I really must apologize! My last update was at least 3 months ago. School came up (I'm taking 2 College Credit classes (AP Calculus and AP Statistics) and 2 mandatory college credit prep classes (AP Biology and AP Language and Composition) meaning I have very little time. But I got a review today, and seeing as I had nothing better to do, I sat down and wrote the majority of the chapter (there was an intro already written). The teen angst is all in this chapter, and the fluff begins next, I've got tons of inspiration for it thanks to my BF. chuckles nervously But enough about me! Here's the next chapter!

BTW, it might be a good idea to reread the last chapter since I took so long to publish….

The brilliantly bright rays of the Sun stretched into the predawn hue of deep azure, burning away the little fog that had accumulated over the night. The only one who had spent the night restless and awake was a bright-eyed little lemur by the name of Momo, who was currently peering into the sleeping face of his master. "It's too early…" an exhausted Aang growled, waving the small creature away before turning on his side to slip back into sleep.

Unwilling to give up, Momo leapt off his perch and took flight only to land on the giant head of his fellow creature companion, Appa, but he was also unwilling to wake. The lemur crept around the large skull, found the floppy ears, and lifted one cautiously up before letting out a squeal directly in it. He was rewarded with a quick shake that sent him flying into Katara. She moaned and saw the sun before grudgingly getting up.

Despite the fact that she had been the one in the group to work hardest yesterday, the waterbender let the others sleep while she prepared the camp, starting a fire and finding the dwindling food supply that would only feed the growing group for a few more days.

At the other camp in the area, a groaning Iroh sat up having felt the rising energy in his veins from the Sun. He stretched, smiling before putting a hand to an aching head; he looked around and spotted his nephew, exhausted from the previous day's battle. It seemed as though he had attempted to keep watch over his unconscious uncle for as long as possible before succumbing to the seduction of sleep.

"Prince Zuko? Are you alright?" The boy's head snapped up at the voice.

"Uncle?! You're not hurt, are you?"

"No…what happened yesterday? I feel like I drank a gallon of Sake last night…"

Zuko looked up toward the sky through the destroyed ceiling of the partly demolished house he had transported his uncle to after the fight. "Azula made a cheap shot…and then she got away. Uncle! I'm going to have to fight her again, so will you teach me the more advanced techniques of firebending so that I can defeat her?"

Iroh was surprised by the determination and desperation in his nephew's voice, as well as a new wisdom in his golden eyes, perhaps gained during their separation? "Yes."

Meanwhile, Katara had roused most of the camp, leaving her brother and Appa asleep, since she was incapable of waking either without an army of firebenders. Suki had proved quite helpful but was strangely silent, lost in thought. Toph had gone in search of nuts and berries in the growing light.

Katara stroked the fire, pushing the larger logs towards the center of the flames, stealing glances at Yue, sitting near her. "So…what's going on?"

The redhead sent her a bland stare before turning away, "Nothing. Just trying to remember a dream." That was the truth; she had had a dream about the Moon Spirit and it seemed impossible to grasp the escaping visions. Actually, those dreams were starting to feel as though they weren't hers, but instead were implanted into her brain.

"Ah, was it a weird one?"

"I don't know…" Yue had never been social in the morning, and quickly dropped the line of conversation. Her thoughts turned to the handsome Fire Nation Prince, or ex-prince, that didn't change his skill level. "What do you think of Zuko?"

"He's a hotheaded prince who needs to learn some manners," Katara growled, "Why?"

"No reason." Yue listened as the other girl speared some meats and stuck them over the fire--breakfast. The hiss of cooking meat made Yue's eyes sparkle, exactly like her experience with the Earth peasants. "I love food!" she sighed.

"Alright then…" Katara muttered, poking the embers with a long stick, trying to tune the other girl out. She wasn't sure if she really trusted the princess; after all, she had come back from the spirit world and been traveling with Zuko.

A brush of cool wind made the redhead start, and she pulled her thin dress around her body. If only she had her nice cloak to keep her warm, but that was with Zuko, and it had already been blatantly stated that he was the enemy, not to be trusted in the least. Yue stifled a sigh and bid a silent farewell to her former companion.

"There wasn't much in the forest," Toph growled as she sat down by the fire, handing over her findings, mostly nuts that smelled terrific. "Still, it's the best I could do."

"Good job," Katara took the nuts and put them in the embers to toast, then removed the meat and handed a piece to everyone, "Hey, where's Aang?"

Yue took a bite of her meat, "I think he went to find a spring to bathe in." She shivered; it was a wonder that an element, seeming so sweet and gentle, could turn into a pile of ice spears capable of killing. There was a niggling little thought in her mind, something telling her to just pick up and leave, but she ignored it for the time being; she planned on facing it later.

A heavy hand suddenly rested on Yue's shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me there was food?" Sokka growled sleepily, and he dropped to lean on Yue, "I'm starving…"

"You eat too much," Toph muttered, staring with her unnerving eyes at the fire, "Leave a little for the rest of us."

Yue suddenly felt very uncomfortable with Sokka's weight; there was some strange vibration in her mind telling her that Toph sincerely hated her right now. She liked Sokka? And it was more than that, Yue simply didn't feel right with the Water Tribe warrior; where his skin rubbed against hers felt rough and awkward. An image suddenly flashed the redhead's mind: she was being pulled out of the water by two strong hands--refusing to give up the fish, and two sarcastic, but smiling, amber eyes were staring directly at her.

