(A/N: In the movie, a deleted scene was the Na'vi attacking the tanks that destroyed the Trees of Voices, giving the humans an excuse to go to war. That will be included in here.)

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Chapter 9: Upcoming War

They were back at base camp. They could feel the eyes of everyone staring at them accusingly; the same unspoken word hanging in the air, traitors.

"You let me down." Zhao told the young prince. "So what, you get some local tail and completely forget what side you're on?"

Zuko didn't dignify that remark with a response, but Iroh spoke up, turning desperately to the Fire Lord. "Brother, please, there is still time to salvage the situation."

Zhao moved in his path. "Hold your tongue, Dragon of the West."

Iroh glared at him. "Or what, admiral? Do you wish to challenge me to an Angi Kai?"

Zhao smirked. "I can do that."

Iroh's fists clenched angrily as he turned to his brother. "You better pour some water on his flame."

Not that Ozai cared, but he wasn't in the mood to have a fight break out. "Yes, that's enough." He glanced at Iroh. "From both of you."

Iroh took a calming breath. "Ozai, listen, that cave was sacred to the Water Tribe in a way you can't imagine."

The Fire Lord rolled his eyes. "Please. If you throw a handful of snow around here those peasants will accuse you of disrespecting a sacred snowball."

"Don't disrespect them, Ozai!" Iroh scolded. "There's a legend to that cave that's based on truth. It's a place of love and history to everyone, not just the Water Tribe."

Ozai regarded him, for a moment before he burst out laughing. "What toxic plants have you been using to make your tea? It's just a cave." The humor left his face. "Now you listen to me-"

"No, you listen to me!" Iroh interrupted. "This is the Water Tribe's home. If you want to share this world with them, then you're going to have to understand them."

"Oh, I believe we understand them just fine, thanks to the young prince here." Said Zhao, clutching a scroll. Unrolling it, he held it up to Zuko. "Tell me, Zuko, is this your handwriting?"

Zuko didn't even need to look at the scroll to know it was his, and what was on it. "Yes…"

Zhao's smirk widened. "And would you please read it to us?" He received no reply. "Very well then, I'll read it." He cleared his throat. "'They're not going to take on the Fire Nation's society. They're never going to give up their sacred ways. We don't have anything they want. They only desire their freedom. Everything they sent me out here to do is a waste of time. They'll never give in to the Fire Nation.'" Looking satisfied, Zhao rolled up the scroll again. "So, since the peasants are unwilling to accept us as the superior race, I guess things get real simple real fast." He grinned at Zuko. "Thanks, prince, for all your hard work."

Zuko hung his head shamefully.

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Things went downhill from there. Later that day, a report came in saying that the Water Tribe had attacked the Fire Nation's tanks at the sight where the Cave of Two Lovers once was.

This was exactly what Zhao needed in order to proceed. He now had an excuse to go to war with the Water Tribe. Since the Water Tribe technically attacked first, wiping them out would be considered as self-defense and justified.

Of course, Zhao still needed the Fire Lord's permission to go to war, and was currently trying to persuade Ozai to see things his way. And it didn't take much persuasion to get him to agree.

Zuko, Iroh, and Aang could only stand by helplessly as they watched the soldiers prepare for battle.

"They didn't even want us to succeed." Iroh remarked coldly. "They knew of the Cave of Two Lovers. They destroyed a sacred place to provoke an attack out of the Water Tribe."

Zuko laughed humorlessly. "We were always told that the Fire Nation was great and that the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an ingenious lie. And for those that don't want to accept our ways, we make them an enemy of us, so we justify our destroying them. I can already hear what my father is planning on telling the Fire Nation when we get back. The Fire Nation was merely exploring a cave and the Water Tribe attacked us for no reason, forcing us to go to war." He slammed his fist on the table. "What nonsense!"

Aang nodded in agreement. "It's just like when they wiped out my people. It's recorded in the history books that the Fire Nation used a special strategy to defeat the Air Nomad's army. But the Air Nomads never even had a formal military. They were ambushed and destroyed."

At that moment, Mai came running into the room, her face, surprisingly, written with worry. "Zhao's going straight for their village. He's going to destroy it!"

Nothing more needed to be said. The other three were up and running to where they knew Ozai currently was. They could not let the village to be destroyed.

