A/N: Thank you to everyone who read and here is the next part of my short story. I know the chapter is long, but I couldn't find a better stopping point. Enjoy and please, Read and Review!
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar
Chapter 2
Zuko awoke to someone rubbing a cloth over his forehead. He jerked upright and a girlish scream echoed through the small cave. Zuko winced and looked around. The five kids were there, watching him as if he was a strange animal. The blue eyed waterbending girl was hiding behind her twin and the silver eyed airbending boy in the far corner of the cave. The golden eyed firebending boy was sitting apart from the others, almost aloof, but watching Zuko curiously through side glances. Zuko met the little firebenders' gaze once before the boy turned away and the prince saw the green eyed girl sitting next to him, giving him her best stern look with her hands on her hips.
"Well, good morning to you too," she told him, sarcasm dripping from her tone.
"Where am I?" Zuko asked, putting a hand to his head as a headache started.
Protect the children, he heard a deep male voice say in his head. Yeah, yeah, Zuko thought back to the voice. I will, now leave me alone.
The green eyed girl giggled. "You're in the North Pole; why else would there be all this snow?" Her gaze hardened as her tone turned serious. "Now who are you and why are you here?"
Zuko stared at the girl as she kept her hard, unfocused gaze on his face. She's definitely stubborn and demanding, just like Toph, he thought. Wait, who's Toph? He was about to tell them his name, but something, some caution tugging at the back of his mind told him not to. "I'm Li," he told them. "I was sent to protect you."
"He could be lying," the blue eyed girl stated, glaring at Zuko.
"He's not," the older earthbending girl said, sounding confident. "That's why I put him on rock,"
Zuko noticed then that he was uncomfortable on an uneven slab of stone, but if a little discomfort let him gain these kids trust, he would do that. He had given his word to protect them and he would.
"Who sent you?" the blue eyed boy asked, showing his small sword and narrowing his eyes at Zuko.
"Was it our parents?" the silver eyed boy asked innocently. "Or the elders?"
Zuko tried to remember. He knew it wasn't their parents, and the image of four distinguished adults appeared in his head for a second before disappearing.
"The elders, I think," Zuko told them slowly. "What are your names? You know mine."
He saw the green eyed girl study him before she smiled. "I'm Aya. That's my brother, Iroh," she said, waving her hand to the little firebender.
Zuko's and Iroh's gazes met before the boy looked away again and Zuko turned his gaze back onto Aya.
"The twins are Kana and Hakoda, and that's Kuzon," Aya told him, waving to the water tribe girl and boy, before pointing to the silver eyed boy. Kuzon waved cheerfully, but the twins just narrowed their eyes and glared at Zuko.
"Don't worry about them, it takes a lot for them to trust anyone," Aya told Zuko, smiling.
Zuko nodded and sat up, moving back to sit against the wall of the cave. There was something so familiar about all of the kids, but the more he tried to pin it down, the more it slipped away from him. He sighed and waited. He knew if it was important, he would remember it and the more he tried to remember, the harder it was. He still ached everywhere and leaning against the cool rock was helping his back. He knew he had given his word to protect these kids and if he succeeded, he would get it all back. What he got back exactly, he couldn't remember, but it would all come back. Aya went to sit next to her brother as the twins and Kuzon whispered, sending glances Zuko's way as he studied the cave they were in.
The cave was familiar as well, half ice, half stone, but a small fire crackled merrily on a stone slab in the center, warming the area nicely. An image of him and a boy similar to Kuzon, but older and with glowing arrow tattoos passed through his mind, but as he tried to hold onto the memory, it slipped away. Suddenly a sound came from outside, different from the howling blizzard. Zuko leapt to his feet, drawing his swords in one fluid motion as he heard voices and the sounds of feet crunching through the snow. The kids drew back from him and huddled together, their fear outweighing their drive to fight.
"These kids should be easy," a rough male voice said.
"Yeah, and the queen will reward us generously," another male voice slurred. "Maybe she'll even let me keep one."
