Chapter 7
How Proud Are You?
Zuko did not particularly care what the Dah Li were up to. He was more in turmoil about the position he was in. There was the avatar on the other side of the fire and yet because of debt to his uncle, capturing him at that moment seemed very misplaced to him. He sat farthest from the fire trying to figure out some sort of way to take the avatar. He decided that being apart of this group would reveal an opportunity all in it self. But waiting was not one of Zuko's strong characteristics. Waiting, he sat there and let the word plague his mind.
Sokka noticed the fire prince deep in thought. He didn't trust him thinking apart from the group. He walked over to Zuko and put his foot to the back of his head.
"So what ya thinking about tall, dark, and gloomy?" Sokka arrogantly asked.
Zuko's face formed with rage as turned to the young warrior. He waved a hand aflame in his direction which made Sokka step backward in a skittish manner. This peasant was a thorn in his back side and found the patience he was trying to collect fading thinking about spending more moments around the idiot. The pain then struck him. He folded over in his lap holding his shoulder. The group looked at him as he winced in pain.
"Zuko?" Iroh asked. "Are you alright." He turned over to Zuko and tried to look the place that was the source of his aching.
Katara got up ready with water from her canister. She walked over behind Zuko. "Sokka how could you?"
"What do you mean how could I? He threw fire at me?!" Sokka whined.
"Oh no!" Toph mocked "The fire bender bended fire, what a surprise."
Sokka looked at her annoyed. "Do you mind?"
"Should I?" She smiled.
Zuko remembered what the pain was from. Through the adrenaline and worry for his uncle and escaping he had forgotten about the club that had hit his shoulder. When he waved his arm in that direction it must have irritated it.
Katara was about to place water on his bruise. She started grabbing the back of his collar. He spun around in surprise. He was not used to being touched anyone no less by a stranger.
"Would you hold still so I can help you?" Katara pleaded with him.
He stood up. "Don't you touch me." He said in a low angry voice.
"Stop being difficult." Katara pleaded. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"Katara, if he doesn't want help let him sit there in misery." Sokka interjected. "He can think about how I got him earlier."
Zuko had enough this guy. But with the pain in his shoulder fighting him was not an option. With nothing to say he huffed off down to the stream.
"Sokka stop trying to make him fight you." Katara turned to her brother angrily.
Toph started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Sokka looked at Toph.
"You fighting a bender. More or less picking a fight with one. You are special aren't you?" She laughed. Sokka turned red. "You probably just want to fight him because he's hurt to make the fight seem even for ya?
"I could take him if I wanted to." Sokka defended.
Toph smirked, "Like today, one lucky shot and it goes to your head. Gee how sportsman of you"
"You guys just lay off each other. Katara go help Zuko." Aang said with a sigh. "We can't fight each other too. No more fights. Toph you lay off Sokka and Sokka lay off Zuko."
"Let's just sleep" Sokka went through the big satchel huffily that Katara had carried and found his sleeping bag.
Iroh smiled as he drank his tea. The avatar was definitely the world's peacemaker. He then turned his thoughts to the water bender who went to help his nephew.
Rockabye baby in the treetop.
Don't you know a treetop
Is no safe place to rock?
And who put you there,
And your cradle too?
Baby, I think someone down here's
Got it in for you.
--Shel Silverstein
