Katara sat in the cell with her knees pulled to her chest, she played with the end of the sleeve that had a hole in the hem, it at least was warm. She never wore pants without some sort of skirt over herself, she felt bare but remembered most of the women on this ship didn't wear a skirt or dress so it made sense. She sighed softly and heard the captain and that woman before above.

She couldn't figure out what they were saying but it sounded like a farewell. She could tell the sun were starting to set seeing the exit just enough to see the sky.

Katara closed her eyes for a moment as she rested her chin on her knees, holding her legs tighter to her chest. How was she going to get home? How was her family going to find her?

That woman earlier seemed to know who she was or what she was for more, knew that the pirates were planning on stealing her. How long have they been planning to kidnap? Did they know the alliance between her tribe and the fire nation? How would they know that?

Kataras eyes widen a little remembering jet and ty Lee were at the palace, where they spy's or was there someone else inside the fire nation that was a traitor. She still wondered why they would take her...

"Katara," a woman walked down the stairs to her.

"How do you know my name?" She asked looking up but didn't bother moving.

"Captain told me that you have a name, it's better than the water tribe Princess, to long," June walked over to her and knelt in front of the cell to be eye level.

"You told Lee that you're a healer correct?" She asked calmly.

"I am," Katara nodded. "Is that why you took me?"

"Oh no, that's just a bonus, but is it true you can't heal the sick?" June asked again looking at her trying to see any sign of lying.

"Only physical wounds, unless it was something physically wrong I can't fix immune systems, that's impossible," Katara narrowed her eyes. It wasn't hypothetical, he lied to her.

"Are you a blood bender?" June frowned.

"W-what? That's real?" Her eyes widen fearful. What could a blood bender do?

"Yea, in a way it can heal too, you're not lying to me though, correct?" She asked again seriously.

"I'm not," Katara snapped a little.

"Good, cause it's one thing the captain won't let anything happen to You for lying, but if I find out you lied to me, I'm cutting out your tongue," June hissed darkly and stood back up as Katara gulped a little.

"Why? Who's dying?" Katara forced out.

"Someone I owe, I don't need them to die on me before I can repay my debt," June looked at her with a hint of sadness.

"Why does the captain care?" She asked quietly.

"The captain owes them a lot more," the pale woman nodded softly before going up the stairs to leave.

Katara let out a breath she didn't know she was holding for so long, something about the threat made her know that it wasn't bluffing, she would hurt her. But it was the truth, or at least she thought so. She didn't know if she could heal the ill like that, definitely not a cold she could heal..

What could she do to heal the ill? It would give her more reason to be kept alive by the captain, give her worth. She needed his trust in the first place to even bend. He wouldn't just let his prisoner bend to heal and expect her not to try to escape, neither of them are that stupid. 

Katara looked around curiously to see if she could use anything to escape while he's distracted. Was it possible? Probably not, there's eyes on her everywhere but now she's not in a fancy royal gown. She could actually run now without tripping.

She heard a scuffle below the deck and looked over at the noise curiously, she hasn't seen any animals on the ship, not even pests, which was surprising. She crawled over hearing a thud and frowned confused what was over there.

Suddenly a man crawled out of a barrel gasping for air a little and they made eye contact.

"Who are you?" He looked at Katara seeing she was in a cell.

"Hostage, you?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Your not apart of the crew?" He asked relieved. He looked more earth kingdom as he seemed dirtier as well, another pirate? Not part of the Phoenix obviously.

"Neither are you, are you a stowaway?" She stood up and walked to the edge of her cell.

"Uh sure, yea?" He smirked a little.

"A spy?" She tried again. He shrugged but she was right.

"Well since you're not an Allie, mind getting me out of here?" Katara smiled sweetly at him as he looked her up and down suspiciously.

"Why are you the captains prisoner?" He asked glaring a little.

"I owe him money," she sighed annoyed shaking her head. "I'm shit out of luck right now but if you get me out of here I'll pay you,"

"Your in debt, how can I trust you'll pay me?" He didn't believe her.

"It's complicated, but my fiancé, he can pay you, reward you, I swear," she pleaded wide eyes and the man seemed to believe her more.

