Since coming to the South Pole, Zuko had mixed feelings about the furs. It was springtime, so while still very cold, the sun made its presence known every day, and Zuko could sense it. Fur lined his parka, and he understood the reason for this. It was definitely warm, but sometimes too warm. With the sun shining in the sky—and its power flowing through his veins—the extra layer of fur was too much.

Perhaps the part of the parka that bothered him the most was the fur-lined hood. It tickled his face—or part of his face, at least. He didn't like how the sensation was uneven. Very few things reminded him of his scar these days, but this did. Being at the South Pole brought back other unpleasant memories, too. Like the one where he grabbed an elderly woman's fur-lined hood and made threats to a small village of helpless women and children.

Gran Gran.

She hated him. He was sure of it. Every time he saw her, he was met with a fur-lined scowl etched in weather-worn wrinkles. He was so grateful to have earned Hakoda's blessing and even more grateful to not have to ask Kanna that same fateful question. However, he did hope for her blessing regardless. The way things were going so far, he didn't think he would get it, though. One of her first orders where he was concerned was to banish him to an igloo on the outskirts of the newly erected city.

An igloo among some of the tribe ruffians. But that didn't bother him so much. An igloo that got pretty cold at night. But it was well-stocked with fur blankets to keep him warm. An igloo where Katara wasn't allowed to join him. Now, that hit him the hardest. He would have much preferred her warmth over the blankets.

It also didn't help that Katara had recently confessed to him her fantasy about igloos. One he had very much wanted to fulfill during this trip. But Kanna always seemed to have a short leash on Katara and the stink eye on him. Zuko resigned to being on his best behavior with hopes of eventually winning Gran Gran's favor.

He awoke one cool crisp morning with the igloo fantasy as his most pressing thought—and with something else pressing into the layers of fur piled on top of him. At this point he couldn't decide if the heaviness of the blankets would cause a problem for his leverage or if the softness of the fur would make things more interesting in terms of sensation. He wouldn't know unless he got after it…

Damn, Katara. I miss you.

"Zuko?"

He stilled his motions… and his breathing as best he could. Aww, shit.

"You in there?" The voice came from just outside the igloo door.

"Yessir, Chief Hakoda."

"Oh good, you're awake. Well, get dressed, son, and meet me at the dock. Kanna was pissed that we didn't bring home anything from our hunt, so we need to redeem ourselves. Morning is the best time to go fishing, so…"

"Yessir. Be right there."


Zuko felt far more comfortable with a paddle in his hand instead of a spear. And much more at ease sitting in the stern of a canoe than afoot in the forest. And without a certain question hovering over him, he felt more relaxed around the Water Tribe Chief, too.

"Zuko, have you ever heard of ice dodging?" Hakoda asked as they steadily rowed out to sea.

"No sir."

"It's an initiation of sorts. For young tribesmen. It's their ceremonial induction into the tribe where they dodge a series of icebergs to demonstrate wisdom, bravery, and trust. Afterward they are considered official members of the tribe."

Zuko now thought he knew exactly why Hakoda was telling him this. "So, do we intend to go ice dodging this morning then?"

"What? Oh, no. We're not even in the right type of vessel for it. Besides, Zuko, how many times do I have to tell you? You're already family."

"I… know. I'm sorry. I guess I just—"

"You don't think you deserve it."

Zuko sighed. He had worked for years to gain his own father's approval, and it did seem so simple—almost too simple—to win Hakoda's favor. This ice dodging ritual actually made more sense to him—a way to perform, earn, and show one's worthiness.

"Do you know what happens if a young tribesman can't pass the test? If he doesn't clear the ice dodging course?" Hakoda continued.

"No sir." He's banished from the tribe?

"Well, he won't receive his mark of honor. But he's still part of the family. He was part of the tribe before he even began."

In other words, there is no mark of dishonor. Zuko instinctively brushed his fingers across the side of his face. Despite the cold morning air, his scar was hot to the touch.

"I'm sorry, Zuko. I didn't bring this up to… bring up other things. I actually brought it up because the ice dodging course is just right over there. And if we can make it through, there's some of the best fishing on the other side. What do you think?"

"Oh…umm…I thought you said we didn't have the right boat for it?"

"We don't have the right boat for the ice dodging ritual which is supposed to be a demonstration of team effort. The canoe should do just fine. It's just—"

"It's just what?"

"The water levels are higher this time of year when the glaciers start to melt. It can make things more unpredictable. I haven't done the course in years, so…"

"So you didn't bring me out here to test me… you brought me out here to kill me?"

"Zuko…" Hakoda's look of concern then shifted into a wide grin when he saw the smirk on the other's face.

Zuko cleared his throat. "Well, we're both dead men if we don't bring any fish back to Kanna, so I say, let's go for it."

The lightness of mood immediately darkened as soon as he saw the series of ice formations in the water. Damn.

"It looks worse than it really is," Hakoda said. "You just focus on steering around the big ones, and I'll guide us around the little ones I can see from the front. The water will propel us forward, so it's really all about the side-to-side maneuvers. Got it?"

