It was a decrepit village, made of ramshackle wooden buildings that looked as if they might collapse with the next strong wind. Under the baking heat, the streets were mostly empty. Zuko and Katara dismounted from Dusty before they walked down the dirt road into town.

There was no marketplace here like there had been in Kuchon, but there was a single store selling food. Zuko's mouth began to water at the thought of a hot meal. Katara also seemed excited.

They passed a small band of Earth Kingdom soldiers playing dice in the dirt. Zuko eyed them warily, a lifetime of being trained that they were the enemy raising his hackles. One of the soldiers, the cleanest and most well-fed of the bunch, looked up at them and caught Zuko's eye. The man glared at him, and Zuko scowled right back.

"Come on, spider-snake eyes!" one of the soldiers said before he rolled the dice. He clearly got the roll he wanted as he exclaimed, "Haha, yeah!"

Zuko heard the impact of fists on flesh, and the man's pained grunt. He grimaced, but he didn't look back. It wasn't his problem. His only concern was getting food and water for him, Katara, and Dusty.

They finally reached the store. The merchant sat behind his counter dozing, but he woke up when he heard them approach. Zuko leaned into the shade of the canopy as Katara offered the merchant a tired smile.

"Can I get some water, a bag of feed, and something hot to eat?" Katara asked as she produced a handful of coins.

The merchant appraised them. "Not enough here for a hot meal. But I can get you two bags of feed."

Zuko's stomach sank as it rumbled painfully. He could see the dejection on Katara's face even as she accepted the merchant's bags of feed and water canteens. Zuko looked around, hoping that maybe they could find some work to do to earn something to eat. His eyes landed on the group of soldiers, four in all, and found that the men were watching them closely.

"Thank you," Katara told the merchant as she handed over the last of their money.

Suddenly, Zuko saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He spotted two children crouched along the side of the stall. One of them darted out and threw something towards the soldiers. There was a squelch, and one of the soldiers yelped in surprise.

Then the two boys took off as the soldiers looked directly at Zuko and Katara. Zuko tensed, preparing for a confrontation.

The lead soldier approached them. His dark eyes were trained on Zuko. "Hey! You throwin' eggs at us, stranger?"

Zuko looked at the man. He knew it wasn't a good idea to cause issues with these men. He was too weak from hunger and thirst, and if he got himself and Katara kicked out of this town, surely they would perish in the desert.

"No," he said flatly.

The soldier's eyes flickered between him and Katara, and Zuko was reminded of the thieves. "You see who did throw it?"

Zuko thought of the kids. "No."

One of the other soldiers snorted. "Is that your favorite word? No?"

"The egg had to come from somewhere," the leader remarked.

Katara looked back at them, her lip curling down in distaste. "We didn't throw an egg at you. As if we'd waste it throwing it at one of you anyway."

"Maybe a chicken flew over," Zuko remarked, unable to refrain himself.

One of the soldiers laughed until the leader glowered at him. Just then, the merchant came back out from his store with the feed bags and water canteens. The lead soldier stepped forward, pushing Katara none-too-gently out of the way, and took their items

"Thanks for your contribution. The army appreciates your support," the leader said smugly as he hefted the bags over one shoulder. "You better leave town. Penalty for stayin's a lot steeper than you can afford, half-breed. Trust me."

Zuko narrowed his eyes into a glare, but he felt Katara's hand on his arm, tempering his anger. They stood outside the merchant's stall and watched the soldiers turn down a side street.

"Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation," the merchant said, disgust clear in his tone. "But they're just a bunch of thugs."

"They just steal from people like that?" Katara asked, indignant.

The merchant nodded, clearly downtrodden. "Yeah. You two ain't the first, and you won't be the last." He looked up at Zuko. "I'd listen to Gow, son. It's clear you've got Fire Nation in your blood. Him and his bully soldiers won't take kindly to that."

"We'll be moving on then," Zuko said gruffly as he grabbed their water canteens and started for Dusty.

If only those soldiers knew who he truly was. Zuko was sure that they would be shaking in their boots.

He started to secure the canteens to the saddle when one of the kids from earlier, the one who'd thrown the egg and instigated the whole situation, popped up from the other side of the ostrich horse.

