Kyuri reached out and took the whale's tooth sword from Sokka's hand as he and Aang split to look for more weapons. She observed the nicks and tested the edge with her finger. A small line of blood welled. Carelessly, she popped the finger into her mouth, sucking away the blood as she pondered. The weapon was battle-ready, so it wasn't some lost trinket an Earth Kingdom citizen had picked up as a curio.

"Did somebody lose something?" Katara asked curiously as she joined them in the clearing.

"We found something," Aang said as he rifled through bushes. Sokka brushed away a thin covering and held up an arrow. He pinched the tip between two fingers and held up the blackened tips.

"It's burned," he said grimly, standing up and looking around for more clues. He found them in the form of a charred, scratched tree. "There was a battle," he said, staring at the tree and the burned grass below. "Water Tribe warriors ambushed a group of Firebenders. The Firebenders fought back, but the warriors drove them down this hill." Sokka took off down the incline, an intent look on his face, the others following interestedly.

They leapt over a fall of rocks and found themselves on a wide beach. Sokka rushed through the sand to stand by the water.

"Then what happened?" Aang pressed.

"I don't know," Sokka admitted. "The trail ends here."

"Wait, look!" Katara said, pointing. Kyuri turned and saw a familiar sight. The three Water Tribe members raced over.

"Is it dad's?" Katara asked eagerly, looking the vessel.

"No, but it's from his fleet," Sokka said, running his hand along the wood. "Dad was here."

Kyuri stared. A boat, a cutter, to be precise, from the Southern Water Tribe. It was an unexpected sight, but a sight she knew well, and her eyes drank in the details.

The hull extended high up into the air and tied to the mast in the center. It was tied to various other parts of the ship so that it didn't fall over from damage or bad weather. A symbolic blue flag bearing the Water Tribe's emblem was placed on top of the mast. The two blue sails were triangular and connected to the mast for steering. Animal skins lined the sailboat's rim. The interior of the ship was accessible via a doorway and stairs set into the deck.

It was an unspoken decision that they would camp there that night. Aang gathered firewood while Kyuri and Sangilak hunted their dinner. Sangilak lit a roaring fire and Katara skinned and cooked the meat with a skill born from years of watching and practicing.

The two siblings had been quiet since they had found the ship. It was easy to see why in their slack expressions and distant eyes. Each was lost in memories of their father and the time they'd shared, including the time he left. The pair was definitely more melancholy than usual and Kyuri found it stifling. Even Aang seemed depressed, his usual wacky antics toned down by the aura of sadness in the camp. It was then that she realized how much she had grown used to the very things that had annoyed her about the company in the beginning. Aang's constant chatter and recklessness, Sokka's bad jokes, Katara's mothering instincts.

"Practice is required to gain proficiency with any weapon," Kyuri said softly. Katara looked up at her and so did Aang, but Sokka kept poking the fire with a stick, glaring at it. "If you let yourself sit too long you'll lose your skill. Draw your dagger Katara."

"Kyuri, I'm not really in the mood to spar tonight," Katara sighed, turning back to the fire.

"Will the Fire Nation soldiers care if you're not in the mood for a fight? It will just make it easier for them to kill you."

"You know, maybe it wouldn't hurt to have one night off," Aang suggested, but Kyuri shot him a dark look and he quieted, curling tighter into a ball.

"We haven't practiced in two days. Your muscles will lose their flexibility if you go without constant practice."

"Fine," Katara huffed, standing up. She pulled the knife from where she kept it hidden inside her tunic and stood across from Kyuri in the ring of light cast by their small fire. Aang shuffled around to watch and Sangilak poked his head around the side of ship. He was relaxing in the water and savoring the sea breeze.

"You can never go into a fight expecting to win," Kyuri said, slowly pacing in a circle with Katara, careful to never cross her feet. "Overconfidence is arrogance and it will lead to your death. Many great fighters have been taken down by men who they perceived initially to be weaker. Even a novice can get in a lucky hit, and infection kills just as many as a blade. It's easy for you to get caught up in how many opponents you've defeated, but it only takes one man to-"

She cut off abruptly and lunged, swiping at Katara with her knife. The girl scrambled to raise her blade but the block came too slow. Katara's blade was wrenched from her hand and went spinning off into the night.

