Gazing up at the mélange of colors that permeated the sky, Katara stretched and stood up.
Dawn: the best part of the day. No running from enemies, no scavenging for food, no altercations with Sokka. Nothing.
Katara walked slowly into the woods. The foliage was thick, and the denizens of the forest scampered about her feet. Sunlight filtered through the top of the canopy in patches of refulgent light. She heard the faint gurgle of a stream in the distance, and she sauntered towards the sound.
As she neared a clearing, she heard the rush of ocean waves breaking upon the shore. As she was about to breathe a sigh of relaxation, she heard a shout farther up on the beach.
She jerked her head in the direction of the sound, but she could only see faint specks of black. Gathering up her senses, she ran impetuously towards what looked like a aggregation of people.
As Katara drew nearer to the crowd, she jolted. Was that fire? She slackened her pace and retreated into the thicket of the forest. Approaching charily, she saw another flash of fire.
Closer, closer, closer. Katara could make out the crimson outlines of Fire Nation armor, and she saw a circle of soldiers surrounding two people. She couldn't really make out the faces, but if she could only draw closer…
She squinted, and she drew in a breath of utter surprise as she identified the men in the middle of a circle of soldiers.
"Zuko and his uncle…" She breathed. She decided to wait a moment longer before taking action; she had to know the context of the situation.
"For all the reasons aforementioned, and for the obviation of future damage to the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Ozai has mandated your immediate execution." A somber, grim man stepped forward and looked carefully at Zuko. "Any last words?"
Zuko narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to respond, but his uncle cut him off. "If I may, officer, I would like to know when my brother made this decision."
The officer glanced at the shackled general. "General Iroh, you are now in custody of the Fire Nation. You have neither the liberty to know anything about the decision nor the right to ask about it." The officer crossed his arms. "Now, back to the impending business."
The officer educed a concentration of fire that flickered precariously in his hand. Without further warning, he swiftly shot it at the Prince's chest.
Although Zuko managed to evade the first attack, a barrage of further attacks soon encompassed him. He swerved as a stream of fire grazed his right leg.
Katara's eyes widened. He was the enemy, but should she help him? In a matter of seconds, after another onslaught of attacks, Zuko was on his knees. He quaked voraciously as he struggled against his executers. His stomach was badly burned, and his right arm bled from a particularly searing cut of fire.
Katara immediately decided that it was not in her nature to let any human being die when it was in her power to stop the death. In any case, Zuko had saved Aang a couple of times before.
She jumped out of her asylum. "Hey, over here!" She gesticulated wildly, and the group of soldiers slowly approached her.
The leading officer stepped in the front. "And who exactly are you?"
Katara smiled, "No one you'd care to know about." She raised both her arms and conjured a large wave of water, heaving all of the soldiers into the sea. With another swift motion, she entrapped the battery in a slab of ice. She held her palms out and pushed them farther into the blue until they disappeared from view.
Katara then turned to the Prince and his uncle. She perceived the old man's shackles, remarking, "I can't do anything about that, but I'm sure Aang or Sokka will think of something."
Noting their confusion, she explicated, "My brother, Sokka, is a warrior, and he'll be able to find some way to break through those iron chains."
She then walked to Zuko. Examining his body, she concluded, "I can bring you back to camp. We have a load of supplies to patch you up."
Eyeing his grimace at the suggestion, she straightened up. "Or, I can leave you here to wait for more Fire Nation soldiers to come and finish up the job."
"Come now, Zuko. This young lady has just saved your life. You at least owe her a response," the old man knelt by his nephew. "Can you stand?"
Zuko reluctantly nodded and attempted to get up, but his right leg refused to support any weight. He felt ridiculously vulnerable, at the whim of some girl from the Water Nation.
Katara walked over to him and slid a cool hand around his arm. She felt him jump at her touch, but it was not in his power to stop her. She placed his arm gently on her shoulder, and she slowly rose, gripping his other shoulder to prevent him from falling.
As the three sauntered slowly back to camp, Katara couldn't help but wonder why Zuko hadn't violently resisted her abetment. Had his pride been killed during the attempted execution? She glanced at him, but he seemed to be in vexed contemplation.
The old man coughed, and Katara turned to look at him.
"By the way, my name is Iroh. I believe you are already acquainted with my nephew, Prince Zuko."
"Yes, I am. My name is Katara."
"I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance, Katara."
She smiled as she adjusted her body to Zuko's weight. His uncle was quite chivalric, but she was not sure whether it was empty flattery or true propriety. "The camp isn't too far from here," she observed.
As the camp trickled into view, Momo bounded towards Katara and the two strangers. Its ears perked up as it surveyed the visitors. Then, without warning, it scampered quickly back to Aang.
"Hey Katara! Where- whoa! What happened?" Aang flew towards the trio.
Katara was about to answer when Iroh put a hand upwards. "Please, allow me to explain. After the battle in the North Pole, Zuko and I have become wanted men. Fire Lord Ozai sent out special troops to specifically hunt us. He recently ordered Zuko's execution, and this mandate would have been consummated had it not been for the bravery and prowess of this young lady." Iroh smiled as he laid his hand on Katara's shoulder.
She blushed, "It was nothing…"
Sokka rushed over, shouting incoherent phrases as he stumbled over fallen logs. "Katara! KATARA!"
He breathed heavily as he pointed to Zuko. "What is he doing here?"
Katara glared at the insensitivity of her older sibling. "Well, Sokka, take a look at his condition, and I think you'll find the answer."
She huffed as she brought Zuko to her sleeping bag. She gingerly laid him down and she sighed at the relief of the weight. Taking up four canteens, she turned to him, muttering, "I'll be right back. Try to relax."
Katara walked briskly back to the gurgling stream. After bending water into the four containers, she hurried back to camp.
Aang was palavering vivaciously with Iroh, but Sokka sulked at a distance, glaring incessantly at Zuko's recumbent body. Katara sighed as she approached Zuko. She knelt down and looked at the blood creeping through his clothes.
"Zuko," she began quietly. "I'm going to try to heal your wounds. Can you take your shirt off?"
He glanced at her and grunted. Turning his back to her, Zuko decided that it would be much better to ignore her.
"Zuko!" She walked to the side he was facing. "I'm just trying to help. This will make your wounds heal a lot faster than they would naturally."
"Want to bet?" He muttered irately as he shifted to face the other side.
"Zuko!" She huffed. "Just take your freaking shirt off!"
He ignored her and closed his eyes.
Katara glared at him, exclaiming, "Why do I even bother?"
Iroh glanced up at Katara's exasperation, and he excused himself from Aang's company.
"Katara!" He called cheerfully.
She looked up into his jovial smile.
"May I have a word alone with my nephew?"
"Of course," she forced a half-smile and silently stormed away.
"Zuko," Iroh sat down next to the sleeping bag. "Zuko, surely you must know what has happened. Surely you must know what is now incumbent upon you."
Zuko made a noise of sheer disgruntlement. "Much to my chagrin, uncle, I do know."
"But she does not," Iroh chuckled. "You must receive her permission, and if she consents, you must treat her with the due respect and formality that befits a Prince of the Fire Nation."
Zuko shook his head and closed his eyes. "The traditions of our nation are so derogating," he scoffed.
"Quite the contrary. I believe the experience will bring some sense into that puffed up head of yours."
Zuko choked as he fought a laugh. "What does all of this entail for me?"
Iroh chucked, "Deference, my dear child. You can start by allowing her to heal your wounds." Iroh ambled flippantly away from his nephew, humming blithely to himself.
"Katara," Iroh smiled as he approached the girl. "I believe my nephew would now like a word with you."