Chapter Forty-Eight

Katara felt the push and pull of the water the same way she could feel her heartbeat when she exerted herself. Her bending was so natural to her being that the mere thought of existing without it was unfathomable. She could no more exist without her waterbending than the concept of darkness could exist without light.

Bloodbending was not like waterbending.

"Feel anything?" she asked, her fingers going rigid as she tried to reach inside Zuko's body from six feet away even as she fumbled inside herself for an ability she couldn't quite wrap her head around.

He shook his head. "Not really."

She sighed, shoulders sinking. "I guess it doesn't always come out on command."

"Neither does lightning." Zuko plopped down on the sand and stared out at the ocean. Orange light played across his face as the sunset bled across their island. "You planning on telling anyone about bloodbending?"

"It would be kind of awkward if I told them and it didn't work." She frowned, remembering how she'd sometimes lost control of her waterbending back in the South Pole, before she'd been trained. Her temper had driven her bending then, but it hadn't been like that for months, not since Pakku had officially declared her a master waterbender. But with bloodbending, there had always been some emotional trigger: fear and pain, but also curiosity and tenderness. Is that why I can't do it at will? she wondered. Because I don't want it enough?

Her mind flashed back to that man at the hospital, how she'd ripped him apart from the inside without a thought. I was scared, but that doesn't justify what happened. That man is probably dead.

As her eyes filled, she decided to change the subject."Do you need me to leave you alone so you can work on your lightning?"

He shrugged. "I like being around you."

"That's not an answer."

"I wouldn't have time to work on my lightning anyway. I told Aang I'd take over his training at sunset."

Katara nodded. Zou had been working with Aang since lunch had ended, helping him practice the fundamentals. Early mornings and evenings belonged to Zuko, who believed that challenging techniques would, at this point, be more beneficial in Aang's battle with Ozai, and that they'd be able to learn more of the basics after the war ended.

She figured she didn't have much say in the content of the lessons. She wasn't a firebender, and Aang really did need to master firebending. Given his lack of progress, he'd be challenged no matter what they threw at him.

"I guess you should go do that, then," she murmured, tilting her head toward the setting sun. "I've got to make dinner anyway."

"Yeah." Zuko stood, starting for the other side of the beach, where Zou was teaching Aang how to balance a flame in each hand while standing in a rather awkward stance and trying to breathe properly.

Katara headed for the fire pit, surprised when she saw Suki slicing up vegetables she'd foraged on the island. The Kyoshi warrior seemed almost totally absorbed by the task, each cut precise, controlled. Katara waited until she finished cutting through one of the white tubers before interrupting. "Are we making something special for dinner?"

Suki glanced up, setting the knife aside. "No. I know you've used these before, so I figured I'd get some prep work out of the way. Might as well make myself useful."

Katara arched an eyebrow, but said nothing, merely taking a spot beside Suki and picking up a knife of her own. Toph had compressed some of the beach sand so they'd have a solid cutting board, but she couldn't help but yearn for the one she'd used in the South Pole. She'd traveled so far, but it had cost her nearly all the comforts of her home. At least I still have my mother's necklace, she thought. The Fire Nation had taken everything from her—her mother, the water from the Spirit Oasis, her chances at being normal. But it had also given her a reason to master waterbending, and a chance to make friends with people from all four nations. And Zuko, she thought.

"Yeah, we can use these," Katara said, sorting through the sliced tubers. "I'll make vegetable soup."

Minutes passed as they worked. It was soothing, like an old routine repeated so often, it took no thought.

"So," Suki said, cutting up another tuber.

Katara looked up. "Yes?"

"Do you think . . ." She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Just . . . How did Sokka get along with Ty Lee before she was, you know . . ."

Katara blinked, processing the warrior's tone. "Well, I guess they were on good terms. It's hard not to like Ty Lee."

"Yes, but . . . Is that all? They weren't doing anything else before I got here?"

"Not that I know of. I mean, I guess I could've missed something." She had been rather busy believing Aang had died when Sokka and Ty Lee would've interacted. Plus, she'd been preoccupied with Zuko for quite a while. "Why? Do you think something's going on between them?" She didn't like the thought that her brother might've pushed aside his relationship with Suki while they'd been apart, but it was possible. If Zuko and I can fall in love, who knows what else could happen?

Suki shook her head. "No, no. I'm sure Ty Lee wouldn't be . . ." Her nose twitched as she danced around the subject. "But when she asked to ride Appa, she specifically asked Sokka to go with her. I mean, if it gets her mind off all the bad stuff, then that's great, but . . ."

"But you're worried about how Sokka's going to interpret it."

"Yes! Yes, that's exactly it. Oh, do you think we have enough for the soup?"

Katara's eyes flashed down to the tubers, calculating. "Yeah. Let's cut up some of these." She picked up a couple dark red roots Suki had dug up this morning, knowing they'd go well with the tubers. She handed half to Suki and started slicing into her own. "I don't think you have to worry about Sokka. I mean, yeah, he's got a longer romantic history than a lot of people have by the time they're twenty, but he's a good guy. He wouldn't even think of doing something like that, even if Ty Lee wanted to." She frowned. Saying it in such vague terms felt uncomfortable somehow, as if she was referring to some embarrassing situation.

For a while, the only sound was the whisper of the waves at her back and the sound of their knives slicing through roots.

"I've never cared about anyone like I care about Sokka," Suki said, after a time. "I just . . . I hope he feels the same way about me."

Katara smiled. "You're one of the strongest people I know. How could he not love you?"

The Kyoshi warrior smiled ruefully. "Thanks, Katara. That helps a lot."