((Well I knowI already said this but I will only be updating on saturadys. I Don't care what you have to say about this story, I like it, so go ahead and say what ever you want. I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender. Nor do I make any money off of this fiction or anything else I may post here. So have fun.))

"Well it is an honor to share a shore with you two again. How have you been Prince Zuko?" Commander Zhao asked as he stepped from the boat that had ferried him across the shallow waters of the cove.

He looked the same as the last time Zuko had seen him, self-important and as arrogant as any one could be. But he did seem to have more restraint with his moods than before. After all it couldn't be easy for the commander to stand there after his defeat at the young boys hands.

"It is nice to see you again as well Commander Zhao. Please join us for some supper," Zukos' uncle said before he had been given a chance to say something that would insult them all.

"That would be pleasant," he replied before looking at the men standing just out of earshot, all present and accounted for. His gaze didn't stay on them, but moved on to sweep the plane that made their camp.

"So few huts," he murmured to the older man in a slightly worried voice. "Do all of your men have houses?" he asked after a moment's pause.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, ever so sure."

"Where are you and the prince going to sleep?"

"In the central one," was the easy reply that Zuko gave, to stop the commander from saying anything else to harm his already damaged reputation. The light that had lit up Zhao's eyes went out as he was once again denied the chance at having something over the boy prince.

The men looked at Zuko with a mix of surprise and joy at having their prince not shamed by his temper or his lack of planning. But then again all of them new deep down he would have taken one anyway. He was the prince after all.

A silence that seemed to scream in his ear made Zuko mutter an excuse of needing to find water before nodding a goodbye to the two masters and turning to walk back to the hills he had just left. He had done well, of that he was sure but even he had limits as to what he could force himself to do. And staying in that man's presence was one of the things even his father didn't do too often or to long.

His long strides carried him out of earshot of the two men all to quickly for his liking yet he knew his uncle had made some reason for finding water to be important knowing that he had tried for as long as he dared. The top to the closest hill didn't show him anything different than the time before, but he had a sinking feeling that someone was watching him. And they most definitely didn't serve his father.

Glaring at the air around him, he went down only to move left in the little valley between hills. He didn't know why he hadn't done that before. The fact that the hills seemed to give a good view had been good enough at the time. But there were still places that he couldn't see, places the might hold water or enemies.

He knew that he shouldn't be taking on a large group at once even if he had been good enough to defeat a master, they could still overwhelm him. Tossing that thought out of his head he marched to the next hilltop to look to the center.

The view from here was the same, only the bobbing ships and movement on his plane was different. Yet those things didn't really contribute to the feeling that something wasn't right. He tried to shrug it off but it just came back stronger then ever.

"Stop being stupid," he hissed at himself as he turned to look out at the sea. His good eye went wide as he saw the first colors of the setting sun touching the gentle water. But the peace that the lights gave him was short lived.

As a fire nation warrior he had been trained to see things as they really were. Quickly turning his eyes to the area where the ships had anchored he saw the swells that had made getting to the island so much trouble. But now, even a full five degrees away, the water was smooth as a river tumbled stone.

Turning, to move to another hill, he took one more sweeping glance around to see if he could spot anything that just didn't add up, but found nothing to support his suspicion. Even the waves were not that much help. A current could be on the other side of the island and so this side would be safe, he knew that much. But the tickle feeling, that seemed to grow stronger each moment that he was on this cursed island, just wouldn't let him think that it was just a normal current.

After not seeing anything he went back down to move to the next hill on his right. And once again the only things he could see different where the camp and the lack of waves. And that was how almost all of the hills were. But on the other side of the island for his camp he did find something that made him smile.

There was a small spring that formed a tiny waterfall feeding a modest stream heading to a second cove. This would be a far better place to set up a true camp. Then again he was still debating if he really wanted to let his father know of this island.

"Not like I have a choice thanks to that…" his voice trailed off as he once again set to looking at the area he had just entered. The water looked clean and clear but he knew better than to drink any of it. He had seen enough men die that way to know what could really happen.

But the thing that drew his golden gaze was the waterfall. He had not seen that many before, even for one as world traveled as he. And who was he to deny himself a closer look? Just looking couldn't kill him, right?

