Born Beneath An Angry Star

10 Merely Ember Island Players

"So what's on the agenda today?" Aang asked. "What do we do now that the gang is back together?"

"Start your firebending lessons." Zuko said. "We need to make up for lost time."

"Should we start my lesson here or wait until we get back to Taku?" Aang asked.

Katara shook the crumbs from the group's breakfast off the table cloth and the sharp snapping sound of the fabric echoed around their campsite. The sound reminded her of the noise ice floes made when they cracked. 

She missed her home more than she thought would ever be possible. It was not too long ago she wished nothing more than to leave the South Pole and see the world, but the thing about seeing the world was it made you realize how much where you came from had a part in making you who you were.

"I don't think we should go back to Taku." Sokka announced.

"Why not?" Suki asked. She tossed a moon peach down to Momo who sat down next to her feet and began to noisily eat.

"The Fire Nation has been patrolling that area again. Haru left because he didn't want anyone to find out where we were staying, and neither do I."

"Sokka's right." Aang said. "I can't put Chunhua into the middle of our battle. We have to keep her and the herbalist institute safe."

"So where do we go from here?" Toph asked. "We're running out of places to stay."

"I know where we can go." Zuko spoke up.

"Where?" Katara asked. She folded up the table cloth and put it into a wooden travel crate.

"Ember Island. My family has a beach house there. It's more than big enough for all of us and we can stay there as long as we like."

"You don't think someone will find us hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara asked.

"My Father hasn't gone there since our family was actually happy and that was a long time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to look for us." Zuko explained.

"I'm sorry." Katara said to Zuko.

"Why? You didn't do anything."

"I'm still sorry." She placed her hand on top of his and gave it a small squeeze.

Suki looked at Katara then Zuko and back to Katara and arched an eyebrow.

Katara kept her face as blank as possible. Until she talked to Zuko there was nothing to talk about. She knew that he felt the same way about her that she felt about him, but until he spoke the words out loud, until they both did there was nothing to talk about.

"We should say goodbye to Chunhua first." Katara said as she climbed onto the back of Appa's saddle. "She'll worry if we just leave without telling her."

"OK, but we'll have to make it quick." Sokka said.

"Sir, schedule master, Sir!" Toph shouted and gave Sokka a mocking salute.

Sokka turned around and glared at Toph, though the facial expression was lost on her, and then flicked Appa's reins and yelled. "Yip,yip!"

Aang sat behind Sokka, and Toph sat next to Aang and clung onto the saddle. Suki lie down in the middle and Katara sat in the back next to Zuko. She found it hard to behave normally around him now. She couldn't help but wonder things like did he always smell so good? Was he a good kisser? Did his body look just as amazing underneath all of his clothes? The thought of her kissing Zuko without a stitch of clothing on made Katara blush deeply.

"You OK, Katara?" Zuko asked. "Your face looks a little flush."

"Oh, me? I'm all right." Katara said.