Yeah; completely didn't check my sources on this. I thing Song was the girl whose ostrich-horse Zuko stole, and I *think* he told her he was in a circus before… but actually this is so foggy I might have just made it up. Anyway, pretend that's what happened for me on this.

A prince did not run like a common thief.

That was pretty much the only thing stopping Zuko from turning around and running right back up to the Western Air-temple, when he saw that girl in front of them on the road. A little thing: long black hair and an innocent smile on her face. She stood there looking at the three boys, holding a small over her shoulder with both hands. Zuko would have liked to pretend he didn't recognize her.

"Lee!"

Ah, but of course, she recognized him.

"Song…" Completely miserable, the outcast prince commiserated the fact that, yes, all of your past crimes really did come back to haunt you. "What are you doing here?" he blurted.

The girl just smiled sadly; at least the Avatar had better manners: he bowed, politely. "Hi. I am Aang." Then hesitated, not telling more; they were supposed to be hiding, after all.

Sokka just stood, arms akimbo, with one eyebrow raised. The little lemur on his shoulder copied the expression. The warrior-boy turned on the fire-bender. "Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Lee?"

Zuko winced. "This is Sokka; Sokka Song. She's a girl…" Just another someone he wronged. And now, she was also a long way from home.

"The war got a little too close to our farm." Song provided, still with that sad smile. "We had to leave our home. My family is down in the town, but mom sent me to collect herbs."

That meant the Songs were refugees now; as he had been. And this shortly after some ungrateful boy had come by and repaid the family's kindness by stealing their only ostrich-horse: their only means of transportation. Spirits, it counted as a miracle his actions had not gotten the entire family killed.

"I'll pay you back." He ducked for Sokka's money-pouch, ignoring the boy's complaints.

This would take a dent out of their recourses, but Zuko had been the one to donate that gold, when he'd first joined up with the gang. And, seriously, this was important. How much did an ostrich-horse cost anyway..? Zuko took a wild guess, and then doubled the amount.

Song took the money with no complaint, still with that watery smile. After an awkward pause, she asked: "So, are these people from the circus? Did you find them back?"

Oh, spirits! Now things were not just awkward, they were embarrassing. Sokka was snickering; and Aang stared at Zuko like he had just grown an extra head.

"Uhm." He supplied, eloquently.

"Why, yes we are!" Sokka claimed, surprisingly coming to his rescue. "Aang, why don't you show us your act."

The Avatar blinked. "But you said I shouldn't let anyone see…"

"I'm sure Lee's friend can be trusted to keep her mouth shut, right Song?"

Aang predictable brightened. He launched himself in the air, flipped up a rock, down again spinning. Then, he took off on his air-scooter ball.

Song clapped excitedly, laughing.

After a few minutes or air-bender magic, Aang took his bows, and returned to his previous position, to Zuko's right. He was grinning ear-to-ear though; the boy did really like to show off.

Zuko started when he found Song's bright eyes back on him though, hand still together as in mid-clap as she stared over them expectantly.

"So, uhm. What exactly do you do, Lee?"

Sokka elbowed him with a grin. "Yeah, why don't you show your thing, hot man?"

"I really don't think that is a good idea." Zuko bit.

But Song threw pleading looks, and Sokka put on the guilt: "What's the matter, Lee? Don't you trust your friend? Aang trusts her, and his act is a bigger secret then yours, I'd say."

Zuko growled his complaints, but gave in. He called a small flame to his hand to show, and then snuffed it out in seconds. Resigned to be hated -well, hated even more - he looked back up into Song's eyes. She was still in the process of registering the shock.

And yet, again, Sokka fixed things: he pulled him down with an arm, roughing his hair. Momo complained excitedly about his perch moving, but was ignored.

"That's right; Lee is our one and only good fire-bender." Sokka released him, adding thoughtfully: "Although good is a rather relative term here."

Zuko was about to strangle the water-tribesman, until Song let out a strained giggle. "Yeah. Now at least I understand why Lee is so grouchy all the time."

Aang joined at laughing at him, and Zuko just shook his head at the bunch of them, and their complete incapability of holding on to a good grudge. Yet he was relieved.

"And you?" Song finally asked the third. "What do you do?"

"I am so glad you asked." Sokka straightened, and then reached back to his Boomerang. The action again displaced a rather annoyed Lemur, but Sokka ignored him, pulling out his boomerang.

"Watch and be amazed."

Momo, apparently, had had enough: angrily, he bit at Sokka's wrist, and pulled the offending weapon from the boy's grasp.

"Ouch!" Sokka exploded.

And then, when the lemur bounded away, the boomerang on its back: "Get back here!"

The three figures stood silently a moment, watching Sokka chase the little forest creature up and back over the fields, never quite getting close enough.

"So... he's the clown?" the girl asked quietly.

"He's the clown." Zuko agreed.

"But don't let that fool you." Aang put in. "It is not at all as easy as it looks."