 The episode begins with Aang, Katara and Sokka enjoying a few well-deserved moments of much-needed rest and relaxation in a river on the way to the earth city of Omashu. Everyone is in bathing suit attire and this is one of the few occasions where we see Sokka without his hair in the traditional Water Tribe wolf s tail knot. Aang and Katara are making the most of this moment by practicing an  Octopus  water bending move. From the beginning it is clear that as Katara touches Aang to improve his water bending stance, there is  love and romance  in the air and definitely a growing chemistry between them. This really sets the theme for the entire episode.  The Cave of Two Lovers  recounts how the group makes their way to Omashu and the romantic yet tragic history that caused the city to come into being. While splashing about in the river a group of traveling musical nomads tells them of a secret passage way through the mountains to Omashu. It is while they are traveling through this secret passage that Aang and Katara are separated from the group and thus have their moment to allow  love to lead the way  out of the labyrinth of tunnels. While Avatar creators cleverly leave us to draw our own conclusions there are definitely signs of a first romantic kiss between Aang and Katara. Subplots include catching up with Uncle Iroh and Prince Zuko in their new life as fugitives from the Fire Nation. It is apparent they are not having the best time struggling on their own for food and shelter. Iroh inadvertently brews some poisonous  White Jade Lily  tea causing him to suffer a terrible reaction. This is perhaps fortuitous because it causes them to seek medical attention with a nearby homeopathic temple. In doing so they are befriended by a young healer who invites them to dinner and she and her mother offer them the hospitality they need most. Prince Zuko in his interactions with the young healer  Song  begins to intimately see firsthand the suffering and losses experienced by others at the hands of the Fire Nation. The episode ends with a surprise in that the search for King Bumi to teach Aang earth bending takes a terrible turn when emerging from the cave the group discovers that the great Earth city of Omashu has been taken siege by the Fire Nation.