Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA
this chapter is going to be focused a lot on action.
TW: VIOLENCE, blood, swear words
Aang almost slapped himself for stuttering at the start of the sentence. He looked away, blushing really hard, while his heart was pounding out of his chest. The airbender took a deep as he was looking away, preparing himself for the worst.
Katara as much as she liked him, she felt like she wasn't exactly sure of her feelings and would never want to hurt his feelings. She didn't know what to say, she needed more time to think about it. She liked him, but she wasn't sure if that was love or she just liked his company and the fact that he's attracted to her. She cared about him and also felt really attracted to him, but she didn't want to hurry up their relationship.
—I understand if you don't-
He said it calmly, knowing pushing it up will only do him bad than good and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable at any cost, in the 18 years of his life he didn't feel this type of attachment to anyone, the love he felt for Gyatso or for the little kids was so, so different from this love. This love hyped him up, made him motivated, it made his stomach turn in all the worst and best ways possible.
She wanted to beg him to not have said that, she did not want to reject, she did not want to lose him. She opened her month, looking at his serious face and understood that his feelings were genuine. But before Katara could say anything, a horn started ringing.
Aang was confused, but Katara's face was shocked and he could feel the terror in her eyes.
—Katara? What's wrong? What's happening?
He asked her but she seemed paralyzed. A weird vibe passed him down, making his anxiety go up. When the waterbender didn't move at all, he touched her shoulder gently shaking her, trying to wake her up from her thoughts.
—Katara! Hey!
—The Fire Nation..
She whispered. Aang wasn't sure if he heard it right and asked her what was it again, she finally snapped.
—The Fire Nation! It is coming for us!
Aang fell adrenaline rushing through his body. His heart beat really fast. He knew it was his duty to protect these people and he didn't want to turn his back.
—Come on, Katara. Let's go find your father!
He said and Katara felt a wave of courage hitting her, it was the first time in her life when somebody asked her to join in a fight, she was always told to go and hide with the other women and children, but for the first time in her life, she felt equal. Aang treated her like his equal and it was the bare minimum, but nobody in her tribe did that, neither her brother who treated her like she needed to be protected at all costs, which she found annoying. It wasn't the time to smile, but the waterbender couldn't help but let a small one before reality hit her again.
They ran to her father who was just as concerned and tried to mobilize the men. He seemed focused and calmed, but Katara knew that behind his confident appearance he was terrified, but he couldn't let that show. He was the Chief of the Water Tribe after all.
Chief Beifong's face had a shadow of fear, she usually wouldn't have a problem, but it was extremely hard for her to see with snow covering up the ground. She could fight only staying in one place cleaned of snow.
—Soldiers, go in position. Our goal is to protect the avatar. As you've probably noticed, I'm not able to fight as I would usually. Don't be a disappointment!
She told them coldly, trying to hide her weakness at the moment. Sokka seemed concerned, he didn't know where to go. He wanted to go with the other men, but felt like Toph needed his help more. The earthbender felt like this was the case and she sighed.
—Please, ponytail, I'm stronger than you even with my feet tied up.
She said with an air of arrogance, saying in "her language" that it is ok for him to go. He nodded and went to the other men.
They had a day to prepare for the attack. All of the soldiers were put in position, the women, children and elders were told to go far away.
And a giant metallic boat with the well known red flag with the fire nation symbol drawn on it.
The waterbenders, earthbenders, water tribe men, Toph, Katara and Aang were on their position. Toph was staying further than the others, having one of her soldier to protect her. In her mine questions like "How did they know we were here? There must be a spy inside " she clenched her jaw and tried to think about anyone who could have given her any suspicion. She didn't have time for this, but whoever did that will suffer terrible consequences.
Time went so slowly, Aang was taking deep breaths. He tried to calm himself down, knowing he's not alone in this, but when he saw the giant boat, he lost his confidence. "In times of wars, there's no time to fear" he remembered reading in one of the old fire nation books he borrowed from Kuzon.
3
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2
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1
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And it started, fire was being thrown to the soldiers, the waterbender masters and the earthbender soldiers tried their best to fight them off, but they were like 40 and the fire nation attackers were more than 100; all trained firebending masters.
They were gonna lose, blood and horrifying screams of the burnt men were everywhere. Hakoda knew they had no chance, they couldn't win this fight. He took a big breath while defending himself from the fire and decided that it would be better for the avatar to leave.
He went near chief Beifong, stepping on corpses, the smell of burnt meat making his nose itch.
—Take Aang away and my children.
He said to her and Toph gave him a shocked look, not looking into his direction.
—Hakoda, you're gonna lose! And die here! Your warriors aren't strong enough to defeat them!
