The fiery raven stalked her prey as he knelt down to grab his weapon. Before he had a chance to stand upright a burst of flames encircled him. Out of the highlighted glow lunged a young woman with deadly golden eyes. He was no match against her furious and nimble strikes. Try as he might, she overwhelmed him with blow after blow.
"Who are you?" he roared.
She ignored his question, "I need some information from you about my mother. Sources tell me that you were the last to see her."
The woman's hand dove into her bag and retrieve a scroll. She unrolled it and revealed a portrait of an elegant queen. The bottom right corner stamped with a Fire Nation insignia.
"Tell me where Lady Ursa is and I might let you live." The words spouted from her mouth with a confident ease.
The man replies in a shaken tone. "Yes, I recognize her. But she didn't go by the name Ursa when I met her. She told me she was from the Northern Watertribe. I don't know much else. Only that she doesn't live there anymore."
"The name she used, what was it?" inquired his attacker.
"It was.."
Just as he began to speak a crazed beast emerged from the woods and struck him down with it's venomous tongue. He was completely paralyzed. From the back of the creature sprang a whip welded by a skillful bounty hunter. The man became entangled within it. In one fluid motion the huntress pulled the man onto her saddle and turned to ride off.
"Wait a minute!" shouted the raven. "He's my prisoner!"
"Sorry honey, it's nothing personal, just business." the huntress harped snidely. "This man has a bounty on his head, therefore, his head belongs to me."
"How did you know he was here? It took me 3 days to track him down." The young woman posed the question but more meant it as a statement of being there first.
"My shirshu can track anyone down. He can smell a target from a continent away."
crack The whip sounded and off the beast road.
The young woman's fury subsided. She thought about the bounty hunter and her unusual pet. Perhaps this mission could finally end. It had been two long years since she was set out to find her mother. Banished from her homeland By her own brother. Not allow to return until she found Lady Ursa alive and well. It was cruel irony. The once proud Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, now striped of her title and her honor. With no means to get by or servants to aid her. She was nothing more than a commoner now.
A few days later the former princess sat outside of an Earth Nation bar. The night drew in and an intoxicated huntress emerged from within. As she turned to leave her eyes met with golden eyes of doom. Azula stood quietly and then suddenly broke the silence with a series of questions about the woman's shirshu.
June hiccuped and smiled in response. "Sure, I'll help you find your mother... if the price is right."
"I don't have any money right now, but if you assist me I will pay you for your services. Once I'm restored as Fire Nation Princess I will have access to great riches."
"Oh.. bummer, I only accept cash up front. All of my charitable services were used up years ago." June waved her hand in the air bidding the raven a farewell as she departed. "Come back when you have the cash."
Azula scowled as her fist blazed with anger. Her brother made her swear not to take a life or the deal was off. The old Azula would have simply burned the nag and stolen her shirshu. She calmed herself, self-assured that she could come up with the money. As she began to leave, a poster caught her eye. A wanted poster. If June could collect money from turning in fugitives, so could she.
The next day June rode into a village. Her latest target was being rather elusive. Suddenly Nyla whipped around and headed back out of the village. The criminal she was after sprinted by. Her shirshu's tongue lunged towards the man but was deflected by a flying shield. Azula sprang onto the scene and apprehended the suspect. Nyla stretched out his tongue again and again. This time aiming for the banished Princess. With one fell swoop, Azula let out a blast of fire and singed the beast's venomous weapon. The raven quickly knocked out her prey and took off with him flung over her shoulder.
"She's good.. a little too good." The huntress thought to herself. "Perhaps I should strike a deal with this kid before she takes all of my business."
