Fear.

Amaya could practically smell it as she wandered through the Air Temple, and that worried her. She pushed a curtain aside and froze. She was staring at… herself.

But she'd never seen herself like this before, and perhaps that was why it affected her so deeply. She'd never seen what the glow did to her face, washing her out and highlighting her cheekbones, giving her a demonic appearance as she snarled. Katara and Sokka crouched behind rocks in front of her, and the other her slammed her fists together, blasting her back against a wall.

Suddenly the room was red and gold, grand and supported with elaborate columns. She recognized the worked door in front of her from the Fire Temple as it unlocked, the flames and dragons falling before the doors ground open. There was the other her again, still glowing, still snarling, only now spitting fire. She sliced and the floor beneath her opened up, the edges glowing hot.

She dropped onto hard metal, cool beneath her fingers. She recognized the smells of a Fire Navy ship, sea, and coal, as she stared up at herself one more. This was by far the worst. She was still snarling, still glowing, but now enveloped in water shaped like the ocean spirit, a force of vengeance and destruction. The other her brought her arm down damningly, and Amaya shot up.

Amaya woke up panting, glowing eyes superimposed over her vision for a moment and she panicked. But then she felt the gentle bob of the Water Tribe ship they were on and came back to herself. Amaya rolled out of her hammock and strode across the wood, padding softly in an effort not to wake anyone as she went for the deck. She needed an open space, sea air around her.

Apparently she hadn't managed to get out without being spotted, because it was only a moment before Katara joined her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Nightmare," Amaya sighed, and didn't expand.

"Want to talk about it?"

Amaya hung her head. "I was in the Avatar State, but I was outside my body. It was scary, I was scary." Is that really what I look like? she wondered to herself. It was almost… inhuman.

The next morning was a time for goodbyes as they left the Water Tribe ship. Pakku and the others were continuing on to the Southern Water tribe, but they were heading for the Earth Kingdom.

"Katara, I want you to have this," Pakku said, reaching into a bag and pulling out a conical vial with a moon-shaped stopper, hung from a necklace. "It's filled with water from the spirit oasis. It has powerful properties. Mikazuki wanted me to give it to you. Don't lose it," he added teasingly, handing it to Katara. She stepped forwards and took it, looping it around her neck before hugging the old man.

"Thank you Master Pakku," she said, and turned to mount Appa.

Amaya stepped forwards next, dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. Pakku handed her a box with the water tribe symbol on the lid. She slid the top back and revealed a small cache of scrolls. "These scrolls will help you master Waterbending," Pakku explained. "But remember, nothing can substitute for a master."

Amaya turned to look at Katara and slapped her a high-five as she hopped onto Appa's head. Sokka stepped forwards then.

"Sokka," Pakku said, lowering his bag. "Take care son."

Amaya snickered as Sokka slumped, scowling. The boy clambered up onto Appa as Pakku continued his instructions.

"Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom base to the east of here. There General Fong will give you an escort to Omashu, where you'll be safe to begin your Earthbending training with King Bumi."

"Thanks Pakku," Amaya grinned. "Yip yip!"

"Say hi to Gran-Gran for me!" Katara called back, and a bit of a blush appeared in Pakku's cheeks.

"It's sweet," Amaya said fondly. "All these years later her still loves her."

"I know!" Katara grinned. "Sokka, wouldn't it be amazing if he and Gran-Gran got married?"

"I think the word you're looking for is gross," Sokka corrected.

Katara put her hands on her hips. "The problem with you is that you don't have a romantic bone in your body."

"Yeah, like Katara!" Amaya teased. "She got arrested to save Haru's father. If that's not love I don't know what is!"

"I was just trying to help that poor village, Haru had nothing to do with it!" Katara protested, but she was red now too.

"Mm hm, that's why you only went to prison after Haru was arrested," Amaya grinned.

"Shut up," Katara grumbled. Amaya laughed.

The journey to the Earth Kingdom base was fairly easy, smooth skies the whole way. It was Sokka that spotted the base first, crying out, "There it is!"

Amaya brought them in for a smooth landing in the courtyard where a large group waited. They all dismounted to be greeted by a man in Earth Kingdom armor and a truly impressive beard, flanked by several ranks of soldiers.

