Chapter 2

Fire Prince

The sound of thunder and flashes of lighting surrounding Aang as he tried to fly through the storm that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. As much as he and Appa tried to escape the storm it was no use as they fell towards the water below. Aang let out a gasp as he sat up, his breath heavy as he looked around the empty igloo. It took a moment for him to notice his things placed beside him, slowly he got up and started to get dressed before making his way outside. He winced as the bright sun hit his eyes, as he took in his surroundings. The sounds of children running and playing, as the elderly people talked with one another. It all seemed so calm, as his thoughts slowly started replaying the conversation before, he passed out. As the sound of someone running towards him broke him out of his thoughts as he turned to see Katara.

"Aang you're awake!" she said as she stopped beside him. "How are you feeling?" she asked, getting a smile from the young boy.

"I'm feeling great, all I needed was a goodnight sleep." he said gaining a sigh of relief from the girl.

"That's great." Katara said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to one of the nearby igloos. "I'm going to introduce you to Gran Gran." she told him as he raised an eyebrow at the name.

"Gran Gran?" he asked, confused at the nickname.

"That would be me." An elderly voice said as they entered the room, showing an elderly woman sitting on the opposite side of the small fire. It took a second before he noticed Naruko sitting beside the older woman, her hands laying on her lap.

"It's good to see you awake Aang." she said with a small smile. Aang sent her a small wave as he took a seat by the fire.

"It's a pleasure to meet you…. Ah." he started but stopped as he forgot her name.

"Kanna, but everyone just calls me Gran Gran." she replied, getting a nod from the airbender.

"I'm told you're an airbender?" she asked, getting a nod from Aang. "It's been a Hundred years since anyone has seen an airbender, we thought they were extinct." she said as she saw the look of shock form on the young boy's face.

"Extinct?" he repeated to no one in particular. Getting a nod from the old woman.

"It's said that they were the first victims of the war." Gran Gran said, gaining the boy's attention. "Tell me, young one, how did you survive in the ocean for over a hundred years.?" she asked, noticing Aang's eyes drifting to the fire.

"I-i don't know." he muttered; he could feel Katara place a hand on his shoulder.

"All I remember is flying with Appa, when this weird storm came out of nowhere." he muttered before starting again. "I remember falling towards the water, then i was awake in Katara's arms." he said with a blush on his cheeks. Katara felt a small smile form on her face at the comment, Naruko on the other hand raised an eyebrow. Naruko was about to ask a question, but was cut off by Katara who stood up dragging Aang with her.

"I'm going to show Aang around the village." Katara said with a smile before noticing Naruko's mouth open and ready to ask a question. Katara glared at Naruko, as she dragged the young boy out of the igloo leaving the two sitting there watching them leave. Naruko let out a sigh as she looked down at her hands in her lap, her mind trying to figure out just who Aang is.

"You seem troubled young one." Gran Gran asked

"I have so many questions, but no answers." Naruko replied, turning her gaze to the fire.

"And you hoped, Aang would answer some of them." Gran Gran answered, getting a nod. "Sometimes the answers are right in front of you, all you have to do is be open to find it." She said slowly getting up with the help of Naruko. The two slowly made their way out of the igloo, seeing the other members of their tribe going about their day. Naruko couldn't help but smile as she watched the young children listen to Sokka going on about how to be a worrier.

"Now men, it's important that you show no fear when you face a firebender." He stopped as he looked at the children, noticing that they were barely paying attention. "In the Water Tribe, we fight to the last man standing! For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?" he finished his monologue as he noticed one of the young boys with their hands up.

"I gotta pee!" Sokka was about to say something but was cut off by a loud explosion. As both Sokka and Naruko looked up in horror as they noticed a flare flying in the sky, causing panic to spread throughout the village. Naruko turned to the elderly woman.

"Gran Gran the children!" she called to the older woman getting a nod as she called for the children to follow her. Naruko ran to catch up with Sokka, who made his way to get a better view of the flare. As she stopped beside him, she noticed the flare slowly fall out of sight. She was too caught up in the action to notice Sokka turn his attention to her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I can hel-" she was cut off.

