Whoot! Here's some awesome Kataang goodness for you guys!

I'm thinking this should be set in Texas … based on a ranch out near Kingsbury … (I live in Texas. Not everything is cowboy hats and boots, but I love horses and hope to someday own a ranch … )

Kataang, Avatar: the Last Airbender, and all characters in the show owned by the epic Mike & Bryan, and Nick. Everything else is mine :)

Please enjoy!

"C'mon dad, please?" Katara begged her father one early spring afternoon. It was the beginning of April. The flowers in the field next to her house were just starting to adorn their colorful outfits; bright yellow for the sunflowers, deep purples for the wine-cups, light pink and vibrant fuchsia for the roses her mom had planted. A blue jay chirped its song outside the kitchen window, greeting the afternoon sun cheerfully.

But Katara was inside, standing in the kitchen, trying to persuade her father. Her eyes glanced to the window when the pretty blue and white bird sang again, but she quickly refocused. She wanted her dad to know she was serious.

"Katara, it costs quite a bit of money for horse riding lessons. If I pay for this, you'll have to stick with it through the summer … and through Finals. You know how stressed out you get around the end of the school year."

"I know, dad. But Sokka takes fencing and still makes good grades. And he's the slacker."

"I heard that, and I resent it!" her 17-year-old brother, Sokka, called from the couch in the living room.

Katara rolled her eyes and addressed her dad again. "The point is, I like being busy and I work best when I am. Plus, I've kept my grades up all year. I think I deserve a bit of a reward."

Her dad studied her for several seconds. He shook his head and smiled. "Maybe you should take debate instead. You make some good points." He sighed and glanced at the pamphlet again. "All right. But no slacking off school or I'll stop the classes and — " He wasn't able to finish because his daughter had crashed into him in a hug.

"Thank you, dad!" Katara exclaimed. "I'll keep up, I promise!"

As Katara ran up the stairs to her room, Sokka glanced up from where he was sprawled on the couch. "Girls," he muttered with a roll of his eyes, and went back to his TV program.

A week later, on Tuesday, Katara had her first riding lesson. She was feeling a bit intimidated, considering there were people there that had been taking lessons since they were kids, and she had only ridden a horse a handful of times, with someone helping her. But she had always loved horses, and couldn't help the feeling of excitement she got as she walked to the stables.

"Excuse me?" she asked the man by the stables. "Um, are you my instructor?"

"Yep," replied the man, turning from his chore of brushing one of the horse's coats. He switched the brush to his left hand. "My name's Akash. You're Katara?"

"Uh huh," she said, shaking Akash's tanned hand. He had light brown hair and smiling blue eyes. "Nice to meet you. Do I just call you Akash?"

He nodded. "I'm not much for formal things." He looked over her shoulder. "Sabbi, I told you to keep that girth tight!" He looked back to Katara with a smile. "Excuse me. One of the students needs assistance. Your horse is Maya. Go ahead and get acquainted with her and the other students. They'll help you if you need it." He passed her, calling to the girl who was in the corral, "If you fall off, it's your own fault."

Katara frowned. She imagined falling off a horse would be painful. Trying not to worry, she walked along the row of stalls. A few horses whinnied, interested in the newcomer. She glanced at the gold-colored plaques on each horses stall until she saw the one she was looking for.

Maya was a black Appaloosa — one of Katara's favorite horses. The white spotting on her hide looked like flecks of foam from a river. She smiled at the analogy; she had a tendency to compare things to water. "Hey there, pretty girl," she murmured to the snuffling horse. She extended her hand and Maya lipped it. She giggled. "You're sweet."

"Actually, that's a dominant move. You should probably discourage that." Katara jumped when she heard a voice behind her. Turning, she saw a boy about her own age leaning against the doorjamb. He walked up to her, pulling a carrot out of his jeans pocket. "Or she's looking for a snack." He handed her the carrot.

She smiled, took it from him, and offered it to Maya. The horse sniffed at it and took it gently, crunching it between her teeth in a satisfied way. "Thanks," said Katara, glancing at the boy again. He was petting Maya's flank calmly. "I know some horse breeds, but not much else."

"Don't worry. You'll learn," said the boy, walking back to her. She noticed that he had shaggy brown hair and eyes the color of storm clouds that were as bright as his smile. 'He's cute,' was her immediate thought. She shook it off quickly in embarrassment, tuning back in to what he was saying. "You're new, huh?"

