Ignition
Chapter 19: Singed
Rhyu awoke with a start, his heart pounding and his forehead beaded with sweat. He groaned as he stretched his legs away from him and wiped his brow. He sat up and hung his head between his knees with his forehead resting on his folded forearms. As he fought to regain control of his breathing, his mind wandered back to the strange nightmare that had occupied his thoughts moments before. He opened and closed his eyes several times, clenching them shut and hoping to rid himself of the horrible images. "Katara?" he hissed, wondering if his thrashing had disturbed her sleep. "Katara I had the weirdest dream," he muttered as he turned to face his companion. He was shocked when his gaze came to rest on her tussled blanket and empty bedding. Frowning, he clambered to his feet and poked his head through the tent flap. The furrow between his brows deepened when he noticed her boots were no longer beside his.
The boy stepped out of the tent and slipped quietly into his boots, balancing awkwardly first on one leg and then on the other as he hurried. He darted quickly towards the fire pit where they ate the night before and skidded to a stop next to Roan. Disappointment hit him as he realized Katara was not among them. He nudged the older boy gently with the toe of his boot. "Roan!" he muttered. When the older boy gave no response, Rhyu became frustrated. With a soft kick, he flipped Roan onto his back. The older boy's eyes fluttered open as he coughed. Blinking against the half-light of the morning, he was surprised to be staring up at Rhyu.
"What?" he groaned as he rolled onto one side, easing himself up on his hands. "Can't go around waking people up like that kid, you're likely to get hurt," he mumbled, rubbing his face idly.
"Have you seen Koru?" Rhyu demanded.
"Not since last night. He left with you didn't he?" Roan grumbled.
"He wasn't there this morning," Rhyu explained.
"Maybe he had to piss, Rhyu. Come on, you woke me up for that?" Roan complained, looking up at Rhyu with eyes still heavy from slumber. "I'm sure he'll turn up, go back to sleep or something. We'll have to be working soon." Roan rolled back over, pulling his pack under his head as a pillow and promptly fell back to sleep.
Rhyu stared at the older boy for a moment before considering the line of trees where the clearing ended and the forest began. He debated internally whether or not he should go looking for his friend. Roan's suggestion was certainly possible. When the idea of stumbling upon Katara in the woods with her breeches down crossed his mind, Rhyu shook his head. "No, that certainly wouldn't do," he whispered to himself. Deciding it better to wait until she returned, he settled himself on the log and went about breaking kindling into manageable pieces for a fire.
Soon Rhyu had a pile off sticks and twigs of a sufficient height for a fire over which their breakfast could be cooked. He took a deep cleansing breath and centered himself as he stood. Drawing his left knee towards his chest, he reached inward to the source of his power as the masters always instructed. Feeling its warmth, he directed it downward with a powerful thrust as he kicked. He stumbled backwards as a burst of flames jetted away from his left foot. Steadying himself quickly, he smiled as the fire crackled to life, licking at the rocks and small stones scattered around the ring of the fire pit.
Rhyu spun as the sound of soft clapping startled him. Across the fire pit, Jeb stepped over another log and sat down. "Well done," he said simply as he bent down to throw a small log atop the flames. Rhyu eyed him strangely, attempting to discern whether or not the older boy was teasing him. Jeb threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, don't look at me, I actually meant it," he said sincerely. "I know the guys give you a rough time in training but don't paint us all with the same brush. Plus, it's too early for that crap," he added, stretching as a yawn distorted his face and speech.
Rhyu cracked a smile and crouched down to help Jeb feed the growing fire. Soon the flames roared between the two of them. From his pack, Jeb drew a thin, flat metal pan which he placed on a rock that he twitched further away from the flames with the toe of his boot. From the pocket of his tunic, he gently pulled five f what looked to Rhyu like the small white balls his cat had so enjoyed. Noticing the brown speckles scattered across their surface, he laughed. "Where did you get eggs?" he asked.
"I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I took a stroll. Found a little nest and figured they'd do well enough for our breakfast," Jeb explained as he cut a small bit of fat from the trim of his rationed meat. The smell as it melted and began to sizzle caused Rhyu's stomach to growl. "Almost wasn't worth it," Jeb muttered as he swirled the pan. "Something in the woods caught the attention of those two guards watching the prisoner. Thought it was me for a second. I thought for sure I was going to be flogged but I ducked down and they ran right by me."
Rhyu's eyes widened. "Did they say what it was?" he asked, worrying again for Katara's safety.
Jeb shook his head. "No, they just took off towards the river."
