Chapter 2
Mist of Mourning

"No, Momo! I already told you I don't have anymore snacks! Now, bug off," Sokka grumbled, prying the flying lemur off his back and setting her on the ground for the fourth or fifth time.

Katara and Aang merely exchanged looks and shrugged as Momo climbed on Sokka again to search his coat. They returned their attention to the well-stocked fruits stand next to them and checked their funds.

"I think we have enough for four cantaloupes this time," Aang speculated as Katara counted out the coins.

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it was generous of that traveling merchant to give us some coin."

"Well, it was pretty tiring pulling his mule-rabbit from that mudslide. Especially without Toph…" Aang flatly added.

Katara sighed. "Once again, the mighty earthbending Empress found reason to leave us in a jam… and with Appa, this time," she grumbled and started inspecting the cantaloupes.

"No, Momo! Stop it!"

Aang curled his hands into fists as he glared at the apples. "I don't get it… Why does she feel the need to rebel against us! What did we even do? Did we do something wrong?"

"Don't take it too seriously, Aang. Toph was just being Toph," Katara said absently.

"She was acting rude since this morning after that brief earthbending lesson. I did everything exactly as she said. I got angry enough, didn't I?"

"I… don't think Toph wanted you to be angry—not really anyway," Katara said slowly, giving Aang a slightly concerned look. She sighed and put down the cantaloupe as she saw Aang's somber expression and took him by the shoulders. "Remember what I told you? You're dealing with your opposing element, Aang. It's going to take a little time. But you'll get it, I know it. You just need to know it."

Aang looked up at her and tried a faint smile.

Katara nodded at him in reassurance and then returned to the shopping.

"Seriously! Someone get this monkey off me!"

"Toph was really getting in my face. I just assumed she wanted me to put anger into my bending," Aang said in a lighter tone as he juggled an apple and orange. "The whole 'twinkle-toes' nickname is getting a little old…"

"Oh, there you are, twinkle-toes."

The apple and orange fell to the ground with two thumps. Aang's expression went flat before he turned to face their forth companion, the earthbender, Toph.

Katara quickly made her purchases of a few varying fruits, stuffed them in a cloth sack and then focused her attention on Aang and Toph. She glanced down the dock briefly as a crash resulted from Sokka tumbling into a street cart, before Toph spoke.

"I hope you guys didn't have too much trouble getting to this place. The thing I had to do was pretty important though."

Aang gave her a slightly suspicious look. "'Pretty' important, as in it wasn't actually crucial for you to take Appa away out of the blue?"

"Well, it looks like the shops will be closing up soon," Toph hedged with a casual shrug. "Do we have anymore things that need to be done before dusk sets?" She turned toward Katara.

Katara hesitated, watching Aang struggle with his frustration. "We need a few medical supplies…"

"Can't you use your waterbending to heal or is that reserved for talented waterbenders?" Toph said drolly.

Katara put a narrowed gaze on the earthbender. "Yes, I can heal wounds on the outside. But Sokka's catching a cold. We should also get a couple bottles of sage remedy, in case any of us contract that Redwood Disease. It's common in this area."

"You probably should if we're sleeping outside… again."

"What's wrong? Missing the life of royalty already?" Aang said cheekily.

Toph grunted. "Come on. Let's gather up that clumsy oaf over there—" (she inclined her head towards Sokka of course) "—and go set up camp. Katara can get whatever else we need quicker on her own," she declared, holding her hand out for the sack of fruits Katara had purchased.

"Since when did you start bossing everyone arou—Hey! Wait up!" Aang called after Toph, who took the sack and walked on toward Sokka, the water tribe warrior stuck in the cart he'd crashed into.

Katara walked after them for a bit before turning down another dock extending from the main one.

Asamoya was a small town sitting above an accommodating lake in the middle of a rich forest. Denizens got around along the wooden docks lining humble homes and shacks on the two market 'streets'. As the dusk slowly pulled down darkness, windows ignited in warm light almost matching the fireflies floating above the luminous waters.

