Hey, Thank you wilderness-writer, iamzukosnumberonefan and Zukoscute2 for the first three reviews! Here is chapter one of The Backyard Forest.

Chapter 1 A Dream?

"I'm going to go to the forest to finish up my homework, okay Sokka?" Katara called out to her brother in the process of putting on her coat over her jean jacket (Wouldn't that look nice on Katara? Jean Jacket with a white jacket on top, long, fading ripped jeans and hair up in a ponytail). She stuffed the unfinished homework into her Jansport backpack and slung it on both her shoulders and began to zip up her jacket.

Sokka walked out of the kitchen with a stack of oreos in his right hand and began munching on one.

"You're going into that haunted forest again?"

Sokka loved teasing his sisterabout it and he knew that it would annoy the hell out of her. As he predicted, she spun around and scoffed at her brother, raising a slender eyebrow.

"It isn't haunted! You are so immature Sokka. You've never even been in it! That forest" – she pointed outwards – "is the most beautiful piece of nature in this entire city! It's actually really interesting…"

Sokka held up his hands in defense, dropping some oreos on the ground and not bothering to pick them up.

"You are way to obsessed with that forest, that's all I'm saying."

Katara 'hmphed' at him and turned around, struggling with the zipper that was refusing to slid up. After a moment of watching her, Sokka softly chuckled and walked up to her.

"Hold these."

He shoved his remaining oreos into her hands, ignoring her complaints and protests, and pulled the zipper up sharply. It smoothly slid up and landed in place, in the center of the jacket, right where Katara liked it. He took back the oreos and backed off.

"You could never zip your jacket when you were a little kid, I'd always have to do it for you." He smiled.

Katara scoffed, but her expression softened. "You were only a year older than me at the most, how much more could you have known?"

"I knew how to zip a zipper." He pointed out.

She pretended to be angry and stole an oreo, laughing at Sokka's bewildered face.

"Well, I'll be back by dinner okay? And I'm taking Sam with me." She turned towards the kitchen. "Sam, come here boy!"

Their golden retriever, Sam, came running out and sat down at Katara's feet, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. He loved going out on walks.

Katara grinned and gave Sam a quick rub on the head, ruffling his fur. "Okay, but I'm only taking you because you can keep me company without making too much noise. Come on boy, let's go!"


She couldn't understand how anyone could think that the forest was haunted.

Streams of sunlight squeezed through the thin spaces between tall firs and cedars over hundreds of years old. Many of them had fallen over, rotten with old age, creating even a larger obstacle for Katara and Sam. Many wild flowers and mushrooms grew out of every cracks in rocks or any spacious patch of dirt on the forest grounds.

The forest was abundant with wild herbs and berries that Katara knew all the names of. Many animals lived there too, being the only forest in the area Katara lived in.

Perhaps it was because of the small hut near the far left edge of the forest. It was where her long-time friend Aungt Wu lived. Katara had met her years ago and had taken a liking to her. Aunt Wu had taken Katara back home that night after telling her long tales about the time when people could bend and of the Avatar's duties. Katara had gone to visit her ever since and had always been welcomed arms. Aunt Wu was like her extra family memeber.

Sam barked and ran in front of Katara, often coming back to her panting form to hurry her along. Katara wiped her sweaty brow with a smile and leaned forward to put her hands on her knees.

"Hey! You have four legs, I only have two. Give me a chance!"

Sam just barked and ran on, jumping through the foliage.


"This looks like a good spot, and I'm not saying that because I'm being lazy. I really need to start my homework."

The clearing that they had found was large enough for Katara to stretch out comfortably and for Sam to run around and lie down. She walked towards the nearest base of a tall cedar tree and shrugged of her backpack with a grunt. Typing up her long brown hair out of her face in a ponytail, she crossed her legs, got comfortable, and took out her Algebra II homework.

She sighed happily. Katara loved doing her homework here, outside in the fresh air with no distracting sounds from Sokka. If only she didn't have to do her homework and study for the test on Friday, she would have been reading in the sunlight.

"I might as well get it done with."

Sam whined at her and pulled at her sleeve, begging her to play around with him for a moment longer. But Katara pushed him away.

