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Chapter 7:

KATARA

Zuko kissed me. What's worse, I let him kiss me. I don't even know why!

I try to forget it. We're pretending that it never happened, which has been working surprisingly well. I can pretend it never happened all day long, but I still can't forget. It's been burned into my memory as if Zuko carved it into my brain with a fiery dagger himself.

The look he'd given me had caused my breath to hitch in my throat. It wasn't a look I was familiar with, but I'd seen it a handful of times. Jet looked at me that way once. It was different when Zuko looked at me that way, though. It had never felt that close, that intimate, or that personal.

I thought I'd be assaulted by an onslaught of emotions. When his lips met mine, I was prepared for anger, disgust, and even pain.

The last person I kissed was Aang, and I just knew I would never be able to kiss anyone ever again without feeling a soul-shattering emptiness. I knew that the next person I kissed would only make me ache with how much I missed Aang. It would do nothing but remind me of all my regrets.

But none of those things happened.

I thought of Aang briefly but only at how much Zuko's kiss wasn't like any of Aang's. Aang's kisses had always been chaste, gentle, and cool, almost like the wind itself. Zuko's kiss, however, was so deep and potent that it took my breath and left me lightheaded.

No one has ever kissed me like that.

It would be easier if it had been terrible. But it wasn't. I was practically begging for more. It had been mind-numbing and good. Really good. I felt good for a change. I felt warm and loved even though Zuko doesn't love me, and I don't love him. But the illusion of it was nice.

He's a good kisser, but I always figured he would be. Not that I had thought about it much (okay, maybe I thought of it a little). I always assumed that any prince was required by some unwritten law to be a magnificent kisser. And this rule applied to Zuko even though he is the Fire Prince and son of the man who destroyed the world.

A prince is a prince after all...

As I trudge through the fresh, morning snow, all I can do is replay that kiss in my head over and over again. I keep thinking about it.

Early this morning, after I got washed, ate breakfast, and helped Gran Gran with the morning chores, I went for a walk. I wanted to clear my head, sort out my thoughts.

So far, the results are not what I hoped they would be. My head chews the same thoughts over and over again. It can't digest anything.

About halfway into my walk, I realize that something is off.

I feel it. There is tension and fear permeating the air like static. Momo chatters nervously, alternating between flying around me and perching himself on my shoulder.

Gray flecks of snow fall from the sky, slowly turning black. I try to blink them away. I hope it's just my imagination, but the more I blink, the more they spread.

Realizing this isn't just my imagination, I run back toward the village.

I'm not even that close when I see them – firebenders. And not just any firebenders, these appear to be Imperial Firebenders. They are speaking with Tarrak and a few of the other elders, swarming around like irate buzzardwasps.

My heart drops, and panic swells inside me until my ribcage might burst.

My first thought should have been the baby, but it wasn't. My first thought was Zuko.

I don't know what to do. Should I go find him? Or will that just call attention to us? Will they notice? What if they are just here for supplies and exports? What if they aren't…?

Panic feeds on my mind with ease. It grabs hold of me, and I dash towards Zuko's igloo.

He isn't inside, and I don't know if it's because they've captured him or if it's because he left. Maybe he went on a hunting trip? I don't know. I didn't talk to him this morning.

I exit the igloo, and I notice that this raid – if it can even be called that – is very different from the one that killed my mother. There are black ships and firebenders everywhere, but no one in the tribe is fighting back because of the negotiations that took place before I arrived.

Tarrak and the elders clearly aren't happy about them being here. They are having a rather heated debate, but there isn't much they can do. They just have to sit and hold it like acid in their mouths while everyone else hides in their homes and prays for them to leave as quickly as they came.

As discreetly as possible, I sneak out into the tundra beyond the wall surrounding the village where Zuko often goes hunting.

