Shut up." Azula said to her brother with closed eyes, attempting to hold back tears. But after what Zuko had said, it became hard for her to stay calm.

"Azula, our relationship is so messed up. It's been like that as long as I can remember. And maybe it'll be like that for the rest of our lives. But one fact never changes. No matter what, you're still my sister."

"SHUT UP!" Azula shouted, no longer able to contain her rage and disbelief at the obvious lie Zuko had told her. She shot a fire blast at him and dropped the letter revealing Zuko's true heritage. Unable to take in all the lies, Azula sprinted as Zuko ran to the floor to save it from her flames. She became more desperate when she heard her brother's voice call her name "AZULA!"

She didn't stop running. She couldn't. It was all just a trick. Every word her brother said was a trick to stop her in her tracks so he could lock her up back in the nuthouse. She would not let that happen! No matter what lies came out of his mouth "Come back! Come back! Please! I can help you ! I want to help you!"

That last one did it. Azula opened her tearful eyes and stopped to turn back around and face her brother. She also saw that their- NO!- Zuko's mother, not her mother, NEVER her mother- in her fake body had followed him. No! That woman will never be her mother! She had never had a mother and never will! She didn't bother to hide the fact that she was crying "Same as always Zuzu" She said as slowly as possible in an attempt to remain powerful and intimidating despite her throat blocking up and a tear rolling down her cheek "Even when you're strong, you're weak."

"Azula!" came the sound of her brother's voice as she continued running into Forgetful Valley. Then, she heard nothing and figured he gave up on calling her back, just as she suspected; he didn't really care about her. He was just trying to get her to stop as a distraction so then he, the Avatar and his snow peasant girlfriend and her ignorant brother could capacitate her and take her back to the asylum for good and she would not let that happen. Not again.

Azula had been running through Forgetful Valley for a while now. She didn't know for how long, but she was tiring and she had been trained to run for long periods of time as a child. She had to stop. But only for a few moments in case Zuko and his friends were somewhere in the Valley right now looking for her and despite being a prodigy, Azula knew when she was outmatched though would never admit it. She saw a cave straight ahead; a good enough shelter for her tonight in case of rain and also the current wind blowing. She observed the area around her to ensure it was safe for now, then ran into the cave. She sat down pressing her back against the wall. She shuddered as a strong wind began to blow. A fire was a tempting thought, but Azula couldn't risk exposing her whereabouts, so she instead brought her legs up to her chest for any amount of warmth she could get.

The cold wind continued through the night and it was getting harder for Azula to ignore the cold almost numb feeling in both her hands, but she knew if she moved her arms, the little warmth she had contained in her chest and side areas would vanish.

-SNAP-

Azula's head shot up and her eyes widened. 10 feet from the cave's entrance was a hunched hooded figure with a fireball in their palm. It could be Zuko searching for her. She did her best to remain hidden in the darkness and she quietly tried to scooch further into the back of the cave. The figure's fire then went out and they turned to face the cave.

"It can't be Zuko." Azula thought in her head. Firebenders could light a ball of fire in their hand and the more skilled in the art they were, the longer the flame could resist going out in wind as strong as the current wind blowing on her hands and face. The figure came into the cave and took out a pair of spark rocks to reignite what Azula could now see was a metal torch. The spark rocks finally conjured a flame upon the coals in the torch. The figure then stopped trying and the front of the hood turned to face Azula.

She had been seen. She panicked as the figure approached her, but she didn't move hoping as she felt frozen everywhere. They stood in front of her and removed their hood to reveal an elderly woman with a small wrinkly face and grey eyes almost covered by the strands of her long light grey hair.

"Hello? Are you okay?" the woman asked.

Azula stood up still shivering and inched closer to the torch the woman was holding. She couldn't answer as her body was a slave to the small fire in the metal torch and the warm sensation was starting to re-enter the princess' hands.

"Why are you out here?" the woman asked. Azula didn't want to associate with this woman as she might recognise her and turn her in. Though if she remained quiet, she would persist with asking questions until Azula responded. So, she answered "I'm hiding."

She winced a little as she didn't enjoy admitting that she was hiding.

"How long have you been hiding?" the woman asked bringing the torch closer to Azula so she could warm up.

"Only for tonight... why?" She said fearing she may have to run off again and with the weather not on her side, she could fall ill with a cold and she could not afford to be sick while on the run.

"It's a good thing I found you then. Many people become lost in this forest forever. I've aided some people who have entered and become lost and they were almost feral." She raised the torch to Azula's face and appeared to be examining her. "Are you certain you've been out here for tonight?"

"Yes! I'm certain!" Azula snapped. She wanted to firebend at the old woman, but she was still shivering. As she was rubbing her arms, the woman handed her the torch while she reached into a supply bag over her bag and pulled out another cloak. She placed around Azula while say "Perhaps I could help you if you're hiding from someone. I have a hut in this forest with a spare bed that you could sleep in. I promise no one will find you if you stay in it."

Azula gave the torch back. She supposed a hut with a bed and food was exceedingly better than a cave. Although, there was something about the woman that rubbed her the wrong way. She was almost too nice and it seemed too extraordinary that a person who helps people in this forest almost magically appears before her. Something just didn't feel right.

But then the wind blew again and Azula couldn't take it and supposed as long as she was on guard at all times, she could tolerate a hut. She nodded "Very well then."

The two then exited the cave. The elderly woman put her hood up again. Azula did the same to keep her head warm. If only Azula had listened to her instincts as the old woman thought to herself with a sadistic smile growing on the hidden face "If only you had kept running Princess Azula."