Ursa tied the grey cloth around Aang's head so his arrow tattoo was covered. His airbender attire had also been replaced with a tunic and pants in greys and dullish reds, which had been found on the ship and adjusted to fit his small frame. "Remember, you can't let anyone know you're the Avatar," she warned. "You're going to be Kuzon, Lee and Ruolan's younger brother."

"Hear that, Zuko?" Aang said with a grin. "We're brothers now."

Zuko gave him a distracted smile before shifting his attention back to his mother. "What about Appa? Won't that be a giveaway?"

"Not at all. The Ito Islands are actually home to a herd of air bison."

"What?" Aang practically floated in the air. "There are flying bison there?"

She nodded.

Aang gusted in a blur of colour to dangle over Appa's face, trying to hug as much as he could. "You hear that, buddy? You're not the only one! This is amazing!"

He continued to chat with Appa and Momo, his delight as warm and bright as the sun.

Azula frowned. "So, Zuko and I will be twins, and the bald brat will be our younger brother. What if people notice the family resemblance between us, Mother?"

"They won't."

"How can you be so certain?"

Ursa spread her arms. "Look at me."

It was an invitation to see how haggard and thin she had become. Her beauty had been ravaged by sunken eyes and jutting bones, and in that the traces of her which could be seen in her children were indeed barely recognisable. She went on to assure them that no one would think to question the lie too much. The easier truth to swallow was that Shizue and Ursa had found a Free Walker (Lee) and brought him and his family back to the islands with them. Yuzo and Atsuo, of course, would act as if they had run into them and decided to peaceably return.

Katara bit her lip. "Um, I understand why we can't be ourselves and all, but is it really necessary to make Zuko my husband?" Colour darkened her cheeks. "Couldn't I be a cousin or something?"

"I wondered that as well," Zuko mumbled, his own face heating.

"I'm afraid that won't work," Ursa said frankly. "We don't want to stretch the connection too much. It would be different if Katara could be a relative of Yuzo's, but everyone in the tribe knows his family."

"Or what's left of it," Yuzo muttered, even as he translated for Atsuo. "Shen's my only living relative."

Katara lowered her gaze. "Oh."

"I didn't think it would be a problem," Ursa said. "Aren't you two dating?"

"Dating?" Katara squeaked, going bright red.

Zuko, meanwhile, had choked on his own spit and fell into a coughing fit. Atsuo leaned over and patted him on the back, though his mouth twitched a little as if he was trying not to laugh.

"I get the feeling I mistook the situation," Ursa observed. "I'm sorry. I just assumed …"

"We're not dating," Katara managed to get out. "We're just—we're just friends."

Azula snorted.

Zuko shot her a frown. She raised her eyebrow and glanced between him and Katara. It didn't help that Yuzo, Atsuo, Aang and Shizue looked just as sceptical. Zuko's face got even hotter. Even the tips of his ears felt warm. Geez, everyone had really thought he and Katara were dating.

"We're not in a relationship!" Katara and Zuko insisted, then exchanged an awkward, blushing glance.

"Well, you'd better get used to the idea of being in one," Shizue said bluntly, "because you're going to be acting as husband and wife while we're on the Ito Islands. That's the only way she gets in without the tribe wanting to imprison her on the spot."

Katara bit her lip and once more glanced his way. Her cheeks were still flushed, and he knew by the warmth radiating from his own face that he looked much the same. "Is that okay with you?" she asked.

"I don't mind if you don't."

"I'm okay with it."

Ursa clapped her hands. "Then it's settled. Now just don't forget your covers and hopefully this will be enough to get us through."

"And if it's not?" Azula questioned.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

oOo

The Ito Islands were hidden behind a veil of fog. Shizue explained how the surrounding sea was rough, full of jutting rocks, and giant sea serpents. There was also a passage that was by no means an easy feat to navigate. In short, most people who dared to sail this far never made it to the main island.

"How did the tribe settle here then?" Katara asked. "How do any of you even leave? I mean, Silencers are always going back and forth, right?"

