DIsclaimerI do not own ATLA
Li relaxed in the shallow water at the lake's edge. The sun was shining, he had found water, there was no one around, except for Azula, but he wasn't even sure about her. Hopefully she had suffered a bad run-in with a bear. Or maybe a rabid foaming-at-the-mouth squirrel intent on taking her and her army down so it could build a nice nest in their helmets and….His thoughts wandered on as he slowly slipped into sleep.
Aang froze. What was he going to do? If Zuko was somewhere around here, so were his cronies, his crew from his ship. But why were Zuko's things gathered into a pile here? What if it was a trap? I could just turn and walk away right now, fight my away through an ambush.
Then he heard a deep inhale and exhale of breath. Aang spun around, and stood frozen in shock again. There was Prince Zuko, fast asleep in the water close to the shoreline! But could he be faking? Cautiously Aang tiptoed over to where his most persistent enemy lay. Zuko was wearing nothing more than his under-shorts. Even his long black hair was down from its usual high pony. Aang noted that he too was getting a layer of stubble over his head. He looked much thinner. And he seemed to be by himself. What was he doing out there? Stalking me? Should I wake him up?
Zuko stirred again. For the first time since Aang had remembered his face was not twisted into an ugly scowl. It looked…peaceful. Even his scar wasn't that painful to look at. Then Aang heard a low rumbling sound. Zuko must have been hungry. His stomach didn't sound happy.
What are the chances of him attacking me if I wake him up? Pretty good, Aang knew. Zuko had never passed up the chance of capturing Aang. Yet, Aang was a match for Zuko, maybe more than.
Aang looked at the ruined staff he had carried with him since the crash. That light was the Sun reflecting off his armor. So then, Zuko owed Aang a new staff. That was good enough for him. Reaching out, he prodded the sleeping Zuko with it.
"Zuko, wake up!" he whispered.
Zuko cracked open his eyes. "GO away!!"
He hadn't realized it was Aang, then. What would happen when he did?