The two men laughed and came into the shelter provided by the cave and saw Zuko. They looked startled before the elder, a grizzled, scarred veteran, sank down and started a fire blast. Zuko had seen and rushed forward, ducking under the arm before the blast had escaped and knocked the arm up as he hit the veteran in the face with his elbow. The youngest of the pair covered his head as ice fell from where the veteran's blast had hit the roof before trying to blast Zuko. Zuko had already turned to him and swept his leg out as he turned, knocking the man off his feet and onto his back. The veteran was wiping blood away from his nose and trying to blast at Zuko again, but Zuko had already turned back to him and ran the man through with his sword. The younger was getting up as Zuko pulled his sword out of the veteran's chest, but the young soldier suddenly vanished into the ground to his neck. He struggled to get free before he stared at Zuko in fear as the prince approached him.
"Get…get away from me demon. Pl…please…have mercy," the man stuttered.
Zuko nodded once and hit the man's head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him out. He looked at his sword and the veteran lying in a pool of blood and suddenly felt nauseous. He had killed before, but he hated it, and it had been only to survive during the final battle. This was the same and there was more than just his life at stake this time, but he still hated himself for it. Distancing his mind from his actions for the moment, he wiped the blood off the sword on the dead man's clothing before sheathing his swords and turning to the kids who were huddled together in the back corner. They were staring at him, eyes wide eyed in shock and fear, all except Aya. She was studying him, but kept her face nearly expressionless.
"We need to go," he told them gently, noticing Aya standing tall and proud in front of the other kids as if she was in charge and would protect them against anything, even him. "Aya, is there another place we can take refuge? I don't know how long this blizzard will last, but more men will come."
Aya nodded and stomped her foot down onto the stone, concentrating before smiling. "There's another cave. This way," she said before walking past him, avoiding the dead man and turning towards the north.
She glanced back at the four other kids as they continued to stare at Zuko and stomped her foot down again, causing all four to be sent into the air before landing in a giant heap. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at them before walking further into the blizzard, but still within sight of the rest of the kids. Zuko followed her and studied the small girl next to him as he heard the other children get up and hurry after Aya, still keeping their distance from Zuko. The man she had mostly buried rose out of the stone as the kids hurried towards her. She started walking again once her brother took her hand and Zuko stayed next to her and saw the blue eyed girl take Iroh's hand and then her twin held her hand, and Kuzon was the last in the chain. The silver eyed boy studied Zuko with open curiosity as they made their way into the blizzard, but the prince ignored it.
After a while, Aya started to slow, looking tired. Zuko was about to offer help when he heard voices coming off the wind towards them. He looked back and saw four men in the armor of the Fire Nation running towards them. The armor was the same, but the whole upper body portion was black and two of the men had red bandanas tied around their arms.
"Aya, run!" he shouted at her and she glanced up at him before pulling the other kids to a run as Zuko stopped and faced the oncoming men. Two wore swords at their hips, but two did not, signaling them as firebenders. The firebenders were also the ones with the red bandanas on their arms.
"Kana! Come back!" Zuko heard behind him as the four stopped and studied the prince. Zuko felt and saw his hair blowing across his face as the first firebender ducked and started to punch out. Zuko rushed forward and ducked under the blast and heard a cry from at least one of the kids as they saw the blast. The prince brought his hand up under the firebender's chin, knocking the man back and a crack told him he had broken the man's jaw.
The two sword wielders rushed him and he quickly drew his own swords and parried their thrusts. He moved between and around them, using their movements against each other as he used one or the other as a shield, slicing his own swords out and injuring them before he found himself between them. They both thrust at him at the same time and he jumped up and onto their shoulders as they skewered each other. He looked around to deal with the two firebenders as he jumped off the bodies, but found them unconscious and encased by ice as Kana and her brother glared at them. Hakoda had his small sword out and it looked like he had used it on the pair, knocking them out.
Kana looked shocked at what she had done, but Hakoda looked glad and was almost smirking at the two unconscious firebenders. Aya was waiting for them from ahead of Zuko, holding Kuzon and Iroh's hands. Zuko went to Kana and saw her fighting back tears as she glanced at the two dead men. He knew she needed to understand the deaths and that possibly her own talent had scared her.
"The men you captured are just asleep. And the others, they would have done the same to you, and I couldn't let that happen," Zuko told her gently, kneeling before her. "C'mon, I can help you."
