Previously on Escaping the Fire

Previously on Escaping the Fire

Zuko felt sharp pain in his back, and stomach; he fell to the ground struggling to get on to his knees, he vomited blood and spat it on to the ground, the pain engulfed him as another sharp feeling shot into his shoulder.

He couldn't move, his vision was blurry, he could see blood everywhere, his arm…blood trickling down from his head. Did he hit his head?

Darkness devoured him and left him suffering into a deadly sleep…

Was he dead?

"Hey! Hey! I think he's waking up!"

Okay then maybe not.

"Shut up Aang, we don't want him to wake up just yet!"

"We really need Katara right now. This is bad."

The voices were faint, but his body was suffering unbearable pain.

"Guys shut up! We need to find a healer!"

"Can't you heal Aang?"

"I CAN'T! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO HEAL!"

"Maybe you should've taken the courses when you had the chance when we were up at the North Pole!"

"Well it's not my fault that we were raided!"

"Of course it isn't!"

Why are they yelling about?

"Then why are you blaming me!?"

"SHUT UP!"

There was a moment of silence.

There was a whisper that he almost barely heard; he only caught part of it.

"We…burn….poison…severe…"

He should've ignored them.

His mind drifted back into darkness…


Chapter 11

Katara walked among the small town and walked along open inns and kept her eyes open for any bounty boards. She stopped suddenly at a store with an oddly familiar sign on it.

She frowned and tried to remember the where seen it before.

The waterbender sighed hopelessly; she couldn't remember, turning away she was just about to move along a hand rested on her shoulder spinning her around; she gasped.

"Katara?"

"Iroh?" she turned to face him and gasped once more, "What happened to you?"

"There was a battle not too far from here. It seems that some people are already forming rebels." He answered slowly, "I happened to get dragged in while I was escaping the Fire Nation capital."

"Wait. You…what?" Katara was confused, as the elderly uncle pushed her lightly towards the shop that he recently came out of, "Come with my Katara, we will get you something to eat and I'll explain what happened." He walked towards the entrance, and opened up for her as she walked in, as he asked, "Where are your friends?"

Her face shadowed into the darkness of the shop as Iroh tapped on the floor and spoke a password that she couldn't hear and was quickly greeted by another elderly man with a smile on his face,; he glanced at Katara, "Who's this general?"

"This is a friend of mine and the Avatar's. She will stay with us for now." He smiled at her and continued, "You will be kept safe here for now. You can get all the rest you need."

Katara nodded slowly as she climbed down the stone stairwell with Iroh behind her closing the trap door and lightning a torch for his friend to carry.

They came into a bright room where there were many other people, men, women, even a few children.

"What is this place?" Katara asked quietly as Iroh chuckled, "This is the White Lotus Society. We are forming a rebellion against the Fire Lord, but there are others who aren't part of it, who decide to do it themselves."

"You mean the fight you happened to get pulled into?"

"Yes." The retired general replied, "That's an example." He sat down on a cushion and patted a seat beside him, "Sit here Katara; please have some tea and explain us what you are doing here at this time of the night?"

She nodded as she sat down and removed the veil that was already annoying her, "Well, after the invasion that failed, we had to retreat the western air temple…" she stopped and looked at him sharply, "…and we met up with someone unexpected."

Iroh frowned, "Who was it?"

Katara took a deep breath, "Your nephew. Prince Zuko."

Iroh blinked and took a sip of his tea and blinked once more before asking, "Pardon…Did you say…my nephew…Zuko joined you suddenly?"

"Yes…" Katara was uncertain now.

Suddenly Iroh jumped to his feet and started laughing cheerfully, "MY NEPHEW FINALLY REDEEMED HIMSELF!"

Katara stared at the retired general with wide eyes. Since when did elderly men have that much energy?

Iroh calmed down and apologized to the others who just stared at him as he sipped his tea and replied calmly to Katara, "I am overjoyed." He smiled, his eyes began to water, "I'm glad that Zuko figured it out on his own. It makes me proud." He wiped his eyes and took his teacup and took another sip.

"But Iroh…" Katara began slowly, "Something happened to Zuko though."

Iroh nearly spat out his tea, "What did you say?"

She repeated herself, "Something happened to Zuko; I don't understand what. He was perfectly healthy when suddenly he couldn't breathe or something like that, he had this terrible fever, it was almost as if he was on fire."

Iroh's face paled, "Oh dear." He slowly placed his tea down and rested his hands on his knees, "It seems the time has come again."

The waterbender blinked, "What time has come again? An event?"

