A/N. Oh, there is violence in this chapter. It isn't pretty. Enjoy!
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
When the last fire was extinguished, Katara bend down, to grab the Air Nomad chest she had put away from danger. Behind her, Toph whistled that stupid, disgusting song that Sokka liked to sing, just to annoy her.
Walking to where her brother stood, the waterbender realized her father had also come, and was looking at her with a mixture of… Sadness and admiration? She understood. This was probably the first time he saw her waterbend… Or waterbending in general.
"We need to move." Her brother spoke, with a very serious undertone in his usually cheery voice, pointing his chin to something that was behind her. Turning around, she saw the small pillar of smoke on the horizon, meaning that one of the steamships of the Fire Nation was there.
"What is your plan?" Katara asked him. Her father had told her that they planned to ambush the ship but hadn't gone into details. And knowing her brother, she knew he was the only one crazy enough to suggest burning their own means of escape.
"Let the ship think we are defeated, and let it send a message to the fleet behind it. Then, ambush them and take their place. We will still keep the fleet informed of activity while we travel in front of it, so that no one will think the ship has been captured. Then, escape through the lakes to the western coast. From there, we will see."
That was… well, brilliant. But Sokka had his moments. He was an idiot sometimes, but when he put his mind to it, he made crazy ideas work. And that was his strength.
They made their way to the tree line, and Katara saw how her father gestured to them to crouch. Taking Toph's hand, the waterbender pulled the blind girl behind a tree.
"Why are we crouching behind a tree? There is no one around, except your father's soldiers." The earth bender grumbled. Katara knew how she hated being in thick forested areas, because there were so many animals that made her senses go off like crazy.
"We are waiting to see what the ship will do." Sokka whispered back. He didn't need to be so silent, but Katara understood it was his nerves.
They waited. The spot on the horizon became bigger and bigger, before taking the form of a small ship. It wasn't like the great battleships that had invaded the North Pole several months ago, but the design was nearly the same, only smaller.
Katara had to resist the urge of going to the clearing to check on Aang. Bato was with him. Bato would call her if something happened. And yet, it was difficult. She knew it was unhealthy, but she wanted to be there, at every waking moment. He could need her at any moment…
"Calm down Sugar Queen. Nothing is happening." Toph whispered, with a small smile, "You don't really think I wasn't keeping an 'eye' on Twinkletoes?"
Of course… Of course the blind girl would check on the airbender…
"How is he?" She asked.
"His heartbeat is steadier than yesterday, and much stronger than three nights ago… But still not at pre-killed level. That will take time." Toph spoke softly.
"Thanks… For making sure he is okay." Katara whispered back. Her brother and father, behind another tree, were also quietly whispering, watching the ship that began slowed down in the bay. If she couldn't hear them… Well, that meant they couldn't hear her normally. So, she turned to the girl next to her.
"I… I wasn't sure what I did helped…" She said, while wringing her hand together. It was a nervous tick she knew she had. But she couldn't help it.
"Are you kidding me? You brought the guy back from the death Sweetness. You helped, that is for sure." Toph answered, while putting a hand on hers, to make her stop squeezing them together.
"Thank you..." It felt so nice to hear that it had done something. The sleepless nights, the constant healing…
The ship released its anchor, and a small boat was lowered from the deck, with three soldiers in it. Sokka gestured to her, and put a finger to his lips. The message was clear.
Silence.
Katara quickly put a finger against Toph's lips, who nodded, pressing her mouth shut. The boat made landfall, and the three men jumped out. She could hear the laughter, even from where they were hiding.
"Hazu! Look at this! The savages have already been killed!" One shouted, waving a burned peddle from the boats.
"Are you sure? There are no bodies…" One of the two other shouted back.
"Oh, there are all kinds of creatures in that jungle! And otherwise, the tide would have taken them. No worry! We don't even need to fight them!" The first soldier laughed, and turned around, walking back to the boat.
The second man also turned back, but the third kept looking at the wrecked camp. And then, after nearly five minutes during which Katara nearly didn't dare to breathe… He turned around, shrugging his shoulders, and joined his comrades in the boat. It took off, going back to the ship.
