Avatar : Echoes of the Heart

Chapter 2: Whispering Shadows

Ten years. Ten years ago, Team Avatar ended the dreadful Hundred Year War. However, the ten years that Katara and Aang have been apart, it felt more dreadful than a century year long war. Aang couldn't bare waking up everyday and not seeing Katara's big ocean blue eyes, and smelling her sweet cherry blossom scent. She had been gifted a cherry blossom scent bottle from the perfume shop after they parted ways from Bato. Since then, she had continuously worn the scent as she liked the scent just as much as Aang did. Katara on the other hand, she had continuous dreams and constant reminders of Aang's sweet goofy grin, and she would give anything to see it again.

Aang woke up and looked into the sky, rubbing his eyes and exiting his earth tent. With Toph feeling the movements, she let hers down as well and stood up. With her and Aang being best friends, Aang did Toph's hair for her due to her not being able to see. When he finished, Toph thanked him and gathered her things. Aang air bent the saddle onto Appa, his furry friend licking his face as Momo flew onto his shoulder to give him a good morning lick. Suddenly, Toph stomped on the ground and sent a earth pillar into the air, someone slamming down onto the ground behind Aang. Aang looked at the man confused until he noticed his uniform.

"We're being watched!" Toph yelled out, raising small rocks and sending them into the forests like bullets.

Aang ran into the forest, picking the men off one by one. They couldn't hit someone they couldn't see, and Aang used his speed to his advantage. During his travels through the years, Aang had to save a village from a dangerous storm, and in the midst of it, a young boy was almost struck by lightning. Acting quickly, Aang grabbed the boy and dodged the strike of lightning. He soon fought the storm himself, and ended it by forming a storm of his own and engulfing that one, cancelling them both out entirely. On his departure, he saw some men with the same uniforms on as the men that he and Toph were fighting against. With a swift kick, Aang not only knocked them off their feet, but he leveled that section of the forest. Toph earth bent them all into an earth prison and Aang ran through them, knocking them all out one by one.

"We should turn them in. These guys are bad news." Aang said, walking back to Appa to find a rope.

"Had any run ins with them?" Toph asked, blowing her bangs out of her face as they walked.

"Yeah, a couple times actually. I think they're an Anti Avatar group." Aang explained, jumping onto the saddle and searching his bag.

"Well whoever they are, I'm sure we'll kick their ass." Toph said, plastering a menacing grin on her face as Aang rose from searching his bag.

"Listen Toph, I get we're adults, but you don't have to curse every chance you get. Maybe every now and then?" Aang suggested.

"Hmmm.......... nah." Toph responded, punching Aang in the shoulder.

Back in the water tribe, Katara was currently finishing the festival games. She decided to help outside before she would have to help with everything inside. The games consisted of kid favorites and a few new games. After finishing the inside constructing of one of the game stations, Katara heard her father calling her name, and she knew immediately that the tiring part of her day had just begun. Walking into the Chieftain Hall, Katara greeted the young children that followed their parents around the hall. Sighing to herself, Katara walked into the kitchen and cracked her knuckles, ready to begin the 6 hour long process of preparing water tribe dishes. While she began preparing the green foods, Katara thought back to a memory she had with Aang.

[10 Years Ago; 6 Weeks After The War]
In an inn within Ba Sing Se's inner walls, the Gaang all sat around in the living room as Katara and Suki made dinner. The boys and Toph were arguing over the matter of who would go with Sokka to find his space sword. Aang declared he had business to handle, and Zuko said the Fire Nation needed him. Toph agreed but only because Suki was leaving with Zuko to go back with the Kyoshi Warriors. Enraged by the idea of spending at most 2 weeks with Sokka, Toph sent a well sized rock at his head, knocking him out momentarily. Right after this, the girls came out the kitchen with a tray of food in each of their hands. Setting the plates down, Aang grabbed a bowl of Souther Water Tribe noodles and began eating them. The light in Aang's eyes suddenly brightened as he began stuffing his mouth with the noodles. To him, the noodles were almost as good as Egg Custard, if not just as good. Katara looked at Aang devour the noodles she made and a small red hue plastered her cheeks. Toph felt Katara's heart skip a beat and smirked.

"Oh Katara, are you really blushing because Aang is enjoying the food?" Toph teased, Katara now noticeably blushing as the smell of meat suddenly woke up Sokka.

"MEAT!" Sokka exclaimed as he woke up.

Katara rolled her eyes and looked away when suddenly Aang finished his food. When she looked up, she saw he was holding his bowl out to her with a sweet smile on his face.

"More, please." Aang said politely and sweetly, plastering that adorable goofy grin that she loved on his face.

"Coming right up." Katara said, grabbing the bowl and quickly walking to the kitchen.

"House wife already, Sugar Queen?" Toph called out, still carelessly eating her Tofu.

"Shut up, Toph!" Katara yelled out as everyone, including Aang, bursted into laughter.

[Present Day Water Tribe]
Katara exited her memory, a tear stain flowing down her left cheek. Katara had shed a tear at the thought of Aang and one their last good memories of each other. There was no bad blood now on her end, it was just determined by Aang now.

Aang and Toph sat quietly as they flew across the sky. Toph layed back down and went back to sleep in the saddle and Aang sat on Appa's head, a stern look on his face. Those men had fought him once before today, and he wondered just what they wanted. They didn't seem to have just hate for him, but for Toph also. Maybe it was another Ozai situation? Whatever it was, Aang was now going to be on top of it at every turn. But also, Katara was on his mind. Sokka as well. He hadn't hesrd from Sokka in a while, and had hoped he was okay, and he knew he wanted to make up with Katara. While thinking of ways to make up with her, Momo flew onto his shoulder and began chirping in his ear.

"I should be myself?" Aang asked his lemur, Momo chirping back in response.

"Yeah, I guess so."

They had passed Kyoshi Island by now, and that meant they'd arrive tomorrow evening, and just in time for the event. While they flew, Aang saw something else large flying in the air. Whipping the reigns, Appa sped up, and Aang suddenly got a big joyous smile on his face.

"Zuko!" Aang said, flipping his staff and turning it into his glider and gliding towards Druk.

Catching up, Druk growled at Zuko, causing Zuko to turn and survey his surroundings. Looking to his left, he saw a familiar bald head and arrow flying directly towards them.

"Aang!" Zuko said, surprised of his appearance.

"Sup Zuko, Mai." Aang greeted, and nodded at Mai.

"We're stopping at Wale Tail Island, you should follow us!" Zuko announced, Aang agreeing and letting the winds blow him back to Appa.

With him being united with Zuko again, Aang knew they were getting closer, and with Zuko being good with the ladies, maybe she could help him out. He might've had a chance to fix things now. He had no bad blood towards Katara, and he desperately missed her and wanted to apologize to her. Feeling hopeful, Aang's smile turned to a smile of confidence.

Unbeknownst to Aang and Zuko, something had been following Zuko, and the large silhouette in the water peeked out, it's reptile eyes sending a piercing gaze to the two large animals in the sky. Going back under, it continued to slowly stalk the two animals, unbeknownst of the power that protected them.