"There is a legend passed down in the tribe that the fire healers who fled the massacres were led here by an ancient spirit," Ursa said. "It took them through the waters to where they could be safe, and it has protected the tribe ever since. We ask for its blessing every time we leave."

"And we have sea charts that show the safest path," Yuzo put in.

Ursa smiled. "That too."

Aang twisted around to face them, reins gripped in his hands. "What kind of spirit? What's its name?"

"The legend didn't say, but when you spoke of your dream and the voice that called to you, I wondered if perhaps you had heard the Ito Tribe's guardian. Perhaps the legend is true."

Zuko's brow creased. If the legend was true, that meant the spirit had helped Shūrin as well. He wasn't sure what to think about that.

"Look," Shizue said, gesturing ahead as the wall of fog began to lessen. "We're here."

They broke through the misty shroud and came into a sphere of sunlight and clear skies. Zuko's eyes widened. He and Katara leaned over the saddle, stunned at how the three islands below were perfectly contained within the mist.

"Wow," Aang said in open wonder. "It's like we're in the eye of a storm."

"Isn't it?" Ursa smiled at their reactions, though Azula just sat with her left arm tucked in a sling and doing her best to appear unimpressed. "The fog has always been there like a barrier. It never clears, never encroaches. We're not even sure what creates it."

Zuko continued to peer over the saddle as Appa drew closer. The three islands were positioned like a triangle. One was small, a mere blip of rock and shore that had a few scraggly bits of vegetation on it. The next one was round, had no real beach, and was covered in a forest. Then there was the biggest, which—at least from their aerial view—was a pattern of grassy plains, forests, and cliffs. A small river could be seen tracing a path and breaking off into smaller streams like silvery veins.

"I can't believe this place has been here the whole time," Katara murmured.

Azula smoothed a wrinkle from her tunic. "I'm more concerned with what kind of greeting we'll receive."

"Looks like we'll soon find out," Shizue said, eyeing the group of people waiting for them on the high, grassy plain, which Appa was fast approaching. "The welcoming committee is already here. I guess the sages sensed us coming."

Atsuo's hands moved to form words, his expression tense. Yuzo signed something back and rubbed his shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

"Something wrong?" Katara asked.

"He's anxious," Yuzo said. "We did run away from the tribe after all. That's usually a punishable offence."

"I thought having Ursa and Shizue with you meant there wouldn't be any problems."

"There shouldn't be—at least nothing major." Yuzo shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Atsuo always panics last minute."

Atsuo gave him a light whack on the arm for that comment, though all he earned was an unrepentant grin.

Zuko swallowed and focussed his attention on the group of people below them. There were about thirty of them, all dressed in hooded outfits of browns and greens to blend in with the grasslands and trees. Their faces were covered by wooden masks. Some of the warriors had bows in their hands, others grasped swords or spears. Then there were those who held no weapon, perhaps firebenders or chi blockers.

His heart thumped uncomfortably fast. He really hoped Mum and Shizue were right that the tribe would buy their lies.

Appa slumped to the grass not far from the group, letting out a tired rumble. Aang praised him for all his hard work and jumped off his perch. Zuko and the others joined him on the ground and faced the warriors. It took all of Zuko's self-control not to shift into a defensive stance. The masks gleamed in bronze-gold paint and had been carved to look like some kind of beast with two jutting, lower fangs. Hardly a welcoming sight. His instincts screamed threat, threat, threat.

Ursa stepped forward and placed her fist to her palm, lowering into a bow before the masked warrior at the head of the group. She offered a formal greeting and began to explain the story of how she and Shizue had found a Free Walker and his family, though she'd barely got into it before the warrior held up a hand to silence her. Zuko's heart thumped faster and there was a tense moment as the group of eight—or ten, including Momo and Appa—all glanced at each other.

Had they been discovered already?

The warrior removed the mask, revealing an older woman with reddish-brown eyes and rather familiar features. Zuko couldn't place why she looked so familiar until Atsuo made a strangled sound, drawing his attention. The woman and Atsuo looked almost identical. Same nose, same eyebrows, same jet-black hair.

Atsuo signed something to her. She gave him a long, hard look before she sheathed her jian sword and turned her back on him. It was like being slapped with cold. Even Zuko cringed at the obvious snub.

