How to Join the Gaang?

by badgerfrog101

Zuko struggles to open up to the Gaang as they slowly try to accept him. Series of moments at the Western air Temple where they start to get to know their new awkward member. Zuko-centric with a lot of Sokka bromance later to come! Sticking pretty close to canon but with a few twists. Rated T just in case

26. Ch26 Toph's Fieldtrip

"Come on guys, quit dragging your feet! Sokka we need to go!" Katara snaps in her most irritated mom tone, glaring angrily at her sluggishly moving sibling. The Fire Prince grimaces against her shrill words, his head pounding aggressively as he tries to hurry his packing. "Calm down sweetness, even I can see they're trying." Toph reprimands coolly as she leisurely packs her few belongings. "We were supposed to be in the air by dawn. We need to leave!" Katara presses sternly, desperately trying to urge her companions to hurry. Clapping both hands over his mouth, Sokka rushes to the bushes yet again to purge his stomach.

"Katara, could you please lower your voice a bit?" Zuko asks gently, holding his throbbing head as he squeezes his eyes shut. "Ugh! This is all your fault! If you two hadn't eaten those stupid mushrooms we'd be in the air by now! You're holding us all up!" Katara fumes as she angrily snatches at Sokka's belongings, haphazardly shoving them into his bag.

"What's the big rush? We have all day." Toph retorts hotly, quickly growing sick of the older girl's constant nagging and pressure. She's practically been at their throats all morning! "No Toph, we don't have all day! We should have been out of here yesterday but because of those two, we had to stay." She snaps firmly, forcing down Sokka's unfolded clothes. "We said we're sorry Katara, we didn't know we shouldn't eat them." Zuko says placatingly, handing his bag to Aang who's quietly perched in the saddle.

"It doesn't matter. We just need to go." Katara presses shortly, aggressively shoving the last of her brother's belongings into his bag before throwing it to the Kyoshi warrior kneeling beside the Avatar. Suki and Aang exchange concerned glances before securing the bags in the saddle.

"Give it a break Katara, you've been nagging everyone all morning!" Toph commands angrily, earning grimaces from her companions who brace themselves for the impending fight. On Suki's shoulder, even Momo stares between the two girls while ducking down and lowering his ears, his giant eyes widening as he watches. "Cause no one else seems to realize how much danger we're in! We have to go, now!" Katara shouts, her face turning red from anger.

"We're always in danger! What's so different about this place?!" Toph argues, forcefully throwing her own bag into the waterbender's chest. A rather pale Sokka slowly rejoins the group, looking a bit worse for wear. "Doesn't matter. I said we need to go so we need to go." Katara evades, suspiciously dodging the question as she throws Toph's bag to her brother who nearly collapses trying to catch it. But the little earthbender is too stubborn to let it go. "Oh really, Mom? We're all supposed to follow your orders just because you say so?" She goads crossly, pulling a mocking face at the irate waterbender.

"That's not what I said Toph." Katara denies sternly, shooting a look of warning at the younger girl. "Oh really? Well, you're not my mom and you're not their mom so you can stop trying to boss everyone around!" Toph shouts angrily, pointing at the teens struggling with the aftereffects of the mushrooms. "Please stop yelling guys. Look, we're nearly ready to go, let's just calm down and head out." Zuko pleads, wincing against the throbbing in his head as he secures his sheathed dao swords to his back.

"Tell her to stop then! She's the one picking fights all the time!" Katara snaps accusingly, glaring at Toph. Zuko sighs at her stubbornness, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I can't be around you right now!" The younger girl shouts, stomping her foot before stalking off in the direction of the lake. "Toph! Get back here right now!" Katara demands furiously, gasping as the young girl flashes a crude gesture and continues storming off. "Fine! We're leaving! With or without you!" Katara threatens in a last-ditch effort to gain control of the situation.

As expected, the younger girl ignores the empty threat and disappears into the forest. The stunned and nervous group shift uncomfortably in the awkward silence following quick and heated argument. Aang, Suki, and Sokka exchange uneasy expressions, no one wanting to be the one to speak first. "And you call me hotheaded." Zuko reprimands calmly, shooting Katara a firm look before following after the earthbender. Katara opens and closes her mouth in shock but can't refute his words which only further infuriates her.

"What?!" She snaps furiously, rounding on the remaining members. Aang and Suki silently look at her with apprehensive expressions while her brother crosses his arms. "Wow Katara." Sokka says reproachfully while shaking his head at her behavior. Suki and Aang exchange yet another helpless look, bracing for the oncoming fight between the watertribe siblings. ********

He groans quietly, wincing as the distant shouting irritates his headache. 'What has gotten into her?!' He thinks, even his internal voice sounding exasperated with the waterbender's suddenly erratic behavior. His golden eyes finally spot the small, green-clad figure sitting on a large boulder near the lake. His long legs bring him beside her within a few strides. "Hey Sparky." Toph practically growls, her chin resting in her hand, the other balled into a fist at her hip. She angrily blows at the bangs in her face, the strands quickly settling back into their original place.

"Hey Toph." Zuko says softly, knowing her frustration isn't at all being directed at him. Her expression darkens as Katara's shrill voice crosses the large distance between them and the group. "Who does she think she is?! Bossing everyone around and giving you crap all morning!" She fumes loudly, her arms flailing with her words. "Please don't yell." Zuko pleads quietly, grimacing against the pain threatening to split is head. "Sorry." Toph says softly, sounding uncharacteristically meek all the sudden.

"Come on, lets go this way." Zuko directs, leading her around the lake at a leisurely pace to escape the angry shouting from camp. They walk in comfortable silence while he chooses his words carefully. "She was out of line." He says calmly, his raspy voice placating and gentle. "Yeah! No kidding." Toph agrees shortly after snorting loudly. The older boy smiles at her mocking tone. "Did you really need to provoke her though?" He challenges gently, watching her reaction carefully.

"What?!" She snaps in disbelief, her voice raising to a near shriek as her temper flairs. "Calm down Toph, I'm not blaming you or anything." Zuko explains calmly, rubbing his temples as he continues. Seems both girls are overly touchy today. "Look, I appreciate you sticking up for me and Sokka but something's going on with Katara today. I don't know why but she's really nervous which is why she's getting so frustrated." Zuko explains compassionately, having long picked up on the waterbender's heightened anxiety.

"So what?! We're all under a lot of stress! You don't see me taking it out on everyone!" Toph argues stubbornly, refusing to let her opponent off the hook that easily. She grimaces as her stomach twists yet again, her belly aching painfully since breakfast which only further aggravates her. "Really? You don't take it out on anyone?" He asks knowingly, smirking at the feisty girl. She furrows her brow, not really understanding what the firebender's getting at but not liking his tone.

"Cause I think you pick fights with Katara to let out some steam." He states confidently, his smile broadening as he takes in her stunned expression. "It's ok! Like you said, we're all under a lot of stress and we're all dealing with it as best as we can. I blow up on you guys too often to judge anyone." He admits humbly, feeling guilty with how easily his friends let his frequent aggressive outbursts just slide off them now, having long become accustomed to it.

"Yeah, you do yell a lot." Toph agrees teasingly to divert the attention from her own guilt. He smirks at her sly tactics before continuing. "I think you and Katara need that though. Fighting with each other helps you both! But it has to be the right time for it and this morning, well…it was a terrible time to start one." Zuko reasons gently, the moist morning grass squishing softly under his boots as they traverse the far edge of the lake. His golden eyes catch movement at the water's edge and he briefly thinks it's an ottercat but quickly realizes it's just a log.

Toph sighs as if defeated, resigning unhappily to accept her own portion of the blame. "Good point." She confirms dejectedly, kicking at the earth as if to take out some of her annoyance. "I didn't believe him at first but Aang's right, you're pretty smart Sparky." She teases lightly as she punches his bicep, grinning as he groans in response. "Thanks." He says indignantly, rubbing his arm and shooting her a slightly displeased expression.

"We do need to head back though. Everyone's waiting for us." Zuko says seriously, turning around to head back the way they'd come. "You heard Katara, they're leaving with or without me." Toph chides playfully, an indignant bite to her tone. The Fire Prince rolls his eyes at the younger girl before saying in a gentle voice, "you know she'd never leave without us Toph." **********

"Ugh! You're all driving me nuts!" Katara yells, her sibling successfully poking her last nerve.

"We're driving you nuts?! How do you think it feels being yelled at all morning to hurry up when your stomach keeps trying to wriggle out your mouth?!" Sokka shouts, having had enough of his sister's bullying. "It's your own fault that you're sick! We shouldn't be put in danger because you can't control your stomach." She snaps without empathy, crossing her arms tightly across her chest.

"How is that even fair?! Listen to what you're saying Katara! You're being unreasonable and cruel." Sokka retorts, his voice raising with his own frustration. He clenches his jaw as another wave of nausea threatens to bring up more breakfast, forcing his body to keep down whatever might be left. He stares her down, unwilling to let him physical discomfort make her think she's getting to him.

"Am I the only one who understands that we need to GO!?" She yells, thrashing her arms about wildly as if at her wits end. She growls angrily and paces before the giant bison waiting quietly with the deathly silent Aang and Suki pretending to be part of the saddle.

"What's the deal Katara?! You're acting strange, like that time you stole the waterbending scroll!" Sokka accuses, his instincts telling him that she knows something more than she's telling them. She hesitates briefly and steals a quick glance at Aang, her nervous expression changing rapidly into an accusatory one as she thinks of an appropriate rebuttal.

"Oh I'm acting strange? Unlike you and your buddy, wasting an entire day pretending logs are ottercats!" She jabs, redirecting the focus to his embarrassing mistake instead of her suspicious behavior. His nose wrinkles, brows furrowing with anger as he practically snarls at his sister.

"Leave Zuko out of this!" He retorts forcefully, his tan skin reddening with anger as she rolls her eyes.

"If it weren't for you two, we'd be far away from that village and safe right now!" She continues, her eyes narrowing as they glare into her brother's. He meets her scowl with his own equally enraged one, unafraid of her raw anger after a lifetime of dealing with it.

"Give it a rest Katara! I'm not apologizing anymore! An stop making Zuko feel bad about it!" Sokka commands, infuriated that she would continue shaming his already socially awkward buddy; she knows how delicate his self-esteem can be! Locked in a stalemate with neither willing to relent, they stare each other down, letting everything else fade as they fruitlessly try to intimidate the other.

"Guys?!" Aang's anxious voice interrupts the bickering siblings, his large grey eyes widening as they spot the movement in the forest around them. "GUYS!" Suki echoes more urgently as the soldiers surrounding them begin to close in. "WHAT?!" The watertribe siblings yell simultaneously in mutual irritation, both heads snapping up to see what is so important that they would dare disrupt their fight. They gasp in unison as they register the multitude of rather violent-looking men approaching.

"Let's go!" Aang orders, bounding to Appa's fluffy head as Sokka scales the beast's side, dragging his sister safely into the saddle as well. "It's the Avatar! Get him!" A large solider with a deep, gruff voice commands. Without hesitating, he stomps his foot and creates a large boulder that goes sailing through the air toward the bison. "Yip Yip!" Aang cries urgently, pulling at the reigns and guiding his massive friend out of the boulder's trajectory.

Sokka's brows furrow with confusion as the soldiers in red uniforms continue to earthbend at them, the numbers not adding up right. Katara holds her breath, hoping desperately that Aang hadn't connected the dots and that Sokka would keep his mouth shut if he'd figured it out! Her stomach had been twisting nervously all night with the idea of Aang finding out about the earth kingdom soldiers who'd defected because of Ba Sing Se.

"Quick! Shoot it with the sheershew darts!" The lead soldier barks as they chase after the giant bison, flying just above the treetops and out of reach. Their ostrichhorses run at full speed to keep pace with the mighty beast, as their riders ready their darts and take aim. Appa growls loudly as his thick hide is pierced repeatedly, feeling as if he'd been stung by a whole swarm of hornetbees. "Appa! Are you ok buddy?!" Aang cries nervously, worried for his fuzzy friend who's rapidly lowering toward the tree line, his limbs colliding with the uppermost branches that snap angrily against him.

"Oh no! Come on Appa! You can do it!" Suki urges desperately, her blood running cold with the thought of plummeting from the air yet again. What are the odds of someone surviving that twice?! "Hold on!" Aang advises urgently as the bison crashes through the trees, descending toward the forest floor while still pushing forward stubbornly. "Ahhhhh!" The kids can't help but scream as they cling desperately to the sides of the saddle, getting whipped and scratched by tree branches.

Appa's limbs dig into the ground as he tries to slow the momentum of his heavy frame, leaving behind a deep trail in the earth. With a mighty crash, the ten-ton beast comes to a rough stop, his body lying motionless as if paralyzed. "Appa!" Aang calls angrily, his tattoos and eyes glowing as fury takes over. "You dare hurt Appa!?" He threatens dangerously, his voice multiplying with those of the previous Avatar's. Before he can even turn to his opponents, he feels sharp stings pierce into his back, his limbs instantly becoming unbearably heavy as he falls to the ground. *******

"They left?!" Toph shrieks loudly, her voice reaching a piercing level with her stunned disbelief. Zuko grimaces against the sound and scans the empty camp, his heart sinking with their apparent betrayal. He shakes his head softly, trying to rid it of those dismal thoughts. "I'm sure there's a good reason that they…um…" Zuko starts weakly, trailing off as he looks around the abandoned camp. "Left us behind?!" Toph finishes for him brusquely as she turns away to blink back the angry tears, gritting her teeth from the effort.

"There's a good reason." Zuko repeats, his words soft as if her were trying to convince himself. He takes a deep breath, trying his best to stay positive despite the very bleak appearance of the situation. 'No. Sokka would never let anyone get left behind!' He reasons, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that his buddy would gnaw off his own arm before abandoning him. But then where are they?

"They left us, in the middle of nowhere! Because she can't take it!" Toph fumes, stomping her foot and balling her fists; doing her best to turn the intense pain she feels into rage instead. Those are emotions she's far more comfortable displaying. "We don't know that for sure Toph." Zuko counters, forcing down his own panic to remain calm for both of them.

"What's not to know here!? They're gone, we're here. They abandoned us!" She growls, raging and stomping around the empty campsite to keep herself from crying. "They wouldn't do that to us." Zuko says firmly despite the uncertainty creeping into his heart. "She even said it! 'We're leaving with or without you Toph'!" She snaps, imitating the waterbender's angry call. His stomach twists uncomfortably, he'd heard the words just as clearly as she had.

"Hey, listen to me…" He starts gently, grabbing her wrists to stop her angry pacing. "They're our friends, they wouldn't abandon us without good reason, no matter how angry they were." Zuko assures firmly, his voice soothing as he pulls her into a hug. "Look, Katara hated me and she still pulled me into the saddle when I was free-falling at the temple. She wouldn't just leave her friends here because she's upset." He reasons, slowly rubbing circles on her tiny back to comfort her.

"I know it looks bad, but we can't think like that. Besides, we still have each other." He adds feeling her little arms wrapping around his waist as her shoulders shake. "Great…I'm stuck in the wilderness with the pampered prince." Toph teases, her voice shaking with the tears she's trying to hide. He laughs softly before the gloomy reality of their situation hits him. Between the two of them they have one good eye and approximately half a survival skill. What are they going to do?

After a few moments, she pulls back and clears her throat, her hands coming to her hips in an authoritative stance. "So…what do we do now?" Toph asks straightforwardly to her silent companion. Zuko blinks as he scans the empty campsite, at a complete loss of what to do. "Think about our place in the universe?" He suggests lightly, shrugging his shoulders. A quiet breeze rustles through bushes before she roughly punches his arm in response. ********

She groans and gingerly tries to move her heavy limbs without success, the persistent pounding in her head the only sensation she can feel. She squeezes her eyes shut against the pain and tries to remember how she'd gotten into this state. 'What happened? Think Suki think! There were trees, we were crash landing. The soldiers!' She gasps with worry as she remembers the struggle. Slowly, she tries to force her eyes to open so that she can take in her surroundings.

A low moan escapes her as the light sends piercing pain through the front of her throbbing brain. Determined to gauge the situation, she forces one eye to peek open, slowly adjusting to the light before opening the other a fraction. Her vision blurs then clears then blurs again as she blinks, very cautiously testing how far she can move her head. To her dismay, she can't seem to move her head at all and she forces her panic down, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

After letting them rest for a moment, she pries her eyes open again and begins searching the perimeter as best as she can. Katara's form is slumped at her side, her hands tightly bound behind her back. She can't see what's binding her but she's sure it's secured tightly by the way her limp upper body is being held up by her arms. She breathes a sigh of relief as she watches her friend's chest rise and fall slowly. Alive but captured, we can work with that!

