The moon was high in the sky as Katara felt herself be lead across the camp by Zuko. Instead of watching where she was going, Katara focused on calming her breathing as it came out in rapid puffs, making her chest heave. He pulled her through the forest and away from camp and the clearing that they had used earlier that day.
"Zuko? Where are we going?" She asked as a branch swung back and hit her right in the mouth. He turned around to look back at her. He chuckled as Katara picked the leaves out of her teeth.
"I'm taking you dancing." He simply said and pushed the leaves out of the way for Katara to get through. She stepped through the leafy arch to find herself in an enchanting hollow. Willow trees lined the circular meadow with their fingers dangling down as a curtain. Spring flowers were climbing their trunks and scaling the nearby rocks by the river that if you looked farther down stream, you could hear the waterfall. The moon filtered through the pines above and silver moonlit beams were like spotlights on this special place.
"Zuko, How?" She asked as he lead her entranced, to the willow curtain.
"I came across it like this. Magnificent, isn't it?"
"It's beautiful." Katara whispered more to herself as she pulled aside the willow's dangling leaves to enter an enclousure that sparkled with the moon. She could hear the crickets nearby, chirping rhythmically in tune with each other. The natural silver light made her giddy with romance.
"I was thinking that this could be our spot. Our place to get away from everyone else." Zuko replied as he placed his hands on her shoulders and Katara leaned into his lean body. She looked up to see his face, framed in silver like a halo. Zuko's lips leaned down to kiss her when a rustle sounded from the bushes that trapped the magical cove. Suki emerged with a slight smile on her face as she glanced around her. Then she saw Zuko and Katara and her smile got larger.
"Hey, you guys!" She said rather loudly.
"Suki! Shhhhh!" Katara whispered viciously and Suki turned a pale pink.
"Oops sorry." She replied before slinking back into the bushes. Katara could hear distant footsteps.
"Did you find it?" Sokka asked.
"No, I not totally sure if you really saw a magical place with willow trees. Not in this forest anyway." Suki stated.
"I did see it!"
"Come on, let's go find a more magical spot." Suki replied with a giggle and their footsteps faded away into the night. Katara felt the breath whoosh out of her and Zuko laughed quietly.
"That was really close." He replied and Katara just shook her head in agreement. He then turned her around gently and his golden eyes bore down on her. He leaned down once more with his lips just inches away when Katara spoke suddenly.
"So are you going to dance with me?" She asked in a slow, seductive whisper that had Zuko's stomach twisted up in knots. He regained his senses and took her hand in his and placed a hand on her waist.
"Ready when you are." He said smugly. Katara laid her hand on his shoulder like she did earlier that day. Then suddenly they were dancing. Dancing in the privacy of the willow trees and the white flowers. Dancing in the silver beams that shone down on them from the heavens above. Everything about this moment was perfect in Katara's eyes as she twirled with this banished prince, this battered heart that needed fixing, this boy that she had fallen head over heels in love with. She could see his golden eyes glittering in the night. Her sun that she had learned to bathe in. The sun she couldn't ever live without. Zuko spun her out into the silver light as she twirled on her own, all stresses and fears gone. Free. He claimed her once again in his arms and swayed slowly as his fingers traced her tanned skin.
This time, Katara moved upward as her lips feathered over his in a teasing manor. Seconds past and all that could be heard was the uneven breathing of them both as the perched above eachothers lips. Finally Zuko rubbed his lips softly over Katara's and she melted. The golden warmth spread throughout her body, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. This is what love feels like, Katara thought as she entwined her fingers into Zuko's coal black hair. In this place of magic, moonlight, and romance, together they were free.