-=2=-
There was no warning. One moment, the South Pole had been the epitome of calm. Muffled voices signalled the beginning of a new day, ending the eerie silence of the night before. Katara's eyes lifted open, as she stared blankly at the ceiling above her, wondering idly if she could get away with lying in bed for a bit longer.
Then the shouting started, setting alarm bells ringing in her mind. The princess sat up, trying to isolate a voice and discern what the commotion was about. She frowned slightly, then her features went pale as she recognised a couple of words. The Fire Nation.
They were here? At the pole? Surely they wouldn't dare make such a move, not where the waterbenders were strongest. But Katara's fears were confirmed as a long note bellowed out from a horn not too far off, followed by a string of obscenity and then a cry - but Katara was no longer listening. She was already racing out the door into the chaos outside.
o-o-o
The disorganised rabble of Water tribe warriors were no match for the firebenders. Only the waterbenders could pose a threat, and unfortunately more of them kept coming. Each bender that Zuko struck down was replaced by two more, melting the ice below them and at times submerging whole contingents of soldiers underwater. The Fire Nation would already be calling for retreat if not for the vast reserves of men streaming steadily from the ships. Dodging a spear throw from a defender, Zuko weaved through the brawl towards the man, evading his sword slashes and taking him out with a fist to the head. Then he dropped into the water as the thin layer of ice below him suddenly disappeared, taking him down with it. Zuko started shaking, already numb from the cold, desperately trying to claw his way to the surface, make it past the mass of bodies. Taking a breath, he dived back down swimming beneath the battle and towards the heart of the Water Tribe.
o-o-o
Bloodbending wouldn't be much use here; there were too many of them. Katara growled as she sent another hoard of attackers flying backwards with a wave. How dare these brutes attack her homeland? They would all pay. She hurled an ice dagger at an enemy, but turned to her next target before she could assess the result. There were just too many... No, the Fire Nation would NOT win this battle. She wouldn't let them.
o-o-o
Zuko gasped, shivering from the cold. It was all he could do to keep conscious, and try to warm himself up. He'd been lucky in finding an obscure point to resurface; melting the ice had taken time and he surely would've been noticed had anyone been around. As it were, everyone seemed to be battling it out, with the rest of the village deserted. There was a resounding crack, breaking through the battle cries and screams, and then an assortment of aggravated bellows and yells. Edging around a corner, Zuko felt his mouth drop. In between the two armies was a wide river, created by the waterbenders. Most of the Fire Nation soldiers were caught in it, struggling to make their way back onto the ice. And there she stood, a stone's throw away. The Water Tribe Princess.
o-o-o
Katara gazed coldly at the would-be invaders, now stopped at the edge of the water. Now was the time to strike back, while they were confused and disadvantaged because of the water. She froze some of the water, creating a pathway for her warriors, and they surged through it into the enemy lines, jabbing and slicing their way forwards. The other waterbenders continued sending blasts of water towards the Fire Nation, preventing them from regrouping properly. And once they had pushed them back to the shoreline, they could - Katara whipped around sending ice daggers flying behind her, but the unknown assailant blocked them easily with a set of swords. One attacker, good, that meant she could bloodbend...
o-o-o
Zuko had heard tales of powerful waterbenders, who could control the movements of other people. Apparently the princess had this ability. Acting on instinct, he flung one of his broadswords at her before an unseeable force pushed him to the ground. Caught off guard, Katara tried to block the improvised attack with a jet of water, misjudging the speed of the sword and stumbling as the hilt struck her shoulder, knocking her off balance. In an instant the attacker was on top of her, tackling her to the ground and pinning her hands under her own body, preventing her from bending. Furious, she lashed out with her legs and tried to throw the assailant off, to no avail; the man was far heavier than her. Her eyes widened as she saw him drawing back his fist, and she flinched instinctively, feeling a sharp pain in the back of her head before darkness claimed her.
o-o-o
Zhao swore under his breath. The battle had been lost, and the Water Tribe had sustained no major damage because of it. He would be disgraced because of it. Snarling, he turned to a fleeing captain and shoved him backwards.
"Coward! Stand and fight them! The Fire Nation will not be defeated by these savages!" He screamed at the man. In his rage, he failed to notice the Water Tribe warrior lifting her bow, taking careful aim for the man, obviously the leader of the attacking forces. Taking a breath, she tested the wind, drew back, and released. Her aim was true. The arrow arced right into the Commander's chest, piercing his armour easily.
o-o-o
Zuko knew there was no chance of getting through the mob from where the Fire Nation had attacked. Hundreds of Water Tribe warriors lay in his path, and carrying an unconscious girl across his shoulders was no easy feat. Instead he slung the girl over his back and headed off jogging in the other direction. He reached the wall relatively quickly, and setting Katara down, took a steady stance, breathing deeply, his eyes closed. Then he released his power in a beam of fire, searing into the wall inch by inch, melting through the thick ice. Pouring more energy into his fire, he glanced back at the Princess lying in the snow a few feet away. She was pretty, in a way that seemed natural. But it was a cold face, devoid of happiness, or any emotion whatsoever. It gave her an interesting look... Her hair was sprawled behind her. She had let it fall, he realised, instead of wearing it in the conventional ponytail that was worn by the royalty in the Southern Water Tribe. She seemed tall and slim, probably near to Zuko himself in height, although her complexion was far lighter than his, his own skin darkened by years of living on the equator... The wall gave in suddenly, collapsing in on itself and providing an exit for Zuko and his captive. Gritting his teeth, he tore off a strip of his shirt, using it to tie the Princess' wrists behind her back, and then picked her up again, treading past what was left of the wall, and continuing into the Arctic landscape beyond.
o-o-o
Iroh's bones ached as the piercing cold sunk into him, but the sight would've been well worth it, even without the obviously waning battle in the distance. A poor venture, truly. No doubt, the seeds planted had reached the Fire Nation, and they'd spurred their soldiers into battle. No amount of firebenders could ever hope to take the city, lest the Moon Spirit die entirely. He had people working on that end, but without success, for nigh on a year now. It was time for some fresh faces, possibly. Although, of course a Fire Nation victory here would have been ideal, he would've been a fool to expect a different result. The Water Princess, however, was a different matter altogether. Maybe even the breakthrough he'd been looking for to finally provide a means to end this war. Then the White Lotus could rise unopposed, unchallenged. The light to end an era of darkness. Forget fighting, the weakened nations would embrace the opportunity of peace. Besides, it had been so long since he had seen his nephew, Zuko. Would the boy remember him? Well, he'd find out soon enough.