"They bought it… they really did…" Sokka whispered, sounding surprised.
"That is what winning for nearly a century does. It makes you overconfident." Her father spoke, with a hard edge to his voice.
"Well, at least, this time, it works in our favour." Toph stood up, "Now what?"
"We wait until we see a bird leave the ship, and then, we ambush it at night." Her brother spoke, also standing up.
"Go to the others, I'll keep a look out." Her father began to climb the tree, and sat down on a branch, making sure he was covered from view.
Sokka, Toph and she made their way back to the clearing. Emerging from the jungle into the open space, she was met by something she hadn't expected… Every tribesman, looking at them like they were seeing something crazy.
And… well, probably, in their eyes… they were. A waterbender and an earth bender working together, while Sokka had come up with such a ridiculous idea that had actually worked… It wasn't how they were used to wage war. In the Water Tribes, personal valour and strength was key at fighting. Using stealth and bending… well, it was unusual for the Southern Water Tribe.
"How is he?" She asked Bato when she found him and Aang. The airbender still laid silently on the stretcher, but to her relieve, the white-greyish furs underneath him didn't look blood soaked.
"No change, thanks the Spirits. I had expected that his wound would open, with the way we had to evacuate him… But he is still the same otherwise…" the older man smiled tentatively.
Well… At least it wasn't worse. But it could have been better…
Kneeling down next to the stretcher, she felt his heartbeat, still the same… His breathing? Still shallow and short, but present. She quickly caressed his cheek, trying to make it look as if she was still examining him. Sokka knew… Toph knew… Bato probably. They didn't need to tell other tribesmen about… this predicament.
"Hey Sis… I wanted to ask you something… If we ambush the ship, a waterbender could be quite handy to have with us… as does a metalbender." Her brother nodded to Toph, "So… Would you come with us? As soon as it is dark…"
She had left Aang twice today already… A third would nearly kill her, Katara knew for sure. But Sokka… well, he was right. Helping to take the ship would not only make sure that the tribe survived… It would also make sure Aang had a stable and comfortable place to heal…
"Under one condition. I want at least three people guarding Aang. And if something happens, I want to know." She decided. She would help, but only if Aang would be safe.
"Yeah, of course!" Sokka sighed in relief, she was sure. He had surely prepared himself for a lengthy debate. Her brother turned around, to face their fellow tribesmen.
"Would anyone volunteer to guard the Avatar?" He shouted.
And… the whole group… stepped forward. Not one decided not to volunteer… How? What had Aang ever done for them to deserve such a united response?
"Seems you can choose." Bato grinned, "He protected our families. We will do the same now."
Of course… Water Tribe customs dictated that if someone protected your loved ones… You were bound to do the same for that person. Katara felt relief and gratitude flow through her. Of course, their tribe wouldn't turn their back to them…
And… they probably also knew that Aang was one of the few chances to win the war. So that also helped. Of course, they would protect him.
"In that case… Bato, would you stay? You can pick the others then…" She asked the older man. She trusted him most of all. He knew Aang and would help him.
"Of course." He smiled and nodded.
They waited, and after a little less than an hour, her father came back, grinning.
"Well… they took the bait. A bird flew off. And they have anchored for the night I think." He explained when he came to stand in front of her and Sokka.
"Alright, that gives us six hours from now. In two, it will be dark, and it gives us time to prepare. Then, two more to take the ship. One hour to get our supplies and Aang on board. While some men do that, we can figure out how to make the ship move. With just a little but of luck… We'll be gone upriver before the rest of the fleet arrives in the bay. They will want to secure it before moving up the river, so that gives us at least a day. A day to move as far as possible." Sokka sighed, and Katara saw the gleam in his ice blue eyes. This was he had been made for. Yes, he was their meat and sarcasm guy. But he was so much more.
The men began to move, and Katara realized they had done this before. While some sharpened their weapons, most began to put warrior paint on their face. As much dark paint as they could, to blend into the shadows. Some also put on darker blue cloaks or tunics.
