Hey this is my 2nd story ever and my very 1st Avatar story. Heh. How accomplished am I? . uuuuuuuummmmmmmmm……anyways, Zuko, please do the disclaimer.

Zuko: …… -.- blank stare

Iroh: ……Here, I'll do it. WindBender does not own anything except the wonderful tea she payed me for me to trick Prince Zuko to come here. covers mouth too late

Zuko: ….. eye twitches….you did WHAT!

The following scene is too violent for young innocent eyes

Me: O.O …that's gotta hurt…………

Zuko: tied up in corner with assorted bruises and such……..death glare

Iroh: . You must remember your basics Prince Zuko.

Zuko: still glaring….muffled shouting

Me: o.0 uhhhhh………on with the show I guess.

Chapter 1

Life for a banished Fire Prince was a heavy burden.

Prince Zuko the exiled was following the bison.

Years of frustration and the harsh winds of the ocean had hardened and matured a young man beyond his years.

Prince Zuko the exiled was following the bison.

Being stripped of his honor by his own father had driven him to the edge, desperate to do whatever it took to restore his father's and nation's respect.

Prince Zuko the exiled was following the bison.

When his father sent him to restore his honor by capturing the Avatar, the young Prince had never been so determined.

Prince Zuko the exiled was following the bison.

And now, the distance between the Prince's ship and the flying bison was all that stood between the exiled heir and his throne.

Prince Zuko the exiled was following the bison.

The beast was out of range of the ships cannons. However, Zuko knew the bison would have to rest soon.

Prince Zuko the exiled was following the bison.

And so the boat pushed onward through torrential waters as the Prince fought his impatience as he watched the bison from the hull of his ship.

Prince Zuko the exiled was following the bison.

And he was going to catch it.

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Okay, special bonus time. This chapter is very short, right? Well, that's why I decided to continue writing, so enjoy. I hope. O.O

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"Aaaaaaaaaaaaawww……" Katara yawned as she stretched, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Her eyes looked around her noting her 2 companions sleeping, along with the small lemur, Momo.

They had been flying for several days and the small space had made them lazy from boredom. Katara frowned as she noted the empty food bags. Her stomach growled slightly and Katara sighed.

She seemed older than she truly was with the heavy weight of worry and fear weighing on her features. Slowly she crawled up to be seated on Appa's head. The beast had flown faithfully for 3 straight days without food or rest.

Katara had trouble containing her amazement at the hardy beast's steady and sure pace. She stroked Appa's head gently whispering sweet nothings of encouragement smiling as the beast moaned softly in appreciation.

Turning her head Katara barely contained a cry of frustration at the sight of the Fire Navy Ship and the obstinate Prince, poised on the bow of the ship as he always was, following doggedly at their tail.

Appa, though loyal and determined, would only be able to travel for so long until his strength gave out. He had gone without food and water and there was no safe way to administer necessities without putting someone in a dangerous position.

She turned and glared bitterly down at the stubborn Prince as he pulled forth his telescope smirking triumphantly up at her. He was winning and they both knew it.

Ever since she, Aang and Sokka had been captured because of that water bending scroll, a new vigor to destroy the haughty prince had gripped Katara's heart that even the hunger of starvation had destroyed.

It wasn't that she had been captured, or that it was her fault that bothered her about the incident. It was quite simply, the memory of her capturer that had torn its way into her heart. She recalled the memory vividly.

Flashback

She had been on the shore practicing her waterbending trying to learn the water whip. Her frustration and anger quickly dissipated when she was attacked by pirates, she turned, preparing to run, when she found her wrists caught in the hands of the last person she wanted to see at this moment.

"I'll save you from the pirates." Prince Zuko's face was serious and cold, just as she had imagined it to be. But his hands……………..she would never forget his hands. Warm, soothing, inviting.

Even in her fear, she couldn't help but blush at the close proximity of herself and the Prince.

Katara shook her head, ridding herself of the memory. Zuko was her enemy, Aang's hunter, a terrible person. She couldn't forget him though.

Even through her fear and dislike of the Prince, she couldn't help but notice all his good qualities of which she reluctantly admitted.

He was clever, that much was clear. He had known exactly what to bribe Katara with. She frowned as she remembered him holding her mother's necklace before her eyes tauntingly, moving so gracefully, such overwhelming confidence… she blushed a deeper shade of red as she quickly squashed that thought.

She pushed Zuko into the back of her thoughts as a soft grunt from behind her alerted her to the waking of one of her companions.

Turning around, Katara smiled as Aang blinked the sleep from his eyes.

Just for a moment, Katara saw the pain in Aang's eyes, the realization that he wasn't waking up from a bad dream in his air temple, with his teacher leaning over his bed, but that everything, the war, the destruction, the Navy Firebender Boat following them, were all real. A moment later, a fake joy had covered all these pangs. Katara saw the traditional behavior of the Avatar. She saw it every morning. She wondered if Prince Zuko knew about this daily routine…..

Katara mentally slapped herself. She needed to focus. The fact that they were being followed was bad enough, but now, she couldn't stop think about irrelevant questions for the fire prince.

"Good morning Katara." The cheerful voice of her young companion pulled Katara from her reveries.

A bright smile spread across her face as she responded. "Morning Aang. Sleep well?"

Aang hesitated a moment before responding. "Okay, I guess. It's kinda hard knowing you-know-who's on our tail."

Katara bit her lip to keep from frowning. He never referred to Zuko by his first name.

It made Katara think Aang was trying to forget that Zuko was a human. Aang just couldn't except that there was so much evil in this world. To acknowledge Zuko as a human would be to admit that as pure as Aang was, there was always someone on the far end of the Richter scale.

Aang had stopped acknowledging Zuko's existence beyond what was necessary, though Katara couldn't remember when this change had occurred. Plastering the gentle smile back on her face, Katara tossed Aang an apple lazily, a silent cue to eat.

Both had caught the undertones of their casual conversation. Zuko was following them, and his ship couldn't get tired. But Appa could.

All 3 companions, even Sokka, who slept soundly, were aware of the Prince's plan. She doubted Zuko cared whether they figured it out or not. For now, they had no way to counter his actions.

WB: Did you like?

Zuko: No. It was stupid. I didn't even get to throw something at my uncle.

Iroh: frowning slightly I'm goiong to be in this story, right?

WB:YES OF COURSE!(AN: I love Iroh, he is totally awesome.)

Iroh: Then I will get to drink tea, right?

Zuko: eye twitches violently YOU HAVE AN ISSUE!