Her eyes move to her left to find another motionless blue clad form slumped in an even more graceless position. It seems the three of them have their arms bound behind their backs to what she can only imagine must be a large tree. Sokka's chest rises and falls rhythmically as well and seeing no serious visible wounds she relaxes.

Her heart clenches as she gazes ahead, seeing an upright Aang bound tightly to a massive tree, his head hanging limply. Thick metal chains encircle his limbs, securing him completely to the tree and ensuring no movement at all would be possible. She grimaces, her numb body aching just looking at the immobilizing bonds and uncomfortable position. Further behind him, she sees a giant fluffy figure with massive metal chains crisscrossing its body, thick metal stakes securing the chains deep into the solid ground.

She breathes deeply to keep herself calm despite the very obviously bad situation they've found themselves in. If only the other kyoshi warriors were here to help! But Toph and Zuko are still free, perhaps they'd be able to somehow find them? She grimaces at the thought, knowing it'd be like finding a needle in a haystack in this giant forest! And who knows how far these maniacs have taken them? They could be miles away at this point. ********

"So, the plan is to do…nothing?" Toph asks, disbelief clear in her mildly mocking tone. She rests her chin on her palm, her elbow resting on her knee as she sits on the log beside the fire pit in the empty campsite. "Uncle always told me that if I was ever lost or we were separated, to just stay where I am and wait until he came back for me. Otherwise, it'd be that much harder for him to find me." Zuko reasons calmly, while lugging back an armful of firewood.

"Yeah but that was your uncle." Toph counters, feeling restless yet sluggish; like she should be doing something but really doesn't want to. "Didn't your family tell you that?" He asks curiously, his head cocking to the side slightly as he looks at the young girl. Her face twists slightly as if she were in pain before she sits up and brings her hands to her lap, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable and docile.

"No. They never gave me a chance to get lost. They kept me locked up in the house all the time. Never took me anywhere outside of our home, hid me away from the entire world for twelve years! No one even knew they had a daughter. I was like a pet poodlemonkey, coddled and watched 24/7 without any freedom, choice, or even an opinion that mattered to anyone! I would've loved a chance to be lost, just to see what they'd do." She says begrudgingly, thinking back to her overprotective and smothering parents and scowling back the sudden rush of tears threatening to spill over.

Wide-eyed, Zuko blinks a few times, his lips pinching together at a complete loss of words in the face of her sudden emotional outburst. His golden eyes shift around the empty camp as if searching for something suitable to say. "That's rough buddy." He says shortly, falling back on his tried-and-true response.

"I never got to play with any kids my age. Sometimes the guards would feel sorry for me and play a game with me but they would get in trouble for being distracted from patrol. It was like because I was blind, my parents thought I needed to be put in a cage to protect me from the world instead of experiencing it! I never had a real friend until I met Aang." She continues ranting, her voice oscillating between anger and sadness to gratitude and then despair.

The Fire Prince's eyes grow wide as he listens, unsure what in the world is going on with the typically brusque and rather callous girl. Was she that upset about the fight? "An now they've left us!" Toph snaps loudly, her misty eyes shimmering with tears that finally roll down her round cheeks. She growls angrily at herself as she hastily wipes at her face, feeling foolish for being upset, for trusting her 'friends', for leaving her crumby life behind for them. In shock, Zuko slowly approaches the grieving girl unsure whether she needs a hug or to punch something.

"Toph, they'll be back for us. They would never intentionally us behind." He says cautiously, feeling like a lizardparrot repeating the same phrase over and over. He tentatively lowers to sit beside her on the heavy log. An unintended whimper escapes her as she dives into his arms again, the sudden movement causing a startling and novel sensation in her. She gasps sharply, her tiny frame freezing with shock as she feels a strange gushing feeling below followed by an uncomfortable dampness, the metallic scent of blood filling her hyper-sensitive nose.

"Toph, you ok?" Zuko asks with concern, noticing her sudden shocked gasp and rigidity of the arms around him. A certain four-letter word repeats in her mind as she frantically wonders what in the world she's going to do! She'd always figured Katara would be around if she suddenly started her first cycle. Worst case, she would ask Suki what to do. They weren't as close but she was a fellow girl. "Toph?" Zuko asks a bit more firmly, pulling back slightly to take in her complicated expression.

Deciding it best that she keep calm and try to hide her predicament, she schools her expression. "Zuko." She calls casually in response, pretending to be playful. "Are you ok?" He asks tentatively, her strangely calm and light tone very suspicious. Just seconds ago, she'd been crying heavily and now everything's fine? "Mhm." She hums casually, still rigidly holding onto him, not trusting her stupid body to move. His golden eyes dart around the campsite, again finding himself at a loss for words. He awkwardly pats her back as if trying to gently signal to please end the embrace.

Unfortunately, the subtle jarring initiates yet another uncontrollable gushing sensation and she cringes as she realizes there's no way she'd be able to hide this mess now! "Sparky…I…I think I…just started my cycle." She admits quietly, grimacing nervously as she waits for his response.

The silence between them grows heavy as his teenage mind freezes with intense distress, wanting to retreat as far away from the situation as possible. Doing her best to keep her composure despite the shame and humiliation she feels, she tries to take a deep breath that comes out instead as a trembling gasp before she breaks down once more. Feeling as if she were somehow contaminated, she pulls away from the teen and buries her face in her small hands, her shoulders shaking as she cries.

He blinks in surprise, his expression blank, confused, and more than a little unsettled. Realizing the small girl must be far more uncomfortable than he is, he takes a deep breath and recomposes himself. "Hey, it's ok, Toph. Don't cry." Zuko soothes quietly, hesitating a moment before rubbing small circles on her tiny shoulders. Her misty eyes widen as she he attempts to comfort her; she'd thought for sure he was deeply repulsed after she'd told him.

He clears his throat, trying to force himself to appear unfazed. "Um…is…is it your…your first?" He stammers, keeping his tone calm despite his inability to efficiently speak the words. "Mhm." She hums, wiping at her cheeks as she nods and keeping her head lowered. "Oh…ok." He says lightly, his raspy voice a bit higher than usual.

"And um…did uh…did Katara…tell you ah…what to do?" He asks, feeling his cheeks burning with embarrassment. It's not the fact that girls have to deal with it that bothers him, it's totally natural after all! It's just that, he'd never had to deal with it! He'd learned real quick to completely feign ignorance as to what's happening that one time Mai had gotten it while they were together. And he'd always pretend not to notice any time Katara would urgently rummage through her bag and rush off from the group.

"No." Toph admits, her small voice quivering with embarrassment. He nods quietly, his eyes wide as he understands his unfortunate duty in this situation. "Ok…ok…it's ok." Zuko says quietly, sounding more like he's reassure himself than her. Well, it makes sense now that he thinks about it, why she'd been so sensitive all morning. "Do uh…do you need to um…to clean…to clean up?" He asks, gulping and grimacing as he tries to be mature about it. "Yes." She says in a tiny voice just barely above a whisper.

"Ok…it's ok." He says reassuringly, feeling very much that it is not ok. "Let's uh…let's go to the lake. You can wash and I'll uh…I'll try to find uh…provisions." Zuko says awkwardly, his mind blanking on what one would even call feminine…necessities? Somehow, his feigned calm and obvious discomfort makes her feel slightly at ease, even a bit amused and she smiles timidly before nodding. They walk in silence as they head to the lake, Zuko pointedly keeping his eyes ahead and away from her awkward and uncomfortable strides.

As she settles into the shallows to clean her garments and self, he rushes to the safety of the forest. 'You've got to be f***ing kidding me!' He shouts in his mind, growling his dissatisfaction as he searches the foliage. 'What impeccable timing! The one time in Months that Katara isn't around!' He forces himself to breath deeply and keep his cool. As embarrassed as he is it's nothing in comparison to what Toph must be feeling. Shaking his shaggy head to clear it, he focuses on the task at hand and tries to recall the absorbent-looking plant he'd once seen Katara urgently picking.

'I'm the Fire Prince! I can handle this. It's just a naturally occurring phenomenon. Nothing to be embarrassing about.' He tries to reassure himself, still feeling deeply embarrassed regardless. A relieved sigh escapes him as he finally finds the correct plant, carefully picking as much of the soft fibers as he can hold and shoving more into his pockets. Forcing his legs to redirect him back to the lake, he calls out in a strange tone. "Toph…I'm coming back." He winces, kicking himself for sounding so very weird.

"Hey Sparky." Toph greets quietly, somehow completely recomposed yet reserved as she sits in the waist-deep water. "I um…I found…the stuff." He announces rigidly, as if reporting to a commanding officer. She giggles at his awkward behavior, grateful that he's trying his best to be mature about it despite his obvious distress. "Thanks Sparky." She says calmly, rubbing blindly at the pants in her hands and praying she'd been able to wash the stain away.

She sighs before lifting up the soaked fabric. "Sparky…did I get it out?" She asks boldly, fighting down her shame as she waits for his confirmation, praying there isn't a huge spot remaining. "Ye…yeah. It's good!" He calls from the shoreline, his pitch a little higher than necessary. Breathing a sigh of relief, she quickly tugs on her soaking wet clothing before standing and trudging back to the shore. He clears his throat awkwardly as she approaches, knowing she must feel exceptionally uncomfortable in the sopping wet clothes.

"Here, I can uh…I can dry them for you." He offers kindly, kneeling down to touch the lowest hem of her pants. As he bends, the fabric warms around her, steaming out the water and earning a grateful smile. "That's the stuff." She breaths happily, the warmth helping her aching muscles. "Ye…yeah…" He agrees, his discomfort making her feel strangely more comfortable, as if she needs to be composed and unfazed for his sake.

"I uh…here's the uh…the stuff. Um…you uh…you put it um…in your ah…undergarments." He explains awkwardly, his whole body burning with embarrassment as he hands her the thick wad of soft plant fiber, turning his back instantly and stiffly walking several paces away. "Thanks Sparky." Toph calls, stifling the giggles his awkward behavior elicits. *********

With great difficulty, his blue eyes flutter open only to squeeze tightly shut once more. Groaning against the throbbing in his head, he forces his eyes to open once more, tentatively taking in the blurry surroundings. He blinks slowly, his mind swimming and dazed as he recalls the battle with the earth kingdom soldiers. His brow furrows as he realizes he can't lift his head, he can't move at all! Had he been paralyzed in the fight?!

Stifling the panic that thought induces, he reassures himself that he'd only been knocked in the head, he hadn't suffered any spinal injuries that he can recall. That's right! The darts they used on Appa and Aang, must be made from sheershew saliva! The feeling is familiar to him although it seems to be much stronger than the time he and Katara had been hit with that foul creature's tongue. They must have somehow concentrated the saliva or perhaps it's just stronger when put into the blood system.

Deciding it's not as important a subject to devote his precious brain power to, he scans the darkening surroundings to figure out what their situation is. His empty stomach turns painfully as he sees Aang's limp figure suspended a foot above the ground, chained tightly to a large tree. Such a graceless and uncomfortable position to bind a kid in! He tries to glare at the soldiers but can't feel the muscles in his face, so he only appears to be squinting dopily instead.

His blue eyes take in the many red-clad soldiers putting up tents and surrounding the bonfire 20feet away from him. The men wear solemn expressions of various degrees, their conversations short and hushed. They don't appear to be pleased at all with their victory, on the contrary, they seem to be in very dismal spirits. But they're earthbenders. Every one of their bearded, tanned faces looking like the epitome of Earth Kingdom natives. And yet their tents have the Fire Nation insignia and the uniforms covering their muscular frames are crimson.

His brilliant yet incredibly dazed mind throbs angrily as he tries to think, forcing him to give up and tend to himself instead. The sky above is darkening, which means he'd been out for nearly the entire day! The pounding in his head confirms how hard he'd been hit and he wouldn't be surprised if he had a mild concussion. He'd tell himself to take it easy but it's not like he has any choice at the moment, even his mouth doesn't seem able to move!

Blue eyes move to his side, where he's relieved to be able to see Suki and a little further a blue-clothed leg outstretched which he knows after a simple glance is his sister's. At least, we're all together he thinks as he spots the caged lemur a few feet away, gnawing fruitlessly at the massive lock. He wants to call out to the little creature to stop before it hurts its teeth but can only groan incoherently without the help of his mouth. A defeated sigh escapes him as he closes his eyes once more, hoping the pain would dull with rest. *************

They sit in heavy silence by the fire, neither knowing what to say anymore. Early on, it was easy for Zuko to affirm that they just need to give it time, surely their friends will come back for them! After an entire day of patiently waiting, neither can deny the bitter fact that their friends are gone. Whether they were coming back or not was now becoming irrelevant. With the lack of food and supplies, they can't wait around for them to reappear.

Zuko tries his best to soothe his breaking heart, repeating to himself that there must be a good reason, that they are his friends, that they wouldn't just abandon him. His golden eyes scan the darkened and deserted camp, a painfully dismal feeling filling his empty stomach. Beside him, the little earthbender groans quietly, her arms wrapped tightly over her aching belly as her knees pull close to her chest. "How're you feeling?" He asks quietly, his raspy voice heavy with sadness.

"Starving, angry, sad, tired, and it feels like there's a rabid badgermole clawing its way out of me. You know…doing great." She deadpans brusquely, grimacing as another wave of pain radiates through her body, turning her empty stomach. She'd honestly thought that Sweetness was just playing up the discomfort each month. Never again would she give her a hard time about it! Still feeling ashamed and disappointed in himself for failing to scavenge or hunt anything edible for them, he looks at her sadly.

"I can help." He offers gently, the pain of his friend's betrayal outweighing the lingering discomfort of the small girl's suddenly appearing cycle. "You can remove the damn thing?" She jokes bluntly, wincing as the damn thing contracts again. He rolls his eyes, pushing down the sudden surge of irritation he feels. "No. But heat can help." Zuko states firmly, his tone a bit more grouchy than he'd intended it to be. Toph considers his words for a moment before nodding. "Yes please." She accepts in a small voice, feeling uncharacteristically meek and hating it.

Letting her rest her back against his side, he brings his hand to her small belly and exhales slowly, warming his body with his bending. "That's the stuff!" She says happily, smiling deeply as her aching and spasming muscles are soothed by the heat. A small smile crosses his handsome face, pleased to be at least a little helpful today. They sit in silence for a long while, the fire crackling softly before them. "How'd you know heat would help?" Toph asks conversationally, simply wanting to distract her mind from the loss of their friends and the deep betrayal she feels.

"Hm? Oh, I uh…I used to do this for my mother." He answers simply, continuing after his companion remains silent. "Once I was able to control my bending enough to change my body heat, every month my mom would ask me to lay on her belly. I was only like 6 I think and didn't know why she had so many bellyaches. I didn't understand but it made her happy and I liked to cuddle with her. I connected the dots when Mai got her uh…cycle…and asked me to warm her belly. Does um…does it help?" He adds awkwardly, the sweet and sentimental information making him feel rather exposed.

"Mhm! It feels great. Thanks Sparky." Toph says kindly, deciding not to tease him about his excessive use of the word 'belly'. They're in this rather dire and painful situation together after all. Tears suddenly well in her eyes as she feels intense gratitude for her friend, the only one still by her side. She grits her teeth, cursing how pathetically sappy this darn cycle business is making her!

"Mhm." He hums in response, falling into thoughtful silence once more and watching the flames dance before him. "We should start heading toward the town tomorrow. We might meet up with them there. Either way, we can't wait around here another day." He suggests seriously, his stomach feeling quite heavy with the possibility that their friends won't be there. They've already got a head start of an entire day of flying. Surely, they'd make it to the town within another day, whereas it'd take him and Toph quite a few days to trek there on foot. And that's if they don't get lost.

Her stomach growls and gurgles beneath his hand as she nods in agreement. "Maybe we can find something to eat on the way." She adds hopefully, deciding to try to bolster his spirit as well. She'd been very pessimistic today and feels rather guilty for forcing the angsty teen to be the one to keep morale up. "Here's hoping." He agrees, his stomach crying out angrily as well.

His back rests heavily on the thick log as the small earthbender rests against him, the two kids falling into a drowsy silence before slowly drifting asleep. *********

"How far is the town? Are we there yet?" Toph whines, obediently following the angsty teen leading her through the massively overgrown forest. "On the map, it looked like it'd be a few days' walk. Without food, water, or strong survival skills we really need to get out of this forest as quick as we can." Zuko reiterates, holding a branch back so that Toph won't walk into it.

"I thought Sokka taught you survival skills." She says, pausing as she feels his arm held out in front of her, stopping her from getting tangled in a large mess of dangling vines. Although she really doesn't need the help, she doesn't bother stopping him as she finds it endlessly amusing. Besides, he'll feel pretty silly when he realizes it and it's one more thing she can tease him about in the future.