The waterbender stayed next to Aang. She didn't have darker clothes, but she got hold of some of Sokka's paint. Normally, in the Water Tribes, women weren't allowed to wear it, but no one objected while she began to put it on.
"Can I help you?" A voice sounded behind her. She turned, and saw her dad, smiling softly at her. Katara hesitated an instant, and she saw the hurt look in her father eyes. His icy eyes, so much like Sokka's, stood out in a face painted pitch black, with undertones of blue in it.
She nodded, and her father knelt down in front of her, taking the paint. He put his thumb into the paint, and began to put in on her forehead.
"I am proud of you…" He began, and she felt some… relief? Gratitude? No. It was… pride. It felt good to be accepted and respected.
"I never realized… what you could become. I had always hoped for you to become someone who could be proud of herself. That was all I could wish for. But you have become more than that. You are a wonderful bender, and I guess, a good fighter. And you can heal… You can do more than most people can ever dream of. And still, you are humbler than most. I… my mother was right. She told me once that my children would surpass me. And they already have." She saw how he smiled, while painting her face.
Katara let him talk. She knew it was not only difficult for her to be in his presence for the first time in six years…
"And I apologize for being so dumb. I could have been more… cautious. I could have waited to answer Aang. And I could have waited to tell you about that. I… I just… I don't know how to act with you. For me, it is as if the eleven-year-old you became who you are today… in the matter of three days." He continued, and she felt her heart soften. Just a bit.
"Dad." It was the first time she had addressed him like that, she realized. And, he also seemed to recognize that, because she felt his thumb stop and shake, before continuing,
"I… just, don't try too hard. We are not going anywhere for the moment. We have time." It was a lie. They were what was left of the resistance against the Fire Nation. Their lives could end any day. They could end tonight if something went wrong.
Her father scoffed. She could have known it was no use to lie about that. He had been at war for six years. He knew that time was never endless.
"I'll try. But know if I've tried too hard to win back your affection… Well, it came from good intentions. Done!" He stood up, rather quickly. She suspected it was to hide his own embarrassment at the words he had uttered. But she had appreciated his honesty.
Also standing up, she saw how Sokka was looking at her, with a small smile on his lips. Looking down at Aang, she knew that she had to say goodbye. Just for some hours. Nothing major. But it still was difficult.
"I'll come back. Appa and Momo will stay here, and Bato, with some of the warriors. And Aang… " She bend down, so that the following words were just for him. Even if he couldn't hear her… "Mero mana, timro ho, mero premokura…. My Aang." The last two words, she whispered. No need that everyone heard those…
My heart belongs to you, my eternal love, my everything… My Aang.
Katara looked at the unconscious airbender for a moment, before straightening and walking away, following some of the men, who walked towards the beach. They stopped, standing just inside the cover of the trees, watching out over the bay.
The sun was setting behind them, to the west. The high trees and mountains at the horizon behind them made it so that darkness settled much faster than it would normally do. The men on the ship would only see the golden rays on the setting sun, obscuring them from view. Normally.
"I heard what you said. Or at least… the end…" Toph spoke behind her. Grinning.
"Oh?" Of course, she would…. The blind girl had much better hearing than most people…
"Yeah and let's just say… bleeeh." The earth bender gagged.
"You and Sokka should make a comedic duo after the war." Katara grumbled. It was not like it was any of their business, and she liked it. Katara liked the slightly sappy and foolish way she and Aang had 'flirted'.
"Oh, that is an idea! But for now, let's concentrate on being everything except… funny…" The grin on the girl's face transformed on something much more… feral.
Her father and Sokka had also moved to the tree line, and she saw how her brother was looking through a spyglass. When he removed it from his eye, he grinned.
"They are partying… Oh Spirits, the idiots won't know what hit them." Sokka said, while handing the spyglass to their father. If the men on the ship were drunk… Spirits, that could make their task so much easier…
"Let's go. It is dark enough now. Men! Swim as silently as you can and keep the masks on you. I'll shout when we dropped them!" her father said. Katara couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, and Sokka saw it.
