A/N: Hi, people. Sorry for the slow update… not really. I only had three reviews on the last chapter, eight in all. Updates are going to be awfully slow if I don't get reviews. It's a shame because I really enjoy writing this story.

Last time: The girl in the white dress has disappeared without a trace. Sokka had a vision of seeing Princess Yue, but she disappeared too. Zuko and Katara share a similar experience with a small girl with brown hair and gold eyes. (And it's safe to assume Iroh is still drinking tea with his weird hippie leaf-wearing earth-child friend.)

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The tired Avatar trudged onward through the swamp. He struggled to keep positive and motivated. But somehow, he kept going. One foot in front of the other in front of the other in front of the other. He was exhausted from chasing the mysterious girl and he was soaked from head to toe in muddy water. With a sigh, he plopped onto a seemingly dry patch of land, lying with his back on the ground. Aang's gray eyes couldn't see past all of the plants to the sky. Now he really felt lost. He had always thought he'd be able to see the sky…

Closing his eyes, the airbender breathed deep breaths. They were calm and even. He nearly fell into a state of meditation. King Bumi had said at Omashu that he had to learn to feel the earth… Aang focused as hard as he could and didn't get any response or sign. With a frustrated sigh, he cast his gaze back toward the flourishing treetops. He had felt the swamp try to pull him in, but now he had no connection with it. Why? Had it just been his imagination? Had his old friend been talking in riddles? The Avatar sat in silence for a moment.

"Great." he said sarcastically. He could feel the cold sticky dampness of mud seeping into his clothes. He was too lazy to bend the water out. Besides, he needed to save his energy. Who knew what he could run into out here?

"DEMON PLANTS FROM HADES!" Sokka yelled, trying to twist free from yet another vine. Did that answer Aang's question? The monk sat up with renewed enthusiasm and cheer. Sokka was close by! He airbended himself into a standing position and cupped his hands to his face.

"Sokka!" he called.

"Aang?" The water tribe warrior called back. "Where are you?"

"Follow the sound of my voice." The Avatar moved in the direction Sokka was coming from and soon, the two nearly bumped into each other. "Am I glad to see you!" Aang said, hugging his friend. Sokka gave a sad sort of smile. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." the older boy said, shaking his head. It was obvious he was lying but the twelve year old decided not to push his luck. "Let's go find my sister and Appa and Momo and get out of here." Turning, Sokka swung his machete, cutting vines out of his path.

"Sokka, I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why? Do you think plants have feelings?" The warrior's tone was harsh, even for him. As if on cue, two ropes of tangled vines shot toward them.

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Katara kept walking, looking over her shoulder every so often. She'd searched for the girl, calling for her, but no one answered. Had she imagined seeing her? Was she going crazy? The waterbender swallowed, wringing her hands. Or had the girl left? Maybe she had. But why would she leave? Then again, Katara had overreacted to the girl's copper eyes. The teen stopped and took a deep breath. "Okay, Katara, you're just tired. You're seeing things because you're tired. Now just find Aang and Sokka and you can all get out of here and get some sleep." Even thought the girl found it strange to be talking to herself, it soothed her.

She looked up and froze. There was the same girl, standing by a tree. The girl looked at Katara, eyes shining with tears. "You don't like me." the girl cried. Katara's heart skipped a beat. Was she real?

"No, I do like you. You're eyes just surprised me is all."

"Because they're Fire Nation." Katara didn't know what to say to that. And to her surprise, the girl smiled. "Mommy always said people would be surprised about my eyes. She says I look like an earth or waterbender." The waterbender gave a feeble nod as the girl began walking, leading the way.

"And Daddy says never to forget who I am because my heritage is special." The girl walked along a half buried log. The waterbender didn't get a chance to ask what was so special about her heritage. "I miss Daddy too."

"Where did he go?" Katara asked softly. She secretly wondered if this girl's father had been taken by the Fire Nation as well.

"He left. He had something to take care of but he or Mommy won't tell me." The big log the tiny girl was walking on was getting thicker, rising feet above the soil. Katara watched her carefully.

"What's your name? How old are you?"

"Daddy calls me Lily because of my kimono." she said, pointing to her dress. "They're Fire Lilies and I'm turning seven soon." Without warning, Lily hopped off the end of the log, landing in a crouch position. Katara stood, awestruck. She could have gotten seriously hurt! The girl smiled and kept walking.

"My Daddy teaches me to fight. But Mommy doesn't want me to do firebending until I'm ten." The waterbender followed at a distance. So Lily was a firebender? "You remind me of Mommy. You were worried when I jumped." Lily giggled. But who wouldn't be worried? The teen didn't even notice a vine snake bellow her. She tripped, falling into the mud. When she stood and brushed herself off, she couldn't find the girl. 'Why does this keep happening?'

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Zuko looked around, puzzled. Where had that little girl gone? He turned to find her hanging in front of him, upside down on a tree branch. She made a face. "Gotcha!" she cried. Great. Games. The firebender reached out to pull her down, but she flipped down by herself. She landed in a crouch position and stood, smiling. The ex-prince's eyes widened. "My daddy teaches me to fight. But Mommy doesn't want me to firebend until I'm ten." The girl led the way. Zuko was silent. So she was a fighter…This child was going to take a lot of getting used to. They were silent for a while.

"Do you have a name?" Zuko asked, falling behind. The girl didn't seem to mind; she kept walking.

"Daddy calls me Lily 'cause of the Fire Lilies on my kimono." The older bender couldn't help but wonder if that was a nickname or not. The girl called Lily climbed the trunk of a tree up ahead and jumped down into her signature crouch. Zuko winced. The kid would hurt herself one day.

"How old are you?"

"I'm turning seven soon." Lily said, beaming. Zuko noticed she was rather small for her age. He would have guessed her five, maybe six. They walked along in another silence. "You remind me of my Daddy." She said suddenly. "You're quiet. And you're tense." Lily didn't mean it as an insult.

"I get that a lot." Zuko replied, attempting to hide the hint of venom in his voice.

"Are you a firebender?"

"Yes."

"Ooh!" Lily cried, turning. "Will you teach one move? A tiny one? Like lighting a candle?" Her hands were laced and her eyes danced with excitement. The exiled prince was reminded of him as a child, talking to his mother. Zuko couldn't resist the urge to smile.

"Maybe."

"Yay!" Lily twirled, sending her kimono billowing as she went along a narrow path. She seemed so full of hope even to a 'maybe' answer. Zuko watched her twirl about, happy. He couldn't believe this girl and the one crying were one in the same. There was no way… Suddenly, Lily turned. "Wanna have a race?" Zuko looked at her strangely. "To that big tree with the vine hanging down?" This girl and her games… The older firebender agreed and they both took off running. He only jogged to give her a fair chance.

"Hey!" she yelled over his shoulder. "Don't let me win!"

"Fine!" Zuko sprinted past her and the ending point as fast as he could, leaving the little girl in the dust. And when the teen saw a blue blur in front of him, he barely had enough time to stop.

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A/N: I know the Zuko part was sort of weird, but yeah. I hope you liked it. If you did, REVIEW! I am not updating until I get at least five frickin' reviews for the chapter!