"Greetings, Avatar Amaya!" the man said grandly. "And welcome to all of you heroes. Appa, Momo, the brave Sokka, the mighty Katara."

"Mighty Katara?" Katara grinned. "I like that."

They all flinched and turned around at the sound of several explosions. However, it proved to be only fireworks shot into the air by a few of the soldiers.

"Impressive," Sokka grinned. "I like it here."

Amaya just shook her head. The best way to annoy her these days was to oh and ah and act like she was some sort of legend brought to life. People bowing and scraping was never what she had wanted. The over-the-top attempts to impress her were even worse sometimes.

But nonetheless, they were grandly welcomed and led to the General's office as Appa was taken away to a stable for some hay.

"We've all heard stories of your heroics in the Northern Tribe, of how you wiped out a Fire Navy fleet single-handedly. To wield such devastating power. It must be an awesome responsibility."

Amaya's eyes narrowed. General Fong was slowly rising on her 'people to be suspicious of' list. The way he said that, it was as if he wanted such power, and she didn't like the way that boded.

"I try not to think about it," she said honestly, and she did. To be fused with a spirit had been to lose part of herself in exchange for that 'destructive power' and it was a price she didn't like to pay.

"Avatar, you're ready to face the Fire Lord."

Amaya couldn't help herself. She shot upright and shouted, "Fong, what are you smoking?"

"Amaya still hasn't mastered all the elements!" Katara protested.

"Why should she?" Fong smiled. "With the power she possesses now, to take down a fleet of Fire Navy ships in a matter of minutes, she's more than ready to face the Fire Lord now."

"But, sir," Sokka said respectfully. "Amaya can only do those kinds of things in the Avatar State."

"See, it's this thing where-"

"I'm aware!" Fong said sharply. "Your eyes and tattoos glow, and you're able to summon unimaginable power. Without your help, we'd be slaughtered before we reached their shores. But with you leading us, the ultimate weapon, we'd be able to cut a swathe right through to the heart of the Fire Nation."

"Yeah, you could," Amaya said as if talking to a rather slow child. "But I can't really switch it on or off, much less control it once I'm there. I'd be just as likely to hurt people on my side as others."

"It's decided then!" Fong said delightedly. "I'll help you get into the Avatar State if you'll lead our army and face your destiny!"

"Nothing's decided!" Katara protested as she and Sokka stood beside Amaya.

"Did the definition of decided change in the last few years?" Amaya asked.

"We have a plan," Sokka said. "Amaya's facing her destiny after she's mastered all the elements."

"But unfortunately," Fong said. "While you bide your time learning the elements, the war goes on. May I show you something?"

Amaya watched as the General walked over to a window. He gestured for her to come and she did, but she did so slowly, not removing her eyes from the General.

"That is the infirmary down there, and those soldiers? They're the lucky ones. They came back."

Amaya stared down. Men on crutches, men with arms in slings, men with gauze around their heads and chests, men with entire limbs swaddled in white fabric.

"Every day the Fire Nation takes more lives. People are dying Amaya! And you could end it now. I'll leave you to ponder that," the General finished, leaving the window, and Amaya gritted her teeth. The General was a jerk, but he was correct. When it was just her, Katara, and Sokka it was easy to forget that elsewhere people were fighting for their lives and freedom, that people were injured, lost limbs and lives to protect those things. And the General had just shoved that fact in her face and scolded her for forgetting it, all the while presenting her with a way to fix it that followed his wishes.

Darn him, he'd found her weak spot. She hated it when people got hurt on her account. And if she refused, she could be responsible for untold amounts of casualties.

Amaya wasn't sure whether to hate herself for considering this, or be glad that this opportunity had dropped into her lap. Either way, she was ashamed as she snuck out of the room she shared with Katara and Sokka and made her way down the halls.

Roku had always stressed to her the importance of learning the elements. Was she going against him by even considering this? Yes. Did she care? Oh yes. Did she have a choice? …Yes, but at the same time no. If she could end this, she had the duty to, before more people were hurt.

The weight of Roku's headpiece was suddenly heavy on her head, and she felt guilty for wearing his artifact while defying him, like it was a gesture mocking his ideals. Somewhere along the way, Roku had in a way replaced Gyatso for her as a father figure. Oh, Gyatso would still hold a very special and very large place in her heart, but a little bit had been taken over by Roku.

