Well here's the next chapter I hope ya'll like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, or Zuko or anyone else in Avatar (Oh but hope and pray to God that I will some day! LOL! JK!)

Authors Note: In the last chapter I used a thing called a Slum Way, it's basically a dump that connects to every house and it all meets together in one area. I hope that that answered some1's question. And yes Zuko and Katara are now traveling together (even though hate it as much as the other.) Well, here we go! This will have more Aang in it! And the beginning is in Zuko's P.O.V (point of view).

P.S. I also put Katara and Sokka's mom in this chapter. And I named her Akira (I thought it sounded pretty.)

Chapter 5

This is complete crap! I can't believe you're taking this!

Will you shut your mouth!

No! This girl is a driving me nuts! I swear if she says one more word I'll…why did you even help her in the first place?

She was in trouble! No woman should ever be treated in such a manner.

You and your dang honor and feelings…

Zuko groaned as he urged his ostrich-horse forward; it was hard enough having to put up with the constant brawling in his brain, but adding this jabber jaw water peasant in with it just made it horrendous! She nagged him on everything! His clothes, his outdoors skills, even his hygiene! If this kept up he'd go crazy!

Katara was having the roses and butterflies day either. Zuko's hardheaded attitude drove her to the brink of insanity, he was rude, spoiled, and just a pain in the butt. He never listened to her, he wasn't at all hygienic, and he obviously didn't have any outdoors skills whatsoever.

Zuko was right. This is a living nightmare!

For once Katara had to agree with her screwed up subconscious brain. This was c-r-a-p!

And the worst part was… they had only been traveling together for four hours!

But she'd just have to deal with it for now. She had no where else to go and had no idea where her ditching friends. At that moment Katara wondered if they were even looking for her or even cared that she was missing?

Meanwhile…

Hundreds of miles away, Aang was sitting slouched on Appa's furry head, his eyes burning with anger, worry, and hatred. His breathing came out in loud growls and huffs, his knuckles turned white as he squeezed Appa's reins. Aang had been acting this way ever since he had been told that Katara wasn't where those two idiots had left her!

"What do you mean she's not here?" Aang had shouted at Sokka, who looked horribly perplexed and devastated.

"She's gone Aang. She just... not here." Sokka whispered under his shaking breathe.

Aang couldn't imagine how worse it could possibly get, but it did…

"And there's something else…" Toph added hesitantly, walking up to the enraged Avatar.

"What?" Aang snapped, his gray eyes burning like hot fresh embers.

"There's a chance…she might be…" Toph's voice trailed off, she didn't have the heart to tell him, instead she lifted up her foot revealing the blood she had stepped in minutes before.

Aang hadn't spoken to either of them since, and three days had already passed. Until they found Katara this is how it'd be: Sokka would direct, Aang would drive, and Toph would sit and try not to make Aang even more furious than he already was (the bet had been her idea.).

"There should a village close to here, "Sokka mumbled to Aang, who said nothing, "It's a town called LiJiang, two miles northeast."

Aang grunted in acknowledgement and roughly steered Appa to his right; dusk was just rising over the mountains

Back to Katara and Zuko…

Katara clung tightly to Zuko's waist as the moon began to raise over the deserts high ranging mountains. Her eyelids hung heavily as their ostrich-horse came to a sudden stop, Zuko flung himself off the creatures back, Katara sleepily followed his example.

The cool, desert night wind wiped at her face as she and Zuko each pulled out their own blankets and laid down on the hard, rocky desert floor. Neither said anything to each other, as both curled up on the sharp, lumpy ground; each keeping a safe distance away from the other.

Katara twitched as a pointy rock suddenly poked her in the side (the side that had been injured. Even though it had been healed, it was still very tender and bruised.) She turned over onto her stomach and fell into a very uncomfortable sleep.

"Mommy! When's dad coming home?" whined an eight year old Katara as she played on icy tundra floor.

Her mother, Akira, looked down at her little daughter and gave her an encouraging smile. "Very soon my angel. Very soon."

"I hope so," cried a very excited Sokka, "I want to show him how good I've gotten at this thing," he laughed as flung his new boomerang around their tiny hut. It came sailing back, hitting him square in the head.

Katara rolled her eyes and smirked, "I sure he'll be very impressed." Her words soaked in sarcasm. Sokka frowned.

"Now, now you two," Their mother warned seeing the battle beginning to rise. "Let's not fight, you promised dad you'd be good until he got back. And besides it's time for little warriors and waterbenders to go to sleep." She gave her children a playful smile.

Sokka groaned as he put up his boomerang and crawled into his tiny cot in the corner, but not before he stuck his tongue out at his sister. Katara rolled her eyes and crawled into her own cot. "Mommy," she whispered as her mother tucked the thick, wool covers around her, "can you sing the lullaby tonight?" Katara knew she was a little old for lullaby's, but she just loved to here her mother's voice as she fell asleep.

Akira smiled at her daughter and very softly she began to sing:

'Hush now my angel

and please do not cry.

Hear the soft words

of this night lullaby.

It tells of the ending

of this long started war.

When our soldiers come home,

and will live as before.

For our savior is coming,

he'll take the battles away.

He rise up against them

and make the evil men pay.

Then the darkness will die

and we all shall rejoice.

Even the dead

will awake at our voice.

The creatures will sing,

as the darkness does flee.

When our savior returns,

we all shall be free.'

"Will all this really happen Mom?" Katara asked as the song came to a close.

Her mother smiled sadly as she pecked Katara's cheek, "I really hope so sweety…I really hope so."