"Thanks for not ratting me out," the kid said with a grin that revealed a gap in his top teeth.

Zuko ignored the boy, but Katara came up behind him and looked at the kid with a sympathetic smile.

"It's not a big deal," she said.

Zuko was tempted to point out that they'd gotten their supplies jacked, and that it was a big deal, but the kid's smiled brightened as he grabbed Dusty's reins.

"I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich horse for you," the kid said to them. He tugged on the reins, and Dusty followed home. "Come on. I owe you!"

Zuko looked at Katara, but she just shrugged.

"At least Dusty will get to eat," she said quietly.

Zuko couldn't argue with that.

The boy, who informed them that his name was Lee (Zuko couldn't help but grimace when the boy found out that his "name" was also Lee, which only excited the kid more), led them to his house. He lived down a dusty road outside of town, out in the country. They heard the sound of animals before they even saw the house. Zuko saw that Lee's family raised varieties of chickens: cow-chickens, sheep-chickens, pig-chickens, and more.

Lee grinned up at him. "No one can ever sneak up on us."

Zuko huffed out a snort. "No kidding."

They reached the farm. Lee guided Dusty towards a water trough by a chicken pen and tied her there. A man approached them from a field, shading his eyes to get a better look at them. After a moment, a woman emerged from behind the small farmhouse.

"You two friends of Lee's?" the man called out to them warily.

"I suppose we are," Katara replied with a friendly smile.

Lee came running back over, going to his father. He grabbed his arm excitedly. "They stood up to the soldiers! By the end, they practically had them running away!"

The woman reached them as she wiped her hands on her apron. She eyed Zuko and Katara, her gaze lingering on Zuko the longest. "Do you two have names?"

"I'm Sapphire," Katara spoke up. She put her hand on Zuko's shoulder. "This is my boyfriend, Lee."

"We're just passing through," Zuko added, his voice a bit rough from thirst.

"I'm Gansu, and this is my wife, Sela," the man said. "Anyone who can hold their own against those bully soldiers are welcome here. Those men should be ashamed to wear Earth Kingdom uniforms."

Sela shook her head as she clicked her tongue in disapproval. "The real soldiers are off fighting in the war." Her gaze dropped to her son. "Like Lee's older brother, Sensu." She looked back up at Zuko and Katara and offered them a tight smile. "Supper's going to be ready soon. Would you like to stay?"

Zuko had never been raised to take charity. He was a prince, even if he didn't feel like it right now, half-starved and covered in dust. But he could also see that this family was struggling to get by. Even though he and Katara were desperate, he couldn't take advantage of their kindness.

"We should be moving on," Zuko said at the same time Katara said, "We would love to."

Zuko gave her a sharp look, and Katara shrugged as if to say, we need to eat. He huffed out a breath.

Sela seemed to sense something between them, because she said, "Gansu could use some help with the barn, and I've got some chores inside to do. Why don't you two work for a while, and then we'll eat?"

Katara looked up at him, and Zuko acquiesced with another sigh. He watched as Sela led Katara into the farmhouse. Then he followed Gansu and Lee towards the barn.

Zuko had never been subjected to work like this before. He climbed the ladder onto the roof, surveying the tiles that Gansu was laying down. The man handed him a hammer, and Zuko looked at the object strangely for a moment. He watched Gansu work for a few minutes, trying to pay attention to where he put the nails, before he tried his hand at it himself.

It didn't go well. He either didn't strike the nail hard enough to push it through the tile, or he hit it too hard, causing the nail to bend or imbed improperly in the wood. But Gansu didn't comment on it, and Zuko was oddly grateful for it. He was humiliated enough by his shitty craftsmanship.

Lee hung out on the top rung of the ladder, watching Zuko and Gansu work. "You don't seem like you're from around here."

Zuko was still weak and exhausted from hunger. He really didn't feel like talking, let alone spilling his life story, real or fake. He shook his head as he hummed, "Mm-mm."

"Where are you from then?" Lee asked.

Zuko sighed as he continued to hammer at a nail. "Far away."

"Oh. Where are you going?"