"This way," the woman said in a clipped tone. "The sages are waiting for you."

There seemed to be no choice but to follow. The warriors had them surrounded, and though Zuko glanced at his mum as if to ask if this was really the best idea, all she did was nod. Mindful of the fact they had roles to play, Zuko stuck close to Katara, Aang and Azula as they began to trek for the forest. The unmasked woman was still in front and had not bothered to look back, not even at Atsuo, who just looked crushed. His shoulders were so slumped it was like he might sink into the ground.

Zuko leaned closer to Yuzo. "Who is that woman?"

"That's Chiyo, the Head Warrior of our tribe. She's Atsuo's mum."

"His mum?" Katara said, eyes widening. "But she completely ignored him."

Yuzo's gaze flickered to the stocky woman striding at the lead. "Chiyo is probably mad that he left. No doubt she considers his behaviour a betrayal and a dishonour to their family."

Atsuo hunched more into himself, shoulders creeping up to his ears. Yuzo seemed to realise he was only making things worse, as he was quick to sign an apology and what looked like reassuring words. The two continued to talk to each other in their silent language.

Zuko left them to it and focussed on keeping his expression calm, despite the nerves tingling under his skin. He really didn't like being surrounded by so many masked people with weapons.

They entered the forest and soon came to a stone archway that overlooked a path leading farther into the trees. Katara nudged him and pointed out how the beast's face that adorned the masks was the same as the one etched onto the archway.

"Hey, you're right," Aang said, joining them by the archway and tilting his head from side to side. "It doesn't look very happy, does it?"

Zuko pressed his palm to his forehead. "Making it look happy would defeat the purpose of why they use this creature on their gates and warrior masks, A—Kuzon."

Aang shrugged. "Well, if it were up to me, I'd want my mask to look happy."

A choked laugh came from one of the warriors near them, who must have overheard the comment. Aang grinned and tried to strike up a conversation with the person. Katara, meanwhile, had turned to Mum and asked what the creature was meant to be and why it was so special. Mum said it was supposed to represent the Ito spirit guardian.

Zuko's brow furrowed as he glanced at the unnerving masks all around him. Now that he thought about it, he was sure he had seen that beast's face before …

Chiyo led them into an underground passage, much to Appa's displeasure. Those who could bend fire lit the way. Eventually, they came to a pair of stone doors, again etched with that strange creature. Chiyo knocked twice, paused, and gave a final knock. The doors groaned and rumbled as they were pulled open from the other side. Then Zuko could only blink.

This was no small village. There were three levels to the main cavern—at least that he could see—all connected by bridges and stone steps. Dome-shaped houses and buildings dotted everywhere. Light filtered in golden streams from the small openings in the cavern roof, but there were also gleaming crystals jutting from the rock and torches fixed into sconces. At the far end of the cavern, steps rose up and up to what looked like some kind of two-storeyed temple.

"I don't know why, but I was expecting something smaller," Aang said, scratching his cheek.

"All of the tribe lives in these caverns," Yuzo explained. "The caves keep going, but we mostly stick to this area. It's safer that way."

Zuko continued to look around curiously as they headed for the temple. People bustled about—men, women, and children—but they stopped and stared now. Whispers hummed. It was difficult to tell whether the tribe was intrigued by the sight of the newcomers or just distrustful.

By the time they reached the temple steps, many of the warriors had separated off down other paths. Only a dozen remained, including Chiyo. Small, pillar-like structures cradling fire led in two rows to the entranceway. The temple itself was simple with an image of the sun and two more of those strange creatures carved over the door.

"Shota, you remain with the bison," Chiyo said in her clipped way. "The rest of you follow me."

"He has a name, you know," Aang said with a frown. "It's Appa."

Chiyo gave him one of those long, hard looks. The silence got awkward.

"Don't mind my brother." Azula moved to stand behind Aang and placed her hand on his shoulder, no doubt to give him a warning pinch. "He's a little overprotective of the fluff ball."

Aang stared at Azula's hand, then laughed a bit nervously. "Uh, yeah."

