GOD! I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING! SOMETHING IMPORTANT! I FORGOT! Something-Beautiful-To-Say updated Forge so go ahead and read that ~ I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Jet would admit that he's often wondered what it would feel like to fly through the skies like the various birds he's seen flit and flutter through the skies. Like the lovesick sparrowkeets that resided within the palace's gardens. But now that he's been soaring through the skies with his newfound companions for a solid five hours or so with little room to properly stretch his muscles, flying is quickly becoming more of a monotony than a novelty. At least back on the ship, he'd had enough room to practice his forms or bug a certain moody Prince. Propping his elbow upon the saddle's edge, he lets his head loll and lazily studies the patterns on the bison's large tail, until something on the water surface catches his attention. Sitting upright, he squints his eyes in an attempt to get a better look at the figure – his heart does this weird falling/soaring thing once he realizes what it is he's looking at. Someone sits at his side:

"What is - ?" Katara trails off once she spots the ship, she turns to the others, "We've got company! And it's gaining fast!"

Now Jet may be loyal to Prince Zuko to a fault, but that did not mean he was okay with being shot out of the skies with the Avatar by said sovereign – a large ball of fire shoots through the skies, sailing in a large arc with smoke tailing it. The sudden veering of the bison has Jet's gut churning uncomfortably, he clamps a hand over his nose, the smell that wafts past his nose doesn't make it any better. And here he thought the bison and the komodo-rhinos smelled funky.

"Guys!" Aang calls out, "We've got a problem!"

Crawling towards the front of the saddle and settling to Katara's left, Jet feels his blood run cold – there on the water's surface before them are dozens of Fire Nation vessels patrolling the borders of their territory. He looks over his shoulder, eyes concentrating on the Fire Prince's ship – surely he wouldn't be dense enough to try and follow them into Fire Nation territory.

"If we go north, we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade entirely." Aang looks over his shoulder at them, "It's the only way we'll all be safe."

"Aang," Katara distresses, "There's no time!"

"We have no choice." Jet adds, he doesn't really care if the Avatar makes it to the island, but he hopes their entering of Fire Nation territory will sway the Prince from giving chase. A voice in the back of his mind says the Prince will do otherwise. "We have to run it."

Aang lets out a frustrated noise, "This is EXACTLY why I didn't want you guys to come! It's just too dangerous!"

Katara gives an encouraging, "And that's why we're here."

If he's here, he might as well sell it, he gives Aang a reassuring grin, "We'll make it."

"Let's run that blockade!" Sokka says boldly.

Aang looks between all of them before nodding, a determined glint in his eyes, "Appa! Yip, yip!"

The bison falters before flying at a faster pace, the sudden change jarring Jet and so it's instinctive when his arm wraps around Katara's slim abdomen to keep himself from falling flat on his ass, but when she gives him a shy look, eyes wide and a flattering shade of red painting her cheeks, he plays it off as intentional. From the girl's other side, he can feel Sokka's eyes burning holes into his skull. More balls of fire shoot from the blockade, and Katara may or may not have pushed closer into his side – Zuko is STILL chasing them. They begin swerving, dodging the exploding flames. Sokka literally pushes Jet from Katara as they start putting out small embers on the bison's shaggy fur, Jet glares but holds his tongue, when this charade is over and he is able to return to the Prince's side, he was going to CHEW HIM OUT for doing something so stupid! He glances at the blockade once more – that's IF the thick-skulled Prince didn't get himself caught!

The group flies higher into the skies and beyond the cottony clouds, using them as coverage, but the attempt to hide from the sights of the Fire Nation appears to work both ways for dozens of fireballs burst forth from the clouds. Fire scatters, embers explode, and smoke clouds their vision. Jet keeps a strong hold on Katara to keep her from falling, the Water Tribe girl not minding in the least, at least until one of the flaming objects explodes before them - it shakes the group and the bison struggles momentarily to regain its bearings, while everyone seems none the worse for wear, Sokka loses his grip, Katara rips from Jet's side and tries to catch her brother's hand, but he's too far away.

"Sokka!" Aang shouts, he turns Appa around, "Hang on!"

