Chapter 2

And Then There Were Six

A loud crash was heard and some trees fell over. "You know crashing trees is way easier then avoiding them." Toph stated to particularly no one.

Sokka leapt from her side and laid down on the solid ground. "I thought I was going to die"

"When do you not think you're going to die?" Toph replied. Sokka only scowled at her…like it mattered. He then looked over to Katara and Aang who were dumbfounded by the victim they had come across. He walked over to them. "Is he ok…"Then their expression seemed to be contagious as it spread to his face as well.

Toph walked over and noticed the man on the ground and after carefully inspecting him she looked at them. "Are you guys going to help him or what"

They looked at each other and nodded. They could not just leave him here. And after thinking back to the North Pole perhaps there was something more to this man then they understood. Which could be in some cases good or bad. They were hoping for good. Katara leaned down and tried to gently as she could take the arrow from his back side. With each tug a loud moan was heard. She grimaced but continued after the 3rd pull it came out with blood dribbling like mad out his backside.

Toph jerked in the direction of some vibrations. "Someone is coming"

Sokka prepared himself to attack by Toph's side. "It could only be one person" he bitterly replied.

Aang finished the thought, "Zuko" he let out. The fallen prince came through the bushes. His first reaction was of shock, then of flaming anger as looked upon the four he had come in to contact too often. His eyes looked from one member to the other then to his uncle and in a furious cycle he added up the situation in his head. He was dressed in his simple earth kingdom garb that covered his whole body. His hair barely came down in front of his forehead giving him slight bangs. Anger went through his eyes and Sokka leapt at him waving his club. Sokka struck his shoulder, but Zuko barely flinched. The fire bender only gave him a jab to the gut then kicked him out of his way. His target was the girl that was closest to his uncle.

Toph noticed that he was coming closer. She stood in the way of his path. She quickly pounded her feet to the ground that jabbed Zuko to the stomach. He winced in pain as he fell to his feet. Toph grinned. The fire bender tried to get up. She quickly bended the rocks to bind his feet and arms to the ground. He struggled and shouted in a fit of rage. "Not so tough now are ya?" She taunted.

"Silence!" He roared as he painfully looked at his unconscious uncle.

Katara turned to him as she continued to heal the wounds in his back. "Zuko I am only trying to help…we found him like this"

His mind raced. They were trying to help? Impossible. Why would they help him? His face looked less threatening but still bitter. He stopped struggling. The ground would not give.

Sokka walks over to him. "I like you this way much more." Zuko turns to him and blew smoke with small traces of fire in his direction. That made Sokka jump back a few steps. Shocked that he was still a threat.

Toph turned around when she was certain that he was trapped. She looked at Katara. "Is he going to be ok?"

Katara looked down noticing the blood had stopped. "I think so but he is still out."

"Well that's better then dead." Aang tried to put positively.

Whistles started shooting by the fire benders ears. A short distance away arrows started landing. Zuko turned to see numerous arrows whistling to their spot. And their landing distance was increasing towards the gang.

"We have to get him out of here." Katara yelled mainly to her brother.

"What about dragon prince?"

"He'll help." Aang replied in a low voice as he looked at Zuko who was terrified to be immobilized at that moment. He nodded for many reasons.

Toph let Zuko loose from the ground and in a panic he ran up towards his uncle. He tried to lift him with his might but he struggled greatly. Toph bended a wall that was high enough to blockade the arrows.

Katara watched as Zuko painfully tried to lift the unconscious man. "Sokka help him."

"Why me?" He asked annoyed.

"Because we don't have time to argue!" She shouted back as she ran towards the wall and river.

Sokka sighed but quickly lifted the other side of Iroh. A faint growl was heard beneath Zuko's breath as they tried to shuffle quickly away.

So this chapter is extremely lacking in Zutara but I'm just getting the story rolling. It will get there.