"Zuko!" I cry despite my better judgment. I don't think any of the soldiers have ventured out this far yet, but someone could still hear me and know that I am calling for Prince Zuko. However, I am scared enough that all caution and rationale have been thrown to the wind.

I'm running now. I don't even know where I'm running. There is no destination in mind. I just want to go wherever Zuko is.

"Zuko!" I shout louder and stop running to listen for a reply, but I receive nothing. There are no footfalls. All I hear is Momo's soft purring as he tries to catch up with me, watching me with curious eyes.

I am tripping all over myself now. I tumble over mounds of snow and stumble down icy slopes. The harsh wind cuts across the contours of my face, and my hands burn from their continuous contact with the snow under my feet.

I reach the steep edge of the coast. I've gone out as far as I can, and as I stare out at the flat, icy water that seems to go on forever, my mind churns with horrible thoughts. I think about how the Imperial Firebenders have already found Zuko and taken him away, probably even killed him. The Phoenix King wouldn't necessarily want him alive. At this point, he would probably be more valuable dead.

Deciding that he is captive, dead, or somewhere else in the village, I turn around and head back.

It's as if everyone and everything knows that the Fire Nation is here. Everything is hiding. All the animals are nowhere in sight. There are no penguins, seals, or wolves. And aside from the eerie howl of the wind, there are no sounds.

I make it back within the wall and weave through all the igloos and tents, trying to avoid as many firebenders as I can as I make my way to Yanna's when someone grabs me and pulls me into the snow.

I start to fight back until I hear a familiar guttural (and slightly agitated) hiss next to my ear.

"Stop."

My heart floats into my throat as I turn around and see Zuko looking down at me. He is frustrated, but he is safe.

"Zuko…" I breathe and melt into his arms, unable to bridge the gap between us quick enough.

"It's okay," he says, trying to pry me away so he can look at me, but I'm not letting go. My arms hold fast around his neck.

"I couldn't find you… I thought they'd gotten you…"

I shake at the thought of losing someone else, trembling at the mere thought of losing Zuko. What would I do without him? I rely on him. I need him.

You're pathetic, Katara.

"I'm fine. I'm still here," he says softly, cradling the back of my head in his palm.

His arms wind around me, and it is like someone has wrapped a heated coil around my waist. The heat threatens to melt all my insides to mush.

"Listen to me, Katara." He pulls away. This time I let him. "We have to find the baby. She's why they're here. I think they suspect the village has been hiding newborns."

They're onto us. That's why there are so many. They are going to comb the area for her and whoever is hiding her.

"I can't stay," he adds. "Not now that they are setting up a more permanent presence here…"

My breathing hitches in my throat.

"Come with me." His hands wrap around my forearms, keeping me as close to him as possible, his thumbs rubbing along the underside of my wrists.

I shiver.

"Zuko…" My eyes wander over his face before falling to the ground. "I don't know… What about the baby?"

"We can take her and Yanna with us. It's not safe for them anymore either. The best thing we can do for them right now is to get them away from the South Pole." He sounds like the old Zuko, the one with purpose and determination. There is fire in his eyes.

I'm overwhelmed. This isn't what we planned. It is all happening so fast. My head spins, and there isn't enough time to sort all of this out. I can't think straight. All I can do is stare.

"I don't want to leave you here and honestly, I don't want to do this alone." His hands tighten against my wrists, but there is something affectionate in his grip. "I know you can take care of yourself, but if they find out who you are…" He doesn't finish, but he doesn't have to. "I want to make sure you're safe, and I can't do that if I leave you here."

I'm reluctant, but he has a point, and I don't know if I can in all good conscience stay here doing nothing while Zuko takes the potential Avatar to safety. I'm not ready to be separated from either of them yet.

"All right..."

He hoists me to my feet. His fingers weave between mine as he guides me back towards Yanna's tent.

It takes a while to get there. Firebenders are crawling everywhere, and Zuko has to continually turn his head or get out of sight. He's in his Water Tribe furs, of course. His hood is up, but he can't risk anyone seeing his eyes or his scar. The blue can only hide so much.

