Yes, it has been a long time since I started this but I have become completely uninterested in it. I'm sorry to say this will probably be the last update since it's hard to write a story that I know is incredibly clichéd and other stuff. If this ever is updated, it will be a spur of the moment sort of thing.
Very short as I can't force myself to do anymore.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Chapter 2 – Better Days
They had searched high and low for about five lis, turning up nothing. Even neighbors said they had never seen the little girl before. None of the rice farmers could help them with their predicament but one kind family had given them a bag of rice and fruit. Iroh had then graciously thanked the woman while Zuko and the girl stayed quiet.
Night had fallen shortly after leaving the last town. Zuko led the ostrich horse to the forest while Iroh and the girl rode on. She was fast asleep, leaning against the Firebender. Often, she mumbled something incoherently, whining near the end of her statement.
Zuko found a clearing with a thick canopy overhead, stopping the large bird. He snorted, shuffling his feet for a moment to readjust to the weight on his back. Iroh slid down, holding onto the sleeping child so she didn't fall off. Zuko was already setting up camp, grabbing twigs and branches scattered on the ground and throwing them into a pile. The dead sticks burst into flame with a simple gesture, the fire curling back in and settling down.
Iroh set the girl against one of the many trees, letting her sleep. She startled awake however, looking around tiredly. Sun whined, rubbing her eyes. The girl stared at the fire quietly, sniffling.
As Iroh cooked the rice in an old pan, Zuko planted a stake in the ground. The ostrich horse grazed nearby, his beak ripping up tufts of the grass. The teen tied the bird's reins to the stake, making sure the knot was tight.
For some reason, the large creature had scared the girl. She had run behind Iroh, hiding behind the elder as Zuko watched in confusion. Surely the girl had seen an ostrich horse before. They did run rampant across the Earth Kingdom's lands.
No one spoke as Zuko sat down by the fire, casting a glance at the girl. She looked so sad or she might've been just tired, it was hard to tell. He had never really liked kids that much.
Wordlessly, Iroh handed Zuko a bowl of cooked rice and a pair of chopsticks. The teen began to slowly eat, watching his uncle's movements. Sun took the next bowl, not saying a word as she fumbled a bit with the chopsticks. They were a little too big for her hands, Zuko noticed. She set them down, choosing to just eat with hands.
"She was very nice to give us a bag of rice," Iroh said, breaking the silence. Zuko merely nodded in agreement. Iroh smiled warmly, digging into his own meal with gusto.
He saw it before he could react. She had barely taken three bites before her eyes watered and the bowl shook in her hands.
Iroh's hand shot out, catching the bowl as it fell. He set it and his own bowl down, getting tiredly to his feet. The girl cried silently, curling up to escape the reality she was in. His uncle was already making small pallet for her, almost looking apologetic. Why was he looking so apologetic?
"It's all right," he whispered to Sun, picking her up even when she fought back.
"No! I want mommy! I want mommy," she cried out, giving up on the last exclamation.
His uncle was always patient though, sometimes a little too patient. She cried harder, whimpering as he laid her down on the pallet. There were barely any words left in her speech as she curled up to cry, ignoring the two men.
With a sigh, Iroh sat back down to finish his meal. Zuko gave one last look at the girl, finding her already calming back down. He suddenly remembered that feeling and remembered hated it when his mother left. Being alone was not the greatest feeling in the world.
"She's just tired," Iroh said after a few minutes. Zuko turned back at him, pretending to ignore the strange look he was receiving. "She probably hasn't had a nap all day."
He nodded, not really wanting to talk about this. The teen was surprised when he went back to his meager meal to find that his rice seemed to have multiplied. Zuko blinked but didn't say anything. He did that, just to be sure his nephew wasn't going hungry. It annoyed him to be watched after like this but he didn't complain. He had taken his uncle for granted for a little too long.
Sighing in satisfaction, Iron smiled at his nephew. "Hopefully we will have more luck tomorrow," he commented, stretching his arms. "Until then, I suggest we get some rest."
As Iroh lied down to sleep, Zuko watched the fire, focusing on it. It rose with his exhales, shriveled at his inhales. It had such a calming affect on him.
He started at the shuddering whimper, nearly leaping to his feet at the sudden noise. Zuko looked over at the girl, finding that she was shivering a little. It was a little chilly, he reasoned. Giving his uncle a glance, Zuko moved to their meager possessions and pulled out a thin blanket they had. It was too small for either of them to use it normally but it should be able to serve its purpose.
He carefully draped it over the small girl, watching her for any sign of movement. She whined but didn't wake up, curling up protectively around the blanket. Her thumb slipped into her mouth, making him blink in surprise. Zuko considered dislodging the offending digit but stepped back. It seemed to keep her quiet enough and he wasn't going to end the peacefulness just to listen to her start crying again.
Quietly, he unrolled his own pallet and lied down on it. Waving his hand, he doused the fire and left them in the dark. He ignored the dark as best as he could, ignoring the memories that were making themselves know.
His mother had left him in the dark.
Growling, he squeezed his eyes shut, chasing away the memories. It would not rule him ever again.
Li – measurement in China that has changed over the years. In this, one li is equaled to 323 meters.