Part 7

Discord

"Sir we lost the cook and the slave in the woods."

Zhao shook with anger. "Why do I have to deal with such incompetence?" He growled. He kicked the teapot onto the floor. "Continue the search for them! Find my water bender!"

Zhao's men glanced at each other briefly before nodding and leaving.

Zhao balled his hands into fist, fire igniting as he gritted his teeth in anger. He was going to make that slave pay when he finds her.

"Admiral, you did not tell me the slave was a Waterbender."

Zhao slowly turned to face his second in command. "I had no idea you were privy to such information Chang. You know what I tell you to know."

Chang nodded once. "We will continue the search in the western part of the forest. It looks as though a storm is coming. We'll try to find them before then." He turned to go, pausing when Zhao stopped him.

Zhao's expression turned angrily. "Don't ever question me again or my face will be the last thing your eyes will see."

Chang stared at his superior for a long moment before he nodded and bowed. "My apologies Admiral." He turned and swiftly exited Zhao's quarters.

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Ryu sat on the edge of the river and watch, mesmerized as Katara practiced her Waterbending with perfect ease. Her movements were so fluid and graceful yet powerful. He could see she was clearly onto her way of becoming a Waterbending Master. Not to mention the tattoos she was currently sporting made her look all the more fierce.

He watched as she formed a perfect water whip. His thoughts drifted back to the dream he had the night before. He felt a swell of pride at the knowledge that a master had visited his dreams. Even though most of the Fire Nation no longer followed the true way, he knew the significance and importance of a master visiting one in their dreams.

He always wondered how he ended up on Zhao's ship. What compelled him there, but meeting Katara and then being given instructions by a master, he now understood. It was his destiny to protect Katara on her journey. Their journey to the Northern Water Tribe.

"Hey Ryu," Katara said excitedly. "Look at this!" She called little orbs of water above her head and formed ice daggers.

Ryu grinned at her. "Great job little one." He waved her over. She sat down beside him. He handed her a piece of fish. "We have to get moving soon if we want to be out of this forest by night fall." He pulled out a map. "The Northern Water tribe is here." He said, pointing his finger. "We're here." He slid his finger all the way onto the other side of the map. "I'd say it would take us about a month to get there. We'll need to find passage there some way."

Katara nodded. She gestured toward the slave tunic and pants "I guess I'll have to get rid of these." She said with a small smile. "I can't believe I'm actually doing this." She brought her knees up toward her chest. "I hope I can find a master waterbender to teach me. I'm so excited and scared."

Ryu leaned forward. "What are the Water Tribes like?"

Katara sighed wistfully as she lowered her legs and touched her necklace. "I've never been to the Northern Tribe. After their battle with the Fire Nation, they closed off their ports and shut themselves out from the rest of the world. Southern Water Tribe included. But my home…" She trailed off and closed her eyes as she pictured her home in her mind. If she concentrated hard enough, she could feel the chilly wind of the Southern pole on her face.

"Beautiful snow and ice as far as the eye can see. Clear blue water. Fish and beautiful Whales. We had penguins. Sokka and I would go penguin sledding when we were kids. We would ride on the back of a penguin while it slid against the ice on it's stomach. One time we went so fast, I flew off and into the Blue Ridge waters. Sokka jumped in to save me. We had to stay under the skin pelts for two days. Mom was so angry at us."

Ryu smiled softly at her. "It sounds amazing."

She nodded. "It was." She swallowed. "We were a community. That's what the Water Tribe is. I didn't have just one mother. I had a whole community." She felt tears spring to her eyes. "I used to sit an day dream that one day I'd be off of that large block of ice. Now I'd do anything to go back." She wiped at her tears as they fell down her cheeks. "Now I can't. Everything, everyone I love is gone."

Ryu placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry little one."

Katara shook her head and took a deep breath. "I'm okay." She repeated. She gave him a half smile.

Ryu nodded as he saw the strength return in her eyes. "You finish your fish, and then we'll get going."

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The cold wind blew across Zuko's face as he stared angrily out at the horizon. He tensed as a hand was suddenly placed onto his shoulder.

"You should come inside for shelter nephew. It's unnaturally cold out here."

Zuko shrugged his uncle's hand off of his shoulder. "I feel fine."

Iroh nodded. "Yes. But a terrible storm is approaching." He looked out at the horizon. "I can smell it." He glanced back over at Zuko. "Why don't you come inside for a nice cup of oolong tea?"

Zuko ignored Iroh, the frown on his face becoming more pronounced.

Iroh sighed heavily. "Zuko, about earlier-"

Zuko tensed. "I don't want to talk about it." He said, his voice dangerously calm.

Iroh nodded again. "Very well, but I must tell you that whenever it comes to Aunt Wu's predictions, you cannot run away from it. You must sit and think it through. Running way will only lead to more misery."

Zuko bristled as he turned to face his uncle. "I've had misery before Aunt Wu's stupid ridiculous prediction. This is no different." He glanced back out at the water. "Now leave me alone." He said sullenly.

"Okay." Iroh said. "I will leave you with your thoughts. Just remember, whatever Aunt Wu told you, doesn't have to be a bad thing."

