Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Breathe Again ❯ Cave In ( Chapter 4 )

Sadly I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender :D It belongs to Nick and its Original creators.

 

Breathe Again

~Chapter 4: Cave In~

 

You don't remember my name,

I don't really care,

Can we play the game your way?

Can I really lose control?

 

Katara could feel the hot breath of her captors slithering down her back, constricting her like a serpent, the fire Princess' eyes bore into her back haughtily.

“So… Little Katara, have you seen my brother or Uncle around? Daddy misses them dearly you see…” Katara shook her head and remained silent eyes plastered to the ground as it passed by her feet.

 

Azula's temper flared inside her but she did not let it show in her outer expression, “Well… That's too bad… Anyway, then how about your little buddies? From the little we know, you and the other little bitch stayed here, where'd your brother and the Avatar go?” She asked in a sadistic tone, her eyes the only part of her that displayed her true nature.

 

“I don't know WHERE they went; all I know is that they planned to split up…” Katara lied easily, Azula's glare on her back intensified drastically to the point in which her anger was now increasing the temperature around their little group. “I'll get you to talk eventually, you little Hussy… After, you do your first deed…” She snickered slightly as they turned down a rather narrow alleyway, Katara had noticed they were heading into less populated areas of the lower ring of the city, but they continued further out. Each step the weather seemed to become more foul, the stench of decay and rotting food and flesh hung thick in the air that had just moments before been crisp and clean. Did the earth King know nothing of this as well?

 

The few houses in this area where in ruins, many of the inhabitants of the lower ring merely sat out on the street ragged garments hung like drapes against their sickly lean frames, and they watched the girls through heavily hollowed eyes. Azula glared at them in disdain as she walked past them her nose held up to the heavens, as if she belonged there instead of walking on the earth among such pitiful people.

 

Katara could dimly make out the shape of a gate as they continued forward, leaving the last populated street behind, she felt fear gripping tighter at her heart than she had felt since they had left the Jasmine Dragon, which now seemed like ages ago. That fear was quelled slightly as a small boy limped out towards them, his chapped lips and pale face placed into a permanent pout and his only clothing was his ripped and tattered pants which were nearly falling off of his boney little legs. “Water… Please…” He begged reaching out towards them; Azula kicked him back angrily and with little effort. The boy fell to the ground easily in his weakened state.

Katara knew it wasn't the most intelligent thing to do in her situation but out of pity she tossed the boy her water pelt, he greedily snatched it up and watched as Azula pushed her roughly, making her stumble. She gave the boy a small smile, which he returned before running back to whence he came.

 

“Aww… How kind you are! But foolish, that would have been your one way of escaping, not that I am complaining… But I don't think you can do much with out your bending, now can you, little Katara?” Azula purred, chuckling with mirth. Katara glared at her slightly from the corner of her eye, “Trying to take all three of you on by myself would be suicide, Princess.” She said back in a somewhat flat and exasperated tone, “What if you weren't alone?” A familiar voice asked, the four girls turned in surprise to see Zuko his dual swords drawn and his lips drawn into a thin line.

 

“Well, well, if it isn't little Zuzu… You've saved me the trouble of finding you, how sweet you are to your little sis.” Azula sneered taking a stance, Ty Lee and Mei circled Katara keeping her in place. She bit her lip in an attempt to calm her nerves, `Without my bending I can't do anything to help myself escape… And I don't want help from his Royal Pain in the Ass… But if I run Ms.Tall Dark and Creepy will just use me as target practice… Dammit.' Katara thought to herself as she stood there watching Azula and Zuko as they gave each other death glares and waited for the other to make the first move.

 

Suddenly Zuko surprised everyone by leaping in an arc towards Katara and the two non benders; he threw her a small but full water pelt. “It's mine… Put it to good use.” He growled, dodging a palm strike from Ty Lee. Katara barely caught the pelt, and was now caught in a tug of war match with Mei, the two girl's grit their teeth as they pulled on their respective sides, Ty Lee turned on them suddenly dealing several blows to Katara's legs forcing her to crumple to the ground.

 

Zuko cursed under his breath as he noticed the water bender on the ground and the little acrobatic bitch pelting her arms with her paralyzing pressure point hits, Azula chuckled cruelly. “Did you really think you could pull this off? You're more stupid than I took you for, Zuzu!” Grunting as he dodged a lightning bolt, Zuko decided it was best to retreat and live to fight another day, without a second thought he once again rushed the non benders beating them easily he grabbed the helpless water bender who berated him harshly. “NO! Put me DOWN!” She cried, arching her back in her futile attempt to struggle free, if they had not been running for their lives Zuko probably would have found her odd squirming somewhat humorous… And maybe a little of something… Else? But he didn't have time to think about anything other than the furious and horribly aimed lightning bolts his sister was firing at them.

 

He was slightly relieved when he rounded the corner and saw the wide and gaping mouth of a cave, the could hide among its many tunnels and then sneak out after his furious sister had either gone deeper in the cave then they, or turned back to Ba Sing Se. He was just covering the threshold of the cave when suddenly there was a loud crack and the force of the blow followed sending him to the cool floor of the cave where everything slipped into darkness…