King Kuei woke up and stretched. He looked about his meager campsite, alight in the early morning light. His eyes lighted upon his nearly flat backpack, his thin bed mat, and the crushed, blackened wood that represented his sad attempt at making a fire the night before.

Bosco, his pet bear, was still fast asleep, his body shaking with the force of his snores.

"Bosco, wake up!" exclaimed the Earth King excitedly, jumping out of bed and shaking the bear in an attempt to rouse him.

"We have a kingdom to see!" announced the King, strutting about and beginning to clean up his campsite. "This is going to be so much fun. I've never been outside the city before!"

Bosco rolled to his side and refused to acknowledge his owner's determinedness that he should awaken.

The Earth King, having cleaned up his scarce possessions and fitted them neatly into his pack, turned back to his uncooperative friend.

"Come on Bosco, you lazy animal. We have work to do!" The Earth King clapped his hands to his face excitedly and began jumping up and down. "We have to make a plan! We have so much to do, so much to learn about our new life as outcasts! We're going to have to make some changes to our routine. We won't be able to eat as much or wear as fancy clothes as we used to. We're going to have to be frugal, do you know what that means?"

Bosco did not respond.

"It means we won't be able to spend as much money on things that we used to. But that will be fine; we'll be traveling along, just the two of us. It will be our own little adventure!"

Bosco looked unimpressed.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked the Earth King, some of his excitement left his demeanor, leaving him looking deflated. "You look as if this isn't such a fun idea after all."

Bosco looked sadly upon his owner. He couldn't grasp the deeper intricacies of the situation, but from what he did understand, he felt and he and his owner were in far over their heads.

"You probably think I don't have a right to be happy about this," said the Earth King sadly. "Not after the Fire Nation has captured my city, taken over my people and pretty much enslaved the entire Earth Kingdom."

Bosco blinked. Kuei sighed. He made his way to his bear's side and took a seat on the ground beside him.

"I suppose you have a point," said the Earth King dejectedly. "I shouldn't be happy; not after everything that the Fire Nation did to us."

The two sat in silence. In the distance, a bird chirped happily.

"I suppose I could be more upset," said the Earth King slowly. "But what would that accomplish, really? The Fire Nation captured my home, and until the Avatar wakes up—if he wakes up-there's nothing we can do. We might as well make the most out of our situation."

Bosco nudged his owner's arm. Kuei began to stroke his head. Bosco closed his eyes, happily enjoying his owner's attention.

"The truth is, Bosco, I am happy. I loved being the Earth King, but I never really knew what I was ruling, did I? I do not think one can be a very good king living their whole lives in the palace. I need to explore my kingdom, learn more about its people. Then, if I ever do return to the throne, I will be more fit to be a good king."

Finally, Bosco felt compelled to raise himself to his feet.

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed the Earth King excitedly. "We are on our way, old friend! Let us follow our adventure!"

And so, pet and owner made their way off to explore the vast reaches of the Kingdom they shared.

Team: Fire Nation

Round: 4

Category: Drabble

Prompts: 1 (Title: If Only…) 2 (Word: Frugal), 7 (Speech: 'Why are you looking at me like that?').

Word count: 649