I hold onto his hand the whole time. I'm not sure if I'm trying to comfort him or myself, but I squeeze so tightly that it's painful. He doesn't mind though.

Yanna's tent is undisturbed, and there are no firebenders outside. But the same could have been said for our igloo the day Mom died.

Sensing my reluctance, Zuko enters first, which may have been a mistake. As soon as he crosses the threshold, Yanna shoots to her feet and clumsily backs away.

Zuko holds up his hands. "It's just us."

"I thought you were one of them…" Yanna breathes, holding a hand over her heart.

I'm relieved that she is all right, but Yanna is terrified. Her eyes are wild yet somber. The distress radiating off her is contagious.

She goes to the farthest corner of the tent and pulls starts moving a lot of things around. She moves furs, trunks, and even weaponry around before she lifts the baby into her arms.

"I want you to take her…until it's safe… I don't think I can protect her anymore," she whispers, her voice trembling as she gently bounces the baby on her shoulder. This is tearing her apart. She doesn't want this.

"Come with us," I counter immediately. I don't want to take this child away from its mother even though she is technically at an age where I could.

"I can't." Her eyes fall. "If I leave, they'll notice, and they'll know I've had a baby this whole time. They've been keeping a pretty close eye on me ever since she was born."

I look at Zuko, and he merely nods. He agrees.

"Will you take her?" she begs, but I hear the pain and reluctance. She doesn't want to let her daughter go, but she knows she has to. "Please? I know she'll be safe with you. I know you'll take care of her. And you told me to let you know if there was anything you could do for us."

I frown, but I nod my understanding. "I'll bring her back safe. I promise."

"We need to go," Zuko says impatiently as he peeks outside.

Yanna kisses her baby again, tears streaming down her face. She squeezes her daughter's hand and counts all of her fingers and toes as she tries to commit everything about her to memory.

Sniffling, she slowly puts Korrine into my arms. She's heavier than I thought she'd be. Or maybe it's the intense feeling of responsibility and obligation accompanying her that I feel.

"I've packed a few things she'll need." Yanna grabs a bag off the floor and hands it to Zuko. "It's not much, but it should last a little while."

"We'll be back soon. We'll do everything we can to protect her." I say this with unwavering confidence and courage, but I know it won't ease the pain. It won't make the separation easier.

Yanna offers a sad smile and gives me a quick embrace. "Thank you, Katara."

I give her another quick glance before Zuko and I duck out of her tent and head outside.

Zuko grabs my hand again and tugs me towards the coast, but I dig my boots into the snow and take a step back, resisting his persistent pulling.

"I want to say goodbye to Gran Gran," I declare.

He sighs heavily and gives me a harsh look as he drops my hand. "We don't have time, Katara…"

"Please…!" I cry.

Zuko glances around, exhaling harshly as a few sparks fly off his knuckles. For a long time, he is unsympathetic. He is utterly exasperated and clearly doesn't think this is a good idea. He doesn't want to do it, but he blazes off towards Gran Gran's igloo anyway, every step he takes fueled by vexation.

I fall into stride behind him. I think about calling after him and thanking him, but I decide that I should probably wait. He wouldn't hear me anyway.

"Katara…" Gran Gran closes the gap between us the instant I enter the igloo. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, but-" I look down at the wide-eyed baby in my arms before casting my gaze back to her "-Gran Gran, we have to go."

She nods as if she already knew that was what I was going to say. She rushes off towards the kitchen and begins packing things for us.

I almost argue that we don't have time, but she has a point. We need all the supplies we can get, so I help her as Zuko anxiously keeps watch near the entrance.

I can still feel his nerves and irritation boiling just underneath the surface as Gran Gran and I hastily pack up as much as we can, but he doesn't say anything. He just glares out the entrance of the igloo, his eyes shifty and hard.