"I have to pee," Rhyu said awkwardly, jumping to his feet. Before Jeb could do anything more than look at him strangely, he set off towards the tent. He reached it quickly and dropped to his knees, rifling quickly through the items scattered on Katara's side of the tent. Finally, his fingers brushed the cool metal of the heavy key she usually kept in her boot and the tiny glass bottle of sleeping draught that Katara had concocted. With a sigh of relief, he pocketed the items and crawled backwards out of the tent.
His plan came to him quickly- free Zuko, and find Katara before the guards did. Certain she had somehow caught their attention, he urged himself not to panic as he dashed across the camp. Thank Agni most of them are still sleeping…
He stopped himself just short of the last row of tents. Peering around the corner, his heartbeat accelerated. Just as Jeb had said, the guards were no longer there. Casting a final glance around the clearing, he darted to Zuko's side. He crouched behind the fire prince and began working at the chains. "Come on, come on…" he muttered to himself. Finally he felt the key turn in the tumbler. The shackles fell away from Zuko's wrists and ankles, waking him.
Zuko mumbled incoherently. Growing impatient, Rhyu grasped his shoulders and shook him. "Wake up!" he snarled fiercely as Zuko's eyes fluttered. "Get up, get up damn it!" Rhyu spat as he placed his hands beneath Zuko's arms and attempted to haul him to his feet. Zuko's full body weight pressed against the smaller boy as he tried desperately to push the fire prince onto his feet. Unbalanced and weakened from several days of immobility, Zuko stumbled forward onto all fours in the dust.
"We don't have time for this!" Rhyu growled, tearing at his hair and glancing fearfully around them once more. He bent down to look Zuko in the eye. "Get up," he commanded. "Katara's in trouble."
Zuko's eyes opened wide before narrowing in anger. He pushed himself up with arms that shook and struggled to get his feet beneath them. As soon as he was vertical, Rhyu grabbed the front of his tattered tunic and began to drag him towards the trees. Zuko dug his feet in and twisted out of Rhyu's grip. "Where are you going? She's in there," he muttered, pointing in the direction of Zahn's tent.
Rhyu looked at Zuko, considering whether exhaustion or a blow to the head was the cause of Zuko's delirium. "She wouldn't go in there, she's not stupid. She's off in the woods – your guards are after her. We have to go!" he explained quickly.
"No, she was dragged past me by that whelp Tinzo last night. She's in there," Zuko turned on his heel and strode towards the tent as rage contorted his features. Suddenly, Rhyu was in front of him, pushing against his chest.
"You can't just go in there, fists blazing," Rhyu muttered as he struggled against the momentum of the boy twice his size. "We have to have a plan!"
"I have a plan," Zuko snarled angrily.
Rhyu balled up his fists and struck Zuko in the chest. "You don't know who's in there. It could be Zahn, or it could be half the guard," he muttered as Zuko continued to push him forward.
"I hope it is. I've got a bone to pick with them, you see," Zuko countered.
"Are all of the fire lords this dense?" Rhyu spat, giving Zuko a final shove.
Zuko regained his balance quickly. "Don't be insolent," he muttered. "I am not in the mood."
"You're right, you're in the mood to go off half-cocked and possibly get you, me and Katara killed. Seems like a great plan to me," Rhyu retorted, folding his arms over his chest. "Do you even want to consider my way?"
"Not particularly," Zuko replied with a quirked brow.
Rhyu pressed on despite Zuko's response, pleased to see that the older boy had at least stopped walking. "Zahn sleeps in the back of the tent. He wouldn't humble himself to watch her. He'd assign someone else, probably Tinzo. I'm willing to bet she's up front," he reasoned quietly.
"Fine. I'll grab whoever is guarding her, you see to her. We'll do it quickly and quietly. Let's go before my guards return," Zuko stated as he moved forward. The pair paused once more outside the tent to listen. The only audible sounds from within were the regular, rhythmic snores emanating from the back of the tent where Zahn presumably slept. Rhyu nodded to Zuko before the two burst through the opening and into the dimly lit tent.
Tinzo spun as the tent flap rustled. Before he could make a sound, Zuko was on him. The fire prince wrapped an arm around Tinzo's throat and squeezed, nearly crushing his windpipe as Zuko took him to the ground. Tinzo's hands scrabbled at Zuko's arms as he fought for air. "Get her!" Zuko whispered to Rhyu, tightening his grip on Tinzo's throat to silence the sounds escaping him.
