Review. Faster updates for this and other stories if this and other stories get more reviews. Would love to see art work of this or any of my other work. Faster reviews for my other less popular stories means that more updates at a faster pace. Or just more stories like this one.

Also any requests in reviews will probably be ignored.

Also just to be clear. I do not do pedophilia, all characters are aged up in this stuff or aged down depending on the character, no loli, no yaoi, no shota, I don't do watersports (Shit/Piss/fart fetish shit)I don't do stuff like vore or entire bodies getting shoved into places (Shrink play) I don't do blood play or torture (Ball/cock crushing etc) or certain old people, (Yes I am a fucking hypocrite) . Also if you ask for something in reviews that normally means I won't do it. So anyone who asks for that will be disappointed. If you have questions/requests/suggestions PM me instead.

Also have an ao3 account under the same name. and same titles.

The tiny hand reached out of the darkness. It came down onto Katara's mouth. The tiny water bender's eyes flew open. She began to shriek. An attack! An assassination! She had to save Zuko!

The brief spike of fear quickly relaxed away. A familiar form was materializing beside her. It was just Azula. The Fire Nation princess leaned forward. A finger over her immaculately made up lips.

Azula's lips pressed to Katara's small ear.

"Don't scream. Or I'll burn you." Katara nodded, Azula's hand was dry and a little dusty. The two girls were face to face. Zuko continued to snore. Completely oblivious to what was happening beside him.

Azula carefully took her brother's fingertips. She eased them off of Katara's thin shoulders. Katara slowly eased herself out from underneath him. Soon the two were untangled and Katara slipped silently to the floor. She landed like a trained warrior, on the balls of her feet. She stared at her owner in curiosity.

Azula gestured for Katara to follow after her. Azula only stopped to slide a scroll under Zuko's fingers. The two patted silent and barefoot out of the royal bedroom. The door easing shut behind them.

Katara followed nervously after Azula. After what had happened yesterday with Mai, the entire palace was on edge. Azula hadn't mentioned the incident once since the two girls had left. It was almost as if it had never happened. She just remained drawn in, a focused beam exclusively on herself.

Katara was very concerned about all of it. After all who bottled up their emotions like that? Who had taught the little girl to do that? It was scary, it was sad. It was unnatural.

Azula held up a hand next to a massive billowing tapestry. The old man on the tapestry frowned down at the two of them. As if he knew they were up to some late night mischief. Something that he would never have approved of.

Azula gripped the side of the tapestry and beckoned Katara beneath it. The two little girls were lumps in the center for a moment. And then passed into the secret servants corridor. Katara squinted, then Azula summoned fire to her fingertips. The flames breathed up and off of Azula's perfectly manicured nails.

"Be very quiet. We are going to be going behind the sleeping quarters. If our parents catch us we will be in trouble. If my father catches us then we will be in big trouble. If the Fire Lord Catches us we will probably be dead. So no talking, no questions, no stubbing your toe and crying out. You do not ruin this for us. Do you understand?"

Katara nodded mutely. Azula smiled devilishly and then grabbed Katara's hand. Squeezing the palm reassuringly.

"Good. Don't worry, I've planned every little detail out. You won't have to worry about a thing." With that the two started pattering quickly down the tunnel. The walls were thick and made of a solid stone. The kind found in marble quarries far to the interior. The kind of stone that almost seemed to push inwards. There were no steps, but there were gradual inclines and declines. The two walked in silence, the two walked in darkness.

Katara bit her lip so hard that she worried. Worried she might break the skin, worried she might bleed, worried she might ask a stupid question anyway. She had so many questions. Like where were they? Who built this tunnel? How did Azula know about it? And where were they going?

But instead she remained silent. Meek. Obedient. The perfect Fire Nation status symbol. Azula's footsteps were well balanced. She moved like a burglar after an expensive jewel. Her eyes never wavered, neither did her steps.

Katara squeezed Azula's hand for comfort. She missed Zuko's bed. It had been warm and soft. His breathing was a lot like Sokka's or the waves on the ice flow outside of the village walls.

She was still tired from all of the training of the day.

Now that Azula and Zuko also knew she was a water bender, they had been insistent that she also learn. But the problem came about….none of them knew the actual moves. It was a lot of trial and error. Katara would get an idea, she would try a few movements, and they would inevitably fail.

