"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka muttered grumpily as he draped himself over the back of the bison's saddle.
Aang closed his eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line as he felt a small spike of irritation flare within him. They had been flying for nearly two whole days straight, only stopping to rest one time when they had been lucky enough to come across an iceberg that was large enough for Appa to land on, and he was beginning to grow worried that they had somehow gotten themselves lost.
"I have an idea!" he replied sarcastically, turning around to face Sokka and pointing his index finger directly at him. "Why don't we all get on your back and you could fly us to the North Pole?"
The Water Tribe boy merely looked over his shoulder with a deadpan expression. "I'd love to," he replied, just as sarcastically, pointing to his back and shaking his rear. "Climb on, everyone. Sokka's ready for takeoff."
Momo immediately chirped innocently and hopped onto Sokka's back, and he shot the lemur an unamused glare.
"Will both of you be quiet?" Zuko grumbled from where he laid on his side, hands over his ears. "I barely got any sleep last night.
"Same here," Sokka said, folding his arms. "But you don't see me complaining."
"Yeah, because you're not one to complain," Aang replied sarcastically.
"Boys," Iroh interjected. "There's no need to be snippy with each other."
"We're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight," Katara said.
"And for what?" Sokka replied. "We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here."
"According to the map-"
"How do we even know if that map is accurate, uncle?" Zuko interrupted, clearly having given up on getting any extra sleep as he sat up with a sour expression on his face.
"It's been correct so far," Iroh replied calmly, removing the map from his satchel and unfurling it. "We've been flying in a straight line since we left the Northern Air Temple, so unless we somehow got turned around, we should reach Agna Qel'a eventually."
"But how much longer is that going to take?" Zuko demanded. "We're in the middle of the ocean. No land in sight. Appa can't just keep flying in one direction until we happen to stumble into the Norther Water Tribe."
"No, he can't," Aang grumbled in agreement.
Suddenly, several spikes of ice shot out of the water in front of him, and with a yell, he quickly yanked Appa's reins as hard as he could, just barely avoiding them.
"Hang on to something, everyone!" he shouted as Appa picked up speed, swerving to the side to avoid another large spike of ice shot towards them.
Unfortunately, Aang seemed to have pulled the reins just a second too late this time. He heard the sound of crunching ice followed by a loud roar from Appa, and suddenly they were spinning out of control. With a large splash, the bison landed into the water, and Aang whipped his head from side to side as he watched the ocean water around them freeze instantly, trapping Appa in place.
From behind the large walls of ice that surrounded them, six boats emerged, each with several men dressed in familiar blue fur robes standing upon them.
"They're waterbenders!" Katara exclaimed, her expression shifting from one of fear to relief. "We found the Water Tribe!"
"There it is!" Aang shouted excitedly.
"The Northern Water Tribe…" Katara said, an expression of pure joy on her face.
"We're finally here," Sokka sighed in relief.
"The great gate of Agna Qel'a," Iroh breathed in awe. "To think I'd see it with my own eyes one day…"
On the horizon ahead of them, Zuko saw a great wall made of ice, the symbol of the Water Tribe emblazoned on it. Strangely, he did not see this gate his uncle had mentioned, and yet their escorts on the boats beside them continued to lead them forward.
When they came to a stop at the wall, the groups of men on the two boats beside them made several sweeping movements with their arms in unison, and with a loud cracking sound, a large hole appeared at the bottom of the wall.
Of course… Zuko thought in awe as Appa continued swimming forward through the tunnel. The walls are made of ice, and can only be manipulated by waterbenders. This was likely one of the many reasons the Fire Nation had been unable to conquer the city over the past ninety years.
When they emerged from the tunnel, Zuko's mouth fell open. In front of him stood a magnificent city, as large and grand as Hari Bulkan. Similar to the Southern Water Tribe, the buildings appeared to be completely made of ice, though these buildings were much more opulent and grandiose.
"I can't believe how many waterbenders live up here!" Katara marveled as their waterbending escorts continued to guide them through the canals of the city.
"We'll find a master to teach us no problem!" Aang replied with a grin, waving up at a group of people as they passed under a bridge, who enthusiastically waved back.
Zuko looked to his uncle, who was also waving at the increasing number of citizens who had begun to appear on the walkways beside the canal, a wide grin on his face. "It's nice to receive such a warm welcome, don't you think, Prince Zuko?"
"I guess," Zuko replied. He had to admit, it felt quite strange to see people excitedly gathering on the streets to watch them pass by, as it had been a regular occurrence anytime he'd left the royal palace in Hari Bulkan. However, instead of making him feel at home, the hundreds of eyes that were now on him were beginning to make him feel uneasy. He didn't want to get too comfortable just yet—based on all the experiences he'd had so far on their journey, he had learned that being cautious paid off more often than not.
"This place is beautiful," Katara said.
Suddenly, Sokka scrambled over the back of the saddle and onto Appa's tail. Zuko raised an eyebrow and confusedly peered over the edge of the saddle to see what the Water Tribe boy appeared to be attempting to catch a glimpse of, only to see another boat drifting in the other direction.
"Yeah… she is…" Sokka murmured.
Eventually, the waterbenders came to a stop next to a large square, lifted Appa up with waterbending, and deposited him onto solid ground.
"Is there a place big enough for Appa to stay?" Aang asked as they each dismounted with their belongings.
"Of course," one of the waterbenders said. "There should be enough room in the stables. I don't think the snow leopard caribou will mind."
"Thanks!" Aang replied, giving Appa some scratches on the head. "Be good, buddy."
Appa roared affectionately in response, and several of the waterbenders departed with the bison.
"Welcome, Avatar," an middle-aged man dressed in long, dark blue robes with a large fur hat said as he approached the group. "I am Iknik, advisor to Chief Arnook. We have long awaited your return."
"Nice to meet you," Aang replied with a smile. "I'm Aang, and these are my friends."
"It is an honor to meet the Avatar's companions," Iknik replied, nodding respectfully before gesturing towards a flight of nearby stairs. "Chief Arnook is honored to welcome you and your companions to Agna Qel'a, and invites you all to a celebratory feast this evening at the Royal Palace." Soon after reaching the top of the stairs, they came to a stop in front of a small building. "Please, make yourself comfortable. Someone will be here to collect you at twilight for the feast."
