"Aiori," said a voice, "Aiori, wake up." She heard. Her eyes opened slowly and she looked up to see Iroh standing over her with a smile. She yawned and rubbed her eyes.
"Good morning General Iroh." She spoke up.
"Good morning, I see that Zuko let you sleep up here instead of the cellar. I will let him know how proud I am of him. But I am here to tell you that the crew is going out to market again to gather some supplies. You may stay here and rest." he finished while patting her head.
"Thank you." She said as she laid back down and Iroh walked off.
It wasn't until much later when Aiori awoke. She got up a stretched, and walked around. It was later than she usually woke up, but she just shrugged it off and began to sew the rest of her clothes together. She looked out the window and waited for the crew to return. However it got very late and there was no sign of them. She walked up onto the deck and looked around the market place and didn't see anybody. She grew puzzled. "Where is everybody?" she spoke to herself. She looked around again. "They've been out all day. I wonder what is keeping them so long." And she waited for another hour until she gave up hope. "Something's not right." She walked off the ship and into the market. There was nobody in sight! She looked into the alleys and around everywhere, but they were nowhere to be found! "Hello? Anybody?" she called out.
"General Iroh? Where are you?" then she called for some members of the crew. "Dramo? Culler?" and she continued. "Surik?" and then she called for Prince Zuko. "Zuko? Where is everyone?" and then she saw something on the ground. She ran over to it and picked it up. It was a fire bender's helmet. She looked further and saw a bunch of foot prints, like there had been a brawl of something, and then some drops of blood. It looked like some had dragged off the others. She ran ahead, following the footprints in the dirt.
It led her into a forest, where the foot prints ended. She looked for signs of people. She saw a snapped twig and walked forward. She knew it wouldn't be the best idea to call for anyone else, in case they found her. A couple yards ahead she saw a piece of red clothing handing off of a bush. She picked it up and looked at it. Then she sniffed it, trying to find some sort of sign. It was trick her father had taught her. It smelled like the tea she had drank the night before! "General Iroh!" she assumed and then continued to run forward. She ducked down and made her steps quieter, like she was hunting. A little while further and she saw a strand of hair on a branch. It was long and black. "Zuko." And she went further in. She knew now that something wasn't right! And she quickened her pace!
Her search stopped when she saw a flickering light in the clearing a small ways away. She heard voices and crackling, there was someone camping apparently. She climbed up a tree, gripping the bark with her nails and throwing herself up higher until she reached a limb. She climbed up onto it and jumped onto the tree next to it. She did it repeatedly until she was peering down onto the camp sight.
There were more fire benders, gathered around the fire, and laughing. They weren't the crewmen on Zuko's vessel. She saw looked around until she saw a bunch of men bound and gagged to trees. Amongst them she spotted Prince Zuko and General Iroh! And then the rest of the crew! She clasped her hand over her mouth and shrunk back onto the trunk of the tree! "No." she whispered to herself. They were kidnapped! She watched as one man walked over and drew out a sword and held it to Zuko's throat! He just glared up at the man.
"I take it nobody will miss you, after all you're banished and people will just think that you were lost out at sea." The man spoke. "It is a shame, I'm sure The Fire Lord will miss his son after he discovers his disappearance." And Aiori growled! Then the man did the same to Iroh. "And as for you, what would people think if they saw the great General Iroh strung up?" he then turned to another man. "We'll dispose of them at nightfall." Said the man and then walked off. Aiori jumped down from the tree swiftly and silently and darted back to the market! "What am I going to do?" she asked herself as she jumped over roots and burst out of the woods! She raced hurried back onto the ship and leaned against the wall and tried to regain her breath! Her chest moved up and down steadily. "Think, think, think, think! What should I do?"