Iroh nodded, "Almost, but not exactly." He looked at her, "Before I explain, I would like to know what happened to the others? Are they around?"

Katara once again looked down at her hands that were clasped together on her lap, "I don't know where they are."

Iroh frowned, "Were you separated?"

Katara nodded, her eyes remained downcast; "I was kidnapped. I don't know who it was. It happened on the night Zuko got sick, I went to get some water so that I could try and heal him, but before I could, I was kidnapped and was brought near this town."

Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Then Zuko is out of the picture."

"Of course. I know Zuko wouldn't leave me to starve." She replied.

Growl…

Katara blushed from embarrassment as Iroh glanced at her before waving, "Could someone bring her a meal please? The girl needs something to eat."

Katara smiled, "Thank you for your help Iroh."

"It's no problem really." He paused, "I think I know where your friends are though."

Katara blinked, "How would you know?"

He smirked, "I have my resources."


Aang and Toph returned to the others with an injured bloody prince in their hands.

Sokka was first to notice and screamed for a medical kit.

Haru and Teo had to go and fetch water as fast as they could.

Aang created a base for them, shelter; little homes. Quite humble, Appa was pleased.

Toph said she had her own little mission and wandered into the woods.

Sokka was ordering people around, then when off to do his Boomerang Mission, whatever that was...

Teo and Haru scrambled up the hill with two buckets in their hands, Aang looked around and groaned, "Where are they?! I don't know how to deal with this sort of problem!"

Haru frowned, "Why can't we leave-," he quickly cut it off, as the Avatar shot him a dangerous look and snatched the bucket of water from him and carried over to the bloody prince.

Teo peeked a quick look at the annoyed earthbender, he inhaled deeply then exhaled and wheeled in front of Haru and shot him a look.

The earthbender stared at the young teenager and frowned, "Don't give me that look!" he growled and turned his head at the ocean as Teo snapped, "You can't hate the Fire Nation forever!"

Haru snapped his head back at Teo and snarled, "I have every right to hate the Fire Nation!" he spun his heal and started to walk away when Toph suddenly appeared in front of Haru with her arms crossed, "You do know that it's the Fire Lord's fault for this mess."

Haru balled his fists and shouted, "IT IS THE FIRE NATION! THE PEOPLE COULD CHOOSE TO REBEL! THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW EVERY SINGLE ORDER-,"

"Life isn't that simple." The Blind Bandit interrupted, "There are people suffering poverty in the Fire Nation. Katara had to scare the shit out of some soldiers to leave a village alone. There are people sick and dying; and the Fire Lord isn't doing anything about it. He's sending out sick people into battle." She huffed and crossed her arms on her chest, "Not only that; but most leaders who crave for power controls his people by fear." She eyed the earthbender, "So it isn't that simple."

Haru snapped his head over to Teo and then returned his gaze back to Toph, "Who cares, it isn't my problem. I don't care about them, especially that prince; who claims that he wants to make a difference." He stomped past Toph and paused for a brief second, "Not like you could see how much the Fire Nation destroyed the world."

SLAP

Teo gasped, Aang who came over to stop the argument gawked; and Sokka who just returned from his mission with supplies in hand, "What is going on?!" he stared at the two earthbenders, Haru had a shocked expression on his face; trying to collect his thoughts after what just happened.

Toph swung her hand back and poked Haru dangerously in the chest, "Don't you ever, ever say that again." Her voice was high and sharp; it was like venom dripping from her tongue, "And newsflash." She stomped her foot and lifted three small stones from the ground and spun them around over her palm with her eyes furrowed dangerously, "I am the Greatest Earthbender in the World." She shot the three stones at Haru's chest and whipped her hand like a slash and threw him into a large boulder.

"AGH!" Haru yelped as he was thrown into the boulder, he growled and took his stance and snapped, "Don't forget that I'm an earthbender too."

"I believe that you haven't heard me correctly Pretty Boy." She turned around and walked away.

"You are running from a challenge!" shouted Haru as he lifted a boulder and tossed at Toph who just smashed it into little pieces just by waving her hand; she stopped and looked over her shoulder, "You'll just end up getting hurt, we don't need two people down."

Aang and Sokka exchanged looks before Aang approached Haru and spoke seriously, "I think we need to talk."

Teo wheeled after Toph as Sokka went back to take care of Zuko.

Sokka sighed as he kneeled down and threw the supplies aside and murmured to the moon, "God damn it, where are you Katara?"