"Thank you. We'll be ready," Aang replied, bowing respectfully to the advisor, who bowed back before departing.
"Wow!" Katara gushed as she continued to beam at the sight of the grand city around them. "I wonder if our tribe had cities like this back before the war… This place is amazing. "
"And did you hear that guy?" Sokka said excitedly as he pushed aside the thick curtains covering the doorway. "We're getting a feast thrown in our honor! A proper Water Tribe feast! There's gonna be so much meat!"
As Zuko followed Sokka inside the guest house, he took a moment to survey his surroundings. The house consisted of one large room, with intricately woven blue tapestries covering the windows that lined each wall. The floor was covered in what appeared to be a giant, white fur rug that nearly spanned the entire room. Thanks to both the rug and the fire pit at the center of the room, the house felt extremely warm and cozy compared to the harsh cold outside, for which Zuko was grateful.
"Well, uncle," Zuko said with a sigh as he set his bag down next to the wall. "I guess your map was right after all."
Iroh grinned. "I knew we'd get here eventually."
"Ahh ," Aang sighed as he flopped down onto his back on the fluffy rug, Momo quickly mimicking him. "I can't believe we finally made it. I feel like I need a week-long nap."
"You and everyone else in this room," Zuko replied, sitting down next to the airbender. "But we can't sleep yet. Otherwise we might miss the feast tonight."
"Just let me dream, hotman," Aang groaned, pressing his forearm over his eyes.
Zuko chuckled to himself as his eyes moved from the Avatar to the glowing fire pit in front of him. Now that we're here, maybe things will finally start to calm down for a change.
"Tonight, Agna Qel'a celebrates the arrival of someone very special," Chief Arnook announced at the start of the feast that evening. "Someone who many of us believed disappeared from the world until now… the Avatar!"
The crowd of Water Tribe nobles in attendance cheered, and Zuko glanced to his left to see Aang smiling and waving to the crowd, Momo sitting politely in his lap. It felt rather strange to be sitting at a royal banquet table again, and he kept finding himself subconsciously sitting stiffly upright as he had been taught growing up.
"Avatar Aang brings with him companions from both our sister tribe, and the Earth Kingdom," Arnook continued. "This is the first time in nearly a hundred years that members of these three nations have been together in one place. I believe this is a sign that the spirits are surely watching over all of us. With the Avatar's help, we can free this world from the tyranny of the Fire Nation once and for all!"
As the crowd erupted into cheers again, Zuko and Iroh immediately shared an awkward glance. In hindsight, it made sense that the chief would assume they were from the Earth Kingdom—they were wearing Earth Kingdom clothes, after all. They also hadn't yet gotten the chance to introduce themselves properly to the chief before now.
"We also celebrate Princess Yue's fourteenth birthday tonight!" the chief declared, stepping to the side to reveal a beautiful young girl followed by two attendants. The girl's hair, to Zuko's astonishment, was stark white.
"Thank you, Father. May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times!" the girl stated before the crowd.
The chief smiled at his daughter as she walked over to sit next to Sokka at the end of the table. "Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!"
Across from them on the platform in front of the large flowing waterfalls, three waterbenders simultaneously pulled large quantities of water from the containers below them and began to gracefully weave it around themselves
"Hey, Aang," Zuko whispered.
The Avatar did not respond at first—it seemed he and Katara were both enraptured by the performance, periodically sharing looks of excitement.
"Aang," Zuko whispered again, this time nudging his friend with his elbow.
At last, Aang seemed to notice him, blinking several times. "What is it, hotman?"
"Did you hear what the chief said? They think that uncle and I are from the Earth Kingdom."
Aang nodded slowly in realization. "Oh, yeah. Well, don't worry. I'll make sure to correct him after the feast."
Zuko frowned slightly at the nonchalant tone of Aang's voice. "I don't think we should wait," he replied. "I'm not gonna let this turn into another Wolf Cove situation. If we don't tell them the truth now, they'll think we were purposefully hiding it."
"Zuko, wait," Aang began as he pushed himself to his feet and walked over to where Chief Arnook stood a few feet behind the table, seemingly discussing something with Advisor Iknik.
The advisor noticed him first, a look of surprise on his face. "Can I help you with something, young man?"
Zuko tried to push down the feeling of anxiety that was threatening to rise to the surface. "Yes. So, um… you see…"
"We have something we need to tell you, Chief Arnook."
Zuko turned to see that Aang and Iroh had followed him, to his relief.
"Yes, Avatar Aang?" Arnook said, a slightly confused look on his face. "What is it?"
Before Aang could respond, however, Zuko spoke first. "My uncle and I aren't from the Earth Kingdom. We're Fire Nationals."
The chief's eyes widened in astonishment, and Advisor Iknik's jaw dropped. "Fire Nationals ?"
"What my nephew means to say," Iroh interjected quickly. "Is that we're Fire Nationals, but we aren't affiliated with-"
"Guards!" Advisor Iknik shouted suddenly, interrupting him.
As the noise of the crowd immediately ceased almost immediately, Zuko felt his heart drop into his stomach. This was the exact reason he had avoided telling the truth initially in the Southern Water Tribe. He had only wanted to avoid making the same mistake again.
"No, wait!" Aang exclaimed, darting in front of Zuko and Iroh as several warriors with spears advanced towards them. "They're my friends! And they aren't with the Fire Nation anymore!"
"What's going on?" Katara asked as she and Sokka ran up behind them. "Chief Arnook, why are your warriors pointing their spears at them?"
"A Fire National hasn't set foot in Agna Qel'a in decades," one of the warriors, an arrogant-looking teenager, spat. "And we would like to keep it that way."
"That's enough, Hahn," Arnook said, shooting the warrior a hardened look, and the boy reluctantly held his tongue despite looking as though he wanted to say more. "The rest of you—put your weapons down." The chief's brow furrowed, and he closed his eyes with a sigh. "Avatar Aang, we have kept this city safe from the Fire Nation for nearly a hundred years now. Allowing two Fire Nationals into the city… It is unprecedented."
"But I'm telling you," Aang pleaded. "They're my friends, and they're on our side! They've been traveling with me for more than a year now, and we've fought the Fire Nation together more times than I can count!"
"Not only that," Katara interjected. "But without Iroh and Zuko's help, the entire Southern Water Tribe would have been completely wiped out!"
