Here y'all go!

Book I: Water

Chapter II: The Morning After

Taqqaq Village

Kuzon decided to go out for a walk. The air was a frigid cold. He wasn't exactly used to it. Weather in the Fire Nation was usually temperately warm. He looked around the small village. It was small with a number of small igloos with smokestacks. Such a strange place. I'm used to fashionable homes decorated with paintings of the Fire Lord. He then rubbed his hands together, staring quite curiously at the fur gloves. "I probably wouldn't be able to firebend in these."

It was then that he heard a girl's voice calling out to him. "Hey! You came out of your tent!" He then turned and saw Katara walking towards him. Refectively, he turned his head away, nervously vacoughing. "I..suppose I needed some air."

Katara smiled. "That's good. It doesn't do you any good to be inside all the time." She then took him by the hand. "Come on. The communal breakfast is just starting."

Kuzon blinked at her "I'm sorry. Communal breakfast?"

Katara laughed. "A common practice amongst our people. You are a guest so you are invited."

Kuzon just nodded. "Food is food." Katara turned to him smirking. "You are a practical one. A welcome trait."

Grand Food Hall, Taqqaq Village,

Kuzon and Katara came to what looked like a line of tribesmen all in a line.

Kanna was sitting there pouring seaweed stew into everyone's wooden bowls. "Everyone eat up! It's on the house!"

Kuzon then felt the young girl nudge him playfully in the shoulder. He turned and saw her holding out a bowl. "Here's yours." He blinked at her, not saying a word. He merely took the bowl from her. "Um…thanks."

Katara then took him by the left wrist, smiling. "You are welcome. She then led him to the side of the front of the line. "Gran-Gran! One bowl for my friend here!"

The old woman then turned to her granddaughter with a knowing look. "Friend?" She then fixated her eyes on Kuzon.

The firebender quickly averted her gaze. Katara took his right hand in hers and squeezed it. "It's alright. No need to be shy. This is my grandmother…Kanna. I call her Gran-Gran. She's…kind of the den mother of the village." She then smiled at her grandmother. "Gran-Gran. This is Kuzon. He's a refugee from the Fire Nation. Sokka and I found him stranded in the ice."

Suddenly, everyone fixated their gaze unto Kuzon.

Kuzon just said nothing. He began to shake and shiver all over, choosing to sit down and curl into a ball. The images of his dead family flashed in his head. He was having a panic attack. "No! No! Not again! I don't want to be hurt again!"

One of the boys in the group then pointed a finger at the firebender. "No such thing as a Fire Nation refugee! He's the enemy! Let's kill him and be done with it!"

A couple of the other boys roared in agreement.

Katara let out a long sigh and turned to Kuzon.

The boy was practically curled into a ball with his eyes facing the snow on the ground.

I can't let them hurt him! He's not responsible for what has happened to our people! She then stepped in between Kuzon and the other boys. Her face twisted into a steely eyed look. "Just try it Nodoliq." She then got into her bending form, bending water to her arms.

Nodoliq blinked at her, in awe that she would stand against him. He then drew his sword. "Katara...that boy is our enemy. For all we know…he was sent over by to spy on us. Step aside. The men will handle this."

Katara glared daggers at the other boy. "I think not!" She growled and gestured to Kuzon. "Look at him. He's scared, tired and...probably starving. He's no threat to us."

Sokka then happened to walk into the situation. "What's going on here?"

Nodoliq turned to him scowling. "What's…going on here is that your sister is committing treason. She won't let us kill the ashmaker."

Sokka then grunted. He should have seen this coming. His sister was becoming quite fond of the firebender despite his protests to the matter. He then turned to glance at Kuzon.

The firebender was practically shaking in his boots. Katara has a point. I mean there are more of us and only one of him. He seems more scared of us than we are of him anyway. "Let it go Nodoliq. It's not worth the trouble."

Katara turned to her brother and blinked. "Sokka…" She hadn't expected him to support her end of the argument.

Nodoliq grunted. "Sokka! Be serious! He's Fire Nation!"

Sokka just grunted and turned to glare at Nodoliq. "You heard me Nodoliq! Cool off!"

Nodoliq then tried to stare him down but found Sokka to respond in kind. Finally realizing that his fight was a lost cause, he merely grunted and headed back to his bunk. "Ngh. Fine. Have it your way." He then glared at Kuzon. "Your days are numbered ashmaker! You hear me? Numbered!"

Katara, finally having enough of the boy's taunts, sent a water whip his way. It hit him hard causing him to crash to the ground hard. "Nodoliq…I swear to Tui…I will bury you in an avalanche! Leave!"

The boy had finally managed to bring out her temper. Katara was never the type to hold back.

Nodoliq then turned his back to the waterbender scoffing. "Don't worry. I'm gone."

Katara let out a long sigh, rolling her eyes, "Boys. Always trying to put me in my place."

She then turned to Sokka with a warm smile. "Thank you…Sokka. I probably could have handled that myself but I appreciate the support."

Sokka just grunted and walked off without another word. "Just…make sure he doesn't burn anybody by accident."

Katara smiled as she watched him storm off. "Will do Sokka." She then turned her attention to Kuzon. "Kuzon. Can you hear me? It's going to be alright."

