"I need to borrow Appa," Katara walks over to Aang, Zuko, and me the next morning. Sokka and I are finishing breakfast and Aang is feeding his pet. Zuko follows close behind Katara.

"Why?" Aang jokes. "Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?"

Katara's face is hard. "Yes, it is."

Aang hears the edge in her voice and turns around. "Oh, what's going on?"

"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me," she announces. Sokka stops tying wildflowers together and looks up at his sister.

"Sokka told the story of who did it," Zuko tells the group. "I know who did it, and I know how to find him."

"And what exactly do you think this will accomplish?" Aang inquires.

Zuko grabs a biscuit from the flames; Katara shakes her head.

"I knew you wouldn't understand," she scoffed at the Air bender.

"Wait, stop!" Aang calls out. "I do understand! You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the Sand benders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?"

"She needs this, Aang," Zuko cuts in. "This is about getting closure and justice."

"I don't think so," Aang counters. "I think it's about getting revenge."

"Fine!" Katara whips around to face the boy. "Maybe it is, maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's what he deserves."

"Katara, you sound like Jet," Aang seems surprised.

"It's not the same! Jet attacked the innocent. This man—he's a monster!"

Sokka steps in to try and talk some sense into his sister. "Katara, she was my mother too! But I think Aang might be right."

"Then you didn't love her the way I did!"

"Katara…" Sokka pleads.

Aang hangs his head. "The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat-viper: while you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself."

"That's cute," I comment.

"This isn't Air Temple pre-school!" Katara cries. "It's the real world! Now that I know he's out there, now that I know we can find him, I feel like I have no choice."

Aang tries one more time. "Katara, you do have a choice: forgiveness."

"That's the same as doing nothing!" Katara retorts.

"No it's not," Aang corrects. "It's easy to do nothing; it's hard to forgive."

"It's not just hard. It's impossible!" Katara walks away and stews in her tent.