A/N: Hello again! Sorry it's been a couple of weeks. I'm in OAP (One Act Play) Competition and that takes up a lot of my time. No worries, though. I love it XD Anyway, this chapter is a whole lot of nothing and a bag of Chex Mix, but I'm trying to draw out the story a little so I can get lots of chapters in. Plus, it's something to help fill the waiting void. So please enjoy and leave lots of reviews!
And btw, please forgive any grammatical errors. I'm lazy -_-
We easily escaped the tower and made it back to Appa in due time. As soon as we climbed up, Zuko pulled out his map and showed me the small circle of land called Whale Tail Island. The only problem was that it was a whole day away, and that was if we didn't stop.
The moon was low in the sky when I finally glanced back to see what Zuko was doing. When I didn't see him sitting against the side of the saddle, I carefully turned and pulled myself up to peek over the edge. Zuko was fast asleep in the middle of the saddle, his hair blowing this way and that revealing his face in the moonlight. I didn't blame him. I was wrapped up in my own thoughts and hadn't been talking much, so I guess that left him with catching up on his rest.
I watched him sleep for a moment, reflecting on all the things that we'd been through in the past month. I had no idea what it was like in his point of view, but watching it from mine didn't make me like it. I silently wondered what palace life in the Fire Nation was like again and if it was filled with feasts and parties. Did Azula have to wear a formal princess robe? Or did she wear her armor all the time? And did Zuko go to royal meetings and sit in beautiful courtyards and meet beautiful women who were probably potential future wives?
I didn't like that last thought very much. Zuko didn't seem like someone who would waste his time being pampered and waited on. He was a hands-on kind of person. I remember the first time I saw him use his dual swords while practicing with Sokka. He never once used his firebending as he twisted and defended his body from Sokka's swings. It was slightly impressive.
I took a deep breath and turned around to sit comfortably on Appa's head again. As I stared off at the nearly full moon, my mother's image reeled into my mind. I'd been thinking about her since Zuko told me about the Southern Raiders and I wasn't sure how to handle it. He said that Sokka told him what had happened, but no one knew it like I did. It was my fault she was gone, but I've always kept that to myself.
When I was younger and really upset, I could still hear her voice. She would appear in my dreams and hold me close and stroke my hair, soothing me. Those dreams happened so much right after she died. After I found Aang, I barely ever heard her anymore. And I didn't really understand why.
The cold wind was making my face numb and my hair sticky, but I could still feel the warm sting in my eyes. I quickly blinked and started to think about what I would do when I confronted the monster. Every fiber of my being told me to lash out and destroy him. To end him like he ended me. But every time I thought about the ways I could do it, my stomach would cringe with guilt and Aang's words would clutter my mind. Was I wrong to want this so badly? Was thinking about taking another life making me the true monster? What would Zuko think when he witnessed me do it?
The sun was almost above the horizon when I felt Zuko tap me on the shoulder. I jumped at his silence and turned around with a scowl.
"I didn't mean to scare you. Let me take control for awhile," he said gently as he motioned to Appa's reigns. "You need to get some sleep or eat something." I shook my head and turned back around. Even though my stomach growled and my eyelids drooped, I wasn't ready to let him lead.
"It's my mission. You said so yourself," I mumbled. He was silent for a moment and I hoped that maybe he fell back to sleep. Though, right before I glanced back to make sure, I felt him sit down behind me on Appa's neck.
"What are you doing?" I squealed in anger, but before I could turn to hit him, he grabbed my shoulders and leaned towards my ear.
"Katara. Appa needs to rest. You see that small island there?" he said to me as he pointed over my shoulder to a small piece of land in the distance. "We should land there and get some rest. Fill up and let Appa sleep."
He was right and I felt selfish for not thinking of Appa's well being. I had been flying him for almost two days straight without rest. After a moment, I nodded and led Appa down to the little island.
I felt Zuko shift behind me as he clambered back over the saddle, and I glanced back quickly to look at him. He looked tired and rigid, the way someone looks right after waking up from a nightmare, and I sighed to myself. At the temple, I would notice him looking this way sometimes when he would come to breakfast. When I realized this for the first time, I told myself that he deserved it, but after about the fifth time he had one, I was just glad I wasn't the only one anymore.
We didn't bring tents or sleeping bags with us so we pulled Appa's saddle from his back to sleep on. Appa roared happily as he rolled over in the sand before he quickly fell asleep. I leaned on the edge of his saddle and watched him for a moment before I turned to watch Zuko rummage through our bag. He was sitting in the center of the saddle pulling out various items until he found the pouch with the dried meat.
"Here," he said as he tossed it to me and I caught it with ease. He quickly stuffed the bag again and then turned to untie the blankets we brought.
I carefully reached inside the pouch and pulled out a small piece for myself before I tossed it to land near Zuko. He was flipping out the blankets, first mine and then his, a bit too close to one another for my liking. I decided that I wasn't going to get much sleep anyway so I'd just let it go as I looked down at the jerky in my hand. It was Zuko's personal stash, so it had a mix of spices in it I wasn't sure I would like. Reluctantly, I took a small nibble and concentrated on the taste.