She'd tried to make a water whip and had frozen the turtle duck pond. She had tried to create a massive wave and had only caused a small ripple. She could have snuck off to ask Hama….But she did not want to betray her friend's secret. Hama was a water bender and had remained undetected at the palace for so long. Katara could not find it in her to reveal that. Not even to Zuko or Azula.

So her days had consisted of either Zuko or Azula giving some suggestions and her trying to copy it. Hama had also given her lessons, in passing, quick moves, subtle movements. Almost as if she was hesitant to train Katara too much. As if she was afraid Katara might be able to do so much more then her.

Katara yearned to learn more. But she just wasn't sure how. She had gotten to the point where she could do some very light sparring with Zuko or Azula while they threw fire balls at her. But…after seeing what had happened to Mai's face….Katara wasn't sure she wanted to have fire flung willy nilly at her anymore.

"It's fine to talk now." Azula whispered. They had slowly gotten to a different section of tunnel. The ceiling was made out of cobblestones. A few rivers of volcanic rock ran through it. Azula paused at a tunnel crossing, looked one way, then the other. Before deciding to lead Katara to the left. They hurried along. Soon Azula was flat out running.

Katara stumbled, trying to keep up. Azula yanked hurriedly at Katara's arm. Soon they came to another branching. And still another.

"How do you know where we're going?" Katara panted. Azula grinned and glanced over her shoulder.

"I saw a map of the tunnels two years ago. And of escape routes. It was from my great great great grandfather's time. To move troops through the city and palace. In order to mobilize a massive fighting force and put down insurgents. Aren't they wonderful?"

"And you remember all of this from two years ago? During a fleeting glimpse?" Katara didn't know if she was impressed or concerned.

"What you can't?" Azula cackled. They turned a final corner and burst out of the tunnel. They were under a vast starry sky. The twinkling moon gazed down at them. The fresh scent of the bay washed around them. The grass bent in the midnight breeze. Stirring something inside of Katara. For some reason the moonlight felt blue upon her skin. Blue and caressing, like a lost relatives first hug.

"Yessss. We did it." Azula took a deep breath. Closing her eyes in bliss. When they opened the golden globes were glittering with glee.

"We did it. We ran away. We're free."

A small pale hand reached out of the darkness. It clasped around Ursa's mouth. The woman was awake in an instant. Her fingers curled into claws. Her instincts shouting and screaming. She rolled towards the attacker. They never expected that.

She went right off of the bed with an oof. The wind knocked out of her. She got her hands around the short person's throat, preparing to strangle the life out of the would be assassin and sprint to check on her children.

She stopped the moment she saw that it was one of her children. Zuko was pillowed beneath her thighs and chest. She got off of him with a confused sigh. Her hair was falling out of it's bun. She tucked a few loose strands and readjusted her sleeping robe.

"Zuko? Darling what are you doing up? It's the middle of the night." She said in a breathless whisper. Her head was still foggy with sleep. Her mind a whisper away from going back into her warm inviting bed.

"It's Katara and Azula." He said nervously. Another form came from Ursa's side. Kya squatted down beside the two of them. And now Ursa was grateful that Zuko was the one who had woken her up. If she had attacked Kya, the stronger woman would have probably would have taken her out in an instant.

"I thought you would prefer if your son woke you." Kya whispered into Ursa's ear. Ursa rubbed her eyes and then nodded towards the doorway. The three crawled to it and only stood when they were on the other side of the door.

Ursa attempted to salvage what remained of her dignity as she stood to her full regal height. Which was only a breath below Kya. Then again Ursa was also lacking her high heels. They made her look far more imposing. Currently she resembled a rumpled mother goose hen kicked out of her nest without enough sleep.

"Now. What is it you woke the two of us up in the middle of the night?"

"Well Kya was already awake. She was standing in the middle of the room holding big bowls of oil ono her head." Zuko responded. Ursa frowned and glanced at Kya. She shrugged in response.

"He didn't look like a threat, so I didn't wake you up myself." Ursa rolled her eyes and turned back to her son.

"Go on Zuko darling. You will not get into trouble. But you are probably becoming too big to sleep in the same bed as I. We might be able to move the rooms closer, but I doubt your father would take kindly to—"

"It's not that!" Zuko blushed and fiddled with a scroll in his hands. He shoved it to his mother with a flushed face. "I said it was about Katara and Azula."

Ursa opened the scroll. Her eyes scanned it. Then she scanned it again. She frowned as her eyes widened and her jaw tightened.

