At dawn the two kept moving. Zuko carried katara on his back as she was exhausted of the battle mentally and physically. They got as far away from that town as fast as they possibly could, to avoid questions from the townsfolk or even seeing Hama again. The way that old woman wanted to hurt them so bad was unexplainable.
Zuko kept a straight face as he saw they where coming close to the next town but dropped his bag on the ground and tapped Kataras thigh to wake her up. She moaned softly waking up as she rubbed her eyes and lifted her head.
"Everything okay?" She asked getting down from him as Durk was wrapped around her bicep as he looked around.
"There's a town up ahead, I just need some water and we can head in," he reached into his bag and katara nodded softly rubbing her arms.
"Are you feeling any better?" Zuko asked after taking a long drink to help his dry throat.
"I'm fine," she gulped and touched her throat where it felt stuff but looked up at Zukos neck seeing the small wound on his neck was basically a scab and the cut on her cheek was dry blood.
"Zuko does your cheek hurt?" She asked curiously as Zuko took another gulp of water but raised an eye brow at her.
"Why do you ask?" Zuko wondered.
"By the way you answered, it's a yes, cause I think I feel the pain from your neck on mine," katara bit the inside of her bottom lip sitting down and stroked Durk.
"Think it has anything to do with... Her?" Zuko was hesitant on the name but katara nodded.
"One of the prisoners I freed said something about her being a witch, and she kept saying stuff about the spirits, how we've both been touched by them," Zuko explained making katara look up at him.
"But you where brought back by them, closest I've been with the spirits is yue," katara frowned.
"Your a healer... Could the spirits have been apart of that?" He guessed.
"Well... I don't know?" Katara sighed laying on the ground next to Zuko as he looked at her unamused.
"If anything that would be the ocean spirit, we draw our bending from the moon but you can't have one without the other," she nodded looking at Zukos gold eyes.
"Yea if I go asking roku I'm sure he wouldn't be to much help," Zuko scoffed dryly.
"Roku? Like avatar roku? What do you mean asking?" Katara sat up quickly.
"I went to try talking with spirits to help the town yesterday, but roku was the only one that answered and he..." Zuko trailed off looking down. "Didn't give me the answers I thought I'd get but he was right on why he didn't recognize the spirit of that forest,"
"Did something happen?" She asked gently.
"No,"
"Zuko," katara knew he was lying when he didn't look at her.
"I found out avatar roku is a past relative of mine," he narrowed his eyes.
"Like what?" She asked concerned.
"He's my great great grandfather..." He sighed.
"Is that a bad thing?" She smiled. That's not the worst news that they've had in a while.
"I guess not but it's confusing, I'm related to the man who started this war and the avatar that existed during the beginning of it, could've even stopped it, but I guess that side of my families just always a mystery," he sighed shaking his head.
"I think you need some rest Zuko, it's been stressful lately, and you didn't get any sleep last night," katara put her small hand on his shoulder and he looked at her gently.
"Let's just stop in town first, I promise I'll sleep after that, I can go a few more hours," he smiled standing up and katara rolled her eyes.
"Oh yea tough guy, how long can you stay up for?" She snorted walking at his side crossing her arms.
"Three days, but that's normal for your body to start to start to shut down, create hallucinations, even inside your body can start to get fucked up," Zuko explained. "I think I passed out when I went to rest for an hour," he put a hand on his chin.
"Zuko!" Katara cried punching his arm hard.
"I was just trying to get out of the earth kingdom!" He laughed putting his hands up and they entered the town.
"I want to check out the library here, see if they have anything that can answer questions," Zuko nodded as they looked around.
"Like what Hama did?" Katara asked. He nodded.
They found the library with a little help from the people around as they walked in and zuko went straight for the books while katara asked the woman who owned the library for specifics.
Zuko found a book on legends as he flipped through pages but felt katara tap his shoulder and saw her holding a few books and a smirk on her face.
"Come on stupid, asking for help isn't so bad," she set them on a table as Zuko sat down.
"Do we know what we're even looking for?" Katara asked looking over his shoulder as her hand was on the table and the back of his chair.
"Here," he pointed to the beginning chapter of one of the thick books. Dark magic and evil shadows.
"The red string,"
"Those say it connects the bonds between two that's so strong it feels impossible to live without the other, the red string is a metaphor, as a sign of soulmates," katara read outloud.
"It was designed by the evil spirit himself, Vaatu, as a curse on soulmates for one to feel the pain of the other, if one died the other would still live but they would not be able to feel that pain no more, they wouldnt be able to see the world the same," Zuko took a deep breath frowning.
"So if one of the red string ends was to die... The feeling of the bond would just be... Gone?" Katara gulped with wide eyes. "Like a piece of you is gone?"
"Like a piece of you dies as well, the author of the chapter explains that he was cursed the same... He wasn't able to see color," Zuko explained narrowing his eyes at the words.
"But finding your soulmate is..." They looked at each other and blushed furiously.
"No we- we're not-" Katara jumped away as she grabbed her pinky to her chest blushing.
"I-I... Maybe just cause we're partners and good f-friends," Zuko tried as his face was bright red.
"N-not like we like like each other," katara crossed her arms nodding but her heart pounding in her chest said otherwise.
"I guess yea," Zuko nodded agreeing. "But that doesn't stop the fact that this is irreversible, that we can feel each other's pain,"
"Guess your stuck with me for reals," katara nudged him smirked and zuko closed the book and hid it in his bag.
"Great, stuck with a bossy waterbender, lucky me," Zuko waved her off as he walked out quickly before the woman noticed he stole the book.
Katara stuck out her tongue and looked at the calendar behind the woman and frowned. It was four days before the invasion, but today was her birthday.
"Is everything okay?" Zuko asked noticing her pause.
"Y-yea I'm fine," she sighed hugging her arms. She wasn't even a woman but she felt so much older than fifteen.
"Is today something?" Zuko asked seeing the calendar.
"Nothing important, it's just... Sort of my birthday," katara smiled at him shyly walking out of the library.
"Your birthday? Kat why didn't you say anything?" Zuko smiled at her and katara shrugged.
"Bigger fish to fry," she said simply.
"Doesn't mean it's not important, your right we've been stressed lately, let's do something you want," Zuko nudged her with his elbow and she nudged him harder as a challenge.
"Anything?" She cooed.
"Reasonable," he said flatly. Katara looked around at the town and saw down the street a shop.
"There," she pointed.
"You know that's a tattoo parlor," Zuko cocked his head to the side.
"Yes, I want to choose a tattoo for you," katara poked his nose and Zukos eyes widen.
"What?! Are you bat shit crazy, I'm not letting you put some permanent girly tattoo on me," Zuko glared at her.
"But you said anything~" she sang.
"Reasonable," Zuko stated sternly but thought for a second. "Fine but I choose one for you too,"
"Deal," katara grabbed his hand and dragged him down the street as she had an excited grin on her face.