Fall of the White Lotus [Zutara/Taang]

21 | Warmth

Music: Entering Ba Sing Se, The Track Team (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

                    "Just a little bit further, Appa. Good boy. We're almost there." A small, tan hand peeked out of a dark cloak and patted the enormous bison on his thick, white fur.

The animal let out an exhausted groan and sped up a little bit, encouraged by the soothing, almost pleading voice, as the western coasts of the Earth Kingdom appeared in the sombre mist. He had spent too many hours of flying across vast oceans and he longed for some rest.

Two tired figures clad in inconspicuous traveling clothes sat slumped against each other on the bison's head. For two days and one night and with little room to rest and eat, the bison and his passengers had flown to reach their next destination - the place where the Spirit Princess was first seen on the Earth Kingdom shores, near Senlin Village, home to the Hei Bai spirit. The White Lotus had shown them an image of the small village, in silent encouragement.

Katara hunched her shoulders against the cold wind penetrating her cloak and renewed her grip on the reins. As they entered more moderate climes, the snow was replaced by an icy rainfall that had quickly drenched her cloak. During their stay in the South Pole, the bright and fiery fall colors in the Earth Kingdom mainland had turned grim, and they were welcomed by the ominous sight of bare trees, dark and gleaming in the lashing downpour. In these lands, winter was approaching with quick strides.

Katara had been quiet for most of the trip. During Appa's steady flight across the ocean, she had been pondering the odds of the bison landing miraculously in the palace courtyard, at the moment their despair had reached highest. But Appa's sudden arrival had also given her a fright. Had something happened to Aang? The bison had been saddled up and bridled, but he'd been alone.

Then Zuko had found it. A note from Aang had been attached to one of Appa's enormous paws. The note had stated that he and Toph were making good progress with breaching the inner walls of Ba Sing Se and that Appa needed some exercise. Aang had signed the note with 'Aang and Toph.'

"So, they are in Ba Sing Se," Zuko had murmured as Katara had said simultaneously, "So, he's with Toph."

The clear relief in her voice had Zuko look up attentively. But Katara had avoided his questioning gaze, fixing her attention to Toph's name in Aang's old-fashioned handwriting instead. She'd known there was no reason for jealousy, but was it right to feel this relieved to know that Toph was with him?

Luckily though, Appa had spied Zuko standing before him. As his small, faithful eyes had lit up, his enormous tongue had shot out of his mouth and had completely drenched the firebender with a gigantic lick, effectively distracting him.

Zuko's horrified expression had been all Katara had needed to burst into nervous laughter. Her odd reaction to Aang's note had been forgotten.

"Ugh, he still thinks I'm covered in honey," Zuko had grumbled, pulling the sticky mucus off his face.

"Honey?" Katara had asked through her laughter as she'd wiped the tears from her face.

"Yeah, honey..."

Now it had been Zuko's turn to hastily turn around, only to have him come eye to eye with Katara's grumpy grandfather. Zuko froze, but to his surprise, an amused smile played around the old man's thin lips. The look of contempt he seemed to reserve for the firebender was nowhere to be seen.

As Katara had begun to say goodbye to her family, the northern waterbender beckoned Zuko aside. His tone had been gruff but sincere when he'd said, "I want to thank you for taking care of my granddaughter. I might have had my doubts about you, but I humbly admit myself to be in the wrong."