He waited for the girl to make the first move, but instead her brother pushed Zuko away before leading Kana back to Aya. Zuko fell onto his rear from the push Hakoda had given him and stared after the twins before breaking into a grin. They're definitely water tribe, he thought as an image of an older pair that looked like the twins rose up in his mind before disappearing. Zuko sighed as he tried to hold onto the memory, but it slipped away. He rose and followed the twins, sheathing his swords again. Aya looked worried until Hakoda took Kuzon's hand and Kana took Aya's hand, all the while Iroh whispering to his sister. Aya had her face turned towards where the battle took place as Zuko heard Iroh talking.
"See? They're back. It's ok. Kana just did some waterbending on the two firebenders, and now Li's back. Let's go."
Aya nodded and started pulling the kids northwards again. Zuko fell in behind and to the side of Iroh and Aya and noticed Aya getting tired quickly. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, knowing what he had to do.
"Kana, take Iroh's hand," Zuko said to the kids. "Iroh, follow me, ok? I'm going to carry Aya for a while."
Iroh nodded and slipped out of his sister's grip and exchanged himself for Kana. Aya looked angry and glared up towards Zuko.
"I can take care of myself," she growled, stopping.
"I'm sure you can," Zuko growled back, but felt himself starting to smile at her stubbornness. "But getting too tired to lead them won't help." Zuko kneeled in front of her after shifting his swords to his hip and guided her small hands to hold onto his shoulders before reaching back and hoisting her onto his back. She grabbed onto his neck tightly for a second and he saw a memory, or a dozen memories, fly through his mind's eye of doing the same thing with another earthbender, though that one was larger than Aya. He realized he missed her, but once the memories were gone again, he found himself wondering who he was missing.
"Iroh, stay right behind me!" Zuko shouted over his shoulder and saw Iroh nod before he started trudging through the snow, creating an easier path for the kids.
"How far?" he asked Aya once they were in a rhythm of walking through the snow.
"Maybe another hundred meters," Aya shouted into his ear, her voice almost drowned out by the wind as it picked up. "It'll look like the last one."
Zuko nodded and plunged forwards into the worsening blizzard. The light was fading, the temperature was dropping, and he knew they needed shelter soon. Heat behind him told him Iroh had firebended and was trying to keep warm and keep the others warm as well. A dark patch appeared ahead and Zuko quickened his pace, hearing the kids do so as well to keep up with him. Zuko stopped and stared as he faced a thick sheet of ice between them and their shelter. He kneeled and let Aya slip off before turning to Kana.
"Kana, you need to waterbend the ice away," he told her and saw her shaking her head, almost afraid to bend. "You're stubborn, just like Katara!" he cried, exasperated with the tiny waterbender before him. Kana turned to look up at him oddly before steeling herself and walking up towards the wall. She laid a mittened hand on the ice before drawing back and moving her arms up and then down. The ice melted and fell away, opening up into a cave of solid rock. Aya and the other kids hurried in and Zuko waited to go in until Kana went in and huddled into her brother. Zuko ignored the frowns and scowls the twins were giving him and turned to Aya.
"Aya, can you close the opening with earthbending? Just so that only one person my size can get in or out?" he asked her.
Aya nodded and took a horse stance, facing the opening of the cave. She brought her hands together slowly and slowly the rock on the sides began to move in, closing the opening until a slit remained that Zuko would have to go sideways to move through. He frowned at the little earthbender as she smirked at him before he sat next to the opening. The children huddled together, looking tired, though the twins were fighting to stay awake. Iroh studied the two before turning to study Zuko.
"I'll watch him," Iroh told the twins in a commanding voice. "You guys sleep."
Zuko watched in amazement as the twins looked at their friend before nodding and drawing closer to each other and falling asleep between Aya and Kuzon who were already asleep. Zuko glanced outside and saw a world of black with a few snowflakes flying by. The wind still roared outside and he knew they would probably be safe for the night. But he had to stay alert. Zuko took his swords off of his hip and laid them next to him, drawing his knees closer to him to keep his center warm. Iroh continued to study him and Zuko felt his temper running short.
"What?" he finally hissed at the boy.
"You look…familiar," Iroh said after a pause. He had drawn back from the look Zuko had given him, but continued to study the prince.
Zuko sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So do you," he told the boy. "All of you. Everything's so familiar, but I just can't put my finger on it!"
"Why not?" Iroh asked innocently.
Zuko shot the boy a dirty look before sighing and running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, I can't remember. Everything's so fuzzy. It's there one minute and gone the next. All I know for sure is I have to protect you."