"He did but the mushrooms made things kinda…fuzzy. I don't remember much of that day to be honest." Zuko admits sheepishly, holding the vines up to let her pass. "You don't remember taking orders from a lemur? That was a little different for you." She taunts, subconsciously grabbing his arm when she hears a loud roar reverberate from somewhere deep in the forest.

"You'd be surprised." He mumbles, thinking back to the badgerfrog he'd performed his speech for a few times. "Sparky? Is there any fruit around? I'm really hungry." Toph asks, sounding uncharacteristically vulnerable. With all her bold and brash talking and incredible bending abilities, it's easy to forget that she's still a 12-year-old girl far from home.

"Believe me, I'm keeping my eye out for any. These trees aren't really the fruiting kind." Zuko says sadly, his own stomach aching with hunger. If this were the Fire Nation, these trees would be full of tasty things to eat. The tropical environment and year-round warm weather meant there's always something ready to harvest. His stomach twists with longing at the thought of his beloved homeland and how desperately he wants to go home! He exhales heavily as the cruel reality sinks in; he may never get to see his cherished nation again.

"You ok Sparky?" She asks, concern in her tone at the sudden change in his body. "Hm? Oh…yeah…sorry. Just thinking about…things." He explains lamely, in a far-away tone. "Wow, thanks for that. All clear now." Toph teases, earning an eyeroll from her companion. "Just…homesick I guess." He admits quietly, needlessly helping her duck under a fallen tree. "I didn't get the impression you were close to your family." She muses, smirking playfully.

"Not my family. Just my nation. I know it probably sounds strange to you, but the Fire Nation is beautiful! Everyone thinks it's all volcanoes and death and destruction but there's so much life there! The soil is rich, the ocean's have the most beautiful wildlife and the forests are wild and plentiful. I was away for so long…and when I went back, I don't know, I guess I just didn't get to see enough of it in that short time. I just…I miss it is all." He explains sadly, his raspy voice full of longing.

"Geesh a simple 'I'm ok' would've sufficed." Toph teases, elbowing him to let him know she's just playing. He half-smiles at his young companion, rubbing his arm as they continue. They walk in thoughtful silence for a short while before Toph speaks again, her tone vastly different than before. "I miss home too." She admits quietly, her expression falling as she recalls her mother and father and the pain she must have caused them.

Momentarily startled by her sudden openness, he blinks a few times before smiling sympathetically and bringing a warm hand to her shoulder. "After the war, you'll get to go back to your family." He encourages, his heart twisting with jealousy. What he wouldn't give to have a family to return to. She sniffles loudly, before punching him lightly and continuing on their journey, leaving the smiling prince shaking his head at her.

"Wait! Toph…I think that's an owlcat nest." He exclaims suddenly, stopping to stare at the tangled mess of twigs and branches high up in a nearby tree. "Oooookay. Didn't peg you as a birdwatcher." She teases, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at her friend.

"What are nests used for Toph?" Zuko taunts lightly, beginning to climb the large tree to check. "Eggs! Zuko, you're a genius!" She exclaims happily, smiling ear to ear at the prospect of a meal. "Finally, someone notices!" He jokes, scaling the branch and finding three beautiful, life-saving eggs. "We're in luck!" He announces gladly, carefully picking up the first one and gently stowing it in his pocket for the climb down.

"They're huge too! I didn't realize owlcat eggs were so big." He adds, noting how his hand can't quite close around the delicate object. If they were careful, these could potentially hold them over until they made it to town. He stows the second in his other pocket and picks up the final one, wondering what's the best way to climb down with it in hand. Just then, a loud screech pierces the air as the mother owlcat furiously dives at the nest burglar.

Startled by the beast's sudden appearance, he fumbles back, accidentally dropping the third egg as he tries to keep himself from falling off the branch.

"Sparky?" Toph calls, feeling the fragile object hit the ground and instantly splatter. He quickly scales down the tree, being dive-bombed and harassed by the angry owlcat the whole way, talons and fangs scratching furiously at his arms and face.

"Ahh! Get off! I'm sorry about your kids! We're hungry!" Zuko yells swatting at the vicious bird and making Toph snicker at his awkward manner. "Toph, let's go!" He yells, grabbing her wrist and rushing away to escape the mother's brutal vengeance. *******

"Ugh! Where is Toph when we need her?!" Katara moans, pulling at the thick metal chains around her wrists once more. "Oh yeah that's right, she stormed off because you yelled at her!" Sokka jabs angrily at his sister, trying to glare at her but his girlfriend's unamused face is in the way. To his surprise, Katara sighs heavily as if deflating. He watches as she hangs her head, her arms ceasing their fruitless struggle for freedom.

"Guys, I'm worried about them. They're going to think we abandoned them." Katara admits, feeling terribly distraught at the thought of her two friends coming back to a deserted campsite. How confused and hurt they must feel! "You're worried about them? You should be worried about us! We're the ones drugged and chained to trees!" Sokka snaps incredulously, his eyes darting to Aang's limp form suspended above the ground by the tight binds.

"Katara's right Sokka. With the way things were left…they probably think we've left without them. This is bad." Aang agrees solemnly from his awkwardly limp position, his limbs still very much paralyzed. Being the Avatar, of course the soldiers would shoot him with an extra dart or ten! "Guys, this is Toph and Zuko we're talking about! They Know we'd never intentionally leave them." Suki reasons firmly, trying to boost morale despite the very dismal situation.

"They're rich kids left without food, shelter, or water in the middle of a giant forest!" Sokka retorts, feeling deeply nervous for his buddies. It was one thing when Zuko was lost in the wilderness with Suki but Toph…he just can't see how they'll be able to keep themselves alive out there. He subconsciously begins rustling against the chains again, craving the freedom to go save his helpless friends.

"They're the most stubborn and resourceful people we know! They'll take care of each other and probably even come to save us. You watch." Suki says confidently, unfazed by the impossible odds facing her friends. Both are incredible fighters in their own right; strong, resilient, and determined. And together…well, she's convinced they'll make a force to be reckoned with for sure!

"Suki, you're beautiful and amazing and I love how optimistic you are. But the reality of this situation is bad…really bad. We need to get out of here and find them before Toph goes feral!" Sokka presses seriously, his mind's eye imagining a snarling and moss-covered Toph feasting on a still-wriggling fish, a wide-eyed and horrified Zuko behind her mouthing for Sokka to save him.

"This is all my fault! I shouldn't have fought with her! It was so petty." Katara says guiltily, her face screwing up against the tears. "Oh nooooow you can admit it." Aang sneers lightly, rolling his eyes in a very passive aggressive way. "What's that supposed to mean?!" She snaps, instantly angered by his judgy tone. "Fighting isn't the way to resolve problems." Aang reprimands gently, his calming tone somehow placating the frustration he'd just provoked.

After a few tense breaths and various changes in her expression, she exhales loudly in defeat. Fighting about how fighting doesn't resolve problems only proves his point after all. "You're right." Katara admits, hanging her head and sighing loudly. "I mean, you know it's bad when Zuko calls you hotheaded." Sokka teases, making his friends chuckle softly. She offers a teary smile to her brother; a half laugh half sob escaping her.

"Do you really think they'll be ok?" She asks the group, looking anxiously at each of them in turn. Sokka sighs quietly, gathering up his nerves and pushing down his own doubts for his sister's sake. "Toph is the toughest person we know. And we know that Zuko will Never give up. They're resourceful and intelligent and like Suki said, they'll take care of each other. They'll be ok." He reasons, earning a thankful smile from his girlfriend. *******

"Soooooo…how do we cook it?" Toph asks innocently, sitting on the log next to the prince who scratches his shaggy head. "I…thought you'd know." He admits guiltily, feeling his stomach growl impatiently as he looks at the large egg cradled in his hand. "Seriously?! You thought I'd know how to cook!?" She asks incredulously, pointing to her chest and raising her brows. "Yeah, I mean…you're a girl… don't girls like that stuff?" Zuko asks, his infamous temper flaring slightly from hunger and pressure of their desperate situation.

"Why would anyone let me cook with fire, I'm blind!" Toph taunts, waving her hand in front of her mocking face. "I'm half-blind!" Zuko counters flatly, completely unaffected by her 'handicap' play. "I'm a Beifong! We had servants do that stuff!" She snaps, her hunger further agitating the constant pain in her abdomen. "And I'm the Fire Prince!" He retorts hotly before sighing loudly and pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to recompose himself.

"Look, I know we're both hungry and irritable but we have to try to stay calm. We have to work together." Zuko reasons, trying his best to take his own advice. "You are real irritable today. Did you start your cycle too?" Toph chides, crossing her arms to display her lingering bad temper. Zuko exhales light steam before continuing in a very forced calm voice, trying to be the more mature one.

"You've been in the group longer. Didn't you ever watch Katara cook?" He asks, his 'calm' tone excessively strained as he over emphasizes each word. "No." Toph deadpans, her misty eyes blankly staring in his general direction. His aggravation quickly turns into embarrassment as he realizes his mistake, his cheeks turning red. "Oh…yeah." He mumbles awkwardly, timidly returning his gaze to the bonfire he'd made.

"What if we use a stick?" He suggests, earning a raised eyebrow and a haughty smirk. "You wanna skewer an egg?" She asks mockingly, instantly making his notorious temper flare once more. "No!" He all but shouts, abruptly stopping himself and exhaling steam. "I mean we could balance it on a branch and just hold it over the fire. Right?" He clarifies, gaining confidence in his plan as he describes it. "Worth a shot." Toph agrees casually, shrugging slightly at his logic. With her noncommittal support, he quickly scans the area, grinning as he finds a Y-shaped stick the perfect size to hold a large egg.

His eyes light up with excitement as he balances the egg over the fire, pride building over his brilliant plan. Who knew you could roast eggs! If only Sokka could see his ingenuity right now, he'd be So proud! "How long do you keep it on for?" Toph asks impatiently scratching her chin as she waits. "I don't know…I've never done this before!" He irritably reminds her, shooting her a reproachful side-glance before turning back to the roasting egg.

He watches in horror as the stick breaks and the egg plummets into the fire, the mangled insides spilling into the ashes. In shock he blinks a few times, watching their meal burn inside the flames atop the dirt.

"The stick broke…didn't it?" Toph asks bluntly, her tone flat and unamused. "This is Impossible!" Zuko shouts, his fists raising above his head as if cursing the heavens.

"Calm drama prince, there's still one left!" Toph coolly reminds her hotheaded friend. ********

Keeping their expressions neutral, they watch quietly as the solemn looking soldier with the water bucket slowly approaches the bound kids. Katara takes a readying breath as she prepares to initiate the plan, her hands at the ready behind her. Before the man gets within striking distance, the irritable leader barks at him to stop then stomps heavily on the ground. Within seconds Katara's hands are encased in solid rock, making it impossible to bend the water they were so kindly bringing to her. She fruitlessly struggles against it, deeply frustrated that he'd somehow guessed the plan. Seconds later, their ankles are also bound to the earth by a thick band of stone, pinning them completely in place.

"UGGGHH! Let us go! We didn't do anything wrong!" Sokka shouts angrily, struggling against the new restraints knowing full well it won't make a difference. "Don't touch them! I'm warning you!" Aang threatens, his brows furrowing as he glares at the large man approaching him, his numb limbs struggling awkwardly against the tight chains. "Give them water." The leader commands gruffly to the soldier, ignoring the boys' demands. "Why are you keeping us here? We didn't do anything!" Suki asks firmly as the leader walks past her without a word.

"Don't touch him!" Katara shouts as he stops in front of the young monk, roughly jabbing another dart into the side of his neck. The three kids glare daggers at the man as Aang hangs limply once more, still conscious, just immobilized. "You idiot! Do you even know what you're doing!? That's the Avatar!" Sokka yells furiously, hating how completely helpless he is having to watch as his friend is drugged yet again.

"We're well aware of who he is." The man says brusquely, shocking both boys. Suki and Katara exchange a knowing look of apprehension, having both seen the defected earth soldiers in the nearby village. "Then why are you doing this? You're Earth Kingdom soldiers, we're on the same side!" Aang states firmly, fixing him with a serious stare that looks rather comical with his head hanging limply against his left shoulder.

"Ba Sing Se fell because of you, boy. You couldn't save one city, one nation! How are you going to save the world?" He asks brusquely, his large fists balling at his sides, his voice thick with resentment. Aang blinks a few times, his large grey eyes growing even wider with the man's convictions.

"Once we heard that the Avatar had returned, we believed wholeheartedly that he could end this war. We fought as hard as we could, many of our brothers gave their lives trying to buy you time to do your job, to bring balance back to the world. But you failed. You can't defeat the Fire Lord…you're just a useless kid." He seethes, pain and fury clear in his tone and hateful expression. Aang seems to recede back into himself, unable to dispute the harsh words. He had failed and not just once. Twice now!

"So what are you going to do, give up?! I get that you're doubtful and all but let us go and he'll prove it to you! He'll end the war and restore peace! But he can't do it while drugged and tied to a tree!" Sokka reasons, livid with the man for hurting his friend so badly. They all know full well how desperately he wants to save the world and how hard he's working to do it! For this guy to swoop in and guilt trip him now is only hindering their mission!

"We held out hope for as long as we could. The Fire Nation has won and now, we have to do what's smart. We have to look out for our families. We have to side with the Fire Nation. It's the only way to survive." The leader says coldly, a deadened look in his eyes as if all the hope had left them. Aang stares at him with wide, horrified eyes, unable to believe what he'd heard. Sokka gapes for a few moments as he processes the man's statement. "Coward!" Sokka shouts as he turns his back to them. The large man pauses in his footsteps before suddenly rounding on the teen.

Within three large strides, the soldier is directly in front of the young man, a moment later a loud strike is followed by shocked silence. Sokka's cheek burns from the man's heavy blow, knowing it must be bruising already. But he refuses to show the pain that he feels and meets the man's glare instead. 'Show no fear' repeats in his mind as he stares at the furious soldier towering above him. Without another word, the man stalks away ordering the soldier with the water to forget it and follow him.

The kids are deathly silent as they watch the soldiers disappear behind a row of red tents, their hearts aching with dread and pain. "That…is why I wanted us to leave, Sokka." Katara says darkly, sighing heavily at the dismal situation. She'd dreaded what would happen if Aang found out about the situation and now that he has, she can see the devastation on his young face. ************

The midafternoon sun hangs above the trees, casting rather cheerful looking patches of light on the forest floor. The shadows and light dance around the two kids by the small bonfire very seriously debating how to cook an egg. "We've got to make sure we don't waste this one, it's the last chance we've got." Zuko says firmly, as if life itself were in the balance. "Can't you just find another nest?" Toph suggests casually.

"No way Toph! It was going for my head the whole time!" Zuko dismisses, shaking his shaggy head as his empty stomach squirms at the thought of how close those large talons had come to gouging his face. "Afraid of a bird now? That's not like you, Sparky." She taunts, smirking at the older teen and hoping it'd hurt his pride enough to get him to look for another nest. "I only have half my face left Toph, I'd like to preserve it!" He counters irritably, smirking as she snorts and giggles at his self-deprecating humor. He can't help but laugh along with her, needing the comic relief to deescalate the tension.

"Ok, I think I've got it. Katara cooks things on pans over the fire sometimes…we should be able to crack it open and cook it on a surface over the fire." He proposes, recalling how he'd seen her fry rabbitmongoose once or twice before. "Coming right up!" Toph says confidently, stomping her foot on the ground and creating a thin, flat pan from the stone, complete with a spatula similar to the one that Katara had requested before.

"Great! Um…can you earthbend the dirt off?" Zuko adds, eyeing the thick layer of soil covering the new object in her hands. "Seriously, Mr. Fussybritches? You're as prissy as Katara!" She mocks playfully, earning a deep scowl from the irritable teen. "Not wanting to eat dirt isn't fussy, it's normal." He counters, rolling his eyes so hard his head moves.

"It's a healthy dose of earth." Toph states casually, like it's a matter of fact. "It's the same as throwing your food on the ground that wild animals have trampled and defecated on. It's not healthy, it's unsanitary." Zuko corrects, looking rather repulsed by the small girl's utter disregard for cleanliness.

"I take it back, you're way prissier than Katara." Toph teases lightly, chuckling to herself as she feels the side facing Zuko warm dramatically. "You're insufferable." He snaps at the brash girl, rubbing his temples as he feels the headache returning. "Quit being so grumpy. Here, I cleaned them off." She orders casually, thrusting the new pan into her irritable friend's hands. "Thanks." He says somewhat indignantly while wiping the pan and spatula off on his tunic, not trusting her opinion of 'clean'.