"Never let your opponent distract you," Kyuri said sharply as Katara slumped off to retrieve her dagger. "Your reactions slow when you let your mind wander. I could have slit your throat." Katara took her place again and they circled once more. Katara's foot flew up and with it a burst of sand. Kyuri immediately shut her eyes and stopped breathing, her lips pressing together tightly. She dropped and rolled out of the area filled with sand and jumped to her feet, opening her eyes to find Katara swinging viciously for her shoulder. Kyuri raised her blade and the two clashed together. She girls slammed shoulder to shoulder and Kyuri used her superior height to shove Katara away and send her staggering. She flipped the knife around so that she blade ran along her forearm and came in with a series of wide, punished swipes that had Katara dodging as well as blocking, which she managed quite well.

"Stop!" Kyuri said sharply as a noise reached her ears. She wasn't the only one who'd heard it, the rustle of brush. Sokka leapt to his feet and stared into the trees, squinting in the darkness.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

From the shadows stepped a man in blue clothes and brown leather boots. His long brown hair was pushed back from a brown-skinned face, creased from exposure to the wind and sun. Soulful brown eyes peered from his face. The right part of his shirt was shoved off his shoulder, revealing bandages covering a muscular torso, shoulder, and arm.

"Sokka?" the man said, staring as if he couldn't believe it.

"Bato?" Sokka replied ,looking just as thrown.

"Who the what now?" Aang jumped in.

"Bato!" Katara shouted excitedly. Kyuri just stood there, dagger exchanged from swords, staring. She'd immediately moved to the shadows when she'd seen the man.

"Sokka, Katara!" Bato said delightedly as the siblings rushed to hug him tightly. "What are you doing here? You've both grown so much!"

"Hi, I'm Aang," Aang said, stepping forwards to introduce himself, but no one paid him any mind, too caught up in finding each other.

"Where's dad?" Sokka asked.

"Is he here?" Katara pressed.

"No, he and the others should be in the Earth Kingdom by now. I was walking and I heard swords. I came to see what was going on and found you two. Who is it that you were sparring with?" Bato asked Katara.

"You won't believe it!" Katara said. She realized Bato still believed Kyuri to be dead. "It's… Come here!"

Kyuri sheathed her swords and stepped into the firelight. Bato gaped.

"K-Kyuri?" he stammered. "You're… you're alive."

"I am," she said, nodding.

"But the blizzard… and the attack… and the blood!"

"I had help," Kyuri said slowly. "Sangilak?"

With a funny sort of cross between a hop and a glide, Sangilak jumped over the side of the boat and landed in with a thump and a cloud of sand next to Kyuri, wings spread protectively over her.

"You're a Dragora," Bato said softly, staring at Sangilak, who stared back through one discerning amber eye.

"I am," she nodded. Wind rushed in form the sea, bearing with it a cold chill, and they all shivered.

"This is no place for a reunion. Come with me," Bato said, wrapping his arms around Katara and Sokka and gesturing to Kyuri and Aang, his eyes lingering delightedly on her as she swung onto Sangilak. They walked behind as Bato lead them all to an abbey.

"When I was wounded your father carried me to this abbey. The sisters have tended to my wounds ever since," he explained to Sokka and Katara. Clusters of nuns talked in the courtyard or worked under roofs at large vats. "Mother Superior!" he called to a woman in a long habit. She turned. "These are Hakoda's children. They've been travelling with the Avatar and a Dragora, a girl from our tribe we believed dead. I found them by my boat."

"Young Avatar," Mother Superior greeted. "It is truly an honor to be in your presence."

"Thank you," Aang said politely. "It's an honor to be here. If there's anything I can do to-"

He was cut off as Sokka asked, "What smells so good Bato?"

"The sisters craft ointment and perfumes," Bato said, gesturing to huge sealed urns lining the walls of the courtyard.

"Perfume? Maybe we can dump some on Appa because he smells so much. Am I right?"

"You have your father's wit."

Bato took them to his room as the sisters took Sangilak and Appa away to be fed and watered .They seemed in awe of both animals, though Sangilak seemed to be drawing the most looks, most likely because he wasn't the gigantic ball of cuddly fluff that Appa was.

"Bato, it looks just like home!" Katara squealed as the door was opened.

"Everything's here! Even the pelts!" Sokka said as they rushed inside, staring around delightedly. Kyuri couldn't help but agree. The walls were hung with skins and ceremonial items and pelts provided seating and blankets. At the back, a tent made of leathers sewn together was pitched. A fire burned in the fire pit in the center of the room. Bowls and cookware sat around the fire.

