Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, The Last Airbender
"I'm just saying that we should give him name," said Katara, craddling the infant in her arms.
"How about Long Ho, or Harui, or Bob!" screamed Aang.
"Bradel." Everyone turned to Zuko. He ignored their questioning stares and turned to the boy.
"Bradel, I like that," Katara smiled down at the newly named child. "Hello little Bradel, how are you?"
Bradel laughed and grabbed for her teasing hand waving above him. Katara smiled and looked up at Zuko. "Nice name Zuko, how did you think of it?"
"I just always admired it, is all." Zuko crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to get some sleep. The group flew for a few hours in silence before Iroh aproached Zuko. His new long beard flew in the wind lightly, and his bronze eyes watched the horizon quietly.
"We are here, Zuko." he nodded his head to the ground. Without moving his head, Zuko glanced downward, and saw the long forest that stretched over the high hills rippling the ground in the area. Thunder roared overhead as clouds cast dark shadows over the ground. Lightning strikes illuminated the sky far away. "I think we should land, young Avatar. There is a cave just in those hills."
Zuko winced as he too saw the cave. This was it. He gave a look over to Sokka, and like instinct the warrior turned towards him, meeting his glare. This, peasant, is about to become... His train of thought was interupted by a loud boom of thudner jsut above their heads. "I think you're right Iroh, Appa, come on." he turned the reigns and directed the bison down in the direction Iroh had pointed in.
Appa landed on a wide edge in front of the dark cave. The mouth stretched a good thirty feet, and rose to a hieght of fifteen. Everyone was hestitant before entering, but eventually stepped into the darkness. Iroh and Zuko lit small fires to guide them as they entered. Eventually they settled on a small spot to stay, still in sight of the exit. While unloading the equitment, Toph stopped. She closed her eyes and stood still.
Her body then shook and she turned towards the inside of the cave. Aang noticed her very firm and emotionless expression. "Is something wrong Toph?"
She stood silent for a moment, still staring into darkness. "...No, I just, thought I felt something. its nothing."
She was terribly wrong.
Among the shadows of darkness it lurked, stalking its new vistors. It mentally noted the unique ability of the earth bender, and made sure it stepped carefully. He recognized the old man, the Dragon of the West, and recognized the Avatar. The scarred boy puzzled him, giving off some strange sense of coldness. But the other boy, the water tribe boy, made him smile.
Nice of you to drop in Sokka, I look forward to our first meeting. Iroh, you clever old man, you know I can't turn down a fresh one. I sense great power in this one. Sokka of the Water Tribe, you are about to become one of us...
Ty Lee shivered in the coldness. Sokka noticed and drapped an arm over her shoulder. She smiled and cuddled next to him, taking in his warmth. He smiled back and let her head fall softly on his shoulder. "Sokka, I don't know what to do."
"I know."
"I don't even know if Azula and Mai are alive, should I try to find them, or go back to the fire nation? Or maybe stay with yo-" She stopped herself and blushed.
He chuckled, "Ty Lee, you have no future with those slime you call friends. I think you should go back home and do what you did before."
She frowned and said, "So you don't want me here?"
"That's a silly question, of course I do. But I'm worried that if you stay here then something...will happen again."
Ty Lee shuddered and sat silently for the moment. With a sigh she looked up to Sokka and said, "Well, I don't have to decide now, do I?"
He smiled warmly and embraced her tightly. "No, you don't."
Iroh dismissed himself from dinner early, as did Zuko, and said they wanted to explore the cave. The two left the campsite quietly, not realizing a pair of blind eyes following them. Zuko and Iroh walked only a short hundred feet before they were out of sight around a bend of their companions. "You can come out now."
"Well well, The Dragon of the West, and who is this?" A cold whisper of a voice filled the darkness around them.
"This is my nephew, Prince Zuko."
"Well, its a pleasure to to meet you Prince Zuko, and do you know who I am?" The speaker still had not presented himself.
"It is a pleasure, and yes, I do know who you are. My unlce has told me many things about you."
"I'm flattered, so, enough of the small talk. This one has great potential, I'm glad you brought him."
"We did not bring him for your personal gain, he needs to be trained to control it and use it."
"Do you plan to use him for personal gain Iroh?"
"Not at all, he is a friend of the Avatar, and we wish for him to not harm himself or anyone else. We have already had one slip."
"Yes, I know. Three kills, not bad for his first, but he can do more."
"As I was saying," said Iroh. "We hope he can add a great deal odf strength to our group, and help end the war."
There was a moment of silence. "Iroh, normally I would disagree, but I see great strength in this one. I hope to help him become a fully realized Rokuro."
Toph was extremly terrified. She had just over heard the entire conversation, ducking silently behind some stones. A Rokuro? It sounded familiar, and she was new it meant 'sixth son', but she didn't know waht it had to do with this. Iroh and Zuko had brought them here for Sokka, and because of what happened.
From what she could tell, Zuko and Iroh had no intention of betraying them, and were trying to help their cause. But that didn't shake this feeling she had. Quietly she stood and began to turn back to camp. Before she took her second step though, she stopped. Something had dripped down onto her neck. Slowly she lifted her hand and felt the cold liquid. Drool.
"Well Iroh, it seems we have a little eavesdropper."