AN: I had no intention of writing this until maybe Tuesday, but this story is intoxicating. And it's so close to being done. ok, it's 12:47am here. I'm going to bed. Enjoy.

I have read Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

Text Notes:

(text)--dragon's thought-speech

text-- regular thought

Chapter 20: The Dragon

Katara couldn't look away from the dragon, and she couldn't move. The dragon glared at her, and she felt like it could see right through to her soul, and then it looked away. It watched her with one eye, almost as if waiting to see what she did. Drawing up more water, she formed a double water whip.

He looked at her, dimly surprised. In his younger days, women ran to their men for protection, but this girl seemed to be readying to fight him. She took her two water streams and flung them at him. He opened his mouth and disintegrated them with a burst of fire.

She watched her attack fail miserably, and the dragon looked in-differential to it. It flexed its wings, and glared at her. She couldn't beat this thing. It blew a burst of fire at her, and she drew a wall of water up to absorb it.

He had to admit, the water-caller was good.

All she could do was defend herself from the beast as it threw flames at her over and over.

Call him! Call the son of fire! He's the only one I can bond with you stupid wench! The dragon's frustration was growing.

Suddenly, a thought came to Katara. She couldn't beat the dragon. She needed help, and Zuko was feet away from her, listening for her call.

Zuko's head snapped up when he heard Katara call his name. Her voice hadn't sounded worried, but tense still. He stood up and jogged to the stream where she was bathing.

"What is it Katara?"

And then he saw exactly what it was.

"Holy…"

"I thought you said they were extinct."

Zuko took up a fighting stance a few feet behind her.

"Apparently I was wrong."

"The great Fire Prince was wrong?"

"Save it."

The dragon watched this with amusement. He could feel the son of fire's worry for the girl, and he could feel the man's strength with his element. It was time.

Zuko watched helplessly as the dragon moved forward with lightning speed and grabbed Katara with his front claws. She screamed at the beast to let her go, but it ignored her. And then he heard it in his head.

(If you want her, come and claim her)

It then, with one sweep of its huge wings, took off into the sky, and Zuko tore after it.

It was never quite out of sight, always staying just out of reach. He watched until it vanished, and then he nearly ran smack into wall. Looking up, Zuko could see the cave about halfway up the cliff. The cliff was steep but not impossible.
Halfway up to the cave, he was a good hundred feet of the ground, hanging onto half-inch hand and foot holds. The dragon swooped down over him, no sign of Katara, but it curved around and sent a burst of fire at him. Releasing one hand, he bended the fire away from him. Zuko nearly lost his hold on both the cliff and the fire for an instant. The dragon's fire was unlike any other he'd bended. When it submitted to his will, he'd been momentarily consumed by anger and frustration, centuries of it. This was what the dragon was feeling.

(Come son of fire. Centuries I've waited, and for centuries sons and daughters of fire came to my home and were not one with me. Claim the girl and we will see your soul)

This didn't seem appealing at all the Zuko, but he wouldn't abandon Katara to this beast. His hand hold gave and he slid back down a few feet before he caught himself. He gritted his teeth and continued.

Katara sat in the cave, worried and frazzled, but unhurt. The dragon came back, landing lightly at the entrance to the cave.

"You're making him climb the cliff, aren't you?" The dragon just turned its head, barely acknowledging that she spoke.

"If he falls, I'll kill you."

The dragon shook its head. As if he would let the son of fire fall. He took off again, swooping beneath and around the son of fire, who steadily gained height.

Zuko finally reached the edge of the cave. As he started to pull himself over, he felt a cool hand on his wrist. Katara pulled him up into the cave and embraced him. He held her close, but the dragon wouldn't let their reunion last long.

It landed on the edge of the cave's opening, its huge bulk forcing Katara and Zuko back into the cave. Zuko placed Katara behind him and glared at the dragon. He felt Katara's hand slip into his, and the lonely voice in his head once more.

(How many sons and daughters of fire have treaded my shores, crossed my path, and left without giving me a second thought? They forget about me.)

How is that my fault?

(Eternity is nothing without a companion. Perhaps even a shortened life is worth the friendship.)

Shortened life?

(Dragons die when their Bondmates do, otherwise, we are immortal.)

I'm sorry.

(Didn't you listen to what I just said?)

That's why you wanted me here. I might be your Bondmate.

(Yes, but I would never force you into a bond.)

Who can deny destiny? You may see my soul.

When Katara first looked into the dragon's eyes, she'd felt like he could see right through her. The truth was, he could, but because their elements didn't align, she didn't feel it. For Zuko, it was another story.
He felt the dragon probe into his mind, his heart, his body, and his soul. He felt the pain and immense loneliness the dragon had endured, but most of all, he felt a sense of acceptance.

