catching sight of the Avatar."

Azula glanced down to the letter that her father had sent her again, and her eyes narrowed. "Is there any pattern to the sightings whatsoever?" she demanded, her tone beginning to lose its cool and calculating edge. Behind her, Ty Lee's smile was forced just a bit wider, and Mai shifted in her seat, glancing away as she toyed with one of her daggers.

"I-uh- If several of the reports are to be disregarded, it would appear that they are heading southwest."

Azula lifted a brow, but didn't comment. "You may go," she said when the man had begun to squirm. The Captain bowed quickly, turned on his heel, and strode out the doors of the throne room of Ba Seng Se.

The instant the door shut behind him, Azula was on her feet, her father's missive disregarded as she paced. "Southwest…" she muttered to herself, barely sparing a glance towards her companions. "Why would he head in that direction? I would have thought that the Avatar would try to take back Ba Seng Se or Omashu at least!"

"Maybe he's taking a joyride?" Ty Lee suggested with her ever present smile, a leg swinging back and forth over the edge of the dais.

Azula whirled around to glare at the girl, and Ty Lee shrugged. "Or maybe not," she replied, her smile still in place. Beside her, Mai rolled her eyes and made a noise of disgust. Ty Lee stuck her tongue out at the older girl, who rolled her eyes again before resuming toying with her knives.

"He wouldn't be foolish enough for that. The stakes have risen in this little game of ours, and the Avatar knows it." She paused, and clasped her hands in front of her in a mockery of demureness as she continued to pace. "No… more like he is assembling an army, informing them of the Day of the Black Sun. The shortest distance from the Earth Nation to the Fire Nation is at the westernmost coast…." The rest of her words were lost on her two friends who looked at each other briefly and shrugged.

Suddenly, Azula jumped out of her pacing and muttering to stalk over to a map, snatching a list of the names of the villages the Avatar had supposedly been seen in on her way. Once there, she proceeded to plot a course from the names of the insignificant little towns, and then turned to her friends, a slight smile gracing her pretty features.

"They stop roughly once every three days," she announced, pointing out the distances on the map. Her two friends made their way over to look at what that Azula was gesturing to.

"If the reports are correct, they should be landing here," she said, pointing to another place on the map, a smirk twisting her pretty face into something dark and malevolent.

"We intercept them," Mai said, and Azula glared at her furiously for taking the words out of her mouth before calming herself and nodding.

"Yeah! Finally, some adventure!" Ty Lee exclaimed, bouncing up to her toes and gripping Mai's shirtsleeve.

Azula glanced down to the map, at the little town named Ta Sung. "We end this now," she whispered harshly, staring at the point in the map. The point at which so much would be decided.

------

"Exactly how old is this?" Iroh asked, glancing over their map with some amusement. There were some places that he'd never heard of before; others that he had known were destroyed over fifty years before.

"A hundred and…something," Aang replied with a slight shrug, scratching at his head, and wincing when the short brown spikes pricked his fingers. Toph had stolen both his and Sokka's razors, and so Sokka had a ridiculous looking miniature mustache while Aang had discovered his hair color was a light shade of brown. He hated it.

"Oh, an antique!" Iroh exclaimed, staring at the map with an appreciative gleam in his eye. "And it is in such good condition!"

Zuko rolled his eyes and glanced over the side of the flying bison before blanching and snapping his gaze to his lap.

"Fear of heights?" Sokka asked with a smirk, and Zuko glared at him.

"Fear of spiders?" he retorted and Sokka flushed, remembering his decidedly unmanly scream when he'd found a rather large specimen in his sleeping bag the night before.

"I am not afraid of spiders. I just, uh… I have allergies to them is all. Every time I see one, it makes me, uh… sneeze," he attempted to explain himself, and Toph snorted.

"I don't need to feel your vibrations to know your lying, Snoozles," the girl replied dryly, much to Sokka's chagrin.

"Oh, you should see him around puffer fish," Katara said, a grin on her face. Sokka's own expression morphed into one of horror and then he forced a grin, shaking his head. Everyone ignored him.

"He thought one was a ball when he was little, she he grabbed it right out of the water. One of the spikes sliced his finger open, and to this day, he can't look at one without twitching. It's hilarious, really."

"I do not twitch!" Sokka protested, and then lightly touched Suki's arm. "Come on, honey, who are you going to believe? Me or her?"

Suki smiled at Sokka and patted his hand. "Any other phobias that I should know about?" she asked Katara, grinning slightly at Sokka's grumbling.

"Well…" Katara began, but Sokka quickly cut her off.