"No Sam! I really, really have to study. I've got lots of homework! Go play by yourself or sleep or something. I'll play with you later, I promise."

Sam bowed his head and whined. He walked a few feet away from Katara and laid down onto the ground, his head on his stretched paws. He gave her his special weapon, his hurt, puppy-eyed look.

"I'm sorry boy," Katara cooed. "I promise to give you a special treat at dinner."

She spread her books out and buried her head into her work, starting to memorize different formulas and techniques for her test.


"I'm all done Sam, let's go home!"

Katara stretched out her legs and reached up high with her arms, stretching out her cramped muscles. She had been studying for three hours straight and had finished everything. Smiling proudly, she quickly gathered her books and papers into her backpack. Her mother would most likely give her a lecture if she were late for dinner again.

She shouldered her pack and looked up for Sam.

"Boy?"

Suddenly, Katara noticed how dark it had become, making every dark cornerand shadow look even gloomier. She shook her head and looked down at her feet, away from the ghostly scene.

Agh! Stupid Sokka scaring me with stupid stories. The forest is not haunted! I wish I'd brought a flashlight...

Well, she knew that Sam would eventually come back home on his own, so she stood and started walking out of the clearing, not wanting to hear a lecture from her mother about being late…again.

As she was about halfway across the clearing and was climbing over a large tree root, Katara looked up and saw a tree that stood out from the rest of the others.

She hadn't noticed it before, how odd. It was a tall oak tree and looked very old, with twisted branches and long, producing limbs. Scattered leaves covered the branches and it gave the tree a rather scary image. Katara continued to stare at the tree, transfixed, as she climbed over.

At that moment, one of her feet sharply caught onto a bend in the tree root and the impact threw her into the ground, hard. She gave out a loud shout of suprise and felt herself fall backwards, trying to turn around.

She hit her head on the trunk of the tree as she fell and her vision went black.


When Katara finally opened her eyes, she thought that she had become blind. Her head was reeling from the previous bang it had received after her fall and she could see white spots dancing before her. Katara didn't even bother trying to get up and just stayed where she was lying down, closing her eyes until the world was still again.

After the motions had stopped, Katara turned her head and called for Sam.

No barking answered her call or the quick approaching steps of his paws. It was quiet and all was still.

Shaking, Katara turned to lean on one elbow and looked up.

"Sam! Come here boy!" Silence.

Where did he go? Probably to go get Sokka.

She felt so stupid…she should have paid more attention to climbing over the tree roots instead of staring at that twisted tree.

Katara looked around and without her vision blurred, she noticed that the place where she was, was different from the forest she had been in. It was night time, and she couldn't see beyond her own hands in the darkness besides the spots of moonlight that flitted through the trees like spotlights across a stage.

She looked at the parts of the clearing that were lit up with the glowing moonlight.

The trees nearest to her were strangely younger looking. Not the hundred-year-old trees she was used to, but ones with only a few ten's of years behind them and not as tall or wide. Strange

Suddenly, another thought struck her: How am I going to get back home?

She considered just camping the night there instead of wandering around and getting lost.

At that moment, before she had a chance to get up, Katara saw slight movement that was gone so quickly that she thought that she had imagined it. Then...

...there it was again!

Oh my god, it must be a bear or coyote or… Katara's mind kept reeling with horrible images of having to fight off wild animals when she heard a rustling in the bushes.

Katara slowly backed off and raised her hands up for pitiful defense. Suddenly, she saw a dark figure walking up towards her in a rushed way. It moved softly and quickly, slinking through the shadows. Apparently, the thing could see in the dark.

"Katara! Are you all right?"

A man's voice cut through the silence and Katara squinted into the darkness, her insides filling up with hope.

"Sokka?"

The man didn't answer.

It was someone whom Katara didn't recognize and she slowly backed away.

He continued walking towards her and was soon at her side He was kneeling beside her now, and she could see the mud on his boots, and she could smell smoke.

Sokka hates fires, her mind kept spinning, he doesn't have boots like that.

"No..." he said softly. "I'm going to stay with you at all times. You really scared me."

