Here is the next chapter. I hope you like it!
ATLA: belongs to Mike and Bryan, not me…
Chapter VI
Zuko ran all night and all morning the next day, not daring to stop and be caught by Daiyu again. He strained his ears for the sound of pursuit or the rumble of earth indicating that Daiyu was looking for him, but so far the only thing he heard was his own running footsteps as well as his breathing. He was still surprised that he had managed to escape so easily and half expected for something to detain him once again.
In the late afternoon, just as the sun hovered above the horizon, Zuko stopped for a break, his muscles and lungs ached from his non-stop run. Leaning against a tree, the young lord closed his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. Once he felt better, he walked over to the stream and took a long drink. He refilled his canteen and walked back to the tree, sitting among its roots and bringing out a piece of meat from his bag. He tore into the dried meat hungrily and chewed slowly so as not to choke. After finishing his meager meal, he tiredly walked over to a thick cluster of bushes he had spotted earlier, hid underneath it, and gratefully closed his eyes as sleep claimed him.
The tired young man woke up to a high silver moon in a dark, inky sky. The stars and the moon's light peeked through the tree tops and into the small empty patches on the green bush Zuko laid under. Dragging his tired body from under the bush, Zuko stretched and ate more meat and some cheese, swallowing them down with more water. He packed the rest of the food and the canteen and readjusted the pack over his shoulders.
A gentle breeze blew around him, ruffling his long hair. Zuko looked up to the moon and sighed wistfully.
Wait for me, Katara. I'm coming, he silently called through the chilly night. With one last look at the slivery moon he again set off at a run, all the while following the quiet stream.
As the days passed and the food began to diminish, Zuko began to despair. All he had seen since he had escaped from Daiyu were countless and countless of large trees and bushes as he followed the stream, but he saw no sign of the stream ever stopping or the sight of a village before him.
Zuko knelt down heavily near the brook and scooped the fresh water into his hands to take another drink. He drank long and deep and scooped some more. He splashed the rest of the cool water onto his hot and sweaty back, neck, and head. He splashed more onto his face and inhaled deeply in order to pour more oxygen into his lungs. If he was not made of flesh and bones he would have kept running all day and all night until he found the damn village.
Sitting back cross-legged on the lush, green grass, he pulled out the doll from his bag since it would have gotten wet and dirty if he kept it under his sweaty shirt. Zuko gazed at the doll that was small enough that it fitted on his palm. It had long red yarn hair, big green stone eyes, a smile made up of small pink buttons, and a beige dress with a lime-green sash around the doll's middle that reminded him of Toph's eyes.
Zuko frowned as he stared at the lifeless child's toy in his hand as if it could tell him where he was and where he needed to go to get out of there. Perhaps he was wrong about the village being upriver. Maybe the little girl's family just crossed the stream and her doll fell as she passed. What if he was going the wrong way all this time and he was just getting himself more lost as he ventured deeper into the thick forest?
Zuko clenched the doll in his large hand, careful not to set it on fire, and ran his other hand through his growing, black hair. He had no other leads or ideas on how to find the village. He had no maps, no compass, and his food supply was running low. He had no choice but to continue following the stream until he found something that could help him return home.
Tugging the doll back into his pack, Zuko again refilled his canteen and continued on his long journey, pushing all despair, fatigue, and anger away from his heart and filling it with hope and longing.
Katara smiled as Iroh's wrinkled and kind face turned into a gleeful expression.
"Why, Lady Katara, that is really something astonishing," Iroh laughed. "Why didn't you tell us of this tradition before?"
"Well, I have been living in the Fire Nation and away from my tribe for some years now," Katara reminded him as she sipped from her teacup.
Iroh, Katara, and Toph were sitting at the veranda overlooking the Royal Palace Garden late in the afternoon, enjoying a small snack of tea and pastries.
"I kind of forgot about it with all that has happened. First it was the sorrow and depression upon hearing the 'news' and then it was having to deal with the Court Council's commands," she continued.
Iroh nodded and took a sip from his jasmine tea, giving a contented sigh as the tea's sweet aroma floated around them.