"We were looking for somewhere to stop for supplies, remember?" he said, trying to salvage as much of his dignity as possible. Iroh winked at him, and then gestured to the map again.

"This looks nice," he said, gesturing to a small town on the map. "Thickly wooded on all sides, far away from the coast…"

Sokka nodded in agreement. "Sounds perfect." He squinted to make out the name, and then frowned. "Ta Sung? I've never heard of that before."

Zuko snorted. "You haven't heard much of anything before," he said, and then added under his breath: "I'm surprised that you can even read."

"Just because we're peasants doesn't mean we're ignorant you know," Katara said, tossing her braid over her shoulder and leveling a good natured glare at the boy.

Zuko crossed his arms over his chest and merely raised an eyebrow in response to her statement.

"Besides, our father is the chief. That doesn't exactly make us peasants," she added.

"Forgive me, Princess Katara of the oh so revered Southern Water Tribe," Zuko replied dryly, bowing his head in a mocking fashion. Toph snorted out her laughter while Iroh sent his nephew a scolding look.

"Funny, Zuzu," Katara grumbled under her breath. "Real funny."

Aang glanced between the two and rolled his eyes before turning to Iroh. "So… have you ever heard of Ta Sung?" He asked, trying to draw the assembled group's attention back to the task at hand. Momo tugged at Aang's ear, and the boy absently stroked him as he waited for Iroh's response.

"Of course not. That's why it is so perfect," Iroh replied with large smile, and Aang couldn't help but to return it.

Aang then shrugged slightly, and then glanced around the rather tightly packed and close-knit group. "So, does everyone agree to stopping at Ta Sung?" he asked, and there was a general noise of agreement.

Katara then glanced over the side of Appa's saddle, and then turned back to Aang. "Why don't we stop there for the night?" Katara suggested, pointing to a small clearing where a river flowed nearby. "There's both earth and water there, so you can practice with me and Toph, and when you're done with us you can start firebending with Iroh."

Aang made a face at the mention of more work, and Katara and Iroh chuckled at the expression. He was the avatar, but ultimately, Aang was still a child. "I believe that may be a good idea," Iroh added, and Aang nodded reluctantly, and cast his teachers a sheepish smile "Besides, we could all do with a bath," he said, gesturing around the mud covered group.

"Ah, we're not that bad," Sokka said, waving Iroh off.

"Have you smelled yourself?" Zuko scoffed.

"Well, you smell the same way I do."

"I think we smell fine," Toph added, and both Katara and Suki laughed. "Ah, you girls and your hygiene. I'm with Sokka on this one."

"Come on, Appa," Aang said, airbending himself back to his saddle and grinning at the antics of his traveling companions. "Let's pull in for the night." He ruffled the big bison's fur, and Appa rumbled softly in pleasure. Momo, not one to be left out, flew after Aang and settled on the boy's shoulder and pushed his nose into Aang's ear in his demand for affection.

Upon the descent, Zuko clasped his hands closer together, and Iroh lightly patted the boy on the back in comfort, but made no mention of his nephew's fear. When the group finally landed, they set about the usual tasks of pitching camp, despite Toph's usual complaints.

By the time the sun was halfway down in the sky, a fire pit had been made, the tents were all erected, and Appa was grazing in the field. While the rest of the group had taken some time for themselves, Aang and Katara made their way down to the river.

"It's been a while since we did this," Aang said with a slight, nervous smile as he stepped into the water beside Katara, avoiding making eye contact. Katara frowned at Aang's behavior, but she followed him anyway, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder as she did so. Aang blushed, and flinched away, making Katara's frown deepen.

"Too long," Katara agreed, eyeing the young Avatar warily. "Let's start with the octopus," she suggested, drawing the water around her up into the position of tentacles, and Aang did the same.

Katara was the first to attack, and Aang just barely managed to swipe one of her streams of water away with his own. "Come on, I know you can do better than that!" Katara exclaimed with a grin, and the corners of Aang's mouth quickly spread to match.

"You surprised me is all," he defended himself, dropping the octopus position to summon a large wave. As it began to crash over her, Katara spread her hands and the wave split through the middle, dropping harmlessly on either side of her.

"Uh huh," Katara replied, her grin never wavering as she drew a water whip into her hand and snapped it once, playfully, before turning it loose on Aang. The young Avatar then drew a shield of water to himself, and rendered Katara's attack harmless. "Good job!" she encouraged, and Aang's smiled widened at her praise.

