Inspire by How It's Done by ryfkah on AO3
Katara decide to close her clinic a little earlier than usual, but there are no more patients coming in for today, so even though the sun hasn't set yet, Katara flip the close sign on the front door and have the rest of the evening for herself.
Even though she's pushing to almost ninety years old, Katara still finds herself busy with the same job she had done for the last seventy years, being a healer.
After the one hundred year war, Katara had work in Republic City's first ever hospital as its leading healer and by far the best one. Then, after Aang passed away some twenty two years prior, Katara had moved back to the land of her birth and open her own clinic where she put her healing abilities to good use.
Thanks to her reputation as a master waterbender and the wife of late Avatar Aang cause Katara's clinic to grew in popularity even beyond the Southern Water Tribe's border, with her patients ranging from a simple water tribe hunter with broken bones to a nobleman from Ba Sing Se with a so called 'uncureable disease'.
With this popularity, Katara found herself to be working around the clock at the age where most people already retired. She wasn't alone of course as she had taken a few apprentices who help her around the clinic, and of course, there's her daughter, Kya who had follow her footstep to become a healer. katara couldn't be more prouder at her only daughter. Infact, she already told her that she hope that she will run the clinic once she passed. And Kya, to Katara's delight, accept the responsibility.
As Katara finally finished with closing down her clinic, sat herself down on a cozy sofa and tuned in her radio. It was her favorite activity after a long day at work, just do nothing and very relaxing. And today was her lucky day, her favorite radio show was playing, and she can listen to its full runtime without getting cut off with treating patients in between
Yet, as Katara began to feel her body relax, she heard footstep coming over from the kitchen. Katara stood up in alarmed as she was certain that she was alone. She immidietly grab a waterskin and bend its content to form a water whip as she assumed fighting stance to defend herself against the intruder.
It wasn't the first time she had her home broken into since Aang's death. And she never had any problem dealing with those intruders back then. But it had been almost ten years since the last home invasion and Katara wasn't as agile as she used too.
Still, if this person, whoever they are, think she would let them broke into her house with no resistance, they would be sorely mistaken.
"If you leave now, then nobody has to get hurt!" Katara yell out to the intruder in the kitchen. Yet, they remain silent. Cautiosly, Katara move shuffled her way towards the kitchen, water whip at the ready.
Then, she reach the kitchen a get a look at the intruder. They are wearing a dark clothes that cover all of their body, including their face, making it impossible to determine any facial feature.
"Last warning. Leave now or face my wrath!"
When the intruder remain unfaze, Katara shot her water whip forward at the intruder. But to her surprise, the intruder dodge her attack with ease. She attack again, but the intuder dodge it again. Deciding on a different tactic, she bend the soup from a cooking pot behind the intruder and freeze it, and slammed it against the intruder's back. But to her shock, the intruder shrugged off the ice brick as if it were nothing.
Taking advantage of her shock, the intruder assume their bending stance, yet instead of moving their arm to attack, they merely twitch their finger and with little effort, the ceramic plates in the kitchen fly across the room towards her. It happen so quick, Katara can't even properly express her shock, she summon all the water she can muster and let it flow around her body, deflecting the incoming projectiles.
All of the projectiles crash around the house, shattering them into many pieces, instead of a much needed respite, Katara saw the intruder recall the shattered ceramics, now the intruder have twice as many projectiles, they launch them at Katara again. Katara deflect each projectiles thats coming her way, but it intruder just recall those and hurled it again and again, each time with a greater speed than before. Katara soon find herself struggling to keep up, staggering backwards as to keep the distance between her and the earthbender who keep advancing and unleashing their relentless assault.
Soon Katara finds herself at her clinic's front door and she silently cursed herself for locking it. Cornered in her own house, fighting against a deranged earthbender, Katara stop her deflection, she suspended her water shield in the air and move her hands in quick succesion to unleash a barrage of ice at the intruder, yet none of them hit, the intruding earthbender dodge all of them with the gracefulness and agility of an airbender. Not that Katara expect that her attack would do damage anyway. As the earthbender distracted, Katara turns around to unlock the door.
When it opens, Katara didn't waste any time and retreat into the snow. Stopping at the front yard of her home, Katara turns around to see the earthbender already at the door. Before she could assume proper stance, the earthbender unhinged the wooden door, using metalbending to lift the door by its metal hinges, they launch the door at her. Katara lift her arms defensively and a giant ice cube stop the door in its track, shattering it into a million pieces.