Arnook's eyes widened once again. "Completely wiped out?" he repeated in astonishment.
"Yep. And thanks to them, when the Fire Nation attacked our village just a few months ago, we actually won ," Sokka added, putting his hands on his hips and straightening his back. "So, in other words: these two have done more to help the Southern Water Tribe than you ever have."
"How dare you talk to the chief that way," Hahn immediately growled, pointing his spear inches away from Sokka's chest.
"Hahn!" the chief barked, startling the boy.
"But he just-" Hahn attempted to argue.
"Stand down. Now ."
Something in the chief's tone finally got through to the warrior, and he immediately retracted his spear with an expression of mixed shame and anger.
Things are just going to get worse the longer this goes on, Zuko thought nervously as he glanced out into the crowd, where most of the tribespeople were exchanging fearful glances and hushed whispers. His gaze moved over to meet his uncle's, and they exchanged a nod.
"We'll leave," Zuko said, stepping forward. "If it will make things better for us to go, we will."
"What? " Aang immediately exclaimed in astonishment. " No. If they have to go, then I'm going too!"
"Aang, you need to learn waterbending," Iroh said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You must stay. We will be alright, no matter what happens."
Before Aang could argue further, Arnook held up his hand. "I think I've heard enough."
Zuko held his breath as he prepared to hear the chief declare that he and his uncle were to be either banished or imprisoned.
"If what you both say is true…" Arnook began, his gaze moving back and forth between Sokka and Katara before meeting Zuko's. "Then our tribe owes you both a great debt."
A flabbergasted expression immediately appeared on both Hahn and Advisor Iknik's faces.
"It certainly takes a lot of courage to admit your true heritage, especially in a place like this," Arnook continued. "You could have simply allowed us all to continue believing you were from the Earth Kingdom, but you chose to be honest."
Zuko cringed slightly, glancing awkwardly at Sokka and Katara for a moment. "Let's just say… I learned that being honest is always best, even when it's risky."
"Wise words," Arnook replied with a small smile. "It also seems your friends care for and trust you both a great deal. That is proof enough for me that you do not have any nefarious intentions.
Zuko sighed in relief, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Thank you, Chief Arnook," he said, and he and his uncle both bowed respectfully.
The chief smiled again before turning to Sokka. "And you are right, young man," Arnook said, resulting in Sokka blinking in surprise. "The North has spent too many decades out of contact with our sister tribe. I… assume the situation in the South is… not ideal?"
Sokka scoffed. "That's putting it lightly. No offense," he added quickly.
"I see," Arnook replied, a slightly guilty expression appearing on his face.
"Chief Arnook," Advisor Iknik chimed in. "Regardless of what they have done for our sister tribe, we cannot just have two known Fire Nationals freely roaming about the city."
"If the chief says they can, then why not?" Aang demanded, causing the advisor to shrink back.
Arnook nodded. "The Avatar is correct," the chief said, motioning for the warriors to back away as he walked over to address the crowds. "Please, remain calm everyone. There is nothing to be alarmed about," he announced, and the murmuring crowd began to quiet down. "It seems I mistakenly identified two of the Avatar's companions here as Earth Kingdom citizens. They have corrected my mistake and have openly informed me that they are from the Fire Nation."
Suddenly, the murmuring began to increase in volume again, and several fearful looks were directed towards Zuko and his uncle.
"However ," Arnook continued loudly, and the murmuring died down again. "They are here with the Avatar's explicit approval, who has assured me that they are no longer affiliated with the Fire Nation. They are to be treated with the same level of respect as the Avatar and his companions from our sister tribe."
Based upon the continued looks of apprehension amongst some of the crowd, Zuko knew that the chief's words alone weren't likely to reassure everyone. Regardless, he was glad that he wouldn't have to spend their entire time in the Northern Water Tribe lying to everyone.
"Now," Arnook said. "Please continue to enjoy the feast!"
"Master Pakku, meet your newest student, the Avatar."
Aang bowed respectfully towards the master waterbender as the chief introduced him.
"You keep interesting company, Avatar," Pakku said, raising an eyebrow. "I hope your companions know to behave themselves while they are in our city."
Aang's brow twitched slightly in irritation at the old man's condescending tone. He took a deep breath before he rose from his bow, reminding himself to remain as cordial as he could manage. "I like to think I'm a pretty decent judge of character," he replied coolly. "So, please believe me when I tell you you have nothing to worry about from Iroh and Zuko."
Pakku frowned slightly. "I should hope not," he sniffed, folding his arms. "And just because you're destined to save the world, don't expect any special treatment from me."
"Of course," Aang replied politely. "My friend and I are looking forward to starting training with you, after we rest for a couple of days."
"If you want to rest, then I suggest visiting a tropical island," Pakku replied sarcastically. "If not, I'll see you both at sunrise. Good night."
With that, the old man strode off.
"I apologize for Master Pakku's… coldness," Arnook said. "He truly is a great master—the best in the tribe. I'm certain you'll get along with him once you get to know him."
"I just wish he hadn't talked about my friends the way he did…" Aang replied.
Arnook nodded and sighed. "Indeed. Unfortunately, he likely isn't the only one with such an attitude. You can't expect everyone in the city to accept your Fire Nation friends immediately, no matter what I say… We already aren't used to outsiders, much less Fire Nationals. I would let your companions know that while they are free to move about the city as they please, they should be cautious with what they say and do. "
Aang nodded. "Thank you, Chief Arnook. I'll be sure to tell them."
Arnook smiled slightly in reply. "Go on. You and your friends should get some rest, especially if you're going to begin training with Pakku at sunrise."
Aang smiled in return and bowed respectfully towards the chief before departing.
"So, what did he say?" Katara asked excitedly when he returned to where she and the rest of his companions had congregated after the feast. "When do we start?"
"Tomorrow at dawn," Aang grumbled, his shoulders slumping as they began to make their way back to the guest house. "I thought we'd at least have a little bit of time to relax before we had to start training..."
This news didn't seem to dampen Katara's spirits—in fact, she seemed even more thrilled.
"I can't believe in less than twenty-four hours I'm finally going to start learning from a real master!" she exclaimed giddily, blue eyes sparkling with excitement.