"Nothing says home like dead animal skin," Aang said, staring at the pelts in distaste. He was the only one who held qualm with the décor; the others sat down almost as soon as they entered, completely comfortable.

"No way!" Katara said when she lifted the lid off the pot hanging over the fire. "Stewed sea prunes!"

"Help yourself," Bato invited.

"Dad could eat a whole barrel of these things," Sokka recalled fondly.

They ladled the sea prunes up into bowl and Kyuri bit into them. Was she tough? Yes. Was the disciplined? Yes. Did she have to struggle to maintain a moan when she bit into a sea prune? Oh yes.

Kyuri could recall the days when she and her family would have dinner with Katara's family or vice versa and she was the only one in the whole village who could challenge Hakoda when it came to eating stewed sea prunes. Since she had left the village and moved inland, away from the coast, she hadn't had any in a while. She could have flown farther down the coast and searched for them but her pragmatic mind could never justify the long flight just for a treat.

Now Kyuri was savoring the sea prunes. The rubbery skin was a bit tough, but once she bit through it juices exploded into her mouth. It was simultaneously sweet and savory, completely delicious. The sea water had leeched into them, making them salty, and Bato had added a few spices to enhance the flavor. Kyuri let the juice run down her throat before mashing the skin into a pulp with her teeth and swallowing. Eagerly, she spooned another into her mouth, closing her eyes in delight as she bit down and taste flooded her mouth.

"Bato, is it true you and dad lassoed an arctic hippo?" Katara pressed.

"It was your father's idea, he just dragged me along," Bato said, chuckling as he recalled. "Actually, the hippo did most of the dragging."

Dimly, Kyuri heard Aang say something, but she was too caught up to care what it was, whereas she would have usually been intent on anything going on around her. Memories rolled through her mind. With the familiar surroundings, Sokka and Katara and Bato, and delicious food, it was easy to forget the world outside. She could almost pretend nothing had happened: that her parents hadn't died, that she hadn't met Sangilak, that she wasn't aiding the Avatar. It was like when she was younger and the three families would gather together for meals and Bato would entertain the children while Katara and Kyuri's parents cleaned up dishes. Only the lingering feeling of Sangilak in the back of her mind, watching in fascination through her eyes, kept her from losing reality in a delightful dream.

"Is this what it was like?"

"You've seen the memories."

"Yes but it's much more intense to witness it. It's… touching."

"I know Yoshio had friends and family gather like this, eating and telling stories."

"Yes, but it's been so long that I have almost forgotten the feeling of intimacy."

Loneliness echoed through their link, tremulous and sad, and Kyuri winced, answering with waves of calm assurance. "Sang…"

"No Kyuri, don't let an old dragon lost in memories spoil your reunion. I won't take this happiness you've found from you. You have so little these days."

"Perhaps not as little as I thought," Kyuri mused. "I have friends, I have a goal, I have you. I am… content."

Sangilak's pleasure at that statement reached her before she was pulled away by Sokka's voice.

"So which one of you came up with the Great Blubber Fiasco?"

"You knew about that?" Bato asked, embarrassed.

"Everyone knew!" Katara giggled.

"What's that story?" Aang asked.

"It's a long story Aang, some other time," Sokka said, waving him away.

"You and dad had so many hilarious adventures," Katara said, remembering the stories that had flooded the village gossip mill. 'You'd never believe what Bato and Hakoda did' had popped up only slightly less often than 'you'd never believe what Kyuri and Katara did.'

"Not all of them were so hilarious at the time," Bato chuckled, "but everything's funnier with hindsight. Aang!" he said suddenly and they all turned to see Aang standing there guiltily with a sacred wolf tail headdress on his head. "Put that back. It's ceremonial and very fragile."

Subdued, Aang put the mask back and slumped towards the door.

"So, which one of you came up with the idea to put an octopus on your head and convince Gran-Gran you were a water spirit?" Sokka asked.

"Your dad wore the octopus but I did the spooky voice," Bato said, wiggling his fingers. Kyuri allowed a small smile to slip into place. She remembered when that news had swept the village. Gran-Gran didn't leave the house for two days and it was weeks before she went back to that part of the coast even after the pair confessed to their prank.

It went on like that well into the night. Bato told stories about things he and Hakoda had done and Sokka and Katara told him all about their adventures, with Kyuri jumping in every now and then to correct or comment. Bato listened in amazement to everything from Kyoshi Island to the village. Bowls were set aside and the flames were fed again before Bato grew serious once more.