"Lee, give it a rest," Gansu reprimanded his son gently. "Stop asking the man personal questions, got it?"

Lee made a discontented noise and was quiet for a few minutes. Then he piped up again, "Your girlfriend is really pretty."

Zuko swallowed hard, the urge to say she's not my girlfriend on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he managed to say, "Thanks."

"How'd you meet her?" Lee inquired.

I showed up at her village and threatened her grandmother, Zuko thought darkly. Thankfully, he was spared from being forced to come up with an answer when Gansu looked at his son.

"Lee…" he said, a hint of warning in his tone. But it was gentle, and didn't come from a place of anger. It was foreign to Zuko.

Zuko heard the boy sigh again. No one spoke for a time. But then Lee spoke up with another question.

"So how'd you get that scar?"

Zuko was so shocked that he smashed his thumb with the hammer. He swore loudly as he dropped the tool, gripping his smarting thumb in his hand.

Gansu looked at his son reproachfully. "It's not nice to bother people about things they might not want to talk about. A man's past is his business." He glanced at Zuko. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Zuko hissed, even though his thumb was throbbing. At least it wasn't broken.

Zuko picked up his hammer and got back to work. Under the heat, dizzy with hunger and exhaustion, it was easy to let the world fade away as a memory pushed to the surface.

He was sitting on the bank of the turtleduck pond with his mother, feeding the animals bread. There was a mother turtleduck and a half-dozen babies.

"Hey Mom, want to see how Azula feeds turtleducks?" Zuko asked.

He picked up a chunk of bread and threw it at one of the ducklings, imitating what he'd seen Azula do a few days before. The small animal dipped below the surface before it broke through with a squawk.

Ursa gasped. "Zuko! Why would you do that?"

The mother turtleduck inspected her baby before she swam angrily at Zuko and bit his ankle. Zuko yelped and tried to pull back, but the turtleduck was latched on firmly.

"Ow! Ow! Ouch!" Zuko cried out as tears stung his eyes. Ursa pulled the duck away and released her back into the water, and she herded her babies across the pond. Zuko drew his knees to his chest, pouting. "Stupid turtleduck. Why'd she do that?"

"Zuko, that's what moms are like," Ursa said as she put her arm around him. "If you mess with their babies—" She playfully snapped her teeth near his ear, causing him to giggle. "They're gonna bite you back!"

That memory faded as he and Gansu continued to work. A new one took its place.

Zuko and Ursa walked along a covered veranda as Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee played in the grass, practicing cartwheels. Suddenly, Azula ran towards them.

"Mom! Can you make Zuko play with us? We need equal teams to play a game!"

Zuko bristled. The last thing he wanted to do was play with Azula and her silly friends. Every time he was forced to play with her, Azula always managed to hurt him, or make a fool out of him.

"I am not cart-wheeling," he said.

Azula rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You won't have to. Cart-wheeling's not a game, dum-dum."

"I don't care. I don't want to play with you!" Zuko snapped.

Azula gave him big, doe eyes. "We are brother and sister. It's important for us to spend time together. Don't you think so, Mom?" She looked up at Ursa innocently.

Ursa looked between her children. Then she put her hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Yes, darling. I think it's a good idea to play with your sister." She tugged his ponytail. "Just for a little while."

Ursa walked away, and Zuko glared down at his sister. Azula smirked cruelly at him.

Gansu telling him that they're finished pulled Zuko from the memory. Gratefully, he followed Gansu and Lee down the ladder and towards the house. His tunic stuck to his sweaty skin, and all he could think about was a cool drink of water and getting something in his belly.

But his mind drifted back to the rest of that afternoon. Azula's cruel game had been to put an apple on Mai's head and set it on fire. She'd always used her bending as an intimidation tactic. Zuko had seen the panic on Mai's face, and with a shout, he'd tackled her before the burning apple set her hair on fire. They'd tumbled into the fountain, completely drenching their clothes, with Zuko on top of Mai. Azula and Ty Lee had laughed at them, and Zuko had stomped away just as their mother came out, announcing that they had gotten a letter from Iroh.

