Hola, everyone.
Just wanted to say how much I appreciate all your comments and votes.
Love you all!
-Ellie
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Aang watched through long eyelashes as Katara’s eyes glittered silver in the moonlight before she turned to walk away. His sleep-deprived mind barely had time to register the soft expression on her face before dreams of chocolate hair and sapphire eyes invaded his mind again.
***
“Hey!” A loud voice crudely woke the sleeping Water Tribe boy. “Where’s Katara?”
Sokka sat up and yawned. Scratching his head, he looked up at the airbender boy standing over him.
“I dunno,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “I bet she just went off to practise her waterbending near the river and fell asleep.”
He wasn’t worried. Katara knew what she was doing, and she was definitely not vulnerable. Sokka had witnessed her skills first hand. She could hold her own in any fight. Besides, it would never come to that. They were in a secluded part of a forest; it would be impossible for anyone to sneak up on them. At least, that’s what Sokka told himself.
“Well, I’m sure Katara would be touched at your concern,” Aang huffed. He prodded the dying fire, blowing into it in a failed attempt to relight it. But the stupid embers wouldn’t light.
Giving up, Aang brushed his hands against his trousers and stood. His eyes were drawn to the treeline, still dark even though it was morning. He couldn’t help thinking about Katara’s smile before she turned away. There had been kindness there, but something else too…
The Avatar turned to face Sokka.
“Come on,” he said, forcefully. “Let’s find her.”
***
A tree branch suddenly materialised in front of Aang’s face, and he brushed it away impatiently. Neither of the boys had realised how far it was to the river. It had been lighter when they’d first made their way to Jeong Jeong’s camp, and they’d had Chey to lead the way.
Aang glanced at Sokka warily. He didn’t like to think about how dark it must have been for Katara when she’d made her way through the forest. It was hard to see now, when the sun was up, let alone when the sky was dark as well.
They pushed on faster.
After what seemed like hours, the two companions finally burst through the shrub and stopped before they hit the fast-flowing river. They looked around frantically, but there was no sign of the Water Tribe girl.
Aang tried to calm his breathing, but he couldn’t help assuming the worst. After seeing the state in which the Fire Nation had left his only home, there was no other way to think.
Meeting Sokka’s equally distressed eyes, they decided to split up.
“You go that way,” Sokka told Aang, point downriver. “And I’ll go this way. Meet back here in ten minutes.”
***
There was nothing. No sign at all. No scuff marks to tell if there’d been a struggle, no broken branches - no clues whatsoever.
It killed Aang not to know what had happened.
Maybe Sokka had found something.
It was obvious from the Water Tribe boy’s expression that he hadn’t found anything either.
Aang sank to his knees and buried his head in his hands. No no no no no… Not Katara. His stomach dropped and he felt sick. What if- no. He refused to even think that. She was alive and they would get her back.
As Sokka paced back and forth, they both came to the same conclusion. There was only one way anyone could reach this part of the clearing, and that was on the river.
Hatred sparked in both of the boy’s eyes as they nodded bitterly to each other.
Whoever had taken Katara would pay.
***
Zuko grinned smugly to himself as he watched the Avatar and the girl’s brother take off upriver on the flying bison.
Agni, they were predictable.
He turned back towards the forest, his mind already on his next problem: how to convince Katara he needed his honour back, and that the only way he’d get that was if he had her friend.
This was going to be one of the hardest things the banished Prince would ever have to do.