"Zuko. Back to your room. Now." Zuko fiddled with his knife. He had it in a small sheath around his sleeping robes. Kya had never seen him without a blade. If it wasn't for training then it was ornamental. Almost like a comfort item.

She had seen adult men in the South Pole carry little lucky charms. Trinkets that warded off bad luck, or attracted a fine hunt, some of the trinkets also helped center a mans breathing. She had met a old man in her youth, he had a story shawl his mother had made. He had never once taken it off. It kept his heart from beating too fast. Or his eyes from becoming unfocused. He had been buried with the story shawl.

"They're not going to get in trouble are they mom?" Zuko asked nervously. Ursa frowned at him in response. Her long angular face hardening.

"Your room. Now. Kya and I will deal with your sisters." Ursa turned on her heel and marched down the hallway. Kya touched Zuko's shoulder with a comforting smile.

"It will be alright my prince. Your mom knows what she is doing." Kya stood up and trotted off after Ursa. The woman turned into a grand dressing room. There was a sofa seated in the center, vast mirrors set up along one wall, and wardrobes that could be flung open at a moments notice.

Ursa went from one to the other. Grabbing a sash here, a pair of pants there, sensible boots, a face mask, and a black over coat. She dumped everything at Kya's feet and then went around again.

"What are you waiting for? Get changed! Our girls are out there." Ursa ordered Kya. Kya started and then stumbled into dressing. She dropped her tight form fitting tit rags, then wiggled out of her loin cloth. She was already barefoot so that was no big deal.

Within a few seconds the two women were completely dirsrobed. Ursa had shrugged off her own robe and it had fluttered to the floor. Pooling at her feet like a red velvet puddle. They had been nude together many times before. They'd undressed, torn at each others clothes, pushed and yanked and teased.

But there was a strange intimate comfort in this undressing. And then redressing. Kya adjusted the all black corset that Ursa pulled on. Ursa in turn helped pin up Kya's hair. The two worked like a well trained team. Barely exchanging two words. Kya was surprised by how much she didn't mind it.

The two women were finally all outfitted. Their tight clothes made them resemble incredibly curvy shadows. Ursa grabbed a spear from a final wardrobe, this one filled with weapons. Ursa tossed the spear to Kya and the water tribe woman got a good long look at all the goodies that Ursa had stashed away inside. Knives, swords, throwing stars, a couple of fighting staffs, and a crossbow. Ursa noticed Kya's look. The raised eyebrow 'you have got to be kidding me' look.

"What? A woman has to have her accessories." Ursa defended herself. She attached two knives to her belt, the wrong way, but she still attached them.

"But…forgive my lack of tact mistress…Do you actually know how to use any of those?"

"If a woman in in a corner, with her children cowering behind her, and a man threatening their lives in front of her, then she doesn't need to know how to use it. He just has to worry about surviving her wrath." Kya couldn't fault that logic. It was just another bit of culture shock. That Kya would simply never understand.

The two of them exited the room. Ursa took the lead. Walking with grave authority. She stopped by a tapestry and pulled it aside. Revealing a half open door leading into the pits of the palace.

"Has this always been here?" Kya asked in confusion. Ursa rolled her eyes. She grabbed a torch off of the wall and descended into the depths.

"Stay close. Follow me. We are going to find those two little jerks before this night is over. And they are going to be two little girls who are in BIG trouble."

"So what…you just walk around and check to see if there is a hidden passage behind doors? Or if a wall is fake? Or if a tapestry is secretly hiding a tunnel behind it?" Katara clambered over a rock, turned around, and helped Azula up.

"Of course. Don't you?"

"Yeah… where I came from we didn't exactly have 'tunnels' or 'walls' like that. A wall was just a wall. We didn't have time to make a secret tunnel inside of it." Katara said sarcastically. Azula snorted and shook her head. The black haired little beauty looked good in the moonlight. Natural, subtle, at ease. Like a predator in it's environment. Katara was also relaxing under the light of the moon. The palace roof was so thick that the moon beams never seemed to reach her. But out here? She felt more alive then she had in weeks.

"I keep on forgetting that you aren't from the Fire Nation. They way that you hold yourself. The way that you move. Even the way you speak. You're beginning to pick up some of the accent." Katara blushed, a little embarrassed, a little proud of herself. She had never expected to be given such a compliment. And certainly not by someone like Azula.

