A/N- This is my first fanfiction and I hope you all enjoy. This is not really much of a Katara/Zuko story, just because there’s really nothing going on between the two. I would very much like constructive criticism (and regular good ol’comments are always welcome) to help me become a better writer. With much thanks,

Chakicu

Avatar the Last Airbender are © and belongs to its appropriate owners.

“Our supplies are low again…” Katara stated glaring at her brother, “What?” he said baffled with a mouth full of berries. Katara rolled her eyes at her Sokka and decided to sit by Aang who was on Appa’s head.

“Are we near a town yet, Aang? Sokka’s been stuffing his face AGAIN,” she turned to Sokka again and he was still eating, “so we need to re-supply, alright?”

Aang laughed and gave her one of his big grins, “We’re in luck, there’s a town right below us. We can stop there.”

Once they landed safely the three left Appa and Momo. The giant bison lounged near the grasslands not to far off with Momo.

“We’ll be back Appa, Momo.” Aang waved the two goodbye and Appa gave him a grunt back.

“So what’s this place called anyways?” Sokka was eyeing the town suspiciously with his arms behind his head.

“I’m not sure,” Aang looked around, “I don’t think it was here a hundred years ago. It must be a fairly recent town.” This town seemed to be a great place for trading with all the stalls, if only there were people there.

“This place is giving me the creeps. Where is everybody?” Katara lowered her head but her eyes still scanned the empty settlement.

“HELLO?” Aang yelled loud enough to where an echo replied back. Katara and Sokka grabbed each other panicking, only to realize it was only Aang.

“Is anyone here?” No answer but the wind rushing by.

“I guess not,” Sokka said with a smirk, “Maybe they left some food behind? I’ll go look.” After that was said, Sokka slinked off going through each of the stalls, seeing if he could find anything. Aang looked at Katara,

“Where is everybody?”

“I don’t know, Aang.” She looked at the smaller boy with a somewhat saddened look and shrugged her shoulders, “Maybe we should take a look around. Someone’s bound to be here and it never hurts to try.”

Aang smiled yet still looking down at the ground, “You know Katara, maybe someone is here,” he paused and glanced at the blue-eyed girl, “but…what if the firebenders---”

“No Aang.” The waterbender said sternly yet compassionate. She placed her right hand on his shoulder, “If they were here, I’m sure there would be signs of them being here, I’m sure of it.”

The young airbender grinned yet again, “Thanks Katara.” She made a slight chuckle, No problem. Now let’s take a look around shall we?”

After an hour of searching the abandoned settlement, all was found was a small doll and a diary. The last entry was made the day before the arrival of the small group:

A boy came to our town with a ground of other boys. Many of them looked younger than their leader and they all wore either ragged clothing or armor. The leader said his name was ‘Jet’ I believe and had said he was going to ‘free us’ from the firebenders. Our people, mainly the elders, told them that the firebenders had done nothing to hurt us and asked him to leave. This ‘Jet’ threaten our elders by saying that he would do anything to rid this world of the firebenders even at the cost of our lives and that they had brainwashed us and so on. Soon after the firebender guards noticed the commotion and chased them out. The elders told the guards what had happened and now everyone is evacuating. I hope we will be safe and able to return home.

Katara put the book in her robe hoping to return it to its proper owner in due time.

“Hey! Are you coming or not?”

Katara snapped out of her daze, “Huh? Oh yes! I’ll be there in a sec, Sokka.” She ran towards her brother, “Coming!” She saw Aang next to him holding some rations.

“We found these in the market. Hopefully no one gets mad at us. What did you find Katara?” Aang tilted his head towards her curiously.

“Nothing…” She than again drifted off, ‘…Jet…’

“Are you sure?” Sokka’s eyebrow was raised. Katara looked at him,

“Oh I found a small doll. That was it. I didn’t find anything else.”

He watched her closely, ‘…something’s not right about this picture…’

“Alright if you insist, we better head back to Appa and Momo, night’s coming in fast.” Aang and Katara nodded in reply.

Nightfall; the stars were adorning the black velvet of the sky and was topped off by the moon, the pearl of the night. Everyone but Katara fell asleep. She could not no matter how hard she tried, her mind was uneasy, ‘Why is Jet doing this? How---’

CRACK! ‘What was that?’ Katara quickly sat up and turned her attention to the sound. It was coming from the desolated town. She silently crept away from her camp and ran. At night the city was beautiful with its slender steeple roofs that curved on its edges like elegant waves. The moon gave the roofs a sliver glow that made this place enchanting yet gave it an almost a haunted feeling. Katara was almost entranced by her surroundings until she her footsteps to her right. Just as she was going to follow them she was stopped. A hand was gripping her shoulder so she wouldn’t get away. Katara froze with her eyes and mouth wide open.

“Lead me to him.”

Katara turned around and saw the last person she wanted to see, Prince Zuko. He lowered his head but his eyes still locked with hers. The moon gave his golden eyes a sliver-bluish gloss which made him seem less fierce. The waterbender was in awe, not because his looks or simply because his eyes were locked on with hers but because she knew he wasn’t referring to the Avatar; it was Jet he was after, she knew it, it was in his eyes. ‘Why did he stop me? He could have followed me without me knowing.’

Without a word she headed off to where she was going to go before hoping she wasn’t too late. She slowed down as she noticed a dam not to far off from the city but it was surrounded by a fairly large lake. Katara looked around to see if there was another way to get there, than she noticed a hole in the ground. As she peered down the hole she saw a bamboo ladder leading down into a tunnel. She saw Zuko standing next to her motioning his arm down and slightly bowing his head but made no expressions and said nothing. All Katara could do is give him a funny look and go down the stairs. She had to know what Jet was up to and why he was doing this even though she had an idea she wanted know. When they both were in the tunnel, Zuko ignited fire from his hand to bring light into the underground path. They both noticed footsteps in the mud. Katara did not hesitate and left Zuko. Zuko did not care he would catch up, but he had to make sure of something first. He kneeled down and with his free hand ran his fingers in the mud to smell it, ‘Gunpowder…’ a scowl came across his face and he stood up looking in Katara’s path, he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth slightly, ‘You’re mine.’

It did not take long for Zuko to catch up with the waterbender and pass her by than not to long afterwards stopping. The young girl saw Jet and five large barrels of gunpowder. As she stepped forward, the firebender placed one arm on her chest and pushed her behind him and took one step ahead,

“Step away from the dam,”

Jet looked back surprised and said in a whisper, “Firebenders…” He turned his whole body around to face this hated foe. Jet didn’t care who he was, just that he was in Firenation armor, “Heh, not on my grave,”

“This will be your grave if you don’t leave,” Zuko stared into Jet’s eyes, gazing into his soul, analyzing his opponent. The rebel leader advanced towards Zuko,

“Oh yeah, all you murdering firebenders need to---“

“Don’t say another word…” Zuko now looked up into his prey’s eyes whose throat was now in the firebender’s grasp with his feet was just above the ground by a few inches. It now struck Jet that someone else was there with them,

“Katara?” His words broke off seeing as he was trying to gasp for air, “You….traitor! You…sided…with the…enemy!”

“She didn’t side with anyone.” Zuko made his grip tighter, “If you resist or try anything I will kill you.” Katara gasped, ‘What should I do?’