"General Fong?" she called as she walked into his office. The man himself sat at his desk in the dim light from a candle, doing paperwork.

"Ah, Amaya," he said, looking up and smiling when he saw her. She didn't like the expectant gleam in his eye. "Have you thought more about our discussion?"

"Yes," she admitted, slumping in defeat as she said, "I'm in. I'll fight the Fire Lord."

And I'll hate every minute of it.

"Wonderful, we'll start with-"

But Amaya ignored him and just turned and walked away. She'd said all she had to say, and she had no desire to listen. She trudged back to her room and slipped inside, sitting down on the side of her cot.

"Amaya?" Katara asked, sitting up in bed and leaning on one arm.

"I told the General I'd go along with his plan and fight the Fire Lord," Amaya said softly.

"Amaya, no!" Katara protested. "This isn't the way!"

"Why not?" Sokka said. "You saw the way she took out the Fire Nation. It was incredible."

"There's a right way to do this. Study, discipline…"

"Or just glow it up and beat that Fire Lord!"

"Fine!" Katara snapped, standing up right. "If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, then by all means just glow it up!"

She made for the door, but Amaya stopped her.

"Katara, I agree with you," she stressed.

"What?" Sokka and Katara chorused, Sokka in surprise and Katara in confusion.

"But, if you think you should learn all the elements first, then why?" Katara asked.

"I can't take it," Amaya sighed, pressing the heels of her palms into her forehead and leaning forwards. "Katara, if I do this, all the war, the casualties, all the death, the grieving families, it'll stop there too. If I don't, who knows how many more people will suffer? I was perfectly content ignoring the fact that there is a war going on and people are dying, but Fong shoved that in my face today, and presented me with a way to stop it. I have to take it, or all that's on my head."

"Amaya, no it isn't," Katara said soothingly.

"Yes it is!" Amaya shouted. "It is! Katara, don't try and talk me out of this! Believe me, I tried for hours. I'm going against everything I wanted to do. Good- goodnight," she finished softly, laying down and rolling over to face the walls, pulling the sheet up to her chin and closing her eyes tightly.

She listened intently for Sokka to lay back down, for Katara to go back to her bed. When the sound of Katara's deep breathing and Sokka's snores finally filled the room, she stopped pretending sleep and just lay there.

In the dark of the room she had still another problem to face. The dreams she'd been having. The Avatar State was terrifying to her, she didn't like it at all, but it wasn't enough to change her mind. It was enough, however, to make her not want to sleep so that she wouldn't dream.

Amaya was up the next morning with the sun, due to the fact that she'd never really gone to sleep. She looked horrible, her tunic wrinkled, her braid cockeyed and drooping, and the crown skewed.

She sat in front of a man in yellowish green robes that hurt her eyes to look at, the General to her right. Katara and Sokka sat behind her, Momo perched in Katara's lap.

"This rare, chi-enhancing tea is a natural stimulant," the man said, pouring her a steaming cup. "In a normal warrior, it increases strength and speed ten-fold. In you, it could trigger the Avatar State."

"Ten-fold energy?" Amaya repeated, taking the cup warily. She could see this going horribly, but the General wouldn't let her back out now. She downed the tea, gagging at the herby flavor and froze.

"Whoo!" she screamed, jumping upright and twirling in a tornado. "I feel great, really great, this is really, realy, really really reallyreallyreallyreally awesome! Am I in the Avatar State yet? Huh? Huh? Am I? Am I? I think I might- oof!"

She lost focus and the tornado wrenched wildly, spinning her into one of the columns supporting the pagoda roof.

Up next was Sokka, and that made Amaya a little nervous. What did he have planned?

"Maybe I can shock you into the Avatar State," Sokka theorized.

"Okay," Amaya said. That didn't sound too bad. "I like surprises."

Katara clasped her hands over Amaya's eyes, and then removed them after a moment.

Amaya's first impression was of Sokka with Momo's head. It was disturbing, to say the least, and not just because of the grotesque size difference in the two. She yelped and recoiled, but it went no farther than that.

"Yeah, severe lack of glowing here people," she deadpanned.

An hour later she was dressed in a ridiculously over-sized, furry, blue robe, a red skirt of some sort of itchy fabric, and an outrageous green hat with leaves sticking out of the top. A man in a furry vest and some strange amulet was in front of her at an alter.

