(A/N: IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ! First I'd like to apologize for the long wait. This semester has been tough. Second, I want to inform you all that a majority of this chapter is one of the deleted/unfinished scenes of the Avatar movie, so stuff may be unfamiliar. Hope you like it anyway.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 6: The Festival

Zuko may not have been one for riding large fish, but he enjoyed flying. He seemed to be very intoned with his bison. He understood what Katara meant by saying that a bison was a lifetime companion.

Not that they were perfectly in sync right off the bat. He did need some training in how to fly, as did the children that took the bison test with him. But now they all flew through the air as if it were second nature. Jet let them, followed by Katara, Zuko, and the children.

Glancing at Katara, a mischievous smirk crept up Zuko's face. He directed his bison to nudge Appa, not enough to knock Katara off, but just enough to make her loose her balance. She gave him a shocked look, though it held no anger. She returned the favor by having Appa nip Zuko's bison, forcing Zuko to grab hold of his bison's horn to keep from falling off.

"Enough!" Jet scolded.

Though Zuko rolled her eyes at Jet's attitude, he decided to listen to him and stop fooling around. Today was important. There was a big hunt happening. All the Water Tribe's hunters were going after big game.

Down below, large cow-hippos ran in packs as the hunters gave chase. It was their job to get them going, and the real hunters to take them down. Zuko was intent on making a kill. He would prove himself to be a hunter to everyone.

Spotting a rather large fat one, he directed his bison towards it. Once he was close enough, he threw his spear. It hit the cow-hippo in the back. It roared loudly, but kept going. Zuko wasn't surprised, these things weren't easy to take down. But even after throwing four more spears, his prey kept going.

Eyes narrowing, Zuko directed his bison to dive straight down towards the cow-hippo. Taking up a spear, he waited to the last possible second to pull his bison out of the dive. As he did, he threw the spear, using his Firebending to launch it like a rocket. It hit the cow-hippo in the back of the head, going straight through, and coming out of its chin, slamming into the ground. The cow-hippo roared loudly and tripped over its own feet. It came crashing down and was dead moments later.

Zuko cried out in triumph. He'd just taken out a cow-hippo all by himself. Not even Jet would be able to dismiss this.

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On the way back, Katara and Zuko decided to take a detour. She felt it was time to share something special with him. Flying over the area, she motioned downwards. Zuko looked and couldn't believe what he saw.

Among the snow and ice was an oasis surrounded by a shrine. In the middle of it was a pond that seemed to glow. And within the pond seemed to be a yin-yang, circling around and around.

Zuko knew what this was. This was the sacred pond of La and Tui, the ocean and the moon. It was the Water tribe's most sacred place. According to what he learned, La and Tui were the ancient spirits in physical form. They were the Water Tribe's direct contact with Yue.

'Uncle would kill to see this.' He thought, but he knew that outsiders were strictly forbidden.

He didn't get a good look though. They had to get back, or they'd miss the celebration.

On the way back, they flew past an island in the middle of a river. But the island suddenly sprang to life. A large claw, more than capable of grasping both Katara and Zuko's bison in a single palm, reached for them.

"Pull up!" Zuko shouted.

Katara didn't need to be told twice. Both she and Zuko directed their bison upwards, just missing being swiped by the giant claw.

The giant head of a lion emerged from underwater, its mouth wide open. Katara and Zuko just barely avoided its snapping jaws.

With an angry roar, the creature submerged, the entire island going with it. That's because it wasn't an island at all, but part of the creature.

The water exploded and the creature burst up from under the water, launching itself into the air. Katara and Zuko flew higher as the creature swiped at them. They only just got out of range, yet they flew even higher just to be sure. The creature roared in frustration and turned away, partly submerging itself again so it looked like an island once again.

Safe for now, Zuko and Katara shared a look. For a moment, shock and terror was written all over their faces. Then they burst out laughing.

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Back at the village, Zuko and Katara were talking about what had happened. Katara had informed him that the creature that had tried to eat them was a lion-turtle, the largest and wisest animal in the world. She also told him that her great-great-grandfather was the rider of the lion-turtle.

"He rode that thing?" he asked in shock.

She smiled proudly. "The lion-turtle chose him. It has only happened six times since Yue became the moon."

Zuko's eyes widened. "That's a long time."

She nodded. "They call the rider of the lion-turtle the Blue Spirit. He brought our clans together in a time of great sorrow." She gave him a smile and grabbed his hand. "Come, lets join the festival."

The festival was to celebrate a successful hunt. There was singing, dancing, and feasting. Everyone one was there, children, hunters, warriors, healers, everyone. Even Iroh and Aang had been allowed to attend.

It was a different experience for Zuko. There was no dancing in the Fire Nation, and any parties consisted of well-behaved high-class people making small talk. It was very boring. But the Water Tribe was quite the opposite.

Currently, several people were dancing around a roaring firing in costume. Those that weren't dancing were sitting on the sidelines, watching. Zuko was among them, sitting with Iroh and Aang as they watched the dancing. But Zuko's attention was focused on one dancer in particular. His gaze was fixed on Katara as she moved to the beat of the drums, completely lost in the music.