"There's something I should tell you kids. I'm expecting a message from your father?"

"Really?"

"When?"

"Any day now. They said they'd send a message once they'd found a rendezvous point. If you wait here until the message arrives you can come with me and see your father again."

"It's been over two years since we've seen dad!" Sokka said excitedly, waving his hands about. "That would be incredible! Katara?"

"I do really miss him," she said softly. "It would be great to see dad."

"It's been far too long, hasn't it?" Bato said sympathetically. "I'm not sure when word will arrive, but when it does, you're welcome to come."

Kyuri watched as Aang closed the door behind him. She knew he had to be feeling left out. They had been paying little to no attention to him, but they had just found a link to their past and Sokka and Katara's father. For the moment, he was not the center of attention. However, that didn't mean he should have been shoved aside as they had done. No doubt he took it for granted that they would leave to find their father and without the lure of old friends, he probably expected her to leave him too.

"It would be great to see dad," Sokka admitted. "But we have to take Aang to the North Pole."

"Even if the message does arrive we don't know how long we'd have to travel," Katara added. "We just don't have time for a long detour."

"I'm sure your father would understand and be proud his children are helping the Avatar," Bato smiled.

"Stop!" Iroh shouted. Surprised, Jun pulled the shirshu up short.

"What is it?" Zuko demanded as his uncle slipped off the saddle and dropped to the ground. After that wasted stop by the fortuneteller's and almost being hit by the beast's paralytic tongue, he was not in the mood for any more wasted time.

"I won't be a moment!" Iroh said, bustling over to a group of people who were gathered around a man who was proudly displaying canvases and scrolls. The people scattered at the sight of the shirshu but the painter remained, standing with his back straight and his head held high. "What neat brushstrokes! And such an evocative image! Don't you agree, my nephew?"

"I'll be right back," Zuko growled, dropping to the ground and stomping towards his uncle, intent on getting him back on the shirshu so they could get on with the hunt if he had to drag him back by his beard. However, when he stepped forwards and opened his mouth to shout at his uncle his eye was caught by an explosion of red and blue across one canvas. He looked at the picture his uncle was pointing to…

And shut his mouth, staring.

It was the Dragora, but like he'd never seen her before. She rose on a column of water over flaming lava, the sky behind her dyed red by the volcanic eruption. Her features were thrown into sharp relief by the light from beneath her, but there was a softness he'd never seen on her face, not even when he'd seen her tied on the floor of Zhao's prison.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Iroh asked slyly.

"It's a painting," Zuko snapped, jerking his eyes away from the painting. He clamped a hand down on his uncle's shoulder and escorted him back to the shirshu. But no matter how hard he tried, that painting kept appearing in his mind.

The next day they walked with Bato down to beach and it was arranged that they would go ice-dodging. Sokka was given the rudder and Katara the mainsail. Aang was put on the rudder and Kyuri was surprised to find herself on the sea raven's perch. Unlike with most trade ships, Water Tribe cutters didn't have platforms for watchmen to stand on. Instead, there was a thin plank, perhaps a foot long and three inches wide, protruding from the mast. You had to be skilled – or mad – to climb the rigging and stand on the perch.

They took their positions as Bato sat by the hull and Kyuri scrambled along a ratline up to the sea raven's perch. She balanced on the perch on the balls of her feet, one arm coiled around the mast.

"Rocks to the left and right, straight path through!" Kyuri called down.

"Katara, steady. Aang, ease up on the jib!" Sokka ordered. They passed through a pair of spires and Kyuri scoped out the rocks ahead.

"Straight ahead and to the left!" she called down.

"Aang, less sail. Katara, give him room!"

Katara shifted her position in the boat and Aang yanked as hard as he could on the jib. The boat veered to the right wildly, but the passed safely on to the next obstacle.

"Dead ahead!" Kyuri shouted as a tall pillar came into view. "Dead ahead and on the right!"

"Aang, helm to lee, helm to lee!" Sokka shouted as he shoved with all his might on the rudder.

"What does that even mean?" Aang demanded, but he yanked on the rope anyway. The boat rocked wildly and Kyuri was tossed about the most, being atop the mast. She wrapped her other arm around the mast and added one leg, balancing on a single leg and still watching through the dizzying motion.

"Dead ahead!" she shouted. "Shoal! Sokka, turn her around!"

"There's no way through!" Katara shrieked as she saw the impassible labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks.