The Water Tribe girl skipped ahead, where Sokka appeared to be in a gloomy mood based on his posture and unusual quietness. "So, Prince Sokka," she said in a teasing tone, nudging her brother with her elbow. "How did it go with the princess? Did you schedule an 'activity' together?"
"No," Sokka grumbled. "She left after the whole incident with Zuko and Iroh almost getting banished."
"Hey, I just didn't want a repeat of what happened in the Southern Water Tribe," Zuko interjected with an annoyed tone. "What was I supposed to do, just let everyone think we're from the Earth Kingdom again?"
"Cheer up, Sokka," Aang interjected. "I'm sure you'll get to see the princess again."
"Hmph," Sokka replied, folding his arms.
As Katara continued to chatter and tease her brother, Aang slowed down his pace until he was walking alongside Zuko and Iroh. "Sorry about what happened at the feast," he said with a sigh. "I'm glad things turned out okay."
"It's alright, Aang," Iroh said with a reassuring smile. "We've gotten quite used to preparing for the worst-case reaction. And I'd say today's outcome was much better than what happened at Wolf Cove."
Zuko nodded. "Which, again, is why I wanted to tell the truth as soon as possible."
"Well, I'm proud of you for taking the initiative, hotman," Aang praised, grinning at the Fire Prince.
"As am I," Iroh said, patting Zuko on the shoulder.
"Oh yeah," Aang said, remembering what the chief had just told him. "Chief Arnook said to tell you guys to be careful if you venture out into the city."
"Of course he told you that," Zuko replied with a sigh. "If I were a citizen of Agna Qel'a, I'd hate us too."
"Hey," Aang said seriously as they came to a stop outside the guest house. "There's nothing to hate about you. They just don't know you. Either of you."
"Not everyone is as optimistic and pure of heart as you are, Aang," Zuko said, shaking his head and chuckling slightly.
"Well," Aang replied, folding his arms with a frown. "If anyone tries to do or say anything to you guys, I'll… I'll…"
"You'll what, Mr. Pacifist?" Zuko joked.
"I'll… tell them to cut it out. Or else."
"Don't worry, Aang," Iroh said reassuringly as he held aside the curtain for them to enter the guest house. "All you need to do is focus on your waterbending training. Zuko and I will be alright."
"I've waited for this day my whole life," Katara gushed as she and Aang made their way up the stairs leading to the waterbending training grounds. "I finally get to learn from a real waterbending master!"
Aang smiled at Katara's continued enthusiasm. Thankfully, her energy seemed to be rubbing off on him, and he felt his sleepiness begin to wear off.
Today's gonna be a good day, he thought to himself, taking in a breath of fresh, cold air through his nose.
When they reached the top of the stairs, he immediately spotted Master Pakku, whose back was facing them. The old man appeared to be running through various basic waterbending moves, likely as a warm-up.
"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Aang called out in a friendly tone.
Unfortunately, this appeared to startle the waterbender, causing him to flinch and the water he had been bending to fall to the ground.
"No, please , march right in. I'm not concentrating or anything," Pakku said sarcastically, back still facing them.
Aang winced slightly. "Uhh… This is my friend, Katara," he continued as Pakku at last turned to face them. "The one I told you about?"
Katara smiled politely and bowed.
Master Pakku remained silent for a moment as his pale eyes moved back and forth between the two of them. "I'm sorry," he said, seamlessly creating a stool made of ice and sitting down upon it. "You didn't tell me your friend was a girl . In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending."
Aang's jaw immediately dropped, and he felt a spark of anger ignite deep within him. However, before he could say anything, Katara marched up to the old master.
"What do you mean you won't teach me?" Katara demanded heatedly. "I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no!"
"No," Pakku replied airily.
"But there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe!" Katara exclaimed.
"Here, the women learn from Yagoda to use their waterbending to heal," Pakku replied calmly. "I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student, despite your bad attitude."
"I don't want to heal, I want to fight!" Katara argued.
"I can see that. But our tribe has customs, rules."
"Well, your rules stink!" Katara shouted furiously.
"Yeah, they're not fair!" Aang added just as angrily. "If you won't teach Katara, then…"
"Then what? " Pakku asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Then I won't learn from you!" Aang stated, immediately turning around to walk towards the stairs.
"Well, have fun teaching yourself! I'm sure you'll do a great job," he heard Pakku call out sarcastically behind him, causing his grip on his staff to tighten.
"Wait! Aang didn't mean that!" he heard Katara say, and felt her gloved hand on his shoulder. "You can't risk your training for me," she said quietly as he turned to face her. "You have to learn from Master Pakku… even if he is a big jerk ," she added, shooting a glare at the old man's direction.
Aang sighed and slumped his shoulders. He knew she was right. He nodded, then slowly turned back around and trudged forward.
"Why don't we get started, then?" Pakku said with a smirk, and suddenly, Aang was smacked face-first with a blast of water.
Zuko grunted as he paced back and forth inside the guest house for what felt like the millionth time that day.
"Something the matter, nephew?" Iroh asked from where he sat next to the fire pit, a cup of tea in his hands.
"How are you not bored out of your mind right now?" Zuko asked, running a hand through his hair. "There's nothing to do. Aang and Katara are out learning waterbending, Sokka's gone off to look for that princess girl, and meanwhile we're stuck in here."
"I offered for you to join me on a walk this morning, but you said you weren't interested," Iroh replied, taking a sip of his tea.
"That's because I know we can't go anywhere- " He walked over to the doorway and pulled aside the tarp to see two guards standing on either side of the doorway that had been posted there since that morning. He angrily tossed the tarp down and returned to his pacing. "-without those two watching our every move and breathing down our necks . "
"Advisor Iknik said those guards are posted here for our protection," Iroh said.
"Uncle, it's obvious they're here to keep an eye on us," Zuko replied irritably.
"While that may be true," Iroh replied, setting his tea cup down. "Can you really blame the people of this city for being cautious?"
Zuko sighed. "No. I don't blame them at all. But I just don't like feeling so… trapped. I can't practice with my broadswords. I can't practice firebending. I can't hang out with my friends. I can't go anywhere on my own."
"Hmm…" Iroh mused, stroking his beard before perking up in realization. "I have an idea! Let's ask if they have any musical instruments we can borrow."
"Musical instruments? " Zuko repeated confusedly.