The two girls stared out over the bay. The lapping waves were an invitation to Katara's mind. She wanted to go sprinting down the hill, hooting and hollering, making a splashing mess of the water, summoning wave after wave, maybe even diving deep and calling out to that mysterious blue figure.

But at the same time the pack on her back was weighing her down. Azula had shoved it into her hands the moment that they had exited the tunnel. Her knap sack and back pack were large and bulky. The sides were strapped down with scrolls and water gourds. A few bedrolls and an expensive pillow had been thrown on top.

Katara yanked at her collar nervously. The pack was already starting to hurt her shoulders and lower back. She also couldn't help but notice how much lighter's Azula's looked. Almost as if Katara had gotten all of the heavy stuff and Azula had only packed a few choice personal items.

"How much further are we? And how much longer are we going to walk?" Katara complained. Azula sighed and placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh sweet little Katara. Don't you worry your little head about it. We have the entire world at our disposal now. And we have no one's time but our own. Soon the two of us will be off somewhere in the Fire Nation. Or perhaps we could make a tour of the Earth Kingdoms. Wouldn't uncle and Lu Ten find it funny to invade Ba Sing Se only to see the two of us seated on that throne?" Azula let out a chuckle and then began walking again.

"We can go anywhere we wish. We can do anything we want. It is oddly liberating isn't it? Knowing that there is nothing for us back at the palace? No one to love us. No one to mourn us. If anything they will be overjoyed to have us out of the way. Truly this is a scenario where everybody wins."

"Alright. Hold up." Katara held up her hand, her tired brain reeling with everything that Azula was telling her. She didn't have the energy to be polite. "So we're running away. I get that much. But you don't know where we're running to. And you think that no one will miss us back at the palace? That's crazy talk."

Azula raised a surprised eyebrow. Even before leaving she had put on an excellent face of make up. Full red lips, bright golden eye shadow, charcoal eye liner so sharp you could cut yourself with it. She appeared to be preparing for a ball room dance, or some sort of safari excursion. Not running away in the middle of the night like a thief with their booty.

"Well who is left for us? Mother? Kya? My mother hardly even looks at me anymore. And I've noticed the same thing happening with yours. The two of them have nothing but a warped sense of self-congratulatory grandiosity!" Katara frowned in irritation. Now Azula was just using big words to try and sound smart. And to purposefully muddle the issue. And to more importantly, avoid answering the question. After all who used the word 'grandiosity' in a sentence seriously?

Sometimes Katara just didn't know how to react to the other girl. It was almost like Azula spoke about things from another planet. And expected everyone else to keep up with her. It was impossible, daunting, and exhausting. But Katara belonged to her, so who knew who was right and who was wrong.

"What about Zuko? Master Zuko." Katara corrected herself quickly. She knew that the slip of the tongue might mean a nasty punishment. But Azula brushed it off. She was probably cataloguing it for later. When she could really use it against the other girl.

"We don't need him. We don't need anyone. Not mother. Not Kya. Not Zuko. Certainly not Mai and Ty Lee. They are all traitors. Snake weasels out to undermine us." Azula turned and began marching again. Katara paused and rocked back on her heels.

"Ah." She blew some air out from between her teeth. "So that's what this all is about."

Azula turned around with a snarl. Her eyes flashing dangerously.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She snapped. Katara glanced down to the side in submission. The past few months of training had gotten into her hard. Even when all alone all the way out by the ocean….she still felt the need to cater to Azula's whims. And to ease the angry girls fire.

"Nothing. It's just…nothing." Azula nodded, seemingly at ease with this excuse. Then frowned. She strode over and grabbed Katara's chin sharply. Yanking her head up so they were glaring eye to eye. Her soft fingers pressed into Katara's pretty little jaw. Katara pursed her lips, making an adorable little bow.

"No. I order you to tell me."

"Fine. So that's what this is all about right? You and Mai and Ty Lee. You and your friends. And how you hurt them." Azula's sharp thumbnail pressed threateningly into Katara's chin. She did not draw blood, but she did dimple the flesh. Just a hint.

"What exactly are you implying?"

"You feel bad. You hurt someone that you care about. And now you're freaking out and want to run away from it all." Katara prepared for the hit. She anticipated the hurt. Her core tightened and her still bare feet dug into the dirt and grass. But it didn't come. Azula just stood. Blocking out the dark sky and the bright stars.

"You don't know what you're talking about." She responded softly. Katara grinned, her heart started to beat anxiously. She might actually be getting somewhere with her. Katara felt a weird boiling sensation inside of her. She might actually be getting a leg up on Azula!