The wind whistled through the forest, the leaves shook from the breeze and blew off from the branches and landed into the flowing river.

Footprints were engraved in the wet mud, large footprints.

"Well, this is certainly much better transportation Princess Azula." The noble girl said as she fiddled with her knife that she spun around.

The princess of the Fire Nation looked over her shoulder with a surprised look, but a sly smirk was still in place, "Mai, since when did you learn how to get over boys so easily?"

Mai shrugged, "I don't care." She looked at the princess with a bored face; "I guess when I know it'll be fun trying to kill them?" a small smirk appeared on the girl's face.

"Really? I am glad you are interested. It's better to have two, oh sorry; make that three people who are craving to spill blood." The prodigy smiled sweetly, "Doesn't that make the mission much more interesting?"

Mai shrugged and leaned back, "By the way, I thought these things don't exist anymore."

There was a low growl from the front, "I am not a thing you mere mortal."

Azula snickered and patted her new companion, "Oh Yuuko, don't worry, she isn't a mere mortal like my brother." Azula tossed one of her bangs out of her face, "I am starting to think I need a new hairstyle…" she looked over at Mai, "Don't you think?"

The noble lady groaned, "Don't look at me! Go and ask Tylee. She's better at that sort of stuff."

Azula turned back to the front and tapped her chin as she thought out loud, "Now that you mention her, she hasn't been with us for quite a while now."

"Who's Tylee?" the low voice asked, almost in a bored tone.

"She's another friend of mine. Like Mai; she isn't a bender, but she doesn't use weapons either." The princess replied in a simple manner.

Yuuko snickered, "You are friends with someone who can't even handle a weapon?"

Azula kicked him, "You shouldn't underestimate her, she may look and act innocent; but she can wipe out a whole army of earthbenders." She sneered, "It just proves how weak they are."

The three of them snickered as they continued through the dark woods.


"I still think we should head back North." Katara protested as she trailed her fingertip along a path on the map that was laid out between Iroh and herself, "That way, we are near town and, we can have better look out for them."

"But, that will just bring us too close to the Recruiting Camp." Iroh answered simply as Katara sighed and rested her elbows on her knees, "Jeez, I can't believe how difficult this is getting." Glancing at the retired general then back at the map, she frowned as she spotted a tiny dot.

"What's that?" she pointed to the dot and studied it, "It's almost too tiny to notice."

Iroh looked up to the map closely, "I am surprised you noticed." He chuckled, "That's the Boiling Rock. A prison in the middle of the ocean."

Katara sat back and studied Iroh's expression on his face, her face scrunched back into a frown, "What kind of prison is it?"

Iroh sat back as well and stroked his beard, "It's hard to describe, I've never been there…but I heard from those who have worked there said that the prison was literally a maze." He paused as Katara quickly asked, "Why is it called the boiling rock?"

Iroh sighed heavily and replied slowly, "It's-,"

"Iroh!"

A young man hurried into the room and panted as he rested his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath, "We, got a situation outside."

Iroh stood up; he eyed the young man before turning his head to Katara and ordered, "Yin, get the lady some new clothes; as well as a water flask. She wouldn't be able to get around easily without being noticed with what she is wearing."

Katara flushed, "Is it that bad?"

Iroh winked, "Nah, it's just the beauty that will attract the beasts!"

Katara blushed lightly and stood up as the boy returned with new clothes, and a filled water flask in hand, he bowed, "These should fit you. You can change in the room on the left corner of the hall down right." He pointed with his hand as he turned back to the retired general, "What should I do in the meantime?"

Iroh gently placed a hang on the boy's shoulder and replied sharply, "Run as fast as you can away from the village."

Katara shivered at the elderly man's voice, she never seen Iroh act so…serious!

The Dragon of the West glanced at Katara and ordered, "Hurry, we don't have much time; I don't insist to fight."

The waterbender nodded and scurried off to get change, as Iroh and the boy hurried up stairs to see the commotion.

"I sense a huge event approaching." Katara murmured to herself, she closed the door behind her, and swiftly got changed; wasting no time at all.


End of Chapter 11

A/N: Hi everyone, I AM SO SORRY FOR THE SLOW UPDATE, and how short this chapter was! Yeah, this chapter had a crappy ending to it. I am fed up with it to. Anyways, I am desperate to update this fanfiction. I have never been so happy for so many reviews you all have posted. Again, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

OMG! I can't wait till the Boiling Rock Airs. I am getting impatient! Evil laughter

Alrighty, I better leave now. I need to start Chapter 12!

Please Review.