"Remember when we used to do music nights with the crew?"
"I remember when you used to do music nights with the crew," Zuko replied with a deadpan look.
"I'm fairly certain I convinced you to play the tsungi horn for us a few times," Iroh said, a smirk appearing on his face.
"Uncle, there's no way they have any tsungi horns in the Northern Water Tribe," Zuko snapped, folding his arms.
"You said you were bored," Iroh said, holding both his hands up. "It was just a suggestion."
Zuko groaned and pinched his nose bridge. Maybe his uncle was right. Maybe playing some music actually would be better than sitting around and doing nothing.
Besides, he thought. Who knows how long we're gonna be in Agna Qel'a. If I'm getting this restless after only one day, I'm gonna go out of my mind…
Before he could say anything further, Aang entered the room from the outside, followed by Katara. The two both looked fatigued and dejected.
"How did your first day of waterbending training go?" Iroh asked.
Aang and Katara both exchanged a glance. "Well…" Aang began.
Suddenly, Sokka burst into the room as well, looking even more grumpy than he had the night prior after the feast. He dropped his bag onto the ground, then kicked it with an angry grunt.
"Was warrior training that bad?" Aang asked.
"No, it's Princess Yue," Sokka grumbled, folding his arms. "I don't get it, one minute she wants to go out with me, and the next, she's telling me to get lost."
No matter how hard he tried, Zuko still couldn't understand how someone could get so worked up over a girl. "What were you about to say about the waterbending training, Aang?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Oh yeah," Sokka added, lightening up slightly. "How'd that go?"
"Master Poophead won't teach her because she's a girl," Aang muttered.
"Really?" Zuko replied in astonishment. "They don't let women learn waterbending here?"
"They do," Katara replied with a frown. "But only for healing. Women aren't allowed to learn how to use waterbending to fight. I spent the whole day in healing class."
"That's ridiculous," Zuko replied. "Gender doesn't matter when it comes to bending skill. My sister has always been way better at firebending than me…"
"Well, apparently it's important to 'be respectful of their rules and customs' up here," Katara sighed.
"Even when they're dumb and literally make no sense," Aang added, rolling his eyes.
"Why don't you just teach her, Aang?" Sokka chimed in.
Katara suddenly perked up. "Why didn't I think of that?" she exclaimed with a grin, turning to Aang. "At night, you can teach me whatever moves you learn from Master Pakku! That way, you have someone to practice with, and I get to learn waterbending! Everyone's happy!"
"I'm not happy," Sokka said.
"But you're never happy," Katara replied with a frown. "Come on, Aang."
With that, the two exited the guest house again.
"So…" Zuko began somewhat awkwardly. "Girl trouble… eh, buddy?"
"I don't wanna talk about it," Sokka grumbled. "I'm gonna go find something to eat. You guys wanna come?"
"We already ate about an hour ago," Zuko replied.
"Okay," Sokka replied with a shrug, and exited as well.
"Ughhh…" Zuko groaned, slumping down against the wall. "As soon as everyone gets back, they turn around and leave."
"Why don't you join me on a walk?" Iroh asked, pushing himself to his feet. "It would clear your head. The city looks quite remarkable at night with all the buildings lit from the inside."
"You can do whatever you want, uncle," Zuko replied grumpily. "I'm just gonna go to bed."
"Whatever makes you happy," Iroh replied as he shrugged on his outer layer of robes. "I won't be gone long."
"Mmn," Zuko replied, not looking up at his uncle as he laid down on his bed mat and stared at the ceiling.
He wasn't certain how long he had laid there before he felt his eyes begin to grow heavy. However, just as he felt himself begin to drift into sleep, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps crunching just outside the guest house, and shot upright.
"Uncle?" he asked. "Sokka?"
No response. The footsteps had also immediately stopped.
"Aang? Katara?"
Once again, no response.
This is strange. Something doesn't feel right.
Zuko slowly got up from his bed mat and tiptoed over to the doorway, his heart beginning to pound faster and faster with each step. He hoped to the spirits that it was just his overactive imagination that was causing him to feel so much anxiety, but something deep in his gut told him to be on his guard.
When he reached the doorway, he carefully pushed aside the curtain to peer outside. It was quite dark, save for the light of the not-yet-full moon, and it was extremely quiet. He looked to either side, and saw that the two guards that had been posted there all day were gone.
Did they go with uncle? he wondered.
Suddenly, a chill went down his spine as he felt a very strong sense that someone was watching him. Whipping around, he just barely caught sight of a person on the roof of the guest house, and rolled out of the way as they attempted to jump down on top of him.
The person who had jumped down from the roof, who had a spear in their hands, was followed by two others—one was carrying a club similar in style to Sokka's, while the other had a bow. They each wore a hood and a cloth mask that covered the bottom half of their faces.
Zuko quickly darted out of the way as he narrowly avoided a strike of the marksperson's arrow. "What do you think you're doing?! " he demanded. "I'm a guest of Avatar Aang!"
The person with a club growled and charged towards him, and Zuko's eyes widened. Thinking quickly, he darted forward, then dropped to the ground, sliding between the large person's legs. Why didn't I grab my swords before I came to look out here?! he chastised himself internally. How could I be so stupid?!
His eyes darted around as he quickly tried to figure out what he should do next. They're blocking the door to the guesthouse… So that meant no broadswords. But he really didn't want to have to use his firebending, especially not here.
He eventually decided to make a dash for the alleyway across from the guest house, when suddenly, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. His eyes widened in terror when he realized that multiple spikes of ice were being hurled directly at him. Instinctually, he whipped up his arm, creating a blast of fire as a barrier, blocking the spikes. However, he missed one, and it scratched his cheek as it flew past.
"He's not just a Fire National, he's a damn ash maker! " one of the attackers snarled.
This is not good, Zuko thought nervously. He barely had time to react before a stream of water was hurled at him from the opposite side, and he used another blast of fire to block it. He ducked again to avoid another arrow, and tried again to find an opening to escape. However, he was suddenly slammed in the side with a heavy blast of icy water, and he grunted in pain. It now appeared that five people had surrounded him, and at least two of them were waterbenders.
"What do you want?" Zuko asked, pushing himself to his feet with a wince, wiping away the blood that had begun to drip from his mouth with the back of his hand. His arms shook as he held them in a defense position, his attackers beginning to close in on him. "I don't want to hurt anyone! I'm only defending myself!"