Zuko didn't have a chance to answer before said water did indeed thrust them forward into its raging current, and he had to tighten his grip on his paddle to keep from losing it. Recently he had come to consider water as the strongest element. This experience could very well confirm that for him.

At first, everything was a blur—sea mist nipping at his exposed skin, Hakoda's commands ringing in his ears, and menacing ice peaks coming at him from all directions. But then the words "mark of honor" sprang to mind, and he had this undeniable urge to prove himself to Hakoda. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to—more than anything, at least in this particular moment. And it would have been very much akin to his old ways of seeking approval except that they were doing this together. Determination set in his features, from his creased brow down to his firm grip on his paddle. Alright, let's do this.

Since Hakoda was in front, he was able to see what was coming ahead better than Zuko. This meant the younger had to follow the Chief's movements and trust him to guide them through. Hakoda was a great leader, and Zuko found it easy to interpret his signals. Hakoda started out by giving verbal instructions, but after a while, they found their rhythm and completed the course with ease.

Once they were floating idly in calmer waters, Hakoda turned around and smiled. "Zuko! You're a natural! I know you commanded your own ship, but—"

The Fire Lord shrugged. "I had a lot of time on my hands. And nothing but water surrounding me." He then realized that the same sense of fierce determination that he'd felt just now was how he felt about finding the Avatar back then. As usual, dark memories from the past crept in to steal the joy he'd managed for the present.

Hakoda clapped his hands together. "We make a pretty good team, son! Well done, well done."

Zuko forced a smile, still plagued by his thoughts.

Hakoda frowned. "Zuko, what's the—wait!" He rummaged through his bag. "Ah, good. A true tribesman never leaves home without his war paint!"

Zuko eyed him curiously as he carefully shifted his position in the canoe to where they were within an arm's reach of each other. He dipped a finger in the paint, and Zuko felt the cool sensation on his forehead.

As Hakoda traced an arc—his mark—he said, "May the spirits of water bear witness and grant their blessing. On this day, Fire Lord Zuko, as an honorary member of the Water Tribe, has earned the mark of the trusted. I, Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, trust you with my own life… with the lives of my loved ones... and the lives of our fellow tribesmen."

Zuko couldn't describe what he was feeling in that moment even if he tried, only that he was overwhelmed by it. Some combination of gratitude, relief, confusion, and grief. The Fire Nation didn't have such distinctions. There was only the "mark of dishonor" given to the one who surrenders during an Agni Kai, and Zuko bore the worst one of all.

"Thank you, sir," was all he could manage. He closed his eyes, trying to push back the flood of emotions. He didn't think crying at one's ice dodging initiation would be seen as very manly. But when he looked back at Hakoda, the Chief appeared to be studying his scar with his own tear-brimmed eyes.

"Zuko, did your father—"

Zuko dropped his gaze, giving only a slight nod in response. The tears flowed now, and for once, he was grateful for his fur-lined hood. The silence that stretched between them seemed like an eternity as he tried not to relive that fateful day.

Finally Hakoda spoke, his voice firm and fatherly. "The mark is only a symbol. The paint will wash away, but what matters is the lesson you learned today. Can you tell me what that was?"

Zuko sighed. So here was his test. "That family is important." Some people's family, anyway. When Zuko saw Hakoda's furrowed brow, he quickly added, "And we should be able to trust our family."

"So what happens when you can't trust your family? When they do something to sever that trust... something unforgivable." Ice blue eyes pierced him.

"You find a new family?"

"No. You learn to trust yourself."


For the Pro-Bending Circuit competition, Toza's Gym
Equipment: Earth Disks
Prompt: Fur (feeling)
Word Count: 1,893

Notes: For anyone who is reading this fic but hasn't read anything else in my Darkness universe, I should explain that I set up some Agni Kai rules. So, an Agni Kai ends when someone gets burned (or oftentimes when someone dies, but this is an unspoken rule). If at any point, one person chooses to surrender during an Agni Kai, they must suffer the "mark of dishonor." This is supposed to be administered to the shoulder while the recipient is bowed down in submission, symbolic of the victor's triumph over the other. Of course it would be painful, but it would heal and become a concealable scar—until the person engages in another Agni Kai. Why the shoulder? Because they traditionally wear shoulder garments and shed them right before the fight. The visible "mark of dishonor" would signify to an opponent this person's previous weakness in a fire duel.

Zuko considers his scar the ultimate "mark of dishonor," until he realizes it doesn't technically fit the definition of one... and he comes to realize a lot of other things about his father, that Agni Kai, true honor, etc. I think Hakoda would fulfill a fatherly role in Zuko's life (in my Zutara headcanon, of course). I do think Iroh is the ultimate father figure for Zuko, but he's not altogether removed from the situation. I also think Ursa provides some motherly support where Katara needs it, and all of this I plan to explore in the third installment of my trilogy, Beyond the Silver Lining. (By the way, events of this fic line up concurrently with the Darkness trilogy finale, so if you've been following the story since the beginning, this is a little sneak peek for you while I finish up the last chapter of Rising Tide.)