"We made these kinds of stink bombs when I was here last week. Dad had them also in small versions, and we are going to drop them on the deck. You need this mask to… well, breath." He explained, handing her and Toph several pieces of cloth.
The men were on the beach, silently moving to the sea shore. Katara saw how Toph hesitated.
"You can hold my hand." The waterbender said quietly. The earth bender not only hated the water, but also… she couldn't swim.
"Can't you bend like some icy boat thing?" the blind girl sighed.
"Sorry. It would be seen…"
"Well, learning how to swim while going into battle! What better moment than this?" the sarcasm was very clear…
They followed the men, and when she reached the water, Katara, for the first time in a long time, smiled. Like a real smile.
"How do you feel about getting to that boat very quickly?" She asked Toph, who just nodded, looking a bit green.
"Hey! Sokka! Dad! Warn the men. I can get us there quickly!" She whispered. Before too long, the tribesmen were standing up to the waist in the water, apprehensively looking at her.
Moving one hand, while the other held Toph's fingers, Katara felt the pull and push that had gotten so familiar inside of her. Silently, the water changed direction. Instead of quietly hitting the beach over and over again…. It moved towards the boat. With the warriors being transported on the wave. They stayed silent, but Katara saw how several looked at her with big eyes.
The wave she had created crashed silently against the ship, and, with another move of her hand, Katara immobilized the water. Three warriors had taken ropes with hooks on them, and now, they threw them to the deck.
Toph put a hand against the ship, and with a small movement, and her eyes screwed tightly shut, bent several dents in the ship's hull, next to each rope. Spirits… She could really metalbend…
"Great job with that. I forgot to congratulate you." She whispered in the blind girl's ear, while some warriors began to scale the hull.
"Oh yes, I'm the greatest. You can sing my praise later Sugar Queen." Toph smiled, while paddling as silently as possible to the rope closest to them. When they reached it, Toph went first, climbing up. Katara would never admit it, but she watched out for any sign of weakness from the blind earth bender. As independent as she was, sometimes, there were things she just couldn't see. Like an arrow or a stone being thrown towards her. Normally, Aang kept an eye on her and deflected any projectile with his airbending. Now, she would look out for her.
She put on the mask, and began to climb up after Toph. Above them, she heard the three small explosions. Those would be the stink bomb things Sokka had talked about.
As she climbed over the railing, something happened. Normally, when she fought, Katara tried to restrain herself. To avoid killing or wounding someone too severely. But… These people had come to hunt down her friends. Her family. These people had nearly exterminated her tribe. These people had killed Aang and his people. The dark side of her emotions, that she had kept at bay since that first night, returned in force.
No mercy tonight.
The thought came as she landed on the other side of the railing. It didn't even surprise her. She had lost all empathy to people who killed. To people who had hurt her.
Payback time.
From the sea below, Katara summoned water, and when it glided through her hand, she froze it into a short, sharp point. This time, she would not hold back. Let the people of the Fire Nation learn what it meant to hurt her. To hurt Aang.
When she walked over the metal deck, she heard screams and shouts coming from the other side of the ship. Turning around, she ran to the where the sounds came from. Katara turned around the metal wall to her right, and emerged onto the large open space between the metal tower on the back of the ship and the prow. And what she saw… made her smile.
The Fire Nation soldiers had not been prepared. She saw several bottles lay on the deck, so the soldiers were most probably drunk. There were already several men lying on the deck, dead or too wounded to move, and all were wearing red.
Moving to the fighting, one particular burly man, with a beard to match his physique, saw her and laughed.
"A woman!"
She walked up to him, and he raised his sword. She saw him stagger, and he tried to regain his footing. Before he could, Katara had already plunged her ice spike into the beard, piercing his throat just under his chin.
He dropped to the deck, gurgling up blood.
She moved on. Another man ran towards her, but she just stepped sideways, and the man ran past her. But as he did, she froze the side of the ice spear into a sharp edge, and put it against his throat. The momentum he had made him sew open his own throat.
