Little Soldier Boy

Deprived

By the evening neither of the two slept still and sleep deprivation kicked in where it didn't bother them anymore. But all four of the avatars friends finally left the tent to get some fresh air.

Sokka went by the other water tribe warriors to catch up with his uncle like figures from home, many of them greeted Katara as well seeing how much she's grown. Many of the men from the water tribe treated their chiefs children like family, as if they were a niece and nephew of their own families. Seeing the same children since they could walk now fight the war with them.

"So Katara brought a fire nation boyfriend around now?" One of the men teased as Sokka gagged at the idea and Katara gasped shocked.

"He's just a friend of ours, are you crazy?" Katara scoffed and looked at her brother for help.

"I heard he's a soldier? That's for real?" A younger warrior asked interested looking at Zuko who was talking to Hakoda and bato.

"Yea, he was, he's an okay fighter," Katara grinned a little.

"Is that allowed? For some fire bender to be here right now even?" a man asked suspiciously.

"Is he even old enough to fight as a soldier?" Another man teased.

Katara and Sokka gave each other the side eye but decided to stay quiet on the topic, understandable the warriors would be weary of a fire bender much less a a soldier. If only they knew he was also a prince.

"Katara, Sokka," Zuko walked over to them as Hakoda talked to bato.

"Your dad and bato were telling me they wanted to head out on sea today, we're going to have to move Aang," he crossed his arms with a small yawn.

"But I have to ask, are we staying with your tribe till Aang wakes up?" Zuko asked more quietly to just them.

"I think that would be the safest option, our ships are safe enough that appa can stay aboard too, but do you think it's okay to move Aang already?" Sokka looked at the healer as Katara already looked anxious.

"Do we have a choice? It's not like we can stay here till someone comes looking for Aang," Katara played with the ends of her hair. It's been a while since she's left it down this long.

"Chief Hakoda wants to know then when the best time do move out would be," he motioned back to the leader.

"Ew just call him Hakoda," Sokka made a face as he went to go talk to his dad again.

"What? That's his title," Zuko didn't understand.

"At ease solider, my dads not a strict guy, no one really calls him chief except as a formality," she poked his arm as the fire bender was still confused.

"But in respect shouldn't I..." Zuko trailed off seeing she was already shaking her head.

"Your fine Zuko, just call him Hakoda," Katara smiled a little.

"What are we going to do about Jet?" Zuko sighed changing the topic.

"Bato sent him off to scout the area with a couple other warriors, but my dad doesn't trust him," she groaned a little.

"Is he staying?" He asked unsure.

"He is," Jet came back already with the other warriors who looked annoyed.

"Jet if your going to fight with Zuko the whole time then forget it," Katara glared at him.

"I thought you changed," she looked angry.

"I have but this guy is a liar, he's a bad person Katara," Jet scoffed motioning to Zuko.

"I think you should go jet, Sokka will fly you back to wherever you came from on appa but your not coming with," Katara didn't want to argue, to fuel the fire jet so wanted to have.

"What no, I want to fight, what I said was the truth, but fire nation scum is where I draw the line," Jet argued anyways.

"Zukos staying, he has more respect here than You, we don't need you if your just going to be rude," she narrowed her eyes.

"So you leave or you have to deal with having an alliance with a fire nation soldier, that's your choice, and if you stay you shut the hell up about him, got it?" She stormed up and pushed Jet back a little.

"I did lie and get him arrested, I'm not innocent Katara," Zuko sighed standing back.

"See!"

"Watch it, I'll do it again," Zuko glared at him.

There was tension between the three, Jet stared at Zuko with rage but Katara stayed in his way, only with Zuko ready to defend at any moment.

"Well just make sure your dog is on a leash and things will be fine," Jet spat harshly. She snapped.

"Who the hell do you think you are to come into my life, be allowed in my tribe, threaten my friends-" Katara started to raise her voice and all the warriors looked at the commotion. She kept yelling at Jet who backed away a little afraid.

"I'm so sick of being nice! You know what nice got me?! Absolutely fucking nothing!" She screamed and that's where Zuko finally stepped in.

"What?!" She snapped when he touched her shoulder. Both teens looked taken back by her.

"Either punch him like you mean it or walk away princess," Zuko said in a calm tone. Her eyes widen.

Katara inhaled a deep breath, feeling her hands shaking, she was exhausted and so angry at the world still. Taking a few step backs.

"I'll behave but I don't trust him still, but I'll stop trying to argue," Jet sighed a little.

Katara spun around and punched him across the face anyways. Clocking him right against his jaw.

"Katara!" Bato yelled.

"Wow that hurt," Katara held her wrist as Jet held his face shocked.

"Alright, we'll all behave, right?" She looked at him, a small smile crawled on her face. He nodded a little afraid.

"Wonderful, let's go zuko," Katara spun around with a new attitude.

"Toph can you help me with moving Aang?" She asked before going back in the tent.

"Only if I get so feel how afraid everyone was like that again," Toph skipped into the tent excited as Zuko waited outside.

"Isn't that the same thing you did to Aang to get through that anger before?" Sokka asked zuko surprised.

"Yep, it works," he shrugged.

"She hasn't slept yet, once we get on the ships and Aang is okay we need to drug her," Zuko mumbled slightly nervous at her sleep deprivation.