Chiyo said nothing and walked up the steps to enter the temple. The warrior who had stood on her left guided Appa off to the side, while everyone else was left to go inside. Incense hit with a faintly floral scent. Seven people sat on cushions at the opposite end of the room. These had to be the sages. The seven wore red robes and were a mixture of women and men—some silver haired and wrinkled like old parchment, others who looked to be around their forties.

Zuko glanced at the walls and saw they had been etched with murals, most featuring people creating energy bonds. Definitely a temple for fire healers.

"So, you have indeed returned."

It was the man seated in the middle of the row of sages who had spoken. His voice was as frail as the thinnest of rice paper. He looked like he was withering away as well—a small, hunched thing with only tufts of silver hair left. His eyes drooped a little as if he were about to fall asleep, but when Zuko caught his gaze, it was to find himself trapped by piercing, pale gold eyes.

Ursa stepped forward and bowed low. Shizue gestured at the others with a hand behind her back for them to do the same. Once the bowing, introductions and formalities were out of the way, Ursa explained their cover story in a calm, respectful tone. Shizue was then called upon to add her input. Finally, the wizened leader of the sages, An Dung, asked Zuko and his "family" a few questions. Zuko was glad that his mum had prepared him for such an interrogation; he had never been a good liar, especially not when put on the spot.

"You seem a bit young to be married," an elderly lady named Cam observed, looking between Zuko and Katara.

"Lee turns seventeen this year," Ursa offered.

"Oh?" Her gaze drifted to Katara in question. "What about you, Kana?"

"I, um, actually turn fifteen tomorrow."

"You do?" Zuko and Aang blurted.

Both boys froze as they realised their mistake.

"I mean of course Kana's birthday is tomorrow!" Aang declared with a huge smile. "I totally knew that. How could I ever forget my favourite sister-in-law's birthday?"

Zuko resisted the urge to facepalm. This was getting more and more painful. Fortunately, Katara didn't miss a beat.

"You forgot my birthday, Kuzon?" She made a show of pouting, then turned to Zuko. "And what's your excuse, hrm?" A teasing smile curved her lips and she pressed herself against his side, poking his cheek with her finger. "A good husband would remember his wife's birthday."

Pink bloomed under her fingertip. "I … uh …" He cleared his throat. "Sorry?"

Azula rolled her eyes. "Newlyweds."

That one muttered line seemed to satisfy Cam. She smiled indulgently at Zuko and Katara and wished them a happy marriage and plenty of children.

"Er, thanks," Zuko mumbled with a blush. "I guess …"

A few more questions were tossed at the group. Then Taiyo, a thin man who looked to be the youngest of the sages, chose to speak up. "Fascinating as this all is," he said, "I admit I'm curious to know where Lady Ursa and Shizue have been these past three years. It is strange that we received no word from either of you."

Ursa didn't even twitch. "Perhaps that is a discussion for after. Lee and his family are surely tired and need to be settled in. Don't you agree?"

"Indeed, indeed," Cam said, and her gaze shifted to Atsuo and Yuzo. "Besides, there are other things we still need to discuss."

Atsuo and Yuzo grimaced. That sounded like Ito Tribe sage code for deciding on a punishment.

With that decided, Zuko, Katara, Azula and Aang were prompted to bow again before they were dismissed and ushered off by three warriors.

"Where are we going now?" Katara asked.

"To your new home," one of the warriors said. "I hope you'll like it."

oOo

Aang settled on one of the cushions in the main living area and helped himself to some fruit. Momo scampered over to join him. "I thought that went pretty well," Aang declared in between mouthfuls of pear.

Azula raised her eyebrows. "You really are an idiot."

His brow furrowed.

She rolled her eyes in a rather dramatic way. "They're suspicious of us."

"Huh? But they let us in. They even gave us this house."

"And now there are warriors lingering outside. You think that's because they have nowhere else to go?"

Katara rubbed her arms as if to chase off a shiver. "It's like Ba Sing Se all over again."

"Pretty much," Zuko muttered, collapsing on a cushion next to Aang. "We'll have to be careful."

Aang looked sadly at his half-eaten pear. "You think they'll turn on us like Long Feng did?"