With another stomp, Toph makes two small ledges on the sides of the fire to balance the pan upon. "Thanks." Zuko says lightly, sounding more pleasant already as he puts the pan in place. She smirks, shaking her head at her touchy friend; one minute furious the next as content as can be. Taking a deep breath, he readies himself for the final attempt, egg hovering over the warmed pan. "Here goes." He says uneasily, cringing as he cracks the shell and lets the insides plop onto the stone below.

Eyes wide with surprise, a sheepish grin forms on his face as he watches the egg cooking, feeling elated with the tiny success! Toph sniffs the air hungrily, her mouth salivating as she smells the enticing scent of food. With utmost care, he uses the spatula to flip the egg, frowning as the yolk bursts. Deciding she won't be able to tell the difference anyway, he haphazardly mixes the goop around, reasoning that scrambled is far better anyway. After a few minutes, it seems all the world like their meal is ready, so he bends the heat from the pan and brings it over to set on the log between them.

"It smells edible." Toph compliments flatly, a mischievous grin on her face. "It looks edible." Zuko agrees amiably, using the spatula to divide the meal in two. "I'll try first, just in case." He adds, feeling doubtful of himself. Not wanting to be called 'fussybritches' ever again, he wipes his hands on his pants before picking up a small bit of egg with his fingers. Cringing slightly as the mush slides into his mouth, his expression quickly changes as he chews. "Not bad!" He announces happily, more than a bit of surprise in his tone.

"You're the man Sparky! Way to cook like a woman!" Toph teases joyfully as her dirty hands scoop into her share, smiling widely as the warm eggs fill her mouth. "Thanks." Zuko says dryly, deciding it best to just roll with it for now. He cringes as he crunches into something, hoping it was just a bit of eggshell. The small earthbender wolfs down her share, her tiny hand searching her side of the pan for any remnants. Something about the act makes his heart ache and he silently pushes the meager remains of his own share toward her.

She smiles as she feels the extra bite, quickly picking it up and greedily eating it. He wipes his hands together in an attempt to clean them before rising from the log. "We should find a water source. We can live a while without food but only a few days without water." Zuko states authoritatively, scanning the forest without a clue of what he should be looking for. How does one go about finding water?

Knowing he's got the survival skills of a dodo, she rolls her eyes and points to the right. "I feel a stream moving further that way. It might take a while to get there though." She reports, feeling far more patient now that her belly is placated.

"That's convenient…that's the direction we need to go in anyway." Zuko says happily, surprised by the uncanny good fortune. Perhaps things were looking up for them! After extinguishing the fire, they continue through the thick forest toward the stream. ********

"Keep your hands off Appa! I'm warning you!" Aang threatens furiously, his tattoos beginning to glow on and off as the earthbenders rough handle the semi-drugged bison. The massive beast growls angrily, starting to fight against its restraints as the soldiers try to keep it under control. "Hit it with the darts!" The leader shouts frustratedly. "Appa!" Aang cries furiously, tears in his eyes as he helplessly watches them drug his mighty friend. Momo hisses and shrieks at the humans harassing his gigantic buddy, his tiny arms stretching between the bars of the cage in a futile attempt to scratch the men 20feet out of reach.

"This will be a lot easier on you if you come quietly." The leader states coldly, standing over the chained kids as he watches his men struggle with the beast. "Come quietly? What exactly is it you plan on doing to us?" Suki asks sternly, her tone that of one in complete control. Her unwavering confidence piques his interest and he turns to look inquisitively at her. "What we have to do." The soldier states plainly, his eyes narrowing at the redheaded girl who glares back without even a flicker of fear. What's wrong with these kids, they don't seem to be afraid at all!?

"And what is it that you Think you have to do?" Katara asks, a bit of mockery in her challenging tone. He frowns as his gaze moves to the waterbender, resentment clear in his rugged features. "We Have to give the Avatar to the Fire Lord. We'll be relocating to Fire Harbor tomorrow, then you'll be sent to the Fire Nation Capitol." He explains grimly, his stern tone as dark and merciless as his expression. "Fire Harbor?" Sokka repeats in a taunting tone, his eyebrow raising.

"Used to be Earth Kingdom Harbor until the Fire Titan and Ember Tiger attacked; made it a stronghold for the Fire Nation. Once Zhao took it over, he renamed it 'Fire Harbor'." The man explains indignantly, his nostrils flaring as he talks, displaying his rage over the subject. "I don't know about any titans or tigers but we fought Zhao plenty of times. Aang took him and an entire Fire Nation fleet down at the North Pole. If you let us go, he can do the same thing to the Fire Lord! He can end this war!" Sokka reasons urgently, trying his best to rationalize with the despondent man.

Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be paying Sokka any mind, his dark grey eyes fixed firmly on Appa. A soldier quickly approaches the leader, whispering something that makes his face grow red with agitated. "Go back to town then and restock. We'll make camp here until your return. We won't make it to Fire Harbor without it." He snarls unhappily, glaring at the motionless Avatar currently at his mercy as the soldier quickly rushes away, nodding obediently.

"You don't have to do this. Please, just let us go!" Katara pleads, her large blue eyes desperate as they meet the soldier's firm and unwavering gaze. "You still don't understand, do you? We don't have a choice anymore. There is no more free-will, it was taken from us the day this one failed." He states darkly, kicking Aang's shin forcefully and earning a scowl from his friends. "We don't have a choice." He growls, his enraged expression faltering sadly as he turns and stalks away.

"Keep the beast covered while we wait, it'll keep him calm." He barks to his men who quickly position a large tent over the giant bison in hopes that the darkness would soothe the beast's persistent growling. *******

Their footsteps crunch loudly on the dead leaves covering this murky part of the forest. The massively overgrown treetops completely hidden in shadow as twilight fast approaches, giving the area a very dismal and eerie feel. "We might not be able to make it to the stream tonight, Toph. It's getting real dark; we won't be able to see where we're going soon." Zuko states, the hairs on his back standing on end as he gets the unsettling feeling of being watched. "Oh no, what a nightmare." Toph says teasingly, grinning as he mutters a quiet 'oh yeah'.

He holds the small flame in his palm a little higher, his other hand ready to grab the dao still sheathed on his back. "Besides, you've got your fire, so what's the big deal?" Toph adds calmly, unable to see the creepy atmosphere that's making him feel so very unsettled. "It only lights up so far. Besides, predators come out at night and will be attracted to the flame. We should find shelter." Zuko reasons, his golden eyes scan their surroundings but are unable to locate any threats despite the nagging feeling of being watched.

"Wait…Sparky…are you afraid of the dark?" Toph taunts cheekily, stopping in her tracks to hold her belly and laugh at the notion. "No!" Zuko snaps in his own defense, rounding on the brash and overconfident young girl. "Wait til the others hear about this! The mighty Fire Prince Zuko, afraid of the dark!" Toph mocks playfully, wiping a tear from her eye. "I am not! Now let's go, it's not safe here!" Zuko orders sternly, steam rising from his fist as he glares at the brash little earthbender.

"What's the big deal? Two master benders can take on anything!" Toph boasts dismissively, her sensitive feet not picking up any danger within a 3-mile radius. "Toph, I'm serious, let's go!" Zuko commands firmly, becoming seriously agitated by her nonchalance. "What's the rush, it's not like there's anything to worry about." Toph says easily as she steps forward, jumping back as she hears something large swing down toward her.

"AHHHHHH!" They both scream as a giant armored tail strikes the earth between them, the massive stinger plunged deep into the stone. A chorus of shrill cries and sharp snapping rings from above, drawing their attention to the creaking branches overhead. Zuko sends the flame in his hand shooting up toward the trees, his eyes growing wide as they take in the sprawling nest of giant spiderscorpions above. The repulsive creatures snap their pincers and shriek as the light temporarily blinds them.

They'd unknowingly wandered into a den of the some of the most dangerous beasts in the Earth Kingdom! Fully grown giant spiderscorpions are well known for slicing trees in two with their massive pincers. Zuko shivers at the morbid thought of what those weapons could do to the less tough and far more sliceable form of a human! "Toph, run!" He yells, grabbing her small wrist and dashing into the darkness ahead. They can hear the giant armored bodies land heavily on the ground as they descend from the treetops to chase their meal, their 8 legs moving with shocking speed.

"What are those things?" Toph cries in a terrified tone devoid of all her previous brash confidence. "Giant spiderscorpions! We have to get to the stream!" He yells as his legs carry him as fast as possible, practically dragging the small girl behind him. "Hold on Zuko! Stop!" Toph shouts, pulling back from his grasp. "Toph!" He shouts, blasting a huge fireball at the massive spiderscorpion that nearly reached the little earthbender. His stomach clenches as he sees the army of armored beasts rapidly approaching.

Toph stomps the ground before raising her hands above her head, a huge earth wall raising along with them, stemming the flow of their attackers. "Good thinking!" He compliments hurriedly before grabbing her wrist and bolting toward the sound of rushing water. Within moments, he can hear the eerie clicking sound of their rapidly moving legs behind them once again. Groaning internally, he quickly shoots another powerful fire blast behind him without pausing their mad dash, hearing a loud shriek from one of the many creatures.

Following his lead, Toph earthbends a boulder back toward the creatures earning an awful crunching sound and a sickening squelch. Panting heavily, they force themselves to run as fast as they can while throwing back boulders and fire blasts at the monstrous creatures shrieking and snapping at their heels.

After what feels like an eternity, they finally break through the tree line and spot the wide, fast-moving stream. Without a second thought, Zuko jumps into the stream pulling a screaming Toph in with him. Loud and sharp clicking pierces the air where their bodies were moments before as the spiderscorpions snap their pincers and fangs angrily. The many eyes of the beasts watch as their meal escapes into the rapids, unable to follow lest their heavy armor drag them down to the stream's bed to drown.

His hand tightly wrapped around her wrist, Zuko pulls Toph into his arms as they're swept away by the heavy current, breathing only a moment of relief as he sees the spiderscopions howling at the stream's edge. "Hold on tight Toph!" He commands the panicking earthbender, her tiny arms wrapping around his neck, her legs clinging to his waist. He'd have to remember to tell the others how she'd clung to him like a frightened little koalasloth!

Without warning, he's thrust under the water, the current dragging them down before forcing them back to the surface. Gasping for air, he quickly realizes they've gone from the frying pan and into the fire! With one arm wrapped tightly around his friend, he tries his best to swim with the other toward the opposite bank. He groans and gasps as he's rammed forcefully into large rocks while he struggles against the unbelievably powerful current. His golden eyes widen with horror as the current grows faster and stronger, his stomach dropping as he realizes what this means. 'You've got to be f***ing kidding me' He thinks to himself.

"Toph…hold on to me very tight. Don't let go, ok?" He orders, the barely contained panic in his tone making her blood run cold. "What is it?" She asks in a very uncharacteristically timid voice, clinging even more tightly to him. "Waterfall." He says simply, bracing himself and his squirming insides as he sees the fall quickly approaching.

"WHAT?!" She shrieks, feeling his arms lock firmly around her back, pinning her to him. 'Where's Sweetness when you need her?!' She thinks briefly, her mind numbing with dread. The next moment she feels them free floating through the air and plummeting downward, her stomach rising to her throat as they both scream and cling to each other.

A few terrifying seconds later, their mouths are filled with water as they plunge beneath the surface. In shock and without air, he desperately tries to swim them up to the surface but the force of the waterfall keeps pushing him down. Coming to his senses, he remembers that he has to swim to the side first then up but already feels himself choking for air. Feeling his feet hit the bottom of the lake, his arms lock tight around the little body clinging to him and he kicks off hard. Swimming with all his might, they slowly start to rise to the surface. His lungs ache, his throat spasming as it demands he take a breath.

The heavy exertion makes his body need air even more and he realizes too late that he should have gone slow. Against his will, his body tries to take a breath, convulsing slightly as water enters his lungs. His vision blurs as he gazes toward the surface just feet away. With all his might he tries to force himself to keep swimming despite his darkening vision. 'Never give up without a fight' repeats in his mind as he unwillingly breathes in more water, his limbs convulsing weakly.

Feeling the arm around her loosening, Toph reacts quickly, unwilling to lose her friend in this nightmare! Her small hands lock around him as tightly as possible as she kicks her legs as hard as she can, like he'd taught her to. Unable to see which way is up or down, she prays this is the direction of the surface! 'Yeah, let the blind girl save you from drowning!' She taunts internally, trying to distract herself from the very real horror she's living.

Her head breaks the surface and she gasps in mouthfuls of air, beside herself with relief! But the body in her arms is heavy and limp and she doesn't hear him breathing. "Sparky!? SPARKY!?" She yells in a panic, trying to shake the teen awake. A string of curses she'd learned from the Boulder and Hippo run through her head as she pulls the deadweight in her arms and swims with all her might in the direction she hopes is the shore. Thankfully the current from the waterfall naturally pushes them toward the bank and she tries to pull him onto the beautiful earth.

Quickly realizing he's far too heavy for her small arms to move, she remembers that earthbending exists and stomps her foot, the earth beneath the water's surface moving his limp body to the safety of the shore. "Sparky?!" She shouts again, coming to his side and slapping his face a few times before putting her ear to his chest. Tears build in her eyes as she can't hear or feel him breathing. Her mind reels as she tries to recall what Katara had insisted she learn that day by the lake, cursing herself for not listening simply to irritate the older girl!

"Where is Katara when you need her!?" She shouts angrily, knowing she'd be able to bend the water from his lungs within seconds. "Ok think Toph, what did Sokka say that day? 'Push the belly…close the smelly…mouth to mouthy'!" She blinks a few times as she mulls over the nonsense motto he'd given her. "The f*** does that mean?!" She growls exasperatedly.

Deciding she needs to do Something rather than just sit here and let her friend die, she starts with the first bit. "Push the belly, ok that one's easy." She says aloud to calm herself, forcefully pressing on his stomach as she recalls the movements Sokka had briefly covered. "Close the smelly…" She says uncertainly as she continues pumping on his stomach. 'Surely, Sokka didn't mean the… backdoor…right? No that would be ridiculous! What other areas are smelly!? Armpits, feet, rear ends…' She inhales sharply as she realizes what the silly saying means.

"The nose! The thing that smells! The smelly thing!" She shouts, her hand feeling around his face to pinch his nose closed. "Mouth to mouthy…Sorry Mai." She says flatly, opening his mouth and pressing her own against his, urgently blowing air into his throat. Cheeks burning, she begins rhythmically pressing on his belly again before closing his nose and breathing into his mouth. "Come on Sparky!" She pleads, feeling tears in her eyes as her nonresponsive friend lays lifelessly before her.

Forcing back the dread and tears, she tries once more, pressing even harder on his belly which makes him jolt. She feels him convulse slightly, coughing violently and sounding like he's gagging as he turns to his side. "SPARKY!" She shouts happily, about to fling her arms around him when he wretches up water all over her knees.

"Gee thanks." She deadpans, patting his back as he continues throwing up water on her. Overcome with a coughing fit, he gasps for air feeling incredibly lightheaded and exhausted as he collapses onto his side. "You ok Sparky?" Toph asks, her tone soft and caring as she listens and waits, noting every movement he makes.

"What…what happened?" He asks, his raspy voice hoarse and pained and he breathes deeply, his lunges aching something awful! "I saved you from drowning." She says boastfully, not an ounce of humility in her tone. "R…really?" He rasps, his golden eyes peeking open to look at the small girl. "You bet." She confirms proudly, raising her chin and pretending it was a piece of cake despite the spine-chilling terror she'd felt the entire time. "Thanks, Toph." He croaks, his dizzy head taking a while to process the incredible turn of events.

She decides to leave out the part where she had to resuscitate him, feeling her cheeks burning with embarrassment. As his senses slowly return, he realizes what the tiny girl must have done to save his life. There were a few times while at sea that he'd had to resuscitate crew members, so he'd long let go of the awkwardness that follows the life-saving act. But seeing her quietly making a bonfire and not mentioning it, he assumes she's probably embarrassed and so he chooses not to bring it up despite feeling incredibly indebted to her.

Sitting up with great difficulty, he breaths in as deeply as his battered lungs allow and weakly thrusts a fist forward, setting the well positioned wood aflame for them. She sighs as she draws near the fire, the cold night breeze making her shiver as goosebumps rise over the skin beneath her soaking wet clothes. "Zuko, could you…bend our clothes dry?" She quietly requests, sounding very young and helpless all the sudden.

