After a time, Tatiana and Sokka went separate ways. While Sokka went to go and try to find Katara and Aang, Tatiana raced up to what used to be her home and gathered her belongings. Most of which consisted of her money pouch, a few blankets, and a few changes of clothes.

As Tatiana picked up the dress that the old woman had sold her she sighed and shook it out. It was still the most beautiful dress that she had ever hoped to own, it suited her far better than the dress she was now wearing which had obviously been tailored for someone with Fire Nation heritage.

She looked behind her shoulder to make sure that Sokka was gone and began to change into the dress. She took the discarded dress and folded it neatly, she kept the sash and used it to wrap the dress in, tying it with a loose knot. The sleeves were slightly wrinkled, but would be good as knew when ironed.

Tatiana looked around at her small pile of belongings and grabbed her last piece of parchment. Much yellowed and warped from age she set it on a smoothed block of wood. She searched for her ink bottle and quill, the ink bottle was almost empty but would still serve her purposes this far. The quill was bent almost double and what were left of the tufts of feathers were tattered and browned.

She smoothed the top of the paper as it curled. She sucked the end of the quill and dipped it into the ink jar before she began to write.


Sokka crept through the underbrush toward the voices. A group of fire benders were sitting almost drunkenly around a fire, they would laugh every few minutes. Sokka crawled around the camp getting ready to retreat back into the shadows of the trees.

A faint murmur issued from behind the fire. Sokka crouched even lower and began to crawl under brush as he strained to see through the fire. He saw two figures sitting between five fire benders.

One fire bender was standing beside the figures poking them with a stick. Sokka shook his head to clear it and moved over too where the figures were cast into a better light. No… he thought as he saw the sleeping form of Katara tied too Aang.

Aang sat awake occasionally blowing the fire bender that was poking him away. No, he thought as he looked away. He slowly disappeared into the trees.


Tatiana looked down from her perch in the tree to see Sokka emerging out of the forest. He looked almost ghost like as he walked around the edge of the clearing. She left her bag in the tree as she hopped down to join him.

"Any luck?" she asked. Sokka stopped to look at her.

"No… they've been captured by fire benders," as he said it his eyes took on a sad and desperate look.

"What? Where?" she asked as she stopped beside Sokka.

"About a mile and a half that way," Sokka said as he pointed between the trees.

"We have to get them out of there," she said before biting her lip and looking remorsefully back at her barn. "How many?" she finally asked.

"Twenty seven, but most of them were drunk," he said.

"The Prince's ship should be here in a few hours, if they run the deserters out then they'll be even worse off." Sokka looked at the ground thinking.

Tatiana looked into the forest. It might work… but if it doesn't… I couldn't do it after all of this. She put a hand on Sokka's shoulder.

"I have and idea, but if it doesn't work then we'll likely both be dead," she said. Sokka looked over at her.

"If it's to save Katara and Aang." Tatiana clapped Sokka on the back and walked into the forest.


Zuko could not believe it, he could not believe any of this. How could the brat steal a submarine out from under not only his nose, but all of his crew. And to be perfectly honest if he didn't hit something soon he would likely go mad.

"E-excuse m-me P-prince Z-Zuko b-b-but-"

"SPIT IT OUT YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A FIRE BENDER!" he roared at the stuttering cadet. The cadet looked like he would have much preferred to be thrown overboard during a storm then be where he was at the moment.

"I-I the, your u-uncle s-sa-aid that h-he would like to s-see you ri-ight now," he nearly cringed away as smoke issued from Zuko's ears and nose. His mouth was closed in a tight lipped expression of inner rage.

"Fine," he said as he began to walk towards the cadet. The cadet sighed and practically slumped with relief. As Zuko became level with him he looked down his nose at the boy. "NOW GO AND HELP WITH THE COAL!" he yelled in his face making the boy's hair blow back.

Zuko smiled sinisterly as he walked out of the room. The boy turned to check that he was gone after a few seconds. The cadet cringed and pushed his hair back into place and put his helmet on. Gee was right. I should have worn my helmet, he thought as he ran down the opposite way that the Fire Prince had went.


Iroh sat at his usual spot in the navigation room sipping a steaming cup of Jin Seng tea. Prince Zuko burst in the room. The captain flinched as the Fire Prince walked in.

"Why Prince Zuko, harassing Cadet Lee again?" he asked. Zuko narrowed his eyes and glared at the captain who's back was turned in indifference.

"What did you want?" Zuko asked shrewdly, trying to avoid his uncle's usual fluff.

"I think that you are working the men and crew too hard." Zuko made an exasperated sound that clearly stated, 'They're not working hard enough'.

