The Band's Adventures

Part 1

"But I'm not clean!"

Zuko tugged his shirt back on and sighed. Their latest campsite was near a river, so Zuko, as the oldest and therefore the leader, had decided that they needed to get somewhat clean. They girls had taken their baths earlier, but he, Lee, and Toa had waited until almost noon. He and Lee were clean, and getting their clothes back on, but Toa kept insisting that he wasn't clean enough yet.

Lee tied his belt on, "I don't believe this! I say I'm clean after five seconds in the water, and you have to make me scrub. This kid's a nut; I don't even want to admit I know him!"

Zuko nodded slightly before calling, "Toa, you're clean, that's the end of it. Get over here, you know we can't stay in one place long, my sister will catch up."

The little boy looked up with shining green eyes, "But I'm not-"

"You're clean!" yelled Zuko and Lee. Kuri walked through the line of trees with her eyes covered, "Are you guys decent yet?"

Zuko shook his head, "No, just finish packing up, it's just about noon now, we should be able to find a good place by nightfall."

Kuri turned and threw her arms in the air, "Again with the moving! Jeez, I doubt the avatar moves this much!"

Zuko rolled his eyes, and then helped Lee drag the still protesting Toa out of the river.

"I'm still not clean!"

----

"Are we ready to go?" asked Zuko. Kuri grinned and said, "Yep, every thing's packed!" She held up two small, almost pathetically so, bags which were placed on the ostrich along with the twins. They, being little, got to ride it a lot, with Kuri leading it by the reins. Lee, on the other hand, still being quite shoeless, ended up getting picked up by Zuko whenever the terrain was too rough of too hot to go barefoot. Like now.

Zuko had apparently forgotten however, and was very surprised as the hyper boy jumped onto his back.

----

"AH!"

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Lee, so it's your village, so what, we're not even going in. Chill, you're yelling in my ear."

Lee yawned, "Sorry. Can I fall asleep then?"

"No, you'll end up strangling me."

Lee sighed. "I'm bored. Kuri, want to play a game?"

Kuri shook hear head, "What game could we play, we're in the middle of nowhere."

"No, we're in the middle of the Arinzi Dessert actually."

Zuko watched with slight amusment as Kuri's hands twitched toward her fans in annoyance, "Fine. I Spy. I spy a little kid who needs to not annoy me."

Lee didn't take the hint. "It's Toa!"

Kuri glanced at Zuko and mouthed, "Help me." Zuko acted like he hadn't noticed. Tao and Toa were sleeping on Feather, as they called the ostrich, with Zuko's hat over both of their heads so they wouldn't get sunburn, and they hadn't moved since leaving camp, excluding when Toa woke up and decided to play 'How long can I poke Kuri before she retaliates?' for a little bit before he conked out again.

Kuri looked at Zuko, "Quick question, if we can't stay in the town, where are we staying?"

Zuko shrugged slightly, anything greater would have upset Lee from his position of hanging from Zuko's shoulders. Kuri's brown hair, in its chin-length tomboyish cut, swung as she shook her head in annoyance. "So we might have to just keep going?"

Zuko shrugged again, making Kuri's short fuse shorter, "Would you say something?"

"Alright, something." Zuko and Lee grinned at each other.

Kuri glared at Zuko, and started muttering to herself. Lee's eyes widened as he looked back, "Zuko, somebody's coming!"

Zuko squinted against the sun, and muttered, "Oh boy, Lee, I think that's your mom."

Suddenly, they faintly heard a yelling, "You! What are you doing here?"

Lee cringed and tried to hide himself behind Zuko without falling, "I think she remembers you."

The woman's pace picked up, and within a minute Lee's mother was right there, "Why are you back, and drop my son!"

Zuko smirked, "Do you mean actually drop him?"

Sela bristled, "No you stupid firebender! Give him over!"

Zuko set Lee down, but Lee continued to hide behind the firebender, scared. Gansu ran up behind his wife, "Sela, what is this all about? He hasn't come near the village!"

Lee peeked out of a second, "Hi dad!" Sela tried to grab him, but the little boy ducked behind Zuko again. By now Tao and Toa had been woken up, and, along with Kuri, were watching slack jawed.

Gansu looked at Zuko, "What are you doing with my son?" It was not a demand, just a simple question.

Lee stepped out for a moment again, "I followed him!"

Gansu, unlike his wife, was remaining calm. "Why did you follow him Lee?"

"I had to apologize."

Suddenly the sand under Sela shifted, and she fell. Zuko, Lee, and Kuri gave the twins looks, and Tao yelled, "Toa did it!"

"I did not! You were the one who was trying to practice!"

"Liar!"

"Am not!"

Kuri snapped, "Quiet! You okay ma'am?"

Sela, having finally noticed the other three, narrowed her eyes, "Who are you three, more kids that are 'following' the firebender?"

Toa nodded, "Pretty much!"

As silence started to set in, Zuko said, "Um, if it's okay we'll just be going now."

Sela started to protest, but Gansu stopped her, "Lee, are you well taken care of?"

Lee nodded, still clutching Zuko's outer robe. His father smiled, "Then there isn't much of an issue, I simply have a question for Prince Zuko."

Zuko shrugged, "Whatever."

"How did you get Lee to take a bath, he's very clean."

Toa piped up, "I'm not though!"

"You're clean!" groaned Kuri, Tao, Zuko, and Lee.

"Lee, do you really want to go?" asked his father. Sela once more started to protest, and once more Gansu asked her to be quiet.

Lee nodded again. Gansu smiled, "Then I recommend that you leave before those so-called soldiers show up."

All five gave a quick bow of thanks to Gansu, and then they hurried off, with Sela still yelling at Gansu, who was shaking his head.

R&R