Zuko glared at his uncle's retreating form. How could anything that crazy old lady say to him be a good thing. She said he was going to turn his back on his nation. She said he would turn against his father. His own father!

Zuko growled low in his throat and tightened his hands on the rail of his ship. He would never do such a thing. Never. He's going to continue to search for the Avatar like he was ordered to. He'll find the Avatar and return home. He'll regain his honor. He'll regain his life back.

'the same life your father took from you?' A traitorous voice whispered.

Zuko's eyes closed tightly and he shook his head. "It's my fault." He whispered, like so many other times. "I should have stayed in my place."

"You know that isn't true." The voice whispered.

Zuko swallowed the lump he felt rising in his throat. He could feel the familiar blinding hot anger begin to build up. Why was everything always so difficult for him? The anger he felt started to reach it's breaking point and with a growl and a scream, he raised his fist. Hot fire flew from his fist and across the water.

Iroh shook his head as he watched his secretly watched his nephew go through pure anguish. "Soon," He whispered softly. "Soon you will know your true destiny my Nephew and your pain and anguish will end."

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Katara lifted her hand and deflected the rain away from her as she followed Ryu through the winding passageway of the forest. They had been walking for what seemed like hours. She was exhausted beyond words, but she knew she had to keep going. They had already ran from a company of Zhao's men, who seems to keep gaining on them with each hour's past. She winced as her arm brushed against a sharp needle tree.

She nor Ryu had said a word to each other for the past two hours. They could both feel the tension in the air.

"Ouch!" She cursed as another needle pricked her in her arm. She lifted her arm and rubbed against the cut, healing it quickly.

"You okay little one?" Ryu asked over his shoulder, speaking for the first time.

"I'm fine." Katara said, feeling exhaustion begin to creep into her body.

Ryu nodded as he continued to walk. "It's just a few-" He trailed off and stopped walking at the sight before him.

"What is it?" She asked, peaking over his shoulder. Her eyes widened as she stared at the Fire Nation army before her. She gasped and stumbled backward in surprise.

Ryu leaned down toward her, his expression grave.

"What do we do?" Katara hissed urgently. They both knew forward was their only way out of this treacherous forest.

Ryu glanced over his shoulder for a long moment before glancing back at Katara, a determined expression on his face. "I'm going to distract them." He whispered softly. "You're going to run westward. There's a road at the end of this forest."

Katara shook her head. "No." She hissed. "No. I won't leave you."

Ryu smiled softly and reached for her hand. "Katara, you have to do this. I have to do this. It's my destiny."

Tears welled in Katara's eyes. "I can't do that. Ryu, I can't."

He shook his head. "You have to. You have to reach the Northern Water Tribe. You have to stop Zhao." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I believe in you little one. We'll meet again, I promise." Ryu stood up and helped her up from the ground. "Be safe." He whispered and turned to go.

Katara watched in frozen horror as Ryu ran into enemy territory. She watched as he formed a large ball of fire and blasted it at the soldiers.

"There's the traitor! I don't see the girl with him."

Ryu glanced in her direction and their eyes met very briefly. Katara nodded once and moved west, running as fast as her feet would take her.

She only glanced toward the fight once and she could see Ryu holding his own against the soldiers. She turned forward and kept going. She moved through the woods, letting out a quit yell as she spotted the end of the forest. She tumbled forward and gasped in horror at the sight in front of her.

A Fire Nation army, obviously more of Zhao's men. She ran right into them.

"There she is!" One of them shouted. "The slave!"

One of them moved to grab her, but she quickly dodged out of the way. She turned and ran back the way she came, soldiers hot on her trail.

Katara did not know what direction she was running to. She'd gone straight and somehow turned right, but she could still feel the fire benders behind her. Terror crawled it's way throughout her body as she felt herself losing hope. Her legs were beginning to tire and she felt herself begin to slow down.

That's when she heard it. The familiar whooshing rush of water falling. She could smell the salt water as she drew closer toward her savior.

""She's heading for the ocean!"

Small drops of moisture fell onto her face as she moved through the trees towards the water. She could feel her energy pick up and she silently thanked the spirits for guiding her here. She ran fasters, pausing in shock as she reached the edge of a cliff. She looked down at the roaring rapids with slight apprehension. She could jump and possibly land on one of those jagged rocks down there or be burned to a crisp by six angry fire benders. She turned, seeing them in the distance.

She knew she couldn't pull off a bending trick. She was barely that skilled.

"Don't harm her." One of the men said as they surrounded her. "Zhao want's her unharmed."

Katara swallowed and looked around in panic. She could feel the push and pull of the ocean calling to her and she lifted her arms to bend. Blinding pain shot through her shoulder and she cried out in pain.

"Idiot!" One of them growled, pushing the one who burned her to the side. "I told you no bending."

Holding her shoulder, Katara looked out at the water then back at her soon to be captors. What was she going to do?

'Jump my sister,' a voice whispered. 'The spirits will protect you.'

Katara slowly turned to look back out at the ocean. She could feel the push and pull of the water increase. She closed her eyes and jumped.

TBC