"Can we tell them now?" Toph practically pleaded as she lay among the fluffy cushions spread around the low table. "I can't wait for the council members' reactions when they hear they won't be having a new Fire Lord any time soon."
"Yes, the sooner the better," Iroh agreed with a chuckle.
Katara asked her servant, Jiao, to call the council members into the meeting room. After the young maidservant left, the three remained in comfortable silence as the time passed.
"Hopefully the noblemen will return to their homes at least until I'm 'finished' with the blanket. I really do miss the peace and quiet." Katara sighed.
Iroh nodded and Toph agreed with a 'hell yeah!'
Katara looked over to the turtle-duck pond in the serene garden. The leaves on the trees and the pink blooms on the cherry blossom tree swayed as a breeze blew by. She held back another sigh as she remembered all the times Zuko and she would spend together feeding the little creatures or simply sitting under the gentle sun, embracing each other lovingly.
"Well, then," Iroh announced after a few more minutes. He stood up and placed his hands inside his sleeves and smiled. "Let us meet with the council members."
They all stood up and made their way to the door. The servants filed in after them and cleaned up the empty teacups and leftover pastries.
By the time Katara and her two most trusted people arrived at the meeting room, the Court Council members were waiting and fidgeting nervously. They were anxious to know what the unexpected meeting was about.
"Fire Lady Katara," Enlai called out and bowed as soon as the Fire Lady entered the room. "What is the matter? Is there some kind of emergency? Is something wrong?"
The other advisors stood from their seats and bowed as they waited for her to answer. Katara walked to her place and sat down. As soon as she took a seat, the other members followed slowly. Katara arranged her dress around her legs and gave them a smile.
"No, there is nothing wrong or alarming in what I want to speak to you men about," Katara began.
"So then it must mean that you have finally chosen a new Fire Lord," Jian smiled broadly.
The room was filled with excited chatter and congratulations as they asked her who the lucky man was that was going to marry her. Iroh shook his head and scratched the top of his bald head. Toph snorted and rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. Katara frowned in annoyance as they continued to misinterpret her reason for calling the meeting.
"Noble advisors, please listen to what I have to say before you jump to conclusions," Katara spoke up loudly over the commotion.
The men turned to look at her and frowned as they quieted down.
"I know I have said that I will chose my new husband to become Fire Lord and I want you to know that I am trying very hard to find the perfect man fit to rule this great nation. Until now I have had no such luck."
"But that can't be," one man said, "All of the single Fire Nation noblemen are courting you at the moment and they are all living in the palace where you could get to know them better. Surely there must be one man worthy enough to become our new Fire Lord."
Katara held back a sigh. Even if she was really looking for a new husband among the noblemen she would never choose any of them. They were rude, arrogant, and vile. Not to mention most of them drank too much and were always chasing the young noblewomen and servant girls.
"What about Avatar Aang?" Enlai asked carefully. "Being the Avatar, your one time travelling companion and your friend, surely he must be the…right choice." He cleared his throat as if he just swallowed something bad.
The other men held their breaths and leaned in to hear what their lady had to say. Even though they had consented in the Avatar courting the widow, they felt they had no choice since he was the Avatar, but they were dead set against having him as their Fire Lord.
Katara laughed daintily and gently shook her head.
"I know you think I would automatically choose him and I plead you to get rid of such silly thoughts from your heads, but like I said before, just because he's my friend that does not give him any advantage on my decision. He has yet to prove he is worthy just like the other men do."
The men gave out visible sighs of relief and sat back down on their cushions comfortably. A few servants were walking around handing out tea. Iroh cheerfully accepted another cup of steaming tea and gave a brilliant smile to the servant girl, causing her to blush and giggle.
"Aren't you too old for that, old man?" Toph said with a frown on her porcelain face.
"Why, my dear Lady Bei Fong, I have no idea what you speak of." Iroh feigned an innocent frown.
Toph smirked and shook her head, her dark bangs swooshing along her forehead, before returning her attention to her friend.
"What about Nobleman Chen?" Jian asked hopefully, "We have seen you talking to him quite often in some occasions. He is a very respectable and good man."
The other men smiled and nodded approvingly.
Katara gaped and shook her head violently. Chen was a polite and nice man, but she could never see him as her husband. Perhaps just as a friend, but anything more than that she just could not.
