….. Cough cough….

So… Um…

I'm back! I've still got it! My brain is working again! Amara's story has moved forward once more!

Enjoy!

-Faith

Chapter 57: Full Moon Part 2

An hour after we were caught snooping in the attic, we were finally at the table for the meal Hama prepared us. While we were eager to hear Hama's story, there was still something about her that unsettled me. The fact she was from the Southern Water Tribe but in the Fire Nation… none of it made sense.

Why was she in the Fire Nation of all places? Why hadn't she gone home? When did she come here?

Zuko mentioned as we waited for her and Katara to finish cooking that he thought it was odd someone would come live amongst their enemy. I said the same.

"If my mom had the chance, she would've gone home…" I said softly as we helped prepare the table with bowls and spoons. "It makes no sense why this woman would want to stay here… or come here…"

Sokka nodded from where he was sitting in a chair. "Yeah… The whole thing is suspect…"

Toph and Aang nodded in agreement from where they were also sitting at the table.

"Don't worry. I intend to get answers," Sokka reassured.

Eventually we were all seated at the table. Momo and Yuna were hanging out with Appa in the barn, eating their own meals and chatting about their day. As we filled our plates, Hama came into the room and placed a pot on the table.

Hama asked, "Who wants five-flavor soup?"

We all decided we were hungry and wanted to try. We decided she wouldn't try to poison us. At least we hoped.

Hama moved her hand over the bowl, and suddenly a stream followed her as she used waterbending to fill each of our bowls with the liquid. I was astonished. Then I realized I shouldn't have been. If Hama was from the Southern Water Tribe there was no reason she couldn't be a waterbender.

Katara was thrilled though. "You're a waterbender!" She clapped her hands together and was practically bouncing off her seat. "I've never met another waterbender from our tribe!"

Her words kind of made me flinch. I went to argue that she had met me, but Hama cut me off.

"That's because the Fire Nation wiped them all out. I was the last one …"

I went to argue again. This time I got my voice in. "No… You weren't… There were others after you…"

Hama was surprised. She looked at me with sudden curiosity. "Really…? Who?"

Katara answered. "Our Aunt Kala and a few other men were taken during a raid for being waterbenders. That was twenty years ago."

Hama sighed. "So sorry to hear… I believed I was the last one… I suppose I wouldn't know…"

Sokka finally asked, "So how did you end up out here?"

Hama spoke grimly. "I was stolen from my home. Just like your aunt and those men."

My heart skipped.

"It was over sixty years ago when the raids started. They came again and again, each time rounding up more of our waterbenders and taking them captive. We did our best to hold them off, but our numbers dwindled as the raids continued. Finally, I too was captured. I was led away in chains. The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. At least back in those days…"

Katara stood and walked over to her to hug her as she spoke.

"They put us in terrible prisons here in the Fire Nation. I was the only one who managed to escape."

My mind went away from Hama to my mother. She had been taken with the new round of waterbenders to the Fire Nation forty years later... Only she hadn't been put in a cell with the others. She was taken to Admiral Gru's estate.

Zuko suddenly grabbed my hand. I was surprised when I realized upon his contact that I was shaking.

Sokka continued the conversation. "How did you get away? And why did you stay in the Fire Nation?"

Hama frowned. "I'm sorry. It's too painful to talk about anymore."

Katara sighed. "We completely understand. We lost our mother in a raid… and we never actually got to meet Aunt Kala…"

Hama hugged Katara back. "Oh, you poor things."

Aang and Sokka cast their heads down solemnly.

I stared at my bowl in front of me with confliction. Something felt uncomfortable about all of this. "I don't understand…"

The room was surprised by my words. Toph frowned, immediately sensing my frustration through the earth beneath the floorboards.

"Dear," Hama began. "Are you alright?"

I looked up and saw her blue eyes stare deep into my own. I shook. I suddenly couldn't breathe steady as I thought more about my mom. She had been taken during the raids… She had never gotten the chance to escape like Hama… Hama had the chance to go back to the Southern Water Tribe… and she never did? Why? That had been my mom's dream from the start of her imprisonment. Why hadn't Hama wanted to go home?

I didn't understand. I did not understand why a woman who had the chance to return to her family would give that up to stay in the Fire Nation… At least when there was nothing to stay for…

"I… I just don't understand…"

She looked at me with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Why would you stay here? You had family waiting for you… You had friends… but you didn't go home. Even after you were free… my mom… all she ever wanted was to go home… why would you give up your chance?"