He blinks a few times, still very out of it. "Yeah…yeah…come here." He says shaking his head to try to clear it before bringing his hands to her shoulders. With utmost care, he sends heat through his hands into her clothing, steaming the water from the fabric. "Ahhhhhh…that's the stuff." Toph moans happily, her eyes closing as a content smile crosses her face. Zuko chuckles softly, happy to have been able to bring some relief to his friend.

After drying her clothes, he does the same for her hair receiving an even more enthusiastic sigh of approval. "Thanks Sparky." Toph says quietly, staying by his side as he dries himself as well. They fall into thoughtful silence, one watching the flames ahead, the other relishing in its warmth as they process the near-death experience they'd just survived together. "You know, when I called next field trip with you, this is not what I had in mind." Toph deadpans playfully and the teen by her side can't help but laugh loudly, instantly regretting it as his lungs ache painfully.

A comfortable silence falls over them as they zone out. After a long while, a distant roar from within the forest brings them back to their senses. "We still need to find shelter." Zuko says seriously, his insides squirming with the thought of those monstrous creatures. "I'm Not going back in that forest tonight!" Toph states defiantly, crossing her arms over her chest. Not only were those things massive in numbers, the worst part was that she couldn't detect where they were until they descended on them! How terrifying a night!

Zuko looks up and down the dark shoreline, frowning as he doesn't see anything in sight that could be used as a shelter. "Don't worry Sparky, I've got this one covered." Toph says confidently, getting up and stomping her foot. Instantly, three triangular walls spring from the ground creating a sort of teepee large enough for two to sleep in. "I'll provide the shelter, you provide the warmth." She commands pulling a relieved grin from the teen. "I'm so glad you're here Toph." Zuko praises, weakly climbing into the small structure and curling up.

Toph scoots in and without asking rests her back against his belly, wrapping his arm around her as she curls up like a cat, snuggling against the firebender's warm body. Shaking his head, he settles back in and marvels at the fact that he's grown so comfortable with the group! Back on his ship, panic and rage would jolt through his body with the slightest physical contact with another. But now, he can easily fall asleep snuggled up with his friends without a care in the world. The thought of their missing friends makes his stomach ache painfully and he pushes it from his exhausted mind for the time being.

"Goodnight Sparky." Toph says sleepily, her voice a bit muffled as she stomps the final wall mostly up, keeping a small gap to allow some air flow. "Goodnight Toph." He responds gently, feeling himself drifting off within moments of closing his eyes. **********

Firelilies gently caress the tan skin of his calves as he saunters through the crimson field. Taking a deep breath, he scans the endless sea of flowers, watching in horror as it morphs into a bloodred and desolate wasteland. The sky darkens as the wind picks up, his arms flying up to shield his face as it whips harshly against him. "You left me Sokka…I thought…I thought you were my friend." Zuko's raspy voice calls sadly from behind, making Sokka's stomach drop with guilt as he turns to face him.

"Zuko!" He calls, the despair in those golden eyes making his heart ache. He tries to run toward his friend but his legs are incredibly heavy and even after exerting immense effort he still can't move an inch forward! "What happened to 'buddy for lifey'?" Zuko's voice calls out, this time a hint of bitterness and betrayal in his tone. His handsome face twists with pained rage, his hairline receding until he wears the phoenix tail of his banishment.

"Water tribe peasant!" He snarls, golden eyes with hatred as his fists form fire daggers. Past Zuko glares at him with disgust, muscles tensing and shaking with furious energy. "Zuko! No, I didn't mean to! You're still my buddy for lifey!" Sokka pleads desperately, trying with all his might to move his limbs to console his best friend.

The earth rumbles and cracks, splitting open with a deafening boom. The enraged and impish face of Toph appears from the darkness but instead of misty eyes, hers are blood red and glowing with hatred. "How could you!? You left us, Snoozles! You left us to die!" She roars, her small teeth becoming sharp and menacing as she jabs a finger toward him. "No! Toph I wouldn't! Toph!" He yells, feeling the earth give way beneath him and suddenly he's free falling through the darkness.

Landing roughly on his knees in a bowing position, he hears spine-chilling and cold laughter above him. He tries to look up but chains around his neck force his head to remain lowered. Looking to his sides, he sees Katara, Suki, and Aang, bound and forced to kneel. "You've lost Avatar! The world is mine!" The cruel voice rings from above, mocking and menacing. His heart pounds rapidly in his chest as he looks to Aang, the young boy's expression that of utter defeat.

"I lost…I failed." He mumbles again and again, lost in spiraling despair. "No, Aang! Please, get up! You can do it! Only you can defeat the Fire Lord! You can do it Aang! I believe in you!" Sokka presses firmly, his words completely unheard by the Avatar. He looks pleadingly to his sister, the hopeless expression on her face making her look like a mere shell of a human. He turns to his left and sees Suki, wearing a matching look of pure despair and surrender. "No…we…we can't lose." Sokka hears himself say weakly, tears pooling in his eyes as that menacing laughter rings sharply above.

"Your days of tyranny are over Father Lord!" Zuko's raspy voice calls out confidently, shocking Sokka to the core. Surely, the prince wouldn't be so stupid as to take on his father alone?! Last time he'd done that, the man burned half his face off! His heart pounds in his chest with dread. "No, Zuko don't!" He shouts, terrified for his friend.

Scanning the burning surroundings, he spots the calm and poised Fire Prince, long silky hair blowing gracefully in the wind as he gracefully unsheathes his dao. Only, he's not quite Zuko, he's an older and far more confident and heroic version of his buddy, with well-defined, very manly muscles and a strong chiseled jawline. Sokka gapes for a few moments, in awe of his friend's masculine attractiveness and downright beauty. Who knew a man could be called beautiful? Gorgeous even!

"We're taking you down!" A deep and rather masculine voice calls, as an incredibly muscular and hulking version of Toph appears by Zuko's side, the earth shaking with each of her footsteps. He watches helplessly as his friends attempt to take on the Fire Lord, their bodies bracing as he slowly approaches. But the cackling human form morphs into a giant dragon, still oddly wearing the Fire Lord robes and regalia. Heroic Zuko gracefully leaps high into the air with dao gleaming, his long hair flowing elegantly as he soars through the air toward the dragon. Muscle Toph lets out a deep and guttural war cry, her insane muscles flexing as she bounds toward her opponent, a massive boulder lifted high overhead.

"No! Toph, Zuko!" He yells, watching in horror as the dragon releases a ferocious burst of flames that completely engulfs his friends. Their screams send shivers of pain and dread through his body and with a jolt he forces himself to wake. He gasps for air, feeling awful and sickened. "Hey…are you ok?" Suki whispers softly, her large eyes shimmering with concern as he slowly comes to. "N…nightmare." He says dismissively, feeling ashamed for the very unmanly display. "Worried about Toph and Zuko?" She presses gently, her tone warm and comforting.

"How'd you know?" He asks, his large blue eyes widening as he looks at his beautiful girlfriend. "You were mumbling in your sleep." She says calmly, leaving out the more embarrassing bits. She's not sure how he'd respond to her knowing that he refers to the Fire Prince as his 'buddy for lifey' nor if he'd want to talk about why he called Zuko 'so beautiful! Gorgeous!' in an almost lusty tone.

"Oh, sorry." He says quietly, fretting over how loud he'd been and whether or not he'd woken her. "It's ok. Do you wanna talk about it?" Suki asks hesitantly, hoping he'd explain his dream a bit to clarify a few suspicions she now harbors. He sighs heavily, his dazzling blue eyes dropping to the moonlit ground with despair. "It's just…I can't help but worry what they're thinking. Especially Zuko, you know how unsure he is about where he stands with us! I just…I just don't want either of them hurt or thinking we wanted to leave them behind or anything." Sokka explains softly, his voice heavy with worry.

Seeing him so upset, she does her best to nudge her shoulder against his, trying to comfort him despite being chained tightly to a tree. "We can't know what they're thinking right now but we'll make it up to them when we get out of here and find them. They're tough, they'll pull through." She assures gently, unable to promise him that the temperamental prince won't be terribly hurt or seriously question the sincerity of their friendship and his place in the group.

"But…what if they don't forgive us?" He counters sadly, his heart aching with the premature loss of his friends. "Sokka, stop it. They're reasonable and they'll understand! We were captured, it's not like we intentionally left them." She reasons, a light laugh in her calming ad reasonable voice that brings a tiny smile to his face. "Yeah…but…Zuko's so…sensitive." Sokka worries, still in awe of how vastly their relationship had changed over the last year! He'd gone from wanting to repeatedly punch him in his stupid face to coddling his poor sweet feels because heaven forbid his feelings get hurt in any way!

Suki laughs quietly, pulling him from his worry to look at her pretty face. "That's putting it lightly. But he cares about you a lot Sokka. He won't let this ruin your friendship. Besides, who could say no to your handsome face and charm?" She adds, knowing a compliment is a sure-fire way to instantly brighten the young warrior's mood. As expected, a large grin plays on his lips as he shrugs in faux modesty. "I mean you're not wrong." He agrees playfully, happy to have his ego stroked.

Suki smiles at his predictability, her gaze softening as he leans in to kiss her lightly. "And who could say no to your beautiful face and amazing personality?" He purrs dotingly, trailing kisses over her cheek as she blushes and giggles quietly. "Sokka." She reprimands lightly, not really wanting him to stop. Moving her face slightly to allow another actual kiss that goes on a bit longer than intended.

Tightly bound on the side of the couple, Katara's unamused expression darkens further. As the pair kisses yet again, she sticks her tongue out, pretending to gag. "Get a room already!" She snaps, reminding the lovebirds that she's a very much present and unwilling witness to their nauseating romance. *********

"We basically bathed last night, remember? Or did you breathe too much water?" Toph teases while obediently stripping to her underclothes as directed. "Getting wet isn't bathing, Toph." Zuko corrects, rolling his eyes and blushing as he wades into the lake in his undershorts. He knows she can't actually see him but he still feels very uncomfortable being alone with a young girl while so exposed!

"What's the point? We don't even have soap." Toph argues, begrudgingly wading into the shallows of the lake after her friend. "Give me your hand." Zuko orders, scooping a large handful of the slimy clay from the lake's floor and slopping it into her small palm. Her misty eyes grow wide and she blinks in surprise before her face twists with confusion.

"Mud. You want me to clean with…mud?" She asks incredulously, her mocking tone bringing a victorious grin to his face. "Not mud…a healthy dose of earth." He corrects playfully, imitating her proud voice and earning a smirk from the young girl. "It's clay, it soaks up oils. Trust me, it'll work." Zuko assures confidently, having learned the method from his beloved uncle while they were on the run together. His heart aches as he rubs the slimy clay over his skin, remembering how rude he'd been to the wise old man back then. He'd only been helping him and yet he'd spoken so cruelly, lashing out at every opportunity and using him as a punching bag for his anger.

Oblivious to her friend's internal struggle, Toph shrugs nonchalantly before giving it a try. After a few moments, her face twists with surprise that her skin actually feels cleaner after scrubbing with the 'fancy mud'.

"I still don't see the point, we should be more worried about getting out of the forest." She argues, a bit of sass in her tone while she half-heartedly cleans herself; her words snapping Zuko form his dismal thoughts. "Look at it this way, you're not using me as your personal heating pad tonight unless you're clean." He warns lightly, unable to contain his relieved smile as the clay washes away days' worth of dirt and grime. "Ugggghhh." She groans, scooping up some more of the clay from the lake's floor.

"Armpits too!" He orders, his brow furrowing as she haphazardly rubs the clay exclusively on the outermost extremities. "Fine! Mr. Fussybritches." She taunts playfully, exaggeratedly rubbing her underarms while pulling a face. "Don't call me that!" He barks angrily, making her cackle softly at having gotten a rise from him. They fall into a comfortable silence as they work, the stillness broken by their belly's angry growls.

"Sparky? What's the plan now?" She asks softly, her uncharacteristically vulnerable tone making his heart soften and temper dissipate. "I was going to try to fish but there doesn't seem to be anything large enough in the lake to be worth the trouble. The village is located on the stream, so, our best bet is to follow it and try to forage." He reasons thoughtfully as his golden eyes follow the stream's current.

"Sounds good as long as we steer clear of those spiderscorpions." Toph states seriously, her expression darkening slightly. Those creatures had truly been some of the most terrifying things she'd ever encountered and she'd rather never run into them again! A shiver runs through his body as he thinks of the awful beasts, subconsciously eyeing the forest line before starting to wash the clay into their clothing. Both feeling equally embarrassed over their terrified reaction to the beasts, they silently agree to never speak of the attack again; at least not the part where they'd both screamed like kids before frantically running away.

The early morning sunlight shimmers off the stream's current, making the scene feel rather peaceful, completely at odds with the horrifying experiences of the previous night. Bending their clothes dry, Zuko hands his companion her set before quickly dressing, keeping his back to her out of habit. His golden eyes roam to the forest once more as he waits for her to finish dressing herself, scouring the trees for anything edible.

"Ready?" He asks, feeling her come to his side. "Always." Toph says confidently as they resume their journey, sticking close to the stream. "Sparky, are there any fruit nearby?" She asks after her belly rumbles achingly yet again. "No, Toph. I'd tell you if there was. I'm just as hungry as you are!" Zuko retorts irritably, rolling his eyes at her question. "Are there any mushrooms?" She teases, smirking devilishly as he groans. "No, Katara, you can drop it now." He counters, pulling a face at her then blushing as he remembers it's pointless.

"Missing Sweetness, huh?" She says mockingly, raising an eyebrow and grinning mischievously at him. His brow furrows with confusion at her indicative tone, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "What?" He asks sharply, hunger making his infamous temper flare even quicker than usual. "I get the vibe that you kinda Like her." Toph teases, grinning ear to ear as he sputters and tenses with embarrassed anger.

"WHAT?! No! It's not like that! We're just friends! Besides, I've got Mai and she's has…" He stops himself, his cheeks blushing fiercely as he puts his foot in his mouth. "Has a thing for Twinkletoes. Yeah, I know, he talked to me about it." She brags openly, obviously pleased with herself that the Avatar would confide in her, even though she'd sort of forced him to spill the beans.

"Oh…r…really?" He stammers, surprised the young monk would reveal such intimate matters with the brusque little earthbender who seems to thrive on embarrassing others. "That surprise you?" She asks in a mildly challenging tone, her eyebrow cocking. "Well…yeah actually!" He admits bluntly, laughing softly at the admission. "What?! Why?!" She demands, her voice rising shrilly along with her outrage.

"Because you never miss a chance to tease him and that's…well…that's not something anyone wants to be teased about." Zuko explains easily, his face screwing into an apologetic half smile as he looks toward her. "You know, I can be nice too." She counters seriously, feeling very much offended even though she can't argue his point; she does Love teasing Twinkletoes.

"What?!" He feigns exaggerated shock, earning a rough punch to the bicep and a small smile. He chuckles to himself, rubbing his arm while grinning at his companion. "So…what should we do?" She asks, sounding rather young and unsure. "What do you mean?" He says lightly, confused by her vulnerable tone. Surely, she doesn't mean what they should do about the predicament they're currently in; he'd already told her his plan for Agni's sake! Follow the river to the village, try to forage on the way…simple!

"To help our clueless friends." She clarifies sassily, rolling her unseeing eyes at his thickness. He bites his tongue, sighing heavily to offset his temper before responding. "Toph…there's nothing we can do. It's something they have to figure out by themselves. Besides, we have our own problems to worry about right now." He adds, his stomach grumbling angrily as he scours the area for anything edible. After a few more steps, he realizes she's no longer beside him. Quickly turning, he spots the little earthbender just standing there, fists clenching while her head hangs.

"Sparky. What if…what if we can't find them?" Toph asks, her head lowering further to hide the pained expression on her impish face. His heart aches with the despairing note in her voice, sounding so very much like a scared and lost child…which technically she is but it still seems odd! Doubling back, he places a warm hand on her tiny shoulder, squeezing comfortingly.

"Are you forgetting who you're with or are you doubting my ability to find the Avatar?" He asks playfully, earning a soft giggle from his companion. "You know how much practice I've had? You should be thankful you're stuck with me!" He feign-brags, making her chuckle with relief and amusement. "My apologies oh great Avatar Finder!" She says playfully, wiping at her unseeing eyes and dampened cheeks bashfully.

"Don't worry, a young bald monk with blue tattoos is unmissable and with how obnoxiously friendly he is, no one Ever forgets seeing him. And Sokka usually leaves an impression on people with his ability to eat an obscene amount of meat in one sitting. That or they'll be moved by a passionate and overly hopeful speech from Katara. Trust me, people remember them." He explains affectionately, remembering the many villages he'd visited, each time having just missed the unmistakable trio.