"I agree that Chen is probably at the top of the list, but…I'm not entirely sure. I do not want to be too hasty and make a mistake that could cost this country dearly. This nation has gone through very rough times and has barely begun to heal when Fire Lord Zuko took it under his care. We do not want the Fire Nation to fall to a tyrant ever again, now do we?"
Iroh nodded approvingly and smiled proudly at his niece-in-law. Using the Court Council members' patriotism for the Fire Nation was a great strategy. He glanced at Toph who stood at his side with a grin.
The men murmured amongst themselves and agreed wholeheartedly. Their country had suffered almost as much as the other nations under the Fire Lords before Zuko came to power and they would do anything to keep the peace and strength of the Fire Nation continuing.
"So if you have not yet chosen a new husband among your suitors, then what is the meaning of this meeting, my lady?" Enlai asked what the other men were thinking as well.
Finally! Toph thought and yawned. Here comes the good part.
Katara glanced around the room and looked at the men coolly.
"As you know, Fire Lord Zuko chose me, a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, to be his wife. I have come to love this great nation as much as I love my arctic homeland, but I will always be proud of my heritage and traditions. Because of this I would like for you to respect my customs as I have learned to respect and love yours. I would like to ask you to allow me to follow upon one of my tribe's traditions." She paused and once again looked at the men before her.
"This nation, or at least the rulers, has cause your tribe much suffering, and regardless of this fact, you have stood by Fire Lord Zuko's side and have done much to help a country foreign to you," Enlai spoke warmly, "Please, tell us what it is you ask and we will gladly try to help."
Katara smiled as the other members agreed with warm and encouraging smiles. She almost felt bad for deceiving them. Almost.
"I thank you," Katara said politely, wondering if they would still agree after she told them what that tradition was.
"I will tell you how this tradition is followed in the Water Tribes. When a woman is left a widow, she is to mourn her dead husband for a period of time out of respect. After this first stage of mourning, she is to weave a blanket that depicts her husband's life in order to honor his life in this world and to keep his legacy going through the generations. Once she finishes, she must hang it outside her home for some time for the community to see. This shows the amount of respect, love, and devotion the woman had for her husband as she displays the work she had done to portray the great life of the now deceased man. If the woman was left a widow at a young age or the widow wishes to find a new husband, she is to mourn the proper amount of time and then complete the blanket."
Katara looked back at Iroh and Toph who gave her encouraging smiles. She returned her determined gaze upon the older men.
"I want to uphold my tribe's tradition, and so, I ask you wise men to delay my decision on finding a new Fire Lord for now so that I may mourn my husband's…death and weave the blanket as is the custom."
"Delay the time of choosing the new Fire Lord?" one advisor exclaimed. The men talked among themselves and shook their heads in disapproval.
"We have been without a Fire Lord for months now!" another stated urgently. "We cannot wait any longer!"
The men murmured in agreement. They suddenly stopped their argument and cried out in panic as the ground began to shake.
"Shut your mouths and let Lady Katara finish talking!" Toph growled and took a menacing step forward.
Iroh held back a chuckle at the pale, frightened faces of the advisors as the small earthbender stood menacingly before them.
"She has accepted your damn rules and traditions of remarrying and you can't even allow her this one thing? She had recently lost her husband and you demanded she chose another! Hasn't she gone through enough?" Toph yelled angrily and clenched her small hands tightly.
"Stupid jerks," she murmured when she felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder.
The men gaped at the earthbender, flabbergasted at her outburst. As the words of the small Earth Kingdom noblewoman sank in, the men looked at each other, feeling ashamed and guilty, but they did not know what to do.
"Please, Fire Lady Katara, we meant no disrespect," Jian said, "but it is that we just—"
Katara held up her hand, quickly silencing the men.
"I understand that you wish for me to appoint a new Fire Lord to rule the nation as soon as possible…and I will."
The waterbender looked around the room with pleading, blue eyes.
"I just ask you to respect my wishes to mourn the death of my dear husband as my culture asks for. I want to weave a grand blanket and show to the world how great a leader Fire Lord Zuko was. I want the world to see all the magnificent things he has done for this nation as well as for the others. I want everybody to know how much honor he had. I want the world to see how much I respected and loved—love him."
