Unknown Travelers; A Series of Drabbles
plasticphoenix
(II: Burning Wood and Dying Embers )
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He made her a promise by the dying embers of a campfire. A sleepy promise made behind drowsy lids and a brief yawn. Under the fall sky, beneath a blanket of far away stars, he gave her his word that he couldn't leave her...
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The pale moon and dancing flames had illuminated her face before the promise was made. She had wrapped her small frame in the warm embrace of her fur coat and smiled a tired smile at him as he listened to the familiar hissing of the burning wood. She was drowsy with fatigue (much like him) but not ready to admit it. They had travel a fairly large distance that day in an awkward silence; he was not big on conversation and she hardly felt talkative.
They made camp after they'd tripped over a protruding tree root, evident that it was too late to push forward. She had stifled her giggles behind her sleeve and he tried not to be offended. Together they gathered nearby twigs, bark, and sticks; piling the pitiful amount of dry wood together, he lit the fire with little effort. The burning flames offered welcomed warmth in the chilly night and he once again quietly missed his homeland, where it was always warm.
She hardly seemed bother by the night's chill but he offered her his coat and she politely reclined his offer; reminding him she was accustom to cold weather. He shrugged, said nothing else and poked at the burning lumber and flickering flames.
She had yawned when the fire began to die; she was too tired for manners or to feel shy and thus leaned her hooded head against him. He felt slightly flushed but he too was too exhausted to feel self-conscious. He gave the fire once lasting lingering look before closing his own eyes.
He was near sleep when she asked; she spoke so quietly he almost hadn't heard. "Promise me you won't leave without me," she had asked and in response he shook his left arm; making the Bonding Chains, that the elderly priestess had forced on them the day before, chaining them together, to briefly rattle.
"I promise I can't leave without you," he said because he was tired and she fell asleep laughing at his honesty.
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Story Notes:
This one took me three hours; too long for a story so short. I'm too lazy to come up with a length explanation for the chains; just assume long ago a fire-bender and a water-bender ticked off this peasant village and Zuko and Katara are punished for the sins of their distant kin. Together, they must reach a ruined shrine deep in the wilderness in four days and make offerings (of fire and water; not dead critters) to the shrine's elder's spirit. Which is really just a cleaver ruse drummed up by a wise priestess to make them understand each other. -- Yeah, that works for me. --
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Other Notes:
I've been thinking about putting up story bits in my live journal (link in my profile); not necessary Avatar related but you're welcome to check it out. Lastly, chickygurl I accepted your offer of beta reader.
Disclaimer: Nick owns but no one here really cares.