Suddenly confident, the boy's attacks increased in intensity, so that Katara wound up having to work hard to deflect them. "Very good," she panted, and then held up a hand to halt his next attack. "I think we're through for today," she added, smiling slightly, and pushing a sopping strand of hair back from her face.

"So soon?" Aang replied, sloshing over to her, the grin on his face wider than she'd seen it in a while.

"You're getting too good for me," Katara replied with a laugh, comfortably resting her hands on his shoulders. Aang squirmed slightly, the blush back with full force. Katara noticed, but said nothing. Rather, she lightly patted his cheek in a sisterly fashion before turning away from him and heading out of the river.

"You've just about mastered water," she threw over her shoulder as she walked. "I'm very, very proud of you." Aang beamed at the praise, but then his expression fell slightly as he watched her go. An ache filled his chest, and he quickly stared back down at the ground. Every time he thought that he had gotten over her, she just had to go and say something that made him fall in love with her all over again.

"Ah, there's those vibrations again." Toph's dry comment shocked Aang from his thoughts, and he smiled sheepishly with a shrug of his shoulders before remembering that she could see neither. Toph sighed harshly and shook her head. "Come one, Twinkle-Toes. Time to hustle," she said, stalking away from the river.

Earthbending with Toph. Oh, joy. Aang looked back one last time in the direction that Katara had left before he took a breath and followed Toph.

-----

Mai toyed with her knives, letting the sharp blades roll across her fingers as she stared at the view her private balcony afforded her. The city of Ba Seng Se sprawled out for miles before the great walls prevented it from spreading further. Mai, however, could see three smaller walls that enclosed the city: the ones that surrounded the Lower, Middle, and Upper tiers. Funny how a city so adamantly against war with her country promoted a class war within itself.

Mai sighed, rolling the knife one last time before she caught the hilt in her palm and threw it up into the air, the blade catching the sunlight. It had been polished nicely, she realized absently. Only days before, this shining, sleek blade had been coated with a combination of poison and dried blood.

Blood… not long ago it had been Zuko's blood that stained her knives. Mai closed her eyes and suppressed a shudder at the memory. When he'd rejoined them, she'd been glad. Gladder than she would ever admit to anyone. Of course, Azula had known… she always knew.

Ever since Mai been a small child, Azula had taunted her about her feelings towards Zuko. Every day, she'd dealt with a jibe, a snide remark, a not-so-subtle prank. Though embarrassing, it had been bearable in those early days. But something had changed within Azula.

Mai didn't know how or when it had started, but Azula had changed. She could remember when they were young, the late Fire Lady Ursa had played tea party with them more than once. And Azula had smiled, called the woman Mama, and had the fierce devotion to her mother that was common of little girls.

By the time her mother had disappeared, Azula didn't care one way or the other about the woman.

She remembered a time when Azula and Zuko would hold hands, when they loved and protected each other with the love of all siblings. Azula had stuck up for her brother when Mai or Ty Lee made fun of him, and he had returned the favor. But on the day of the Agni Kai, the young princess had actually gloated about her brother's injury. And the expression she had on her face…

Mai gripped her knife tighter for a moment before continuing to toss it. Never had she seen her best friend look more alive than when Azula had told her and Ty Lee what had happened to Zuko. And the things she'd said to Mai afterwards… the almost feral smile on her face whenever she reminded Mai of the incident… she knew she'd never be able to forget them.

She continued to toss the knife, counting each throw. Despite the horrible things the princes had said and done, Azula had always been there for her. When her grandmother had ridiculed and demeaned her, when her mother had sent her away for years at a time, Azula was always willing to offer a hand up. It was Azula who taught Mai how to block out pain, how to ignore the world around her. Where Ty Lee would get emotional and throw her arms around the girl, Azula had been the constant presence, never pitying, always understanding.

Sometimes she hated Azula for the things she did, for how she hurt her. But then she would remember that the princess had been her anchor in the darkest times of her life, and the anger and bitterness would fall away. Azula was both her enemy and her closest friend.

Quite honestly, she didn't quite know what to think of her friend. Mai caught the dagger from mid-air and examined it in her palm before tucking it away. Sometimes, she mused, it's better not to think at all.

-----

When Katara had strode into camp, her long brown hair swinging behind her, Zuko had glanced up once briefly before looking back down at the broadswords that he was sharpening. A second later, however, his gaze snapped back upwards and his mouth fell open at what he saw.

Katara…sweet, innocent, little Katara was prancing around half naked. Zuko's eyes widened considerably, and he snapped his mouth shut. "Wha-What… What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded, cursing himself for the heat that rose to his cheeks.

