A day passed. Then another. Two more. So far there had been no luck, and the groups water supply was running dangerously low.

"We have to go back into town," Toph said as Appa landed in the sand beside Zuko. He pulled back his hood and glanced at the bison where he saw that Aang was already sitting. Zuko wanted to say that they should keep searching, but he knew it was useless. They wouldn't survive out here without any water. They needed sustenance. He could see on their faces that the others knew this, even if they had trouble accepting the fact that they couldn't continue their search.

"That's a good idea," he said instead, "maybe while you're there you can find more information on the sandbenders that could help us determine where Katara's at,"

"iyoui?" Sokka said, leaning over the saddle to look down at the firebender. "Aren't you coming with us?"

"No," Zuko replied, looking down.

"Why not?" Aang asked, clearly just as curious as the others as to why the exiled prince was staying behind.

"It's best for me to continue searching while you head back. I might find something." The other glanced at each other, silently seeming to debate whether or not they should argue. In the end it was Aang who spoke.

"Alright… but be careful, Zuko. We don't need to lose you, too," The firebender nodded once, and as the flying bison took off into the air he pulled up his hood again. Glancing towards the horizon he saw that the sun was beginning to set. He pushed on regardless.

X

More than a day had passed and the others had still not reunited with Zuko. He was completely out of water and had long since finished off the last of his food. He could feel the lack of nourishment begin to affect him. His throat and mouth felt like sandpaper, his stomach constantly growled, his feet were covered in blisters and his legs ached from all the walking. His head spun and Zuko felt sick. He was constantly tired.

And still he searched. He searched the desert for Katara and the skies for Appa, but neither appeared. By now he would be equally grateful to see either.

X

The night after the next, Zuko began to fear that he wouldn't make it. He hadn't eaten in at least 6 days and had nothing to drink in 3. He had been searching for a week now, and his hopes of ever seeing the brave waterbender ever again were beginning to dwindle. She could be long gone from the desert by now…

With an angry sigh Zuko sat down at the base of a dune. He didn't want to give up. He couldn't! If Katara was gone then the Avatar would lose hope. He'd grieve instead of train, instead of work and plot with them to take down the Fire Lord. That would mean they were defeated and the world would be lost in a reign of fire. He had to find Katara for Aang.

iIs that the only reason?/i a smug voice in his head asked. Zuko chose to ignore this voice.

Instead he waited for night to fall and conjured himself a fire. He sat close to it to prevent the cold of the desert night from affecting him. Just before drifting off he was struck by an idea. If he was lucky, Aang and the others were looking for him as well at Katara. They'd be on the alert.

With that in mind he urged his fire to climb high into the sky. Higher and higher and higher until it seemed to reach the stars. He held it for a few moments before letting the line of fire die. He smiled. With any luck the Avatar had seen it and was on his way now.

He sat down to wait.

X

When he woke it was not to the sound of Appa landing, but the scuffle of boots in the sand. Someone was here.

Immediately on the alert Zuko drew his Dao blades from their position next to his sleeping mat. He stood in a crouch, feet planted as firmly as they could be in the loose sand. His golden eyes darted from side to side; he barely dared to breathe in case he missed something. In the starlight that bathed the desert Zuko could see nothing out of the ordinary. There was just sand, sand, and more sand. Silence rang in his ears for he could hear nothing, not even a breeze of wind. And still he did not relax. He had heard something. He knew he had. He may have been half starved and dehydrated, but the exiled prince knew that he could still rely on his senses to tell him when danger was near.

His mind briefly skittered over the fact that he had slept longer than he had intended while waiting for the Avatar. Currently however, this wasn't important. What he needed to focus on was finding his enemy… they were here. He knew they were. How many of them, what they wanted, if they were even human he didn't know, but Zuko's instincts told him someone was there.

And still nothing came. The prince's previous belief began to waver. Had it just been a desert night animal walking through his camp? But he saw no footprints… Zuko hesitantly lowered his Dao blades.

That was when they struck.

The sand suddenly came alive around him, shifting under his feet and causing him to lose balance. He fell backwards, but just as quickly somersaulted back and sprung onto his feet, ready for the next attack. A flash of movement in the corner of his eye caused him to strike out, but as he did he felt a force on his back cause him to stumble. He tried to flow with the movement and regain his balance, but after not eating for so long Zuko was weary and off balance. He fell to the ground.

A grunt escaped his throat as his body impacted with the sand. Immediately after he felt a weight on his back and a tugging at his arms. Fingers… he was fighting people. Sandbenders. And they were trying to take him prisoner! He wouldn't allow it. He'd be of no use to the Avatar in the clutches of these desert people. So with a surprising display of strength Zuko twisted underneath the other bender and threw him off. He struck out with his Dao swords and managed to slice what he thought was the ankle of the man.

The swish of metal through air behind him caught the prince's attention. Instinctively he turned, raising his Dao's to block the attack. But even as he moved to defend himself he could hear another swish of metal… he moved one Dao away from its partner to block the dagger that flew at him.

The battle continued for several more heartbeats, Zuko parrying attacks and striking out where he could. He had no idea how many sandbenders there were, or even how many he had taken out. Right now he was just doing his best to resist capture.

But when he felt a hot slice on his skin Zuko knew he was becoming desperate. He threw down his Dao blades and released a burst of fire from his fists. He had been stupid not to use firebending earlier; by now his movements were slow and sluggish. He was injured and his energy was draining fast. There were just too many sandbenders. Don't forget why you're doing this! A determined voice in his head reminded him. Zuko breathed deeply and shot out another arch of fire at his constantly moving opponents. He was at the very end of his rope, but he was going to hold on for all he was worth.

That was the last thought he had before an explosion of pain in the back of his head brought darkness upon him.