Surprise at her own strength since she's not in a proper stance, Katara felt a great power rush through her vein. Her eyes widen in realization when she remember that it's full moon tonight.
Katara smirk triumphantly at the intruder, surrounded by her element, and with the power of the full moon on her side, theres no way she could lose. With a deep breath, Katara summon every snow she could and harden it into ice. With a steely glare, and a resolve to end this fight, Katara unleashed her wall of ice onto the intruder.
Before the ice made contact with the target, Katara suddenly drop to her knees, the ice projectiles melted before it could hit anything. This fight is the most movement she had ever done in decades, and her aging spine couldn't handle it. Katara could only writhe in pain as the earthbender menacingly walk towards her. They levitate two metal strips that she recognize being use by Kuvira's force use to bind prisoners.
"MOM!"
Katara glance at the sound to see that it was Kya, accompanied by chief Tonraq and a handful of Water Tribe warriors. They must've heard the scuffle and decide to investigate.
The earthbender realize they didn't have much time. Without hesitation, they bind Katara by her hands and cover her eyes, with the metal strips. Katara barely register her daughter's desperately calling for her as the earthbender carry her on their shoulder and use their bending to launch themself into the back of a sky bison.
Wait, sky bison?
Katara's resignation soon turn into a horrifying realization.
She's on a sky bison.
Somehow, her kidnapper had somehow manage to obtain a sky bison.
Katara's felt a sense of dread and worry for her sons, Tenzin and Bumi, as well for her grandchildren and daughter-in-law. Did they did something to the Air Nomads to obtain this sky bison? Did they hurt them?
Katara knew she couldn't wait for answers. Without much thinking, she began muster all the power she have to break out of her bind. She struggle to break out as hard as she could, but to no avail, the metal was too strong. But even so, she wasn't gonna let that stop her.
"Oh stop being so cranky will ya, old lady."
Katara froze, she recognize that voice, and it wasn't Kuvira.
She felt all the metal binds on her body loosened and fall apart. Katara's eyes took a while to re-adjust, but once her vision was back to normal, she get a good look at her kidnapper. She gasp, she couldn't believe it.
"Toph?!"
She chuckled. "Nice to see you again, sugar queen."
Katara open her mouth to speak, but no word come out of her mouth. She didn't know what to say. Its been so long since the last time they saw each other.
"Unless you want to eat bugs for dinner, i suggest you to shut your mouth." Toph huff out. "And if you're worried that Kya will look for you, don't worry, i left her a note."
Katara look at her incredulously. "Toph, you can't write."
She responded with a grin. "Exactly."
Katara shook her head. Toph haven't change one bit. "Why are you doing this, Toph? You could've just knock and tell me where we're going."
"Now where's the fun in that? If i just knock and tell you what i had in mind, you'd just dismissed it on account that you're 'busy' or what not. Seriously, Katara, you're old, it's time to loosened up a bit."
Katara raised an eyebrow. "That's why you kidnap me. To help me loosened up?"
"Yup"
She rub the back of her neck uncertainly. "I don't know, Toph. I still have to help Kya run the clinic tomorrow."
Toph let out a dismissive sigh "Kya is an old lady herself by this point. She can handle herself. Besides, with all the work you've done, you deserve a little vacation. At age like this, it's time for us to enjoy ourself"
Katara wasn't convince yet, but Toph wasn't giving up. "Look, i know that your passion is to be a healer and that you love your job. But for once Katara, i want for us to have fun together, just like old times. There's always something that prevent us from spending time with each other, wheather its my job or yours. Besides, i..." She hesitated
"Besides what, Toph?"
"...I miss you."
Katara feel her cheek began to blush at her old friend's words. "I miss you too, Toph." She said with a smile. "Alright then, i'm in to whatever you had in mind."
At that, Toph let out a triumphant smile. "Sweet." Then she did something uncharacteristic and pull Katara into a tight bear hug. Something that Katara gladly return.
When they pull out of the hug, Katara ask. "So, where are we going anyway. Considering we're riding a sky bison, i assume it was far away."
Toph Nodded. "Yeah, it is far away from here. That's why i ask Opal to borrowed Juicy to get us there." She looked at Katara in the eyes, grinning ear to ear. "We're going to Republic City!"
Toph notice that Katara didn't share her excitement. "What now? Don't tell me you're having second thought."