Rhyu darted over to the corner where Katara lay on her side. He hesitated for a moment at the sight of the bruises and scratches that covered what was visible of her body and face. At Zuko's urging, he reached out gently to touch her. Her blue eyes flew open and she lashed out at Rhyu with a powerful kick, sending him flying backwards and onto his back. With her arms bound behind her, she still managed to roll to her feet. When Rhyu sat up, she was crouched in the corner and coiled to spring.
"Katara, it's us!" Zuko hissed from his place by the door as Tinzo continued to struggle. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them before she recognized them. Panting, she relaxed slightly. Rhyu approached her cautiously, not entirely convinced that she would not send him sprawling again the instant he touched her. He held the heavy iron key in front of her before reaching around behind her to free her wrists from the shackles. As soon as they fell to the ground, she leapt up to wrap her arms around his shoulders. She squeezed him tightly, her eyes welling up.
Zuko cleared his throat as Tinzo's legs thrashed wildly. Katara turned to Rhyu. "Bottle," she murmured as she extended her palm, hoping the boy had brought the bottle as well as the key. Thankfully, he slapped it quickly into her hand. She limped across the tent until she stood in front of Tinzo and Zuko. Tinzo's eyes widened as she waved the flask in front of his eyes. "Paybacks are hell," she murmured before reaching forward and pinching his nose closed. She waited as he rolled his head from side to side, trying in vain to wrestle himself from her grip. After struggling for what seemed to Rhyu like an hour, he finally gasped. Katara emptied half of the bottle into his mouth with one swift motion, before grasping his jaw and holding it shut. A thin line of amber liquid dripped from the corner of his mouth as he coughed and attempted to spit the bitter mixture, but Katara maintained her grip. Her piercing blue eyes bore into his until his vision blurred. His eyes rolled back into his head and when Zuko released him, he flopped to his side in the dirt.
"Put him over there," Katara murmured, indicating the far corner of the tent with a jerk of her head as she stood and replaced the stopper. Zuko and Rhyu dragged the boy's limp body into the corner while Katara stared at the divider behind which Zahn slept soundly.
As Rhyu dropped the boy's legs, he turned to Zuko. "Is he dead?" he whispered.
Zuko placed two fingers against the boy's throat. "No he's still got a pulse, he's just asleep. For now," he hissed. The two stood, returning their attention to Katara. They exchanged a concerned glance as they noted the strange expression on her face.
Zuko crossed the tent slowly. "Katara, we should go," he whispered, reaching out to her. He gently brushed the side of her hand with a finger before enclosing her smaller, bruised hand in his. She turned to face him and crashed into him headfirst. Stunned, he paused for a moment before wrapping his arms around her as she clung to his chest. He breathed a sigh of relief and lightly kissed her hair. "I know, I know," he whispered. "But we have to go now."
She nodded and turned from him, wiping her face. Despite the situation, a spark of happiness fluttered through Zuko's chest when she did not pull her hand from his. Katara led the way to the opening of the tent and peeked through it. "Clear?" Zuko asked. She merely nodded. The trio slipped quietly through the tent flap and into the morning light. Katara stopped suddenly, causing Zuko and Rhyu to bump into her. Their gaze followed hers until they noticed the half dozen or so men beginning to move through camp.
"Damn they're starting to wake," Rhyu muttered as he scrambled for a plan. "Katara, you and Zuko head for the river. I'll go get our packs," he said as he moved to step forward. Zuko grasped his shoulder, stopping him short.
"There's no point in getting yourself caught over some gear," Zuko murmured.
"And you two aren't going to make it very far without Katara's supplies. I'll be in and out quickly. Besides, I actually belong here. I'm a lot less suspicious than the two of you."
"He's right," Katara croaked, her voice hoarse from disuse. "We'll go. We'll hide by the rocks where I fell in. The usual signal?" she whispered.
Rhyu nodded before taking off towards their tents. Zuko and Katara turned and headed for the trees as fast and as quietly as they could manage. When they reached the trees, they both exhaled breaths they had not been aware that they were holding. The morning light had yet to penetrate the canopy and the surrounding shade was comforting. They hurried wordlessly through the underbrush, stopping only when Katara located a familiar pile of rocks. She dug through them quickly until she found the clothing she had left prior to donning her disguise. Tucking it under her arm, they continued on until they reached the edge of the trees. Zuko held his hand in front of Katara, indicating she should stop. His eyes scanned the river bank. Seeing nothing, the pair slowly stepped forward. Zuko searched for an adequate hiding place. Before he could locate one, Katara tugged on the sleeve of his tunic.