Katara took a shaky breath and looked down as she felt tears sting her eyes. Even though she knew Zuko was alive, his absence pained her so much that she found it difficult to continue with her normal life. And even if he were dead, she knew she would never stop mourning for him.
The men gasped when she looked back up. Her caring and cheerful eyes were tearful, sad, and filled with pain and longing.
"Please…please let me do this for him. Let me mourn for his death a bit longer. I loved Zuko with all my heart, I still do, and his death still causes me great sorrow. Please allow me this departing gift to my beloved Zuko," she pleaded softly.
The men felt as if their hearts had broken at the disconsolate and pained young woman before them. They knew that their honored Fire Lord Zuko loved his wife immensely just as much as she loved him. They now realized that she must be still saddened by her husband's death, but they also knew that they needed a leader for the Fire Nation. They looked at each other and came to an understanding.
"Please forgive our insolence, my lady," Enlai said and bowed, "We will allow for you to follow your mourning tradition. I believe it will be a great idea to have such a display of Fire Lord Zuko's honor and greatness…but as soon as you finish the blanket you must chose the new Fire Lord immediately."
Katara sniffled and bit back a triumphant grin.
"Yes, of course. Thank you." She gave them a grateful smile which they eagerly returned. "If you'll excuse me, I would like to rest. I will start on my husband's blanket tomorrow." Bowing gracefully she exited the room with a smiling Iroh and a smirking Toph.
"That was awesome!" Toph laughed as they made their way to Katara's bedchamber. "You just had to turn on the water works and they practically fell at your feet!"
"Yeah, well," Katara laughed shyly before she fell silent, "It's not like I was faking everything. I miss Zuko…a lot." She sniffled sadly and closed her eyes as she felt another painful stab in her chest.
Iroh placed a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"We all miss him, my dear, but I promise you that he will do the impossible to return to your loving arms. We just have to wait patiently—and discreetly—until my nephew arrives."
Katara gave him a grateful hug and smiled.
"You're right, Uncle Iroh. Zuko will return one of these days, and until then, I will continue with this awful game."
Zuko continued walking in a daze as the noon sun harshly beat down upon his back. He was so exhausted and hungry. His food supply was diminishing and he was afraid he would starve to death before he found the village. After a while, Zuko decided to rest under the shade of a large tree before he continued on. He had noticed the stream was actually a small river as he traveled upstream.
The young firebender closed his eyes as a gentle breeze blew by him and caressed his flushed features. He inhaled the fresh air deeply and his eyes flew open as a sweet aroma caught his attention. Zuko sat up straight and took another whiff and exhaled loudly. It smelled like fruit, the aroma was so sweet and delicate that without even thinking about it, Zuko followed the scent as if in a trance.
Zuko desperately smashed through bushes and branches as the sweet fragrance continued to lure him in, calling to him to taste it and savor the fruit. The firebender broke through the foliage and found himself in a small, dark clearing surrounded by thick trees and green vines. Zuko's dazed eyes widened and a smile spread on his face as he caught sight of a vine heavy with bright yellow fruits that resembled mangoes as well as peaches. He had never seen such fruits before and he couldn't wait to sink his teeth into the juicy and meaty fruits.
Walking straight toward the vine, Zuko licked his lips as he reached for one of the appetizing smelling fruits. Just as he was about to pull it free a vine shot forth and tightened around his wrist. Zuko snapped out of his trance as his mind sensed danger. The fruit vine retracted and the thick, slimy vine began to pull him forward. Zuko clawed at his wrist, but the vine only tightened its hold, causing him to wince. More vines sprang forth and began to encircled his legs and up to his waist, bringing him down hard onto his back.
"What the hell!" Zuko cursed in bewilderment as he struggled to free himself when he felt the vines pull him forward even faster.
Suddenly, a huge orange plant with black shiny spots and purple bristles appeared from the bushes. Zuko's eyes widen in disbelief as the plant open its mouth to reveal sharp green spikes that resembled fangs. Green ooze fell from the mouth and splattered to the floor, where a sizzling sound was heard, the smell of poison permeated the air. Zuko gulped and began to trash around wildly as the huge orange plant began to loom over him.