Hama was astonished. "Your mother…?" Her lips dropped. "Oh… Your mother is the aunt Katara spoke of…"

I felt everyone but Toph's eyes on me. I was certain Toph was concentrating through the earth though on my emotions.

"She would've escaped and gone home… All she ever wanted was to take me to the South Pole. To get me away from the Fire Nation… Why would you stay?"

"Amara," Katara spoke. "Calm down."

I looked at Katara with horror. She'd just said my name. Sokka smacked his face in disbelief.

"Wait… Amara… I thought your name was Liva…" Hama's brows furrowed. She took in my appearance then. Her eyes widened. She covered her mouth. "Oh my! It all makes sense now! You're her… you're that girl from the bulletin board… that dualbender… Amara…" Her eyes shot around the table then. "And you all… you're the Avatar's friends…" Her eyes moved towards Aang. "Are you… are you the avatar?!"

Aang grimaced. "Uh… Yeah. Hi."

Hama was even more astonished. "I heard you were dead!"

Zuko let out a heavy breath. "Well… I guess the secret is blown now… Great job, Katara."

Katara flinched, realizing her mistake.

Hama glanced at Zuko when he spoke, and something passed across her expression again. Recognition. Absolute hatred. She tried to cover it up quickly though, looking away.

Katara came to Hama's defense. "She won't tell anyone! She's on our side. She's Water Tribe."

Hama agreed. "Yes. Your secret is safe with me!" She then glanced my way again. "My dear… You must know… If I knew about your mother, I definitely would have tried to save her."

My fists tightened. She was getting everyone off topic, and I wanted answers. "You still never explained… Why did you stay here? You had every opportunity to get back home… You escaped…"

"Amara… She said she doesn't want to talk about it," Katara spoke. "Let it go. You're making her uncomfortable."

"But–"

Katara cut me off. "Stop. If she doesn't want to tell her story, that's her right. You should know better than anyone that sometimes the past can be too painful to talk about."

I flinched.

Zuko stood, defending me against my cousin. "Amara has every right to ask questions. Don't go snapping at her! We all want to know too!" He looked down at me. "Come on… lets get some air… Before I lose my temper…"

I nodded and stood. Zuko and I left the room, and I said nothing else to anyone.

"Nice going, Katara," Toph muttered as we walked away. "You upset Kitten."

Katara argued with her. I drowned them out as we stepped outside. I pictured my mom as we made our way out of the inn. She had wanted nothing more than to escape Admiral Gru's control… She wanted to go home… see her parents again… her sister… Bato…

Didn't Hama care about her family at all? Why wouldn't she want to go home? It just made no sense…

At some point, Zuko guided me into the woods so we could be alone. We didn't go far, not sure if we should be concerned about the rumors of the full moon disappearances. Also, we were still on alert for the crazy assassin too. The full moon lit our path very well. We arrived at a small creek, and I felt calmed as the water sparkled from the moonlight.

"Katara can sometimes be more stubborn than me," Zuko muttered. He sat by the creek and patted the spot beside him. I moved to sit cross-legged beside him, although I didn't say anything.

I let my hand carry some water out of the stream. I played with it for a few moments, deep in my thoughts. Katara had definitely hurt my feelings by not taking my side. She was defending a complete stranger over me. Why wasn't she suspicious about Hama? Hama was from the Southern Water Tribe, and she hadn't gone home when she escaped… How did Katara not find that odd?

"Sorry for getting irritated…" Zuko spoke again. "I think I'm just feeling a little out of place with all the Water Tribe stuff going on."

I let out a heavy sigh. "It's okay… I'm glad you said we should go… I was a little… hurt… Sometimes, I feel like they forget I belong to the Southern Water Tribe too because I was born in the Fire Nation… Katara's comment about not knowing anymore waterbenders from the South Pole… I know I shouldn't let it upset me so much… But it does… I feel like if I ever went to the South Pole, they wouldn't really see me as part of their tribe…"

Zuko took my hand and gave it a squeeze, causing me to drop the water. "You know that's not true, Amara. Your uncle Hakoda accepted you right away. So did the rest of the warriors. They do see you as one of them. But… You'll always be part of the Fire Nation too… Don't forget that you belong here… You have a choice in the end. You can go back with your family, or stay with me in the palace once we defeat my father."