"You care about Ty Lee and Mai. No matter how much you want to pretend that you don't you actually had feelings for them. They were your friends. You chose them because you liked being around them."

"I chose them because they were useful to me. They have the proper class and breeding to affiliate themselves with—"

"And you wanted them to like you. And they did. But you don't know if they still will after what happened with the fire and Mai's face. It's okay to feel bad about it. It's okay to feel frustrated or sad or angry. But running away doesn't solve anything. It never does. You need to stand your ground and accept the consequences of what's happened." Azula pressed her thumb against Katara's lips.

The princess raised her fingers, small flames glittered on her nails like jewels. She was scowling at Katara. Katara stared at the fire, stared at the heat, Azula had threatened to burn her thousands of times. And she was not afraid.

Katara felt the dew around them, the cold, the chill, the moonlight. She flexed her fingers and a line of water crept up to her hand. She held it there and then raised her fingers and pressed them to Azula's fingertips.

The steam drifted between their faces. Azula pulled her hand free and turned around angrily. Her heel digging into the grass.

"Come. We will commandeer a fishing boat, you will use it to bring us to the outer isles. Or perhaps the Earth Kingdoms. We will move from there to the mainland and eventually Ba Sing Se. There is a legend that a massive spirit library—"

"A man took me and my mom from our home. He was in our house and I didn't run away. I am glad I didn't run away. Because he brought us here. To you, and to Zuko, and to your mother. And I am happy that he did. Otherwise I would have never met you. Any of you."

"Shut up!" Azula turned and flung a fireball at Katara. Katara didn't duck or cower. She willed the dew up off of the grass and instantly made a thin sheet of water. It burst and burnt away. But she still stood unharmed.

"No. If we are running away, if we are beholden to no one but each other….Then I'm going to speak my mind." Katara dropped her packs and squared her shoulders. Azula frowned and took her own stance.

"So be it." She growled. The two kids sprinted at each other. Howling and summoning their elements.

The two women were wearing matching cloaks over their fancy garments. Ursa's hood was pulled up over her head. Kya was holding the leash to the sniffer hound. The long nosed and wet eared drooling beast kept eyes low and hopped quickly along.

"Come on! Find her already!" Ursa growled anxiously towards the small animal. It paused next to a rock, sniffed eagerly, and then raised a leg. Ursa glared at Kya who shrugged in response.

"Remind me to have you trained on animal husbandry and care after this." Ursa said cooly. Kya rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Yes mistress. Anything else I should be taught? First aid? Archery? Historical lessons on long dead cultures?" Ursa pinched Kya's ass through the ankle length swishing wool blanket. Then thought for a moment.

"Archery might actually be useful for you and Katara to learn. But more importantly we must find that hard headed brat of mine." Ursa started marching again. She got past the scent hound and then trotted back.

"Would you move that bitch along?" Kya nodded and cooed the creature forward. It sniffed the child sized coat that Kya was carrying a few more times. The animal sprang forward and turned down a new path. The freshy crushed grass stems were still damp in the moonlight.

"Running away, I swear that daughter of mine really doesn't know how to be a proper young lady. If she isn't being cruel then she is being conniving. If she isn't following orders perfectly then she is rebelling in some obnoxious manner. If she isn't making my life a living nightmare." Ursa shook her head. Kya nodded her head, but bit her lip quietly.

She looked out over the hills. She could see the massive capital. The tunnel had let out further into the foothills. The sharp volcanic mountains off in the distance had a small orange glow about them. The scent of ash filled the air. Kya could see the lights of other cities and towns further along the coast. The winking fires of hundreds sleeping made her heart go pitter patter.

Her mother in law had spoken of the old South Pole. Of a icy tundra that was covered in igloo's and winter melon fields. Of sledges and sleds being dragged by great woolly saber toothed mamm-myth's. Of boats so numerous on the bay that the lanterns reflected the starlight.

Now only the starlight gazed down at an icy isolation. Kya did not want to admit that she was impressed by the Fire Nation and it's industrialization. But the South Pole tribe had been isolated, focused on its past and its rugged individuality. They were obsessed with tradition to the point that they couldn't even put aside their petty differences to launch a concentrated counter attack to the Fire Nation's southern raiders.

She didn't know if she felt humbled, humiliated, or interested. Maybe a sense of all three.