Gran Gran hands one bag to Zuko and the other to me.

"We won't be gone long. And I'll bring Sokka back with me next time." I force a smile and fight the tears. I refuse to cry, but I'm going to miss her. A lot.

Gran Gran takes my face in her hands. "Be careful."

To my surprise, she approaches Zuko. She is hesitant at first. His eyes are muddled with determination, darkened by apprehension, so I understand her reluctance, but she steeled her resolve.

Gran Gran touches his shoulder, then she shifts and grips one of his hands in both of hers.

Zuko is as stunned as I am. His tense shoulders practically graze his earlobes, but his expression softens as he gazes down at their joined hands.

"Take care of her." She's telling him. She isn't asking.

A strange understanding passes between them. She knows she doesn't have to ask, it is more of a firm reminder.

His eyes cut to me briefly before they go back to Gran Gran.

"I will," he says firmly, definitively. He doesn't hesitate, not even for an instant.

I have no idea how we are going to get out of here unnoticed. I just follow Zuko's lead since he's assumed the role of leader, but as we linger in the shadow of the wall and weave through all the tents and igloos (I never realized just how maze-like my home was until now), I imagine all the things that could go wrong.

And there's a lot.

Most of the firebenders loiter around Tarrak and the others, dealing with goods, heated discussions, and exports, but some are also lurking around our tents and igloos and going inside some of them to investigate. There are so many swarming around everywhere that I have this horrible, gnawing feeling that at least one of them will see us.

I will never forgive myself if this baby is captured because of me. However, if that does happen, I won't have to feel guilty long. They will burn me alive once they realize what I am trying to do.

"Should we take a canoe or maybe one of the larger boats?" I ask, cradling Korri to my chest and praying she stays asleep and won't cry.

"How far could we possibly get in a canoe?" he scoffs as he watches yet another batch of firebenders rush by barking orders and entering igloos. "Besides, they'll notice us hauling a vessel into the water. No, we need something more discreet."

"Maybe we should just go out into the tundra until they leave…" I suggest as we crouch behind a tent.

It's snowing harder now. The sky is heavy and overcast. Gran Gran may have been right about the pending winter. I'm used to the cold, but this is cold even for me. Even if we did go out into the tundra, I don't think we'd be able to last long, especially with the baby. The cold would be too much for her.

"No." Zuko shakes his head as Momo wriggles into his coat. "We're going to use one of their ships to get out of here."

"Are you crazy?" I whisper harshly, causing Korri to squirm and whimper in her wrap against my chest.

"They'll be expecting us to go out and hide. I saw a bunch of ships and men head out towards the hunting grounds already. They won't be expecting us to sneak onto one of their ships."

Almost simultaneously, our eyes connect with the cargo ship nearby. Luckily, this isn't just a raid. They're here for exports too, which might actually work in our favor.

We wait behind the same tent for a long time, watching the nearest cargo ship and how they load the goods. There isn't much of a pattern, and we can't pinpoint how many firebenders are on cargo duty, but we can't wait much longer. We've been in one place for too long.

Zuko kneels down in front of me, his eyes connecting with mine.

"Ready?"

I take in a deep breath, scanning the area one more time. "As I'm gonna be…"

He places a hand on the small of my back and gently nudges me to my feet. "You go first."

As soon as the next batch of firebenders leaves to get another load, I make a mad dash for the ship.

It can't be more than a few yards away, but I don't think I've ever run farther in my life. I know we are moving, yet it feels like we are making no progress. The snow beneath my feet feels like quicksand, every step requires a torturous amount of effort.

I want to look over my shoulder to see if Zuko and Momo are still behind me, but at the same time, I'm terrified to look back. I'm afraid of what I might see, something like firebenders on our tail or Zuko sacrificing himself so that the baby and I can board the ship safely. Ultimately, I settle for listening, and since I can hear footsteps behind me, I assume they are Zuko's and that we haven't been spotted. Yet.