Toph giggles at the information, tickled by the new viewpoint. "Doesn't sound like they even tried blending in. How is it you never caught them?" She asks curiously, starting to walk once more. "Hey, I caught them a few times! They just always got lucky. And they had the speed advantage on Appa. If they'd been on foot, it would've been a different story." Zuko admits rather darkly, feeling vaguely resentful of the repeated losses he'd endured yet deeply comforted that they had escaped past Zuko.

"Whatever you say, Sparky. I'm just glad you're on my side." Toph states fondly, punching his arm to snap him from the depressing thoughts she knows he's entertaining. A small half smile crosses his face as he rubs his arm, feeling deeply grateful for his current state, other than the starving and lost in the wilderness bit of course. ***********

In the midmorning sunlight, the kids glare as the leader of the Earth soldiers passes by, ignoring their pointed looks and incessant demands for release. Sokka sighs quietly in defeat, wishing he could do something more than simply shoot nasty looks and empty threats at his new enemies. His large eyes snap to the large figure slowly approaching their little corner of camp, his expression twisting with suspicion. The kind-faced and rather fatherly-looking soldier hesitates about 10ft away, seeing the kids staring at him with such dark expressions.

"I'm here to help. You must be hungry." He states warmly, his demeanor very kind and soothing, just as a good parent's would be. "If you wanted to help us, you'd let us go." Katara counters irritably, her eyes narrowing as he approaches despite her threatening tone. Ignoring her comment, he gently places the small water bucket on the ground beside the tree Aang's suspended on. "That looks quite uncomfortable…may I?" He asks the Avatar kindly, noting with empathy the position of the young man's head laying limply on his left shoulder.

"Yes please." Aang responds kindly, happy to receive the help and kindness the man's offering. With utmost care, the soldier carefully repositions the boys head to center before bringing a ladle full of water to his mouth. He patiently lets him drink his fill without commenting on the mess Aang's accidentally making of himself, unable to feel what he's doing and dribbling water all down his front. "Thank you." Aang says after his third ladle-full, his grey eyes watching as the soldier peels an ashbanana for him. "My name's Aang. What's yours?" He asks in a friendly manner before taking a bite of the fruit the soldier holds out for him.

"My name is Don Yu. I'm sorry to meet you under these circumstances Avatar Aang." The soldier admits kindly, slowly feeding the young monk. "Me too." Aang agrees sadly, the weight of guilt feeling impossibly heavy on his numb chest. "Don Yu, who is that leader of yours? Why are you guys all following him?" Aang asks curiously, wanting to know everything that had led to this awful situation. Don Yu hesitates a moment before moving on to the trio on the other tree, offering water to Suki first.

He remains quiet until she's through her second ladle full. "His name is Mu Fang. He was the leader of our battalion. A brave man, full of righteous conviction and drive. He was truly inspiring." Don Yu says sadly, his deep voice lowering so that only the kids would hear. "Funny, doesn't seem so righteous to me." Katara counters irritably, glaring at Mu Fang's back and wishing she could firebend it aflame. Don Yu nods slowly, a defeated expression on his weathered face as he offers the ladle to Sokka.

"It's easy to judge when you're looking from the outside." He muses wisely, his voice sounding distant and despairing. "I'm not proud of it but we were all changed by the war." He adds darkly, his expression twisting with shame. "What happened?" Sokka asks softly, feeling strangely sympathetic for the soldier before him, kindly offering them water. Don Yu meets his brilliant blue eyes, his own looking rather deadened with hardship and suffering.

"Tragedy upon tragedy. More so for Mu Fang than the rest of us, which is saying something." He adds, snorting darkly as a haunted look crosses his face. "He risked everything to defend the Earth Kingdom and lost it all. He led us on the front lines with his younger brothers, he convinced them to join us and fight, believing that the Avatar was going to win soon and that the end of the war was near." He explains, his voice thick with his dismal knowledge. He moves to Katara, offering her water as he continues to explain.

"But after a few long and bloody months, our division grew smaller and smaller. We could barely hold on, the only thing that kept us fighting was the hope that the Avatar was on our side and would soon end our suffering. After Ba Sing Se fell, we were completely overwhelmed by the Fire Army. Mu Fang's brothers, the one's he'd convinced to fight beside him, were killed before him. Right before his eyes." He explains, his hands freezing as the horrid memory flashes through his mind. The stunned kids remain quiet, sympathy and sadness in their eyes.

"What happened?" Aang asks gently, needing to know all the grim details. His voice seems to snap Don Yu from his temporary daze and he begins to peel an ashbanana to feed to Suki.

"We had no choice but to retreat. We tried to make it to our village to protect our families, only it was on fire when we returned. Mu Fang ran into his burning home to save his loved ones. But his elderly parents were already dead. He pulled out his wife and their two kids. She was badly injured but her and their oldest survived. Their infant child…he'd never even met; he was on the front lines when his wife went into labor…their baby died in his arms. Many of our families suffered similar losses. I was fortunate that my wife survived. She was badly burnt though and will carry the scar on her face and neck but I still find her beautiful." He says lovingly, the affection and devotion he has for his spouse blatantly clear in his tone.

"So how did you all end up serving the people who burned your village and killed your loved ones?" Sokka asks with the perfect balance of softness and bluntness before taking a bite of the ashbanana the soldier holds for him. Don Yu's expression darkens with guilt and shame as he sighs heavily.

"The Fire Soldiers surrounded the village and survivors. They were going to either kill or imprison us all. Having lost too many loved ones already, Mu Fang offered to swear loyalty to the Fire Lord if they would spare his wife and child. Taken by surprise, the Fire Soldiers accepted and offered us all the same choice. None of us could bear to watch our loved ones be killed, not when we could stop it. And so, here we are." Don Yu ends sadly, the dismal tone and expression that of an utterly defeated man.

Not knowing what to say, the kids sit in heavy silence as he peels the last ashbanana to feed to Katara. She forces herself to eat despite the nauseated feeling in her empty stomach. "I'm sorry." Aang says quietly, his heart aching for these poor soldiers. They only wanted to protect the ones they loved; a desire he shares with them. They'd believed in the Avatar, in him, had hoped that he would finally save them, and he'd failed them miserably. "I'm sorry too." Don Yu repeats sadly, his heavy eyes meeting Aang's despairing gaze.

Understanding the situation better, Katara watches the soldiers huddling around the fire, looking so hopeless and miserable that it makes her heart hurt. Her expression twists as she tries to think of what she could possibly say that could instill hope back into their lifeless hearts. But everything she can think of only falls flat. These men gave it all, had held out for so long, sacrificed too much. No words alone could reignite that belief in them. And with their families currently being held hostage, their hands are forced.

"Don Yu." The leader's stern voice calls from across camp, snapping the kind soldier from his daze. He nods to Mu Fang in understanding before rising and casting them all one last sorrowful glance. His large form disappears into the camp as a group of men secure a freshly dressed boar-q-pine on the spit over the large fire.

Dread fills their stomachs as they mull over the awful story they'd heard, no one really able to fully blame the desperate soldiers anymore. **********

The little earthbender reclines against a thick tree, hands resting behind her head as she chews on a long blade of grass, moving the stalk around left and right without any care as to how improper she appears. Her sensitive feet keep tabs on her companion's whereabouts as he treks through the forest toward her. By his quickened pace, it seems like he may have found some food after all! "Toph! What do you think about these?!" Zuko asks excitedly, rushing to present the branch full of dark berries to his friend to analyze. She blinks in his direction a few times, raising her eyebrows and smirking.

"I think you're forgetting something." She deadpans flatly, pulling one lower lid down as she makes a face at the Fire Prince. He grimaces as he realizes his mistake, feeling rather glad that she can't see his burning cheeks. "Well yeah, I know you can't see them! I…I thought maybe you could smell them, you know, heightened senses and all." He argues defensively, trying his best to save face as she snickers at him. "Whatever you say Sparky. Come on then, let me smell." Toph commands, motioning for him to bring the berries closer.

"It smells…like a branch." She expertly notes, earning a dramatic eyeroll. "The berries On the branch!" Zuko snaps irritably, his patience wearing dangerously thin. "Well how am I supposed to know that?! You didn't tell me!" Toph barks, her stomach twisting with hunger. Exhaling steam, Zuko clenches his teeth, his hand tightening around the branch as he tries to regain his composure. "Ok. Let's stay calm." He says soothingly more to himself than to her. Picking up on the tense quiver in his tone, Toph decides it best not to tease any further so as not to push the irritable prince over the edge.

"Do they look ok?" Toph asks, frustrated for the first time in her life at not being able to see! "Do you really trust My opinion?" Zuko asks, laughing in a slightly deranged way. Too many days devoid of food and full of life-threatening danger pushing him very close to his snapping point. "I've never smelled berries like this before." She says seriously, hoping to deescalate her friend's mounting outburst. Zuko exhales in disappointment, his shoulders sagging as he looks at the rather menacing looking berries.

"Me neither. They're really dark and tiny…they look like berries Uncle once warned me about." He says sadly, his raspy voice sounding quite dejected. "We could try one…could one be That bad?" Toph suggests hopefully. After considering the idea for a few long moments, Zuko shakes his head and tosses the branch back into the forest. "No, with the way our luck's been, we'd probably drop dead on the spot." He states firmly, sighing as he resigns himself to a few more days' worth of hunger pains.

"Or diarrhea for days." Toph says bluntly, pulling a face as she nods in agreement. "Charming. But yeah. That'd only make things worse." He agrees, shaking his head at the noble-born girl's crude manners while helping her up. Toph takes a moment to brush off the dirt from her clothes before continuing on the journey down the riverside. "Toph? Can I ask you a question?" Zuko asks after a few long thoughtful moments. "You just did." She teases flatly, giggling as he shoots her a mildly disapproving look.

"What are you going to do after all this?" He presses, his voice softening slightly. "I'm going to eat my way through an entire hippocow in front of Aang in the most grotesque way to piss off Katara without sharing any with Sokka…then I'll probably punch their arms until they can't use em anymore and make them do random chores for me for the next 5 years." She states bluntly, smirking at the thought of eating like a barbarian in front of Sweetness and the aghast tone she'd surely have while yelling at her to stop.

"Charming. What I meant is, what are you going to do after the war? Are you going to go back to your parents?" He clarifies, wondering what on earth the future holds for the brash little girl he'd come to be so protective and fond of. "Hm…I don't know…I've been focused on training Aang an haven't really thought of what happens after." Toph admits, bringing her hands behind her head as she walks and considers the possibilities.

"I do want to see my parents and apologize for running away…and also rub it in their faces that I helped the Avatar end the war cause I'm such an incredible earthbender. But after that…I'm not sure what I'll do." Toph muses, equal parts serious, vulnerable, and playful. Zuko nods thoughtfully as he considers her response, his heart aching with the thought of his uncle and whether or not he'd be lucky enough to get the change to apologize as well.

"What about you, Sparky?" Toph asks curiously, picking up a dead branch and swinging it about lazily. The Fire Prince sighs sadly at the question, feeling the weight of reality on his shoulders. "I don't know if there is an 'after the war' for me, Toph." He admits darkly, the words that had been swirling in his head sounding much more ominous when spoken out loud. Toph abruptly stops in her tracks, turning her misty eyes toward her favorite firebender and furrowing her brows.

"Don't say things like that Zuko!" She barks angrily, clenching her jaw against the unwanted surge of emotions. "Toph, both my lunatic sister and unbeatable father want me dead. You've seen how powerful Azula is and my father's even stronger than her. I don't have good odds of coming out of all this alive." He reasons calmly, feeling guilty for confiding in the young girl. The dismal thoughts had just been gnawing away in his empty stomach since the others had abandoned them and he couldn't hold them back any longer.

"Aang's going to take your father down Sparky, that's what we've all trained him for. As for Azula, me and the gaang will kick her butt before she lays a finger on you." Toph says assuredly, her confidence in their abilities completely unshakeable. He eyes her curiously as she resumes idly swinging the branch around, displaying her unwillingness to continue discussing the topic. Unable to stop himself, a broad smile of relief crosses his face as he takes in her statements and the sentiments behind them. A sudden surge of despair follows as he considers the fate of his sister and father. He'd been mentally preparing for the Avatar to take his father's life but hadn't really thought about what will happen to his little sister.

"I know what you're going to do after the war, Sparky. You're going to be the new Fire Lord." Toph states boldly, completely convinced of her prediction. Instinctually Zuko shakes his head, his hands raising as if to wave away the silly notion.

"No, Toph, I've done too many terrible things. I'm not honorable and I don't know what's right, I can't even give advice! My uncle will be Fire Lord. He's honorable, benevolent, and wise. He'd know what to do." He refutes humbly, smiling fondly at the thought of his beloved uncle and missing the eyebrow Toph raises at him. They walk in silence for a few long moments, listening to the water flowing and the wind rustling the leaves of the trees.

"You know Sparky, Katara and Aang are two of the most honorable and moral people ever. They both value your judgement and go to you when they don't know what the right thing to do is. You don't give yourself enough credit." Toph says, laying out the truth in clear sight.

Zuko blinks at her, stunned by her words and slowly realizing their validity. Both are the most ethical and morally driven humans he'd ever met (other than his uncle of course!) and he respects them tremendously. Somehow, he hadn't really given much thought about how often they ask for his opinion. The darker part of his mind and self-doubt rejects the idea, believing that they were asking to test him to see if he'd changed. But then again, they both had very clearly trusted him for a long time and still ask him for guidance quite often. His mind reels as he considers her words and his own worthiness. Could he be the next Fire Lord?

Suddenly, Toph's small hand tightly wraps around his wrist and with surprising strength she pulls him with her into a large bush near the stream's edge. "Toph, what are…" He hisses irritably, glaring at her as she slaps her hand over his mouth and shushes him. Seeing her serious expression, he quickly relents, realizing that she'd probably detecting someone or something approaching. A shiver runs down his spine at the thought of those terrifying spiderscorpions but he quickly pushes it away, knowing the monstrous creatures don't venture out in the daylight. They hold their breath and remain completely still as they hear two figures approach.

As slowly as possible, Zuko parts the leaves just enough to peek his good eye out and take in the intruders. With the gold and green armor and unmistakable domed helmets, the two men are of course earth kingdom soldiers, but something feels off to the Fire Prince. Trusting his gut, he remains completely still so as not to give away their location. Toph follows his lead, keeping perfectly quiet as she 'follows' the men with her earthbending. He watches as they fill multiple water buckets in the stream while speaking in low, rough tones, both sounding quite solemn.

As quickly as they appeared, the soldiers retreat back into the forest carrying the heavy buckets. When their footfalls have disappeared, they quietly crawl from the bush and brush off their dirtied clothing. Zuko shakes his head at the very improper and unrefined position he'd once again found himself in, thanking the spirits that Azula wasn't there to see him in such a state!

"Earth kingdom soldiers. They must be fetching water to bring back to camp." Zuko muses lightly, bringing one hand to his chin as he weighs reward against risk. "There Has to be food back at their camp." Toph adds, her mouth salivating with the thought of a decent meal. Turning to her, he removes a large twig from her hair before nodding. "My thoughts exactly. Let's follow them but not too closely. I get a bad feeling from these guys." He cautions, his gut telling him to tread carefully here.

"What's the problem Sparky? They're earth soldiers and we're starving kids." Toph asks, confused by his abnormally cautious behavior. After all, this is the guy who'd jump off a 60ft tower or break into a maximum-security prison without a second thought. Did hunger drain all the reckless fun from him? "Just…trust me on this, ok?" He urges seriously, his golden eyes narrowing as they scan the forest. "Whatever you say my fretful prince! This way, I can still feel them walking." Toph says playfully before leading him into the forest. ********

The setting sun sends deep orange and red streams of light running across the ground, alternating with long dark shadows from the trees to create a warm, dramatic, and mildly dangerous feel to the area. Smoke billows from the massive fire, rising into the darkness of the thick foliage above as the soldiers go about their duties. Slowly, two black-haired heads tentatively rise a fraction from the thick bushes surrounding the clearing, just enough to let them peek inside. Zuko's golden eyes narrow as he glances at the young girl crouching beside him.

"What are you doing? It's not like you can even see them!" He hisses quietly, urging her to lower her head to decrease their chances of being seen. "No but I can smell that meat better up here." Toph retorts, her misty eyes closing as she takes a deep whiff of the soldiers' roasting dinner. The Fire Prince rolls his eyes but can't help the tiny smirk playing at his lips, the promise of an actual meal sending their spirits soaring with delight. He shakes his head, subconsciously placing a hand on his growling belly to hush it as he scans the encampment. A few large tents are surrounded by multiple smaller tents placed systematically throughout the large clearing around a huge fire that's currently roasting an enormous boar-q-pine.