Emerging from the clouds and heading back into the fray, Jet's eyes flick towards the Prince's vessel, once they catch Sokka and are heading for a collision course with the blockade, he realizes the ship has been hit. Zuko will be alright - he mentally assures himself as he turns to concentrate on his predicament. Aang destroys the flaming rock, some charcoal like substance coating Jet's features – nearing the blockade, he spots Zhao of all people, hiding his face, he watches and waits to see what befalls the banished Prince. Zuko makes it as well – that's when Jet knows something is going on.

oOo

Running the stone along the sharpened edge of the broadsword, a sharpening stone he'd squirreled away on his person, Jet feels the familiar sensation of someone staring at him again. Letting out a low, undetectable sigh, he flicks his concentrated gaze to the so called Water Tribe warrior, the other teen watching him with clear-cut suspicion in his narrowed gaze. Hiding the sharpening stone away in the seam of his sleeves, a place he's come to store random objects away since he was a child, he expertly collects the swords and sheathes them in their glossy scabbard.

"Something wrong, Sokka?" he asks amiably.

Best to keep his language in check.

"Katara told us that you were a slave." Sokka begins, Katara shoots her brother a look, but it goes ignored, "Mind telling us about your time in the Fire Nation's services?"

"Sokka!" Katara hisses, "He doesn't need to - ,"

"That's alright Katara," Jet smiles tiredly, he looks to Sokka, "Where do you want me to start?"

"Start when you were captured."

Jet nods acceptingly – he's got to alter his life a little, but keep it as close to the actual truth as possible since Sokka was already on high alert, or at the very least suspicious of him and his motives:

"I was only eight when the Fire Nation attacked my village, they killed my parents and anyone else who stood in their way, they burned our houses, our crops, everything. While the survivors ran, scattering into the forests, I stayed behind and tried to fight the soldiers." Jet lets out a bitter laugh, "Imagine that, a kid trying to fight a soldier. It didn't work, obviously, but the men were so impressed with my bravery, they captured me and shipped me off to the Fire Nation like some pilfered treasure." he stares out over the ocean, not really seeing the world, lost in his mindful of memories, "They tried to force me into their army, but when I refused, they decided to send me to the holding cells. I – I remember the shouts of the prisoners, and the smell, sometimes guards would come in and take one of them away, and when they would come back, if they came back, they were bloodied and bruised. I don't know how long I was there, but when I was finally let out, they told me that I was going to be a – slave, I guess it wasn't bad compared to what happened to most, but that didn't really stop me from hating the Fire Nation for what they'd done to me and my family." he's unaware of Katara looking at his eyes, unaware of the far-off look his eyes portray, "I was able to escape when I was traded to Prince Zuko and his crew, the Prince – he mostly ignored me, too busy with his plans, but Lion-Heart was a right bastard," he winces when he realizes that he'd just cussed, "Eh – sorry."

Katara offers a small smile, hand resting upon his knee, "It's okay."

Jet returns the smile, tuning back into the world, Sokka interrupts, "Tell me about this Lion-Heart guy."

"Well – he acts as Prince Zuko's personal guard, keeps people in line, but he has a mean-streak, he would harass the crew and use them for training that would injure some men, sending them to the medical bay." Jet pauses, wondering what more he could add, "And – I heard the guy was trained from birth by all the greatest soldiers and assassins the Fire Nation has to offer, which makes him a master in stealth, survival, weaponry, and combat. I know he's a member of the royal guard, which is why he's traveling with the Prince in the first place." Jet meets Sokka's irate gaze, "But if I were you, I'd avoid the guy at all costs, there are rumors that claims he enjoys killing those who cross the family and takes every chance he gets to start a fight – and with what I've seen on that ship, I'd say they're true." he pauses almost thoughtfully, eyes falling to his hands, "They're all monsters."

Katara gives his knee a gentle pat, Jet is still in thought, they're all monsters, Sokka starts up again, "If this Lion-Heart guy is all that, then how did you escape? And those swords, do you even know how to use them?"

Jet picks his gaze up, training his expression to look somber and his voice hopeless, "I picked up a thing or two by watching the guy practice, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to beat him – I'm not looking to test my luck. As for escaping, I managed to sneak away while at port, to take them on, especially the Prince and Lion-Heart would have been suicide. But I wouldn't really call it an escape."

"What do you -?"

"The guy's been tracking me ever since I made a run for it." Jet nearly snaps his teeth down on his tongue in an attempt to hold back his anger, but these questions after questions were really grating on his nerves, "Last night was the only time I was able to get some real sleep without having to look over my shoulder or a weapon at my side."

Sokka opens his mouth once more, but Aang interrupts, possibly sensing Jet's discomfort, "I guess that explains why we haven't seen him with Zuko those times we've met."

Silence.

"We're here!"