I nodded. "I know… I want to meet my Gran-Gran so much… But I also don't want to leave you. You're my family too…"

"Then we can go together… After I become Fire Lord, I'll go with you to the South Pole," he promised. "Then once we get there, if you decide you want to go back with me you can… the choice will be yours in the end."

I looked over at him with relief. "Thanks, Zuko… For always being so understanding."

We sat together by the creek in silence for a while, just listening to the night bugs chirp. At some point, Yuna appeared and I laughed when she swooped down and freaked Zuko out.

Zuko calmed from the sudden presence in my lap. "She can sense you or something. You could probably be miles away and she'd somehow find you."

I joked as I pet her and she purred in my lap, "Well, she is like Appa and Momo are to Aang. I call her my spirit guide."

He smiled. "It's good to hear you laugh though. I don't want this whole thing with Hama to upset you."

I sighed. "I guess I'm just more confused than anything. I don't understand why she wouldn't want to go back home after she escaped. Didn't she think about her family? Friends? It was all my mom ever thought about… She wanted to go home so much…"

He fell quiet for a moment. Then he said with suspicion, "I don't know what it is about that woman, but I really don't trust her. Toph keeps muttering that she's lying and not being a hundred percent honest… I worry maybe she has something to do with these disappearances… I don't know how… but she just seems to not be worried about it."

I shivered. "She keeps looking at you with so much spite too… Like she knows who you are…"

He narrowed his eyes. "I think we should go check out these disappearances more. I'm going to go round up the others and bring them here. We need to talk away from Hama… and Katara I guess, since she probably will just get in the way."

I nodded. "Okay. I'll wait here… I don't want to go back to that place quite yet."

He frowned. "I don't know… I don't like you being out here alone… especially with that assassin trying to still track us down."

I gave him a small smile. "I'll be fine. If something happens I'll run back towards the inn. You'll only be gone for a few minutes."

He let out a heavy breath. "Okay. I'll be back." He kissed me on the cheek and then made his way through the woods back towards the inn.

Once he disappeared, I was alone to my thoughts again. As Yuna nestled in my lap, I reached for the necklace I carried in my pocket. My thumb brushed over my mother's necklace, and I frowned as I pictured what little I remembered about her in my mind.

"Mommy… cry…" I stared at the water streaming down my mom's cheek. I crawled into her lap as she sat against the wall on her cot. She hugged me close to her and sniffled. I looked up at her face. "Why sad?"

She shut her eyes and pulled me closer to her. "Sorry, my little polar pup… I just… I really miss my family… my home…"

I gripped her shirt as she hugged me closer.

"I love you though… Don't worry… I'm okay, sweetie…"

… I'm okay…

It was one of the lies she told me a lot.

I let out a heavy sigh. "I just don't understand, Yuna…" I brushed my fingers through her fur. She purred. "Why would Hama stay here… It just doesn't make sense…"

It seemed like almost twenty minutes had passed. I realized Zuko never came back, and I was suddenly worried. We had only walked for like three minutes into the woods. We weren't that far from the inn. My heart suddenly started to pound.

I stood and quickly headed back the way we had come. Yuna rode on my shoulder as I went to search for Zuko. When I got back to the inn, I didn't see anyone outside except Appa and Momo chilling in the barn. I went into the inn, and I was surprised to find the group was hanging out in the sitting area by the fireplace. Everyone was there but Zuko, Katara, and Hama.

"Hey Kitten," Toph said. "Was starting to worry about you? Don't let Katara get you down. She's just bossy to everyone."

I was confused. "Where is he?" I looked around with concern. "He was coming here."

Sokka noticed my anxious state. "Amara… What's wrong?"

I looked around at Sokka, Aang, and Toph hoping I was just missing him. I wasn't. Something hit my gut in a painful way. I was worried. "Where's Zuko? He was coming to round up the group… He was supposed to meet me back at the creek with you all."

Everyone was surprised by my statement. Sokka was then horrified. "What?! He left you alone in the woods?! Why would he do that?!"

I stared at my cousin with even more confusion. "Where's Katara and Hama?"

Aang answered me finally. "Hama had to go check on something, but then she was going to train Katara a little later. Katara left a few minutes ago to meet her in a meadow not too far away." Aang pouted. "Although I wasn't invited."

Toph muttered, "That's because Hama's taken Katara on like a grand-daughter. Our friend is lost."

My heart pounded faster. "Zuko never came here though? He never showed up?"