She yelled at him. Hakoda bit his tongue knowing she was right. They were all going to die.
—I don't care. Our priority is to protect the avatar.
He said coldly then looked at her with the eyes of a broken man who's accepted his faith.
—But I selfishly ask you to take Katara and Socks with you. Please Chief Beifong..
Toph was shocked, wanted to tell him that she won't do that. But it was the most down to earth thing to do. It doesn't take a genius to know that they will lose.
—I-... Sure Hak-, Chief Hakoda. I'll take away Aang and your kids.
His silence begged for her to say that she'll promise she'll take care of them, but she didn't say anything out loud even though she swear in her head that she would try to protect Katara and Sokka with her own life.
She started yelling out for Sokka who wasn't that far away from her and he came. When he heard her offer he quickly rejected it.
—Be for real, you do not have any chance of winning this.
She said coldly and he frowned at her while desperately trying to fight off some fire bender. He didn't seem to want to listen to her and the blind girl realized that she could never convince him like this, she had to hit one of his weak spots.
— Do you want your little sister to die here?
* * *
Aang was able to fight off the soldiers, what he struggled with was trying to avoid any deaths, but he wasn't able to and seeing people die near him made him shiver and to lose his concentration.
—Aang, try to focus!
He heard Katara scream and did his best to push the fire benders away without killing them. He didn't want anyone to die because of him, but Katara didn't have a problem slicing them up with waterbending. He couldn't fight anymore.
He sat down, on his knees covering up his ears and begin crying because that was not what he was taught by the monks, it was all against his teaching and way of leaving. He was a vegetarian because he didn't want to eat or kill animals and now he had to kill humans?
When he felt fire coming towards him, he made an ice shelter to protect him. Katara looked at him with worry. If Aang wasn't able to fight, their last hope will be gone. As she was thinking of ways to make the Airbender fight again, she was shot by a differently dressed firebender.
She fell to the ground and her cloudy gaze tried to focus on his middle-aged appearance and his monkey-like sideburns.
The love of his life falling down seemed like a wake up call to the avatar that was trying really hard to pick up himself. He begin attacking the commander as Katara tried to lift herself up and help him. She couldn't let herself fall this easily and she had to ignore the burning feeling on her arm and shoulder.
The waterbender saw a brown hand in front of her and lifted her head up seeing her older brother with a very, unusual for him, serious expression. He helped her get up and said.
—Katara, let's go with Toph to the Earth Kingdom.
—No! I can't abandon my dad and the people from the tribe.
She said really serious. Her eyes had a real fighter's fire in them.
—If we don't go now, we are all gonna die.
—We have the avatar with us! And can't just leave dad here.
—The avatar is doing nothing you see him killing the barbarians that are killing our uncles? No. Stop being so stubborn and come with me.
—I won't let my tribe die, just so I can survive. You go, I'll stay here. That's my final decision.
—You're so annoying!
He yelled at her and tried taking her with force from there.
—Sokka, let me go! Ouch, I'm injured, you idiot!
—You're gonna be flesh and bones if you don't come with me.
—Shut up!
She said and as she tried pushing away from him, but because of her injury, she didn't have much force. Sokka couldn't take his sister too far away, before seeing his father on the ground and the monkey looking firebender in front of him.
—No..
—Dad!
Kakara screamed and felt rage in all of her body while tears fell down her face.
—How dare you kill my father?
She begins attacking him, but soon he knocked both of them down, as he was much stronger and experienced than both of them.
A man's yelling of the sibling's names, made Aang get a bad feeling.
—Where are they?
He yelled back to the man then went really fast to check. Only to see his new friends and their dad, passed out on the ground.
The Avatar's heart hurt so much, he couldn't even see their bodies because of the tears that fell down his cheeks. Those intense emotions were enough to trigger the avatar state.
I don't know if this is the best chapter and I'm so sorry it's filled with angst. there will be only one or two chapters and I'll end it. I'm sorry again that it took me over a year to post an update.
I'm grateful and I love all of you for sticking around and reading my book 333.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE COMMENTS, THEY REALLY MOTIVATED ME TO WRITE MORE.
also if anybody cares about personal updates since last time I've posted..
when summer first started I have made some mistakes and they caused me to suffer a lot, I've been really depressed and in september struggled a little bit with alcohol. In October I've met the love of my life who I'm still dating, even though we are gonna be long distance, because he leaves for college. I've finally made a few friends that actually care about me and I can be myself around them without fear of judging and I also smashed school.
oh and I've fell out with Atla in June but I've rewatched it again with my boyfriend in December and we both loved it. (his favorite characters are Zuko, Iroh and Sokka and yes he's a kataanger)