Zuko reached his hand towards his waist as he tried to grab the small knife he had taken from Daiyu's house. Zuko fumbled with his waist belt, but he couldn't free the dagger that was trapped under the vines around his middle. Zuko closed his eyes as the plant opened its mouth wide in order to devour its prey.
No! No! I will not die because of some plant! I will not break my promise to Katara because I lost to a stupid plant in the middle of the Earth Kingdom!
Zuko growled and ripped the vine that was holding onto his wrist with his teeth. The plant made a sound that sounded like a whine before it shook and began to pull him in even faster. His feet were almost in the plant's awaiting mouth.
After a few painful tries, Zuko ripped the vines around his waist and pulled out his knife. He quickly cut and sliced the vines around his legs and feet. Rolling to his side, Zuko immediately sprang to his feet. The plant seemed to roar in pain and anger at being hurt and losing its meal. A big mass of vines shot forth from the trees, bushes, and even the ground. The thick, glossy vines wiggled in the air for a moment before they headed straight toward its enemy, but Zuko was prepared.
He called forth his fire whips, and spinning around rapidly, he began to slice through the vines, instantly cutting them and burning them to a crisp. The carnivorous plant screeched as it continued to fling vines after vines. Zuko dodged and severed the thin plants before they even touched him. He flipped backwards as one sharp vine tried to slash at his stomach, and with a fire kick, singed it. Pieces of vines and green juices fell to the dark forest floor all around the young firebender.
Zuko resumed his fighting stance as the air became eerily quiet, except for the whining of the orange plant. The young man furrowed his eyebrows. His body tensed as the plant closed his mouth and began to make a gurgling sound. It began to grow into a large bulge until finally it opened its mouth and spat a large amount of its poisonous slime, aiming it at its lost prey.
The young lord dodged to the side, but was not quick enough as the green ooze grazed his left arm. Zuko hissed and winced as the substance began to eat away his flesh. He quickly ripped off his sleeve and threw it to the side before it melted into his skin. He turned back to see the plant growing to spit another amount of poison again.
The angry and tired Fire Lord narrowed his golden eyes, and with a yell, threw a huge fire ball straight toward the plant as its mouth barely began to open. The plant wailed as it caught on fire and began to burn, its brilliant orange skin turning black and brown in an instant. Zuko straightened and watched impassively as the plant was reduced to ashes, a few glowing ambers was left behind and then silence followed after.
Zuko walked to the vine that held the fruits, and with a quick stroke of his knife, the bunch of fruits fell into his hand. He grabbed one, sniffed it, and with a triumphant smirk took a bite.
Katara stood in her bedchamber as she ordered her servants to set up her workplace so she could start on the blanket. Two manservants placed a large wooden table in the middle of the large royal suite and another servant placed a cushioned chair before it. Female servants listened as their lady told them which colors of fabric and thread she wanted before they scurried to the seamstress's room.
After everything needed and required was settled, Katara thanked her servants before she dismissed them all except two of her most trusted ones, Jiao and Ling. Katara sat at the desk and looked around the materials set on the table. Sighing, she picked up a needle and twirled it around her thumb and forefinger. How should she even begin to depict Zuko's life if it had not even ended yet?
The doors to her room burst open as Toph marched into the room with a smirk followed by a smiling Iroh.
"Are you ready to go to lunch, eat some salad, drink some punch, and throw those dogs out?" Toph snickered and flung herself on the soft, red sofa.
Jiao and Ling giggled softly. Both servant girls knew their lady was stalling, even if they didn't know why, and they also helped her ward of her suitors once in a while.
Katara blew air through her lips and nodded. Standing up, she exited her peaceful room followed by her friends.
Dinner did not go as well as Katara had hoped. She announced about her period of mourning and the blanket, and the men only frowned. But when she asked them to leave the palace and return to their homes, they had cried out in disagreement and asked her to reconsider for they were all eager to marry her. It was until Aang stepped in and admonished them for being inconsiderate about Katara's wishes and culture that they stopped. Not wanting to be outdone by the younger man, the men consented reluctantly. Katara turned to Aang and gave him a grateful smile which he eagerly returned.