"I remember when she was born. Azulon was there, he had assassinated his siblings during their births. And his father had done something similar to his own heirs. Azulon wished to make sure that Iroh didn't plan anything. Azula came out of me screaming. Kicking, biting, punching. She was howling at the indecency of being my daughter. I fainted and Ozai got to hold her first and give her her name. Azula has resented me ever since." Ursa paused beside a rock, breathing heavily. She was clearly winded.

"Are we out of water?" Ursa wiped her brow and sat heavily. Kya pulled out a gourd and handed it to the other woman. Ursa chugged gratefully and huffed.

"Those two are faster then I thought. To think they've already gotten this far." Ursa shook her head. Kya glanced back the way they had come.

"We've only gone maybe two miles Mistress." Kya pointed out. Kya used to run four miles to gather plants and other items for dinner. Ursa spent all of her time walking from one room to the other in the palace. The Fire Nation royal was obviously out of shape. Or at least not used to strenuous exercise. If she thought a brisk hike was difficult Kya couldn't imagine how Ursa would deal with actual strenuous movement.

"Exactly! Just more proof of that that that….dunder head punishing me! She doesn't need to be so cruel all the time. So ambitous, so rude, her brother is nothing like that! Zuko is smart, he is kind, he is driven, hard working. A prince through and through. Azula has all of the qualities of a rattle rat."

"Or of a fire bender." Kya said coyly. She gazed up at the sky and took a deep breath. Being outside during the night was a rare treat. And she was enjoying every moment of it.

"What are you saying?" Ursa said warningly. Her chest was heaving beneath her corset. Her nipples threatening to bounce out. She pushed a finger at Kya's own breast warningly.

"Are you saying I don't take care of my children? Are you saying I resent my daughter for the way she treats me? That I resent having to take care of Ozai's offspring? That I didn't want a second child? Let alone one so so so….pig headed! So angry! So much like like like like Ozai?"

"Like Ozai? Forgive my tongue my lady. Azula is like you." Ursa stumbled back as if she had been slapped. She landed heavily on a rock. Head shaking, denial heavy in her eyes.

"No. No….Azula…She's…I love her but…the way she acts. The selfishness. The wickedness. The underhanded maneuvering….I cannot encourage that. I love her. But I would never encourage that."

Ursa stared into the distance. Shock burnt into every line of her face. She looked young. The years of motherhood falling away. Kya was struck by how young the woman looked. They had to be the same age. Which meant they both had their boy's around the same year. Barely out of childhood, not yet into that ease of womanhood. The uncomfortable unnamable between that marked so many thrust into responsibility while too young.

Kya walked behind Ursa. Letting the royal mull her words over. Kya placed a hand on Ursa's shoulder. She leaned forwards so that her chin rested on Ursa's other shoulder.

"You and Azula are a lot alike. Held back by what's expected of you. Smarter then others give you credit for. Driven but constrained, and powerful, and loving. But unable to show it."

"Y-yes." Kya felt a thrill roll up her spine. Like she had been struck by lightning.

"Admit it. You just liked Zuko more because he was a boy. You would have relished having Azula's ruthlessness in a son."

"I….yes…"

Kya grinned smugly. She felt powerful, important, like she was pulling the future by puppet springs. She didn't know where this might lead….But she had a moment over Ursa. She had a single heartbeat of power over Ursa. This moment would never come again. But for a second the tables were turned. They were actually equals.

Kya leaned against Ursa. Pressing her tits to Ursa's shoulders. Their toes curled, their hearts beat in perfect harmony.

"Say it." Kya was breathless in anticipation. Ursa felt her chin quiver in realization.

"I…I was a bad mother…I was a bad mother to my baby." She burst into tears. A hand pressed to her lips as all the memories shot into her. How she would ignore Azula for Zuko. How she would praise the littlest flame that came from him. How she would roll her eyes at Azula's 'showboating' and then applaud wildly at Zuko's movements. How she heaped praise upon one and treated the other as a mistake.

More images, ones she hadn't even known about came to her. Of Azula waiting patiently to play pai sho with her. Instead Ursa had been feeding turtle ducks with Zuko.

Of Azula running to her as a toddler, a dead bird in her hands, a big grin on her face. Instead of explaining death and the seasons to the confused child Ursa had slapped the corpse from her daughter's hands.

Azula looking smaller, more resentful, more alone, and forcing more walls between them as she grew older. Ursa's head snapped up.