The group started to realize why I was so worried. Toph stood quickly. "Wait… Are you saying… Sparky's missing?!"

Sokka snapped, "Are we completely ignoring the fact he left Amara alone with an assassin after her?"

I snapped back, "That's not important! We have to find Zuko! He could be in danger! Hurt!"

Sokka could see his frustration wasn't helping. He could see I was about to panic. He walked over and placed a hand on my unoccupied shoulder. "Amara… calm down. I'm sure he's fine. He's Zuko… he can take care of himself pretty well."

"But if he's not here, then where did he go? He was supposed to come here! If you haven't seen him then something is wrong!"

Aang stood then. "Amara… Calm down. We'll go look for him. Take us the direction you came. Maybe he decided to circle back for you."

We left the inn and headed back towards the creek. Toph listened out for any sign of Zuko's presence through the earth. She frowned when we got to the creek and shook her head. "I don't sense him anywhere… You don't think…"

Aang frowned. "I'm sure he hasn't disappeared. That whole thing Hama said about people going into the woods and not coming out is all a rumor."

I felt my heart pound rapidly. "What if it's true though? Remember the swamp. That place literally grabbed us and pulled us away from each other. What if another vine monster is here or something?! Zuko could be trapped!"

Sokka spoke. "I say we go back to the village and learn more about these disappearances. I think Zuko going missing has something to do with this." He turned to me and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "We find the source… hopefully we find Zuko. But he may turn up in that time. All we can do is search for him.."

I gave a heavy breath. "Okay…"

Aang spoke too. "We're all worried about him, Amara… We'll do what we can to find him."

Toph agreed. "Sparky isn't disappearing from this group without my say. Let's go!"

As the group started to head towards the village, Yuna whined on my shoulder. I stroked her feathers to reassure her. "He's okay… He has to be okay… We're going to find him."

The words were more to reassure myself.

Eventually we arrived back at the village where we had ventured earlier that day with Hama. The moon was full and bright above us. I felt chills run down my spine. Momo had joined us for the journey as well, riding on Aang's shoulder.

Aang frowned. "This has got to be the nicest natural setting in the Fire Nation. I don't see anything that would make a spirit mad around here."

Toph pondered over his words. "Maybe the Moon Spirit just turned mean."

Sokka gasped and turned to her with horror. "The Moon Spirit is a gentle, loving lady. She rules the sky with compassion and ... lunar goodness!"

Toph held her hands up defensively. "Right. Sorry. Sorry. I forgot your feelings for a sec."

Aang pushed their squabble aside and rushed over to a figure in the distance who was walking past us. "Excuse me, sir. Can you tell us anything about the spirit that's been stealing people?"

The young male villager was surprised by his question. "Well… Only one man ever saw it and lived and that's Old Man Ding."

Toph turned back to our mission. "Where does Old Man Ding live?"

The man directed us in the direction, explaining what the man looked like and what building we'd find him in. We headed in the direction quickly, and were surprised when we saw a man hammering wooden boards over his windows. The man seemed in a hurry as he did so.

Aang was the first to approach. "Old Man Ding?"

Ding spoke, "Huh?" However, in the process he hammered his thumb instead of a nail and started waving his hand frantically in pain. "Ow, dang blame it!" He looked at Aang with frustration. "What? Can't you see I'm busy? Got a full moon rising. And why does everyone call me that? I'm not that old!" He turned and went back to his hammering. He tried to lift another wooden plank off the ground, but struggled. He sighed. "Well, I'm young at heart."

Aang approached and helped Ding lift the board.

Ding continued speaking. "Not ready to get snapped up by some moon monster yet at least."

Sokka stepped over and took the hammer and a nail, then helped put the board in place over the window. He spoke as he did. "We wanted to ask you about that."

Aang nodded. "Did you get a good look at the spirit that took you?"

Ding shook his head. "Didn't see no spirit, just felt something come over me, like I was possessed. Forced me to start walking toward the mountain." He pointed towards the mountain a mile away. "I tried to fight it, but I couldn't control my own limbs. It just about had me into a cave up there." He started walking like strings were attached to his limbs. It made me think of the puppets in Hama's inn. "And I looked up at the moon for what I thought would be my last glimpse of light. But then the sun started to rise and I got control of myself again! I just high-tailed it away from that mountain as quick as I could!" He looked back at us, holding his hands up with exasperation.

Sokka looked over at the rest of us with confusion. "Why would a spirit want to take people to a mountain?"