Descending and landing upon a clearing, Jet watches the others jump from the saddle before he follows, he looks to the tall building looming over the island – if he remembers right, there are Fire Sages within that building which means they're sure to realize who he is and ruin his cover. He shakes his head and backs up a step or two, this captures the attention of the trio, Katara and Aang move to his side, helping him sit upon the rocky ground.

Jet places a hand to his head as though he were fighting back a headache, "If it's okay with you guys, I – I think I'll sit here and wait."

"Why?" Sokka snorts, "Scared?"

It was meant to be a teasing gesture, but Jet laughs self-deprecatingly, "Pretty pathetic huh?"

Katara glares heatedly at Sokka but kneels at Jet's side, "Don't worry, you can stay here."

"Yeah ~ !" Aang smiles kindly, "This won't take long ~ !"

"I'm sorry I can't be much help right now, but I'll make it up to you later, I promise."

"No, that's okay." Katara soothes as she and Aang stand, "We'll be back soon, okay Jet?"

Jet smiles, warm and kind, "Thank you, Katara."

Seeing the small blush signals that he's doing something right, "You don't need to thank me."

Sokka makes obnoxious kissy sounds/faces which earns a red-faced Katara smacking him upside the head - Jet gives them a wave and once they're out of sight, he sighs and turns to the large bison that stares at him. It makes him feel uncomfortable and a little threatened.

He rubs the back of his head, "I'm going to take a walk." it makes a low rumble, "Yeah."

Wandering around some hardened lava, he spots a small ship, boat, whatever, nearing the island, frowning, he dives behind some rocks and peers around the edge, eyeing the ship as it pulls onto shore. Steadying his breath, he grabs a hold of the broadswords' handles, watches as the person jumps from the deck and onto the black sand, he smirks as sneaks closer, silent as he pulls the weapons from their sheath. Once he's close enough he sweeps up behind the skulking figure and places a blade dangerously close against the person's throat:

"What's a pretty face like yours doing in a place like this ~ ?"

Zuko bats at Jet, "Aren't you supposed to be with the Avatar?"

"I am." Jet sheathes the weapons, he turns to look at Avatar Roku's temple, "They're inside, but if I go in and the Fire Sages recognize me, my cover will be blown. And if you want the Avatar, we can't have that now can we."

Zuko looks at the temple for a second or two before turning to his friend, "Do you have anything on the Avatar?"

"Nothing of use," Jet looks back to the Prince, "They're just a bunch of soft kids with a lot of tender moments, I mean sure, Sokka might be suspicious but I doubt he thinks I'm Lion-heart."

"And why is he suspicious?"

"Because I'm hitting on his sister."

Zuko sighs, "I better get going."

Jet grabs his wrist, "But what are YOU doing here?"

"I'm going after the Avatar." Zuko frowns, confused, "Or did you forget?"

"I'm not the one with memory problems." Jet tugs Zuko back, "You're not supposed to be in Fire Nation territory remember, if they catch you they'll clip your wings Fire-Bird."

"I know that." Zuko hisses, pulling away from Jet, "Uncle already told me the same thing."

"Yet you're still here."

"I'm chasing the Avatar, I'm sure my father will understand."

"Zuko - ,"

"Don't."

Exhaling steadily, Jet runs a hand through his hair and stares at his bristling friend, "Fine. Just – be careful. You remember where we're meeting up, right?"

"Yeah." Zuko rasps, "You sure you'll get them there?"

"Yeah, but don't worry about me." Jet pats Zuko's shoulder, "Worry about you." Zuko nods and walks past, Jet turns to watch his friend leave, "I hope you know Zhao let you pass!" Zuko waves him off, "I'm being serious!" he shouts, "Be careful!"

Returning to the bison, he sits upon the ground and lies back, his hair is starting to get as fluffy as the bison's fur, he sighs low, tired, and annoyed.

"I hate this heat."

Appa rumbles in agreement and that's the last thing Jet hears before he shuts his eyes and succumbs to sleep – chattering wakes him, before he can fully open his eyes, the island rumbles. Startling awake, he watches Momo fly in circles before heading towards the temple, getting the gist of it, he climbs atop Appa and grabs hold of the reins, shouting a quick yip, yip before they're off, following the flying lemur to a large hole in the temple. He spots the three kids and maneuvers the giant monster closer.

"Need some help?" Jet calls out blithely,

"Jet!" both Aang and Katara call out happily.

The trio of kids clambers into the saddle and Jet pulls on Appa's reins, once they're flying away from the island, Jet makes his way to the saddle and rests comfortably, listening to Katara and Aang recall the happenings within the temple.

I read and reread this hoping I'd remember what it was I was going to say but it never came D: