Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Avatar Characters. Nickelodeon owns them.
Story Title: Ghost Town
Category: Romance/Mystery/…
Rating: T for Teen
Pairings: N/A Yet
Summary: Katara gets separated from the group, and instead finds herself in the middle of a town completely destroyed by the Fire Nation troops. But is it really destroyed? And is she really alone?

A/N: Eep! Once more, I am so so so sorry it took so long! High School is an ass! It took me forever to get used to the scheduals, and then I had to get passed some boyfriend drama and then there were so many tests! And then I was planning on writing every weekend but I got so caught up in family matters! And then Cold Static kept writing in my planner: 'Update Ghost Town!' And I couldn't! I feel terrible! I'm sorry this isn't long, and I'm sorry we don't get to find out what happens to Zuko.

Gomen, everyone! –Solar Beam

Chapter Six:

Katara's grew. She shut her eyes tightly. Surely that man wouldn't just leave her alone? She couldn't waterbend here! She was completely defenseless. The fire had gone out, and the cool air had turned warm. She slowly turned and opened her eyes, letting out a startled yelp.

There, standing in front of her with its head tilted to the side, stood a very large buffalo deer. She remembered only seeing them in the North Pole, when she had Aang and Sokka had gone to find a waterbending master. Someone had been riding one when they had arrived.

Katara pointed to it with wide eyes. "Ari?" she guessed. The buffalo deer moaned a 'yes' and Katara nodded. "Nice to meet you, I'm Katara." Yep, she had lost it. She was talking to an animal spirit. Yes, she was definitely scary.

She turned back to the dead fire and sighed. Slowly she picked herself up and got a few pieces of wood and placed them in the pit, before grabbing some flint that was laying beside it. She struck the flint together with precision; having to camp out in the woods every night, she was used to it. The fire started and she blew into the wood to make it grow. With a proud smile, she sat back.

Ari slowly lowered himself behind her and she found herself leaning back against his warm coat. She shut her eyes. "I can't believe I'm in the Spirit World," she said honestly to no one in particular, "And before the Spirit World, I was stuck in a town that got destroyed every night and was reincarnated every morning; people and all. And then I met up with my enemy there and we helped each other out. It sounds strange to me, hearing it like that." She looked up from where she had been intertwining her fingers together and fiddling her thumbs, and looked to the sky that was hidden by the branches.

Her gaze was far-off. "He's just misunderstood, I think. He really isn't that bad. But there's just so much we don't know about him. And Aang, he's generally a very forgiving guy. But there's just…just so much fear in him. No one would believe me if I said that Zuko was not bad at all." She sighed heavily and ran a hand down her face. "But Zuko has always been our enemy. Every time I thought of the enemy, his face would always come up in my mind. Not exactly the scar in general, but his face. No, not his face, per se, but golden eyes. Pure, yellow, golden eyes."

She shut her eyes briefly before lowering her head and looking into the flames. "I hope everyone's okay. I hope Sokka isn't making fun of Aang, and I hope Toph isn't starting any trouble. She's been getting better at watching her attitude…I'm proud of her." Her eyes softened. They were her friends, her family. She loved them so much. So very much. "I hope they're all okay. And I hope that man that follows Zuko around is alright, he was hurt recently."

She looked down at her hands. "And I hope Zuko is alright. Despite the fact that he was our enemy and might still be, I hope he's alright." She looked up back at the sky and shut her eyes, wishing to see clouds and sunlight. "Please be safe."

The ostrich-horse squawked in annoyance at having been awakened early in the morning. The old man with the wounded arm had set up the saddle before the sun had even gotten up! Why were they in such a hurry? And where was the scarred-faced boy who was always traveling with them? Where were they going?

Iroh chuckled at the ostrich-horse's obvious dislike of being awakened so early. He rubbed its beak before turning to the sadly and hefting himself up. They had to reach their destination before it was too late. He guessed he was a good hour or so away.

He had last seen the giant bison fly over head not too long ago, and they were in a rush to catch up. He kicked the beast forward and the bird instantly went into a canter. Iroh narrowed his brown-gold eyes, hurrying the beast forward some more into a strange gallop.

They had been going on like this for at least an hour when he finally slowed to a walk and the sound of people talking loudly caught onto his ears.

"Aang, are you sure you saw Katara walk this way? We've been wandering around for a long time. Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?"

"I swear I saw her! It wasn't a dream! Katara!" The monk cupped his hands around his mouth and called out the young waterbender's name.