"Like amnesia?"
Zuko stared at the boy, the golden eyes showing open curiosity, not criticism or pity. Slowly a smile started tugging at Zuko's mouth. "Yes, like amnesia. You should rest. We may have to travel a long ways soon."
"Uh uh, nope. I told them I'd watch you and I will," Iroh stated proudly, sitting upright and crossing his arms over his chest before he stifled a yawn.
"Fine, then watch me," Zuko sighed. These kids are interesting, but they're so stubborn! He thought. They reminded him of other people, people he knew, but every time he tried to think about those people, their names and faces disappeared from his mind.
Zuko remained where he was throughout the night, and eventually Iroh fell asleep, still watching the prince. Zuko smiled as the boy's head finally dropped onto his chest before he turned and cuddled into his sister's back. Aya lifted her head at that and smiled at Zuko for a second. He was shocked, but that quickly gave way to a small smile when she lowered her head again. Somehow he always knew the girl was keeping tabs on him. Though he had to protect the group, he knew she had the same responsibility, being the oldest and apparent leader.
The sky lightened eventually and Iroh woke, sitting upright and stretching while he yawned as Zuko felt himself awaken even more, almost becoming revitalized. Iroh stopped mid stretch and stared at Zuko before blushing in embarrassment and edging away from his sister. Zuko smirked, knowing Iroh had forgotten in his sleep about watching the prince. The boy avoided Zuko's gaze as the sky lightened even more and more light came through the opening. The wind had died down just before dawn, though it was still snowing outside. Voices came to Zuko as the other kids started to wake up.
"Shh," he hissed to them and Aya and Kana nodded, keeping the boys silent as they woke up.
"Ol' Sherve said it was a demon, with a big angry scar and bright yellow eyes protecting the kids," a male voice said. "I don like demons."
"Would you rather face an unknown demon, or the Queen demon? Think about that!" spat another male.
"Shut up you idiots!" a middle aged woman's voice came. "They could be near by!"
"Yeah, right, the demon took out four, and then ran. They're probably half way to Ba Sing Sae by now," the second male voice stated.
"He's human," the woman growled. "And it's just one man and a bunch of kids. I don't care how talented they're supposed to be, they're just kids! Now shut up and let's go!"
Zuko felt his temper rising as he grabbed his swords and stood next to the entrance. These people had no right to prey on kids, and if they came near him, he would fight to the death for these kids. The sounds of boots crunching through the snow came closer, but then veered off to the right. He made out the sounds of six different footsteps, but there could have been more. He relaxed as silence came and stayed. Looking back at the kids, he saw that Kana had passed out some bread to her brother and friends and they were munching on it quietly. Kuzon dove a hand into his pocket and came out with the heel of the bread, rising and walking over to Zuko. The boy held the bread up to Zuko and the prince took it, smiling slightly at the little airbender. Kuzon had no bitterness or anger on his face or in his silver eyes, just open curiosity and a hint of mischief.
Zuko took the bread and a memory passed through his mind. A boy older than Kuzon with the same eyes, but with a bald head and blue arrow tattoos was looking down on him from a tree stump. The older boy had had sorrow in his eyes, but there was also the same hint of mischief in his eyes as in Kuzons'. Zuko grabbed his head as the memory turned into many more, each different, but the same grey eyed bald boy stared at him. It was too much, too many memories, all at once. And every time he tried to concentrate on one, it slipped away to be replaced with another.
"Li, are you all right?" a girls' voice asked, concern in her tone.
Zuko opened his eyes and found himself eye to eye with Aya, her unfocused green eyes showing concern and worry. Zuko brought his hands down from his head as he realized he had fallen to his knees and dropped the bread. The twins were looking at him in shock and fear again, and Iroh was studying him. Kuzon had stepped back, but open curiosity was still on his face.
"Yeah," Zuko told Aya, taking a deep breath to control himself. "I'm ok now. Sorry."
He leaned back and sat against the stone wall of the entrance, picking up the heel of bread again and started eating as the other kids turned back to finish their breakfast. Iroh had turned to whisper with Kuzon and the twins, but Aya continued to study the prince.
"What happened?" Aya asked him once he had finished breakfast, handing him a water skin. Zuko noticed the other kids turn to look him at him again.