Moving so quickly that Sokka fell onto the ground in her haste, Yue stood. "I'm going to go clean up as well, don't wait to eat. I'm going to take a nice long bath." Katara didn't even look up but nodded slightly, and Yue felt a questioning glance from Sokka. Toph simply ran her hands through the earth.
She started at a walk from the clearing to the wood, which became brisker until it was an all-out sprint, a pace that Yue couldn't keep for long at all. She leaned against a tree once she was deep inside the forest, wanting to slap herself, wanting to die because of something, something that was just pulling at her gut. Tears fell silently from the corners of her eyes, "What is wrong with me?" She whispered.

Had Sokka followed her, had a branch fallen from the massive trees all around, she would have turned around and continued with the Avatar. Instead, her sign was a deep grumble of thunder from grey skies above. The girl let out a cry and fled deeper into the forest, not caring that she had become hopelessly lost.

Calves aching, Zuko trudged up the mountain. It had gotten significantly colder and he felt a chill; he let out a breath of fire and the feeling vanished. Why did his uncle have to be so difficult? Why couldn't he just strike his nephew with lightning so the teen could learn to channel the energy?

'There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang -- positive energy and a negative energy. Only a select few Firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in the moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning.'

Iroh was good with words, but the whole technique seemed impossible. Zuko continued to climb, feeling the wind beat through his clothes. There was static in the air-a bolt of lightning shot past the mountainside, and the rain began to beat down on the firebender as he finally reached the pinnacle.

Now was the best time for lightning strikes, and this was the best spot for being hit. Zuko's eyes scanned the sky eagerly, watching as several bolts lit up the dark sky. Every time one appeared, he tensed, ready to channel the energy. He was ready. But slowly, the frequency of the strikes slowed and the rains began--drenching his clothes and blurring the clouds above.

The sudden chill was swept away by a burst of fire and anger that leapt from Zuko's mouth with such vigor that a small tree caught fire before being put out by the downpour. "COME ON! You've always thrown everything you could at me! Well I can take it, and now I can give it back! Come on! STRIKE ME! You've never held back before!!!" He stared upwards for several more seconds before a large drop landed in his eyes.

An unfamiliar cry burst from the boy's throat. The pain of his exile finally caught up, and Zuko fell onto the ground. His unscarred eye blurred from salty tears that poured down over his cheek and dripped onto the saturated ground. He wanted his mother, he wanted his uncle, he wanted someone to just hold him and tell him everything was alright. His strength was gone, and slowly, his anger seeped out, leaving the teen fallen upon the cold mountain, completely defeated.

Yue sniffed as she wandered the incline, wondering just where she had come to. She missed her warm cloak, missed her immortal bliss, and suddenly feared the death of hypothermia. She had to keep moving, that much was clear; growing up in a cold climate meant she knew that much. To stop meant death. Her eyes traveled to the sky; it seemed to be weeping for her.

She slowly continued on, trying to ignore the fierce wind now whipping her rain-soaked skin, it grew stronger as she made her way closer to the top of the mountain. Something had told her to come this way; the water was inexplicably pulling her this way like the moon pulled the tides.

She dropped her head, and Yue pieced a figure together through the driving rain: Zuko. He was lying on the ground, seemingly motionless. She ran towards him with the dregs of her energy. One of ther hands slid over his wrist—it was cold, like ice, certainly not the normal firebender temperature. She fell to the ground beside him and turned him over; his eyes were puffy and a shiver ran through his body like a shockwave.

"Zuko! Wake up! We have to get off of this mountain; it's too cold!"

His eyelids flickered before dull, defeated amber eyes met hers. "Why?"

The question didn't wonder why they had to get to lower ground, it asked why things were the way they were; it was the eternal question, the one that was philosophized about by every person in the world. Yue doubted there was an answer. "I don't know. But I do now we aren't meant to die here, not now."

Zuko tried to regain his demeanor, but failed, and suddenly felt the cold that wracked his body. He stood shakily with Yue's help, and the two helped each other down the mountain. They gradually reached an ancient tree with a hollowed niche in its trunk. The movement had warmed Zuko up considerably, but Yue was still freezing. They huddled inside the shelter, and Yue threw off her modesty for the warmth that radiated off her companion. The comforting heat and trying day eventually put her to sleep.

Dawn broke; the sun showed its first rays over the horizon. Across the forest, an assortment of creatures began calling, wandering from their hiding spots that had sheltered them from the storm. And being so tied into the sun's cycle himself, Zuko also woke.

He hadn't realized that he had dozed off. But felt more tired than he had ever been. Zuko sighed and almost pushed the weight off of his chest but stopped—taken aback for a second at Yue, who had a firm grip on his tunic and was lying heavily on his chest. Her dyed hair covered most of her face, but a single white eyebrow still showed through.

She was a princess who understood the royal burden: conforming her life to what was expected only to find she was unhappier than she could stand. But she had died for her people, and he, he had been banished, become a laughingstock to the entire nation.

Yue stirred a bit and loosened her grip, turned over, and opened her pristine, blue eyes to a fresh dawn. Her eyes met Zuko's before shutting; a badly hidden smile showed clearly across her face. Suddenly, the world was a brighter place.

Right now, I'm going to let these kids just act their age. They're royalty that never got the chance to do that. Kudos to Wikipedia for the quotes from "Bitter Work".

Please review!