Zuko and I laid next to each other, both of us breathing heavily.
"Well," I checked my phone, "Shit, everyone should be waking up soon. We should go to Kat's tent."
"Right," he breathed.
I grabbed a shirt off the ground and slipped it on. Then I grabbed my sweatpants and slipped those on. Zuko did the same.
I poked my head out of the tent and made sure no one was around. I turned and nodded to Zuko. I moved to leave the tent but Zuko wrapped an arm around my waist.
"Wait," he said.
"What?" I turned around and he kissed me.
He pulled away, "Okay. Now let's go."
***
We waited outside Katara's tent.
She lifted the tent flap and smiled when she saw me. Her smile faded as her gaze moved to Zuko.
She glared at Zuko, "You look terrible."
"I didn't get any sleep last night," he said.
"What do you want?" Katara asked.
"I know who killed your mother," Zuko said.
Katara stopped in her tracks.
"And we're going to help you find him," Zuko continued.
***
Later that day, Aang was feeding Appa hay. Katara, Zuko, and I walked up to them.
"I need to borrow Appa," Katara said.
"Why?" Aang laughed, "Is it your turn to go on some life-changing journey with the firebending duo?"
"The.. what?" Zuko and I asked at the same time.
"Well," Aang thought for a moment, "You guys are my fire bending teachers so..."
I opened my mouth to speak but Katara spoke first.
"It is my turn."
"Oh. What's going on?" Aang seemed surprised.
"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me," Katara said, angrily.
This caught Sokka's attention. He got up and walked over to us.
Zuko gestured to Sokka, "Sokka told me the story of what happened. I know who did it and I know how to find him."
"Um ... and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?" Aang asked.
Katara shook her head, "Ugh, I knew you wouldn't understand."
"Wait," Aang reached out to her, "I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?"
I took a step forward, "Aang. She needs this. Let her have this."
Zuko nodded, "This is about getting closure and justice."
Aang shook his head, "No. It's about getting revenge."
Katara grew angry, "So what if it is?!"
"Katara," Aang said, "You sound like Jet."
"Hey, you guys know Jet-," I cut myself off, "Now's not the time," I muttered to myself.
"Katara, she was my mother, too, but I think Aang might be right," Sokka said.
"Then you didn't love her the way I did!" Katara yelled.
Sokka looked hurt, "Katara!"
I took a step towards Katara, "Kat, maybe you should-"
Katara turned away from me, "Now that I know he's out there ... now that I know we can find him, I feel like I have no choice."
"Katara, you do have a choice: forgiveness," Aang said.
"You'd rather her sit around and do nothing?" I asked Aang.
"No. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive," Aang said.
"Impossible," Katara corrected him.
She walked away. Zuko and I followed her.
"Now what?" I asked.
"Now, we wait until nightfall," Katara said.
I thought for a moment, "Can I buy black clothes?"
Katara blinked, "Do what you want, (Y/N)."
***
I had gone to the store and bought Zuko, Katara, and I black clothing for our mission. It wasn't necessary, but I wanted to do it anyway.
By the time night had rolled around the three of us started walking to Appa.
Aang and Sokka were waiting for us, "So you were just gonna take Appa anyway?"
"Yes," Katara said, the three of us climbing onto Appa.
"It's okay, because I forgive you," Aang paused, "That give you any ideas?"
"Don't try to stop us," Katara said.
"I wasn't planning to. This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man. But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him," Aang said.
"Okay, we'll be sure to do that, guru goody-goody," Zuko said sarcastically.
I lightly smacked his head, "Don't be rude!"
"You're one to talk!" He yelled back.
Katara rolled her eyes, "Thanks Aang," she patted Appa's head, "Yip-yip."
The bison took off.
I took out my phone and texted Aang:
Me: Hey, don't worry. I'm not going to let her do something she's going to regret.
Aang: I appreciate that (Y/N).
I closed my phone and looked up at the sky.
"So," I said, "According to the internet, the Southern Raiders should be situated on Whaletail island."
"Whaletail Island, here we come," Katara said.
We had been on Appa well into the next day. Zuko had just woken up, and I was tired myself. After all, I hadn't slept in two days.
Zuko yawned, "You and Katara should get some rest. We'll be there in a few hours," he turned to Katara, "You'll need all your strength."