"It's not that Toph. I don't mind going back to Republic City. Its just... well, from the way you phrase it, this is going to involve a lot of fighting. But i'm old, Toph... really old. Next month is my ninetieth birthday. The thing that you suggested didn't sound like something a ninety year old lady should do."
Toph roll her eyes. "You don't have to worry about that. I have a solution." Toph then move from her position to grab a satchel. She rumage through its content, struggling for a while to find what's she's looking for. Then, her eyes lit up as she grab the thing and shoved it at Katara's face.
When Katara realize what Toph is holding, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Is that.. water from North Pole spirit oasis?"
"Yup. I'd figure it you could use it to bring you back to a fighting shape."
Katara only able to utter one word. "How?"
"When you're the chief of police of the largest city on earth, you're bound to have connection."
"You're working with criminals?!"
Toph scoffed. "Come now, don't start to act all high and mighty. You're quite a criminal yourself, Katara."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Katara huff out indenial.
"Really? Well, let me jog your memory a bit. There's that one time where you stole a waterbending scroll before we met."
"Pirates stole it first, it didn't count."
"There's also the time you threatened to use torture against prisoners for information."
"Those guys try to assasinated Aang and Zuko, which need i remind you, was the Avatar and the Fire Lord. You can't blame me for being a little frustrated."
Toph smirk, she's starting to crack. "What about that time in Ba Sing Se when you waterbend those snobby girls out of existence. I only drop them into the canal as payback for making fun of me, but you decide that wasn't enough and waterbend them to oblivion. And since we never see or heard from those girls again, for all i know, we had commited a triple homicide that day and got away with it."
Katara sigh, there's no more point in denying it. "Fine, you got me. For the record, those girls deserved it. No one makes fun of my friend and get away with it." She chuckle at the memory. "So, how'd you figure the spirit water will heal me?"
"All i know is this water brought Twinkle Toes back from the dead once. I'd figure it'll do the same to your health."
"I guess it's worth a try." Then, she notice something odd. "Hey, Toph. We're not heading straight to Republic City, are we?"
Toph shook her head. "Nope, we're heading for the Fire Nation."
Once again, Katara felt her eyes widen. She began to feel an excitement at a level that she hasn't felt in decades "You mean..?"
Toph grinned. "Yup, we're bringing the Old Gaang back together."
(A few days later)
Zuko let out a sigh of relieve as he enter his bedroom after a council meeting that takes too long to conclude.
After streching his sore muscle, Zuko took of his traditional Fire Nation robes and change into a simple undershirt and a shorts before making his way towards his bedroom's balcony. It was his favorite place in the entire royal palace, a place for him to relax and to reflect on his days, and today was no different. The balcony was modestly furnished with a single chair and a nightstand right next to it.
Zuko groan in pain as his aging spine creak the moment he sat down. It had been like that for years now. It had started after his sixty six birthday, by then it was merely a minor annoyence rather than an actual problem. But as years went by, his back problem had gotten worse and worse. He haven't even able to stand upright for almost a decade now, with his back slightly permanetly stuck on a hunchback position, like many men his age.
Then, four years ago, when he had gone to the north pole to stop the Red Lotus from busting out P'Li from her icy prison where his back problem gone from bad, to worse. Zaheer and his Red Lotus absolutey destroyed him, he didn't even had a chance to give a proper fight before the Red Lotus made their escape.
From then on, every movement he made felt like torture. His aching spine, creaking joints and aging legs had made the last four years of his life a living hell. Even a simple task of stepping out of bed had become a difficult task for him.
His defeat at the hand of the Red Lotus and his sore back had become a constant reminder that his glory days are behind him. If Zuko was in his prime, he could've beaten all the Red Lotus member without breaking a sweat. But alas, it was not the case. It had been almost a year since the last time he ride his trusty dragon companion, Druk all day long and just forget of all of his problem, even if it just for a while.
As he poured himself a cup of ginseng tea from the nightstand, Zuko did not feel any bitterness about all of it. He had lived a good and fufilling life that most men his age could only dreamed of.
The view of the Fire Nation capital reminded Zuko of all the achivement he had made during his sixty-seven year long reign as the Firelord. He had spearheaded the Fire Nation into an era of peace and advancement that made the Fire Nation the most technologically advance country in the world, even ahead of the United Republic while also maintaining the traditional value of the Fire Nation, something that both the United Republic and the Earth Kingdom failed at.