Azula let out a small snort. Everyone stared at her.

"I'm sorry, I just find it pathetic you even fell for Long Feng's traps."

"Hey, we knew he wasn't trustworthy," Aang retorted. "We just—"

"That makes it even more pathetic."

Katara pursed her lips. "You don't get the right to judge. We all know what you did in Ba Sing Se."

Azula's eyes flickered with something sharp. "Well, at least I wasn't a fool who got caught in other people's schemes."

"No, you just went around starting revolutions and betraying everyone who got near you."

"I did what was—"

"What was what? What was necessary?"

Azula's eyes narrowed.

"You know, I can understand why you got rid of Long Feng. I can even understand why you started the revolution, but Sokka and Smellerbee told me what happened with Jet." Katara shook her head, her voice hardening. "What was your justification then? Did you tell yourself his death was necessary as well?"

"You don't know anything, peasant."

"I know he cared for you. I also know you killed him."

Azula's fingers twitched as if resisting the urge to curl into fists; her expression, however, was ice smoothed on stone. "I gave Jet the choice to surrender. He refused."

"So you just killed him?"

"That fool was consumed by his hate for the Fire Nation. It was an obsession. I knew he wouldn't back down, and I still had a city to conquer."

"Well, it was all for nothing because you still lost in the end." Katara's voice got tarter. "Oh, and let's not forget how you tried to kill your own brother after he healed you. You're lucky we even—"

"Okay, okay." Zuko stepped between them, not liking the dark glint growing in his sister's eyes. "We all remember what happened in Ba Sing Se, so let's just leave it there."

A sharp smile suddenly curved Azula's lips. "Why? Worried I'll hurt your precious peasant?"

"You wish," Katara retorted, raising her chin. "You wouldn't even be able to touch me."

"Is that a challenge?"

Aang cleared his throat, albeit a bit hesitantly. "Um, maybe we should—"

"Oh, be quiet," Azula snapped. "If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it."

"Don't talk to him like that!"

"Or you'll do what? Shout at me some more? Go ahead. Blow all our covers while you're at it."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. He had might as well be invisible for all Azula and Katara were taking notice of him. Worse, their argument was only escalating.

"Katara, can we talk?" he muttered, grabbing her arm.

She protested a little but didn't resist his light tug. Soon, he was closing the door to one of the bedrooms, shutting them both in. Aang would just have to deal with being alone with Azula for a bit.

"Your sister is infuriating!" Katara exclaimed. "And why did you pull me away like that? You make it look like I'm the one in the wrong!"

"Sorry. I didn't know how else to get you two to stop fighting." He shrugged. "She doesn't exactly listen to me."

"That's because she's a horrible person."

Zuko didn't refute the claim. Katara took this as a sign to continue to rant about how much Azula was the worst. When she was finished, she was breathing hard, her cheeks a little flushed, and had her hands clenched.

"Better?" he asked.

A rueful laugh escaped her. "No. I don't think it'll matter how much I vent, she'll still make me angry."

"My sister tends to have that effect."

Katara sighed and sat on the bed. "She's just so unapologetic. It was easier to ignore on the ship. I can even admit I felt a bit sorry for her, but now …"

"I know." He joined her on the bed. "But she has helped us."

Quite a lot, actually, and not just back on Wu Yao's island or with Ty Lee. Azula's lying skills were far superior to his. Katara and Azula had made a good tag team back in the temple.

"I'm not saying she can't be helpful," Katara allowed, "but sometimes she drives me crazy. I just don't understand how someone can be so callous. It's like she doesn't care at all about others—not their feelings, not if she hurts them, not anything."

"She's always been that way." His mouth twisted a fraction. "Father loved that about her, of course. She was the perfect daughter."

"If by perfect you mean cruel and manipulative, then yeah."

He lowered his gaze, picking at the blanket with his fingers. It was a moment before he spoke.

"Mum says we should try to be patient with her."

Katara scrunched her nose.

"I know, I know. Easier said than done, but I think Azula actually has got better."

"Are you kidding? You heard the way she was talking back there."