He allowed her to lead the way as she darted forward, leaping from rock to rock across the shallows towards an impressive rock formation around which the river parted at its center. They scrambled atop the structure with a considerable amount of effort before settling on a large, flat rock. The pair paused as they caught their breath. "I swear that was easier before," Katara panted. Zuko nodded as he looked around. The spot was concealed well enough, as long as they stayed seated or crouched. At the very least, they would be able to see and hear anyone who approached. Katara sat up to lean against the rock behind her. The light of the rising sun illuminated her face for the first time, causing Zuko to sit up suddenly.
"What did they do to you?" Zuko gasped angrily as he gently lifted her chin to meet his gaze.
"Nothing worse than what they did to you, no doubt," she replied softly, looking at the ground.
Zuko brushed his hand along the line of her bruised and swollen jaw and brushed his thumb gently against her cracked lower lip. She leaned her cheek against his rough palm in an almost imperceptible movement. The purple and black bruises and claret lines of dried blood stood in stark contrast against her tawny skin.
"I must look awful," Katara murmured, watching his expressions as he surveyed the damage. "I'll heal," she added, attempting to calm him when she noticed his hand began to tremble. She wrapped both hands around his, pulling towards her. She pressed her lips softly against the broad back of his hand. "We got away, that's all that matters."
"No, it's not. And soon I will make them pay," Zuko replied as he stood. He slipped the remains of his tunic over his head and ripped it quickly into large strips. Peeking over the tops o the surrounding rocks, he half walked, half slid to the water's edge. Once the rags were soaked, he returned to Katara's side. "For now, let's just get you cleaned up," he murmured.
Katara went still as he gently dabbed at her face with the cool, wet cloth. He started at her hairline, removing the dirt and caked blood as he moved slowly down her face and neck. The experience was odd for Katara. She was accustomed to being the one helping, not the one being helped. All the same, it was calming which she desperately needed.
"Turn around," Zuko said softly. Katara complied, turning to face away from him. He gathered her hair in one hand and draped it over her shoulder before continuing to tend to the scrapes and cuts on her upper back and shoulders. He reached the top of the linen used to bind her breasts and stopped. Tugging on it gently, he asked to remove it. Katara hesitated before reaching up to her side and untucking the edge for him. He unwound it slowly until it fell away and exposed her back.
"I'll stay behind you, don't worry," he mumbled as he resumed washing her. "You're the least of my worries," Katara replied calmly with a stifled laugh, her eyes closed. His gaze traveled slowly down the soft curvature of her spine. Bruises in the shape and pattern of distinct fingerprints encircled her upper arms, meeting at the back. Her wrists were chafed and blistered from handcuffs. A small incision directly between the shoulder blades told him that someone had pressed a blade against her. A large bruise spread across her left hip. The other bore bruises in the shape of several fingers and a thumb that wrapped around her waist. Numerous scrapes lay scattered across her back. As he tended her wounds, his stomach rolled. As his hands began to shake again, he paused. Sensing the tension, Katara leaned back against him until her head rested on his shoulder. She reached up and gently placed the palm of her hand against the side of his face.
"I know you're angry. So am I. And they will pay for it, but not now. We need to get as far away as possible. You know this," she whispered.
Closing his eyes, he landed his head against hers and nodded. "I can't stand the thought of you being hurt," he murmured, his lips brushing her hair.
"How do you think I felt watching you beaten and in chains?" she replied softly. "They're time will come and we will make them answer for everything they have done. We have more pressing matters to deal with."
Zuko simply nodded. He watched as she stood and went to retrieve her clothing. With her back to him, she struggled to lift her right arm over her head. He stood and assisted her, gingerly avoiding her injuries as he pulled the light blue tunic into place. She turned and took the cool cloth from his hands. "Sit," she instructed simply. He obeyed and sat completely still as she cared for his injuries.
Once finished, they sat side by side once more on the hard rock surface beneath them. After a moment's pause, Zuko pulled her closer to him and onto his lap. He draped his arms around her and held her close. Katara settled against him and tucked her head under his chin, comforted by the slow rise and fall of his chest and the warm, protective strength of his arms. After a few minutes of silence, Katara lifted her head. "Is this going to be a common thing for awhile, or…?" she murmured with a smile.
Zuko chuckled and squeezed her gently. "Believe me; I'm not letting you go any time soon."
Author's Note: D'awwwwww! Sorry, I was feeling a little sappy so this is what you get. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know.