"Sokka, you've already proven yourself," Bato assured him nervously, clinging to the side of the ship. "Maybe we should-"

"We can make it!" Sokka assured them. "Aang, I'm going to need air in that sail! Katara and Kyuri, I want to bend as much water as you can between us and those rocks!"

The occupants of the boat stared at him for a moment before moving to do as they were told. Aang sent great gusts of air into the sail while Katara generated a wave in front of them. Kyuri stretched out a hand, loosening her death-grip on the mast and helping Katara keep the wave stable. They rose high and sailed smoothly over top of the rocks into the open sea. Those on deck sagged against various surfaces in relief while Kyuri slid down the mast and dropped to the deck, a smile fluttering at the corners of her lips.

They returned to shore and beached the boat. Bato produced a bowl of blue paint and dipped his fingers in, staring at the children lined up in front of him.

"Sprits of the water bear witness to these marks!" Bato proclaimed. He traced a wide, inverted U on Sokka's head, a dot below it. "For Sokka, the mark of the wise. The same mark your father earned."

He stepped down the line, tracing a waxing crescent on Katara's forehead. "For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us all."

He took another step and placed three wiggly vertical lines on Kyuri's forehead. "For Kyuri, the mark of the cunning. Your watchfulness will help you in many areas."

He took one more step and drew a single concave line on Aang's forehead, cutting the tip off of his arrow. "For Aang, the mark of the trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe."

"I can't," Aang said, looking away as if pained. He raised his arm and wiped the paint away with his sleeve.

"Sure you can," Sokka said joyfully but Kyuri narrowed her eyes. Aang looked… guilty.

"You can't trust me," Aang said, backing away and holding up his hands.

"Aang, what are you talking about?" Katara asked innocently. Aang reached into his shawl and pulled out a wadded up ball of paper.

"A messenger gave this to me for Bato," he said, head lowered in shame. Kyuri didn't have to look to know what it was. It was easy to deduce based on how Aang had behaved last night. Kyuri felt something sink inside of her. Aang had always been the very picture of childish innocence and naivety. To think that he was capable of such subterfuge was unnerving and disheartening.

Katara took the paper and unfolded it. A hand flew up to cover a gasp as she took in the landmarks on the parchment.

"You have to understand-" Aang began, but Sokka cut him off.

"This is the map to our dad!" he roared. "You had it all this time? How could you?! Well… you can go to the North Pole on your own. I'm going to find dad!"

With the parchment crunched furiously in his hand, Sokka stomped away back towards the abbey.

"Now Sokka, I think you should-" Bato began, trying to calm things down.

"Katara, are you with me or not?" Sokka demanded, not letting him finish. Katara turned to look at Aang, whose eyes pleaded hopelessly with her. Katara closed her eyes and lowered her head.

"I'm with you Sokka." She turned and followed her brother, Bato going with them. Aang turned to look at her, despair written on his face.

"Kyuri?"

Kyuri paused, thinking over her options. She came up with three.

She could go with Sokka and Katara. Part of her wanted to go, to truly reunite with her tribe, but she dreaded it too. She didn't want to intrude on such a personal reunion. She had no father waiting for her there.

She could stay with Aang, but right now that thought was upsetting. Could she trust him? Was this just a fluke, the act of a scared boy? She'd seen him stop a volcano, surely he could handle a trip to the North Pole by himself.

Or she could return to her nice ice cave with Sangilak and continue living a hermit's life. However, what had once been so appealing now sounded hollow and lonely. She had become used to having people around her, indeed, dependant on it, she now realized. That wasn't really an option anymore.

"I'm going with you, Aang," she said softly. Aang flew forwards and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly. Kyuri staggered a bit, surprised, but recovered. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around him too and hugged him back. She heard him sniffle faintly and he pulled back, rubbing his nose. She wisely chose not to comment.

Katara and Sokka, especially Sokka, were surprised to find Kyuri intended to stay with Aang, but they respected her decision. The next hour was spent packing. Bato helped Katara and Sokka on with their packs while Kyuri sat on Sangilak, tightening the ribbons that held her armor in place in preparation for a long flight.

Her eyes flicked up as Katara walked over to Aang.

"Good luck," was all she said.

"Okay," Aang replied, curling into a ball on top of Appa. "You too."

Katara walked out of the abbey with Bato and Sokka as Mother Superior took her place in front of Aang.

"I guess I should be moving on now," Aang said hesitantly.

