Ignition

Chapter 16: Smolder

Think, damn it, think!

Katara's mind reeled as she followed the rowdy, jostling group of boys through the trees. She knew she had to come up with something and quickly - the rushing, gurgling river was rapidly approaching. All too soon they reached the edge of a clearing scattered with scrubby bushes and ferns. Before them the river swirled into a pool surrounded by outcroppings of large tan and rust-hued rocks. Several of the boys let out hoots of joy as they began stripping off their dusty clothes and splashing into the water. Katara averted her eyes willed herself not to laugh uncontrollably as Jeb and several of his friends darted in front of her.

That's way more than I ever wanted to see of any of them…

Had her predicament been less critical, she doubted she would have been able to resist the desire to laugh at the awkward situation. To Katara's relief, all of the boys finally seemed to be in the water. The younger boys mostly splashed each other and played games. Several of the older boys paddled easily into the deeps of the pool where they could tread water and talk without the commotion of the younger boys to disturb them.

Katara drew herself onto one of the larger, more asymmetrical rock formations where she sat with her legs crossed in front of her hoping to go unnoticed. Watching the boys, she noticed many of them carried scars similar to those on her arms that their clothing had previously hidden. Rone's shoulder bore a large crimson burn in the shape of a handprint and Jeb's chest was splashed with a deep red tinged in pink. Slowly it dawned on her that the Air, Earth, and Water nations were not the only victims of the 100 Years' War. Citizens of the Fire Nation paid for Ozai's brutality with their own flesh and blood – these boys and men were living proof.

As she contemplated what she had seen of the world during her travels with the Avatar, the darkness and evil of which people were capable, she wondered vaguely how long people like her friends could continue to fight before their resolve began to fade. Wrenching herself sharply from her dark thoughts, she focused her attention instead upon snippets of idle chatter - talk of training, homesickness, and from the older boys, girls. She smirked as she heard Rone and Maroch teasing Jeb about his failed attempt at wooing an innkeeper's daughter when the caravan had stopped in town to gather supplies earlier in their journey.

"So then the old man throws open the barn doors and what does he see? Good ol' Jeb rolling around in the dust with his little girl. All 'cause he couldn't walk and talk at the same time, the girl had him so caught up," Maroch finished, throwing his head back to laugh.

"Bowling for a bride, eh?" Rone quipped, drawing more laughter from the gathered boys. "Don't worry on it Jeb, little firemouse here wouldn't know what to do with a pretty girl if one fell into his lap either!" he added, splashing Rhyu lightly. Katara chuckled as she watched Rhyu blush. Her laugh caught Maroch's attention.

"Oy, Koru! Surely you've a lady or two back home," Maroch said, leaning his head back to float. "Go on, let's hear it."

Katara faltered as the boys turned their attention to her. Her quick attempts to concoct a story failing, Katara opted for the simple way out. "Nope. Not one," she said simply with a shrug. At least no one could accuse her of lying in that regard.

The older boys eyed her as if she had sprouted an additional head. Several laughed. "I don't believe it, not for a second," Rone muttered with a chuckle. "You're holding out on us."

"That'd just be unnatural," Maroch muttered, shaking his head and sending a spray of water droplets fanning out around him.

"You know what else is unnatural? You perching on that rock. Get in here, the water's great," Jeb called after resurfacing from a dive and brushing his sopping wet hair out of his eyes. The other boys joined in, beckoning Katara to jump in. Rhyu glanced over his shoulder at her. This won't end well…

Katara shook her head. "No, I'm good here thanks," she mumbled. The boys exchanged glances, each wearing an identical smirk. "Get him," Jeb murmured.

As if on cue the boys darted forward through the water, paddling hard towards the rock where Katara sat. She scurried to her feet, but not quickly enough. Maroch reached her perch first, and heaved himself out of the water to grab her ankle. Katara squawked and kicked his hand roughly with her free foot before scrabbling to the far side of the rock. With a howl, Maroch slipped back into the water while cradling his hand. "It's just a little water, damn!" he mumbled gruffly.

Katara let the first thing to come to mind slip out. "I can't swim," she mumbled. Ridiculous…

"Well it's not that deep," Rone replied with a shrug.

