Zuko and Katara arrived in the ghost town three days after Aang and the others had been there, although they didn't know that, of course. But they could tell that someone had been there recently. Although the fires had died, there were still hot embers in the burnt remains of buildings, and the smell of smoke hung thickly on the air, acrid and cloying. The entire town had been reduced to little more than ash and charcoaled piles of wood.

"What do you think happened here?" Katara asked him as they rooted around the destroyed town. She looked shocked and sad by the state of the town. "It looks like a wildfire destroyed everything."

But Zuko knew better. He observed the burn patterns, and he judged based on certain levels of concentration in particular areas that these fires were started intentionally, and likely by a firebender. He hoped that his sister had nothing to do with it, but a sinking feeling in his gut told him that it had to be Azula. But Azula wouldn't burn down a town for nothing. He wondered what her motive was, if it truly was her. Had she found their uncle?

"I'm not sure," Zuko murmured as he inspected a disturbed patch of earth. "At least the fires didn't spread beyond the town."

"It looks like it was abandoned before it, too," Katara said thoughtfully. "It's still awful, though."

Zuko nodded in agreement. The more time he spent traveling through the Earth Kingdom, the more he saw how much pain and devastation firebenders caused. And for what? He didn't even know anymore.

"We should move on," Zuko said quietly. "It's not good to breathe this air."

They left the town behind, heading north. Zuko wasn't sure where they were going to go. They still hadn't found a trace of Katara's friends anywhere. He could tell that she was losing hope, and he couldn't even blame her. If she had a choice, she surely wouldn't choose wandering about the Earth Kingdom with him. But the more time that passed without finding her friends, the longer she was subjected to his company.

They made camp in a shallow ravine. A small stream ran through it, and there were even a few scraggly trees and shrubs. He and Katara went through their routine of setting up camp: collecting firewood, starting a fire, and making dinner.

They had long since settled on a method of labor division, with Zuko collecting firewood and starting the fire as Katara set up their bedrolls. Once the fire was going, she would make dinner. She'd quickly learned that Zuko was useless in that aspect. He would clean up the dishes for her, and then they would set up their bedrolls, at least before they had been lost. After that, they would spend an hour or so just...talking. It was strange, in a pleasant sort of way.

That night was no different, but as they were getting ready to go to sleep, Dusty was suddenly startled, letting out a squawk. Zuko jumped to his feet, dropping into a defensive position as Katara uncapped her water skin.

"What now?" Zuko growled, annoyed. It seemed like they couldn't catch a break.

Suddenly, a group of men scaled down the sides of the ravine on komodo rhinos. Zuko could tell that they were from the Fire Nation based on their armor, although they weren't like any other battalion Zuko had ever seen. The five fighters readied their weapons, clearly not up for conversation.

"Round 'em up!" one of them commanded gruffly.

Suddenly, one of the men, sporting a ponytail and ball and chain, swung his weapon towards Zuko. He stepped forward, prepared to knock the weapon aside, but was beaten to it by a newcomer, who kicked the weapon away. Zuko gasped as he recognized the dingy robes and shaggy gray hair.

"Uncle?" Zuko rasped out, utterly shocked.

Iroh glanced back over his shoulder at him, his eyes twinkling. "Hello, nephew. Seems like you could use some help." Then he looked back at the attackers. "Colonel Mongke, what a pleasant surprise!"

The man's teeth bared in a snarl. "If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps."

Zuko looked at his uncle, shocked again. "You know these guys?"

"Sure," Iroh said jovially. "Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist. They're also a very capable singing group."

"They also like to attack defenseless Earth Kingdom towns," Katara spoke up, her voice dripping with venom. Zuko glanced over at her, and saw the dark scowl on her face. She was brandishing her water menacingly.

Colonel Mongke ignored her as his eyes focused on Zuko and Iroh. "We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend traitors and fugitives."

Iroh rubbed at his arm. "Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kahchi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?"

The Rough Rhinos attacked. Iroh dropped to the ground to avoid two fire blasts from Mongke before he jumped to his feet and slapped the man's rhino on the leg. The animal yowled before it took off, and Zuko saw that when Iroh had kicked the ball and chain, it had wrapped itself around the rhino's leg. Colonel Mongke fell to the ground as his mount took off.

Zuko cut down an arrow that an archer sent flying his way. He sent a narrow dart of flame back at his opponent, burning a hole through the surprised archer's bow. Beside him, Katara was deflecting attacks from another one of the Rough Rhinos before she successfully froze him to the side of the ravine. Mongke attacked Iroh, punching powerful fire blasts at him. Iroh dodged each attack, his face set in grim determination.

Zuko ran and jumped on the back of an abandoned rhino before he launched his own attacks against a few of the other mercenaries. Katara knocked down a man who tried to attack Zuko, leaving the mercenary unconscious on the ground. Iroh laid out Mongke with a well-placed fire kick.

Katara quickly wrangled Dusty, who had been pecking and attacking another Rhino, and Iroh pulled himself into her saddle. Katara jumped on behind him, and Iroh guided the ostrich horse closer to Zuko. He climbed on behind Katara, securing himself in the saddle by wrapping his hands around her waist. Even though Dusty protested from the added weight, she set off at a fast trot.

A fire bomb exploded in front of them, billowing out smoke, but Iroh pushed Dusty through it. The ostrich horse took off through the ravine at a quick pace to put distance between them and the defeated Rough Rhinos.

Once they were a fair distance away, Zuko leaned around Katara and thumped his uncle on the arm. "Where have you been, you crazy old man? And what were you doing out here?"

Iroh looked back over his shoulder at him with a sage smile. "I've been tracking you, nephew. I wasn't going to intervene yet, but when I saw Colonel Mongke and his men, I decided it was time."

Zuko blinked. Iroh had been following him this whole time? Since they had departed? He almost couldn't believe it. Zuko glanced at Katara, who hadn't spoken since they had gotten away from the Rough Rhinos. He decided he would interrogate his uncle once they had made camp and Katara was asleep.

They had a lot of catching up to do.