Catalyst

Chapter 12: A Dragon's Lie

Staring into the darkness, Aang strained to hear Katara and Zuko's muffled conversation, but the wind only carried the tones of their faint voices. Sokka wasn't helping by stirring the fire and commenting on how beautiful the moon was. Aang broke his attention from the woods to lean towards Sokka, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'm trying to hear what they're saying!"

"I know!" Sokka shot back. "She'll tell us everything when they're done. Now laugh like I just said something funny."

"Why?"

"Because we—"

Toph burst out laughing, "HA HA! That's so funny, Sokka!" She laughed some more, then went back to the straight expression she wore before her sudden outburst. "How's that?" she whispered.

"Perfect." Sokka congratulated her with a smile.

Aang groaned. Once again, he didn't catch onto what was happening. Before Toph came along he would have said maybe it had to do with Sokka being so much older than him, but Toph was his age and she picked up on everything Sokka did.

The older boy looked over at him and explained, "We don't want to seem like we care what they're talking about. Katara will tell us everything anyways, but if we appear like we don't care, Zuko may be more comfortable telling her—and through her, us—more."

"Ohhhh! Okay." Aang nodded. He forced himself to relax, but he couldn't help his ears perking whenever he heard voices coming from the woods.

After a minute, Toph announced, "She's coming back," and Katara emerged from the darkness. She sat down where she had been before to Aang's right.

Aang sat facing her, cross-legged with his head resting on his hands. "So! What did he say?"

"Nothing, really."

"Nothing? But you guys were talking for a while."

"He just needs his space," she explained.

"Clearly," Toph commented.

From Aang's left, Sokka said, "Really? That's all he told you? He 'needs space'?"

Katara frowned at him. "He said he was okay where he was. I invited him to come back when he felt ready."

"Ah, so you invited him back? Is this to your tent?" Sokka's suggestive tone made Aang look back to see him grinning, rapidly raising his eyebrows up and down at Katara.

Aang nervously laughed then glanced back at Katara. Was it his imagination or did her face turn a little red?

"You're being ridiculous! I said he could come back to the fire. Stop," she added hotly when Sokka didn't let up.

Toph took her feet off the fire and joined in, "Do you like Zuko?"

"C'mon, Toph." Katara rolled her eyes. "Do I really have to answer?"

The earthbender smirked. "I'm not leaving until you say it, Sugar Queen."

Katara made a weird face Aang couldn't decipher, but it quickly resolved itself into an annoyed but resigned expression. "I care for him as a patient. Is that good enough for you?" she asked Sokka.

He nodded. "I'll accept it. Toph?"

"Sounds good to me." Sitting back down, Toph added, "Although it would have made you a lot more fun, Katara. Live dangerously for once."

"As if we aren't already."

"Just sayin'."

Sokka stood. "Which brings us back to the matter at hand: Zuko. As in, what are we going to do with him?"