Another attempt at a ATLA fanfic. Major Zutara.

Since the series has been over, and sadly Zutara did not come through, I thought that it was time to write one that had Zutara in it constantly. This isn't the typical story with the Gang and their adventure. It takes place in a time that doesn't exist in the real show.

It starts with the war between the Water and Fire nations.

***rated M because there will be some violence and swearing and sex (not extremely graphic but still) throughout the story***

Disclaimer: Don't own ATLA. I own my plot.

~paperbackwriter9

The icy wind cut through Katara's hair and stung her face. Shouts and yells penetrated her ears louder than ever, as she curled up in the tent, hugging her knees close. The cold wind got everywhere. Even though the tent flap was open at the moment, the wind would seep into her bones while she slept and haunt her at night. Being on the front lines in the war was worse than she imagined.

Chief Hakoda was Katara and Sokka's father, and therefore made his children extremely important to the war efforts. When their mother had died, Katara became the next woman in charge of Chief Hakoda's anti fire nation war campaign, and made her less of a daughter, and more of a warrior. She didn't know how she felt about this. Sokka was a warrior, clumsy, but a warrior. But she was a girl.

Katara was suppose to be back at home, with Gran Gran, tending to the children. While the idea of being in battle felt like a dream come true, she realized that she was far off from the dream she once held dear.

KATARA'S P.O.V

This war had been going on for too long. I had been in this tent for far too long as well. I hated this tent. I hated this war. "I hate the fire people," I mumbled as I tidied up my tent.

The Fire Nation was ruthless with their weapons and fire bending and anger against the water tribe people. Luckily the closest I had been to a fire soldier was maybe fifty feet away. The only reason I was at this camp at all was because my father wanted to keep an eye on me. He was obsessed with the thought I would be harmed back at the village. So why wasn't the rest of the village here then?

This angered me and I was constantly being threatened to be sent back to the village. My thoughts were interrupted when the Sokka ducked into the tent. "Katara, they're calling a meeting in the main tent and dad wants you to come too." He left and I sighed, these meetings bored me to no end.

With my fur boots fitting snug on my feet, I left my private tents and headed to the main one. The perks about being the chiefs daughter were many. The men who were far older than me respected me. I was treated very well by my people, mainly from my caring and helpfulness to help my people. I was considered the princess to the village as they told me so. But I had only used their love to spread awareness to help others.

I was no fool, and I knew the Fire Nation would love to kidnap myself or Sokka, causing our father to surrender. So maybe my father was not insane for dragging me along. But still... I hated it.

I quietly ducked into the tent and did not meet anyones gaze as I found Sokka. "Can you believe we've been here for almost a year?" He whispered to a warrior sitting next to him.

"Other warriors have been here longer," the other boy said.

The war against the Fire Nation had started a hundred years ago when Fire Lord Sozin attacked when the avatar disappeared. They wanted, and still wanted, to control the world. It was a scary thing, and you wondered just how insane the Fire Lords have been. Many nights I listened when my father talked about the next Fire Lord. Would he be just as insane?

In the beginning, they had only been fighting the Northern Water Tribe city, but soon sailed all the way to the South Pole and attacked the Southern Water Tribes. Though we have a similar culture, we live in two different ways. I had always wanted to visit the north after hearing stories about its beauty from my Gran Gran. But the journey was long, and too expensive even for my father.

The cities they have are large and full of life, and the beauty is breathtaking. Or so Gran Gran said.

I was shaken from my day dreams as the men came in and sat down.

The meeting started with the generals and important warriors sitting around in a giant circle. General Ishi called everyone to order and the murmurs from the men died down slowly. I sat behind the circle, behind my brother in the shadows. Even though the men respected me and acknowledged me in the war tent, I felt like I had no place here.

General Ishi was a tall man, with a beard and a wise face. He was older than my father, but was able to still fight. He had lived in the north for many years, and there were many tales as to why he left to come to the less appealing south. "The Fire Nation has been sent a new general by orders of the Fire Lord Ozai. The man is supposedly quite powerful, and very intelligent. Chief H-"

"We can not continue to fall behind!"