One of the waterbenders shot a large blast of water towards him, slamming him in the chest and pushing him back against the wall of the building behind him before freezing the water, ensuring Zuko could not move.
"We want you out of our city, ash maker. Out of our tribe," the waterbender spat. "You and the old man both."
Upon hearing this, a feeling of rage was ignited within him. "What have you done with my uncle?" he growled, feeding fire into his fists in an attempt to melt the thick ice that had encased him. "Tell me! "
"You'll find out soon enough," the person who had originally attempted to tackle him said, pointing their spear directly at him. The person's voice was somehow familiar, though Zuko had no idea where he would have heard it before. "Quick, knock him out before he melts himself free!"
Zuko felt a brief stab of pain in the side of his head, and everything went dark.
"Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating," Aang explained as he pulled another stream of water from the canal, demonstrating the waterbending move before passing the water to Katara. "After this one, we should probably head back to the guest house, though. It's getting pretty late."
Katara nodded in reply and bit her lower lip in concentration as she moved the stream of water in an attempt to mimic what Aang had just done. Suddenly, the water whipped and swirled around her before shooting upwards.
Astonished, Aang's jaw dropped, and he gripped the sides of his face with both hands. "That was amazing! " he exclaimed.
"...That wasn't me," Katara replied uneasily, turning around to look above her.
Aang's eyes followed the same trajectory, and his heart dropped into his stomach when he saw where the water had gone. On the bridge above them stood Master Pakku, who took the water and transformed it into ice spikes, which he whipped into the bridge below him.
"I was just showing Katara a few moves," Aang attempted to explain.
"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture," Pakku spat.
"I'm sorry, I-"
"You are no longer welcome as my student."
With that, the old man turned and disappeared from sight.
Aang's gaze slowly lowered, and he stared at the ground in shock for a moment as he attempted to process what had just happened. I just lost my waterbending teacher…
"Aang, I'm so sorry," Katara said quietly.
"It's fine, Katara," Aang sighed. "I don't regret teaching you."
"But now you don't have a master…" Katara replied.
"There's got to be masters other than Pakku in the city," Aang said. "I know they probably still wouldn't teach you, but if we're careful…"
"Forget about me for a second," Katara said. "Pakku is the best of the best. Chief Arnook said so. We have to get him to take you back."
"But how are we gonna do that?" Aang asked, folding his arms. "He's a stubborn jerk!"
"I know," Katara said, putting a gloved hand on his shoulder. "But we'll find a way. You're the Avatar. He has to teach you."
Aang nodded, a small, weak smile appearing on his face. "Okay. We can try talking to him tomorrow. For now, let's go back to the house and get some sleep."
When Zuko opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that he had a horrible headache. The second thing he noticed was that he was quite cold.
"Prince Zuko! You're awake!"
Zuko blinked several times, and his head shot up. He immediately spotted Iroh sitting against the wall adjacent to him. "Uncle?" His eyes moved down to see that the old man's arms had been bound tightly with rope behind his back.
"I'm alright," Iroh said, answering the question that Zuko had not gotten the chance to vocalize yet. His eyes, however, studied Zuko's face anxiously. "What about you? How's your head?"
"Not great," Zuko admitted as he attempted to move his arms, which were also both tied tightly behind his back. He winced slightly as he did so, feeling the pain of bruising on his ribs. "Do you know who did this?"
"I don't, unfortunately," Iroh sighed. "I was out on my walk with the two guards when suddenly a bag was thrown over my head, and the next thing I knew, I ended up here."
Of course those guards were in on it, Zuko thought angrily. "Why didn't you try to escape? Use your bending?"
"I didn't want to hurt anyone. And I knew revealing myself as a firebender and burning someone would only make things worse."
"You were right about that…" Zuko murmured. "They took me off guard. I didn't have my broadswords, and the people who attacked me brought two waterbenders with them. I had to use firebending to block their attacks."
Iroh's brow furrowed in concern. "Well, I'm thankful you're alive," he replied.
"Do you have any idea of where we are?" Zuko asked as he looked around the room. It was rather small and plain, with a single polar bear skin rug on the ground and a small table in the corner with two sitting pillows laid next to it. There was also a small window at the top of the wall behind him, which let in just enough sunlight to allow him to see clearly.
Iroh shook his head. "We could be anywhere in the city."
"We have to get out of here," Zuko said, struggling to free his arms again. "Who knows what they're gonna-"
Suddenly, the door to the room opened, and a person entered—the same person with the spear who had been the first to ambush him. Interestingly, they still wore a hood and a cloth mask over their face, though Zuko could still see their light blue eyes, which looked down upon them both with disdain.
"I see you're finally awake, ash maker," the person said. Once again, Zuko heard that familiar voice. Where had he heard it before?
"What do you want?" Zuko spat, narrowing his eyes.
The person pulled a piece of paper from inside their robes and held it up in front of him. Zuko's eyebrows rose in realization when he saw what it was: his and Iroh's wanted poster, stained with several splotches of what appeared to be blood.
"Yesterday morning, one of our patrols captured one of the ships from a small fleet of pirates that has been slinking around our waters for weeks. We found this on board." The person turned the paper around to study it for themself. "You've got quite a bounty on your heads, Prince Zuko and General Iroh. You conveniently left out the fact that you're the Fire Lord's own son and brother when you revealed your nationality to the chief."
Zuko's frown deepened as he stared unwaveringly up at their captor. Either this person was at the banquet, or word spreads very quickly in Agna Qel'a. "So what? We didn't lie to anyone. We're from the Fire Nation, but we've denounced everything to join the Avatar. It says so on that wanted poster; we're traitors."
"An ash maker is an ash maker," the person replied, disgust evident in their voice as their cold gaze moved to Iroh. "How many innocent people have you killed, old man? Judging by your age and rank… I'm guessing hundreds?"
Iroh immediately bowed his head in shame. "I won't deny the sins of my past…" he said quietly. "And I am not seeking forgiveness. I am only doing what I can now to make things right."
Their captor was not wrong to accuse Iroh of such atrocities. Zuko grimaced slightly as he suddenly recalled a letter Iroh had once sent to his family while he was laying siege to the Earth Kingdom just a little over two years ago.