He picked at the blanket more agitatedly. "Look, I know she's not an easy person to be around, but I … I almost gave up on her before. After Ba Sing Se, I really thought that was it. I thought there was no hope for her. But then all this stuff with Shūrin happened and she … I do think Azula has changed. Maybe only a little, but she's trying."

"Well, she has a funny way of showing it."

"I wasn't much better when I was still hunting Aang." He looked her in the eyes. "You hated me then—you know you did—and I'd be the first to admit I deserved it. But I'm different now. Maybe … maybe Azula can change as well."

Katara lowered her gaze. "You know, I actually thought the same when I visited her on the ship. One of the reasons I tried to help her was because she reminded me of you."

"Of me?"

She nodded, then let out a small sigh. "But after hearing her talk about Jet and all that happened in Ba Sing Se, I just don't know anymore …"

He was quiet for a moment. There was a heavy, wriggly weight in his stomach. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Is it … is it because of Jet that you got so mad before?"

A light flush touched her cheeks. "Why would you think that?"

"It's just, um, you were so adamant in Ba Sing Se that we should stay away from him, but then you seemed pretty upset when you found out he died, and with the way you talk about him now, I just wondered if …"

"If what?"

"If you still had feelings for him."

Katara's eyes widened. "Is that what you think? That I have feelings for Jet?"

"I, uh, heard you used to have a thing for him."

"Did Sokka tell you that?" She scowled at a random point on the wall as if seeing through it to her brother's face. "I bet he did. That gossiping little …"

"So it's true?"

She blanched. "What? No, I just … Jet was just …" A heavy sigh. "Okay, yes. I had a crush on him. Back then, I hadn't met many boys around my age, and he was attractive, charming. He made me feel pretty. He looked after all these kids and he seemed so brave …"

The wriggly weight in Zuko's stomach got more unsettled. It sounded like she had really admired the guy.

She frowned and drew patterns on her knee with her finger. "Jet was the first boy I kissed. The only boy I've kissed. I really liked him, but then he tried to trick me into drowning an entire town of people." Her fingers curled into her palms. "I wished I'd never met him after that. I still do."

"Then … you don't have feelings for him?"

She shook her head. "I got over that crush a long time ago. I think now I'm more just … I don't know. Sokka said Jet went to Ba Sing Se to have a fresh start. Maybe he actually wanted to change, maybe he could have changed in time, but instead he—"

"Met my sister."

They both went quiet.

"I heard he fell in love with her," Katara said softly. "That's how she manipulated him. She used his feelings for her against him. Some might say it's poetic justice after what he did to me, but I can't get any satisfaction from it. She killed him, Zuko. She killed him and she doesn't even seem to care."

His brow creased. "I'm not sure if that is the case. Azula isn't always easy to read, and she definitely is lacking when it comes to empathy, but she said she gave him a chance to surrender. That's kind of a big deal. Azula never offers mercy to anyone."

Katara scrunched her nose. "You really set the bar low for her, don't you?"

"I grew up with her. I learnt not to expect much."

"That doesn't make her behaviour okay."

"No, I know. Believe me, I know." His frown deepened. "But I think … I think I'm also beginning to understand her a little better. Maybe."

She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. "Then you're doing better than me. I'm not sure I even want to understand her."

"Sometimes I don't either," Zuko admitted. "Like I said before, I'm not denying it's hard to be around her. I feel it too. Honestly, sometimes when I look at her all I see is lightning. I see the way she smiled when she tried to kill me."

Katara stilled and looked up at him.

"But she is trying. She put herself at risk to protect me, lost the use of her arm and everything. I can't … I can't not give her at least a chance. I mean you all gave me one." His mouth curved a little, if a bit sadly. "And I don't think I would have made it on my own."

Blue eyes held his for a moment. Then she simply slipped her hand in his and nestled back into his shoulder. "Well, how can I argue with that?" A beat. "But if she tries to hurt you again, I'm not holding back."

He laughed. "Fair enough."

Had to split this one because it was getting a bit long.

On another note, the AtLA world confuses me because it doesn't seem to acknowledge how seasons work in terms of hemispheres, but whatever. In the case of this story, Katara's birthday is summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the south (which makes her born in winter).