"That would be best," Mother Superior said sternly. She had heard what Aang had done and she was clearly not pleased, disapproval etched in her lined face.

Aang turned Appa and guided him out the gate, Kyuri following silently on Sangilak. Aang paused at the fork in the road and looked down that path after the Water Tribe members.

"I'm an idiot Momo," he said simply, before turning down the opposite fork.

"He's not an idiot. He's a confused boy who's found himself left behind once before when his people died."

"That was sympathetic."

"It's true. I feel… sorry for him. I can understand how he might have feared Katara and Sokka leaving him, but I can guarantee they wouldn't have had he not done this."

"Self-fulfilling fear. Fear can make people do bad things, things they wouldn't have normally done."

They walked down to the beach, preparing to take off and go overseas to a peninsula in the Earth Kingdom.

"Hold on, Appa's reins are loose," Aang said. He braced his foot against the air bison's horn and tugged hard on the rein. The cord knotted. "Oh bleeding hogmonkeys!" Kyuri raised an eyebrow. That was the closest she'd ever heard him come to cursing.

Aang struggled with the reins, completely undoing them and then wrapping them again. He was just finishing tightening the last bit when a nun came flying down the sandy beach.

"Avatar, you must leave!" she shouted as she pulled up beside them.

"Okay, I get it! Everyone wants me to leave!" Aang snapped.

"A group of people came to the abbey looking for you," the nun explained, panting as she folded her hands inside her sleeves.

"Who?" Aang demanded.

"A fierce looking woman on a terrible beast and a young man with a scar."

"Zuko," Aang hissed and Kyuri tensed in the saddle.

"The beast was using the scent of a necklace to follow you," the nun continued.

"A necklace?" Aang repeated in confusion and Kyuri's blood ran cold as she realized what that meant. "Katara!"

Aang stared at Kyuri in horror and she nodded, mind already racing to formulate a plan.

"I hate to ask, but can we use your abbey to lure them back?" Kyuri asked. The nun paused, biting her lip nervously for a moment, before nodding. "We need to trap them someplace on our terms."

"I can circle overhead, lay my scent," Aang said. "That should get them back there if that's how they're tracking me."

"Good," Kyuri said. "Let's go. Want a lift?" she asked the nun. The woman looked at Sangilak hesitantly. "It's safe."

Shaking her head in disagreement, the nun nonetheless put out her hand and Kyuri grabbed it, pulling her on board behind her.

"Grab onto the spike," she ordered and the woman clamped down with a death grip. Sangilak shot into the air along with Appa and they were back at the abbey in under five minutes, landing just outside the gate. Aang hopped on his glider and began circling overhead as Kyuri helped the shaking nun down and escorted her inside.

"Stay out here until we need you. A secret weapon."

"Agreed," Sangilak said, nosing Appa behind the back wall of the abbey. Kyuri went inside the courtyard and found the nuns hiding behind pots of perfume and ointment. They all looked terrified.

"It will be alright," Kyuri said as pounding footsteps reached her ears. She dove out of the way, rolling into a doorway just in time. The 'terrible beast' she identified as a shirshu and on his back was Zuko, his uncle, and a woman she'd never seen before, presumably the animal's owner. Hanging over the back of the saddle were Katara and Sokka, paralyzed by the animal's tongue.

The shirshu began circling and Zuko began shouting.

"What's it doing? It's just going in circles!"

The shirshu looked up just as Aang dove. It reared up, throwing its passengers clear and lashing its tongue at him as Aang soared directly over its head. The shirshu lost its balance, staggering backwards before hitting the ground.

"Aang!" Katara cried as she saw him.

"Up!" the woman yelled harshly, snapping her whip. The beast got back to its feet and she jumped on, charging at Aang as he landed.

"Sangilak!"

Appa flew over the wall, slamming into the shirshu and sending it flying. It smashed into an inner wall of the abbey as the nuns dragged Katara and Sokka to safety. Appa growled and Sangilak landed beside him, wings pressed tightly to his side. His scales were nigh impenetrable to the thing's tongue, but his wings were vulnerable.

Aang smiled at the scene, but he turned as Zuko appeared, hands glowing with fire. Kyuri broke from her hiding place and ran to Aang's side. This time she didn't bother drawing her blades. She raised her hands, pulling water from the troughs that supplied the abbey.

