"So, where are you headed?" The boy asked Zutana. He was a polite young man named Loren. He was escorting her down the countryside and out to the seashore where she would barter passage on any ship that would take her out of the Fire Nation.
"The colonies in the Earth Kingdom." She lied quickly. "They needed teachers, so I volunteered." She shrugged. "It probably won't be as nice there as it is here." She paused. "And, you?"
"I'm joining up." He said. "The Army could always use more fighters, and there is no greater honor than fighting for one's homeland."
Zutana nodded. The hours passed as Zutana and Loren travelled down the winding path from the capital city to the bay. Once they arrived, they went their separate ways- Loren to the recruiting tent, and Zutana to the docks. It took her over an hour, but she finally did manage to gain passage aboard an old barge bound for a small village on the Earth Kingdom coast that had been occupied for a little over three years.
The barge was less than comfortable, and the crew was far from accommodating. She ended up spending most of the journey shut away in the little room that had been made up for her.
Upon her arrival in the Earth Kingdom, two weeks later, the fire nation soldiers seemed eager- bordering on insistent- that she spend her short stay up in the fortress with the officers. After they finally left her in peace, she decided to explore the village a bit.
She wandered around the marketplace, looking at anything that struck her fancy. She stopped at several food stalls, and purchased provisions for the rest of her journey. Then, she stumbled upon a foodstore that was empty, save for two people; and old, grey-haired woman, and a teenage boy, around twelve or thirteen, who had a very large parcel in his hands
"Haru," The old woman began, "put that package up on the counter, then go and get the next batch from the back storeroom."
"Yes, mother." Haru said.
It was then that the old woman noticed Zutana standing in the doorway. She eyed her Fire Nation garb warily. "How may I help you?" She asked suspiciously.
"I was wondering if you sold clothing here or not." Zutana replied calmly.
"No, but the shop across the street does." She answered. She went back to her business.
"Thank you very much." She bowed slightly, then glanced around at the sparsely stocked shelves. "So, what is it like here?"
"Why do you ask?" Haru countered.
"Just curious." Zutana bowed again, and left the shop.
Over the next few days, she gathered more and more supplies, readying herself to make the journey east. On her third day in the village, she decided to take a short walk into the surrounding countryside.
It was almost as if her head was on a swivel. She was constantly looking around. IThere aren't anywhere near as many trees at home./I She thought. About an hour passed, and she happened across a small patch of fire lilies. II thought that fire lilies only grew in the Fire Nation/I. She picked one up, and inhaled its wonderful fragrance. After admiring it for a moment, she tucked it behind her ear.
She was about to look for more when a movement off to her right caught her eye. She crouched down, so as not to be noticed, and then inched forward to get a closer look. When she was successfully concealed behind a rather thick bush, she ventured a glance.
It was the boy from the shop she had visited her first day in town. He was earthbending!
She watched, breathlessly. She had never seen an earthbender before! His style seemed a bit crude, but that could hardly have been his fault. IHe obviously doesn't have a teacher./I She thought. IStill, he's pretty good for self-taught./I
She shifted her weight slightly, and the brush around her rustled. Haru dropped the rock he had been holding up, and looked around, worried. He waited a moment, listening intently, then ran from the clearing.
Zutara waited a moment before moving. IWhat was he so afraid of?/I She wondered. INow that I think about it, he's the only Earthbender I've seen here./I
She pondered this disturbing revelation on her way back to the Fortress.