"I'm not sure. Too many memories all at once…I think," he told the earthbender, taking the water skin from her. "It's gone now, don't worry about it."
"He's crazy, we should ditch him now," Hakoda hissed to his sister and friends.
"With all those even crazier firebenders out there? No way!" Kuzon hissed back to his friend.
"Hey, I'm a firebender!" Iroh stated, punching Hakoda in the shoulder since he couldn't reach Kuzon. "Firebenders aren't crazy, just those loonies."
Zuko felt himself starting to smirk as Hakoda tackled Iroh and they wrestled around while Kana and Aya looked at each other, smiling and rolling their eyes while Kuzon laughed at the other boys before they rolled into him. He joined the wrestling match and Zuko started to smile even more as Aya turned towards the boys and stomped her foot down, separating all three boys with a pillar of stone between them.
"Shut up you dunderheads!" Aya cried. "We still have idiots searching out there. You guys sound like a herd of zebra elephants!" The three boys bowed their heads humbly before retreating to the far end of the cave away from Aya and Zuko as Zuko saw the earthbender roll her eyes. "Boys!" she sighed.
Kana just giggled and joined her brother and friends as Aya moved to sit next to Zuko. He handed her back her water skin still with some water left in it. She took it and smiled at him.
"Don't worry about saving me any. Kana can bend ours full again," she told him.
Zuko nodded and studied the little earthbender. He knew she was trying to read him, though she never turned her face towards him as he studied her. She was half his height, but strong willed and independent. She was the backbone of the group in her rough way and held them together. It looked like Kana was more the mothering type, but Aya could read and lead people better. And she reminded him of someone he was close to, but he couldn't remember who.
"I know you're studying me," she whispered to Zuko. "Iroh was right, you are familiar, but I can't place it either. You called me Toph when you arrived. Why?"
Zuko thought of how to answer the girl next to him. Every time he tried to think of what the name Toph meant an image of an older Aya showed up, but then it disappeared just as quickly. Why can't I remember?
"I don't know," he sighed finally. "I just don't remember."
Aya nodded and Zuko saw a wry smile tugging at her mouth. "Well, I'm happy you compared me to her. I'm going to be the next world's greatest earthbender and metalbender," Aya stated proudly.
"Where are your parents?" Zuko asked after a long silence. The four other kids were playing a simple game and ignoring the two by the entrance.
"Fighting the evil queen," Aya sighed. "She really isn't a queen, but she claims she is."
"I've never heard of her," Zuko told Aya and she looked up at him, shocked.
"Everyone's heard of her!" Aya cried. "How could you not have?!"
The others turned towards them, but quickly went back to their game.
"I haven't," Zuko shrugged. "Maybe it's this whole memory loss thing, but she doesn't even sound familiar."
Aya sighed and leaned against the stone wall. "There was peace after the evil king died, and our parents helped create the peace. It was said the evil queen was ex…exi. What's that word?"
"Exiled," Zuko said, feeling a sense of loss rise within him. Being exiled was familiar to him, but again, the memory slipped away before he could focus on it.
"Exiled," Aya continued, smiling at Zuko. "But she escaped and drew many evil people and many evil generals who were exiled to her who didn't want peace. They attacked the Earth Kingdom last year and now they're attacking the Fire Nation. We got sent here cause it was safest, but then the evil queen came after us. So we were told to hide and then you showed up."
"But why is the evil queen after you?" Zuko asked, curious. What would a queen want with a bunch of kids?
"Because of my brother," Aya whispered.
"What?" Zuko asked, startled. "Why's Iroh so important, and not you?"
Aya made hushing motions, but Iroh had already glanced over and frowned at her and Zuko, meeting Zuko's gaze before turning back to the game.
"He's a prince," Aya whispered. "And if the evil queen gets him, our parents will surrender."
Zuko frowned. Why would their parents, fighters and forgers of peace, surrender if a prince was taken? Surely Aya could inherit the throne as well.
"And cause I'm a firebender," Iroh muttered, turning back to them and giving his sister a stern look. "Aya, you shouldn't tell him stuff like that."
"He's here to protect us," Aya shot back. "And he's not lying! I can tell, not you!"