Zuko recognize and had accepted that his glory days are behind him, and it was the duty of the current generation to maintain the balance and even improve upon the world that he, the Avatar, and his friends had built.
Yet, as he sip on his ginseng tea and admire the view of the capital, deep down, Zuko desperately wanted to relieve his days of fighting and excitement atleast one more time before he bites the big one. He closed his eyes and began recalling all the adventures he and his friends went through. Learning the true art of firebending with Aang, breaking into the boiling rock with Sokka, and hunting down a war criminal with Katara came to mind. Oh how he loved to relieved those moments. Unfortunately due to his old age, Zuko knew that those dream will likely to remain just a dream.
Suddenly, Zuko was interupted from his reflection, a loud noise blaring all around the royal palace. It took him awhile t realize what it was, it was an alarm. Ignoring the pain, Zuko quickly rose to his feet and ready himself to leave his room and find out what's going on. Yet he did not need to do that as he heard his portable radio crackle to live. He quickly grab it and began to listen in.
"Lord Zuko! Come in lord Zuko!" A panic voice called in from the other line.
"This is lord Zuko. I hear you loud and clear, Captain. What's going on!"
"Oh thank Agni." He hear the man sigh in relieve knowing that his lord is still unharmed. "This is an emergency! We have two intruders breaking in from the south wall. An earthbender and a waterbender! We try to stop them but are unable to, they're too powerful! I have send someone to escort you a secure location!"
'An unstopable earth and waterbender?' Zuko thought to himself. Then, suddenly, it clicked. With that realization, Zuko only responded with an "Oh" To the frantic radio call and shut it down. He then sat back down at his chair and went back to enjoying his tea.
Not long after that, a member of the royal guard barges into Zuko's room with an alarmed look in his face.
"My lord." The guard courtly bowed. "I'm here to bring you to safety. Fire Lord Izumi has been escorted to safety and now are waiting for us at the bunker."
"Is that so?"
Confused by the former Fire Lord nonchalant reaction, nonetheless, the guard maintain a profesional attitude. "Yes sir. We evacuated the Fire Lord and the rest of the royal family as soon a we heard the alarm. We must move fast, sir. You're the only one we haven't evacuate yet."
To his utter surprise and confusion, the former Firelord remain unmoved from his chair and continue to sip his tea as if everything is alright.
"That wouldn't be necessary, Lieutenant."
The guard try to hide his frustration at the former Firelord, instead he try to reaffirm his point, more sternly this time. "Sir! Your life is in danger! Whoever these benders are, they are incredibly skilled and are certainly aiming to harm you and your family!"
Zuko finally put down his tea cup back at the nightstand, yet he still won't turn to look the guard in the eye, instead, he only respond with only a few short sentences.
"On the contrary, Lieutenant. My life is not the one that's in danger." He then paused for a dramatic effect. "You are."
"Wha-"
Suddenly, the bedroom wall blast open with an incredible force. It sends bricks and woods splinters flying everywhere. The blast was so powerful that it caused the guard to fly across Zuko's room and knocking him out cold.
Standing on the destroyed wall, the intruding earthbender enter Zuko's room, completely ignoring all the destruction she had caused. She then stop walking, standing right behind Zuko who's still unmoved from his balcony chair.
The intruding earthbender shook her head in dissapointment. "You really need to hire new bodyguards." She grumble as she finally stand infront of the former Firelord. "Those buffoons barely put up a fight, seriously, how could a so called 'elite' team of firebenders that suppose to protect the Firelord when they got their asses kicked by a couple of old ladies."
"You know that you could've just knock, Toph."
The master earthbender bark out a laugh. "Come on, Sparky, where's the fun in that?"
Zuko chuckle at her response. She haven't change one bit. Now that he's fully facing her, he notice that Toph was not wearing her usual earthbending outfit. Rather, she's wearing an all black clothes, including a black mask that currently wasn't covering her face. Her outfit reminded him of the one that he and Katara wear during their hunt for the leader of the southern raiders.
"It is good to see you again, Toph. But, what are you doing here? Don't take this the wrong way, it's just, i thought you decided to lived out in the swamp."
Toph didn't answer right away, she instead stared directly into Zuko's eyes with an uncharacteristically serious expression. Despite her blindness, Zuko could feel Toph grey eyes starring directly into his soul.
"I have come to demand the one thing i was owed, yet you refused to give!"
Zuko's face grew pale, he rub his forehead, he know where this is going.
Toph raised her finger and point it at him dramatically. "I'm here for my life changing fieldtrip, Zuko!"
Zuko sigh. "I knew this day would come, sooner or later. Very well, then, let's get to it." He said with resignation in his voice. "But, i must warn you, i'm afraid that i'm not as agile as i used to be.
He then grip his chair to force himself up. "Earlier this year, i've unfortunately been diagnosed with *groan* a severe back illness." Zuko let out another painful groan as he stood up to drive the point home. "The healers calls it Lumbago, and they say it is terminal. I may only have a few months left. It is a slow and painful death, my friend."
Toph just roll her eyes and show Zuko her signature show of affection by punching his arm.
"Argh!"
"Oh don't be so dramatic, Sparky. You're ninety one for crying out loud, stop acting like a brooding teenager." She huffed out in annoyence. "As for your 'lumbago' i have the solution for you."
Zuko raise an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Toph looked past him over to the hole in the wall that she just made. "Hey, Sugar queen. You done there?"
"Give me a minute, Toph!" Zuko heard Katara responded from outside his bedroom.
When Katara finally show herself, Zuko immidietly notice something different about her. The way she walk didn't reflect her age, it was like she was in her twenties again. Zuko remember the last time he saw Katara years ago at Jinora's ceremony, she couldn't even walk for a long time before catching her breath. Now, she just casually strolling through his room, while dusting off her clothes as if taking out all of his guard out of without breaking a sweat was a completely normal thing.
Zuko wonder if this 'solution' Toph was talking about was the same one that help Katara back in her fighting state. Though one thing is for certain though.
Toph is right, he need to hire new bodyguards.
Zuko smiles at the woman who he loves like a sister before pulling her into a tight embrace. A gesture which she gladly return.
"It's good to see you again Zuko." Katara smile as they pull out of the hug.
"The feeling is mutual, sister. How long has it been? Two, three..."
"Four years since we last saw each other." She stated. "Though, it sure felt much longer than that."
"Indeed it has. So, i take that she also invade your house and destroy all your furniture?" He pointed to Toph.
"If only she stop there. She straight up kidnap me and left a 'note' for Kya to read later."
Zuko raised an eyebrow and looked at Toph, confused. "But, you can't write."
Toph huffed out in annoyence. "Sparky, you've known me for eighty years, you know what i mean by 'write'."
Zuko sigh. "Yeah, you're right, and i wish i could say i was surprised." He cringe thinking of the state of Katara's home and poor Kya who had to clean it all up. Even though she was mindful of preventing collateral damage during her time as Republic City's Chief of Police, nowadays, it seemed Toph was aging backwards with her back to being carefree and love destruction as much as her younger self.
"So, what is this 'solution', Toph was talking about earlier?" He ask Katara.
Katara gesture to the bed. "Why don't you just lie down and see for your self."
Trusting his friend words, Zuko did what he was told to and lay down.
"On your stomach, not your back."
"Uh, okay."
After he corrected his position, Katara grab a chair and sat down next to his bed. She then take out the bottle that contain the spirit water and set it down at the nearby nightstand. She then open the bottle and began to bend the spirit water all over Zuko's back and began the healing process.
When Zuko felt the spirit water touching his skin, it was one of the most pleasant thing he ever felt, and certainly the best healing session he ever experience. Over the last few years, he had been seeing waterbending healers from all over the world to deal with his back illness, and the healing session they put him through ranges from tolerable to straight up unpleasant.
But this session Katara is apply to him is heavenly. He felt all of his strain and aching muscles are starting to relax, and he felt his mind clear as he felt the stress of overseeing Fire Nation politics starting to leave him. For a while Zuko felt as if he had achive true inner peace.
After five minutes of applying the spirit water to Zuko's back, Katara is finally done. And Immidietly, Zuko could feel something was different. When he began to sit up, he brace himself for the pain, but.. it never come. His back was not aching anymore. He then began to move joints one by one and find none of it hurt to move like it use too.
He then stand up and found that his feet are capable of supporting his weight again. They felt light like when he was in his twenties, and most importantly, his knees aren't hurting anymore.
As he marveled at his new body, he realize something, he was standing up straight again. For the first time in over a decade, he was able to stand up not as a hunchback old man, but as a warrior in his prime.
Zuko let out a hearty laugh and felt tears of happiness streaming from his eyes. He almost couldn't believe it. He had already accepted that his time in this world is coming to an end, and that he'll likely face his end bound to his bed, surrounded by his loved ones. But now, it seemed death could wait a few more years before Zuko is ready to follow him willingly.
