A Moment, Please.

Chapter 21

I closed slowly closed the door to Aang’s room; holding my breath as I did. I was doing my best to make as little noise as possible.

"How is he?"

Katara was waiting for me out in the hall. We had been sharing the task of healing Aang, each of us putting our best into it.

"Better, the wound is healing, but," I shook my head in quick motions, "I've never worked on such a bad burn it-it ugh! It just makes me so-so angry!"

Katara's nose wrinkled up, and she crossed her arms. She gave me a bitter look as she leaned against the wall.

"Why? You shouldn't expect anything from a Fire Nationer."

She gasped, and her eyes grew wide as she slowly turned her gaze to me.

"Amaya, I didn't mean-"

I held my hand up, stopping her. Moving towards her, I handed her the bowl of water.

"It's fine really, as you said, what can you expect from one of them. As the princess her action shouldn’t surprise and as the prince his betrayal is to be expected."

Despite the fact that I thought- I believed he had changed.

I turned, and started down the hall. As I reached the corner, I paused and looked to Katara. Her words had stung just slightly, but only to a point.

"I just-"

I don’t feel like one of them. I haven’t in year, and I most likely never will again.

"What?"

Shaking my head, I gave a bitter smile as I wrapped my fire nation cloak around me even tighter. The sudden feeling of my stomach sinking as I did made me want to be sick.

"Nothing, it’s nothing, don’t worry about it. I’m, um, I’m going to the kitchen to see if I can make some food the group and um, Fang.”

She nodded her head, staring back at Aang’s door, and I left her.

~~~

"Here you go, Fang. Enjoy."

I sat a large plate of food down in front of the relaxing dragon. It cooked perfectly. It was the least I could do after he was forced to hide in our room all day. On the rare chance, I could take him out for a night fly- but the weather had to be right. Bending down, I scratched his snout as he dug into the food.

"I'm gonna go, and see how the weather will look tonight. Maybe, we can go out."

I stood and gave a small huff. He didn't even bother to look up from his food. Rolling my eyes, I left our shared room and headed towards the main deck

Whatever- dragons, who needs 'em? ... I do.

~~~

My cloak hid my face as I stood looking towards the front of the ship, the sea breeze gently rubbing my face. I had made sure to put it on before I left the halls of the haul of the ship.

The weather was looking clear, for midafternoon. Telling me, there was a good chance of a cloud free night. Not good secret-night-flying weather. I let out an angry sigh, as leaned against the rail, eyeing the sky one more time.

THUMP! 

After jumping from the sudden sound behind me, I turned, and saw Aang flat on the deck.

"Oh my- Aang!"

I rushed over to him, my hood flying from my head. Sliding, I landed next to him. I gently patted his face, willing him to take up. His eyes twitched a few times before he slowly blinked his eyes at me a few times.