"Yeah, yeah," Iroh muttered, sighing. "Just don't say too much"
Aya stuck her tongue out at her brother who returned the gesture before turning back to the game. Zuko smiled at the battle of wills between the siblings, but his thoughts turned towards what they would do. He knew they would have to leave the small cave at some point; they just couldn't survive there that long. They would need food, and more soldiers would be combing the area now that the blizzard had blown itself out. If the North Pole had been taken, something that even Zhou hadn't been able to accomplish, the kids would need another way out. Zuko turned to study Aya again.
"What was the plan with the elders?" he asked her.
"They were supposed to come get us once the battle was over," Aya stated calmly. "We have enough food for a few days."
"But what if they don't send someone?" Zuko asked.
Aya's face turned pale for a second before he saw her steeling herself and smiling at him. "You're here now. You can take care of us."
Zuko sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He had no food, no water and no provisions on him. Not even money. Just his clothes and swords. And he would rather starve than give up his swords. He heard feet crunching through the snow outside and held up his finger to his lips, signaling for silence to the other kids. They nodded and drew closer together in the corner, finding comfort in each other as Zuko stood slowly and guided Aya behind him as he edged closer to the entrance, his swords ready.
"What is it Conny?" a male voice hissed outside.
"I don think this was 'ere before," another male voice stated, coming closer to the cave entrance.
"Course it was," the first male said. "Wait, I think yer right. It was ice, not stone. Hey wasn't there an earthy in the group of kids?"
"Yep, and they're all ours," Conny said greedily. "Come on out kids. You come out and we won't hurt you."
Zuko watched as the kids huddle closer together and Aya went to them, hugging her brother to her, but still looking like she would fight for him. A shadow blocked the light coming in and then a blast of flame entered the cave. The kids whimpered, trying to stay silent, but looked scared as their eyes got huge, glancing from the entrance to Zuko and back again. They whimpered again and held back cries as another large blast entered the cave. Zuko wanted to plunge out, but knew that would be suicide. He waited, waiting for the moment to strike.
"I hear ya in there," Conny called in. "Come out and we won't hurt ya. Don't come out and we'll cook ya. The queen don't care how you come, as long as yer alive."
Another blast of fire came in and the kids backed away from it as it hit the far wall. Zuko felt rage boiling within him and was about to step out when a foot landed in the cave. Smirking, Zuko struck down, spearing the foot. A cry of pain came out and the foot retreated, followed by cursing.
"Aya, drop the wall!" Zuko shouted.
The cave opened to what it had been and Zuko jumped at the two men, the second supporting his wounded friend. The unwounded man dropped his friend into the snow, stepping back and started to fire at Zuko. The prince ducked under the blast and came up inside the man's range, bringing his sword around and then down. The man tried to block Zuko's sword as it came down and managed to redirect the blade with his wrist guard, though the blade still slit the shirt open to the shoulder armor, creating a long scratch on the man's arm. The injured man started to blast at Zuko and Zuko twisted, moving behind his foe and smelled burning clothing and flesh as the man Zuko had been engaged with dropped, killed by his friend.
Zuko jumped over the body and charged the injured man who was trying to stand, knocking aside a hand that was meant to blast at him and drove his sword through the man's heart. The man stared in shock up at Zuko and opened his mouth to speak, but then he was gone, his brown eyes lifeless. Zuko backed away, cleaning his swords on the man's clothing before sheathing them and turning back to the kids. He avoided the corpses, knowing he would feel sick if he caught sight of them and went to Aya. She had her unfocused gaze on where the battle had taken place and the other kids were huddled behind her.
"Aya," Zuko said gently. "We need to leave. Is there anywhere farther away we can go? Or a village? Aya, I need your help."
Aya continued to stare towards the battle area before she shook her head and turned her face to him. "No, no place farther I can tell," she said finally.
"There is a village, a small one," Hakoda said, coming out from behind Aya and standing between Zuko and Kana. "It's an hour boat ride to the northwest of the main city. It's only a fishing village."
Zuko nodded and sighed. "Can you take us there, over land?" he asked Hakoda.
Hakoda looked unsure, but nodded. "I'll try."