"I don't need you here." he said as he turned away from her before continuing. "You'll only get in my way. Why don't you go sit with the girls and let the man do the hard work." he said in a confident tone.

"But" she started, but was cut off again.

"Last thing I need is you joining their side during the battle." he said as he made his way to get ready for the fight, leaving her alone to deal with the shock of being accused of possibly betraying her tribe. She wanted to protect them, even if she wasn't accepted, she would want to protect them as much as possible. She was brought out of her thoughts as Aang and Katara arrived back at the village. Sokka, who heard the cheering of the children, made his way over to the two, anger clearly displayed on his face.

"I knew it!" he yelled as he pointed a finger at the younger boy. "You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?" he yelled as he stood face to face with the airbender. Aang could only open and close his mouth as he tried to say something, thankfully Katara came to his aid.

"Aang didn't do anything, it was just an accident." Katara countered gaining a growl from her brother.

"How could it be an accident when I told you not to go anywhere near that ship." Kanna said as she made her way to the small group closely followed by Naruko. Aang quickly raised his hand to stop the arguing.

"Don't blame Katara. I brought her there. It's my fault." he said sheepishly, which seemed to answer Sokka's question,

"Aha! The traitor confesses!" he yelled as he readied his weapon. "Everyone back away from the enemy!" he yelled as he slowly made his way to the boy. Naruko quickly made her way between the two.

"Sokka, hold on, if Aang was an enemy he would have attacked us as soon as he saw us." Naurko tried to argue, making Sokka stop in front of her. A part of her hoped he would stop to listen to her, but that was thrown out the window as he grabbed her jacket and pulled her off the ground.

"I knew you were stupid Naruko, but I didn't know you were that stupid." he said as he tossed her to the ground with a thud. Naruko felt fear run through her body as she watched Sokka turn his attention back to the airbender.

"The foreigner is banished from our village." he yelled, getting gasps from the people who surrounded them. Katara wasted no time as she turned to her Gran Gran asking her to do anything, only getting a no from the elder.

"Fine! Then I'm banished too!" She yelled, turning to grab Aang as she walked away.

"Katara! Would you really choose him over your tribe?" he shouted, making her stop as he continued on. "Aren't we family?" Aang looked between the two before placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family." he said softly, making her loosen her grip. He shot her a small smile as he slowly made his way to Appa.

"Aang…" a soft voice made him turn, only to see Naruko standing there, her hands held by her chest. "I'm so sorry." she said tiers slowly forming in the corner of her eyes. She closed her eyes knowing that he probably was staring at her with hatred, but much to her surprise she felt his arms wrap around her.

"It's okay," he said softly as he let her go. As she opened her eyes, he was already on Appa as they flew away.

"Are you happy now!" Katara yelled, as she turned back to Sokka, getting silence from the young warrior.

"Katara, I had too-" he started but was cut off.

"There goes my one chance at becoming a waterbender!" she yelled as she pointed at the spot where Aang was standing only mere seconds ago. Before Sokka could say anything, she walked away leaving him standing there alone. With a small sigh he turned to get ready for the battle to come.

Sokka stood on top of one of the makeshift walls, as he looked out at the white landscape. It didn't take long before he noticed the large fire nation warship making its way towards their village. Sokka yelled as the ship came into view, as people panicked running from place to place. It didn't take long before the sound of the fire nation's warships engine could be heard throughout the small village. Naruko stood frozen in fear as she heard the sound of ice breaking, followed closely by the sight of an iron ramp falling through the snow wall leaving nothing to stop the fire nation soldiers from entering the village. Naruko could feel her heart stop as the sight of fire nation soldiers slowly made their way down the ramp. Sokka wasted no time charging the fire nation's soldier, who Naruko guessed was the leader, before being kicked aside in mere seconds. Naruko let out a small sigh of relief as she heard Sokka groan, who fell into what remained of the snow wall.