The strange thing though, is that some of the tents have the Fire Emblem emblazoned on their sides while the others are the standard green and gold of the Earth Kingdom. Likewise, most of the soldiers' don both nations' colors but they all appear to be of the Earth Kingdom, making for a rather confusing sight. Did they steal Fire Army supplies from their opponents after defeating them? The Fire Prince's mind spirals as he considers the possibilities. "Well, let's get some dinner!" Toph states confidently, suddenly moving upward as if to strut into the camp. Without hesitation, he roughly pulls the earthbender back into the bush and covers her mouth firmly.

"We can't just stroll right in, Toph! I'm the Fire Prince, it's not like they're going to offer me a free meal for asking nicely!" He says rapidly in a hushed tone, worry straining his raspy voice. "You're still wearing Earth Kingdom colors, aren't you? How would they guess you're the Fire Prince?!" She counters knowingly, having heard Sokka going on and on about how good the clothes he'd picked for Zuko looks on him.

"Scar, Toph. Not many people have half their face burnt. It's a dead giveaway!" Zuko deadpans, stifling a snicker as he sees her cheeks burn pink. "Oh…right…forgot about that." She says sheepishly, unable to believe she'd forgotten such a thing! Mulling things over, she decides that if the guy without any sense of self-preservation regards the situation as dangerous, she should probably proceed with caution as well.

"Guess we'll just have to do this the good old-fashioned way." Toph says mischievously, rubbing her fist and smirking devilishly. Zuko's head cocks to the side as he eyes his companion. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He says coyly, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. "Let's steal some dinner." Toph suggests, a devilish grin on her face. He can't help but smile at her eager willingness to break the rules. His demanding stomach quickly overpowers the guilt over stealing the soldiers' meal and he returns his attention to scanning the encampment for possible routes of attack.

"Ok, give me a minute to come up with a plan." He says firmly, one hand coming to his chin as he mulls over their possible options. The camp is quite large, housing at least 30 soldiers all of which are out and about. The chances of them sneaking in unnoticed is nearly impossible. But if they could create a big enough distraction somehow, they could quickly dart in and take their fill before making a hasty retreat.

Toph sighs her disapproval, wanting to simply ambush the soldiers head on, grab a chunk of the boar, and disappear into the forest like a wild animal. As the minutes drag by, she rests her cheek against her friend's arm, sighing once more to hurry his thought process along. "Relax Toph. We need to wait until it's cooked anyway. The last thing we need is to get worms!" Zuko cautions, his rumbling stomach making it hard to take his own advice and stay patient. The savory scent of roasting meat drifts around the clearing, nearly intoxicating the starving kids. Her misty eyes roll back as she desperately sniffs the delectable aroma.

"Eh! Toph, you're drooling on me!" Zuko hisses, grimacing at the moistened sleeve where her chin had been resting. "I can't help it! It smells so good!" She says defensively, inhaling the heavenly scent of the fatty boar-q-pine. "I know." He agrees, his stomach growling angrily as he watches the soldiers slowly turn the pig on the spit. "How much longer until it's cooked?" Toph asks, ready and willing to pounce on the meal at any moment. "You're asking me? I couldn't even cook an egg, remember?" Zuko teases, his self-deprecating humor endlessly amusing to her.

"If you're going to keep us here, you could at least give us some of that meat!" A distant and familiar voice chides from the farthest corner of camp. Zuko and Toph exchange shocked expressions that morph into uncontrollable excitement. "Snoozles?!" Toph breathes in disbelief, quickly following the Fire Prince as he silently maneuvers through the foliage around the encampment toward where the voice had sounded. Their hearts pound wildly in their chests at the prospect of finding their missing friends, excited energy coursing through their battered bodies and powering them forward.

"Sokka, stop wiggling around so much! These things are pinching me!" Katara's frustrated voice commands, the metal clanking instantly ceasing. Toph's heart flutters with a flood of emotion at the sound of the voices bickering. "Zuko…it's them! You really did find the Avatar!" She praises mockingly, beside herself that they've inadvertently found their friends while attempting to steal food. "How about that…" He muses, his lips curving upward as he mulls the irony over.

Days' worth of tension and doubts suddenly burst through the tight restraints they'd been suppressed in, bringing pained tears of relief to their eyes. Their friends hadn't left them after all, they'd been held up by these soldiers! His smile disappears as he spots their friends, his stomach twisting with rage as he sees the thick heavy chains around them, pinning them in place. In the bush beside him, Toph recoils slightly with the sudden jump in temperature, the heat radiating off him in waves as his fists clench. "What's wrong Sparky?" She asks seriously, knowing that reaction means something is terribly wrong.

"Those soldiers captured them. They're chained up like criminals." Zuko seethes, his golden eyes flashing dangerously as he takes in Aang's oddly limp form dangling against the massive tree. Momo chirps wildly, his little paws scratching and pulling at the bars of the cage as his large eyes stare in their direction as if calling for their help.

"We gotta get em out!" Toph punches her hand before starting to rise. The teen's strong hands grab her shoulders and pull her down to kneel beside him once more. "We can't just barge in. We need a plan." He advises sagely, his uncle's reprimand to think things through ringing sharply through his mind. "But Sokka's the plan guy." Toph deadpans. "I'm the Fire Prince. I studied battle strategy since I was 4. Just give me a second to think." Zuko snaps flatly, in complete awe of how little his friends comprehend of his abilities and training. He's a Prince for Agni's sake! Held to an impossibly high standard and subject to rigorous training from a very young age.

"Ok, think away oh new strategy guy." Toph teases lightly, earning a half-hearted scowl. "I have an idea, you're not going to like it, but it'll work. Follow me, I'll explain on the way." He commands, leading her back into the darkening forest. She follows suit, groaning with apprehension over what his plan might entail. *********

"Don't get too comfortable Avatar, tomorrow you'll be moved to Fire Harbor and then to Caldera to accept your punishment." Mu Fang's deep voice calls, reminding the kids of the grim fate awaiting them. Aang's head hangs even lower after looking at the man's loathing expression, recalling the horror story of his past and the burden of guilt and shame. So much loss and pain he'd endured, his hope shattered completely by the Avatar's defeat. He'd failed. He'd failed and people lost their lives, their loved ones, their freedom.

Not even Katara could reinstall hope into these men…are they too far gone; did he mess up so badly that it can't be fixed? Is there no way to breathe life back into these brave men who'd lost so much of themselves? Guilt and self-doubt swirl in his nearly empty stomach making him feel rather nauseous. The numbness in his body had very slowly begun to recede, restoring the sensations of intense discomfort and pain yet still inhibiting mobility. He welcomes the physical pain though, feeling as if he deserves to be punished. Ending the war and bringing balance to the world is his destiny, his single most important job as Avatar! How many times can he fail?!

His large grey eyes close against the tears, his brows furrow as he lets himself feel the full weight of his task. Crushing defeat drains the strength from his immobilized limbs, followed by intense exhaustion. It's just too much. He's only one kid after all. How can he save the world? He can't even save himself right now! Bitter tears roll down his cheeks as the self-pity chases away all confidence he'd previously felt. Suddenly, he recalls a time where he'd felt this same frustration and anger, the desire to quit and walk away.

His younger self growls with annoyance as he stands up once more only to kick out at the air, fists clenched. "Ugh! Why can't I get it!?" He seethes to the empty courtyard, his backside throbbing from falling so many times. Taking a deep breath, he bends the large swirling ball of air once more and tries his best to quickly jump on and steady himself. For the millionth time, he instantly loses balance, the mass dissipates, and he falls back onto the cold stone, his tailbone feeling as if it'd cracked in two from the impact.

Overcome with frustration, he curls into himself, his fists by his ears as he growls angrily. After a few moments, his energy drains from him, all will and drive to perfect the stupid 'air scooter' idea seeping from his heart. Sitting in self-pity, he resigns to abandon the silly notion, believing it to be impossible. Sighing deeply from his willing submission to defeat, he jolts as he suddenly feels a presence beside him. His large grey eyes look up to see the kind face of his beloved mentor smiling serenely at him. "Monk Giatso?" He greets awkwardly, wondering just how long he'd been there.

"Pupil Aang. I see you're working on your 'air scooter'. How is it coming along?" Giatso asks, a gentle smile lingering on his ancient face as his bright eyes shimmer with life and vibrancy. Aang lowers his gaze to the ground, unwilling to look at his mentor while admitting defeat. "Well…not good. I…I don't wanna do it anymore. It was a stupid idea anyway." Aang admits sadly, the words bringing a deeper level of shame to his heart. "You're giving up?" Giatso says calmly, his placid and lighthearted tone void of any judgement which only furthers the boy's guilt. "It…it's impossible." Aang explains miserably, feeling pathetic as well as a failure.

"Aang, the only true failure…is when you stop trying." The wise words bring tears to his large grey eyes and comforts his aching heart. Somehow with only a few sentences and his loving presence, the old man had breathed life back into his struggling pupil. "Come on Aang, I'll help you." Giatso offers warmly, the idea of taking on the daunting task feeling far lighter with someone by his side.

Aang sighs as he recalls the rollercoaster of emotions that day brought. The despair and crushing defeat followed by a revival of hope and eventual success as he finally was able to balance on the air scooter with Giasto's sagely tips and encouragement. But that was then and it was only an air scooter he was struggling with not the fate of the world! This is much bigger! The overwhelming weight of the world presses upon his shoulders as his heart oscillates between hope and despair.

Seeing the Avatar looking so conflicted and torn, Sokka's heart aches painfully, his handsome face twisting as he tries to force his brain to think of some way out of this mess! "Ok…how about this one? One of you pretend to faint, someone will Have to unchain you to try to revive you! When they do, knock them out and quickly release us!" He suggests in a hushed tone. "Why don't You pretend to faint Sokka? Why does it have to be one of us?!" Katara snaps irritably, unable to believe the lingering sexism her brother still harbors.

"Then pretend to be on your cycle! Same outcome, hit them, release us." Sokka pivots, earning two very unamused looks from the females he's bound beside. "Why don't You pretend to be on your cycle Sokka?" Suki deadpans disapprovingly, an eyebrow raising threateningly at her boyfriend who rolls his eyes and sighs heavily. The trio fall into frustrated silence as they mull over the situation and what on earth they might be able to do to escape. Katara's brilliant blue eyes roam to Aang once more, her heart tightening in her chest at his dismal expression. She could tell that the soldier's story had really gotten to him, shaken him to his core. Nothing she'd said had been able to get through to him since! It's like all hope had been drained from him.

"There's a chipmunksquirrel in that tree!" Sokka's excited voice snaps her from her concern. "If I can gain its trust, perhaps I can train it to steal the keys for us." He explains, his tone and expression serious and eager, fully believing the silly notion could actually work. "Seriously?" Suki retorts flatly, eyebrow raising at his ridiculous plan. His bright expression rapidly falls with her response and he squeezes his eyes shut tightly, grimacing against the headache brewing between his temples.

"I know, I'm grasping here! I'm out of plausible ideas! But I can't just sit here and wait for them to ship us off to the Fire Lord! I'm a realist, I'm aware of the odds, and I know that unless someone comes to rescue us, there's little chance of avoiding that trip to the Fire Nation. I also know that 99% of the people who'd be willing to help us are either missing or locked in prison but it's not going to stop me from fighting!" Sokka presses firmly, the thought of their imminent journey to the Fire Lord making his stomach twist.

"Sokka, there's more chance of you gaining that chipmunksquirell's trust than of someone coming to rescue us out in the middle of nowhere." Suki reasons miserably, knowing just how far into the wilderness they'd found themselves and that even if some unknown ally found out about their situation, they'd never make it in time. "Hey, I rescued you from the highest security prison in the Fire Nation." Sokka reminds her, smiling encouragingly as her expression softens.

"Taking All the credit now, huh?!" Zuko whispers behind them, earning a high-pitched awkward sound from Sokka who nearly jumps from his skin. "Quiet down there!" A soldier barks, shooting a stern look at the wide-eyed young man before turning back to the fire. "Sorry! Bramblebug bite me." Sokka lies, forcing a very fake laugh before craning his neck to try to spot his buddy.

"Zuko?" Sokka whispers urgently into the darkness behind him, hearing quiet movements nearing the tree they're bound to. "What's up, Snoozles?" Toph's hushed and easy-going tone rings from behind them. Hearts pounding furiously with fresh hope and relief, the three desperately try to control their expressions so as not to alert the guard's attention. "We leave you guys alone and the entire operation falls apart! What would they do without us Toph?" Zuko teases in a faux serious manner. "Get themselves stuck to trees, apparently." Toph answers mockingly, pulling relieved and playful grins from their captive friends.

"We were SO worried about you guys! Where've you been?!" Katara asks in a hushed voice, the strain and motherly concern making them both feel strangely guilty for even thinking they'd abandon them. "Now's not really the time, Katara. Listen, we're going to get you out of here but don't make any movements until I give the signal, ok?" Zuko instructs, his voice barely above a whisper. As quietly as possible, Toph bends the earthen cuffs off their hands and feet, stalling on breaking the chains until the Fire Prince gives the go ahead. "Zuko! I can't believe you guys found us!" Sokka breathes, his hushed voice full of awe. "Not like I haven't done it before." Zuko muses, earning a quiet snort from his buddy and stifled giggles from Suki and Katara.

"Where's Appa?" He asks, golden eyes keenly scanning the bizarre encampment for their massive friend as he peeks around the tree. "In that giant tent just ahead, he's chained up as well and there's a guard inside." Suki whispers, keeping her expression perfectly neutral as a soldier glances in their direction. Seeing the man looking over, Sokka's face twists in an attempt to look normal, making him look rather constipated while Katara smiles dopily to avoid suspicion. The kyoshi warrior rolls her eyes at her friends, wondering how on earth they've even made it this far!

"Ok, Toph you get Appa, I'll get Aang." Zuko proposes seriously, hoping to kill two lizardbirds with one stone before anyone notices. "Works for me." Toph agrees confidently, snapping the thick metal chain before quietly darting into the massive tent. "You guys stay put and pretend you're still chained up until she's in." Zuko instructs, snickering slightly at the Avatar's dumbfounded expression as he sees his earthbending teacher dart past him. Having become used to his friends' spontaneously strange behaviors, Aang hadn't given it much thought when Sokka had made that weird sound nor to the siblings' awkward expressions.

The guard in the tent yawns as he turns from the hairy beast towards the entrance. "Here to relieve me? Took ya long 'nough!" He grunts roughly, his head cocking to the side in confusion as he spots a small girl instead of the soldier he'd expected. "Sup?" She greets simply before stomping the ground once and sending him flying from the tent. "Hey fuzzy! Aang let ya get captured, huh? I'm Never gonna let Twinkletoes live this one down." Toph greets happily, earning a low growl from the massive and groggy beast. Aang had given her hell after his bison had been stolen by those sandbenders, believing it was her neglect that had led to his disappearance. The new ammunition makes her grin broaden with delight as she quickly breaks the thick chains around Appa's large frame.

Seeing their companion vaulted from the tent, the soldiers around the fire all spring up and rush to see if he's ok. Taking advantage of the brief distraction, the three captives jump up as Zuko rushes toward Aang. "Sifu Hotman!" Aang calls happily, his grey eyes sparkling with hope as the Fire Prince bounds toward him from behind the tree. "Don't call me that!" Zuko barks mutedly, smiling at his friend despite the bite in his tone.

Inhaling sharply, Zuko kicks the metal chains which instantly snap under the force of his heel. Mouth wide open, Sokka catches Aang's limp body while staring in blatant awe at his buddy. "The hell are you even Made of buddy?!" Sokka muses, ogling at his friend's incredible ability and telling himself he needs to make Zuko teach him that trick! Suki quickly grabs Momo's cage as a drugged Appa slowly exits the tent with Toph. At the same time, Katara bends the water from the large communal barrel. The liquid shimmering from the fire light as it knocks two approaching soldiers off their feet. In mere seconds, the entire camp dissolves into a chaotic mess from the kids as the soldiers scramble to figure out what's happened!

"What happened to them?!" Zuko asks Sokka, seeing Aang completely limp and the massive bison clearly dazed. "They drugged them with sheershew darts so he can't move. Looks like it's wearing off Appa slightly." The young water tribesman explains, tugging Aang's unmoving body up to reposition him onto his own back, the Avatar's limp arms dangling over Sokka's shoulders. Seeing the sky bison wandering around freely, the soldiers shout and rush toward the mighty beast, their expressions twisting as they see the kids running about freely.

