So I defiantly realized at the end of the last chapter I said I know that we don't know if Zuko's mom is dad. About that, I meant dead. I was not implying that I think Zuko's mom is a hermaphadite. Just so ya kno 8)

ands thanx to those who reviewed [ 2 haha

but yeah thanx samee15 and Random Minds Think Alike

Okay so the main pairng for this story is Zuko/Katara so I think after I do this chapter about Katara then I'll just alternate between her and Zuko in the rest of the chapters. Chapter 2 and this chapter are just so that you know where they are and what they are doing.

The Guardians

Katara

The Gaang was being pretty quiet. Aang was laying down in his sleeping bag, Sokka was watching the stew boil, Katara was looking at Aang worriedly, and Toph was twirling pebbles around her fingers. They were at a rest stop on their way to the northern water tribe. They were passing through the Earthkingdom stopping at any villages along the way. At the last village they dropped off the Earth King and Bosco. Bosco... That weirdo bear. Not platypusbear, not wolfbear, just bear. Weird. Katara glanced at Aang... again, with that same motherly concerned look in her eyes. Aang's back was still healing, although the water from the north pole had helped, it wasn't enough. He was alive, but still in a lot of pain. That's why they were heading to the Northern Water Tribe, to get more spirit oasis water. To try to heal Aang one more time. Right now, they were a couple of miles away from the village of Gasini [Gaw- see- knee in a clearing, a forest to their left, and a small river to their right.

"I'm hungry," Sokka stated to one in particular while glaring at the stew. "Can I eat it?" he asked still watching Katara's concoction boil over their small fire.

Katara rolled her eyes, "it's not done yet," She heard a depressed sigh come from Sokka and watched as his eyes soon lit up and he smirked to himself. You know that look he gets when he thinks of something that he thinks is clever, yeah, that smirk. He scooted closer to the boiling pot of stew, his hand inched up, finally he dunked his hand in the water to grab a piece of rabbitmouse meat.

"AGHHH!" his hand quickly shot to his mouth to suck on his burnt fingers. 'Yeah, sneaky,' Katara rolled her eyes at her brother. 'And he's our plan guy,'

Katara once again looked at Aang. He was worrying her. It was more than just his injury. He was acting like a completely different person, usually he was chipper and excited. Right now he was staring at the ground with a blank expression on his face. She walked over to him and knelt at his side. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Aang? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," He looked up at her with dead eyes. 'You are NOT fine,' Katara thought to her self. But if Aang didn't want to let her in, then that was his choice. But that was the exact reason why she thought he was acting different. Normally he came to her, he would let her in, she was the first person he'd show a new bending move he figured out. He wouldn't even look at her with that constant smile he used to always have. It was like he didn't even care. The weird thing was, he acted the way he normally did around Sokka and Toph.

"AGHHH!" Katara looked over to find Sokka once again nursing his burnt fingers. 'Idiot, wanna try a third time?'

"Sokka, it's probably done now. You can eat it," as an afterthought she added, "out of a bowl." he shot her a glare and began distributing bowls to everyone. He inhaled his stew in a matter of seconds, and was already getting more. Katara looked at him in disgust.

"What? I'm a growing boy... I mean man," he poofed out his chest and pointed his thumb at himself in what he believed to be a macho manly pose. Katara had to admit, her brother had grown a lot since they left the Southern Water Tribe. His fighting skills had improved greatly, he was amazing with his boomerang, and he had gotten a lot of muscle from living on the go. Always fending for themselves, even Katara had gained more muscle. In fact they were both filling out. SNAP! A twig broke. Every one looked off to the left, in the direction the twig had snapped.

Toph stood, wide eyed, at a ready stance. " Watch out, it's big!"

Katara and Sokka also got into battle stances. Sokka glanced at Toph from the corner of his eye, "How did you not notice it walk up?" he whispered hoarsely.

"It just landed," he gave her an odd look before facing to the line of trees once again.

What stepped out of the trees was something that they would never have suspected, something that was either just supposed to be legend, or extinct. It was a dragon. It was a dirt brown color with golden scales on it's brisket, head, feet and some of the upper legs. It was short and stocky compared to Avatar Roku's spirit guide, it wasn't nearly as slim and had a lot more muscle. Roku's dragon looked like it was built for speed, this one looked more like it was built for power. It's wings were a dark leatherly brown, they were closed at the moment, resting on it's back. There was something else on it's back, a man. He looked like a guru or monk, and he was just sitting calmly on the dragons shoulders, his legs on either side of the dragon's neck. He was staring at Katara.

Sokka stepped in front of Katara to break the man's line of view. He in turned stared at Aang, who had gotten out of his sleeping bag but just stood where he was. He made no move to get in a battle stance and he simply just watched. Suddenly he bowed deeply at the waist, as he spoke in a monotone voice, "Greetings, priest, voice of the dragon," he looked back up at the man, who seemed to be amused. He hopped off of the dragon's back with agility that was not natural for his age. He had dark skin, gray hair and no beard, and he wore a light brown robe.

"So you know who I am? Good young Avatar, very good," the man squawked as he stepped towards the group. Aang seemed to be the only one not in total and utter confusion.

Okay so sorry this chapter was kinda short and a little sucky. I've been workin a lot lately and didn't have time to go all out on it. My next day off is Tuesday so I'll update again then. I promise that chapter won't suck nearly as bad... 8 )

read and review please.

Oh and if you have any ideas that could make this story better, seriously help me out, don't worry. I'll give ya credit ; ) thank you!