"Ozai, don't do this!" Iroh shouted. "They are people just like us!"

Ozai pointed at him. "No, they are worthless peasants who are standing in our way. These people have to learn that we don't stop."

Zuko dropped to his knees, bowing to his father. "Please, Father, don't attack. We can still try our original plan to get them to accept our ways. Just let me speak to them; they trust me. No one has to get hurt, not Fire Nation or Water Tribe. Or are you going to tell the world that you decided to go to war when you could have chosen a peaceful solution but decided not to? Is that what you're going to tell the family's of our soldiers that end up dying?"

Ozai seemed to think about this for a moment. "Stand up." Zuko obeyed. "We're not leaving for at least another hour. So you better get moving fast. Unless you want your girlfriend in there when the fire starts, you get them to surrender."

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Zuko and Iroh returned to the village as the tribe discussed recent events. Attacking the tanks had just been the beginning. Outrage at the disrespect and mistreatment they had received, the Water Tribe wanted revenge, and Jet was the one shouting for it. It was decided that he would lead the war party.

This was bad. The Fire Nation was already ready to wipe them out. If the Water Tribe declared all out war and attacked again, nothing could save them from the Fire Nation's wrath.

"Please," Iroh cried, "everyone, calm down."

Jet pointed at the old man. "You are not one of us! You don't speak here!" He turned back to his tribe. "The flames of the Fire Nation shall be extinguished!"

This was followed by cheers from all those that wanted the Fire Nation to pay. But not everyone wanted a fight. Katara was one of them, but she would never get Jet to listen. She turned to Zuko desperately as he arrived, silently pleading with him to save her people.

Zuko was ready to do whatever it took. "Jet!" he called out.

The angry Water Tribe warrior turned to Zuko, his anger shifting to pure hatred. "You!" He charged at Zuko, his fist making contact with the young prince's jaw. "I'll kill you!"

As Zuko went down, Katara moved in Jet's path. "Jet stop!"

He ignored her, simply pushing her aside and demanded of Zuko accusingly, "You stole her purity?"

Shocked gasps echoed through the tribe. Iroh pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered, "Oh shit."

Aunt Wu stepped forward, giving Katara a look of disbelief. "Is this true?"

Heat flooded Katara's face and she looked slightly ashamed for having been caught being sexually active outside marriage. "In the Cave of Two Lovers, while Yue shined biggest and brightest in the sky, we became one. It is done."

Betrayal was written on Jet's face as what he suspected was confirmed. Hakoda and Aunt Wu also looked disappointed. A woman's chastity was very important to the Water Tribe. Until she was wed, a woman was to remain pure. To not do so meant to wed the man she had lost her innocence to or to disgrace herself and her entire family by ignoring their sacred laws. In short, Zuko and Katara were basically engaged, and their was nothing Jet could do about it.

Angrily, he turned to Hakoda. "Katara was promised to me. Everything's changing. Ever since he came here."

Aunt Wu held her hand up to silence him, giving Katara a serious look. "Katara, if you choose this path, you can never be the next Painted Lady."

Regret flashed across Katara's face, but she pushed it aside and placed a hand on Zuko's chest. "I choose him."

Zuko felt his chest swell with love for her. But this was not the time for this. Zhao was coming. If he wanted to save the Water Tribe, he had to get them to listen. And from the looks of it, Jet was the catalyst here for the war to start. He had to convince him not to go to war.

"Jet, listen-" he began, but Jet cut him off, reaching for one of his twin tiger hook swords.

"Do not speak my name!" he shouted, swinging his hook sword. "You are not my friend!"

Zuko jumped away from the deadly blade. "And I am not your enemy!" he yelled even louder. He pointed at the horizon. "The enemy is out there, and they're very powerful! Please, just listen to me."

"No more talking!" Jet cried, swinging his hook sword again.

This time Hakoda moved in Jet's path. "This is not a proper challenge. You will do this honorably."

Glaring at Zuko, Jet took up his other hook sword. "Fine, lets fight honorably."

(A/N: One of the deleted/unfinished scenes in Avatar was Tsu'tey challenging Jake to a duel and getting his ass kicked, then Jake's link was cut off. So next chapter will be that scene, a duel between Zuko and Jet.)