"Drugged them!? How Dare you treat my friends so Shamefully!" Zuko shouts, golden eyes burning like embers at the oncoming soldiers. "Um…remember when you had that sheershew lick us?" Katara counters, cocking an eyebrow at the irony of the double standards as she drops into a defensive waterbending stance, the water circling around her body. The group ready themselves for a fight as the soldiers close in, knowing that a hasty retreat is no longer an option with the dazed bison unable to move quickly let alone fly!

"I never ordered it to." Zuko counters feebly, exchanging a weak sneer with Katara before turning back to the oncoming soldiers. Hoping for a quick win, a few of the soldiers shoot darts toward the band of kids which are incinerated instantly as Zuko blocks them with a firey roundhouse kick. A few more waves of darts are fired at the group, each one either frozen by Katara's waterbending, burnt by Zuko, or blocked by an earth wall that Toph summons.

"Enough!" The leader calls angrily, seeing the expensive darts being wasted so readily. With this oversight, they'd surely not have enough of the sheershew saliva to make the trip to the harbor! He stomps one foot angrily on the ground, creating a massive stone wall behind the kids and cutting off their only way of retreat. Slowly, he approaches the kids, his expression stern and dangerous. "You really thought you could just wander in here and release your friends so easily?" Mu Fang says darkly, his piercing green eyes narrowing at the two new prisoners.

"Actually, that Was the plan." Zuko says coolly, crossing his arms as Toph shrugs nonchalantly by his side. Gaping at him in disbelief, Sokka can't help but face palm. What kind of a plan is that? "Stupid kids, you've merely trapped yourselves!" Mu Fang mocks, shaking his head with disbelief at the nativity and ignorance of the youths before him. The soldiers laugh at the brash kids, some doubling over with the ridiculousness of their misguided confidence!

"But we have a backup plan just in case." Toph notes, grinning devilishly as she stomps the ground unearthing a massive earth cage filled with monstrous spiderscorpions. The soldiers yell and jump back, staring fearfully at the incredibly dangerous creatures that snap and shriek furiously at them.

"Ugh! Where'd you get those!?" Sokka gags, recoiling nervously from the awful beasts as the pincers snap threateningly. "The forest, we accidentally destroyed their nest the other day." Zuko explains casually, shrugging as if he'd simply said they'd gone for a pleasant stroll. Katara and Suki stare with furrowed brows and gaping mouths at the pair of rich kids.

"Listen up! You're going to let us go, Or we're going to let Them go." Toph states threateningly, crossing her arms and smirking at the men trembling in their boots as they eye the vicious creatures. Having grown up in nearby villages, they all know full well how dangerous and hard to deal with spiderscorpions are.

"The Avatar is coming with me to Fire Harbor. End of story." Mu Fang counters sternly, crossing his arms resolutely. He glares at the brash intruders, seemingly unphased by the dangerous creatures nor the threat of their release.

"Aang is coming with us. And if you don't want it to be the end of Your story, you'd better let us go." Zuko counters firmly, keeping his expression stoic and unwavering as if he has complete control over the chaotic situation.

"The Avatar failed, the Fire Lord won, there's no hope…there's nothing worth fighting for anymore. Just give it up already kid." Mu Fang says darkly, snorting at the stubbornness of the silly young man before him. "How could you say that?!" Zuko snaps angrily, shocked into rage at the bold and dismal words.

His golden eyes search the faces of the soldiers, each one wearing a solemn and hopeless expression as if their souls had long ago been crushed. His stomach twists with a bizarre mixture of empathy, grief, and righteous anger as well as a deepening sense of shame and guilt. It was his nation, his family, his father that had brought these soldiers to this lowly state; to the point of giving up all hope. Uncle's sagely and deep voice echoes through his mind, repeating the advice he'd offered before. Back then, Zuko hadn't fully understood what he'd meant, but having seen these soldiers, it's now made crystal clear.

"You've lost your inner strength by giving in to despair; given in to your lowest selves. You bring shame to your households, your ancestors by joining sides with your invaders. You think you're doing what you have to do but in reality, you're sealing your own fate, digging the graves of your family members while standing in your own." Zuko states his voice steady and sincere, full of conviction as well as sympathy in the face of his admission and shame.

"So what would you have us do then? Free the Avatar and hope that he wins? And then what? You think the Dragon of the West will be any less cruel? You want us to believe that he won't take the throne and Not continue the war he'd so fervently fought in?! Who was it that mercilessly laid siege to Ba Sing Se for 600 days?!" Mu Fang retorts easily, the contempt in his voice sparking memories in his companions who instantly agree. General Iroh had, after all, wrought chaos and destruction in the earth kingdom for many years before suddenly disappearing. Who'd want a man like that to replace the current Fire Lord? It'd just be exchanging one evil for another!

"It doesn't matter what the Dragon of the West would do because Prince Zuko is going to be the Fire Lord." Toph counters matter-of-factly, shrugging slightly before crossing her arms. Zuko's head snaps to look at her with wide eyes, mouth agape at her confident assumption.

"What makes you think the child of the Fire Lord is going to be any better than he is?! Again, it's just swapping one evil for another." Mu Fang reasons, shaking his head at the ridiculous statement. The soldier's question wakens something deep inside the Fire Prince, an intense sense of responsibility and duty as well as pride. The kids eyes all dart to their friend, holding their breaths as they wait for his response. Before knowing what he will even say, the words begin pouring from that seat of power and confidence deep within.

"My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai and heir to the throne." He states firmly, his raspy voice full of authority and power, as if he were already a world leader. Not having expected such an assertive rather proud response, the soldiers blink and gape blankly as they process the statement. Had the Fire Prince, son of the Fire Lord really just barged into their camp to save the Avatar?! The number one enemy of the Fire Nation! Even the resolute and cool-headed Mu Fang can't help but stare in shock as the teen before him steps forward with a stern expression.

"You have no idea how cruel, how evil my father is. If you hand the Avatar over to him, the world will Never experience peace. He won't spare you or your families because you joined the Fire Army. That's what's happened here, am I right? If anything, he'll massacre you first for showing weakness and disloyalty! I know how his twisted mind works, I know how he fights, I know his tricks, and I'm showing the Avatar how to defeat my father. The Fire Lord is incredibly powerful and terribly manipulative and the only one who can take him down is the master of all four elements, the Avatar." Zuko continues before the men have time to even properly comprehend his identity.

"You're really the Fire Prince? How can we trust you?! We should kill you now like your father killed our families!" Mu Fang snaps firmly, his expression darkening as he glares at the unwavering young man before him. The young earthbender boldly comes to the teen's side, her milky eyes narrowing in a threatening way as she glares in the soldiers' direction.

"He's my friend and I trust him with my life! He's stubborn and strong, he loves his people with a fierce passion and that compassion extends to everyone he meets. Aang will defeat the Firelord and Zuko will help bring peace once he's the Fire Lord." Toph states firmly with such unwavering faith that it brings tears to Zuko's golden eyes. The soldiers eye the little earthbender, considering her words and why on earth she could stick up for the Fire Prince. She's from their nation after all, one that had been thrashed by the Fire Nation for generations. While the soldiers' minds try to wrap around the situation, the other teens resolutely step forward, showing their support for the young prince. Overwhelmed by his friends' encouragement, Zuko takes a steadying breath before turning back to the confused Mu Fang.

"This war is my family's fault. The citizens of the Fire Nation wish the war to end just as badly as you do and once the Avatar takes my father out, we will usher in a new era of peace and kindness. That era will never come about if you don't release the Avatar now! The world has been at war for decades, it doesn't need any more violence. If you still want to try your luck with my father whose proven his cruelty, then fine. Your head. But, if you want to try your luck with the Avatar whose proven his honor then please, let us go peacefully." Zuko pleads seriously, his golden eyes practically burning with passion.

The leader considers for a long moment, the smallest hint of hope flickering in his deadened eyes. His brows twitch as his stern expression falters, his jaw clenching and releasing as he wrestles with himself. The young prince keeps his firm gaze locked confidently on the man before him, waiting patiently for his response. "When…when will he face the Fire Lord?" He asks hesitantly, as if he'd heard something far too good to be believed. His expression remains stoic and serious but the subtle shift in his demeanor causes the kids' hearts to jump for joy.

"Soon. He has to train more in fire bending but he's nearly ready." Zuko says seriously as if negotiating a trade agreement. Mu Fang nods as if deep in thought, a rough and battered hand subconsciously stroking his long beard.

"You really think he can defeat the Fire Lord?" Mu Fang asks, casting a skeptical look toward the bald young monk still draped limply over Sokka's back, arms dangling uselessly. Zuko follows his gaze to the pathetic sight, suppressing an empathetic grin at the helpless and disheveled state of the world's strongest being before turning back to face the soldier, his expression perfectly schooled and proper.

"I'm betting my life on it. Aang can stop him, he's the only one who can." The Fire Prince states confidently, his firm and honest tone swaying the man's rigid mind. It's true that if the Fire Prince supports the Avatar and he ends up losing, his shaggy and scarred head would be the first his father would demand to see roll. He is quite literally betting his life on the Avatar's success. Mu Fang sighs heavily as he contemplates all that's at stake.

"What…what should we do? Our families…what's left of them…they're held hostage." He explains, sounding more like a lost child than a fearless leader. A pained desperation shimmers in his green eyes as he looks at the kids in front of him promising to save the world. Zuko takes a few moments to think it over, realizing that the soldier before him is in an even tighter spot than he'd previously thought.

"Once Appa is able, we'll fly over the village and draw the Fire Soldiers away. While they're distracted, sneak back into your village, get your loved ones, and run. Find somewhere safe to lay low until the war is over. Send scouts out tonight to warn everyone in the village to be ready to run and to find a secure place in the forest for you all to stay temporarily." Zuko plans firmly, sounding far more like an army general than a 17-year-old prince. The leader mulls over the plan, grimacing as he lowers his head. Zuko tenses, readying for a fight; expecting the man had changed his mind.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I…" The leader says darkly, his voice straining and making the kids' stomachs turn with disappointment. After all that, he really isn't going to allow himself to hope once more?! He takes a deep breath to steady himself before continuing, his firm gaze meeting Aang's large, concerned eyes.

"I'm sorry Avatar Aang. I lost hope. By giving into despair, I gave up all that I once stood for. I'm sorry that I attacked you, held you captive, and intended on giving you to the Fire Lord." He apologizes sincerely, bowing deeply and offering the earth kingdom gesture of respect. Aang stares at him in shock, his eyes filling with tearful relief, his numb hands unable to mirror the respectful gesture.

"I accept your apology and offer my condolences. You lost so much and I'm so sorry that I've taken so long. I promise you, I promise all of you…I Will face the Fire Lord and I Will end this war." He promises firmly, the thought of the fight ahead and what's at stake sending goosebumps over his skin. The ecstatically renewed hope of the soldiers, however, warms his heart and stomach, chasing out all the fear of what's ahead. *******

In the saddle, they watch as the Fire Soldiers chase after them hurling balls of fire that never quite reach the massive flying bison. Zuko grins as he spots the earth soldiers moving into the village to free their loved ones and escape. Who knew the plan would work so perfectly?! Perhaps their luck was changing after all. Feeling the Fire Soldiers beneath them aren't really much of a threat, he turns his attention back to the group in the saddle. Sokka, Katara, and Suki stretch their sore limbs endlessly, as if days of being immobile had rendered their bodies useless. Even Aang can't help but roll his head and shoulders and wiggle about while steering.

"Toph…I want to apologize. If I hadn't been so pushy we wouldn't have gotten in to that fight and we never would have gotten separated. I can't imagine how you both felt when you saw we were gone." Katara says apologetically, her eyes lowering as she admits her wrongdoings. "First of all, I didn't See anything. Secondly, we knew you wouldn't just leave us!" Toph chides, reclining against the saddle side and propping one dirty foot over the other knee. Katara automatically rolls her eyes at the brash comments, her head cocking to the side.

Zuko grins slightly at the earthbender, deciding not to tell everyone how distraught she'd been thinking they'd been left behind. "Yeah, obviously you guys wouldn't make it too far without us! Besides, if we weren't separated, then who would've come to rescue you all?" Zuko teases playfully, his smirk hiding the days' worth of emotional turmoil and near traumatizing experiences of starving in a spiderscorpion infested forest far from humanity. He schools his face, unwilling to let the others' know how truly difficult the experience had been for him and Toph.

"Yeah! We knew from the start you guys were probably in trouble and we'd have to save your skins." Toph fibs shamelessly, standing in solidarity with her Sparky. As far as they're concerned, the others should believe it was a walk in the park for the two of them! "Riiiight. I'm sure you did. How did you guys survive in that forest anyway? It's pretty wild here." Sokka says, his eyebrow raising with his suspicion. Toph turns her head slightly to Zuko who looks back at her for a moment before clearing his throat softly.

"We figured things out. It wasn't too hard." Zuko says proudly, leaving out the more embarrassing details and failures of their adventure, like trying to roast an entire egg, shell and all. "Wow, that's really impressive guys." Suki says in a mildly patronizing tone that goes unnoticed by the pair. "Yeah, it is really impressive, isn't it?" Toph agrees boldly, stretching her arms overhead before bringing them behind her head. "Very impressive." Zuko adds, nodding lightly before gazing at the clouds passing by. Suki shakes her head, knowing they're fibbing through their teeth but deciding to let them have their moment.

"How'd you find us anyway?" Aang asks cheerfully, feeling as if life had been breathed back into his chest after that beautiful confrontation between the soldiers and Fire Prince. The future suddenly feels quite bright knowing that he's not alone in all this. "Well, finding the Avatar is kinda my thing." Zuko says playfully, grinning at the young monk who smiles over his shoulder at him. After days of stress and fear, the kids can't help but laugh loudly at the silly comment, each feeling incredibly relieved to be together once more.

"So, where to now guys?" Aang asks cheerfully from the bison's head, turning to look over his shoulder at his friends for a heading. Not having spared a thought for their next destination, the kids look blankly from one face to the next, their gazes landing on the Fire Prince as if his display of leadership skills the day before had somehow silently elected him leader. Feeling their eyes on him, he sighs before voicing his thoughts.

"The Earth Kingdom obviously isn't safe to travel about in anymore. Everyone's got their eyes out for us and who knows how many more groups like that one we'll come across. We can't go too far because Aang has to face the Fire Lord soon. So I was thinking…we should go to the Fire Nation." He says bluntly, waiting for the unavoidable stunned backlash from the suggestion. "Wha-HA?!" Sokka half gasps half cries in surprise, blue eyes wide as he stares in disbelief at the mad notion. "Seriously?" Suki adds in an incredulous tone, her brow cocking as she looks at him as if he'd become ill. "You're kidding." Katara dismisses, shaking her head before catching his serious expression.

"I'm serious guys, think about it. My father sent battalions of soldiers to secure the Earth Kingdom, they're for sure scouring the Air Temples in hopes of catching Aang there, and the Poles are too far. That leaves the Fire Nation, which coincidentally will be lacking soldiers because they're all deployed. The civilians won't ever expect the Avatar to dare come there so no one will be on guard. It's the safest place for us! Besides, there's a private place I know where we'll have plenty of room to practice bending, there's rooms for everyone and we'll all have our own beds. There's a small town nearby for food, it'll be perfect." He explains, his heart thumping wildly in his chest at the notion of seeing his beloved homeland.

Sokka nods as he mulls over his buddy's argument, unable to find a flaw in his reasoning. "Well, it's not like we haven't been there before! It was pretty easy to lay low last time and I can't deny that an actual bed sounds like heaven." He agrees cautiously, shrugging his approval of the plan. "Ohhh! We'll call it…Operation Return to Scorchy Scorchy Burn Land!" Sokka proposes excitedly, looking expectantly at his friends with an eager expression that falls slightly when they all shake their heads or roll their eyes. Zuko stares at him blankly for a moment before looking to the others.

"A private place with lots of practice room sounds perfect really." Aang notes thoughtfully, his bald head nodding as he considers it.

"I guess we do still have disguises too." Katara adds, looking forward to wearing the silky flowing outfit she'd donned in the Fire Nation before. "Why not? Sweating profusely is supposed to be good for you, right?" Toph teases, shrugging lazily. "Suki?" Zuko asks, his golden eyes moving to the only one in the group who hadn't yet been to the dreaded nation. The Kyoshi warrior gulps silently before nodding in agreement. "If you all are ok with that, then count me in." She says sweetly, pushing down the apprehension and reassuring herself that her friends know what they're doing.

"Alright, Fire Nation here we come!" Aang chirps excitedly from the bison's massive fluffy head, pulling the reigns sharply to the right to head in the right direction.

"Great! Operation Return to Scorchy Scochy Burn Land is a go." Zuko deadpans seriously, making Sokka's face light up with glee, his hands clapping quickly together.