"Do you like it?" he asked after a moment and I looked back up to find him sitting on his blanket ripping a bite from a piece himself. I nodded and took a slightly bigger bite, ignoring the sting on my tongue, as I turned around and sat on my blanket facing Zuko.
"Let me see the map," I said nodding towards the bag. He quickly reached into it and retrieved the parchment to which I swiftly took from him. I took another bite as my eyes scanned the area that we were supposed to be and I found a small clutter of islands just a half a day from Whale Tail Island. "We must be here," I muttered and I could see Zuko lean closer through my peripherals.
"Looks like it. We can rest for the day and set off again in the afternoon," he said as he rubbed his chin.
"So we attack when it gets dark?" I asked not sure I liked the idea of wasting more time.
"The dark will give us better cover. The Southern Raiders won't know what hit them." I starred into his face for a few seconds before I nodded slowly in agreement. He was right, though.
I watched him turn and lay down on his blanket facing away from me and I stared at his back for what seemed like hours before I quietly said his name. He didn't say anything, so I said it again as I leaned forward to find his face. His eyes were closed and the peaceful expression he had told me he had been asleep for awhile now. With a sigh, I lifted myself to my feet and jumped out of the saddle. I walked over to Appa and petted his muzzle, causing him to wake up a bit and make a low growl of affection.
"Sorry, Appa. Go back to sleep," I whispered as I petted him again. I watched his eye close before I turned around and scanned the tree line that separated the beach from the small forest.
I slowly walked up the beach and climbed into the bushes. There were animals crooning and singing throughout the trees and I smiled slightly at the life the little island had. It was weird how easily I loved the green and freshness of plants. Growing up in the artic made my skin dark and thick, an adaptation that prevented heat to escape my body, but as I traveled with the gaang, I started to notice that my skin was becoming soft and thin. Though, I didn't mind it so much. I was seeing the world and the life within it.
A rock appeared in my line of vision causing me to look up confused. Had I been walking? I didn't recognize where I was and I quickly turned around to go the other way, but I stopped dead at the sight in front of me. Instead of the lush green that was there just moments ago, snow and ice covered the ground for miles. There was nothing but that vast emptiness. I blinked a few times, forgetting just how blinding the light in the south was and I shivered at the cold wind. I turned back around quickly to see the forest again, but was only met with more empty snow. What's happening? I thought frantically.
I spun in circles, taking in the frozen tundra before me in all directions until I became too dizzy to continue. Finally, I stopped and fell to my knees to stop from toppling over.
"Katara," a familiar voice cooed and my breath got caught in my throat. Slowly, I looked up and I stared with wide eyes at the person standing a few yards away.
"Mom?' I managed to whisper as I stood up. She held out her arms welcomingly and I stumbled to her.
"Come here, sweetie," she said quietly and in that moment I took off in a quick jog, ready to dive into her embrace, but as I got closer, she seemed to get further away.
I ran faster, desperate to catch up, but eventually, I was too tired to keep up my stamina. I started to slow, tears filling my eyes causing me to stumble back down into the snow. I looked back up quickly and searched the horizon for her form, but I couldn't see here anywhere, just the vast empty artic.
"No! Come back!" I screamed, but the wind just blew in my face, mocking me. After moments of silence, I crumpled down in the snow and started to sob.
"Katara," I heard her call again and I jolted up and looked around. Still nothing. "Katara…" I looked around frantically.
"I need you! Please come back!" I shouted, but her voice just echoed throughout the frozen south. The wind just continued to blow around the snow and carry her voice as she chanted my name. Katara….Katara… "Stop it! Please!" I screeched. "Mom!"
"Katara!"
I opened my eyes and looked around frantically as I held my breath. The cold air was immediately gone and instead of snow, I found nothing but grass, sand and water. I glanced up into Zuko's worried face and quickly sat up.
"What's going on?" I said quickly as I ran my hand over my face to help keep the tears away.
"You were having a nightmare," he said quietly. I noticed his hand twitch as he kept himself from reaching out to help and I felt slightly flustered. He was really trying to help. "You woke me up."
"Sorry," I mumbled as I stood up and brushed my clothes off. It was already passed noon from the way the sun was positioned in the sky and I sighed at our lost time.
"We should start packing up and head out," Zuko said as he started to roll up his blanket. I watched him fold it clumsily, something he probably had servants do in his palace, and I drowsily smiled to myself. I then quietly turned and twisted mine with ease before handing it to him to pack into the saddle.
"We'll also have plenty of light tonight to see where we're going." I turned around and started to retie the bow in my hair as I smirked to myself.
"Oh?" I said after a moment in what I was hoping sounded casual.
"There's going to be a full moon," he said casually and my smile widened.
I know.
A/N: So there you have it. Hope you like Chex Mix. And a HUGE thank you to Somariel for nominating this story for Best Zutara Fic! I love you :)
Please leave lots of reviews and comments and such :)