"I….I did not encourage her bad habits. But I did not support her good habits. I pushed her away. I love her, and I pushed her away. I didn't even check in with her after the incident with Mai. I just went straight to Zuko."

"Good." Kya purred. She kissed Ursa's chin sweetly. She then pulled back and held a hand out. "Well? What are we waiting for? Our daughter's are still out there. And chances are good they will have gotten into some sort of trouble by now."

A gout of flame burst into the air. It was almost a mile off, with the wind blowing off towards the ocean. The view had to be spectacular from other there. And from the other fire balls that followed three additional smaller ones, it was. The sounds of small girlish arguing came to the two mothers. Ursa and Kya exchanged a look. Then their eyes hardened.

Fatigue forgotten the two sprinted the rest of the way.

Azula and Katara were seated on their back packs. Shoulder to shoulder. Eyes downcast, the whooshing of the waves echoing around them. Each one holding a small hard sugar cookie. Katara chewed at hers sullenly. The tips of her hair were singed. Azula shivered and bit into her cookie ferociously. The melted ice had made her make up run.

They glanced at each other and then away. The grass was burnt from Azula's fire, frozen from Katara's water, and trampled from where the two had rolled over and over biting and clawing at the other.

Finally Katara turned to look at her mistress, her lips opened. Azula whipped her head around, her hair falling over her eyes.

"You fought good!"

"You weren't terrible!"

They both sighed and glanced back at the ocean and the stars. It was humbling being so far away from everything. From the palace. From their mothers. From expectations and roles and the things they had to do.

"I wish we could stay out here forever." Katara said as she wrapped her arms around her legs. She gazed up at the clouds. The world looked so perfect from here. She could spot the Southern sister. A constellation that pointed back towards the south. Whenever she was star gazing her Gran Gran would point it out to her.

If you see the Southern Sister you can find your way home. No member of the tribe is lost if they can see the Sisters.

Azula let out a long sigh. Her mind was reeling, the fight had been short but intense. A battle that no one would see. A fight that she could not brag about. A fight against a Bonafide water bender. She shivered, she had never fought a water bender before. It felt glorious.

Azula glanced over at Katara, openly staring at the other girl. Katara gazed at the stars shyly. Not sure what should be said.

"I miss the palace." Katara said softly.

"Why do you only sleep in Zuzu's bed?" Azula asked purposefully. Katara blushed and played with her collar. Katara grinned in embarrassment, after all how could she answer that?

"Well…He asked me to…He said I keep his bed warm and well…He never told me to stop."

"What else did he ask of you? What makes you so special? Why does Zuzu want you? What does he have you do?" Azula was leaning forwards. Their eyes were locked, their faces very close. Noses almost touching. Katara noticed that Azula was bright eyed and red faced. Katara felt her lips part and a bit of spit on her lips. She had never been aware of her teeth before.

"He uh…He didn't ask but he once uh….hekissedmeonthelips!" Katara covered her face and turned away nervously. Her heart was almost banging out of its chest. She felt like she might just faint.

"What was it like?" Azula asked softly. Her breath tickling Katara's neck. Azula's soot stained finger tips turned Katara's head. Katara tucked her chin in and stared at Azula with a drum booming in her chest.

"Sort of like this." It was quick, dry, and made Azula turn the color of a burnt tenderloin.

"Oh." Azula said softly in realization.

The rapid crunching of adult feet on the early morning grass caught their attention. They both shot up, hands at the ready. Two black shadows appeared from the hills, one was holding a spear, the two black shadows saw the girls. The two black shadows increased their speed.

"Azula!" Ursa shouted in terror. Azula stiffened and lowered her hands in defeat.

"Hello mother." She said icily. Then yelped in surprise. Ursa wrapped her arms around her daughter. Pulling her in for a strong hug. Azula's eyes widened in shock. She was so tiny and Ursa so very tall. The arms squeezing her felt strong as steel and insistent as boa boars.

"You scared me! I had no idea where you had run off to!" Ursa held Azula out at arms length and shook her a little. She wagged a finger in her daughter's face warningly.

"I swear if you scare me like that again I'll…."She couldn't even finish the sentence. Tears were glistening in her eyes. She pulled Azula back in for another stronger hug. A little breath pressed out of her. Azula awkwardly untangled an arm and patted her mom's back in confusion. She couldn't recall the last time her mother had actually hugged her.