"We will wait until you finish the blanket," Nobleman Fu spoke above the others.
He was the same man who had spoken to Aang first when the Avatar made an appearance. He was of medium height, with very broad shoulders, and a strong face. He had dark, grayish hair and a small beard. He was also the wealthiest if not the oldest of them all.
"But we will remain here in the palace until you choose one of us," he continued.
"But, noblemen, I do not wish to waste your time while I work on the blanket. You should go home and rest," Katara said pleasantly.
"We do not mind waiting here," Fu answered as he lean back on his chair. The other men murmured in agreement.
Toph sputtered and opened her mouth to lash at the slackers and freeloaders, but Iroh grasped her arm and pulled her back. Toph made an irritated noise in the back of her throat, but she remained silent.
Katara clenched her hands and frowned in disappointment, but she could not let them see she was desperate for them to leave.
"Very well, do as you wish," she said impassively and took a sip from her cup of red wine.
A few days later, Katara was walking around the public garden with Ling. The sun was very warm so she was wearing a light blue robe with short sleeves, her hair pulled up into a bun. But despite the heat she felt cold and lonely inside. La, she missed Zuko! She never would have thought loving someone so much could be so painful.
"Why, Fire Lady Katara, it is such a pleasure to see your lovely face today," Nobleman Fu's saccharine voice broke through her thoughts.
Katara bowed back as the older man gave her an exaggerated bow.
"Nobleman Fu," Katara said and nodded in acknowledgement, "I hope you are having a lovely day."
"Quite lovely, I assured you," Fu replied and smiled.
Katara moved away before the man could grab her hand and kiss it.
"I believe it is time that I returned to my room and continue on my husband's blanket."
"Your deceased husband," Fu corrected.
Katara narrowed her eyes.
"Yes," she said between gritted teeth.
"It has been days, Lady Katara, and yet the blanket is not complete?" Fu asked, a bit suspiciously.
"Making a blanket is not easy, especially if one has not had much practice," Katara replied emotionlessly as she tried to get passed the man. "Now if you will excuse me…"
Fu bowed and stepped aside with an arrogant smirk. He smiled brightly as the Fire Lady's servant girl turned around to see him, making her blush.
"Of course…" Fu chuckled darkly and walked away.
Katara released a long breath as she continued to walk down the stone path that twisted around the public garden. There was something about that man that unnerved her, but she couldn't place her finger on what. Shaking her head at her paranoia, Katara smiled as she noticed Chen approaching her.
"Good afternoon, Nobleman Chen," Katara greeted with a friendly smile.
Ling stopped behind her and incline her head again in the presence of the nobleman.
"It has become better now that I have been graced with your presence," Chen said smoothly as he bowed and smiled brightly.
Katara giggled and shook her head.
"That is very kind of you to say, but I'm afraid that I cannot keep you company much longer for I have to return to my husband's blanket," she told him. She frowned when the young man's smile faded and he sighed sadly. "Is something the matter, Nobleman Chen?"
The young nobleman turned his head away to look somewhere else.
"I believe that because of my curiosity on your culture I have delayed your decision. You never mentioned about sewing a blanket before I asked. Maybe if I had asked a different question, you would have chosen a new husband by now."
Katara sighed and resisted the urge to rub her temples.
"It is true that I had forgotten about that tradition, but I am grateful that you have reminded me about my Water Tribe heritage. This may have slowed down the time for my decision, but I will choose a new Fire Lord eventually. I must returned to my room and continue. Good evening, Nobleman Chen." She bowed again and entered the palace with Ling trailing after her.
Chen bowed and sighed dejectedly as the woman he was beginning to fall for walked away.
Zuko winced as he washed the burning wound the plant had inflicted on his arm with water from the small river. The painful feeling almost reminded him of that fateful day when he had received his other burn on his face…the day when his life changed.
Cursing himself for not packing any medical supplies from Daiyu's house, Zuko ripped a piece from his blanket and tied it around the inflicted spot carefully, hopefully the poison had not gone into his blood system for he had no clue how to cure poisoning.