Katara peered over the dock's guard rail to see her clear reflection rippling very slightly before focusing on her immediate task. She scanned signs either nailed in eye-catching view on the plank buildings or swinging out to catch a consumer's attention. A sign with green painted lettering read: "Ami Herbs: Pharmacy". She dashed into the store and quickly approached a circular table in one corner of the room where a young woman sat behind.

The woman smiled politely. "How may I help you?"

"Um, do you have sage remedy?"

"Yes, for ten copper pennies."

Katara let out a little sigh of relief. She dug in their little pouch of coins, withdrew twenty copper pennies and handed them over to the pharmacist. The woman took the currency in her slightly wrinkled hand, a hand that peculiarly seemed older than the woman's face suggested.

Dropping the payment into a small metal box and closing it shut, the woman conversationally said, "You're quite young, unless I have missed out on location of where the 'fountain of youth' is."

Katara offered a smile. "I'm traveling with my family."

"Ah, that's nice. I trust your travels have been fun?" the woman said and slid two bottles of reddish-brown colored paste across the table.

"Yes. There are ups and downs of course. Thank you for this," Katara said, picking up the two bottles.

"Do you have a bag?"

Katara gave her a nervous smile and shook her head.

The woman laughed warmly. "Oh, then here. Take this. They're easy to make and quite durable," she stated with a proud note.

Katara thanked her once more and then made to leave. Just before she did, the woman said, "I wish good fortune for you, young miss. Never stop smiling either."

Katara blushed in slight embarrassment but smiled none-the-less and then exited. She looked further down the dock, wondering if there were other last minute purchases that needed to be made. Deciding against it as their finances had depleted greatly in a few measly exchanges, she let out a little sigh and headed back the way she had entered Asamoya. Upon reaching the entrance, she only then realized she wasn't sure where the others set up camp.

It seemed like she barely took ten paces from the peaceful sanctity of the town before a dense fog settled in all of sudden. She could barely see beyond her arm's reach in any direction.

Oh, brilliant, Katara. See what happens when you walk around with your head in the clouds? she silently scorned herself.

Naturally, she started walking back toward the town but she walked for nearly five minutes and couldn't find it again. It became harder to push her panic down as five minutes became ten, and then minutes became an hour.

She restrained herself from running and calling out inanely. On their way to Asamoya, their group had spotted a few predators hunting in the woods. Heaven knows what might come running if she gave her position away. Twigs snapped beneath her feet and she jumped inches into the air, bumping back into a tree. She slid down and hugged her knees against a moist chill filling the air. If she waited a while, the fog was sure to thin out enough for her to find the road or signs of the town or her friends, she decided. Bottles clinked in the sack as they settled to the ground at her side. For a moment, she worried the sound was too loud but all she heard in return were the same distant hoots of night birds and squeaks of rodents.

Strangely, it wasn't all that dark. Other than the fog, there was a warm glow ever present in the healthy earth and stocky, bushy-topped trees. It was an observation that contradicted the feel of the place. Maybe it was just because she was alone.

That didn't last.

Her breath hitched as faint thumps became rapidly moving footsteps. Twigs snapped more often then when she had been walking and fallen leaves crumpled loud and brusquely enough to tell Katara it couldn't be Aang, who was light on his feet, nor Toph, who saw with her feet and had the confidence to wander anywhere on her own, and Sokka… well, he'd probably be grumbling to himself and be much more clumsy.

That meant this presence was an unknown. He or she could merely be a local lost in the fog like Katara had become. Or, if fate would have it, it could be a thug, some roadside bandit.

She remained quietly tense against the trunk of the tree, willing the stranger to pass by without finding her. If he or she did find her… well, she wouldn't go down without a fight.

Her pulse quickened as the footsteps grew nearer.

And nearer.

She heard a growl of frustration. It was a male's voice.

Steady, Katara. Wait for the opportune moment. If he's aggressive… you know what to do.

First, she saw legs march into view. Her eyes quickly traveled up and her heart seemed to stop. To her, it was in slow motion as the guy turned his head toward her and she saw into golden amber eyes.

He appeared just as shocked as she. The moment dragged on for possibly the longest moment in Katara's memory. Just one word came to mind and left her lips.

"Zuko?"

to be continued.