A/N: In this part, ridiculous things happen to Zuko. As usual.

Disclaimer: Avatar isn't mine. Sorry.

Part Two: Hunting

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"Good morning, my nephew!"

Zuko grunted, moaned, and rolled over.

"You should have seen the sunset. It was glorious! Peaches and I watched it from that hill to the south."

Zuko grunted again, then cracked his good eye open. "Uncle, I was trying to sleep."

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man-"

"Very tired," Zuko interrupted, sounding irritated. "And grumpy."

"Won't you join us for breakfast?" Iroh ventured, knowing full well that if Zuko was already getting irritable, then he was up for the day.

"Who is 'us,' exactly?"

"Peaches and myself, of course." Iroh walked over to the small campfire he'd started and sat down.

"You talk about that ostrich-horse like it's a person," Zuko grumbled, sitting up and yawning. "What's for breakfast?"

"I caught a shrew." Iroh held out the small animal that he'd skewered on a stick and roasted. "It looks a bit tough."

"That's disgusting!" Zuko snarled, grimacing. "How can you eat that?"

"Hunger is the best spice," he replied.

"I'll get something more edible," Zuko promised, and although Iroh could tell that he meant it, he doubted the promise would amount to anything more than maybe a rock with some lichen on it.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," he lied. "Perhaps I could give you come advice on the matter."

"I don't need it," Zuko replied, already up and heading for the woods. "I'll be fine."

"Good luck." Iroh prodded the fire a bit and, when Zuko was out of earshot, muttered, "he'll need it."

"ARGH!" Zuko screamed from somewhere to the west.

"Just play dead!" Iroh shouted back, and took a bite out of his shrew.

It was actually very tender and delicious.

"Is there any shrew left?" Zuko pushed through the bushes, covered in a very bad smelling liquid.

"That was quick," he replied, tearing half of the shrew off the skewer and handing it over.

"There's a skunk-deer in the forest." Zuko sat down at the campfire, looking embarrassed. "And it's in heat."

Iroh tactfully suppressed his laughter by taking another bite of shrew.

Peaches snorted.

"Shut up, Peaches!" Zuko threw his half-shrew at her, crossing his arms.

Iroh stuffed the rest of his shrew in his mouth and hoped that Zuko wouldn't see his grin.

Peaches ate Zuko's half.

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In the next part... Zuko will probably fail at something. Again.