Dangerous Ground
Summary: Zuko's prisoner of our little band of heros, and now Katara must face a battle between hatred for the enemy of her people and loyalty to their merciful ways.
Rating stays at 'T' though we're still pretty safe.
Enjoy, and thanks for reading!
Chapter 2
Chapter 2.
"I say we leave him were he is! This way we'll be sure he won't bother us for a while. At least until his people find him." Sokka said. He was leaning against a tree, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed at the prince's listless figure.
"I don't know, Sokka, his injuries look pretty serious. He could be dead by the time they find him." I said softly. I knew I wasn't helping the situation, but causing someone's death, even by simply not doing anything, caused a tumbling in my stomach that I couldn't ignore. "Besides," I continued, "he'll be at the mercy of whomever finds him. Fire Nation or not."
"We could bring him into the village. Maybe there's someone there who could take care of him." Aang suggested.
"And get caught by the firenation? They're swarming the village." Sokka waved his hands in the air.
"You're right. Besides, I wouldn't wish Zuko, injured or otherwise, on anyone." Aang said. I smiled. Aang's sense of humor always had a way of making things a little lighter, a little more easy to bear.
"Well, we're certainly not taking him with us!" Sokka protested.
"Yes we are." Aang said it so quietly that I almost didn't hear him. And I hoped that I had heard him incorrectly.
"What!" Sokka was livid now. "Are you crazy? Did all those years in that iceberg freeze your brain? He's the Prince of the Fire Nation and our greatest enemy! Do you think for one minute that if you were captured by the firenation that he'd come and rescue you?"
Aang stood up slowly, an unfathomable look etched into his features.
"Actually, yes."
We made a quick stretcher for Zuko by lashing my parka to two branches. Aang and I took one end, while Sokka held up the other. But it didn't last long.
"Honey-covered lemurs, is he part Komodo Rhino or something? He must weigh a thousand pounds." Sokka said, a bit over-dramatically.
"It's the armor." Aang said, panting and struggling to hold the stretcher up. "It's easily a quarter of his body weight."
"Then let's take it off. He'll be less dangerous to us without it, anyway." Sokka was already unlacing the straps.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I stepped back, defiantly not ready to see the Fire Prince nude. But the boys ignored me and stripped off every last piece of armor, revealing, much to my relief, that Zuko wore a light tunic and pants beneath.
"There, that should make things easier." Sokka said, depositing the armor in a clump of ferns. We took the stretcher up and continued the journey.
By the time we arrived back at camp night had fallen. A soft blanket of glittering stars had covered the yawning black sky, while a brilliant moon now presided in the darkness as a queen among her tiny handmaidens.
Travel was out of the question. Bruised and bone weary we sank into a Appa's soft fur, relishing the comfort the shaggy monster provided. In a few moments, I could hear Sokka get up and make scratching sounds as he began to light a fire.
After a few minutes of furious scratching, a tiny blaze had sprung up, lighting the cave and providing warmth and cheer to its occupants. I settled back and sighed. I could smell the savory aroma of the rabbit meat we'd bought in the market now hissing spitting over the fire, skewered and wolfishly watched by Sokka. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the smell. At least we'd managed to accomplish something good while at the market. The meat would provide a welcome boost of morale.
"Um.. Katara, I don't mean to be a pain, but..." My eyes popped open. Aang stood in front of me, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head and kicking at pebbles in the dust.
"What is it, Aang?" He held out a canteen of water to me and pointed to his back.
"You don't think you could, um, you know. Do your water-bending-healing-thingy." Aang pointed to his back. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten. Of course he would have been hurt in the fight today. I suddenly remembered the hot cinders flying against Aang's back.
"Oh Aang, of course I will." I pushed aside my weariness tended to the scrapes and cuts on his arms. I streamed the water from the canteen and gently placed my hands on his wounds, feeling the energy pulled from my body as the cuts were healed and the skin closed over, soft and unmarked.
"Well, that takes care of my arms. I, uh, better take off my shirt now." Aang said, flashing me a big grin. He pulled the singed cloth over his head and flexed his newly-budding muscles childishly. "Yep. Nothing like beating firebender butt to make a man feel manly." Aang posed in what he must have though was a heroic pose. I laughed out loud and patted him on the head.
"Good job Aang." I said as I carefully began to work on his back. He let out a low sigh. One of seeming disappointment. I couldn't understand why. Hadn't he wanted to make me laugh? I shrugged. Aang had been acting a bit unusual since that trip to the Fortuneteller's. Maybe it was just part of growing up. Hadn't I gone through an awkward phase? I smiled. Yes, that must be it, just another awkward phase.
"Y'know, Katara, I probably could have taken on that whole troop and won." Aang said, his voice tinged with hopefulness.
"After all, beating Zuko was easy." He bragged. I hid a smile. I knew that beating Zuko had been anything but. Had it not been for that tree...
"Zuko!" I practically shouted. Everyone in the cave jumped. Including Appa. If you've never seen a flying bison jump let me tell you, it's quite a sight.
"What? Is he trying to escape?" Sokka was up and waving a skewer around in front of him.
"No. It's just that I almost forgot about him. I have to tend to his wounds, too." I said with a note of reluctance. I gathered up the canteen and padded over to where Zuko lay, still unconscious, on the stretcher beside Appa.