"Your the water bender," he grinned. Her heart dropped.

"Damn, boss was right," he chuckled grabbing the knife from his hip and started to unlock the cell. Katara felt fear sink in not knowing who the boss was, more people were after her? More pirates?

The door opened.

The man walked into the cell slowly with a sick smile on his face that made her feel unsafe immediately.

He told her to scream if someone was down here, she should scream, why couldn't she scream? Katara opened her mouth to try getting herself to scream but the mans hand was over her mouth, she gasped and cried a little when he grabbed her neck to hold her close.

"Shh Shh Shh, you're escaping right? Gotta keep quiet water bender," he whispered in her ear and Katara tried to move away but he squeezed her small neck, he smelt disgusting but his knife was against her ribs.

He dragged her out of the cage, she should've been celebrating to be out but she never thought she'd be hoping to be back in. She gasped when they went up the stairs and right to the crew.

Katara screamed as loud as she could to get their attention even with the hand muffling her.

Zuko turned around confused as he heard and his eyes widen seeing the man. Everyone looked and immediately grabbed their weapons. The man growled and spun Katara around so her back was against him but he held the knife to her throat and kept his hand over her mouth.

"Try anything and she's dead!" He barked as Zuko walked towards them slowly.

"Captain Lee," he snarled at the young man. Zuko grabbed the blades on his back with a glare as Katara looked at him for help when the cold knife pinched her skin.

"You're with ozais rebellion?" Zuko called seeing the burn mark on the mans arm, a branding, it was the fire nation symbol upside down with a skull over the top. Meaning to kill the crown.

"let her go," Zuko held up his sword calmly.

"You try anything with me I kill her," he warned.

"Your trying my patience, I don't like repeating myself," the captain sighed annoyed now taking a step closer. The knife drew blood down her neck as Katara gasped.

"You won't," the young man smirked seeing the rage and fear in his eyes.

"Captain he's going to take her," ty Lee crawled down the post next to him.

"Mai!" Zuko barked.

Before Katara could blink she saw a knife thrown straight at her but went into the hand that grasped her throat.

The man released her as Zuko grabbed her quickly from him and pulled her to his chest as the older man screamed in pain holding his hair with a knife through it.

"You okay?" Zuko asked quietly to her as Katara touched her neck with a whimper.

"I'll be fine," she whispered but was let go again while the captain walked towards the man.

"Ozai sent You?" Zuko smirked a little before kicking the man in the jaw quickly to send him to the ground.

"May your heart burn into ashes," the man spat up at him but screamed louder when Zuko stomped on the knife in his hand, twisting his heel a little.

"May I see you in hell," he growled down at him before ripping the knife out of the spy.

Katara covered her mouth to hide her scream as the captain raised his sword and brought it down on the mans neck, beheading him in one slice. She fell to her knees in horror as Zuko used the mans limp shoulder to wipe the blood off before putting his blades back.

"Throw his body in the sea," Zuko called to his crew and looked back at Katara amused seeing the tears in her eyes.

Zuko grabbed the head that was no longer attached to the body, he looked at it for a moment in disgust and saw the branding symbol on the mans arm, he chuckled amused.

"Hopefully Ozai gets a hint," Zuko told the crew as two men grabbed the headless body and tossed it.

Zuko kicked the head onto the land like a ball and watched how far the head flew.

"You think Ozai will see it?" Ty Lee asked curiously.

"I don't care, jet clean the blood, I hate my ship dirty," Zuko shrugged as he went over and grabbed Katara and picked her up easily to get her on her feet. He pulled her to the side on the stairs to see if she had any injuries.

"Y-you killed him?" Katara whispered staring at the young man.

"I don't need any gossip about you getting out," Zuko said calmly as he lifted her chin to see her neck.

"Looks like just bruises and a little cut, you'll live," he nodded but saw she was still in shock.

"You saw the symbol burned on his arm?" He asked with a small sigh. Katara nodded a little.

"Anyone with that symbol is a monster, you kill them or they'll do much worst to you," Zuko said looking her in the eyes.