"What? W-Who are you?" Katara whispered. She tried to see his face, but it was hidden in the shadow; she tired again to place his voice – the deepness of it, the power of it, the kindness of it that made her want to cry. Slowly he reached for her had. She looked down and couldn't help but admire his strong but gently touch.

His fingers were long and slender, but even as he traced them across her cheeks, she could fell the roughness of them – the scars of hard work.

"Don't you remember me Katara?" he begged, "Please say something!"

Katara began to tremble. Her instincts told her to run, but realized that she was unable to move at the moment. She felt oddly frozen, a captive in some strange dream. Her mind was foggy and far away, but she could feel this stranger's touch and his voice caller her name. His touch was all too real, she was rooted to the hard, bare ground.

"No…" she muttered, "Get away from me!"

"Katara!"

She cried out as he gently called her name and took her shoulders.

Who is this man? How does he know my name?

He eased her into a more comfortable sitting position and softly moved her long strands of hair away from her face.

What's with my hair?

He was closer now, in the way of a silver ray of lightand Katara could finally see his face.

It took her breath away.

The man in front of her was young and handsome, no type of guy she had ever seen back at her high school. He was nearly bald except for a queue at the top of his head. Strangely, it was attractive and made him look strong and handsome.

A large, dreadful scar – perhaps a burn? – surrounded his left eye on his otherwise smooth and flawless pale skin. The sad intensity of his eyes, his arousing lips…Katara stared because she was terrified, because she was hypnotized, because something in his gaze prevented her from looking away.

She could also see that his cloths were rather…unusual. He was wearing heavy looking armor of red and black. By the looks of it, it was all real with a breastplate, arm protectors, metal leggings and belt. She could see a fine sheen of sweat on the skin that was left bare.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

Katara frowned and whimpered. This can't be real…

"Don't worry," he said not waiting for an answer. "I can carry you. Here, put your arm around my neck…"

Katara looked up at him and held back a frightened sob. "I…I can walk. Yes, I'm sure I can."

He looked at her doubtfully. "Move your legs."

Katara did as he said, and was surprised to notice some restriction in her movement. To her astonishment, she looked down to see that she was wearing tight leg pants that kept close to her skin and a long blue dress cut up to her mid-thighs on both sides.

She should have been wearing jeans.

I must be hallucinating or having a bad dream…yeah! It was from the fall! Katara thought, Wake up Katara! Wake up!

Suddenly the young man's voice but through Katara's thoughts. "Let's see if you've broken anything."

And then she could feel his hand on her ankle, gently removing her fur boots, sliding upward towards her thighs. She could feel the pressure of his fingers on her as he felt around for any injuries.

"I can get up." She insisted weakly, "Really, I can.

"Are you sure?

Katara nodded. The stranger's arms went around her waist and lifted her up as if she weighed nothing at all.

"Wait." Katara stopped him she wanted to know what was going on. Now. Cautiously she leaned into him and his grip on her tightened. "I…I don't understand what's going on."

The young man's look was grave. "It's all right Katara, you were just stunned from the fall. God, I'm so sorry that I left you alone…I promised you that I would always protect you from Zula."

Zula? What? Katara shook her head still confused. What's he talking about?

"Where are you going to take me?"

"I won't let her hurt you. We'll go back to camp with Sokka and Aang and we'll leave towards Omashu first thing at dawn. The avatar needs to finish his training in Earthbending." He looked into her eyes and a look of sadness came to his face. "I'm so sorry Katara."

He was using words that sounded awfully familiar.

Omashu, Earthbending... Aunt Wu told me stories about this! The Avatar and his followers...

Katara stared at him, mesmerized. His firm lips were barley an inch away from her mouth and as they lowered and softly brushed hers, she closed her eyes and rested one hand on his scarred cheek. She could feel the scar, the long jagged ridge from his ear around his whole eye.

"But you're the one that suffers…" she said softly, stroking the scar, then stopped herself.

Why did I say that?

Suddenly the young manbrought her up to him in a passion Katara had never known. His arms locked around her neck and his lips blazed a fiery trial from her mouth to her cheeks, her eyelids to the base of her throat. Katara moaned softly and brought her arms up to pull him closer. She tilted her head back as the kisses fell lower still, his lips burning her touched skin as if on fire. She cried out and clutched him tighter. She heard herself whispering a word – she knew that it was his name – but her voice sounded eerily silent.

