Chapter Six:

-Katara-

I don't know what time it was when I woke up, but the smell of something close to me brought me out of my fatigued state. I opened my eyes to see a small cup of a warm liquid beside my arm. At first I couldn't remember where I was and why, but then I remembered that the young man, Zuko, had brought me here after saving me and little parts of our conversation from last night when I had tried to leave.

"Good you're up" I heard Zuko's rough voice call out. I looked up bewildered until I saw him sitting cross – legged by the fire drinking from his own cup. I guess that's his way of saying good morning. "Uncle will be back soon, he just needed to stretch his legs. He left you a cup of tea for when you woke up."

I nodded, still unsure of how to act around him. I mean, he seemed sincere when he was talking to me last night. Still there is something about him that reads something like 'come too close and I'll strike back' or something like that.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

I shrugged. "Same as ever. Confused."

"We'll help you as best as we can" He promised.

I wasn't able to respond because as soon as the words started to form in my head I heard his Uncle come back in.

"Why good morning" he called cheerfully. "How are you this fine morning? Did you sleep well?"

I looked over at Zuko warily, waiting for him to rat me out by telling his Uncle that I had tried to leave. To my complete surprise Zuko practically did the total opposite. "Yeah I'm sure she slept well if she was able to over look your obnoxious snoring." By the tone of his voice he was serious.

"Zuko I do not snore" Zuko's Uncle countered.

"Oh yes, you do."

"I-" his Uncle started until he saw my slight shake of the head to confirm that he had been snoring. "Oh. Then please accept my apologies for disrupting your sleep Miss Katara." I blinked repeatedly and shook my head trying to clear it. He knew my name, if that's what it is, too? As if he had read my mind he told me, "Zuko mentioned your name last night while we were talking."

I dropped my head into my left hand as my right hand reached shakily for the tea still sitting in front of me. I took a small sip as the warm liquid slid down my throat with ease. It seemed to warm me up immediately so I quickly finished the rest of it in one swig. After it was gone I noticed that it had some kind of flavoring to it. "What is this?" I asked quietly not wanting to insult the men in front of me.

"That is jasmine tea that I brewed myself" Zuko's Uncle said with pride.

"It's…very good…Sir."

"No need to call me Sir Miss Katara. Just call me Iroh" he requested.

I didn't know if I should. I mean from what I can remember, I was not supposed to call anyone by their first name. But, maybe this time it wouldn't be such a bad idea? How I hate being so confused.

Finally I gave in. "If you insist…Iroh."

"Much better" Iroh praised me with a gentle smile. "Now I'm not sure if my nephew told you yet or not, but shortly we will be taking you to the nearby village to see the doctor so we may know the extent of your condition and what we can do to help you. Is that alright with you?"

I blinked slowly, vaguely remembering Zuko mentioning it last night so I nodded. "Yeah, that's ok I guess."

Iroh nodded and left me alone with Zuko saying he was going to retrieve their small bag with their coins in it. We were both silent until I notice Zuko glance at me quickly as if he was trying to think something over.

"Do you want to borrow my outer robe?" he asked quickly like he was embarrassed to have mentioned it. "Just because I thought you might have liked something to wear over your dress" he defended himself.

He had a point. I didn't really want people to see me in my dress with all the tears it had at the bottom and shoulder. "S-s-sure" I finally stuttered out. He nodded once as he undid the sash around his waist removing his sleeveless outer robe to show that he was wearing earth green pants and long sleeve shirt with dark brown boots. He handed it to me quickly as I mumbled an inaudible "thank you."

"You're welcome" he replied just as quietly. I slipped the robe on around my shoulders and closed it over my dress tying the sash around my waist as best as I could. It was slightly bulky on me because of how skinny I am now and the bottom just reached my feet showing that there was only a slight difference in height between us.

When I looked back over at Zuko he had just tied on a hat and was looking down at the floor like there was something else he wanted to say, but didn't want to at the same time. I started to stand up again, (I had been leaning against the wall), so I could walk outside to find Iroh. My movements must have caught Zuko's attention because he looked back up at me with a worried expression. "Do you want some help?" he inquired as I got up shakily. I shook my head no as I stood up the rest of the way.

Not even a couple of steps to the cave entrance and I trip on something, most likely a rock, and start to fall over. I close my eyes waiting for the oncoming impact, but it never came. I opened my eyes to see that I was caught with my face a short distance from the ground. Turning my head I notice that Zuko had come up behind me and had caught me by the back of my borrowed robe.

He pulled me back up slowly until I was standing up straight. "So much for not needing help huh?" Zuko commented sarcastically. I pouted and tried to walk away only to be stopped when I realized that Zuko was still holding onto the back of the robe.