"Yeah. Just started today."

"Awesome. My name's Aang." He extended a hand.

She shook it. "Katara." She smiled and noticed that her hand was tingling, even after she pulled away. "So, you've been riding for a while?"

"Since I was twelve," he confirmed, leading Maya out of her stall and handing Katara the saddle blanket. "So that would be three years. Long enough to know what I'm doing. Animals tend to like me." As if in response to his statement, Maya whinnied.

Katara laughed. Aang made sure that the saddle was on correctly and she tightened the girth. "So you're fifteen, huh?"

"Yeah. Had a birthday two weeks back. How old are you?"

"Just turned sixteen three months ago."

"Hey, congratulations!"

"Thanks." After securing the bit and bridle, she led Maya out of the stables. She followed Aang to where a grey horse was grazing near the fences. "That your horse?" she asked, nodding to it.

"Yep," he replied, checking the saddle on his horse. "This is Appa. A Thoroughbred mischief maker, through and through, so be careful."

Katara smiled when Appa huffed at her. "Guess I gotta learn to fit in with the horses, huh?"

Aang nodded, half a smile on his face. "That's what it's all about." He glanced at her. "Can you get up into the saddle?"

"Yeah, I think." She slipped her left foot into the stirrup and swung her right leg over. It felt a little odd to be sitting in the saddle, so high up; but she felt sort of powerful too. "Am I doing this right?" she asked, a little self-conscious.

"Sit straighter," he offered, trotting over on Appa. "You wanna be square in the saddle, so you don't go sliding off." Katara adjusted her posture and Aang nodded. "Good. It'll be harder when you start riding, but Akash can help with that." He assessed her again. "You're holding the reins wrong."

"I am?" She glanced down at where she was holding the reins in her fists, between her thumbs and forefingers.

"You want them to be under your pinky and above your thumb. Gives you more control." He reached over and placed her hands in the correct position, his hand lightly brushing hers. Katara's heartbeat picked up speed and she glanced up at Aang. His cheeks were tinged light pink, as were hers.

'Why is he blushing? Why am I blushing?' she thought, confused. She swallowed, trying to control her breathing. "So, um, like this?" She slid her last finger under the reins as Aang pulled his hand back.

"You got it." Was it just her imagination, or did he sound a little breathless? She looked up at him again. Her eyes met his and for several seconds, they stared at each other, neither feeling the need to speak.

"All right, anyone who's not in the corral in 30 seconds stays after hours to help me with paperwork!" Akash's joking threat pulled them both out of their reverie.

"We'd … better get over there," said Aang, jerking his head in the direction of the corral.

"Yeah," Katara agreed, smiling at him. Together, they rode their horses over to where the other riders were lining up. She shook off her distracted state. It wouldn't do to fall off her horse at the very start of class.

Katara did fall a couple of times, but Akash told her that was normal for first time riders. He said she'd be sore for a few days, but would be fine for the next lesson on Friday. As for Maya, Katara could tell that the horse was already warming up to her. As she swept the currycomb over her coat for the last time, the horse gave an affectionate sort of whicker. "I'll see you soon, girl," Katara promised, snapping the latch to the stall closed.

"I'm home!" she called after unlocking the front door of her house. She dropped her keys on the front hall table just as Sokka came into the hallway.

"Perfect timing. I'm just leaving."

"You're going somewhere at 5:30?"

"Suki's. I'm eating dinner with her and then we're gonna study for that calculus test." He paused and made a face. "You smell like horse."

"Imagine that. I've only spent the past three hours riding one." She rolled her eyes. "Go have fun on your date."

"I will." He grabbed his jacket off the coat hook by the door. He glanced back at her. "You have fun with the horses?"

"Yup," she replied truthfully. She watched the door close and made her way to the kitchen. "Smells good, dad," she commented, taking in a whiff of the food in the oven. "What're you cooking?"

"Catfish," her dad replied, glancing up when she walked in.

"My favorite!" she said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"I know," her dad laughed. "So how'd your first lesson go?"

"Really well. I'm gonna be sore for a little while though."

"That's not getting you out of chores."

She laughed. "I'd guess not."

He opened the oven door, peered in, and shut it again. "So, did you make any friends?"

Aang's face immediately popped into her head and an automatic smile spread across her face. "I think I did."

"Good. Well, maybe you can invite them over sometime."

"Yeah. Maybe I will." She almost skipped up the stairs to her room.