"Guys…" It was a familiar girl's voice that said this, trying to catch their attention.

"Aang, Katara is a big girl and can take care of herself! She knows where we're going, don't worry about it. She'll catch up to us at the next town."

"If it's not destroyed like the other one! I swear she went toward that town and disappeared! Something just isn't right." The young Avatar had been in a frantic ever since Katara had left.

"Guys…" it was the young earthbender again.

"Of course something isn't right! I've been eating nuts and mint leaves for the past two days! I want real food!" Sokka stomped his foot. "Where's a river when you need it?"

"Aren't you at all worried about Katara?"

"Guys!" the girl screamed now, stomping her feet and sending both boys flying into near-by trees. She looked straight ahead, a light smile on her lips as she pointed toward the old man that was standing a bit away with an ostrich horse beside him. "We've got a guest."

Both boys looked at the old man. It took a moment for it to sink in, and then Sokka waved his hands in front of him before grabbing for his boomerang and Aang stood up and then fell back down when Momo jumped him eagerly.

"What do you want?" Sokka asked angrily. He was expecting to see Zuko somewhere close by, because it seemed wherever the old man was, Zuko was sure to follow.

"Where's Zuko?" Aang asked as he stood, mirroring Sokka's thoughts. "Is he somewhere near-by?" There was no fear or anger, just honest curiosity.

"No, I'm afraid he isn't." Aang nodded.

"Aang, we can't trust him!" Sokka said drastically, pointing his boomerang at the old man while he spoke to the Avatar, "He's Fire Nation!"

Toph groaned and stomped her foot on the ground, calling to the earth as she jerked her elbows down against air and then lifted her hands up, the earth forming a rocky tent around Sokka's form. "Ignore Snoozles," she said kindly as she turned blind eyes toward the old man. "How are you doing? Is your shoulder better?"

"You know him?" Aang said in surprise.

"Yes. He gave me very good advice and very good tea once. He can be trusted, don't worry."

"It's doing quite well, actually." Iroh stepped up to them, one hand rubbing his shoulder with a kind smile. "But I came to speak to you about your lost waterbender." Aang's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Iroh quickly raised a hand and frowned, "I do not have her. But my nephew has also gone missing. It seems that they have gotten their selves stuck in the Spirit World."

The sound of Sokka's annoyed, angered, and fearful voice came from within his stony prison. "What?! Katara is stuck with that firebender somewhere! If he lays a hand on my sister—Let me out of here so I can go beat him up!"

"I thought you said he couldn't be trusted?" Toph said sarcastically as she lightly kicked the prison he was in, making it tremble and make him yell in fear inside. The rocky tent did not collapse, but held strong. Toph smirked.

Aang looked down at the ground and then looked up at Iroh with worried gray eyes. "Are you sure? Zuko could have just gotten himself lost…or—"

"No," Iroh said with a brisk nod, "I'm sure. They are definitely together, safely I might add. But that might change if they stay in there for too long. You of all people, young Avatar, know how dangerous the Spirit World may be."

Aang's eyes slowly widened as he thought of the face-stealing spirit he had met last time he had gone into the Spirit World. "Oh no…" he whispered. Then he snapped his fingers. "I'll just go into the Spirit World and bring them back!"

Iroh shook his head. "I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that, young Avatar. While you go in spirit and mind and not body, they are stuck in the Spirit World with mind, body, and spirit. I'm afraid they will have to work this out on their own."

"But Katara…is she safe…I mean…will she be okay with…I mean…" Aang didn't want to hurt Iroh's feelings or insult him by asking if Katara will be safe with his nephew.

Iroh seemed to understand this and he smiled slightly. "Zuko is a changing man; I believe she is fine with him. He would never hurt a woman on purpose."

Aang nodded, but didn't seem too convinced. Sokka was yelling something about hurting Zuko when all of this was over, and Toph was leaning up against his make-shift cage, casually picking at her nails. "So…what should we do?" Aang asked softly.

"I suggest pack your things and head back to the abandoned town a few miles back. I believe, if I have my facts right, that that is where they had gotten stuck in the first place," he explained, "I remember tales of a town when I was a bit younger…a tale of how a town was destroyed by the first raid of war. It became cursed, reliving each day the terror and pain it had gotten the morning it was destroyed.