"You are now wearing a ceremonial piece of clothing from each of the four bending nations," he intoned. "I will now join the four elements into one. Water, Earth, Fire, Air, together as one!" He dumped a pitcher of water and some dirt into a silver basin, before throwing in a torch and blowing on it with a bellows. He lifted the basin into the air and threw it on her. Amaya blinked as mud splattered all over her.

"This is mud!" she said angrily, before her face contorted. Everyone leaned forwards eagerly to watch in awe as Amaya…sneezed. Mud splattered everywhere, especially thick on General Fong and the crazy man who dressed her up like this. She smirked, pleased.

"We have to find a way," Fong muttered.

"Can I ask you something?" Katara asked Amaya as they stood on a balcony of the base, staring out at the sunset.

"What's on your mind?" Amaya sighed, though she knew very well.

"Do you remember at the Air Temple when you found monk Gyatso's bones?"

"Katara," Amaya said sharply. "Of course I do. I'll remember that until the day I die."

"I know. It must have been so horrible and traumatic for you. I saw you get so upset that you weren't even you anymore. I'm not saying that the Avatar State doesn't have helpful, incredible power. But for the people that love you, watching you be in that much rage and pain is scary."

"I know," Amaya sad. "I'm glad you told me that, and you just hit on the exact reason I hate the Avatar State. I'm not me anymore, I'm just something instinctual. Amaya, the part of my mind that makes me me, is gone. But unfortunately, I don't have a choice. I haven't had a choice in quite a while."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"I woke up from being sealed in ice to find a mess I was immediately told I had to clean up, and how to do it. How many people died in the hundred years I was late? Defeating the Fire Lord is the only way to end this. I have to do this."

"I can't watch you do this to yourself."

"Then don't," Amaya sighed.

"I'm not coming tomorrow," Katara said, walking away.

"That's fine," Amaya said, though in reality it was anything but.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Zuko and Iroh were in a room, dressed far more casually than Amaya had ever seen. The scent of cherry blossoms filled the air and the room was well-lit from the sun outside. However, there was a dark blot on the scene. A girl in Fire Nation armor, the same gold eyes as Zuko, and a crown around her hair. Zuko's sister. So this was her, the one his father said was born lucky.

Amaya hated her on sight. That only increased when she spoke.

"I've come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him." Her voice was blasé, casual, but with an underlying malicious glee that sent shivers down her spine. "He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him, treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust."

She turned her head away, the perfect image of a melancholy family member, but there was a fakeness to it, a rehearsed ease to her movements. Perhaps the worst part was the undisguised look of pleading in Zuko's eyes, hoping this was all true. "Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home."

There was a moment of silence, and the girl was suddenly angry, almost offended. "Did you hear me?" she demanded. "You should be happy, excited, grateful. I just gave you great news!"

He should be happy, excited, grateful, his father was allowing him back into his homeland? This girl was sick.

"I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment to-"

"Don't interrupt uncle!" the girl snapped. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

"Father regrets?" Zuko said softly. "He- He wants me back?"

Amaya walked to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder, put of course, even though she connected, Zuko didn't react. It was all just a dream.

"Don't believe her," Amaya whispered in his ear. "She's lying. I know it."

Far, far to the west, Zuko's eyes widened. He was sure he had felt a hand on his shoulder, even though there was no one behind him. Even now he could feel the soft heat of another body, feel the shape of a palm applying light pressure.

"Don't believe her," a voice whispered in his ear. "She's lying. I know it."

It was a voice he recognized, the voice of the Avatar. But she wasn't here; there was no possible way…

Still he looked up and turned around, scanning the room. Only Iroh and Azula, as it should be. But he still couldn't shake the niggling feeling that he really had heard those words; that they were meant for him.

The dream suddenly shifted to her nightmare. She was there, in the Avatar State, high over the deck of a ship. Water streamed around her as she landed. Avatar State Amaya threw a wall of water at her, and Amaya was washed over the side of the ship. She suddenly realized, this was the first time she had triggered the State when she got out of the ice. That meant…

The hauled herself up on deck only to see Zuko turn tail and run from her. The expression of fear on his face was something she had never wanted to see as a reaction to her.