He quickly pulled away and held her at arm length, startling Katara. "Not now, there isn't time…"

Katara looked into the darkness of the forest and shuddered, a feeling that Zula was there, watching everything. Something bad lay beyond the clearing, something evil.

"She'll still track us down you know." She whispered softly, "she'll kill us."

Yes, it was all coming back now.

The young man shook his head. "No. She'll never hurt you again. I promise you nothing ever will. I swear on my love to you."

Katara opened her mouth to speak but he covered it with his own. She could feel the world spinning around her, taking her farther away from both reality and time. And for one magical instant, she could feel his desperation, intense love, touching her soul. Time stopped for Katara. She could feel both of their hearts beating as one. When he pulled away, Katara softly swooned from the intensity of the kiss.

"You, of all people, know what Zula is capable of. That she'll never give up…like you."

"Do you think that frightens me?"

She started to answer the question but was silenced by his glance. With two fingers, he brought up an object and brought it up to her face.

"This," he whispered, "will be my forever promise and love to you Katara."

She squinted at the object, but before she could identify it, Zuko brought it down into their hands. Katara felt something cold against her fingers as Zuko slid on a ring onto her fourth finger of her left hand.

"Oh Zuko…"

Zuko grinned slightly and rubbed the back of his head.

"I didn't know if you would like it or not. When we get to Omashu, I'll find the best jeweler and I'll get you even a better one."

Katara shook her head, suprising Zuko. She looked with loving eyes at the ring and then back into Zuko's eyes.

"I'll cherish this one forever. Thank you, I really love it."

Zuko smiled and gave her cheek a kiss before giving her a large hug. Katara let out a giggleand then swatted him away.

"We should be headed back now. We've wasted enough time."

Zuko mocked anger and stood up, holding out a hand to her. "Hey! I was enjoying that. You just had to ruin the moment."

Katara laughed and took his hand. "Well I'm right and you know it."

She slightlyleaned against Zuko as they slowly started their way towards camp. But as she put pressure into her right leg, hot pain shot through her leg and fell down hard, gasping.

"Katara!"

For the second time that night, the world went black.


"Ugh…" Katara groaned and turned over on her knees with her head between both her hands. Lights flashed before her, causing her to feel nauseous. Suddenly, the spinning stopped and Katara could feel a bright glare contrasting itself from the surrounding darkness and the barking form of Sam. Someone was kneeling besides her and was trying to get her up.

Oh no, not again…

"Katara? Katara! Come on it's me Sokka! Your brother? Come on are you alive? What happened?" he waved the flashlight in her eyes again and she swatted it away.

Katara groaned again, but this time not from the pain. Why did he have to lose it whenever he got nervous?

"Yea Sokka, I'm fine." she managed to croak out. "Will you back off already? My head's about to exploded and you yelling in my ear isn't helping."

Sokka stepped back but as soon as Katara was sitting up, he came back at her, determined to get her to answer his questions.

"Katara? Come on, what happened? Oh my god did someone hurt you? Are you okay enough to talk?"

"I…no Sokka no one did anything. I tripped when I was getting up to go back home and… I tripped over something, I think it was some tree roots and I hit my head." Katara looked up at him. "Sokka, something happened, something really…unusual."

"Tell me Katara."

Katara nodded slowly. She slowly took a deep breath and started telling Sokka about her experience, but before she could speak, Sokka frowned and took her wrist.

"You're bleeding," he said.

"I know, I scraped my knee when I fell over the roots –"

"No, not your knee. Your hand."

Puzzled, Katara looked down to see a trickle of blood flowing from her left hand from something that had deeply but it. She took the flashlight from Sokka's hands and brought it up. As she saw what had cut her finger, she felt an anguished cry from her lips.

She was wearing a ring.

A thin gold band with a small ruby flame in the center.


Okay, I just wanted to start right away into the main part. I hoped that it didn't feel too rushed. Remember that Katara was 'dreaming' into the past after Zuko had joined Aang and Katara and Zuko liked each other. How was it? Plz R&R!

Next Chapter 2: Coincidence