Chapter Four

When Katara opened her eyes the sun was just beginning to rise. Where am I? She thought groggily. She sat up and felt a sharp pain in her face. Confused she touched it and her fingers felt the cloth from her dress that was now caked with dried blood. Everything suddenly came back to her and she looked around, afraid that she had missed the ship. She relaxed as her gaze spotted its giant steel frame still sitting in the town's harbor.

She glanced up at the sky. I had better get ready. It'll be light soon and I have no idea how early they're going to leave.

She stood and stretched. Her muscles were sore from sleeping on the hard ground. She opened her bag and pulled out the pants she had taken from Sokka. She pulled them on under her dress then quickly pulled her dress over her head and slipped into his shirt. It was an old brown one he never wore. She wasn't even sure why he bought it in the first place. But it was baggy on her and she was grateful. She checked her reflection in the knife. No one would be able to tell that she was a girl. Granted, she was a very strange looking boy but it was a risk she would have to take. It was the best she could do.

"Come on! I don't have all day!"

Katara jumped as Prince Zuko's voice filtered through the clearing. She looked up to see him pacing in front of his ship, barking orders at the crew. A group of boys about her age were standing on the dock watching him.

"Look if you're here to be trained as a Fire Nation soldier then line up!" Zuko barked.

Katara leaped up leaving her bag where it was. "I guess I'm going without breakfast today." She muttered. She slid Sokka's knife into her pocket. She took of through the forest, headed for the dock. As she ran, however, her cut gave a painful throb and she remembered the cloth that was still stuck to it. She reached up and pulled at it but let go instantly as pain shot through her body.

Her eyes widened. The blood must have bonded it to my skin when it dried! She heard Prince Zuko shout again and wondered what she should do. Finally she pulled the knife out and cut off all the fabric except what was stuck. It would have to do for now. Maybe later she would be able to soak it off.

She stopped running when she reached the edge of the dock. Prince Zuko was busy barking orders at one of his men and didn't notice her arrival. She quickly slipped into line beside a scrawny boy with tousled brown hair. He glanced at her then turned back around.

Finally Prince Zuko turned to face the boys lined up in front of him. Katara took deep breathes to keep her heart from hammering out of her chest.

"All right!" he shouted impatiently. "We don't have much time. I will have to train you as we go. We are headed for the Fire Nation. We will arrive there in three days then we will set a course for an island. It will take a while to get to this island. Long enough for you to train. Those that have passed their training will accompany me to the island. What we are going to do there is none of your business. You simply follow orders. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." A couple boys answered. The rest, including Katara, just stared at him.

"This is an honor for you. You should be grateful." He went on. "You have been chosen to fight and maybe even become soldiers to the Fire Nation. We will become strong and we will conquer this land! The Fire Nation will rule all!"

A couple boys cheered but fell silent when Prince Zuko glared at them. "Now, I will choose those who will go with me to begin their training and those who are not fit for this kind of challenge."

Katara bit her lip. She hadn't realized that not everyone would be going. What if I'm not picked?

Prince Zuko walked down the line looking each boy over carefully. Some he nodded his approval of but others he shook his head and they left. Katara took slow, deep breathes as he got closer to her. I'll have to face him sometime or other. I might as well get it over with.

He gestured for the boy in front of her to leave. "You'll never be a soldier. You're pitiful." He spat. Then he turned his gaze to Katara.

She stared straight into his eyes, keeping her face blank of any emotion. His eyes traveled down her body then back up again. They came to rest on her face and for a second Katara wondered if he had recognized her.

"What is that?" he asked sharply. She realized he was pointing to the cut that still had fabric clinging to it.

"A cut." She answered, making her voice deeper than normal.

He continued to look at it then without warning his hand shot forward and he ripped the fabric off. Katara gasped, the pain was terrible. Fresh blood began to flow down her face again. She instinctively raised her hand to the stinging wound but he grabbed her wrist before she could touch it. His grip was strong and she felt like her arm was breaking.

Katara set her mouth in a firm line and stared at him unblinkingly. I will not cry. She thought determinedly.

"You think that hurt?" he hissed at her. "Then you don't know the meaning of pain." He jerked his head, motioning for her to follow the rest of the boys onto the ship.