"Yeah just slide in, you can probably tou-" Jeb began before Katara cut him off.

"I said no," she stated with a sense of finality, flopping onto the rock once more.

Jeb and the others shared a glance. "Suit yourself," Maroch mumbled.

As the others returned to their conversations, Katara busied herself with washing what she could of her face and hair without being in the water. Eventually determining it to be futile, she crossed the large flat rock to peer into the deep pool on the other side. Watching the swirling dark water below, she sat back on her heels and decided that she would simply have to come back after dark. The sentinels were spread thinly now that two were posted to watch Zuko; she had confidence she would be able to slip in and out without being noticed. It was a simple matter of finding her way to and from the river without getting lost. Nodding to herself, Katara slowly began to stand.

Before she straightened, a shadow was cast over her. "Couldn't help but to hear that you could use some swimming lessons," Tinzo cackled as he slammed his shoulder into Katara's back. Off-balance and half-bent as she was, she tumbled easily into the deep pool beside her. She swore as she propelled herself to the surface. The fact that she was caught off guard and had not had the chance to close her mouth aided in her pretense as she came sputtering to the surface. Katara looped one arm around a spire of rock that protruded from the water and pulled herself against it. Her saturated clothing clung to her like a second skin. If she moved to get out of the water, there would be no missing the soft curvature of her hips or the swell of her breasts. No amount of binding could hide everything. Katara glared upwards at the guffawing older boy who stood on the precipice about a body length above her.

A stream of expletives that would have made her guttermouth brother blush escaped her parted lips in a hiss as she angrily wiped away the water dripping into her eyes. Another fine predicament you've gotten yourself into Katara…

Several of the boys were shouting at Tinzo at once. Jeb swam over to Katara quickly. "I swear he's adopted. I'll help you get back to the shallows where you can climb out, don't worry about it," he said quietly as he offered a hand. Katara squeezed herself tighter against the rock spur to which she clung and shook her head. Mistaking her reluctance for fear, Jeb insisted. "Come on, you've got to get out somehow."

Panicking, Katara automatically drew upon the cool, fluid power within and rejoiced as she felt it respond to her touch. A jet of water shot forward from her foot beneath the surface and curved to the right between them. The surface rippled and contorted before settling once more.

All of the boys including Jeb froze. "What was that?" Maroch demanded.

Rhyu's eyes widened as he picked up on Katara's plan as another vortex displaced the water's surface, circling Katara and Jeb. "There's something in the water!" he shouted as he began to flail dramatically, scrambling towards shore. The panic caught quicker than wildfire as the boys scattered, bolting for land as if their lives depended on it. They snatched up their clothes and gear and fled quickly back to camp.

Once she was certain the boys had disappeared, Katara propelled herself out of the water and onto the elevated rock from where she was pushed. Casting a glance around the clearing, she jumped from rock to rock until she was on solid ground. When a cluster of bushes to her right rustled, Katara spun to face it and braced herself. Rhyu poked his head out of the foliage with his arms raised. Chuckling, Katara relaxed. Pausing for a moment, she examined the line of bushes and small trees. "Rhyu, would you mind being a lookout while I bathe? I'll be quick about it," she promised. Rhyu nodded and scampered off into the trees. Selecting a large white pine that looked promising, he quickly swung himself up into its branches. Settling himself into the fork of a branch with his back against the trunk, he surveyed the forest floor below him. Using the firefinch chirp that had become their secret signal, he confirmed with Katara that he was in place.

"And no peeking. I suppose I should thank Tinzo, now I don't have to come back later," she muttered. She grasped the soggy tunic and plucked it away from her skin and pulling it easily over her head. After surveying the surrounding area one last time, she removed her boots and breeches. She placed them on one of the lower rocks and slipped gracefully into the water. Slowly she waded deeper into the cool, refreshing water until it swirled just above her waist. Feeling the drop in front of her with her feet, she paused. Reaching behind her back, she untied the soft white cloth she had used as binding and placed the linen another rock where it could be easily retrieved. A sigh escaped her as she was relieved of the restrictive garment before diving smoothly into the deep pool. She pulled herself through the water with natural, almost effortless strokes. Spinning herself slowly through the water to look upwards, she watched the fading light dance on the water's surface. Kicking off from the bottom, she resurfaced easily and went about running her fingers through her hair and massaging her scalp. Jeb did not lie, the water felt incredible. The quiet murmur of the moving water calmed and centered her.

