As the sun set they had to make camp, it was simply to dangerous to continue over the pass in the dark and the entire group settled on a small island close to the surface of the ocean.
By Zukos calculations, they were over half way there at least. They should be able to make the rest of the journey the next day.
Most of the group now sat around the fire. Sokka and Suki was somewhere else out of sight. Zuko couldn't believe it had taken him this long to figure it out, the way Sokka was acting around the girl.
Clearly they had a thing going. Still didn't explain why Suki was so nice to him though.
What would uncle say? Zuko could just hear him in his head. Sometimes people are just nice to be nice.
Zuko frowned… He had to admit. Ever since he had joined this team. Everybody had been nice.
Team Avatar… Tanyi… Ming and Ying… these guys.
Zuko knew he had changed. He wanted to change. He just hadn't expected the entire world to change around him just because he changed.
"Erhm. Your highness." Zhau-Li nervously approached Zuko.
"It's just Zuko." Zuko assured in a small smile.
"Right." Zhau-Li sat down with crossed legs. "That move you did earlier today… How?" he asked.
Zuko smirked. "I had a great teacher." he said.
"The Avatar?" Zhau-Li asked.
Zuko shook his head. "No. Her." he gestured at Katara next to him who smiled warmly.
Zhau-Li blinked.
"This is Katara. She's the Avatars water bending teacher." Zuko introduced them.
Katara nodded respectfully for Zhau-Li. "It's nice to meet you."
"But.." Zhau-Li stammered. "She's a water bender! Right?"
Zuko smirked. "When she water bends, she moves in flowing motions. She has to make the water move in a natural flow and create a path for it." he said as he stood up and took a few steps away then created a ball of fire in his hands. "In the same way. It is all about creating a flow with your breathing and your movements." he breathed deeply and controlled as he moved around allowing the ball to move from one finger tip, then travel down the arm over his back and the other arm to the other finger tip. Then distinguished it.
Zhau-Li gaped, his eyes wide.
"On the same time. It is also about the breathing like all fire bending." Zuko taught. "When that fireball came from the ship. I had to inhale as it came towards me, drawing the fire to me. Then I created the flow, a new path." he swirled around to show with his hands. "And exhale when sending the fire back, pushing the fire away. Like in a regular fire attack." he exhaled pushing his hands outwards as an example.
Ones again Zhau-Li just seemed to stunned forwards.
"Of course. Every time I have used these techniques, I had seen the attacks coming far in advance. I had time to take a stands." Zuko commented. "The moves probably wont be that useful in more stressful situations such as one on one combat."
"Still I… I never seen anyone doing fire bending like that before." Zhau-Li had to admit.
Zuko smiled, ones again looking pretty satisfied as he slipped a strain of hair behind his ear then sat down again, noting how everyone was looking at him. "You can get the hang of it. It's not that hard." he assured.
"For you." Zhau-Li exclaimed. "That has to take extreme control and precision. And you can't be afraid of a big flaming ball of fire coming right at you! I was behind you and I was panicking."
"True." Zuko admitted. "If you panic you're going to be burned." he sighed deeply. "Honestly my advice? Just concentrate on the breathing. When I concentrate on the breath I wont panic."
"You… Panicked before?" Zhau-Li asked quietly. "When… You know. Facing fire benders?"
Zuko lifted a hand touching the edge of his scar. "Of course I have." he said. "Fire… can be terrifying."
Zhau-Li touched his own scar as well on the chin. "You're something else. Prince Zuko."
"I told you. It's just Zuko." Zuko said in a weak smile.
"I know.." Zhau-Li said. "But I'm going to call you Prince Zuko. You're going to take back the fire nation right?" he asked.
Zuko halted, then nodded.
"I want to be there too." Zhau-Li said. "I wanted to fight for the fire nation. I realized what I was doing… Wasn't fighting for the fire nation at all. But what you're doing. You are fighting for it."
Zuko nodded then he swallowed. "Then. For now. Keep these people safe." he asked. "That's your job now. Protect the fire nation refuges in Ba Sing Se. And when the time is right, I'll send the word. Okay?"
Zhau-Li smirked. "I'll hold you to that." he stated and Zuko smirked back as Zhau-Li padded him on the shoulder in encouragement.