"Um, can you…let go of me now?" I asked politely as I could, but my breath still came out shaky. Why can't I stop this and learn to calm down? I'm out of danger…right?

Zuko blinked repeatedly before he glanced back down at his hand to realize what I had just said. "Sorry" he rushed and let go of me quickly. I retreated a few steps from him not meeting his eyes. "We should go now." I nodded and gestured for him to lead the way.

After we were outside he turned back to me and almost caused me to run into him; luckily I was able to stop myself and retreated a step back.

"Katara," Zuko started, "I need you to pay very close attention to what I'm about to tell you. And I know what I'm about to tell you is going to confuse you and probably make you more weary than you already are, but I need you to trust me." He was right about already being confused and a part of me was telling me to be extremely cautious, but I remained silent and nodded so he would know to continue. "Ok, basically when we get into to town you cannot under any circumstances repeat my name or my Uncle's to anyone we see; not even to the doctor."

That's—weird. Despite him asking me to trust him I had to ask. "Why?"

Zuko sucked in a breath avoiding my gaze. Ok him acting like this is not helping the 'please trust me case.' But, for some reason I actually felt a little sorry for him. It looked like he wanted to tell me something and either couldn't find the right words or he just wanted to completely avoid the subject.

Hesitantly he said, "It's just better…if…you don't know all the details just yet. I don't want you getting yourself worked up." He gazed at me with those gold eyes of his. Almost in pleading way, though not quite; there was still a little hardness in them, but I'm guessing that's just natural for him.

A large part of me was yelling at me to stay away from him and not trust him. To just run away now and never look back. But I just couldn't. Something about those eyes just kept telling me that everything would be alright. Then his promise from last night rang through my head. 'When you get to the point where you can take care of yourself and if you don't want to be around us then you can leave. I won't stop you.'

Finally the little voice in my head telling me that I can trust him won me over so I nodded and tried to put a smile on my face, but it felt more like a grimace. "Ok. Ok I'll trust you."

Zuko eyes widened, well the one on his right side did, before he stuttered out, "Re—really?"

"Yes." Zuko sighed in relief. "So if I'm not allowed to call you by your real names then what am I supposed to call you?"

"Lee, that's my fake name. Uncle's fake name is Mushi."

"Mushi?"

"It was the first thing I could come up with after I called myself Lee when I knew there are already too many people named Lee to begin with" Zuko defended.

"Ok ok! I was just repeating it to make sure I pronounced it right."

"Right" he stated sarcastically. I pouted and glared at him. He became serious again instantly. "C'mon, we still need to take you to the doctor so follow me." I obediently followed him.

He lead me around the cave to find an animal waiting there patiently eating some of the nearby grass. When it brought its head back up it seemed to glare at me for just being near him. "Um, what is that thing?"

"An ostrich – horse" Zuko replied calmly.

The ostrich – horse let out a squawk and I cowered back behind Zuko; though I made sure not to touch him. "Don't worry he doesn't bite" Zuko stated. Then he reached for the reins to try to bring him over to me. It came over and just glared down at me again. I gulped loudly.

"Sit down" Zuko ordered the animal. All it did was turn his glare on him. Somehow Zuko doesn't strike me as one to be glared at. Instead I would assume him to be the one doing the glaring. Wait, why did I just assume that? And feel like I'm 100% right? I looked back at Zuko's face and was proven to be correct when I saw him glare right back into the animal's eyes and said a little more loudly, "I said sit down." He pulled on the reins again and the animal obeyed by sitting on its legs.

Zuko turned back to me just as I put my head in my hands. "Are you ok?" he asked worriedly.

I brought my head back up slowly. "Yeah. Just tired I guess." Zuko eyed me a little more closely making me uncomfortable before he shrugged.

"Do you want some help on?"

"I don't know. I think I can manage." I walked past Zuko and approached the left side of the ostrich – horse. "Are you sure it won't bite?" Zuko nodded once. Very carefully I swung my right leg over to the other side and mounted the animal.

"Ok now hang on tight. I'm going to make him stand up." I yelped a little as the ostrich – horse stood up. Then he was perfectly still. Glad that part's over. "Uncle hurry up!" Zuko called out impatiently.

"I'm coming!" Iroh called back.

"I'll hold the reins while he walks so hopefully you won't be jostled too much" Zuko commented.

"You're not riding?" I thought he would want to be able to ride his own animal.

Zuko brought his gaze up to me, tilting his head back so he could fully see me from underneath his hat. "I thought you would want your space."

Wow he's considerate! I actually managed to pull off a small smile at the corner of my mouth. "Thank you…Lee."

Zuko nodded at me and thanked me for using his fake name just as his Uncle arrived. And with that the three of us headed into the woods to find the nearby village.