They had set out immediately after that. Toph complained that it was way too late to travel, and Appa hadn't seemed too keen to get going either.

Though she clearly had a point Sokka told the unimpressed earthbender that they had a schedule to stick to, and so they would move on.

Aang was glad Toph didn't press the matter. He cast a concerned glance over his shoulder towards the so far silent member of the group, only to see that she hadn't moved: huddled in the back of the saddle and watching the forest roll behind them. Toph was snoring loudly (having given up on conversation hours ago), spread-eagled in the middle of the saddle, and Sokka had surrounded himself by a small fortress of bags, maps, and sleeping rolls. He was awake as well, polishing that sword of his with a set expression in his face. Sokka heaved a sigh, and carefully laid the weapon across his knees.

"So… You wanna talk about it?" he asked quietly. Katara pulled the blanket a little tighter around her shoulders. "No," she said bitterly, staring blankly at her feet. "No, not really."

"If you're sure..." Sokka settled down into his barricade and closed his eyes. "Okay then. Try to get some sleep."

Appa grumbled beneath them, and Aang swung about atop the bison's great furry head to face forwards once again.

"Don't worry, buddy," he smiled, leaning forward to scratch the corner of the great fuzzy arrow beneath him. "Just a little longer, until we can get out of this forest…" He raised his head to scan the horizon. The smile faded from his face. Before them stretched what appeared to be an endless sea of trees.

"If Appa's tired, it doesn't make any sense for us to keep going. We should land soon." Aang started at the sound of Katara's voice directly behind him.

"Oh," he said hastily. "No, Appa's okay, he's good for another few hours, right boy?" The bison growled, and Aang tittered uncomfortably. "See?"

She sighed. "Um, look," she began in a low voice. "Aang, I know what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it and all, but I'm fine."

Aang gave her an unconvinced look. "Well…"

"Really," she pressed. "Appa needs rest too."

Aang sighed heavily. "You're right." he said at last. Appa didn't need telling twice: in fact, he had already begun to descend towards the treetops.

They landed in a small clearing littered with pine needles. Toph mumbled incoherent insults when she was roused, dragging her feet to the edge of the clearing and dropping to the ground.

"Don't you dare wake me up before sunrise again," she muttered, and with that promptly vanished behind the walls of an earth tent.

Appa didn't wait for his saddle to be removed. His limbs spread out like a starfish, the air bison had fallen into a deep sleep the instant his feet had touched the ground.

No matter how many times he tried to wake him Sokka wouldn't budge, and so Aang left him to snore in the saddle, Momo curled into a tight ball beside him.

"Do you want a-"

"No, we shouldn't bother."

"Oh… Okay." Aang quickly pocketed the spark rocks, settling onto the ground. He watched Katara, still standing, as she seemed to be on the verge of saying something. As he opened his mouth to encourage her, she shook herself and sat down.

"Goodnight," she said stiffly, after a moment's hesitation. Her eyes flickered in his direction, before she rolled over onto her side, facing away from him.

Aang stared at her back for a while. He drew his knees to his chest, struggling to find the right thing to say. At last he spoke, echoing her words: "It's okay to feel, you know." His heart went out to her as she visibly flinched. He had been there.

"Goodnight, Aang," whispered Katara. She seemed to shrink into herself a little.

Silence.

Aang's head buzzed as he tried to think. How was it that she could always find something to make him feel better when he was down? They were supposed to be best friends: surely it could work both ways! Then why couldn't he think of anything? Come on, he told himself furiously, what good is being the Avatar if you can't access some of that thousand year old wisdom? Well, maybe if he started something then it would all flow smoothly from there. He highly doubted it.

"Uh, Katara?" It took her a minute or so to answer.

"What?" she asked glumly. Aang wondered if his roughly-concocted plan would work at all.

"Can you, uh… Could you do me a favour?" he said clumsily, watching her anxiously.

She sighed, flipping over to face him. She forced a smile. "Of course, anything." Perhaps he might just succeed.

"Could you… Possibly, maybe… Sit up?" Katara looked at him curiously.

"Sure," she said warily, propping herself up on her elbows. "Why?" Her eyes followed him as Aang got to his feet, shuffled across the clearing, and sunk to his knees on the ground before her. They stared at each other for a moment.

"It's no good you know," he murmured. Having an inkling of what he was about to say, Katara's eyes widened a little in fear. Then, she shut him out.

"What are you talking about?" she snapped, breaking eye contact.

"I think I know you better than that."

"Better than what?" she growled, shooting him a venomous look. "Look, I have no idea what you're-"

She gasped as, suddenly, Aang's arms were about her neck in a tight hug. She remained limp with surprise.

"I'm so sorry she made you do that," he whispered into her ear. "But you're not like her. Not one bit. You're not Hama, and you never will be. So please, Katara. Please stop thinking about it." At last, long-awaited tears spilled over her cheeks.

"Who said," she sobbed. "Who said anything about me thinking about-"

"It's okay, Katara." He paused a moment. "We're here for you, all of us. Toph, Sokka, Appa and Momo… And me." He smiled as he felt her arms hesitantly creep about his shoulders.

"Appa and Momo too, huh?" murmured Katara.

Aang chuckled softly. "Appa and Momo too."

"And you?" Her voice was quiet: serious. She buried her face into the side of his neck.

Aang swallowed. "Always."