Zuko did not respond, at least not verbally. The foot that was not covered by Zuko's blanket twitched.
"Zuko..!"
Prince Zuko sat up and groaned tiredly, and he wiped his eyes with the side of his fisted hand. "...Huh?"
"We're here."
"Oh... Okay..."
Uncle Iroh nodded, and left. Zuko stood out of bed and tripped over to the small water basin, and rinsed his face once more with cold water, to help wake him up. After a last glance at the scar on his face, he put on his armor. He met Iroh on the dock.
"I sent out a soldier to find the campsite where the Avatar is sleeping while you were putting on your armor," said Iroh. "He returned," Iroh motioned to the soldier, "and we're going to follow him. We'd be better off if we leave the others here."
Zuko glanced back at the ship, then at Iroh. "Yes... Let's go."
The three of them walked on into the forest. "Here," the soldier whispered gruffly, motioning to a bush. Zuko crouched down to the bush's level and pulled back some branches. He smiled his delightfully evil smile.
Katara awoke with a start. She turned to where Zuko was peeking through the bushes, but he had already closed the branches back, not leaving a trace. Katara cocked her head, then pushed on Aang's shoulder. "Aang," she whispered.
Aang opened his eyes. "Guhh... Katara? What's wrong..?" he said with a yawn.
"I think..." she carefully pointed at the bush were Zuko had been looking through, "that we're being watched..."
The wispering had woken up Sokka. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Don't be silly, Katara... We're not being--WOAH!"
Deciding it was the right moment, Zuko lept out from the bushes before Sokka finished his sentance. Sokka's voice cracked and his mouth hung open as he stared up at Zuko. Iroh tumbled out after Zuko, landing belly-first on the ground. He grunted, and Zuko glanced at Iroh and scowled. "Avatar, I will NOT let you escape this time!" He jumped out to grab Aang, then Katara deftly opened her small canteen and splashed some water into Zuko's face. Aang used this edge to hop away quickly and Zuko missed Aang. Before he hit the ground, he shot a ball of fire at Aang. Katara quickly jumped in the way and the fire ball smote her side.
"Dang!" Zuko shouted as he hit the ground. Aang looked down at Katara, then back up at Zuko.
"You'll pay for that!" Aang shouted as he swiftly swung his staff to Zuko's head. Zuko was not quick enough to evade the staff and it knocked him unconcious.
When Zuko awoke, he was in bed. A thin cloth bandage was wrapped around his head, with ice under the part of the bandage above his ear, where the staff struck him. Uncle Iroh was standing by him. "I have some good news, and bad news..."
Zuko winced.
"The good news is, that huge purple bruise on your head will go away soon, and nothing else was damaged. That's what you get for being so foolish.
"And the bad news?" Zuko said, uninthusiastically.
"...The Avatar got away. But we managed to capture the Water Tribe girl," he said, as if that would make up for it.
"WHAT!" Zuko shouted. The ice melted and steam rose from the bandage.