Someone moved into his line of vision and Zuko looked up to see Jet. Great, just the person Zuko wanted to see. What did he want this time?

But to Zuko's surprise, Jet sat down beside him and handed him a goblet. "Drink." He said.

Hesitantly, Zuko took the goblet. Was Jet trying to poison him? But then he realized that several tribesmen were watching them. Jet wouldn't do anything with so many witnesses.

He glanced at his uncle, who was eyeing the goblet in concern, but not because he thought it was poisoned. Giving Zuko a nervous look, he shook his head. The young prince ignored him and drank. He immediately wished he hadn't. The stuff was strong. But he immediately received cheers from the others.

"Hey," said Aang, taking a goblet, "can I try some?"

"Oh no!" Iroh cried, snatching the goblet from him. "That stuff will knock you off your feet. Now tea, that's the way to go."

His uncle had been right. Zuko could already feel the affects of the alcohol hitting him. Smirking, he looked up at Jet, wandering if this had been a peace offering.

Jet smirked back, also looking like the drink was affecting him as well. "I thought that with enough drink that you wouldn't be so damn ugly."

Zuko started to take offense, but then he realized that, knowing Jet, he most likely wasn't talking about his scar.

"You did very well today." Jet continued. "I've only seen Firebenders destroy all in their path. And those that can't Firebend, attack in metal tanks like cowards. I didn't know someone of the Fire Nation could be brave."

Zuko supposed this was a compliment, or as close as to a compliment that he would ever get from Jet. He opened his mouth to reply, but Katara suddenly appeared beside them, her face flushed from dancing. Beaming happily, she grabbed Zuko's hand and gave him a tug towards the dance floor.

"Come!" she said.

Zuko shook his head. "I don't dance."

She gave him a look of false irritation. "It is the way. Come."

Zuko reluctantly let himself be pulled to his feet, missing the look of suspicious disapproval that Jet threw at him and Katara. He managed to prevent himself from getting dragged off just long enough to grab his uncle's hand and pull him along.

"No, I'm too old to dance." He said.

Aang immediately came to back Zuko up, giving Iroh a shove to the dance floor, and soon the three of them had joined Katara and the other dancers.

For not having danced before, Zuko picked it up quickly enough. And it was fun. He and Katara paired up and danced together, even during the dances that didn't require or have partners. They lost themselves in the music and each other, unaware of the three pairs of eyes watching them in disapproval.

Hands joined together, the two danced until the song came to an end. And when it did, Zuko found that he didn't want to let go. Katara didn't seem to want to let go either. They remained on the dance floor, looking at each other fondly, and perhaps with a bit more than fondness.

On the sidelines, Aunt Wu, who had been one of the ones watching in disapproval, moved towards Hakoda, another disapproving onlooker. "This must not happen." She told him, knowing he already knew. "Her path is with Jet."

Hakoda nodded in agreement.

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They had gone back to base today to report in. Zuko remained silent the whole time. He was lost in thought, trying to sort out his feelings. Everything was backwards now; like life in the Water Tribe was reality and his life as a Fire Nation soldier was the lie.

It was hard to believe it had only been three months.

"Haven't gotten lost in the snow, have you?"

Zuko looked up, finding Admiral Zhao walking towards him. Iroh and Aang were with the Fire Lord, giving him their reports on the mission. Now Zhao was coming for Zuko's report on his own mission.

"It's been a while since your last report." Zhao continued, taking a seat beside the prince. "I was beginning to doubt your resolve." He must have read something in Zuko's face because he said, "I see it's time to terminate the mission."

A jolt of fear ran through Zuko. Terminate the mission? Never get to see the Water Tribe again? Never get to see her again?

"No!" he cried. "No, I can do this."

Zhao grinned. "You already have. You've given me good useful information with this sacred pond of La and Tui. I've got them up against the wall now when this turns into a war, which it will." He said it so nonchalantly. "You've restored your honor, my prince. You can go back home with your head held high. I can have you on a ship tonight."

There it was, what he always wanted. Honor, respect, his throne, his kingdom… his father's love. It was finally all within his grasp once more. He'd done it; he'd gotten his honor back. No longer would he be the disgraced prince, but a hero of the Fire Nation.

But there was something else he wanted, something more than anything else. But he would never be able to get it if he went back to the Fire Nation now.

"I have to finish this." He told the admiral. "There's one more thing left. A ceremony. It's the final stage of becoming a man. If I do it I'm one of them." He noted Zhao's suspicious look. "And I can negotiate the terms of their surrender."

Zhao seemed to be thinking about this. The whole point of this operation had been to earn the trust of the Water Tribe and get them to embrace the ways of the Fire Nation. Now here was the young prince saying that he was moments away from achieving that goal. He couldn't just dismiss that.

"Well then," Zhao said, sounding disappointed, "you better get it done."

(A/N: Troubles brewing, but I'm sure you know that. And just to warn you, next chapter will be like this one, containing a big deleted/unfinished Avatar movie scene. I promise it'll be good though. I've got big plans for it.)