Moving together, she and Aang struck with blasts of wind and snapping streams of water. Zuko jumped and dodged, sending blasts for them to avoid. It was a dance of give and take, Kyuri thought as Zuko jumped and came down between his two opponents. He immediately went for Aang and Kyuri kept carefully behind him, drawing her hands back to prepare for a hard strike against his back. Aang and Zuko came each other with strong attacks at point blank range. Fire and air connected and the result was explosive. Grey smoke bloomed as all three combatants were blown backwards.

Aang hit one roof and Kyuri hit the opposite. She cried out as tiles broke under her back and then again as a heavy form slammed into her. Of course, Zuko had been in front of her…

Zuko opened his eyes, groaning to find his face buried in silky black hair. The scent of sweat tickled his nose and he straightened his arms, pushing himself back and finding the Dragora under him. The painting he had seen in that village flashed in his mind. A hint of that softness was shown here.

She blinked.

He blinked.

She moved.

Kyuri curled her legs up and kicked his chest hard, throwing him back down into the courtyard. She shoved herself upright and jumped down after him. Kyuri hit the ground and rolled under a blast of fire. She dragged her feet through the air and caught Zuko behind the knees. He hit the ground hard and she grabbed his shoulders, pressing him hard towards the ground. His feet came up and hit her in the forehead. She was thrown back, head reeling from the force of the kick.

Kyuri came back to herself to find Aang and Zuko dueling atop the abbey roof. Snarling at herself for leaving him alone, she jumped to her feet and scrambled up the wall via a few urns.

"Aang!" she yelled as she landed next to him. "Katara and Sokka are paralyzed, it's not safe for them here. Take them and get-" She paused to block a blast from Zuko with a wave of water from the trough below. "Get out of here!"

Aang paused, staring at Kyuri. She wasn't even looking at him, instead at Zuko with that snarl that only appeared when she was fighting. He realized something. She was fighting for them, truly fighting for them. She knew he could get away from a fight with Zuko, he'd done it before. But she was concerned, not just for Katara and Sokka, but for him as well. She'd never tell anyone she cared, but she could show them.

Knowing that, Aang couldn't bring himself to deny her. It would be the same as shoving her away if she hugged him. He jumped down from the roof and made for Katara and Sokka. Sangilak was fighting the shirshu so Appa was free. Working quickly, he pulled them onto Appa and jumped on himself, taking off towards the beach.

As soon as Aang had jumped, Kyuri had charged, water trailing from her fingers as she moved towards Zuko. He fired at her chest and she dropped, sliding along the peak of the roof. She flicked her hands forwards and wrapped the two streams of water around his chest tightly, freezing it before hurling him over the side of the roof towards the ground. He hit and the ice shattered.

Zuko grit his teeth in pain and anger as he connected with the ground, his eyes following the Avatar as he flew away on his bison. He leapt to his feet, anger raging inside of him and begging to be let out. He'd let it out alright, on the Dragora who helped the Avatar get away from him.

Kyuri landed on the ground to see Zuko charging at her. They both raced towards each other, hands covered in their elements. Zuko reached out to grab her shoulders and throw her and Kyuri raised her hands to catch his and redirect him. Their palms connected, heat and ice. Their eyes widened and they stared at their hands.

They had expected one of two outcomes. Either Kyuri's ice would smother his fire or Zuko's fire would melt her ice. Neither happened. His fire wormed over her ice, separated from her skin by a single thin sheet of ice. Her ice slipped under his fire, a layer of embers the only thing keeping it from his skin. Both forced harder, directing their elements to melt and freeze, to protect them, but they couldn't touch each other.

Kyuri disengaged with a shout, turning and pressing her hands to the ground. Her feet came up, catching Zuko under the chin and throwing him back. She turned and ran for Sangilak. He was holding the shirshu off easily, slapping at it with his tail and nipping its feet.

Zuko jumped and blocked her path, one hand already flying towards her head. It connected and Kyuri spun in a full circle from the force before dropping to the ground. Zuko kicked her in the side and something snapped as she went flying.

Kyuri inhaled sharply, her rib screaming as it broke. She hit the ground hard with another sickening jolt of pain. She looked up to find herself facing a well. She could hear fire roaring behind her, coming towards her. She forced down the pain in her side, making herself ignore it as she heaved herself to her feet and threw herself down the well. Her hurt rib banged into the wall as she plummeted down the thin shaft and she let out a pained yelp before she slid under the surface. She laid a hand over her broken rib and the water glowed, healing and strengthening it. The pain ebbed alone with the throbbing in her head.