Looking over at the river, Zuko let out another heavy sigh. If Katara were there at the moment, she would have been caring for him with her gentle caresses and words. The wound would have been healed in an instant. Then he would have made hot, hard, passionate love to her by the river all day long as his way of showing his appreciation and gratitude.
Groaning as his groin gave a twitch, Zuko splashed some water onto his head. Agni, how he missed Katara! He wanted to see her now! He wanted to be surrounded by her warmth—in every sense of the word!
With one last tug on the piece of cloth, the firebender slung his pack over his right shoulder and continued on his search for a way home.
How long has it been since the storm had sunk his flagship and his men perished below the sea? How long has it been since he had wondered through some unknown forest in the middle of the Earth Kingdom? How long has it been since he had been away from Katara, his wife?
Looking up into the afternoon sun, Zuko wandered why the gods and the spirits were doing this to him. He had help end the war his ancestors had waged for a century. He had helped restore his country and the other nations into their previous glorious state once he became the new Fire Lord. He had been a good ruler, friend, and husband, so then why was this happening to him? Why were the gods not helping him return home?
The next few days, Zuko walked slower than he would have wanted. The wound seem to have become infected even though he had tried to wash it every day. His left arm throbbed painfully as the inflicted spot turned into a yellow and purple color. His vision was beginning to blur and his body moved heavily as if he were weighted down by huge boulders.
Zuko walked aimlessly through the thick, dark forest, dragging his body forward. His stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he had not eaten since a day ago. Zuko clutched his stomach and demanded it to remain silent. He had finished his bread a few days ago and he had to throw away the cheese since it had spoiled from the insufferable heat of the forest. Now he only had a few pieces of dried meat, water from the canteen, and two of the fruits he had gain from the damn plant that had wounded him.
He wondered vaguely why he had not come across any fruit trees, berry bushes, or any animal he could hunt to eat. All he saw were barren bushes and trees. He knew he was not alone in the world since he could hear the buzzing of insects and the chirping of birds. But as if they knew his desperate thoughts, the birds stayed out of sight.
Staggering under the shade of a large tree, Zuko dropped his pack and slowly lowered himself onto the hard ground. His whole body ached now and he felt as if liquid fire was painfully burning his veins. Dragging the bag to his side with his right hand, he pulled out a piece of meat and chewed it slowly, trying to make the best of his simple meal as possible.
He opened his mouth to take another bite when a low growl sounded a few steps to his right. Zuko stilled and closed his mouth, bringing his right hand closer to his waist where his dagger rested. Slowly turning his head to the side, a twinge of panic coursed through his body before he forced it down. He willed his exterior to remain unaffected and calm.
A tiger-armadillo was crouched a few feet away, its mouth pulled into a menacing snarl, its fangs dripping with saliva that glistened under the afternoon sun. It eyed the piece of meat on the human male's hand and licked its chops before emitting another growl. Zuko slowly rolled onto his hands and knees and stood into a crouch, his whole body on high alert. The animal growled again in warning and took a step forward.
Zuko narrowed his eyes as he stood his ground, waiting to see what the tiger-armadillo did next. He was not sure if he would come out of this unscathed since he was feeling ill and at the moment his blurry eyes barely stayed focused. If he were in better shape, he was positive he could have driven the animal away, but despite his current state of health he was not going to back down so easily.
Without warning the tiger-armadillo leapt into the air and extended its claws. Zuko dodged to the side as the tiger-armadillo's claws slashed into the tree he had been sitting under a couple of seconds before. The animal snarled in anger and spun around to charge again. It slashed once more, but again it was met with empty air. Zuko landed a couple of feet away and began to pant. He had barely moved and he was already tired. His head was throbbing excruciatingly.
He tried to leap out of the way as the tiger-armadillo threw itself at him again with a roar, but Zuko was not as fast as he usually was. He grunted as he flew backwards into a tree at the impact of the animal's attack. He clutched the slash on his right shoulder and winced. He could feel his warm blood seeping from his shirt to his fingers. Flicking his hand to the side, he rid himself of the red liquid and rose to his feet with a snarled of his own that made his scarred side look even more intimidating.
