Zutara's Story

Chapter Thirteen

Everyone climbed on, Aang climbed onto Appa's head while Zuko climbed to the very back. The firebender started cooking the fish, once he finished he gave some to Sokka and Katara. After finishing the fish, Sokka had to voice his opinions. "That was the best fire bended cooked fish I have ever had."

Later in the day they landed because everyone is tired including Appa so they decide to make camp in the middle of the woods. Katara and Zuko were still dressed as Fire Nation and somehow they got pretty far ahead of Sokka and Aang. The Freedom Fighters drop down and surround the two. Zuko and Katara move to stand back to back and defend themselves against the Freedom Fighters. After a couple seconds, Sokka and Aang came running over to join the waterbender and the firebender in the fight. A handsome stranger with hook swords yelled for the others to stop. "Why are you helping the fire nation?" Queried the stranger.

"Because they are our friends. Plus Katara isn't fire nation, she is from the water tribe and Zu..." Aang started.

"I left my country. We just had to wear these to escape without being questioned." Zuko interrupted. "My name is Lee."

"My name is Jet and these are my Freedom Fighters. This is Smellerbee, Longshot, The Duke, and Pipsqueak." Jet turns to Zuko and Katara who had stepped apart but they were still within arm's length of each other. "Sorry about attacking you, why don't you come back to camp with us. We can feed you and give you shelter. We are a group who fights the Fire Nation to protect those who won't or can't."

Katara is the first to respond, "That is so noble. Thank you so much for inviting us to your camp."

Aang interrupts her acceptance, "We are completely able to defend ourselves against the Fire Nation. Katara is a master waterbender and I am"

Zuko still very wary of the Freedom Fighters, cuts in to keep his avatarness a secret. "He is her student, so we really need to find a nice lake somewhere so they can practice." Aang shoots him a confused glare for interrupting him. Katara is confused but recognizes that Zuko is trying to protect Aang. Then Sokka is trying to get moving so he can eat sooner rather than later.

Jet seeing all the looks exchanged between the groups. "We have a reservoir near us, you would just have to pull water from the vents, which would be a good warm-up. Plus you guys are probably tired from your travels and we have plenty of food, we even have an abundance of meat. We have plenty of room for you guys to stay in, our camp is in the trees so it makes it harder for the Fire Nation to find us."

Sokka who perked up upon hearing food and meat decided to answer for everyone, "I don't know how we could say no. Show us the way, Jet." Before anyone could react Sokka was already a few steps ahead of everyone else. Aang happily followed excited about the camp in the trees. Jet reaches out in an attempt to get Katara to ride up with him but Zuko intervenes and pulls her onto the rope with him. Katara gives him a questioning look.

"I'll explain when we are in private later." Zuko whispers in response. Jet gives them a tour of the camp as he watches the small exchanges between Katara and Zuko. Jet explains why each person is here in the camp and how the Fire Nation changed their lives.

"Okay, Aang, Sokka, Lee, Katara. this is the end. We only have three spare huts so two of you will have to share one. Katara, I can take you to the reservoir tomorrow so you can see if it will be appropriate for you and Aang to train in, if not there is a lake a little farther away. Sokka and Lee, the guys are going on a mission tomorrow if you want to join us. Aang there are a bunch of animals in the trees that I think you and Momo would love to play with." Jet says addressing everyone in their group.

Katara, Aang, and Sokka all reply with affirmatives, agreeing to thing he had in mind for each of them. Zuko disagrees, "Actually I think I will stick with Katara and go to the reservoir as well." Jet nods then leaves them alone.

Sokka immediately turns to Zuko, "I refuse to sleep in the same hut with you and you are not going to share with Katara. So Aang you get to pick between Zuko or me." Aang walks over to Sokka as if to say that he will room with Sokka. The group separates into their different huts. After a little bit of time, Zuko hears a knock outside and invites them in.

"Okay Lee, tell me why you didn't tell Jet your real name or that Aang is the Avatar." Katara immediately questions Zuko, demanding an answer.

"I don't think we can trust him and I don't want him to take advantage of Aang. Also with his obvious hatred that he has for the Fire Nation letting him know I'm Zuko, which isn't a common name, would end in a disaster. I also am joining you tomorrow because I don't want you alone with this guy. Are you okay? I know earlier when Jet was telling everyone's stories you looked sad." Zuko explained.

"I will be fine, I just feel like I fit in well here. For the longest time I hated anyone who was Fire Nation because there was a raid for the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe, that was me, and..." Katara trailed off, starting to tear up.

"You don't need to explain, I just wanted to make sure you are okay. Afterall we can't have our master waterbender under the weather." Katara lightly laughs while continuing to cry.

"It's my all my fault. They came for me but my mom protected me, she lied and told them that she was the last waterbender. They just took her word and killed her. I was there before and she told me to go get my dad and when we got there she was dead. The firebenders were leaving on the ship. They never even thought that she was lying to protect her daughter. Shortly after that my dad, the chief left with all the men who were of age to go and fight. It felt like I had lost both my parents in a matter of weeks. Sokka and I were left with our Grandma." By this time, Katara was sobbing. Zuko gets up from where he was sitting to walk over to Katara. He wraps her in what he hopes in a comforting hug. Sokka barges in with Aang on his tail, they immediately assume that Zuko made Katara cry. Sokka rips Zuko away while Aang steps infront of Katara, 'protecting' her from Zuko.

"What did you do?" Sokka growls at Zuko. Zuko is stunned by what just happened so Katara pushes past Aang to defend Zuko.

"He didn't do anything, he was checking up on me and I told him about Mom. How her death was my fault." Sokka softens and opens his mouth to speak but Jet interrupts.

"Dinner's ready." Katara grabs Zuko's arm and storms out of the room to where the dining area was.