The Forgiven (Zutara)

The Eternal Dance of Water and Moon

I woke up groggily in my bed with Freya curled underneath my knees. Aang was sitting across the room waiting for me to wake up. I groaned and placed a hand on my head, feeling a major migraine. "Is it sunrise already? Have the fire nation army attacked?" I asked rubbing my eyes. Aang shook his head.

"I just want to apologize. If I had just listened to you you would've never gotten hurt neither would Freya." He said. I shook my head.

"Aang, I understand it's okay. Neither of us are hurt anymore. Just exhausted." I replied. He nodded.

"Uai wants to show me something. She said it'll help me reach the avatar state. I want you to come with me." He said. I nodded. When I got up Freya stretched then got up as well. I looked at her and she seemed to know what I was thinking. She turned into an extremely large tiger and allowed me on her back. She actually didn't seem to mind as much as she normally does. She jumped from rooftop to rooftop to get there quicker she let out a quick roar as we entered. I jumped off of her and she went back to a snow leopard. I pat her shoulder gently, scratching behind her ear as I walked away from her.

"It's warm in here." I said to Uai who leaned over the pond admiring the fish.

"It's a spiritual oasis. These are the moon and water spirits. That's why it's warm here." She said smiling. Aang and Sokka entered soon after I did. They both ooed and awed at the oasis. It had just become sunrise when Aang walked in.

"Sokka. I believe you're better served protecting Uai in the palace than here Sokka. I will stay here to watch over Aang while he's in the spirit world." I said. Sokka nodded. It took Aang a minute to get into the spirit world, but almost as soon as he had Freya began growling fiercely, running to my side. I looked around.

"Come out!" I said bending water into my hands turning in circles. Freya let out a quiet roar and huffed laying back down at my feet. It was only Zuko. "Your majesty. I really hope you aren't here to take the Avatar because I've told you before I won't let you." I said. He shook his head his eyes wide.

"No. Katara listen to me! You're in danger! General Zhaou is on his way here to kill the moon spirit. You need to leave." He said. "Take the avatar and leave." He said. I looked at the fish in the pond circling each other and shook my head.

"The moon spirit is in all waterbenders. It's what allows us to bend. If he's on his way to hurt the moon spirit then I shall protect it. I can't protect both the moon spirit and Aang, I-I need you to take him. Ironic huh?" I said. Zuko made to say something else but Freya began growling again. "Take him!" I whispered. Zuko grabbed him and pulled him into the dark corner he had been hiding in. I turned to face Zahou and Iroh.

"Iroh. Always a pleasure." I said bowing. He nodded at me.

"Katara I ask you now. Just give up. These men will hurt you." He said motioning to the other men behind Zahou.

"I saw you once Katara." He said circling me. "Except when I saw you you were wearing fire nation clothes. But you didn't fool me. No fire nation woman, no woman in general has ever been as exotic as the water tribe women." Zahou said circling me. He picked up a lock of my hair twirling it around his finger.

"I know why you're here Zahou and I'm telling you now. In order to kill the moon you will have to go through me." I said. He smirked.

"Happily." I heard him whisper. He grabbed a large portion of my hair to throw me into the wall with, ripping out some strands which he held up to his nose and smelled deeply, smirking and letting the strands go. I quickly got to my feet. "That show you put on yesterday was quite entertaining. As is your beast. Do tell me how does she work." He said as we circled each other.

"Don't even think about it." I said to him, throwing a huge wave of water at him. We began battling fiercely. When he couldn't handle me on his own he had his men encircle me. Iroh was contemplating what to do. I couldn't beat them all, not in daylight. They pinned me to the wall, holding a knife to Freyas neck.

"Stop! Don't hurt her!" I cried out. I looked over at Zuko who was watching with horror in his eyes. While the guards pinned me to the wall, Zahou bagged the moon spirit causing it to go black, the water spirit swimming in an infinity sign not knowing what to do because his eternal partner wasn't with him. The sight brought tears to my eyes. Iroh tried reasoning with him, and Zahou put the fish back in the pond, then slaughtered it in the pond. I gasped as my veins lit up a dark shade of blue, then it very slowly began going away. This was the most painful thing ever. I let out screams/sobs from the pain falling to my knees, my hands clenching into fists over my heart, as if that could stop the feeling. Freya managed to get free, nuzzling me, not knowing what to do to help me. She whimpered my name over and over again, when the light had drained out of me I was too weak to get back up and keep fighting. A couple tears ran down my face. Iroh was knocked out, unable to help, and Zuko was hiding the Avatar. I knew this was going to be my death. Zahou squatted down and grabbed my hair forcing me to look at him.

"If you weren't as good as dead I'd take you as my slave." He scoffed. I spit in his face he backhanded me and wiped it off. Just as he leaned in close to me, Freya bit into his neck, ripping out his throat. He died almost instantly. She changed into a tiger and began ripping out everyone else's throat except for Iroh, Aang, and Zuko. She came and curled up next to me.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asked. I weakly set my hand on her head.

"No I'm not Freya. Listen to me, if I die-" I was cut off by Zuko running towards me, lifting my head up and setting it on his lap. "If I die, wait three days, then You belong to Zuko." I said. She changed into a wolf and howled, and whined, nuzzling me, sobbing. For her it looked like she was breathing weird, but it was obvious she was sobbing. "Shh, don't cry." I whispered to her. Iroh woke up and as well came to my side. Freya howled again, a tear falling down her muzzle. She howled and howled. This caused my father to run in. When he saw me his knees got weak.

"All the waterbenders are dying." He said. "I-I knew that would mean you too." He glances around the room at all the bodies. "No. Come on. Parents aren't supposed to bury their kids." He said. Sokka and Uai came in as well.

"Listen to me, I want...I want the biggest funeral. And I want the biggest buffet." I said chuckling.

"Stop it. You're not gonna die. I've saved your life twice now. I'll do it again." Zuko said stroking my face. I shook my head.

"You can't replace the moon spirit Zuko." I whispered.

"You know what? It's 'Your Majesty' to you. How many times must I tell you that?" He asked a tear falling down his nose. I smiled. The last thing I heard was Freya howling then everything went black. I'm dead.