"If the city is as magnificent as its wall, Ba Sing Se must be something to behold. I hope you all may see it someday, if we don't burn it to the ground first!" the letter had read. Zuko remembered laughing heartily at the joke along with his mother and sister.
Looking back on that moment now, he felt sick to his stomach. How could he have just… laughed so casually at the idea of an entire city being burnt to the ground? And despite the fact that what his uncle had written was a joke, he had been laying siege to the Earth Kingdom capital at the time, and almost certainly caused a great deal of death and destruction in the process.
"My uncle is speaking honestly," Zuko said. "We've both done bad things in the past, but we realized we were wrong, and we're trying to do better. That's why we're here with the Avatar now."
Their captor threw the wanted poster to the ground, stomping on it with their foot. "You both made a great betrayal once. Who's to say you won't do it again?" they growled.
Clearly, this person was not going to see reason no matter how hard he or Iroh tried to convince them. "If you don't believe us, and if you hate us so much, why don't you just kill us and get it over with?" Zuko muttered.
"The reason you're both still alive right now is because of who you are," the person replied. "You see, we've managed to strike a deal with the pirate fleet captain. I hand both of you over to him, they promise to leave our weaker settlements on the coast alone, and you'll be gone from our city."
Zuko and Iroh shared a nervous glance. The pirates were clearly planning on selling him and his uncle to the Fire Nation.
"You do realize that when the Avatar find out we're missing, he's not going to be happy," Zuko said. "And the first person he's gonna tell is Chief Arnook. You won't be able to hide so easily."
An uneasy look briefly flashed in the person's eyes. "It won't matter. You'll be on the pirate ship by tomorrow, and they won't find a trace of either of you. Eventually, the Avatar will assume you've both abandoned him," they said as they turned around to exit the room before stopping momentarily to look over his shoulder. "Don't get any ideas about trying to escape. This building has guards posted at every exit."
With that, the person left the room, slamming the door shut behind them.
Zuko sighed, and felt his whole body shudder as he began to realize just how cold he was feeling.
"Don't forget your fire breath," Iroh said anxiously.
Zuko nodded and breathed in, wincing slightly again due to his injuries, and concentrated his energy into his lungs. As he breathed out, flames exited his mouth, and he felt himself begin to warm up internally.
"So what's the plan, uncle?" Zuko asked when he had fully regulated his body temperature.
"Hmm…" Iroh replied, breathing his own breath of fire. "Can you move your hands?"
Zuko nodded. "A little bit. But my wrists are tied, so I can't move them enough to be able to burn through my ropes."
"As are mine. But you're much younger and more flexible than I am..."
Zuko nodded and turned around, looking over his shoulder at his hands as he created a small flame with his index fingers. Very carefully, he burnt through the ropes that were tying his uncle's wrists together, then the ropes that had kept his arms pinned to their sides, freeing him.
As soon as Iroh was free, he quickly burnt off Zuko's own bindings. "There we go. It seems whoever kidnapped us hasn't had much experience dealing with firebenders," he said, rubbing his wrists. "Metal restraints would have been much more effective."
Zuko agreed. In fact, these people were lucky he and Iroh were actively avoiding using their firebending. If they were truly the evil people these Water Tribe citizens seemed to believe they were, he and Iroh would have both had no problem burning them all to a crisp the moment they were attacked.
"He said that there are guards posted at every exit to… whatever this building is," Zuko mused, placing his hand on his chin as he looked up at the window. "Uncle, can you give me a boost?"
Iroh nodded and knelt down on one knee, cupping his hands together for him to step on. Zuko hoisted himself up and peered through the window to the outside, trying his best to see if he could somehow recognize some of the buildings.
However, instead of city streets, all he saw was what looked to be a large courtyard. Multiple fountains and sculptures were dispersed throughout it, and he could see several guards patrolling the vicinity.
"I have no idea where we are," Zuko said as he jumped back to the ground. "I think we're in a house, but it's huge. Whoever owns it must be a noble."
"Which means it will truly be difficult to escape," Iroh nodded thoughtfully, stroking his beard. "Perhaps there's a way we can get out of here without going outside at all?"
Zuko's brow furrowed. Without going outside at all? "Do you mean like… tunnel our way out?" he asked in realization. "By melting through the ice?"
"It may be our best option if we want to avoid combat," Iroh replied.
Zuko nodded. "We'd better get started, then."
"They're probably off on a morning walk or something. I wouldn't worry too much."
Aang blinked his eyes groggily as he heard the sound of Sokka's voice.
"But you said they weren't here when you got back from dinner last night either," Katara said, concern evident in her voice.
Aang opened his eyes fully and turned his head to see the anxious Water Tribe girl sitting next to the fire pit, Sokka leaning on the wall next to the doorway with folded arms.
"What's going on?" he asked, shaking his head rapidly as he sat up in an attempt to wake himself.
"It's Zuko and Iroh," Katara explained. "Sokka says they weren't here last night when he got back, and I don't think they were here when we got back either. I was just so tired, and it was so dark… I went right to sleep."
Aang's eyes immediately widened, and his gaze snapped over to the other side of the room, where both Zuko and Iroh's bedrolls laid, empty.
"Me too… I thought everyone was already here and asleep," Aang murmured, beginning to grow concerned as well. "Where do you think they could have gone?"
"Why don't we ask the guards outside?" Aang said as he pushed himself to his feet. "Maybe they saw where they went."
Katara nodded. "Good idea."
Aang parted the tarp and looked to either side. There were the guards—standing as if they hadn't moved an inch since yesterday. "Hey, guys…" Aang began awkwardly, and the two guards both turned to look at him. "You wouldn't have happened to see where Iroh and Zuko went, would you?"
"I'm sorry, Avatar," one of the guards said. "We weren't on duty yesterday."
"Oh," Aang replied dejectedly. It made sense that they weren't the same guards—it had been hard for him to tell due to the helmets that covered a large part of their faces.
Aang turned around and reentered the guest house. "Those aren't the same guards that were posted yesterday," he sighed. "Maybe they'll change shifts again later and we can ask again then?"
"Don't worry, Aang," Sokka said, patting him firmly on the back. "I'm sure they'll be back this afternoon."
