Entwined

Chapter 4

 Katara couldn't see Lee in the darkness of the tunnel, but she listened to the soft sound of his footsteps to follow him through. After a few moments, she could see a bit of light at what she guessed was an opening.

When the pair neared the end, she watched as Lee pushed aside the green vines that hung from the cliff wall. The light blinded her at first, but her eyes soon adjusted.

Katara stopped to look back. The entrance to the tunnel could not be seen once the vines were back in place. It looked like an ordinary cliff wall. No wonder no person ever found her tower. Any passerby wouldn't notice it.

She looked the red figure in front of her. Just how did he find the tunnel that led to her tower?

The waterbender quickly lost her train of thought as she finally realized she was really, truly free. She turned back around to survey her surroundings.

They were in small clearing surrounded by a lush forest with so many shades of green she couldn't count them all. It was refreshing to see something different than what she'd stared at through a window all of her life. She marveled at trees and flowers and smiled at the loud chirping of birds as they flew above.

So this is what Grandmother sees, she thought to herself.

Her chest suddenly hurt as a horrible feeling consumed her. Her heart felt like it was being pulled in a thousand different directions.

Grandmother.

Katara knew Hama wouldn't never approve of what she was doing. Leaving the tower with some stranger? She couldn't begin to imagine how angry the older woman would be.

But what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her, right?

Right?

Katara stopped walking. She felt tears swell in her eyes. She tried to cover her mouth to keep any sound from coming out, but a sob managed to escape from her lips.

Hearing the noise, Lee glanced back at her. She watched as he made a look of pure disdain and stopped walking, then turned around to face her.

"What are you doing?" she heard him say.

Covering her face with her hands, she mumbled, "I don't think I can do this."

"What?"

"I don't know if I can do this!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. She began to pace back and forth in the clearing as a tear fell from her eye.

"I'm a horrible person," she said, more to herself than to Lee. "Grandmother would never forgive me if she found out. She's done so much for me, and what have I done? Gone against her back and disobey her!"

As her emotions rose, more tears escaped and were freely cascading down her face. She continued to walk around the clearing, mumbling. She called herself despicable, terrible, the worst granddaughter there ever was, going on an on with as many adjectives as she could.

She stopped pacing when she heard a low chuckle from behind her back.

Katara turned, her hand immediately going to her hips. She saw Lee leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest, face emotionless save for one side of his mouth that twitched as she looked at him.

"Is something funny?" she demanded.

...

Okay, maybe laughing at her wasn't a very good idea. But watching her walk around calling herself names was quite comical.

The waterbender, Katara, now glared cold daggers at him, the kind he'd watched her procure when she had tried scaring him into submission.

Zuko pushed off of the tree, walking to her slowly. Her eyes were red from crying. She seemed to be at war with her mind, a fierce battle that she was trying desperately to win. He was gathering small bits and pieces, like her protective grandmother and this forbidden trip he was now taking her on.