The tiger-armadillo prepared itself to lung again, but before he could spring, Zuko blasted a fire ball on its unprotected chest. The tiger-armadillo howled in pain and trashed its head to the side. Zuko threw another fire ball, but the animal evaded it and slammed into his right side, sending him sprawling onto the hard floor. Zuko yelped as the wound on his right shoulder pulsated from the impact, bringing forth even more blood.
He rolled to the side as the tiger-armadillo brought down its sharp claws, barely missing his head. Standing up on his feet, Zuko brought his hands together and created a bigger fire ball, quickly sending it to his attacker. But before the fire blast could do any damage, the tiger-armadillo rolled into a ball, its protective shell saving it from being burned to a crisp.
Zuko growled and cursed, conjuring a larger fire ball, he hurled it at the rolled up tiger-armadillo, but he might as well have thrown a fluffy pillow for all the damage it did. He waited patiently for the tiger-armadillo to unfurl so he could hit its soft underside, but it seemed like hours passed before it shifted even tighter.
Zuko shook his head as dizziness began to seep into his head. His whole body ached and the wound on his shoulder continued to leak with his life sustaining blood. He swayed a bit as his legs threatened to give under him, his vision becoming even hazier. He struggled to remain standing and conscious for he knew if he failed the tiger-armadillo would not hesitate to kill him and probably devour his body.
Before Zuko could react, the tiger-armadillo unfurled from its defensive walls and charged forward, crashing into the human's body. Zuko barely had time to bring up his left arm over his vulnerable neck. He cried out as the tiger-armadillo's sharp teeth clamped onto his arm. He coughed violently as the wind was knocked from his lungs as the huge animal's heavy weight fell on top of him. The animal snarled as their eyes clashed, each one determined to survive.
Zuko cringed as more blood spilled forth from his arm between the tiger-armadillo's jaws. He tried to punch the animal's head, but his right arm was pinned between his body and that of the tiger-armadillo's. Panic began to seep into his body as he felt himself beginning to lose consciousness, already his vision was fading.
No! The great Fire Lord Zuko will not end like this! Zuko mentally growled.
He fumbled to get his dagger from his waist belt. Once he felt the small hilt, he grasped it tightly and fought to free his arm from the animal's bulky form.
"I won't break my promise to Katara!" he growled furiously.
The tiger-armadillo snarled as it heard the human speak and clamped its fangs even deeper. But Zuko barely paid attention as he finally freed his arm with the knife clutched into his hand.
"I will see her again!"
With an enraged roar, Zuko poised the dagger above his head and brought it down hard into the beast's shoulder. The tiger-armadillo whined loudly and snarled, but did not relinquish its tight hold. Zuko removed the knife and plunged it once more into the animal, now blood from the tiger-armadillo mixing with his own onto his clothes. The tiger-armadillo growled and whimpered, trashing its head to the side, but it refused to let go.
Zuko hissed as the pain in his arm increased and he began to hack at the animal's body blindly in any place he felt soft fur and flesh. His breathing was becoming ragged and again he fought for control on his consciousness. With one final slash, Zuko embedded the dagger into the tiger-armadillo's neck, cutting into its great vein, the source of its life, and blood spurted everywhere.
The tiger-armadillo opened its mouth to let out a howl, but the only sound that came out of its mouth was a strangled whine and a gurgling sound. Zuko watched as the light in the animal's eyes faded before its body slumped lifelessly forward. He wheezed as the tiger-armadillo's dead weight crushed him even more onto the hard ground.
Pulling the knife away, the firebender struggled to push the carcass off. With one final shove, the limp form of the tiger-armadillo rolled over to its side, its head falling on the floor with a thump. Zuko watched as blood began to pool underneath its head, seeping onto the grass.
Panting and wincing, Zuko pulled himself onto shaky legs, cradling his mauled arm as carefully as his other injured arm allowed. Staggering a few feet back, Zuko shook his head as black spots began to dance before his eyes. He felt his body lurch forward, and before he could stop himself, he crashed onto the forest floor before everything faded to black.
A/N: Poor Zuko, why must he suffer so?
I will explain in later chapters what happened on that fateful day where Zuko intervened with Aang's plan of taking Katara away, thus causing their friendship to end.
~alwaysZutarian