Katara looked determined, "Oh, don't you worry about my strength. I have plenty. I'm not the helpless little girl I was when they came," she thought for a moment, "That Southern Raiders man... he was with my mom. I went to get my dad and we ran to my mom as fast as we could. But we were too late. When we got there, the man was gone," Katara's voice broke, "And so was she."
"Your mother was a brave woman," Zuko said, comforting her.
Zuko took Appa's reigns and Katara and I got some rest.
That night, we finally reached Whaletail Island.
"There!" Zuko pointed to the sea raven flag on a ship, "See those sea raven flags? It's the Southern Raiders."
"Let's do this," Katara replied.
Zuko and I put masks over our faces.
Power coursed through my veins, "It's a full moon," I said.
Katara looked determined, "I know."
What's that supposed to mean?
We left Appa on the shore and then we headed to the ship. Katara burst open the door to the ship's command room and we attacked the soldiers. I sent ice daggers around the room, pinning all the soldiers to the wall.
Katara walked up to the Southern Raiders Commander, "Who are you?" He asked her.
He went to bend but he stopped in his tracks.
Zuko looked at me, "Why are you bloodbending, right now? We can take him easily."
"It's not..." I started to say, "Katara!" I stared at her, "It's a full moon."
Her hands were up, signifying that she was in fact bloodbending.
"I thought you didn't support the use of bloodbending," I said to her.
"I don't," she gritted her teeth, "But this is a special situation."
"Kat..." I said.
"Think back. Think back to your last raid on the Southern Water Tribe," Zuko said to the commander.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Please, I don't know!" The Commander exclaimed.
I scoffed, "He's a coward."
"Don't lie! You look her in the eye and you tell me you don't remember what you did," Zuko yelled at the commander.
Katara bloodbent the commanders head up.
She looked disappointed and dropped him, "It's not him. He's not the man."
"What?" I said, kneeling down to the man, "Who are we looking for then?"
The commander gulped, "You must be looking for Yon Rha. He retired four years ago."
We got the information on Yon Rha's whereabouts and we got on Appa and left.
We found Yon Rha and hid, waiting to confront him.
Katara and Zuko slipped on a mask.
I didn't.
Yon Rha paused and dropped his basket of food. He shot fire at a bush that was nowhere near us, "Nobody sneaks up on me without getting burned!"
When he realized we weren't there he brushed himself off and started to turn around. Zuko and I hopped down in front of him.
"We weren't behind the bush," Zuko said.
"It was a nice try," I said, shrugging.
It was raining.
Yon Rha's eyes widened, "The Bibender?" He fell to his knees, "Take my money. Take whatever you want. I'll cooperate."
Katara approached us. She pulled her mask down and came face to face with Yon Rha, "Do you know who I am?"
"No. I'm not sure," Yon Rha said.
"Oh, you better remember me like your life depends on it! Why don't you take a closer look?" Katara yelled.
Yon Rha's eyes widened, "You're that little Water Tribe girl."
Katara nodded, "She lied to you!" She yelled, referring to her mother, "She was protecting the last waterbender!"
"What? Who?" Yon Rha asked.
"Me!" Katara yelled.
She lifted her hands and the rain droplets around us stopped. She hardened the droplets into ice and started launching them towards Yon Rha.
I moved to stop her daggers, but they stopped themselves.
I smiled. I knew she would do the right thing.
"As much as I hate you," she glared at Yon Rha and turned away, "I just can't do it."
I walked up to Katara, "Good job, Kat."
Katara hugged me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The ride back home was silent.
I texted Aang, telling him what happened.
Once we got back to the group, Katara and I were sitting by the water, staring out into the distance.
Aang and Zuko approached us.
"Katara? Are you okay?" Aang asked her.
"I'm doing fine," Katara replied.
"(Y/N) told me what you did. Or what you didn't do, I guess. I'm proud of you," Aang smiled.
"I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or because I'm strong enough not to," Katara said.
"You're far from weak, Kat," I said to Katara.
"You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing," Aang said.
"But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him," she paused and smiled, turning to Zuko, "But I am ready to forgive you."
Zuko looked happy and the two hugged.
I smiled.
Katara and I walked away, leaving Aang to talk to Zuko.
Katara turned to me, "I don't plan on using bloodbending again."
"You don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm in no position to judge."
She nodded.
"Hey," I smiled, "I'm proud of you, Kat."
(A/N): This is like my fourth chapter today?