When she was satisfied that she was about as clean as possible she began to wash her clothes. After rinsing the last of the dirt from her tunic and breeches she begrudgingly began the daunting task of wrapping her chest. The tunic and breeches followed. She paused momentarily to watch the last bit of light fade between the trees across the river before pushing gently to create a small wave. The swell lifted her out of the water enough to get her footing on one of the more stable rocks before receding with a soft whisper. Katara scooped up her boots and leapt nimbly from rock to rock until she stood on the soft clay bank.

Raising her hands together in front of her chest, she cast them away from her suddenly in a smooth downward thrust. The water sloughed off of her clothes and formed a large puddle at her feet. Fluffing her tunic and examining her reflection in the water, Katara gave a curt nod. "That ought to do it." She chirped to signal Rhyu, who lowered himself to hang from the branch upon which he had perched before dropping neatly to his feet.

"Ready?" he asked.

Katara patted her pocket to make sure the heavy iron key was in its proper place and then nodded. "We should get back before they notice we are missing. Wouldn't want them to think we were eaten by the unagi," she added, sharing a laugh with Rhyu as they stepped back into the cool shade of the trees.

Beneath the trees, a shadow shifted of its own accord. In the growing darkness the disturbance went unnoticed. A crouched figure watched the pair slip into the twilight through harsh, narrowed eyes. When at last their footfalls faded into silence and the sounds of the undisturbed forest returned, Tinzo stood. With a devilish glint in his eye he began the trek back to camp.

You are mine little waterbender…

At Rhyu's suggestion, the pair gathered firewood on their return trip. "That way, we'll have an explanation for being gone longer than the rest," Rhyu explained as he darted back and forth across the path, scooping up kindling.

"You're a good little schemer, aren't you? I must be a terrible influence," Katara replied with a laugh.

"Pretty much," the boy quipped, peeking over a cluster of bushes behind which he had recently ducked. After stepping awkwardly through the low branches with a bundle of twigs, he paused. "You know, I never would have done anything like this before you came," he said simply, his arms wrapped around the overly large parcel of switches and his head cocked to the side.

Katara's face fell ever so slightly. "I know. I'm so sorry to have dragged you into this Rhyu. It really isn't fair…" she mumbled. "If I get caught, it could get ugly," she finished. Perhaps I should pull away. He doesn't deserve this.

"Nothing is really fair, is it? I was sent away by my family - that's not fair," the boy responded with a shrug. He paused as he remembered the stories shared by Zuko and Katara the previous night. "Your mother, the Avatar's entire race, the siege - this whole war isn't fair," he mumbled, scuffing the ground angrily with his foot. "Bujing and Zhao sit on their butts while kids dig the latrines, set camp, and move equipment. That's definitely not fair," Rhyu finished, deciding to take the lighter route. Katara smiled gently in response, still not convinced.

"I'm glad you came," Rhyu stated definitively. Katara met his gaze and was surprised by the intensity contained therein. "You're the best friend I've made."

Unsure of what to say, Katara simply smiled. "Actually, I wanted to give you something," Rhyu added. "It's Tamori, after all," he said as he rummaged in his pockets, awkwardly shifting the twigs beneath his other arm. He produced what initially looked like a tangle of twine which he dropped into her palm with a small grin. Puzzled, Katara picked it up gently.

"Tamori?" she asked, confused.

"Oh, that's right. Waterbender. Anyway, it's an end of summer holiday. Part of the Fire Lily Festival. You're supposed to give gifts to the people you care about. I know it's nothing s-special and you can't exactly w-wear it around camp, but I hope you like it," Rhyu explained eagerly as his stutter returned ever so slightly.