Moving quickly he picked his way around the small pool at the base of the fall and took a few steps closer only to freeze in his tracks. Just behind the sheet of water it looked like there was a little hole. And after moving closer, without realizing it, he saw that it was in fact a small cave that had more then likely been the first rout of the spring.

The caw of some bird broke his trance like state and cleared up his mind long enough for him to step back out of range of anyone that might have been hidden in the shadows of the rocks. Giving the area a piercing glare he turned and walked back the way he had come, silently praying that no one attacked him from behind as he had been told most Earthbenders would do.

Silently he kept his body ready yet forced his muscles to not tense and form knots. He thought that he heard footsteps behind him but couldn't be sure over the buzzing of the blood in his ears. He took a deep breath at the foot of the hill between him and camp and turned to see the commander stepping up beside him.

"What ever is the matter my prince? You seem scared," he said as he walked next to the banished prince of his nation. His predatory smirk unnerved the young man more then finding the cave had.

Zuko didn't reply to that, wasn't sure what he could say without sounding like a big baby and marched up the hill to the crest to stair down through the murky, shadow hour, light. He looked for his uncle and was not thrilled when he saw that the old master had more then likely placed his game inside their hut. It made getting to him that much harder.

"Don't worry my prince. My men will keep this island safe until your father decides what to do with it," the commander hissed into his ear, showing all too clearly how much he hated the boy that had damaged his pride so much.

Zuko bit his tongue to keep himself silent in the face of such open disrespect. Then again he didn't hold as much power now that he was banished. Not after he had gotten the scar that would haunt him for life. Even the best healers would not be able to do much more than allow his eyes more movement.

Starting forward again he looked for his men and saw that all of them were standing guard on the hut he had called his. Their actions troubled him some but he had more important things to deal with. The fact that there was water, and a cave, meant that they might have a better chance of surviving this storm without taking heavy blows to their water supplies.

With those thoughts on his mind he allowed the ideas of the commander and the tickle feeling he had fade into the back of his mind. Pushing the back 'door' out of the way he nodded to his uncle and moved to sit in the chair that had been placed in there for him.

The red silk moved to form around him as he let himself settle in for what he knew would be a long lecture on how he still had a long way to go before becoming a firebending master. He almost quirked a smile at that, the idea that he would just take such a lecture was entertaining. Though he wasn't sure if he could stand up to his uncle for long, the old man had many ways of making a person blame himself for something they had no part in.

"The commander said he was going to look for you," his uncle said in his calm and tea leaden voice. He looked up from his game, once more trying to beat the skill his sister had.

"Yes he spoke with me," Zuko said anger flaming from a coal into a flame that would do any firebender proud.

"Where did you go?"

"The other side of the island. Hill closest to the sea," Zuko said, his voice sounded like he was giving a report instead of telling his uncle what he had found. What, might save their hides when dealing with the evil commander.

"Any water?"

"A spring and fall," he said his voice getting quiet so as not to pass through the thin wood walls. He glanced at the door before looking back at his uncle. He waited for the older man to say something but only received a gesture to continue.

"There is a cave. I don't know how big, I didn't get close enough to find that out. But I'm sure it's a cave."

"You where not close enough to see how large it was. But you were close enough to get water on you," his uncle said with a small smile at him. Both had known that Zuko would go near as he dared. After all that was one of the good things about youth, the feeling of being invincible. Only both knew that to be a fools dream. Both had seen defeat all too clearly.

"I wasn't sure if it was a cave. So I got closer," Zuko said before he realized that he was futilely defending his actions. He shot an angry glare at his uncle before turning his head to look at the back 'door' in time to see it twitch into place.

It was no surprise to him that the commander would be listening. But the fact that his men had allowed him to the door was more then unsettling. Who were they more loyal to? That brute, or him that knew them in a truer sense. He knew who they where and what they could and would do. Or so he had thought.

"He is a man with no honor," uncle said rising to his feet and moving to the door. "Do not fault the men. They where only following orders," he said, and with that he was gone.

Zuko stayed in his seat for a few moments before he heard the sound of many men moving just outside the door. If he didn't know any better he would believe that they where getting ready for a fight. Perhaps he was right and there had been people hiding in that cave. Or maybe even in the areas of the hills he had not seen.

