Chapter Eight

The Getaway

Khundes stood there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. "You're right..." he said finally.

Aang was shocked. "What?"

Khundes looked at Aang, then looked Azula in the eyes. "It probably wouldn't have worked out between me and you," he said then shoved her away from him. "I've found where I truly belong and if you really want the Avatar, just know, you are going to have one heck of a fight on your hand," he said.

Azula, for the first time, didn't know what to say or do.

"Lets go Aang," Khundes said. Appa landed and Khundes and Aang climbed up onto Appa's back and Appa took off into the dawn that was now approaching.

Azula stood there in what was left of the darkness of the forest for sometime. No one had ever been able to resist her manipulations. She had only said those things to hurt Khundes. To convince him to return to the Fire Nation. It had backfired on her. What was this she was feeling... this emotion. It was sickening and strange to her. Hurt. Khundes had succeeded in hurting her. She wasn't going to cry but she was hurt. She hated this feeling. Was it possible that maybe she did care for someone whom she thought she didn't?

No! Impossible! she thought to herself. "Princess?" a soldier said after getting up from the ground. "What are your orders?" he asked.

Azula ignored him for a moment.

"Princess?" he said again.

Azula turned to the soldier. "Prepare our land vehicles. We'll follow them that way," she said bitterly.

"Yes Princess!" the soldier said and ran back towards the village.

"Oh Khundes... you will regret this day. No one shrugs me off like that and lives," Azula said angrily.

"I'm so sorry Katara. This should have been me... I should have been the one to be hurt," Khundes said. But he was hurt. Not physically, but emotionally. Azula's words, as much as he disliked admitting it, had hurt him. He still had some feeling for Azula and didn't even know it. She had pulled the right punches back there. For a few moments he had been tempted to take her offer.

"What was that between you and Azula?" Aang asked.

Khundes shook his head. "Nothing. She was just trying to scare me... I could care less if my father finds out I'm a traitor," he said.

"But you aren't. Its the Fire Nation that are the traitors," Katara said, placing a hand on his. She looked into his eyes and saw the hurt that was there, but she didn't say anything.

Khundes looked at Aang. "They're going to be looking for you now. Every manner of bounty hunter and Fire Nation soldier are going to be after you," he said.

"I know... but now the rest of the world can know that I'm back and ready to put an end to this war," Aang said.

Khundes tore off a piece of shirt and looked at Katara. "Get this wet," he said.

Katara poured some water from her water pouch onto the cloth and Khundes began to gently wipe clean the cut on her face.

Aang watch as Khundes wiped the blood away from the cut on Katara's face and felt a wave of jealousy sweep over him. He didn't like watching this. What happened between them in the forest, he wondered.

"Khundes..." Sokka said.

Khundes kept wiping the blood off Katara's cheek. "Yes Sokka?"

"I... I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have mistrust you. And I'm sorry that I hit you," Sokka said, holding out his hand for Khundes to shake.

Khundes looked at Sokka then shook his hand. "It's ok Sokka. I would have done the same thing," he said.

Khundes looked back at Katara. "Your cut is minor. It's smaller than I thought it was and its clean now," he said, looking down, then back to her. "I'm sorry Katara. It's my fault this happened," he said.

Katara looked at Khundes and placed a hand on his cheek. "Even if it was, you saved us by helping us get away. For that we all owe you. We would have been ruined if the Fire Nation got Aang," she said. "You're a very admirable person Khundes. We are lucky to have a great person like you with us," she finished.