"Yeah…" Aang replied. He actually had no idea what Zuko and Iroh had done all day yesterday while he was out and about, and hadn't really gotten to talk to them much before he and Katara left to go practice. Perhaps they were simply out and about in the city somewhere.
"Maybe Sokka's right," Katara said, vocalizing what Aang had been thinking. "Right now, we should focus on fixing things with master Pakku. Let's go get your waterbending master back."
"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?" Arnook asked with a sigh from where he sat with the Agna Qel'a council in the palace throne room. Pakku was sitting to his left, looking down at them with his usual deadpan expression.
"Yes. Please." Katara said firmly.
"I suspect he might change his mind, if you swallow your pride and apologize to him," Arnook replied.
Aang frowned. She shouldn't have to apologize for anything, he thought irritably.
Katara turned around and looked at Aang with a conflicted expression for a moment, then sighed before turning back to the chief. "Fine," she replied coolly.
"I'm waiting, little girl," Pakku said with a smirk, voice dripping with condescension.
"No," Katara suddenly shouted after a brief moment of silence, shooting her head up to look the old master defiantly in the eye, the icy ground beginning to crack beneath her feet. "No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you! "
Her arms moved emphatically as she yelled, and two large jars of water that had been sitting on either side of the council's platform shattered.
"Uhhh... Katara?" Aang murmured uneasily.
"I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me," Katara declared before whipping around to exit the throne room, causing several gasps to be uttered by the members of the council.
"I'm sure she didn't mean that," Aang said, waving his arms. He wanted to avoid any possibility of actual conflict.
"Yeah, I think she did," Sokka replied.
Aang frowned at him for a moment before they both quickly turned around to run after Katara.
"Are you crazy, Katara?" Sokka asked when they had caught up with her on the stairs leading down to the palace courtyard. "You're not going to win this fight!"
"I know!" Katara replied, shrugging off her coat and tossing it to her brother. "I don't care!"
"You don't have to do this for me," Aang pleaded. "Like I said, I can find another teacher."
"I'm not doing it for you!" Katara snapped. "Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy!"
Unfortunately, Aang couldn't help but agree. However, he did not want his friend to get seriously injured in an attempt to do so.
When they reached the bottom of the steps, Aang turned around to see Pakku descending behind them.
"So, you decided to show up?" Katara taunted. However, the old man continued walking past, ignoring her. "Aren't you going to fight?!" she demanded.
"Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong," Pakku replied haughtily as he continued walking.
Suddenly, Katara's fist tightened, and before Aang could do anything to stop her, she sent a water whip directly towards the old master. It struck him in the back of the head with a snap, and he staggered forward.
"Fine…" Pakku said darkly as he slowly turned around. "You want to learn to fight so bad? Study closely!"
Aang watched nervously as Pakku used several different clearly advanced moves in an attempt to knock Katara off her feet. However, every time it seemed the Water Tribe girl was about to be beaten, she was quick to either escape or counter the waterbending master with a move of her own. She was fighting off of pure instinct.
Suddenly, Aang stared horrified as Pakku, who was beginning to gain the upper hand, lifted a large amount of water into the sky before crystalizing it into dozens of ice spikes. As the spikes shot down directly towards Katara, he heard a child from the crowd who had gathered behind him gasp in fear, and there was a moment of tense silence.
He breathed a sigh of relief, when he saw the Water Tribe girl begin to struggle. Pakku had not injured her—he had simply trapped her.
"This fight is over," Pakku said as he began to walk away.
"Come back here!" Katara demanded as she continued to struggle, several pieces of her long hair that had come undone in the fight sticking to the sides of her sweaty face. "I'm not finished yet!"
"Yes, you are," Pakku replied without turning around as he continued walking. However, he abruptly stopped in his tracks, bending down to pick something up from the ground. "This is my necklace…" he murmured, all previous animosity and sarcasm completely gone from his voice.
"No, it's not. It's mine! Give it back!" Katara shouted.
"I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life…" Pakku said, his voice wavering. "For Kanna."
Sokka and Aang immediately shared an equally astonished look. Suddenly, the ice spikes surrounding Katara melted, and she stared wide-eyed at the old man for a moment. " My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you? "
"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged," Pakku replied softly. "I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her."
"...But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara said as she walked over to him. "It was an arranged marriage. Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left…" She looked down at the ground for a moment. "It must have taken a lot of courage."
Suddenly, the sound of a sob broke out, and Aang turned to see that it had come from Princess Yue, who was standing next to Advisor Iknik and the other Agna Qel'a councilors behind them. Tears were pouring down her cheeks as she ran off, and Sokka stared after her with a concerned look on his face. Aang smiled slightly and nudged the Water Tribe boy with his elbow. "Go get her," he encouraged quietly.
Sokka turned to him with surprise, then smiled before darting off in the direction the princess had gone.
Aang and Katara both returned to the guest house late that afternoon in much higher spirits than they had left it that morning.
"I… can't believe he agreed to teach me," Katara said, shaking her head as she and Aang walked back to the guest house late that afternoon. "I need to remember to tell Gran-Gran thank you the next time I see her."
"I definitely don't blame her for leaving this place," Aang said with a sigh. "Especially if Pakku was always… you know, the way he is."
"Well, thankfully, it seems he does have a heart after all," Katara said with a chuckle.
When Aang spotted the guards outside the guest house, he suddenly remembered that they still hadn't seen Zuko or Iroh since last night, and held his breath anxiously as he and Katara walked up to them.
"Um, hi," Aang said. "It's me again. Did my friends happen to come back while we were gone?"
"No one has entered or left the guest house since you left this morning," one of the guards said.
Aang and Katara immediately shared a nervous glance.
"I knew something wasn't right when they weren't there this morning," Katara said.
"Your companions are missing?" the second guard asked, blue eyes widening. "If so, this sounds like a serious matter. Would you like me to inform Advisor Iknik? We can get some patrols searching."
Aang nodded gratefully. "Yes, please. Thank you."
As the guard left, Aang and Katara entered the guest house, which was, of course, empty. It didn't look like either Zuko or Iroh had been back while they were gone either, as their belongings remained in the same places he'd seen them that morning, and the fire pit was dark.
"Where could they have gone?" Katara murmured.
"I don't know," Aang thought, tightening his fists at his sides and taking a deep breath as he stared at Zuko's empty bedroll. "But we're going to find them."