Someone is going to see us. I just know it. We are out in the open, but snow is coming down harder now. It provides a fuzzy veil of black, gray, and white for us to hide in, and I know that if it weren't for this storm, we never would have made it this far.

My feet hit metal. The echo is loud, bouncing off me, humming into my core and vibrating against my already frazzled nerves. Still, I feel relief. We made it. We're actually on the ship.

But this isn't enough for Zuko. He rushes past me, still running, so I follow him. We go as far into its belly as possible, down several flights of stairs before finally hiding behind the countless boxes of goods that have already been stored away.

I fall onto the cold, hard flooring. I try to catch my breath, but I'm also trying to silence those same breaths so I won't be too loud. I'm terrified of someone hearing us. If I make one wrong move, we'll blow it, and everything will crumble underneath us.

Zuko leans against a nearby crate, his forehead pressed to his forearm, his broad shoulders shuddering with heavy breaths. Momo crawls out of his coat and flies on top of a nearby box to watch him more closely. Apparently, Momo is concerned.

He catches his breath – for the most part – and rearranges all the boxes and crates around us.

Initially, I had no idea what he was doing, but once I realized he was creating a makeshift room/barrier for us, I get up to help.

My adrenaline is still going even after we finish building our unusual fortress. It's impossible to be still even though I need to be as quiet as humanly possible. There are firebenders, guards, and soldiers all around us. They continue loading goods into the space around us. I hear their footsteps on the floors overhead. I hear them go up and down the stairs. I hear their voices even though I can't make out what they are saying.

It's unnerving. In some ways, this is worse than the raid outside. Out there we have the option of running, and I had plenty of snow and water to bend. In here, we are cornered, outnumbered, trapped like spider-rats. If they find us, there isn't much we can do.

I try not to think about it. I try not to think about what might happen or what might still be happening to the village outside. A part of me feels like a coward, like I am betraying my village by turning my back on them and running away, but there wasn't much of a choice. I had to do this. Our future could depend upon the child in my arms and the prince next to me.

The village may need me, but Zuko and Korri need me more.

I pat the baby's back. I pet Momo. I pace silently, but Zuko and I don't speak. We both wait for the ship's engine to roar to life. We can't relax until we know that the Fire Nation is on its way out and that we are drifting away from the South Pole.

I don't think I've ever wanted to get away from my home so badly.

Eventually, I crouch next to Zuko, hoping being near him will calm my nerves.

It helps a little.

For a long time, Zuko is distant. His eyes are far away, but he is oddly focused. His focus just isn't on any of us, and I long to know what's going through his head.

All at once, he realizes that I am next to him. His eyes wander over my face, fall down to the baby, and then return to my face.

I itch to touch him, to make some kind of contact. I can't help but think about how much has changed since the last time we snuck onto a ship together. I selfishly want the comfort I've come to expect from him. I've grown addicted to it.

But I fight the urge. I swallow it and force it deep down into my belly. I try to channel the old Katara, the one who wouldn't take his touch on a silver platter, the one who didn't rely on his support. I'll need her strength if I am going to get through this.

Finally, all the clamor of firebenders and the shifting of crates stops, and the ship's engine starts with a lazy rumble that spreads through the whole vessel.

I sink into the floor, all the adrenaline draining out of me. With it gone, I am exhausted and weak. My muscles melt inside me and my nerves go limp.

We don't have to worry about the raid anymore, but we will have to be on this ship until we reach the next port. Whenever that will be. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I just pray to Tui and La (and maybe even Agni if he'd listen) that we can arrive before someone sees or hears us.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Woo! Change of pace! Shifting gears! This is still ATLA after all. We can't stay in one place for too long ;) I mean, I guess technically we could, but where's the fun in that? Besides, I think a change of scenery will be good for them…maybe... Yeah, I know. I'm terrible, but I'm done now!

Thanks again for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!