Iroh took a sip of his tea. "Really Prince Zuko, this is not the perfect strategy for bringing a band of Fire Nation deserters into reign." Zuko rolled his eyes although he listened.

Iroh poured a cup of tea for the Prince. Zuko looked at it distastefully and sat down with his arms crossed. "Really Prince Zuko you are letting your anger rule your decisions. Not a particularly wise decision if you ask me," Iroh said staring in his cup as if there were something quite intriguing at the bottom.

"FINE! WE'LL GET THERE AND SHE'LL BE GONE ALONG WITH THE SUBMARINE AND THE AVATAR! THE ONLY THING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE STUPIDER WOULD BE ONE OF YOUR RIDICULUS SHOPPING TRIPS!" he yelled as he stood up and knocked the table over spilling his tea cup and breaking it in the process.

Iroh who was holding the tea pot and his cup watched his nephew storm out and slam the door shut with hooded eyes. He sighed as he surveyed the broken pieces of china.

"He's really not always this bad," he said more to himself then to the Captain.


Sokka shifted in his crouching position under the brush. The Fire Benders were mostly sleeping, Aang and Katara were still tied together in the middle behind the fire. They were both awake and looking around at the trees.

He barely resisted the urge to make some sign that he was there to rescue them. Where is she? He thought as he watched the sky begin to turn a shade lighter. A fire bender snorted and turned over as he murmured in his sleep. Sokka began to feel his legs start to cramp and shifted so he was sitting on one knee. He propped his head up with his arm perched on the other one.

A rumble answered his silent question as he snapped to alertness. The rumbling continued and roused a few of the Fire Benders that had been laying around the dying fire.

Sokka unsheathed his boomerang and hefted it in his hand as he began to hear shouting mixed in with the rumbling. Several Fire Benders sat up in alarm clutching their heads and moving a little closer to their captives. One of them poked Aang with a stick as if in a feeble attempt to make the rumbling stop.

The shouting grew louder as did the rumbling. Sokka straightened as a stream of soldiers in red armor poured out of the forest.


Tatiana swallowed as she saw the Fire Navy ship approaching swiftly until they skidded to a stop at the beach. The sand piled up around the iron sides of the ship and the waves lapped at the sides, it was almost morning. The stars were slightly dimming although the sky still stayed dark blue.

It was late, and although she was far from tired she was beginning to feel fatigue. As the Fire Benders began to ascend from rope ladders and a ramp that splashed into the shallows.

She waited for the Prince to disembark from the ship. The submarine was hidden at least a half mile away from here in the security of the trees. They wouldn't be able to find it.

As the Princes feet touched the sand he surveyed everything with cold eyes. I shouldn't even try it… this isn't going to work, she thought frantically before taking a deep breath and smoothing her features over.

"Prince Zuko!" she hailed him. Every Fire Bender's attention averted to her. She felt suddenly strange at being the object of so many people's attention. The Prince's golden eyes narrowed as he stared at the Earth Bender girl halfway out of the forest. She stepped onto the sand barefooted.

"If you want the Avatar you're too late," she said as she approached him. This is wrong. Go back into the forest before he kills you! Her instincts warned her. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins as she came closer too the Fire Prince.

"We aren't here for the Avatar. We are here for our campsite, and a submarine which happens to be property of the Fire Nation." The Prince stared down at her. Tatiana's instincts begged her to run as she felt the heat of the Fire Prince's rage from where she stood. It's for Sokka… It's for Katara… It's for the Avatar. She took a deep breath. It's for the world.

"The Avatar has already been captured," she said. Tatiana made herself stare into the Prince's golden eyes. She forced back a shiver and his eyes narrowed even more.

"Captured by who?" he hissed.

"By your own Nation. Unless you want the reward money spent on wine and mead I suggest that you get your Avatar before they can turn him into the Fire Lord. It's about a fourth of a mile North," she said almost faltering under the penetrating gaze of the Fire Prince.

"Take me to the Avatar," he commanded. Tatiana lifted an eyebrow.

"Why should I help you? I only want the Avatar out of their hands. If you capture him remember, it's a long way back to the Fire Nation." she grinned and lifted her hands. The sand shot into the air blinding everyone. Tatiana saw the Prince's eyes go wide as the sand flew in front of his face.

"Their camp is on the east bank of the river, I think you know the location," she said as she made her escape back into the forest.

As soon as she had entered the safety of the forest and was at a safe distance away, she let the sand fall back to cover her footprints.

As soon as it had come the sand was back in place looking innocently undisturbed. Zuko gritted his teeth and turned on the men.

"GET TO THE CAMP!" he roared at them as he ran towards the direction of the camp.

(Remember to review!-crouchingbunny.)