Zuko nodded and gestured for the boy to lead the way. The kids held hands again; Hakoda holding Kana's who held Kuzon's who held Aya's who held Iroh's. Zuko took the rear and followed the kids, walking through the snow. He kept glancing around, looking for any sign of the soldiers that were pursuing them. After a while, the kids started to look tired, so Zuko suggested they stop and rest. Kana and Kuzon worked together, air and water flowing to create a mound of snow to block the wind while they had a snack of dried meat. Kuzon passed on the meat and took out what looked like dried fruit from his pocket.
"He's a vegertarium," Hakoda said, seeing Zuko's puzzled look.
"Vegetarian," Kana corrected, smiling shyly. "And I think it's sweet."
"Meat's all I want," Hakoda sighed happily and dug into his jerky,
"Boys and their habits," Aya sighed, handing Zuko a piece of jerky.
Zuko nodded and thanked the earthbender, eating the jerky slowly as he watched the kids discreetly. They ate quickly and almost quietly, whispering jokes to each other as they finished. Kana waterbent a snowball onto her brother's head when he didn't laugh at her joke, causing Kuzon and Iroh to chuckle as Hakoda glowered at his sister.
"We'd better get moving," Zuko stated, standing. "I'll take the lead. If anyone sees something or gets tired, let me know."
The kids nodded and strung themselves together again, with Hakoda in the lead just behind Zuko as they started walking in the direction they had been going. The boys started complaining about being bored before they had even gone a hundred meters.
"How about a story?" Kana suggested. Her suggestion was met with affirmative cries and Zuko felt all five sets of eyes boring into his back.
"I don't know any," he said over his shoulder. "You guys should know plenty."
Sounds of complaining reached him before Kuzon spoke up. "I know one," the boy said cheerfully. "It's the story of the moon."
Zuko was curious as he heard cheers and Kuzon started, telling of how the moon and ocean had taken mortal form in the form of two koi fish. And then the Fire Nation was attacking the North Pole just after the Avatar had gotten there. A prince had taken the Avatar, trying to capture him, and the evil admiral Zhou had kidnapped the moon koi and killed her. A beautiful princess by the name of Yue had some of the moon within her since the moon had saved her life as a baby. Yue had left all she loved, including a warrior from the southern tribe to give her life back to the moon. The Avatar had returned and joined with the ocean spirit to defeat the fire navy and the prince had fought the evil admiral, delaying him from hurting any one else until the ocean took him, a life for a life.
Zuko was confused as Kuzon told the story, the child's simple mind making rapid turns throughout the story, but he understood it. Memories washed over him as Kuzon finished with the prince and the Avatar the heroes, and Yue shining brightly over them, smiling down on her people. Zuko knew the prince wasn't a hero. The prince was trying to do the wrong thing at the time and had only fought Zhou to get revenge. He started scowling as he remembered fighting a waterbender, and getting pinned against an ice wall. But then the memories were gone as Aya started calling his name.
"Li. Li! Can you carry Iroh for a little? He's getting tired." Aya called.
"I am not!" Iroh cried.
Zuko glanced back over his shoulder and saw Iroh dragging his feet through the snow. He stopped and walked back to Iroh, picking the boy up and placing the little firebenders' arms around his neck before swinging the boy to his back. Zuko walked back to the front and started leading the way again as Iroh sighed and sagged against Zuko's back. Iroh fell asleep as Kana started telling the story of the boy in the iceberg. About a young waterbender and a warrior of the southern water tribe finding the Avatar, the last airbender, in an iceberg and starting their journey with a fire prince chasing them. Kana was at the point where the Avatar had come sliding into the southern village on a penguin, knocking the prince off his feet when Kuzon shouted out.
"Five people, running this way!"
Zuko glanced back and saw three men with spears and two women in Fire Nation armor, but again with the odd black upper body armor running their way. One of the women shot a hand into the air, signaling a flare. Iroh had wakened and Zuko let the boy slip off as Aya started running forward, dragging the other kids behind her.
"Run!" Zuko cried, falling behind the kids as they ran through the snow. He stayed behind them, jogging as he saw Kana and Kuzon moving their arms side to side, moving the snow out of their way with air and waterbending. Zuko glanced back over his shoulder and saw the five drawing closer to them. The two women wore the red bandanas on their arms. A blast of fire went off behind him and he felt the heat before he slid to a stop, drawing his swords as he turned and charged the soldiers.
A/N: Now, can you guess who the kids are? Or their parents? Thanks for reading ad don't forget to Review!