The firebender met her eyes for a moment but quickly looked away staring at the snow again.

Katara sighed. He really is spooked. I can't say I blame him. If the situations were reversed…I'd probably feel the same way myself. I need him to know he can trust me. How do I…Oh! I know! She then took his hands into hers.

This finally drew his attention to her again. With a quivering lip, he finally spoke. "They are going to kill me. I'm dead to rights."

Katara sighed and shook her head. "Kuzon. I promise you. None of my people are going to hurt you."

Kuzon turned to look up at her. "How can you promise that?"

Katara felt herself smirk. She then looked him in the eyes. "Because if they do…You have my word that Sokka and I will handle it. We…have our methods."

Kuzon raised an eyebrow at her. "You're being nice to me. Why? What's your motive?"

Katara then burst into laughter. She then caressed his face with a hand, giggling. "You are so blunt. It's kind of endearing." She then pinched his cheek. "I don't have a motive Kuzon. You and I…may be from different homelands but it is evident to me that your people took everything from you. I see the pain in your eyes. I understand it." She then untied her mother's necklace from around her neck and gently placed it in her left palm. "Do you know what this is?"

Kuzon took a good look at it. It was a blue choker with a light blue, handcrafted jewel bearing the waterbending symbol. Kuzon shook his head. "No. I-I don't."

Katara smiled sadly. "It's my mother's necklace. It…was given to me after she died in a Fire Nation raid."

The mention of a Fire Nation raid suddenly got Kuzon's attention. "A Fire Nation raid?"

Katara frowned and closed her eyes nodding. Tears began rolling down her eyes. "The Fire Nation came to the village. I-I didn't know what they wanted. All I knew is that they were attacking. Dad asked me to find her." She then wiped the tears from her eyes. "That was when I saw her with the man…the man that killed her. I...told her I was scared. She assured me it would all be okay and told me to go find Dad." She then shook her head. "I did so and tried to hurry back to save her but…" She then looked Kuzon in the eyes. "She…was just gone. She was…" It was then that waterbender, floored by her emotions, wrapped her arms around Kuzon's neck, hugging him for dear life. She was practically sobbing into his chest. "I lost her! I.."

Kuzon was just taken aback. Growing up, Fire Nation men and boys were taught to be stoic and in control of their emotions. He thought back to what his mother would do when he was crying. She would hug him and tell him everything would be alright. While he barely knew this girl, he felt compelled by his personal sense of honor as a Fire National to comfort her in some way. Slowly, he put his arms around Katara, gently hugging her back. He could only manage a couple of words. "I'm…sorry for your loss."

Katara blinked. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat. He's hugging me! He's actually hugging me! He cares for me! It's not much but it's a start! She smiled and leaned in a bit further, whispering, "Thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that." She then sighed and smiled nervously. "So...I wasn't sure if I should ask this but do you think the two of us can be friends? It feels…really nice to meet someone who understands my pain. I don't care that you are Fire Nation…really…I don't."

Kuzon looked down at the snow and then up at her hopeful face. Katara is nice enough at least. I mean she and her brother both got me out of that iceberg and have my back…for now at least. If I try to go it on my own…I'll probably just end up freezing to death anyway. He then bit his lower lip sighing. "Well…you and your brother did get my mother and I out of that iceberg and you two did stick up for me back there. I…suppose being friends wouldn't hurt." Katara could barely contain her excitement and as a result, she let out a squeal of happiness. "Oh thank you!" She then hugged him again before letting go and pulling him to his feet. "Now let's get you some food. I promise you the seal jerky is to die for." She then dragged him along to the line again.

The Redeemer

Southern Water Tribe

Zuko stood out on the railing of the Redeemer pondering his options. He had been on his quest to search for the Avatar for months now. His father, Fire Lord Ozai, had stated in no uncertain terms that he was to return to the Palace City only when he had the traitorous boy in his hands. Part of him considered this a foolish endeavor. Though the reports from the spies operating in the South had stated that a young boy had fled the Fire Nation and was seen in the Southern Water Tribe…he didn't fully believe them. "For all I know…he's not anywhere near in this frozen wasteland."

One of the soldiers then marched up to him. "Sir! I've found a village…up ahead! Maybe the Avatar will be there!"

Zuko then turned his head to the man and grabbed him by the collar, staring him down. "You'd better not be lying soldier! You know the penalty for lying to someone of royal blood."

The solder shivered and began shaking his head from side to side with fear evident in his eyes. "I…I'm not sir. Please just look ahead."

Zuko, grunting slightly, just nodded. "As you wish." He then took out his handheld telescope and looked ahead, using the zoom in mechanism in it to see if what his subordinate stated was true. What he saw almost made him drop the tool altogether. There was a large smoke trail in the sky. The firebender just nodded. "A smoketrail. That means there's people there. Where there are snow peasants…the Avatar cannot be much farther. This weather…this cold…is unforgiving. He has to seek refuge somewhere." He then pointed toward the smoketrail. "Tell the helmsman to follow that smoketrail! We will for sure find the Avatar there!"

The soldier soon hurried off to tell the helmsman.

Zuko then looked out on the deck of the ship.

There was a new look of determination in his eyes. "Finally…I shall have my honor back."

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