Many thanks to my betas: kawaiilyn and typo1138 (both on LJ).

Et Tu?

Part One: Struck

Now I'm mostly an unassuming guy. Having a freaky sister has taught me to blasé in life. Shit happens, but if everyone freaked out about it, the floor would get pretty dirty, you know? So I have a laid-back lookout on life. Katara says that I'm a worrywart and a complainer, but I think I react pretty well in the face of new situations. Usually.

But, take my sister, Katara. She's crazy! If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be on this whirlwind of danger and despair, would I? I mean, it was really cool to get to know Aang and make him and Momo and Appa part of our new family and all, but I'd rather be home with Gran Gran's stewed sea prunes. Yummm.

I think the only thing that's giving me incentives to go along with Katara and Aang is the opportunity to kick some serious Fire Nation ass.

Like Zuko. Gods, he pisses me off so much.

Okay. I'll admit that our first encounter wasn't the best for me. I was feeling pretty humiliated about it until I got to poke his head off the ship. That was fun.

But I really want to get back at him. Zhao would be the first on my list for what he did to Yue, but Zuko always make a great alternative archenemy.

Yep, I'm definitely feeling more confident now, you see. It's my birthday, and although we're in the middle of the woods in the middle of who-knows-where, I'm going to take the time to appreciate that I'm sixteen.

I'm officially a man. That is just awesome. I know today's going to absolutely perfect...

Okay. Seriously? Where the hell are they?

Usually, I'm the one in charge of getting food, and thanks to my manly gathering skills, I'd actually bother to come back to our camp in time.

Today, to give me a break for my birthday, Katara and Aang volunteered to get berries and nuts and all that stuff. It's been cool to be able to relax and all, but now I'm getting worried. It's been two hours since they've left.

Now, if I were the scout, I'd have been back already and enjoying my dinner. Katara, on the other hand, has these weird girly notions abut flowers and nature and practicing her bending. And Aang? Well, he may be the Avatar, but he's not exactly the most attentive kid in the world.

Sure, the two of them are good benders. But that won't help them much when they're in the hands of the Fire Nation army...

I'm leaving camp to find them. I told Appa to keep a watch on the fire (I'll be thankful if he keeps it from spreading throughout the forest) before setting off in the direction Aang and Katara had left. They better have a good excuse for this.

Well. This is stupid.

Nobody attacked me. I was completely alone.

And, somehow, I've gotten myself caught in the brambles of a ridiculously sticky pricklybush trap, no doubt planted by the hunters in this area.

I. Can't. Move. I can't even see properly through all these thick leaves.

Damn Earth Nation. Why can't they Earthbendify all these stupid, attacking shrubs away?

Great. I'm stuck here until someone finds me, or until I wriggle out somehow, or until I die in this Leafy Trap of Doom.

This is a very compromising position. Let's see if I can yell to attract attention.

My throat hurts like hell. I've been calling for help for about over hour by now and nobody is coming.

Ugh. And I'm hungry.

Wait! Was that Katara?

The good news? My sister is alive and well.

The bad news? She has no clue that I am right in front of her.

This isn't due to a lack of trying on my part. I wiggled as much as I could and she noticed the bush that I was in, but then this damn squirrel jumps out over me to her. She shrugged and looked away.

Now she's going around in circles. Lost.

I know the way back to camp but she has to find me first!

Grr.

She's given up walking around. She's put down her berries and nuts on the floor and is resting against the trunk of the tree nearby, taking a sip of water from her waterskin. I concentrate on healing my throat so that I can actually signal my presence. So far, no luck.

Then, a machete cuts through a curtain of leaves. Katara and I both jump.

"Out for another nightly stroll, peasant?"

She smiles for some weird reason. "You could say that," she says back to him.

Shit. Zuko's cornered my baby sister. I'm too scared to look! Oh gods oh gods oh gods...