Amaya shot straight out of bed when she woke up the next morning, sitting ram-rod straight and panting. That dream… It was so vivid, more so that any of the others she had had featuring the Fire Prince. What could have triggered that?

Amaya flushed as she remembered the last time they had seen each other in person. Oh. The kiss. Could that be it?

But that girl in his dream, his sister. She now felt even sorrier for him as she saw what shadow he had lived in. The girl was good, and she knew it, you could tell by her confidence. But there was also that underlying wicked quality that made Amaya want to strangle her.

But that little feeling from the North Pole was back. That feeling of caring. She knew that she cared for Zuko, even though they were considered enemies. She couldn't think of him that way anymore though, not since she had seen the more emotional side of him when she confessed to her earlier dreams. It had been such an emotionally charged situation for both of them. Words had been said, a kiss had been exchanged, and things had changed for her.

"Amaya, are you okay?" Sokka asked. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, pulling on his boots. "Bad dream?"

"Yes, but that's not it," Amaya said. She was sure now. That dream was what she'd needed to steel her resolve. She was confident now, immovable. "I don't think we should be trying to bring on the Avatar State."

"Okay," Sokka shrugged.

"You don't mind?" Amaya asked, surprised. "You seemed all for it yesterday."

"Yeah, but after everything we tried yesterday I'm not sure it's something that you can just turn on and off," Sokka sighed. "So it's up to you whether we continue or not."

"Thanks," Amaya said, relieved. "How do you think the General will take it?"

"What can he do?" Sokka chuckled. "You're the Avatar! You'd know best."

"Sir, I know this was a tactic you had your heart set on, but I don't believe it's possible to trigger the Avatar State," Amaya said, bowing respectfully.

"Are you sure I can't change your mind?" Fong asked.

"Yes," Amaya nodded. "It only happens when I'm in genuine danger, I think."

"I see." Fong sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."

"Wha-?"

Amaya looked up just in time to see the General's desk come screeching across the floor and catch her in the stomach. She was pushed along in front of it until her back slammed into a wall and she was forced through. Suddenly there was no ground under her and she was falling. She hit the ground four stories below hard, her breath gone. She looked up blearily to see Fong framed by the new hole in his wall, pointing down at her."

"Men! Attack the Avatar!"

Fong jumped and landed in front of her. Blocks of stone rippled across the courtyards and forced her into the air. Amaya landed on her feet and stared at him, at a loss.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"I believe we're about to get results," Fong said with a smile.

"This isn't something you want to see!" Amaya insisted angrily as the soldiers surrounding her raised rounded slabs from the ground. Two rotated and kicked theirs, sending them rolling towards her dangerously. Amaya danced around them and jumped to avoid the next one flying like a Frisbee. Her body was parallel to the ground and she felt another slab fly overhead, so close that it grazed her shoulder.

"I'm not your enemy, what are you doing?" Amaya shouted. "I won't fight you!"

Four slabs rolled towards her from four directions. She jumped over the top and landed on the ground. Another slab knocked one of the four out of the way and two more snapped on her like a closing book. She barely managed to cram herself in the center before she was sent rolling. She felt vaguely dizzy and then the stone around her shattered, sending her flying back.

She jumped over a ring sliding across the ground and dove through the hole as two more discs closed in in an attempt to crush her. She quickly formed an air scooter and hopped on, bouncing off of walls that were raised in an attempt to slow her down. She rolled up a wall, slowly shrinking the size of the swirling ball of air as she neared the top and taking a long step. Two spears suddenly sliced in front of her and she cursed herself for not remembering that ostrich horses could jump to incredible heights.

Amaya pushed off the wall in a back flip. The ostrich horses landed on either side of her and she rolled under their blow. It was sheer bad luck that she landed in the middle of one of those rings. It rose out of the ground, catching her in the legs and pulling her towards Fong.

"You can't run forever!" he called to her.

"You can't fight forever!" she shot back. She jumped out of the ring and sprinted to avoid several more falling behind her. She took a hard left to avoid another rolling towards her.

Something slashed past her face and she saw Sokka's boomerang take the top off a soldier's spear. She glanced around and saw Katara send a stream of water towards Fong. He merely raised his arms and dirt rose up, turning the water to mud. Amaya jumped up onto the railing of the stairs above, seeking a momentary reprieve. This was an amazing method for working on one's agility, but she hated it with a passion!