Suddenly a loud explosion erupted from outside, followed angry battles cries and frightened screams. The sound of crackling flames and hissing steam roared outside their hut…the sound of a Fire Nation raid. Katara's mother jumped to her feet and headed for the door flap, Sokka and Katara right behind her.

"You two stay here!" she cried looking around at them.

"But I can fight!" Sokka shouted in frustration.

"Protect your sister!" Akira shouted at him over the sound of the raid, worry and love filled her ocean blue eyes. She quickly leaned down and embraced her crying children. Suddenly she ripped something off her neck and placed it in Katara's tiny hand.

Katara looked down to see it was her mother's necklace. "Treasure this, and love all." Her mother whispered in Katara's ear.

And with one final look at her children, she ran outside.

For a few minutes the siblings did nothing but listen to the sound of flames and screaming, and wait anxiously for their mother to return.

Suddenly a loud, ear piercing scream rang out through the air and all was silent. Not a breathe was heard, not a flame cracked, not even the icy wind blew.

Katara and Sokka looked at each other, and very slowly they pulled back the flap of their little hut.

Everything was destroyed. Huts and igloos were burned and melted; the ice beneath them was cracked and watery and off in the distance Katara could see a Fire Navy ship sailing farther and farther away from them.

Very slowly people began emerging from behind burnt barrels and crates. Others came out of half melted igloos or smoking huts, but Katara's eyes sought her mother. But she was no where in sight. A soft groan behind her made Katara turn around, and to her horror she saw her mother laying only feet from their hut.

"Mommy!" Katara screamed as she ran to her mothers side, Sokka close behind. She was lying in a heap on the ground, limp. A burn covered half her body. Katara shook her shoulder and screamed her name again and again, but she didn't move. "Mommy! Please wake up! Don't leave me now! Please…wake up!" Very slowly her mother's eyes opened heavily. There wasn't that much life left in her, and they all knew it.

"Katara, Sokka…" her voice was light and airy, "promise me you'll look after each other," the siblings nodded as tear fell poured down the faces, "Sokka…protect your sister…always. Promise?" Sokka nodded, tears fell from his eyes like rain. "Katara…remember what I told you and never forget…that I love always and forever." The light began to leave her beautiful eyes and with she was gone.

"Mom? MOM!" Katara's screams were suddenly muffled as sudden a high pitch laugh rang through the air, mocking Katara's sadness. A loud, agonizing scream pierced through her heart.

Katara sat up sweating; tears filled her eyes. Her hair disheveled. "Mom?" she whispered confused. The sun was just now rising over the mountains.

"It's about time you woke up." A voice made Katara jump. She looked in its direction to see Zuko sitting nearly ten feet from her, his back leaned against a large rock, his arms crossed over his chest.

Katara glared at him, "So sorry to keep you waiting your highness." She snapped sarcastically.

Zuko returned her a glare, "You're a real jackass you know that?"

Katara rolled her eyes as she stood to her feet, "So, what's for breakfast?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

Zuko smirked as he reached his arm around behind the rock he was leaning on. A second later his arm came back out, only this time holding a small boar in his hand. Hestoodupand dropped the creature by Katara feet.

"Bon apatite." he grinned at the degusted look on the girl's face.

Katara looked down at the small boar and gagged; it looked like someone had tried to roast it, but only half accomplished that goal. She gaped at Zuko, who looked like he was having the time of his life. "Please tell me you're serious?" She asked, pointing to the dead carcass. "You expect me to eat that."

Zuko's eyebrows rose up, "No, I don't expect you eat it." He laughed. Katara sighed with relief. Zuko smirked, "I expect you to cook it."

Katara felt her face go limp, her eyes went back in forth between the grinning Zuko and the dead boar, "You're kidding, right?"

Zuko shrugged, "Hey, I caught it, you cook it, and we eat it. Isn't that how it works?"

Katara cocked her eyebrows, "Okay, that's it." she said pushing the half roasted boar aside with her foot, walking up the prince. "This weird little idea you've playing around in your crazed mind just isn't going to work. If we are going to travel together we've got to set a few rules here."

Zuko folded his arms, "I'm listening." Amusement drowned his words.

Katara smiled, for once he listens, "Okay, first of all I don't cook. Ever. Second, no sexist comments about men being better than women at hunting, fighting and all the other stuff, because you of all people should know that is definitely not true." She smirked as she was referring to the time at the North Pole when she beat Zuko in their bending battle.

Zuko glared, but said nothing.

Katara continued, "And third no more peasant nick-names or comments. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Zuko shrugged his shoulders, "only if you obey my rules." He added with a devilish smile.

Katara blinked at him, once, then twice, "And they are?" she asked slowly.

Zuko's eyes sparkled with excitement, "The first thing you should know is I don't cook either. Second thing is I don't really enjoy nagging waterbenders getting on my back about every little I do, so no more of that. Agreed?" Zuko held out his hand for her to shake.

Katara smirked, "Agreed." She said grasping Zuko's hand. "Just one thing though? How are we going to eat?" she asked poking the boar.

Zuko frowned, he hadn't thought about that.

Well, there's chapter 5! I know it was kinda boring but I have to have my characters and stories start somewhere right? Trust the cool parts are in the next chapter! (and for those of you who are waiting for the Zutara fluff and lovey stuff that's in chapters 7 and beyond)

If you guys have any ideas of how I can make it better PLZZZZZZ tell me! I'm starting to catch a bad case of writers block! AAAAHHHHHHH! Plzzzzz review and help me!

(Oh and I'm thinking of changing the title of the story. What do you guys think?)