"Where are you hiding him?" the leader yelled. Naruko noticed the boy's golden eyes scanning the village, but what Naruko noticed the most was the burn scar on the left side of the boy's face. Naruko could feel her heart stop as Kanna stepped forward towards the soldiers.

"Who are you?" she asked, gaining the boy's attention.

"I am Prince Zuko, next in line to the throne of the fire nation. Now tell me where the Avatar is." Zuko said as he grabbed the old woman by the jacket. Naruko could feel her heartbeat faster, as she watched the newly named prince grab the elderly woman.

thump thump

"Let her go." she said lightly.

thump thump

"Let her go." she said slightly louder, gaining the attention of some of the nearby people. Naruko didn't know why her body started moving, all she knew was that she needed to save Kanna.

thump thump

"I SAID LET HER GO!" She yelled as she threw a punch, but what happened next caught her and everyone else off guard as a fireball was sent flying straight at the prince, who had no time to react.

"What the-" was all he could get out as her attack had enough force to send him flying a few feet backwards. Naruko couldn't help but stare in shock at what just happened, as she turned her gaze to her hands. "Did i-" she muttered but was cut off as the other fire nation soldiers quickly surrounded her.

"You're a firebender?" Zuko asked as he slowly stood up, brushing off the snow that was on him. Naruko didn't say anything as she held her hand up in a makeshift fighting stance, but it was obvious that she was terrified and had no prior combat experience. Zuko wasted no time in making his way towards the blond-haired girl. Naruko couldn't stop her body from shaking in fear as the golden eyed boy got closer to her. She closed her eyes as she threw another punch towards the boy, but much to her surprise nothing happened. She threw another punch, nothing, not even a spark. She had no time to respond as she felt his hands grab her arm before using his weight to throw her onto the ground, the sound of a loud thud echoed throughout the small village. All she could do was gasp for air as pain filled her body. She could only stare as Zuko's hand mere inches away from her face.

"I won't ask again, where is the avatar." he said, as fire formed around his hand. "Tell me now or I will end this girl's life," he threatened, but again there was nothing. Naruko couldn't help but let out a sad laugh, gaining Zuko's attention.

"It's no use. They don't care about my life. To them I'm nothing but an outcast." she said sadly as she stared up at the sky. However, something hitting the ground caught her attention.

"Let her go." A male voice said as Naruko turned her attention to the new voice. Naruko felt her eyes widen as she saw Aang standing in front of the soldiers.

"Aang.." she muttered

"Are you the avatar?" he asked, moving his hand closer to her face. leaving the flame only a mere inch away from her.

"Yes, I am!" He shouted hoping to stop the prince, which made Zuko stop his action as a look of shock formed on his face.

"You're the avatar? But you're a child." He said simply.

"And you're a teenager, what's your point?" Aang replied, gaining a growl from the prince. Aang slowly raised his hands over his head as he made his way towards them.

"If I go with you, do you promise to leave this village without hurting anyone?" Aang said simply, gaining a raised eyebrow from the prince.

"No Games?" he asked

"No Games." The airbender answered with a serious tone. Zuko wasted no time in motioning for his men to grab the avatar. The flame disappeared from his hand as he raised it away from the blond-haired girl before making a sign for a nearby soldier to come over. He grabbed the rope from the soldier's belt and proceeded to tie her hands together, before picking her up like a sack of potatoes.

"Wait hold on! I said I would go with you! We had a deal that you would leave them alone!" Aang yelled as he watched Zuko turn towards him.

"I changed the deal." Zuko said as he made his way towards the battleship. Naruko could do nothing as she watched her village grow smaller as she was carried away. She noticed that Gran Gran wanted to save her but was stopped by Sokka and Katara.

"Head a course for the Fire Nation. I'm going home." She heard him say as the ramp slowly rose behind them. Naruko could hear the sound of the engine start up, and the ship jerked as it pulled away from her home.