Getting to his feet so quickly that his chair was knocked back to the ground, he made a fist and willed some fire to play along the knuckles. With a small smirk he raced to the door and pushed it out of his way, nearly tearing it down in the process.

The light outside was less then it had been, yet being a firebender he knew that darkness held no value, unless you gave it one. He let his eyes take in the empty plane before he figured out that it wasn't really empty. There were people, just to his back, on the other side of his hut.

Silently cursing them for their lack of planning he moved around the hut, crouching low praying to gain the element of surprise. For all he knew at the moment he could be the only one free. And that was just how he was going to play this little game.

He slowly rose from his crouched position as he saw that the people where his. They were in a circle, watching something in the center but he couldn't see what. Looking up one of the men on the other side spotted him but said nothing at his glare. Crouching down again he moved to the hill and started to climb it.

He stopped half way to turn and see if any one noticed that he was there and was not surprised to find that several men had. Though none of them seemed to have raised the alarm, that their prince was once again escaping them.

Smirking to himself he finished the climb and looked down on the circle, standing to his full height. He could see his uncle and the commander mock fighting in the center. More then likely they where testing each other, seeing what they could do. Though it didn't seem like a good idea to him. Not with a possible enemy sharing their shores.

Turning he trotted down the backside of the hill and into the valley between it and the next. He turned right this time, praying that no one bothered to look on this side. Then again he wouldn't be on just one level for long.

He let his long legs go to work on the distance between his hill and the next one, stopping at the top to see if there was any thing massively wrong. He blinked back a roll of his eyes at his stupidity. If there where people in that cave, then they knew he was here and more then likely looking for them. They would not be caught out in the open until they felt like it.

Trotting to the valley he started to climb the next knoll, knowing that the next one would have to be closer to the center, at least if he didn't want to be found all too easily. He didn't even look this time, knowing what he would find but as he trotted to the taller hill he stopped as something pushed its way into the front of his mind.

The sea had been calm on both sides of their ships. He knew that that was not normal, as far as his limited knowledge told him. But if there was a water bender here why had they not moved on? They knew better then to attack a fire navy ship, knew it carried many men. So why had one stayed?

He sat down to think for a moment and found another thing to give him a headache. Water benders didn't like it this far south. Getting to his feet he started running with all that he had to the cave. If there had been people there he would find proof.

Yet even as his feet slapped at the ground, and his lungs burned as if on fire he knew that there was no one in that cave. No one had used it, at lest not in a way he would be able to spot. Despite this knowledge burning in the back of his mind he forced himself to run faster and soon found himself in front of the waterfall.

Taking a deep breath so as to place a cooling wind on the fire in his chest he looked around peering into the dark seeing noting more then five inches in front of his face. Swallowing against the lump in his throat he took a small step forward and past the wall of water.

Wiping the water out of his eyes he glanced around trying to see what the water and darkness hid. It took him a moment to remember that he could create flame to show him that. Opening his hand, palm to the roof of the cave, he focused his energy into a small, controllable, flame that gave just enough light for him to see that the cave was far deeper that he had thought.

Looking at the moon slowly rising on the other side of the curtain of water he knew that soon the men would stop fighting. And, soon they would return to their huts to settle down for the night. He knew that it would only take them a few minutes to figure out where he had gone, and to come after him.

Suppressing a slight shudder of fear he moved a few feet into the cave, far enough for the light the moon had cast to vanish, leaving him completely reliant on his own flame. Glancing around once more he felt his temper start to rise.

He was acting like a coward. Stopping after every few steps to see if he was being followed. Letting out an angry growl he stalked into the open mouth, glaring for all he was worth. His step didn't falter until his feet stopped in front of a fork in the tunnel.

He peered down the path to the right and then the one to the left. He couldn't tell which one was best, they looked the same. Looking up as if to ask the ultimate force why it was testing him on this day, he started down the right path. He just prayed that he remembered his uncle right.

"Remember Zuko when traveling a maze always turn to the same side. That way you can never get lost." The old man had been in a happy mood, more then likely because that had been a time before the banishment, a time before the scar.

Putting more energy into his flame he marched down the tunnel, holding his head high. If any one was in there he would deal with them. He just prayed that it wasn't they who found him.