Zuko had always admired his uncle, even as a boy. Iroh was always so warm and friendly in a way that his own father never was. His letter reported that they'd broken through the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. He'd even sent Zuko a gift: a pearl dagger, taken from the general who had surrendered. On the back was an inscription: never give up without a fight. He'd gifted Azula a doll, which she'd promptly burnt to ash.

And then she'd said, "If Uncle doesn't make it back from the war, then Dad will be next in line for Fire Lord, won't he?"

Ursa gasped. "Azula, we don't speak that way. It would be awful if Uncle Iroh didn't return. And besides, Fire Lord Azulon is the picture of health."

Zuko had always known that there was something wrong with his sister. She had no remorse, no sympathy. She was cold and calculating, always thinking ahead. She hadn't changed at all since they were kids. Zuko suspected that it was only a matter of time before they ran into her again.

Katara and Sela had just finished setting the table when Zuko, Gansu, and Lee came inside.

"You boys go clean up before you sit down to eat," Sela said in a motherly way.

Gansu put his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "This way."

They washed up in a small washroom. Zuko looked down at the water, dirtied by their dusty hands, and swallowed hard. He and Katara had drunk their fill of their water canteens on the way to Lee's, but he was still so thirsty. Then they joined the girls for dinner.

It was a simple meal of rice and dumplings, with some kind of chicken, but Zuko swore it was the best thing that he had ever tasted. He had to suppress a moan as the food almost melted on his tongue. And based on the way that Katara's eyes slipped closed as she took a bite, he knew that she felt the same.

He could see the curiosity burning in Sela's and Lee's eyes, but they didn't ask any prying questions. Zuko was grateful for it. The family conversed politely, talking about crops and their chickens and anything else but the two strangers sitting at their dinner table.

After the meal, Katara helped Sela with the dishes. Gansu and Lee played Pai Sho, and Zuko watched them, thinking of his uncle. He missed him. He wondered what Iroh would think of Zuko now, traveling with the Avatar's waterbender. Now that he had taken lives.

Once everything was cleaned up, Gansu showed Zuko and Katara to the barn to sleep in for the night. Sela had provided them a blanket (just one blanket, Zuko noticed with some trepidation), and Gansu told them that they were welcome to sleep on the hay pile.

Katara gladly dropped onto it after he had left, peeling off her boots. Zuko joined her after a moment, carefully laying his dao swords on the ground next to their boots. He gave her the blanket.

"I think today was a good day," Katara remarked.

Zuko nodded as he lay down on his back and tucked one hand behind his head. His eyes were already closed. With his stomach full, he was blissfully sleepy. He listened as Katara shook out the blanket and adjusted herself on the hay. After a moment, he felt her lay some of the blanket over him.

Zuko opened his eyes and looked over at her. She was laying on her back, and she met his gaze, offering a small shrug.

"We still need to find a way to get some food," Zuko said gruffly.

Katara covered a yawn with her hand. "Sela said that they can send us off with a few things. It won't be much, but it's better than nothing." She let out a sigh. "But we still have no idea where my brother and Aang are."

"We'll find them," Zuko told her with more confidence than he felt. "I was talking with Gansu. There's a ghost town to the east of here. It might be a good place to start."

Katara bit her lip. "I'm worried that we might not ever find them."

Zuko could hear the unshed tears in her voice. He rolled onto his side to look at her more closely. "Hey, don't talk like that. I'm the Avatar tracking expert, remember?"

"Yeah, and look at where it's gotten us," Katara moaned desolately. "We've been robbed and I've been kidnapped. We almost died out there, Zuko."

Zuko licked his lips. He didn't know what to say to assuage her fears. "So what do you want to do?"

"I don't know." She let out a shaky breath as she rolled onto her side with her back to him. "I just don't know."

Zuko settled down, feeling his heart pull painfully in his chest. He'd never heard her sound so hopeless. But she was right. They had no idea where her brother and the Avatar were. They'd found no evidence of them at all. Zuko didn't have the first idea of where to look.

But what else could they do? How long would their alliance last if they couldn't find her friends? Zuko didn't want to think about it. Instead, he thought about his uncle. Where would Iroh go? Did Zuko have a better chance of finding him than he did of finding the Avatar?

He didn't know, but he had to do something. Zuko would figure it out. He always did.