"You may be able to avoid me, but she can't!"

Amaya looked up sharply to see Katara standing in the middle of the courtyard, a solid wall of rings in a V around her, Fong standing there blocking the opening. The ground under Katara suddenly spun her around, yanking her down up to her knees.

"I can't move!" she called, bracing her hands on the stone in front of her and trying to pull out.

"Katara!" Amaya and Sokka both yelled. Amaya sent a two-handed jet of air towards the General, but he merely raised a defensive wall. Sokka came charging towards him, but his ostrich horse got caught in the ground as well, sending him flying. He dangled from a hole of one of the rings.

"Stop hurting them!" Amaya screamed, running to the General's side as Katara was submerged up to her hips.

"You could save them it you were in the Avatar State!" Fong shouted in her face.

"Amaya, I'm sinking!" Katara was up to her shoulders.

"Stop this!"

Her head.

"Please!"

"You don't have to go this far."

"Apparently I do."

Gone.

Amaya lunged for the spot Katara had been, but she was already gone. Rage filled her. This man, this man had dared to kill her sister in all but blood just to trigger the State. Well congratulations. He had it. Amaya, for the first time, willingly opened herself up to the rage and reached for the power resting deep inside her.

She glowed.

"It worked!" Fong rejoiced.

"It worked," Amaya intoned, standing up and facing him, a snarl etched on her face. "You're red," she growled.

Amaya saw the world in different shades. All around her was a mess of green, green shapes that had done wrong, but who were not bad. There was Sokka's shape, a bright, angry blue. And there was Fong, a sickly green edged in flaming red.

She sent a wave of air at him, blasting him back. Sand rose beneath her, raising her up into the sky in a cyclone of dirt and earth.

"Avatar Amaya, can you hear me? Your friend is safe!" Fong yelled to her. Katara shot out of the ground and collapsed next to him, panting. "It was just a trick to trigger the Avatar State. And it worked!"

Amaya came down hard, a shockwave spreading, blasting soldiers off their feet, wrecking buildings, cracking the wall, throwing the paved stones up at wild angles.

And then suddenly she was flying away, staring at her glowing body on the ground. She was in her spirit form, and there was something hard and scaly under her. It was Fang, Roku's dragon, and perched in front of her was Roku himself.

"Roku," she whimpered, pressing her face into the back of his robe. "I hate this."

"It's time you learned," Roku said tenderly as he coaxed Fang up into the clouds. Amaya looked about with wide eyes. All around them were clouds painted golden with sunset, and perched on these clouds were people. Men women, water, fire, earth air.

"The Avatar State is a defensive mechanism that imbues with the strength and wisdom of all your past lives," Roku said. "The glow is a combination of all the Avatars who came before focusing their energy through your body. In the Avatar State you are in your most powerful, but you are also at your most vulnerable."

"What do you mean?" Amaya asked, confused. "How so?"

"If you are killed in the Avatar State," Roku said and suddenly Fang was gone and Roku was standing in front of her at the head of a long line of Avatar's past. The line faded and vanished as Roku said, "the reincarnation cycle will be broken, and the Avatar will cease to exist."

Amaya was back on Fang again, Roku bringing him down, and she was sucked into her body again. She felt the rage ebb as she finally registered that Katara was okay. The strength left her and she hit the ground, weakened by the strain of the Avatar State. Katara came running towards her, pulling her against her chest.

"I'm sorry, Katara," she apologized. "I hope you never have to see me like that again. I know you hate it as much as I do."

"Hah, are you kidding?" Fong said, coming over gleefully. "That was almost perfect! We just have to figure out a way to control you when you're like that. But we can work that out on the way to the Fire Nation-"

Sokka rode up behind him and knocked him out with his boomerang.

"Anybody have a problem with that?" he demanded.

The soldiers all shook their heads. Two came forwards nervously.

"Do you… still need an escort to Omashu?" one asked.

"No," Katara grinned. "I think we've got it."

Momo landed on Amaya's soldier as they climbed onto Appa and flew away in the direction of Omashu.

That night, Amaya had the strangest dream. It was only a glimpse, but it was a clear stream of rushing water. There were two bundles of hair floating down the river. One was a grey topknot, the other was a long black ponytail bound in red.

Amaya wondered what had forced Zuko and Iroh to cut away their royal topknots.