Because now, the only thing Zuko is ready for is to kick ass once again with his old friends.
Pulling Katara into another hug, he whisper out. "Thank you."
"I can't do it without Toph. She's the one who acquire the spirit water." Katara point out as she pulls out of the hug.
Turning to Toph, Zuko held out his arm, expecting to wrap up Toph in a warm embrace, but instead, he felt a slab of earth hit him square in the face.
"Toph!" Katara scolded.
Toph however, was having none of it. "I have enough of this sentimental bullcrap. You get your hug when we're done. Now, we have a job to do."
"As you wish, Toph." Despite his face being in intense pain, Zuko was smiling. "Wait a minute, what are we gonna do with the guards you both just knock out?"
Toph wave her hand dismisively. "Relax, me and sugar queen had it covered. As for you daughter, i left her a note. Once she find it, she'll know you're okay."
Zuko sigh once again. "Right, of course. So, what is this vacation that you had in mind for us?"
Toph grin as she urged Zuko and Katara to lean closer.
"Have you guys ever heard of the Sleeping Dog Cartel?"
They shook their heads.
"Well it isn't a surprised you both haven't heard of them as they're a new gang in town. Well, a Drug Cartel is more appropriate for them and believe me, they're starting to built quite a reputation for themself in the last couple of months. Mainly because they've been illegally smuggling drugs from Si Wong desert to the city."
Katara raised an eyebrow. "What kind of drug?"
"A new type that haven't been seen before. The police force has been able to analyze recovered samples and the results were concerning to say the least. It wasn't just one drugs, rather it was many type of drugs that was mixed into one super drug that made it's user high as a cloud. It shows that it was a mixture of; cactus juice essence, powdered white jade, ostrich horse liver, Omashu's rice wine, and many others."
Zuko let out a whistle. "That's a lot of drugs. How does people not die from consuming it?"
Toph shrug. "Beats me, but from its content, it was obvious even to a blind badgerfrogs that it is dangerous for human consumption. Yet, here are these thugs handing it out like it was candy or something. So, i propose that we go to Republic City, fine out where they're hideouts and secret stashes, and kick their sorry asses to moon and back."
"So, are you with me?"
It wasn't even a question. Both Katara and Zuko look at each other and nodded.
"Hell yes!"
Fun Fact: The country of Ecuador once wage a war against goat
It all started when Spanish settler brought goats to the Galapagos islands in the 16th and 17th century for food source. Some of those goats were release into the wilds. Fast forward 1990 the goat population on Galapagos Islands exploded to over 250,000. This cause many of Galapagos native animal such as the Giant Galapagos Tortoise to decrease in numbers because the wild goats are hoarding all the food on the islands for their own, leaving the native species to died of starvation.
Biologist, Conservationist, and the Equadorian goverment agree that if the native animals of Galapagos are to survive, the goat must be destroyed. In the year 1997, the Galapagos Conservancy initiate Project Isabela. It aimed to restore the ecological balance to the Galapagos Islands by terminating goats and other pest such as pigs and donkeys.
At first, the project began by sending hunters to roam the Galapagos Islands and shot any goats they found with extreme prejudice. But it was evident that it wasn't effective, as any goats that escape would procreate and make all the hunters progress in vain.
A more effective methods using helicopters and sharpshooters was soon implemented. Sharpshooters would sit on either sides of the helicopter. Helicopter pilots would heard the goats into a large pack and then the sharpshooters would open fire at the goats. This method was proven effective as in just a year since this method was implemented, 90% of the goat population was wipe out.
The remaining 10% however soon came to realized that the sound of helicopter means death, and they would scatter the moment they hear the sound of a helicopter. Meaning the hearding and open fire was becoming innefective. Then, the Judas Goat method was introduce.
A team of hunters would capture a female goat alive, then tag it with GPS tracker and let her go to find her friends. The hunter would follow the Judas Goat until they find the rest of the heard, where they began to open fire. When the dust is settled, the Judas Goat would be spared so she can lead the hunter to another heard to be slaughter. It is estimated there are 900 Judas Goats that are use throught the war.
Overall, Project Isabela was a huge success. From its beginning in 1997 until its conclusion in 2006, the goat population went from 250,000 to just 0. Thanks to Project Isabela, many of the native Galapagos species would make a comeback in the following years.