"Each night at sun-down the town rebuilds itself and the people come alive, and every morning it is attacked and destroyed by a Fire Nation raid. It is said that if anyone gets stuck in the town during the rebuilding process, they will be locked in the town forever. It seems that the tale is true after all. They escaped, and Zuko came to me in a ...dream," he lied, not wanting to tell his tale of being locked in the Spirit World himself once more, "and told me that they had escaped together. But they are stuck. I told them to go after the young waterbender and keep her safe until they are able to escape."

It was quiet, and for once, Sokka wasn't speaking. Finally, Sokka knocked on the rock and said, "Toph, please let me out. I won't hurt him." Toph felt the vibrations of Sokka's heart through the ground and nodded; he was telling the truth. She stomped on the ground and pulled her hands down roughly to her side, and the rocks cage fell back into the ground. The only thing causing Sokka's heart to beat fast was the fact that his sister was in possible danger. She smiled sadly to herself. He was such a good big brother.

"Then we should be heading to the town. We won't go near it, though. We'll camp where we did before. A good distance away," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, "We don't want to loose anyone else, right, Aang?"

Aang nodded and bowed to the old man. "Would you like to travel with us? You can sit on Appa, and I would be glad to ride your ostrich horse for you. That way you won't lose her means of travel."

Iroh chuckled but nodded. "Thank you, young Avatar. It's nice to see the young people today treat their elders with such respect," he wiped dramatically at his crocodile tears, "It makes an old man so happy."

Aang and Toph chuckled and helped him onto the bison. Sokka crawled onto Appa's head and took the reins. "Hey, why can't I drive sometime?" Toph asked as she leaned forward on the front of the saddle, tipping her head.

"Hmph, I wonder why." Sokka rolled his eyes and snapped the reins. "Appa, yip yip!"

Aang shook his head as he got onto the two-legged beast. He turned it around and kicked it forward. He wasn't very good with other pack animals, so he was a little clumsy. Finally, the bird took the reins and led the boy forward, following the giant bison from intellect.

"Here, its done cooking." Katara nodded and put out her metal plate, and Ryuu placed the fish onto the plate. Katara had honestly never seen this kind of fish before, but she figured it was just one of those Spirit World things. Her eyes saddened. Were her friends being fed correctly? Were they eating at all?

"Is it not good?" Ryuu asked as he watched her carefully. Her eyes had taken on a far-away look as she looked down at the fish.

Katara looked up brightly. "No, its fine. Thank you!" To show him that it really was good she took a bite and chewed. Since Ryuu had returned, he had been in a much better mood. He looked as if he had talked himself into being nicer to her, probably given himself some discipline.

Katara's eyes widened and looked down at the fish. "Wow, this really is good!" She began eating with more gusto.

Ryuu smirked slightly. "For a girl, you have a big appetite."

Katara looked up, eyes wide before she continued eating, not sure if it was a compliment or supposed to insult her. "Living with a brother with a never-ending appetite does that. You have to eat quickly in order to get food at all; otherwise it's gone by the time you're prepared to eat." She smiled slightly at the thought of Sokka. She hoped he was okay.

Ryuu nodded, but didn't smile. He was like Zuko; he never smiled. Ryuu was quite for a moment, leaning back against a trunk of a tree watching as Katara ate. Ari hadn't moved from her side since he had gotten back, letting her lean up against his warm pelt. Ryuu had always figured Ari to be a well domesticated animal, but never this friendly toward others.

Katara had been busy eating, but now that she was finishing up, her mind led back to the comments Ryuu had made earlier when they had first met. He had hated her. But now he seemed fine. In fact, he seemed more laid back. She glanced back at him and her brow furrowed. She wanted desperately to know why he hated the Water Tribes so much.

"Yes?" Ryuu looked at her with a scowl. She had been looking at him like that for a few moments now; something was bothering her.

Katara started at the sudden annoyance in his voice and then, regaining her composer and her courage, she set her plate aside and leaned forward in her seat. He was sitting across from her, on the other side of the flames. "Why…" she paused uncertainly, and when he propped an eyebrow up curiously she continued, "Why do you hate me so much? Why do you hate waterbending? Why do you not like the Tribes in which you were born?"

Ryuu looked away, his scowl darkening. He knew she'd asked at some point. "It's personal," he grumbled darkly.

Katara looked down and nodded. Maybe she'd never find out. She sighed and set her plate further toward the fire, her eyes sad. "Good night, then." She slowly fell to her side and closed her eyes, snuggling deeper into Ari's fur and falling asleep.