Aang and Sokka searched the Northern Water Tribe city for what felt like hours, but there was no sign of Katara. In the commotion of becoming the Ocean spirit and Yue's subsequent dissipation into the Moon, neither the Avatar nor the Southern Water Tribe boy had noticed the waterbender's absence. But now they couldn't find her anywhere, and both of the boys became more worried with every second that went by.

         “Where could she have gone?”

         Sokka sighed at Aang's question, asked for the hundredth time that night. “I don't know, Aang. I don't know!” With a frustrated growl he kicked a snowdrift, causing a flurry that drifted over the water, seemingly as restless as Sokka himself.

         “We've looked everywhere--she's not here!”

         “I know, Aang. But I don't-”

         Suddenly the breath was knocked out of Sokka as Momo came flying at him, hitting him square in the chest and pushing him to the ground. “Momo! What-”

         By then the little lemur was tugging at Sokka's hair, chattering excitedly. Aang was just about to grab the creature when Momo leaped up and away from them, flying towards the grotto. Aang and Sokka ran after him, shouting for the lemur to come back.

         Momo, of course, being of superior intellect than the silly humans, ignored them. Instead, he continued on his heading, aiming for the cliffs above the grotto.

         By the time Aang and Sokka made it into the grotto and up onto the windswept cliffs, Momo was tugging at something in the snow, chattering excitedly and attempting to pull it out. Whatever 'it' was, Sokka thought angrily. Stupid lemur! Sokka didn't know how he was supposed to get--

         Then he saw what Momo was digging up, and he sank down onto his knees to tug at it himself. It was a Fire Nation helm--but what would it be doing on this forsaken cliff? Sokka's warrior instincts asserted themselves, and he leaped to his feet, searching the cliff with his eyes.

         Beside him, Aang was oblivious, simply trying to calm Momo down.

         Sokka's eyes followed a trail of footprints and scorched earth and--he sucked in his breath--and puddles of freezing water, obviously disturbed by a waterbender.

         Katara.

         “Aang! Look!”

         Aang followed Sokka's lead, searching the cliffs. They followed the trail, searching for signs of Katara, when Momo lunged for another spot.

         “What is it, boy?”

         Aang and Sokka watched as Momo pulled at the scorched earth and melted snow, chattering at them. Sokka shook his head, confused, as Aang murmured a low 'what, boy, what?'. But Momo couldn't speak, and they couldn't see what the lemur did.

         They were still sitting there, staring at a chattering Momo, when Master Pakku appeared. He took one look at Momo digging in the snow and sucked in a harsh breath.

         He leaned down and plucked a piece of cloth from the muddy, scorched mess, holding it to the moon's soft light. His eyes hardened and his lips thinned, and without a word he handed it to Sokka. Sokka studied it for a moment, then anger darkened his features, too.

         The embroidery on the cuff of the sleeve was unmistakable. His voice came out a low hiss as his fists clenched. “Zuko.”

         He expected Aang to be angry too, but when he turned around Aang was standing on the cliff's edge, a lost expression in his grey eyes. “I don't think it matters anymore, Sokka.”

         “What?”

         Aang pointed to the edge of the cliff, where a velvet piece of fabric hung. He leaned down and picked it up, and when he held up his hand he held a ragged, scorched betrothal necklace. Katara's necklace.

          There were tears streaming down Aang's face as he whispered the inevitable truth: “Katara is dead. Zuko killed her.”

__________

The village of Sen, Northern Earth Kingdom, over six months later.

          I walk quickly past the broken down huts on the edge of town, slipping into the forest with subtle movements. I glance over my shoulder only once--no one's seen me. I breathe a quick sigh of relief, then head for the place I've hidden my costume.

         I'm not sure what drew me to the statue of a Fire Nation spirit when the circus came through Sen two months ago, but I couldn't help myself--I had to have it. Of course, I never expected to use it for inspiration, but now that I have I can't imagine going back to mundane village life.

         Ever since Jon and his friends came back from the war to 'protect' us from the Fire Nation, the villagers have lived in fear of their wrath. Jon and his brother Hon are earthbenders, and none of us lowly non-benders stand a chance against them. 

         Until, about a month ago, I came up with the idea of using a disguise to help the villagers. I couldn't figure out what to disguise myself as, though, until I remembered the statue I'd bought the month before. It depicts a spirit called the Painted Lady, who is said to protect the people of a lake village in the Fire Nation.

         She is beautiful, with red swirling designs on her face and arms, dressed in a flowing dress tied together by a shell. She wears a rice hat with a tattered veil, and her eyes are painted bright blue on the statue. This fits me perfectly, since my hair is dark brown like hers, and my eyes, too, are blue as the sea.

         It wasn't hard to make a costume to match hers, or to find red dye, since the forest is full of plants that can be used for such things. I still don't know what it is that draws me to her, especially since she's a Fire Nation spirit--but whenever I look at the statue or even my own reflection when I'm masquerading as her, I feel calmer and safer than I do at any other time.

         I smile softly at my thoughts as I tug the clothes on over the dye I've already applied, completing it with the rice hat, which I pull low over my face. The dress floats around me like water, and I smile, feeling safe again for the first time in hours. 

         I live for the moments when I can become the Painted Lady, rushing through the night as if I really am a spirit.

         With another smile on my now red lips I slip through the night mist, entering the town unnoticed. I make my way to Jon and Hon's private tavern, where they keep most of the villagers' food. A lot of us are starving because Jon takes our food and goods as 'payment' for his 'protection'. It makes me so angry that I think I'd like to kill him--but something always stops me from going that far.

          I want to help these people, but I don't think I could kill someone, not even to save myself. It's just... death is so permanent, so forever. I'm terrified of having that kind of guilt on my hands.

         I shake my head to ward off the useless thoughts, then slip easily into the tavern through a window that doesn't close all the way. With a soft, triumphant grin twitching at the corners of my mouth, I begin to fill a bag with food. The village will eat well tonight!