Renegaded Spirits

The southern raiders

The next morning Katara walked out of her tent and saw Zuko sitting on a rock waiting outside for her.

"You've looked better, did you sleep?" Katara walked past him as she picked up a bag.

"I waited out here all night," Zuko rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"What did you want?" Katara combed her hair with her back to him.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, Sokka told me that it was the day your mother was killed," Zuko kept a safe distance between them.

"And I know who killed your mother," he told her. She dropped the comb and looked back at him with wide eyes.

"I'm going to help you find him," Zuko nodded as Katara didn't know how to feel with the information.

"Will you be my partner again?" He smiled a little handing her the painted lady mask.

She agreed.

They immediately packed for the mission before anyone had any idea about them, heading for appa to take off.

"I need to barrow appa," Katara walked over.

"Why? Going to prison again?" Aang teased a little but saw the seriousness on her face.

"We're going on a field trip," Zuko told him.

"Oh... uh what's going on?" Aang asked confused as he fed appa some hay.

"We're going to find the man that took my mother from me," Katara said sternly, Sokka looked her way wide eyes.

"Sokka told me what happened, I know who did it, and I know how to find him," Zuko backed her up, he wanted her to have the justice for her mother.

"And what do you exactly think this will accomplish? Last time you ran off with Zuko you..." Aang trailed off seeing Zuko shake his head warning him.

"You don't understand," she scoffed a little.

"Wait stop, I do understand, your feeling unbelievable pain and rage, how do you think I felt about the sand benders when they took appa from me? Or when the fire nation killed my people?" Aang walked to her quickly before Katara could go far.

"She needs this Aang, this is about getting closure and justice," Zuko stepped in front of him, defending his friend.

"I don't think so, I think it's about getting revenge," Aang shook his head.

"Fine, maybe it is, but it's been seven years and I know that monster doesn't have an ounce of regret for the blood he spilt, revenge is what I need, maybe that's what he deserves," Katara kept her back to the boys around her, her bottom lip trembling a little with the anger boiling up.

"Katara your starting to sound like jet," Aang sighed.

"That's not the same!" She turned to him glaring.

"Jet attacked the innocent, this man, he's a monster," Katara hissed a little as sokka looked at Aang but the two looked at Zuko. He wasn't going to step in, he was on her side.

"The monks use to tell me that revenge was like a two headed rat viper, while you watch your enemy go down, your being poisoned yourself," Aang sighed stepping up.

"Cute, but this is the real world, not air temple preschool," Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Now that I know hes out there, that hes alive, that we can find him, I feel like I have no choice," Katara looked at them narrowing her eyes.

"But you do have a choice, forgiveness," Aang looked at her.

"That's the same as doing nothing," Zuko cut in defensively. He knew better than to forgive a monster.