The evening between the two of us was quiet as usual. Neither of us spoke, and Azula went to bed early as usual. I was left to my thoughts as I quietly put out the small camp fire. I dumped dirt onto the fire pit and stomped on it, and then proceeded to lay down on a mat next to Azula. I checked to see if she was awake yet, because sometimes she was awake when I thought she was a sleep; not like it bothered me.
I rolled over into my side so my back was to Azula, and I let my mind wander freely. It wasn't like I had much to freely think about. I hadn't had much going on in my life anyway.
Closing my eyes, I focused on the subtle sounds of nature around me; it was kind of interesting. It's those things I never really heard around in the Fire Nation. At home, all I really heard was pure silence, or the occasional bickering of the neighbors, and at the Academy in the Palace, all I heard was the constant yelling from our Commander. Nature seemed pretty...nice.
I was shaken awake from dream land once again by Azula. Her face gave off one of her emotions of the usual stress, and after I opened my unfocused eyes she let me be and continued packing her stuff. I tried to focus my eyes.
I glanced around once more at the blurry surroundings. Where was I...Oh yeah I was in the forest outside of the Earth Kingdom that I attacked yesterday, then Azula came by and snagged me here. Then we were on our way to go find the idiot. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, but the Earth Kingdom's Palace was blocking the sun, so the sky was a bright pink, and the clouds were rolling in from the West.
Slowly getting up, I looked around and then at Azula who was using a tree to mark a map. I gathered my things and placed them in my bag. "What are you doing Azula?" I whispered. I still hadn't shaken off sleep, and I didn't have the energy to talk any louder. She rolled up the map and threw it towards me, and I caught it before it fell to the ground. Shrugging she walked back towards the direction of the Earth Kingdom.
"I was marking the Earth Kingdom. I heard my Uncle, the one who is with Zuko now, speaking with Zuko about following the Avatar in hopes to kill him. Something about gaining his honor back and being able to come back home to the Nation." She smiled wickedly and her gaze met mine. "However, he won't get the chance, because you and I are going to kill the Avatar first. We will gain more respect from Father! Oh just think of all the PRAISE and ATTENTION we will get from Father and the rest of the Nation after we done it!" She smiled to herself, acting like a 8 year old spoiled brat. I shrugged. The attention part caught my eye, but I didn't care much about the praise, for her Father wasn't too interested in me; other than my strong fire abilities.
"So...basically we are stalking your brother...in hopes to find the Avatar brat...and kill him first?" I asked, placing the map into my bag and then we began to walk towards the village. She nodded happily before stopping in her tracks.
"Wait...they know your face from yesterday when you attacked. I don't want to risk element of surprise. Also because it's not easy to forget your face..." She added the last part in hopes for it to sound nice, but she really meant 'Your very ugly, and I'm the prettiest out of both of us.' Azula smiled before reaching into her bag, grabbing out a long red satin scarf; it matched my armor. "Wear this over your face, and put on your rain hat. Act like an old lady or something, I don't care. Just as long as we can get through this village in time to at least SEE where Zuko and Uncle are heading."
Grabbing the scarf, it felt like silk under my finger tips, and the red was the right shade; close to roses. I tied my long brown hair into a bun, and then I wrapped the scarf around my neck and mouth so it covered most of my face. I put down my bag and reached in, feeling around for my small hat, but I couldn't find it. Shit...must have left it in the room. I sighed and looked up to a very impatient-looking Azula. She was even doing the annoyed foot tap!
"What!" She glared down at me as I continued to feel around in my bag. I frowned and looked at the ground.
"I can't find my hat...I must have left it in the room before we all left in a hurry." I admitted, as I got up off my knee and dusted my shin armor. Her face went from fair and light pink, to red.
"Well don't just stand there and look like an idiot! Wrap the damn scarf around your hair too! I don't have time for this!" She sighed loudly, and I did as I was told. I don't know why I submitted to her... I mean I'm older than her! I was taller than her too! Within two seconds of having it tightly wrapped around my head, only revealing my eyes, Azula tugged me into the village, easing up as soon as we began to see people.
My eyes darted around, looking at the many people, the children, the elders, and the homeless. I took in the devastation from yesterday's attack. Many homes were burned and many were just destroyed. I saw some people's bodies still laying on the ground; dead. Some people were crying, some people were doing the comforting. I closed my eyes, Do we really only cause distruction? I pondered that silently before concluding of course not! These people are a lower class. Fire is the dominent. We are the power. We are the masters. We are the Fire Nation.
We slowly made our way through the devastation, until we reached the Palace, where I saw the familiar bald brat and his friends.
The one they referred to as 'Avatar' was talking to a young girl dressed in modern Earth Bender's clothes. She had hair up in a bun-like do, and had a green hair band in her hair. The two others I had encountered yesterday were walking around with the large hairy animal. I assume that the two were brother and sister from the same water clan. I heard Azula silently mutter to herself, and dragged me off to one of the alleys on the side of the road, but we still had a clear visual of the brats.
I looked up at her with a questioning look before she put a finger to her lips and pointed out-wards by the vendors near by. I looked over and saw Zuko and his Uncle purchasing some items, mostly tea, that I assumed was for his Uncle. I heard he was a tea maniac.
Azula leaned back against the wall and began to calculate her thoughts, but I kept my eyes trained on Zuko and his Uncle, and occasionally looking over to where the brats were. However, they were gone and off somewhere. I noticed that as soon as I noticed, Zuko and his Uncle noticed too and was off in the direction I could only assume the brats went in. Looking back at Azula, I sighed, "Well they are all gone. I saw Zuko and your Uncle heading off in that direction," I pointed to the left of the Palace, "And I suggest if we are going to kill the Avatar, then we better move, but move slowly and closely." She sighed and complied. Maybe because my thought was more calculated than hers.