The Water tribe girl frowned, and then cocked an eyebrow at him as she folded slim, copper arms over her chest. "Excuse me?"

"You…You're…" He started again, but stopped, and waved his hand over her.

Katara's frown deepened as she dropped her arms back down to her sides and surveyed herself. "What's wrong?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Iroh chuckled slightly, and then smiled at Katara warmly. "My nephew has never seen a young woman in her undergarments before," he explained for his nephew, who glared at him. "At least… I don't think he has," he added good naturedly. On cue, both Katara and Sokka's faces screwed up with distaste at the thought of Zuko with any woman.

"Uncle!" Zuko protested, staring at his sword to hide the heat blooming in his cheeks.

"Well, I don't see what's wrong with it. I dress this way all the time," she said before gracefully taking a seat beside her brother and swiping a speck of dust away from her underskirt. "Especially when I'm bending. Do you have any idea how heavy those robes get when they're waterlogged?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, and studiously kept his gaze averted from the teenaged girl and her budding curves. "No wonder the Avatar is doe eyed when you're around," he muttered under his breath, and Iroh shook his head in disapproval. Zuko hunched his shoulders at the silent reprimand and continued sharpening his swords.

Sokka frowned at the exchange, and then looked over his sister carefully. There was no doubt that she was…growing… in certain areas, and the undergarments she wore did little to hide the fact. He then glanced over to Zuko's still flushed cheeks and his frown darkened. "Katara, put on your robe," he said, and Katara glanced over at him.

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

Katara crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly, and leveled a glare at her brother. "You've never minded before," she reminded him huffily, and Sokka rolled his eyes.

"That's because you were only traveling with me and a monk!"

At this Katara laughed. "You honestly think… Oh, La, Sokka. Zuko doesn't look at me that way," she said, gesturing over to a banished prince who was desperately wishing that he could crawl in a hole and die at that present moment.

"Robe. Now."

Katara rolled her eyes, but pushed herself to her feet, mumbling about 'idiot older brothers' as she did so. Sokka swatted her leg in response to the comment, and then glanced back down at his boomerang as his sister stalked off. Once he was certain she was out of earshot, he turned to level a glare at Zuko.

"If I ever catch you looking at my sister that way, I'll kill you," he said simply. "Now toss me that rock. I want to sharpen my boomerang."

Zuko gaped, and Iroh chuckled. Ah, the tribulations of adolescence. I really don't miss those years. Now, my young adulthood… now that's worth reminiscing on.

Meanwhile, Suki spotted Katara from her spot at the river as the young waterbender marched by. Jumping to her feet with the slightest of smiles, Suki followed the girl. "What's eating you?" she demanded, and Katara rolled her eyes.

"Sokka."

Suki laughed at the one-word reply. "What'd he do this time?"

"Oh, he's just being his overprotective self," Katara replied, shrugging on the new tunic that she'd made for herself in shades of cream and soft green. Sokka had gaped when he saw how it clung just a little too close in places and had attempted to order her to start over. She'd adamantly refused It was only when he saw Suki in a style similar to his little sister's that he'd finally stopped fussing.

Suki smiled a little at Katara, and then surveyed the girl in her new clothing: A lightweight, cream, long-sleeved undershirt, a soft green tunic with slits up to the girl's hips and brown leggings underneath. A wide sash of braided cream and brown was belted at her waist, completing the ensemble. Were it not for her blue eyes and Water Tribe necklace, the girl could easily pass for being Earth Kingdom.

"You sew well," Suki commented, and Katara flashed the Kyoshi warrior a grin.

"Wish I could say the same for you," Katara replied, and her friend gave her a playful shove. "So… has Aang talked to you lately?" Katara asked, not bothering to hide her concern as she yanked on her boots.

"Why? You interested?" Suki teased, and then laughed when she caught the look Katara was throwing her. "No, not really. I mean, we talk, but… we're not close." She paused, and then lifted a brow. "Why?"

Katara shrugged. "He's been acting strange lately," she replied with a slight shrug. "For a while there, things got back to normal, but…" she shrugged again. "It's just…I worry about him."

"Understood. But the little guy's got the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's going to cave in every now and again," Suki replied, and Katara nodded in agreement.

"Sometimes I wish I could make it all go away. Every time I look at him, I see the little boy who begged me to go penguin sledding, who fought tooth and nail against being the avatar. And I just…"

"You want to make it easier for him," Suki finished. "I understand." The Kyoshi warrior sat down beside Katara and sighed. "I feel the same way about Sokka."

"Sokka doesn't…" Katara started, but Suki held up a hand.