The dragon was shocked. He'd seen many souls, searching for his Bondmate, but he'd never felt as connected as he did with this son of fire. Pulling away from the extra-sensory perception of the boy, he opened his eyes and met the gaze of the son of fire. They both knew and understood.

They were one.

Katara tried to pull Zuko back when he began walking towards the dragon, but he snatched his arm from her grasp.

(Do you know what to do?)

Yes.

"Zuko?" she called his name but he didn't respond. A flame burst into life in his palm, and the dragon's mouth began to smoke. Simultaneously, they sent bursts of flame at each other, but instead of consuming them both, it formed a sort of beam between them. The flames then concentrated, growing smaller and smaller until they were a simple thread connecting the two. Then, the thread vanished. It didn't fade away, it was just gone.

Zuko shook his head, for several things had happened at once. For one, his Oath's weight had been halved, and he felt strangely light without it. Secondly, a second presence which he knew was the dragon. Third, he was very hungry and he had a persistent itch behind his right ear. But it was easy to figure things out.

He pushed the second presence back, and then walked over to the dragon and scratched behind its right ear.

(mmmmmmmm…oh that's been bothering me for so long…thank you)

no problem, my name's Zuko

(my name is Hessair. What is your Oath?)

To serve and protect the Avatar at all costs.

(Hmm.Not a bad Oath.)

I find it cumbersome at times.

(Now I am here to help you bear it.)

"Zuko?" He looked up and saw Katara. She was looking at him, a worried look in her eye.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, Katara. Why wouldn't I be?" Her eyes flickered from him to Hessair.

"Because you're acting like that thing is our friend."

"He is. He's my Bondmate now."

She looked at him, the expression on her face one of shock and pure horror. Through Hessair, Zuko even felt a sense of betrayal. She looked away from him.

Hessair, can you fly us back to camp?

(Of course)

"Katara, Hessair's going to take us back to camp."

"Oh, the psychotic beast has a name now?"

Zuko frowned.

"Would you rather walk, for I'm sure that after all these cracks, Hessair would be happy to leave you behind."

In truth, the only thing keeping Hessair from attacking Katara was Zuko's feelings for her.

"Fine. If it doesn't like me, I think I will walk."

Zuko hissed, a thin cloud of smoke being emitted from his lips. He walked over and picked up Katara bridal style then carried her over and stuffed her onto Hessair, her legs straddling the dragon's neck. He swung up behind her, so they were sitting at the point where Hessair's neck joined his body, their legs in front of the wing joint.

Katara was obviously not pleased by the arrangement, but she didn't fight Zuko. Hessair turned around and walked to the front of the cave, where he unfurled his wings and launched into flight. Katara was thinking about all the ways she hated the stupid dragon when she heard Zuko curse in her ear.

The sun was rising.

The Fire Lord watched the sunrise with a mixture of elation and apprehension. One more day, one step closer to world domination. He sat at his desk, reviewing battle plans and reports. Absorbed in his work, he was definitely surprised when a messenger hawk fluttered in through the open window and landed on his papers. He untied the scroll from its talons, and it flew off. The letter could've been one of many things, but it was one of the last things the Fire Lord would've expected.

To my far from dear uncle,

Captain after captain had requested transfer to the Earth and Water Nations. Their ardor for your damned war has made you proud. But they no longer answer to you.

You deemed the Guerriers Réels a simple political party, nothing to worry about. But haven't you noticed those wearing white armbands getting fewer and fewer in the capital, in the entire Fire Nation? We are hardly a political party, and you should be very worried.

For now, more than half your fleet and some of your best officers are on my side. They answer to me, and I? I answer to Zuko.

We are the Real Warriors, and we fight for the real Fire Lord. Your days are numbered.

This is a formal declaration of war. The problem is, Fire Lord, we can walk into your streets, your banquet halls, your war chambers, and even your own bedroom, and you'd never know.

I've planned this for eight years. Watching you try to take over the world, I knew that someday I would rescue my cousin from your twisted ways, and I wasn't surprised when he freed himself. Soon, he will join us, and then we will be unstoppable.

Your banished nephew,

Commander Saiza, leader of the Guerriers Réels

A moment later, the letter was nothing but ash. The Fire Lord's first instinct was to call his generals and tell them of this, to warn them, and to take action, hunting out these Real Warriors and annihilating them. But Saiza was right. His own generals could be against him.

Saiza had done his job well.

Snaps to everyone who guessed that the Commander was Saiza. And Katara and Zuko stayed out all night. I wonder what Sokka and Aang will think.

BTW, Guerriers Réels is french for 'Real Warriors.'