Kyuri looked up sharply as fire swirled across the water above her. It was enough to reduce some of it to steam, but not enough to break the surface. The flames faded and she shot up, encased in water. She rose out of the well and let the water supporting her fall back down. She spread her legs and landed with one foot on each side of the well, standing above Zuko. He punched at her, Katara's necklace swinging forwards on his wrist. Her eyes narrowed as she dodged, her eyes combing over his form to find her statue. She was not leaving without their things, not this time.

Kyuri spotted a small bulge in his cloth belt, one with a familiar shape and she knew that's where he was keeping it. Her hand darted out, grabbing his wrist. Water rose out of the well and encased his hand, preventing him from using fire for a moment. Kyuri yanked the necklace off his wrist and shoved the sopping piece of ribbon into her sash. Zuko snarled and her water evaporated as he set his arm ablaze. She yanked her hand back, pink skin blistering on her palm from the heat.

Zuko lunged at her, bearing her back off the well and slamming her into the ground on the other side. He punched, aiming for her nose. She thrashed her head to the side, hair flying up into his face and avoided the blow. He stopped his blow before he punched the flagstone, which was undoubtedly her intention, but froze as he felt long, nimble fingers fumble at the buckle of his belt. He stared down at her hands in shock.

"What are you-?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Kyuri growled as she unbuckled the belt and yanked it off, throwing it away. The figurine dropped into her palm and she shoved it into her sash next to Katara's necklace. She grabbed his biceps and rolled him, pinning him under her. She raised the heel of her hand and made to strike his temple and knock him out. Zuko caught her wrist and Kyuri surrendered it for a moment. She raised her other hand but he caught it too. Zuko got his feet under himself and reared up, throwing her back so that he was on top of her now.

Strong talons closed around his waist and Zuko found himself being borne into the air by her dragon, Sangilak. His head turned frantically, looking to see what was going on. He saw the Dragora climbing her beast's tail nimbly and settling into her seat.

"Pet me down!" he roared over the gusts of wind from the dragon's wings.

"Sangilak. Drop him," she ordered. Zuko fell into a small pond near the abbey where their water was pumped from and Kyuri soared off towards the beach after Aang. She and Sangilak poured on the speed and caught up to the others quickly. Aang had been flying slow just so it was easy for them to catch up. Katara and Sokka were free from the shirshu's toxin and were up and moving.

"Everything squared away?" Kyuri asked absently as she picked up and began flying by them. They all knew she wasn't referring to the supplies as the phrase's intended use was.

"Yeah, everything fine," Katara said. Sokka nodded.

"Oh, and Katara," Kyuri said, reaching into her sash. She leapt into Appa's saddle and settled next to her, proffering the necklace.

"How did you get that?" Katara asked, snatching it eagerly and fixing it firmly around her throat.

"It involved water and Zuko. It was amusing," Kyuri said, though in reality her mind was spinning with what had happened when she and Zuko had grasped hands. Neither had been able to gain any ground on the other, no matter how hard they pushed. They couldn't hurt each other, but they weren't really focusing on defending themselves. Their elements had coiled around each other like old friends embracing after a long time apart.

She had heard of such phenomenon before and didn't like how it boded. There were stories of benders who had never been able to gain ground on each other. They were too perfectly matched martially, the same level of skill, usually very high, with their elements. The legends usually continued with the pair either forming a lifelong feud that leveled mountains and blew towns away, or working together for good as an unstoppable force. Either way, the stories all tied the two together inescapably.

"You fear a tie to the Fire Nation royal family," Sangilak surmised. "I do not blame you."

Kyuri rolled that thought over in her head. "I'm not sure if it's that or a tie to him that I… don't like the idea of." She refused to think of herself as fearing it. "He is the enemy."

"his entire family is the enemy. He is only one part of it that must be extinguished for the war to end."

Kyuri shook her head. Sangilak loved the Fire Nation deeply. He'd been born there a half-millenium ago and he still didn't hate it, no matter the damage it had wreaked on the world. It was the royals, the family that had lead to Yoshio's death, that he hated. It was a fine but distinct line that she agreed with.

Didn't she?

Sorry for the long absence. Real life beckoned (I hate when it does that) along with a barrage of essays and tests that my teachers felt desperately needed to be here's a long chapter to make up for it. It's weird but when I started this story I thought I'd make each chapter around 6000-6500 words. Most chapters, including this one, have ended up being over 7000 words, but I still think of it as a long chapter.