"That boy has a lot on his plate. More than he'll ever let either of us know. And he hurts, a lot. He tries to cover it up with his sarcastic comments and, well, whatever else it is he does," she said with a wave of her hand, and Katara smiled. "But I can see through the act. And my heart breaks for him. But he won't let me in and…" she trailed off and let out a deep sigh.

"I know," Katara replied, her voice heavy. "Ever since Mom died, Sokka's been…" she sighed. "Let's just say that if I'm the glue that holds our family together, Sokka's my rock, the one that I draw my strength from. And I know it takes a lot out of him. And after what happened with Yue…"

"Yue?" Suki asked, her brow furrowed. Katara's eyes widened, and then she glanced away.

"Oh," was all she said, studiously avoiding her friend's gaze.

"Who is she?" Suki asked, her voice coming out just a bit too demanding and jealous. Both girls cringed.

"Ask Sokka about her some time," was all Katara said, before she pushed herself to her feet. Then, she smiled and shook her head. "We're pathetic, aren't we?" she asked, and Suki laughed.

"Definitely."

------

"Concentrate, young Avatar," Iroh instructed. "Firebending comes from the breath." Iroh took a deep breath, moving his hands in tandem to his inhale and exhale in order to demonstrate the concept to his young pupil. "You must learn how to breathe correctly."

Aang shrugged uncomfortably, and breathed in deeply, his small chest puffing outwards as he pulled in a large gust of air and then…he promptly choked and coughed until his face turned red. Zuko groaned from the log he was sitting on, and Iroh placed his head in his hands.

"Come, Aang. In and Out. Push and Pull, Tui and La."

"But that's waterbending."

"Firebending too. Now, breathe," Iroh replied patiently, and Aang nodded. This time, he took a smaller breath, but one large enough so that he could feel the faintest trickling of fire in his belly, just as Iroh had taught him. "Good," Iroh encouraged clapping his hands together in pleasure.

"Now, feel the fire?" at Aang's nod, Iroh continued. "Reach out towards the fire. Concentrate now. Fire is deadly, and must be controlled with the utmost…"

"Hey look what I can do!" Aang exclaimed as a fireball shot out of his hand. With his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, he waved around with his other hand, making the flames shift shape into small balls before he proceeded to do his infamous marble trick.

"…caution," Iroh finished, shaking his head at his young pupil, and remembering a time when Lu Ten had done something remarkable similar.

Lu Ten… Iroh's chest constricted at just the thought of his son, cut down before the boy could realize his full potential. He was a good boy, and could have been a great firebender if only…

"Aang!" Iroh exclaimed, a bit gruffer than he had intended as he forcibly withdrew himself from memories of a better time. "Do not trifle with Fire. It can grow out of proportion and…"

Aang immediately stopped manipulating the flame in his hands and curled his fist, making the fire disappear altogether. "I've learned that lesson already," the boy said softly, remembering when he had allowed himself to lose control. Katara had been hurt. Aang could still hear her cries as she had cradles her burned hands against her chest… "I won't make the same mistake twice," Aang concluded, and Iroh nodded sagely.

The sun dipped down in the horizon, and Iroh stretched before smiling at his young charge. "As the sun sets, so do its people," he informed his student, who quirked a brow.

"We rise with the sun and rest when it sets," Zuko said, standing from his position on the log and stretching out the kinks in his back. It had been a long four hours of observing the avatar, the boy on whom their futures rested, get a grand total of nothing accomplished. Besides beginning to understand how to breathe correctly, that is.

"Oh… Does this mean I'm done?" Aang asked, a huge smile spreading across his features.

"Yes," Iroh replied, finding that he couldn't resist the urge to smile back at the boy.

Aang let out a whoop, and bounded across the field, leaving the two firebenders alone together. Iroh caught his nephew's look and smiled at the boy. "Aang's young yet. He'll learn," he said, and Zuko rolled his eyes before stalking off.

Iroh watched the boys go with a smile on his face, and his heart feeling lighter than it had in ages. Finally, it seemed that he and Zuko had found a place that they belonged.

----------------------

A/N: First off, let me say a huge thank you to my beta, Vicki So. For those of you who haven't read her Avatar triligoy, please do so. It is an amazing Zutara work, and one that I could personally read a hundred times over and never get bored.

Also, you guys should be happy to know that I have the rest of the action for the story mapped out. As of the next chapter, the pace will be picking up dramatically.

As always, your views, opinions and suggestions are welcomed. I figure that the more input I get from my readers, the happier I'll be able to make you guys.