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The chief of the Sun Warriors approached Prince Zuko and Avatar Aang with a grim expression on his face.
"Now that you have learned the secrets and you know about our tribe's existence," he said in a dark tone, "we have no choice but to imprison you here forever."
Zuko and Aangs expressions changed to that of horror but then the chief smiled. "Just kidding, but seriously, don't tell anyone."
Zuko and Aang both visibly relaxed. Both of them bowed, showing respect to the chief before heading in the direction of Appa.
"Wait!" the chief said, causing both of them to turn back. "There is one more thing that must be dealt with before we can allow you to leave."
"What is it, sir?" Aang asked.
"You!" the chief said, turning to stare at Zuko with a foreboding glare that caused Zuko's eyes to widen in abject horror. "You touched the sacred sunstone, which means that this," he suddenly grabbed a bundle from one of the other tribe members and tossed it at the terrified prince, "is yours."
"What?" Zuko asked, staring down at the heavy bundle they had thrown at him, only for it to start moving and him to nearly drop it. Out of the blanket popped a baby dragon with dark red scales.
"We have been waiting many years for the child of Ran and Shaw to bond with a firebender so he may hatch," the chief said. "The moment you touched his egg, he did so. You are now responsible for him for your lives are intertwined in a way the lives of men and dragons haven't been in years."
"What? But… why me? There are plenty of other people who are far more worthy," Zuko stammered. "Like my uncle."
"Apparently the hatchling doesn't agree," the chief said. "He would not have hatched for you if he had not found you worthy. Ran and Shaw instructed us to guard him until he decided to hatch for someone and be their companion forever. He has done that for you, so he is yours now. Take him and go."
Not having another choice in the matter, Zuko and Aang numbly headed in the direction of Appa, the baby dragon nuzzling deep into Zuko's arms, and somehow, the young firebender knew that he could never leave this dragon. The bond the Sun Warriors spoke of had already sunk far too deep within him and it had only been minutes. Zuko wondered if the reason he felt as if the egg was alive wasn't just because it was, but because the small dragon that would hatch from it had already chosen him to be his companion.
AN: Well, what do you guys think? I've been watching Avatar ever since I was a little kid younger than Aang and I have always wondered why Zuko said the mysterious egg felt like it was alive and was so drawn to it, especially considering Zuko generally doesn't do stupid things like pick up booby trapped eggs. Sure he fell face first into that barn when he and Azula were chasing Aang back in the beginning of the Earth series, but most of the time Zuko has more sense. Then, when I learned that in the Legend of Korra, he had a dragon mount named Druk who was the descendant of Ran and Shaw and found out when looking at Avatar websites that there was must speculation as to whether or not the sunstone/egg Zuko touched was a dragon egg, it made me wonder if it had been Druk before he hatched. So this was born. I really hope you all enjoyed it and I promise there's more to come.
-DragonsintheMoonlight :)