Toph gasped. "Oh no!" We jumped a bit by her exclamation. "I did hear people screaming under the mountain. The missing villagers must still be there!"

I gasped. Zuko… He was trapped with them. He had to be!

Before anyone could suggest we go, I turned and started running towards the mountain. A hand grabbed my arm to stop me only after a few meters. "Amara! Wait," Sokka said. "Stop!"

I pulled against him. "Let go! We have to get Zuko!" I pointed at the mountain before us. "He's there! I know it!"

Aang and Toph caught up to the place I had sprinted. Aang reassured me. "We will. Together. We just don't want you running off getting lost." He placed a hand on my arm once Sokka released me. "We're going to find him. But we also need to let Toph guide us."

He was right. I let out a heavy breath. I knew Toph was our only hope at this point. "Okay… Sorry… I'm just worried."

Aang gave me a small smile. "We're getting him back, Amara. No spirit or moon monster is keeping my firebending teacher from me."

Yuna mewed in agreement.

This time I let Toph take the lead as we headed towards the mountains. We rushed through the wooded forest up the incline, letting Toph lead us towards where she had once felt the vibrations in the earth on our first night here. Once we got back to the area we had once camped, she crouched and placed her hand flat on the earth. She concentrated for a moment, trying to figure out where the direction was that we needed to go.

Toph gasped. "I can hear them." She stood up and pointed. "They're this way!" She took off, and we quickly followed after her. We ran for a good mile, but finally arrived at the mountainside where the mouth of a cave was. There was a darkness inside that made me shiver.

Toph spoke. "This is the place."

Sokka stepped towards the opening. "I can't see anything down there."

I lit a flame in my hand. Without saying anything, I started to head inside the cave lighting the way.

Aang muttered, "Well… Guess it's good we have Amara."

They followed me into the cave, and we eventually arrived at a solid metal door. There were torches nearby, which I quickly lit so I could cut my flame off.

Toph spoke. "They're in there… So's Sparky. I sense him." She moved towards the door and shoved her hands against it. The door broke down as she used her metalbending to get us inside. There was a dark area below, so Aang and Sokka both grabbed a torch as we made our way down some rugged stone steps. We soon arrived to a horrible sight in the prison below.

At least ten villagers were chained to the wall, all of them looking dehydrated and thin from the time they had been prisoners. As I stared at their helpless figures, I felt my mind try to take me back to my own time of imprisonment. However, a figure in the corner of the cave quickly brought me back from my past.

My eyes watered, and my heart pounded. I moved forward. Zuko was laying on his side, his eyes shut and his hands cuffed behind him. I rushed past the villagers who were crying out with relief and quickly went to his side. I saw a cut on his right cheek, and a scratch on his hand. He must've fought with whatever had attacked him. I grabbed his shoulder and shook him with concern. I saw he was breathing in the torch light, so I was relieved by this.

He took a second to come to as I shook his shoulder desperately. Toph had gone on his other side at this point to undo his metal cuffs with her meteor bracelet molded into a key. When he finally started to regain consciousness, he cringed in pain. He then slowly opened his eyes and met my gaze with confusion. "A… Amara?"

"Zuko…" I whispered. Tears fell down my cheeks. "I was so worried about you. You never came back."

He was still a bit confused. He sat up slowly, and Toph moved away, having gotten him out of his chains. Yuna hopped off my shoulder as I hugged him with relief. He hugged me back, still a bit confused.

"What… I…" Then he gasped in my ear. "Hama!"

I was stunned. I pulled away to look at his pale expression with confusion. "Hama?"

Aang was speaking to the villagers as Toph started helping them out of their cuffs. "I didn't know spirits made prisons like this. Who brought you here?"

A female prisoner who was still chained up explained, "It was no spirit."

Another man beside her snapped, "It was a witch!"

I helped Zuko to his feet, as Sokka asked behind me, "A witch? What do you mean?"

The female prisoner answered, "She seems like a normal old woman, but she controls people like some dark puppetmaster!"

Zuko finally spoke, his mind coherent again as he was fully conscious. "Exactly. It was Hama!"

The male prisoner spoke again. "Yes, the innkeeper!"

Sokka scowled. "I knew there was something creepy about her!"

Now that Zuko was safe again, my mind was slowing. As I took in what they were saying, an image of Katara came to me.

I gasped. "Katara! She's with Hama! She could be in danger!"

Aang realized I was right. "Oh no! We have to stop Hama!"