And yet again, a man fell down.
This went on. After the first two, Katara killed a firebender who tried to melt the spear in her hand. He didn't manage, for she just threw it. It pierced one of the man's eyes. Unfreezing it, and making it reappear in her hand as a solid ice spear, she went on.
She didn't keep count. Katara just knew that everyone she managed to… neutralize… was one less threat against her tribe. Against her friends. Against Aang.
She arrived at the prow of the ship and turned around.
Carnage. That was the word she found to describe the scene. The deck was soaked in blood, and Katara saw how a small group of maybe five to eight men huddled in the middle, encircled by tribesmen. Walking up to them, she saw how Sokka stood there, cleaning his weapon. His face was splattered with blood, but seen as he didn't have any wounds, she assumed it wasn't his.
"Sis?"
She saw how he looked at her like… like he was afraid. Looking down, Katara saw her own dress was covered in blood. And how her right arm was just red, from the ice spear to her elbow.
"Who are these?" She asked, ignoring the strange look from her brother.
"The captain, and some of the men." Her father explained, also looking at her with that same look.
"We surrender. Please, don't kill us!" A man with a moustache and a helmet said, clearly afraid. The waterbender assumed he was the captain.
"How many ships are there in the fleet?" Her brother asked. Of course, they couldn't let these men live. If just one made his way back to the fleet… Well, their plan would be ruined.
"Eighteen! We are what remained from Admiral Zhao's fleet!" One of the men spoke, quickly. They were looking terrified. It wasn't that strange. They had just seen their friends being killed in the dark, by an enemy they had assumed dead.
"You were at the North Pole?" Sokka asked.
"Yes! We escaped when the Avatar attacked!" The captain explained. So, not only were they hopeless soldiers, but they were also cowards.
Looking at her father, she realized he was hearing about what Aang was capable of… From an enemy. From someone who was afraid of the Avatar. And in his eyes, she saw the surprise. He had only seen Aang as a gentle and kind person. And then, as an invalid. But now, he heard the stories. The stories of the Avatar, the unstoppable force of nature and of the Spirits.
"What news about the Avatar?" She asked suddenly. The waterbender heard her brother groan softly.
"The Princess killed him and his friends in Ba Sing Se. The news has been sent to all units. After consolidating the city, we are to move against the Water Tri… The water…" The captain seemed to realize who exactly they were.
He looked at the ice spear in her hand, and his eyes went wide.
"The water… the waterbender…"
"Don't still think I'm dead, do you?" She smiled, but even she could feel the angry glare in her eyes. The captain took a step back but was halted by one of the tribesmen.
"And just think… If I'm alive… Who knows…Maybe the Avatar is also breathing…"
Several of the men in the small group of captives began to whimper.
"And if you've seen what he is capable of at the North Pole… Just imagine what he will do to the Fire Nation…" She knew Aang would never kill or lay waste to anything… But to see the fear on the faces of these men… It felt good.
"Sis…"
"Katara…"
She didn't listen. Taking a step forward, she stood in front of the captain.
"He is alive. Avatar Aang didn't die." She whispered.
"You savage! Water bitch!" One of the captives began, but of the tribesmen killed the man before he could continue.
She herself plunged her ice spear in the ribs of the captain. Releasing it, she walked away, under the strange gaze of her brother and father, while the rest of the captives were killed.
Let them know. Let them know that I won't be merciful. That is over. The Fire Nation has got itself in this situation. They shouldn't have attacked Aang. Shouldn't have killed countless of men, women and children. They shouldn't have killed her loved ones.
Now, they would learn what that meant. What it meant to lose.
Answers :
Rak : Let's be real, Hakoda is kinda right : it is a horrible idea to get in a relationship if the other person can die in just three months time. But then again, Katara and Aag wouldn't care I think. We'll see!
Gabriela N. Gonzalez ; Thank you! Yeah, seeing something you thought extinct must be so exciting! Yeah, Katara is kind of all over the place, going from normal to unhinged in the matter of seconds. And just imagine her state of mind if Aang runs away…