"The last general they had was not bright, and we still are losing this war."

"We won't survive!"

"Men! Please, calm yourselves," my father said over the panic and worries. From the shadows I sat hugging my knees and watching the men stand and yell. I was seventeen years of age, and I did not wish to see this. In a way the complex war plans and the talk of killing fire soldiers scared me quite a bit. I hated the Fire Nation as much as the next Water Tribe member, but to kill was too much for me. I would defend when I needed to, but never kill.

"Our sister tribe, the Northern Water Tribe, has successfully defeated the Fire Nation, even through the Siege of the North. We can not give in! This new general may be powerful as General Ishi has said, or he may be weak. There is no way to defeat him if we can not believe it ourselves."

The meeting dragged on for another hour and I must have fallen asleep for Sokka whispered my name and I opened my eyes to see the tent empty. "What was the main point of this stupid meeting?"

"They want to take out the general. Using a secret plan!" Sokka's excitement made me smile. "With no one in command, they hope their chances of turning the war around will work." Then Sokka laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"You drooled!" And he burst out laughing. I touched my chin and found saliva down my coat. I tried to be mad at him for laughing, but laughing felt so good after sitting through a meeting on war.

When the night fell, I left my reading in my tent and went to the cooking tent. There were some other women who lived here besides me, and I loved to help them cook. Sadly, the meals were usually the same and not very interesting. The women cooked in silence and I enjoyed being with females, even though I didn't talk to them.

I loved to prepare food, and create a meal. I never realized how much food meant to people when I was out here with the warriors.

Tonight they were preparing seaweed bread, rice, and sea prune stew. If you didn't live in the water tribes, then sea prune stew would be awfully harsh on your stomach. I took two bowls which were sitting on plates with the bread and rice, and left the tent. I took one to Sokka's tent, and the other I took back to my own tent.

Once again I ate alone in silence.

The sky was quite dark now and the beauty of the moon shone down onto the snow. I opened the tent, even though it was dangerous at night during the harsh winds. The sky was filled with thousands of stars that glittered in the black sky. The moon was almost full, and I thanked the moon spirits Tui and La for their protection, as I did every night.

It was frightening being so close to the battles. So I prayed for my village, the warriors, and the Water Tribe as a whole. I knew it was a lot to pray for, but I wanted to make sure everyone was safe. I crawled out slowly from the tent and stood up to stretch my legs. One thing I hated was how cramped everything was with all the restrictions of were I could and could not go. Oh how I wished many times that my father did not have such a high position in the village.

The almost full moon attracted me and I felt the small urge to bend. Waterbenders were different from the other bending nations. Our people learned from the moon, and we were strongest at night. The full moon seemed to give an energy boost and I quietly walked to the edge of the cliff we were camped at. The water below was dark and I could feel the power underneath my feet.

Slowly and ever so quiet, I drew a small amount of water from the ocean below. It was cool under my touch as I created simple shapes. It felt wonderful to be bending again, even if it was only small things like squares and circles. The last time I used my bending was to demonstrate a war technique on a small scale during the generals meetings.

The wind blew my hair back, and the lovely smell of the ocean filled my lungs. After an hour or so, when the moon was being covered by clouds, I went back to my tent and unbraided my hair. I wrapped myself with the warm blankets and changed my boots to softer shoes. At that moment I was proud to have Water Tribe blood in my veins.

Sleep soon found me and my tired body relaxed under the warm blankets. Dreams slowly poured through my mind with images of the spirit koi fish dancing in circles.

The darkness was all I could see as I slept, when I was suddenly woken and white flashed under my eyes. Disoriented and confused, I couldn't breathe through my nose because of some pressure. I opened my mouth and a cold sweet liquid poured down my throat and I was forced to swallow. The fear of being poisoned hit me quickly and as I tried to stand, but I suddenly felt too tired. Hands gently laid my head down, and the back of a hand brushed my cheek in a gentle manner.

Am I dreaming?

That was my last thought before slowly slipping into the dark.

Review! Please&thanks :)