Toph spoke as she continued to use her meteor bracelet to unlock the people's cuffs. "I'll get these people out of here. You go!"

Despite Zuko being sore, he was determined to follow us as we headed out of the cave. Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and I ran back through the forest with Yuna and Momo flying behind us. We raced back to the meadow where we knew that Hama and Katara were.

As we ran, Zuko explained through his breaths what happened. "Damn woman appeared out of nowhere when I was headed back to the inn. Said she knew who I was, and that I deserved what she was about to do to me. I panicked and tried to fight her. She hit me with some ice, and I was knocked out. The next I know, Amara's beside me. Not sure how she got me to that cave… I don't remember anything after her attack."

"She's controlling people somehow," Aang said. "I'm not sure how, but I'm going to find out!"

Yuna landed on my shoulder again, and growled in my ear. She didn't like Hama either.

About ten minutes later, we arrived at the large meadow where we saw two figures facing off. Hama and Katara were fighting one another with water. The grass and trees around them were dead, as if the water had been sucked out of them. I had a feeling that's what happened.

"This doesn't look like training anymore," Aang said.

Sokka scowled. "Katara's smart. She probably figured out this woman is bad finally!"

Katara shouted and shot more water at Hama. Hama was thrown off her feet and landed on her side. She moved to her knees, breathing heavily. The moon hovered above, and I could see she was not happy. Katara wasn't either.

Zuko stepped forward into the field, his fists tightening. "You thought you could get away with all of this?!"

Sokka snapped, "We know what you've been doing, Hama!"

We all prepared to fight. I drew water from my pouch. Sokka yanked his sword out from behind him.

Aang snapped in his stance, "Give up! You're outnumbered!"

Hama scowled. She moved back to her feet. "No! You've outnumbered yourselves!"

She suddenly shot her hands forward. Aang and Sokka gasped in fear as they suddenly lost all control of their limbs. Zuko and I were horrified as we watched Hama take control of them. She then suddenly sent them floating towards Katara at a fast speed. Katara used water from the ground and pushed them both out of the way. Then she shot another stream she also grabbed from the ground at Hama to stop her. Hama grabbed some water from a vine, killing the plant, and creating a large water wheel in front of her. The shield deflected Katara's water. Hama turned her attention back to Sokka and Aang, and moved them towards Katara again.

Sokka started swinging his sword towards Katara. "Katara, look out! It's like my brain has a mind of its own! Stop it arm, stop it!" He swung his sword at Katara. Katara used more water to push him away.

Aang was moving towards Katara too. "This feels weird!"

Katara used her waterbending and froze him to one of the dead trees nearby. "I'm sorry, Aang!"

Aang cried, "It's okay!"

Zuko scowled. "That's it!" He rushed forward and shot a blast of fire towards Hama. Hama turned towards him, shooting water up to block his attack. She then took control of his body. I was horrified.

"What are you doing to them?!"

Katara answered me, as she turned and froze Sokka to a tree as Hama sent him towards her with his sword. "Bloodbending! She's controlling the liquid inside of them!"

I was shocked. That was possible?

Hama smirked. "Don't hurt your friends, Katara! And don't let them hurt each other!"

She used her bloodbending again to break Sokka free from his ice encasement and send him towards Zuko. Sokka's sword pointed towards Zuko, who was still being overpowered by Hama's ability. I was horrified.

"NO!" I raced forward and shot a stream of water at Hama. She was not expecting it and was knocked back. She slid a few feet in the grass on her back. Zuko and Sokka dropped to the grass on their knees in shock. I lit a flame in my hand, ready to attack again.

Hama stood again and glared over at me. "Why am I not surprised? Someone born of the Fire Nation would turn on her own mother's people!" She suddenly moved her hand towards me. My body went stiff. My fire was cut off. Everything suddenly felt tight. I couldn't move. She was controlling my blood. I was horrified as I lost the ability to control my own body. "You shouldn't exist! Your mother should've never given birth to a firebenders spawn!" She suddenly started to raise me up. I gasped. Yuna hissed beside me on the ground as she sensed I was in danger. "You should've never been born!"

"LEAVE MY COUSIN ALONE, YOU MONSTER!" Katara screamed.

I dropped suddenly to the ground. My body shook as I collapsed to my knees. I regained control though. Looking up, I saw Katara holding both her hands towards Hama. Hama was stiff. Her eyes were wide as she lost control of her body. I was amazed as my cousin used a power I had never heard or seen before.