Katara untangled the confusing object and laid it out flat on her palm. Red and black thread was intricately knotted around a gold wire. In the middle hung a flat gold disk with a crude etching of a firefinch. "Rhyu, it's great!" she exclaimed. "When did you possibly have time to make this?"

Pleased that she liked the bracelet, Rhyu beamed. "While we were riding in the cart. You were distracted," he answered.

Katara stopped on the path and rolled down her boot. She wrapped the circlet around her ankle and fixed the clasp. Unfurling the shaft once more, she stood. "There, now I can wear it and no one will notice." After a moment, she added, "I'm sorry I didn't know or I would have given you something."

"Like I said, you already have," Rhyu replied with a shrug. "You're my friend."

The two stepped out of the shadows and into the flickering firelight of the camp. Upon seeing them, Jeb and his friends waved them over. After enduring a few jibes about wilderness navigation, they sat down with their companions. Rhyu and Katara helped to stoke up the fire the others had started in the little pit between their tents over which Rone hung a battered iron kettle produced from his pack. Each of them contributed a few ingredients for a stew from their rations and settled in to wait. Much to Katara's surprise, Maroch pulled out a small reed instrument and played a light, lilting tune that she vaguely recognized. Several of the boys began singing. Suddenly, Katara identified the melody as the one to which she and Aang had danced while disguised as students at a Fire Nation school. She never realized that it had words. She clapped along to the beat of the music and laughed as the other boys replaced the original lyrics with their own crude renditions. The music and chatter continued as they ate, sharing what little they had between the five of them. Turning her body away from the fire and coughing, Katara managed to disguise clumsily pouring some of the makeshift stew into her empty flask. After replacing the cork, she turned to face the group. "Smoke's getting to me," she explained with another hearty cough. Rone remarked that the wind must have changed direction. The group agreed and shifted to the side.

As night crept on, the group grew quieter. Many of the conversations diminished, and some ceased completely. Katara rested against her pack with her legs extended in front of her to watch as the first stars of the evening began to make their appearances. Reflecting on the last couple days, she heaved a sigh of relief. Admittedly, she had never expected to be within the camp for such a stretch of time and was grateful that she had not yet been exposed. She slipped her hand into her pocket and absentmindedly fiddled with the key to Zuko's chains, trying to develop a plan. Mentally she rummaged through her supplies, taking inventory of the items Iroh had left them. The pack was significantly lighter now; she wore the clothes provided and the rations had been quickly devoured as they traveled despite their best efforts to conserve them. In his defense, the General was not given much time to pack…

Zuko had carried the larger of the daggers provided as a boot knife. There was no doubt in her mind that it now hung on Zahn's belt. The only other items she could recall included the map, a strange lump of rock that resembled quartz, and a small field kit from the apothecary. As if she had been stung by a bumblefly, she sat bolt upright. Thankfully, her friends were too relaxed to notice. She struggled to her feet and stretched. "I think I'm going to call it a night," she mumbled through a feigned yawn.

Rhyu nodded and scurried to his feet as well. "Me too," he chirped. The collected young men nodded or waved in acknowledgement. "G'night," muttered Jeb as the pair headed off in the direction of their tents. Rhyu could barely contain his excitement.

She has a plan…

Across camp, Tinzo strode confidently between the fires of the older men. Approaching Zahn's tent, he stopped and snapped to attention. "Permission to enter, cadre?" he asked, speaking clearly. "This had better be good," Zahn growled as he lumbered to the opening, tossing the flap aside.

"I assure you sir, it is," Tinzo replied confidently.

Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day! I included fluffy moments just for the occasion. A tad longer than my last update, but hopefully you'll forgive me. The next one will come soon I promise. I already have the next few outlined, and I've definitely been bitten by the writing bug recently. In reviewing older chapters, I noticed certain changes in my writing style. I've gone back and changed a few things to reflect the development so the story is more cohesive. So if you've been with me since the beginning (unlikely after 4 years, I know, but it could happen!) you might want to check back a few chapters. I might go back and rewrite a few more of the bothersome passages, but there won't be any plot changes or anything too drastic. Special thanks to all of you who have clicked the 'favorite' button! Favorites, reviews and the like really motivate me to continue, so please feel free to apply liberally.