"We are so glad that the two of you are okay." Kya dropped to her knees and embraced Azula and Ursa. Squeezing the two of them tightly. Azula was squished between the two larger women. Her eyes peeking out over their shoulders.

Katara awkwardly rubbed her elbow. She was left out of the hugging circle. Ursa pulled away from Azula and gripped the little girl by her tiny round cheeks.

"Listen to me. You are to never run away again. If you need help with anything you tell me do you understand?" Azula's eyes reflected the stars. Her breath was hitching in her chest. Her mind was a turmoil of emotions.

"We are always here for you Azula. Never forget that." Ursa ran her fingers along her daughter's cheek. Petting the child like she was a scared lost animal. She frowned at the ice that had frozen to Azula's hair, where in the world had that come from? It almost looked like she had been splashed by water. It would take forever to comb them out. They certainly couldn't melt the ice. That might burn Azula's hair as badly as Katara's now singed tips.

"Always." Kya squeezed the little girl one last time. She then stood up and brushed her knees clean. She turned to Katara with a stern frown.

"As for you young lady. You should have known better then that. You really frightened me." Kya said with a bit of a pout. Katara scuffed her bare foot into the dirt.

"I'm sorry mom." Kya walked to her daughter and got to one knee. Placing her hands on Katara's shoulders. Kya stared intently into her daughter's eyes.

"You should be. There will be consequences for this. And I am sorry." She then pulled Katara into a fierce hug and rested her chin on Katara's shoulder.

"I will never leave you Katara. I will keep you safe until my dying breath. But I can only do that if you're close to me. Please my snow lily, please don't leave me." Kya felt her chest thrumming with fear. Katara's balled hands squeezed against Kya's shoulders. Trying to pull as much of her mother to her as possible.

"Kya. Katara." Ursa said warningly behind them both. Ursa was holding Azula's hand tightly. Giving it a little warning squeeze. Kya untangled Katara from her. Ursa motioned for Katara to step forward.

The little girl did so. And then gasped, the whistle of Ursa's slap echoed around them. Kya let out a little gasp, covering her mouth nervously. Ursa's brow was furrowed. Her stern air billowing off of her.

"You are in a massive amount of trouble young lady. You worried me sick! So….there will be no table privileges for the next three months for you, all meals will be taken on the floor. And no dessert for either one of you. As for you Azula….No hogging Kya all to yourself. For the next two months."

The girls began to chatter and complain like a pair of vulture gophers. Saying how that wasn't fair. How they didn't mean to worry anyone. How they had just been playing, honest!

Ursa held up her hands warningly.

"I have spoken! Do you want to make it four months?" Both girls shut their traps immediately. Ursa shook her head in disgust. "You are both lucky I don't ground you for two years after that little stunt of yours. You both are going to get a bigger talking to when we get home. Now come along. Your morning training will begin early for you both." Katara turned to look at her mom. Azula had slunk slowly behind Kya, as if hiding behind the older woman would keep her safe.

"Mom?"

Kya shook her head in disappointment and crossed her arms. Her impressive bust jiggling a little. It always seemed to get bigger every day.

"Mistress Ursa has made her choice Katara. We must abide by her rules."

"Darn tooting." Ursa said with a sharp frown.

Ursa grabbed Katara's hand. Katara grabbed Azulas. And Azula took Kya's. The four women turned and began to trudge back towards the secret entrance. Katara and Azula began to whisper little secrets to each other. They were not sneaky, their mother's heard everything.

Kya glanced at Ursa. The other mother gazed at her wordlessly. What a strange environment the two found themselves living in. What a strange life. The four women headed back towards the palace, back to their home.

Review. Faster updates for this and other stories if this and other stories get more reviews. Would love to see art work of this or any of my other work. Faster reviews for my other less popular stories means that more updates at a faster pace. Or just more stories like this one.

Also any requests in reviews will probably be ignored.

Also just to be clear. I do not do pedophilia, all characters are aged up in this stuff or aged down depending on the character, no loli, no yaoi, no shota, I don't do watersports (Shit/Piss/fart fetish shit)I don't do stuff like vore or entire bodies getting shoved into places (Shrink play) I don't do blood play or torture (Ball/cock crushing etc) or certain old people, (Yes I am a fucking hypocrite) . Also if you ask for something in reviews that normally means I won't do it. So anyone who asks for that will be disappointed. If you have questions/requests/suggestions PM me instead.

Also have an ao3 account under the same name. and same titles.