Katara forced Hama down to her knees. Hama grunted as she completely lost control. The full moon shone above.

The sound of a stampede of footsteps suddenly approached. We looked over to see the villagers from the cave had arrived with Toph at the front. The man who had spoken to us when we first got in the cave, snapped, "That's her! That's the witch!" He ran forward, and he immediately grabbed her. Another male villager rushed over to assist, cuffing her with some restraints they must've brought from the cave.

They forced her up to her feet. Katara had released control on her by now. Katara walked over to me and helped me up. "Amara… Are you okay?"

I moved and hugged her with relief. "Yes… Thanks, Katara…"

Zuko, Toph, and Sokka had stepped over to us by now. Aang was still frozen to the tree in the distance. I let go of Katara and moved my hand towards him, melting the ice. He came over once he was free, and joined us with a smile of gratitude. Momo, who had disappeared during the fight, landed on Aang's shoulder.

"You're going to be locked away forever," the man who had first restrained her snapped. They started to force her away.

She turned back and grinned over at Katara. "My work is done… Congratulations, Katara. You're a bloodbender."

Hama was forced away then, back to a life of imprisonment. While part of me didn't like that she would be imprisoned, the bitter part of me was relieved she was getting what she deserved. She had hurt Zuko… She needed to pay for that…

A gasp suddenly sounded beside me. I was surprised when I saw Katara on her knees, tears falling down her cheeks.

I knew then what Hama said had upset her.

Yuna hopped beside her, her ears drooped as she gave a worried mew. I knelt on Katara's other side, putting my arms around her. "Katara… You didn't have a choice…"

Katara shook her head against me. "I… I didn't know how else to stop her… But I had to… She was hurting you all… I hated that though… I hated controlling someone like that. It made me feel… Evil…"

To everyone's surprise, Zuko was the one to step in front of her and speak. "Katara… You are the opposite of evil… I mean… You have a crazy stubborn temper like me… But you're nothing like Hama." He held his hand down towards her. "You're just one powerful waterbender. And we all owe you for stopping that crazy woman tonight."

Katara was stunned. She gave a small smile to Zuko though and took his hand. He helped her up, and she said softly, "Thanks, Zuko… That might be the nicest thing you've said to me." Then her watering eyes widened. "Wait… What happened to your cheek?"

Zuko flinched. He pressed his hand to the dried cut Hama had given him a few hours ago. "I was the damsel in distress tonight."

I pulled water from the wet earth and moved it to his cheek. A blue glow took over and soon the scratch was gone. "There… All better," I said. I took his scratched up hand and did the same, healing that injury too.

He smiled and pulled me into his arms. "Thanks, Amara." He kissed me on the forehead. "Sorry I worried you tonight."

Katara spoke, having calmed from her tears finally. "See Amara… Hama's wrong about you. You should exist. Someone needs to take care of Zuko."

Zuko looked around at the others. "Yeah… Thanks for the rescue today everyone." He turned serious then. "But next time I say something is suspicious about someone, we're going to listen, right?"

Sokka argued. "Wait a second! I said it first!"

Aang jumped in. "All that matters is that everyone is okay… I say we head back to the inn, get on Appa, and leave this terrible place behind."

Toph nodded. "I second that!"

Momo chirped on Aang's shoulder in agreement. Yuna landed on Katara's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek to give her comfort.

Katara smiled, feeling better as we didn't judge her for her new ability.

As we walked back towards the inn, I said to her as the others walked a little ahead, "This just means you're a really talented waterbender, Katara… Bloodbending isn't something you have to do if you're not comfortable with it… I don't make heated water unless it's absolutely necessary."

Katara looked over at me. "Yeah… I know. Thanks, Amara." She frowned and stopped. I stopped with her. "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have defended Hama and not you. That was wrong of me." She placed a hand on the shoulder Yuna wasn't perched on. "I also realized what I said today hurt your feelings… You're one of the coolest waterbenders from the South Pole I've ever met."

Her words warmed my heart. "But you're definitely the strongest, Katara… That's why your my teacher."

She smiled and hugged me to her. Yuna hopped off so she didn't get squished. "I love you, sis… Your mom and my mom would be proud of the both of us."

I was surprised by her words. She had only ever called me cousin before… Now she was calling me her sister. My heart warmed.

"I love you too… Always, Katara. Thanks for protecting me today."

She hugged me closer. "Always…"