Disclaimer: Still lacking ownership.

A/N: There is mentions of birthdays, allow me to state this before anyone asks. Like last names in the series, they are unknown.

Fall was almost uncomfortably warm. As with summer, they had been wearing the lightest stuff they could get away with. It seemed to be taking a particular toll on Katara. She was constantly running out of water and seemed to have to rest far more often then usual. They knew summer was always difficult on the water oriented priestess, but this similar fall didn't bode well for the group. With her birthday coming soon, it sent the group scrambling in all directions to find gifts that she wouldn't only like, but that might help to lift her spirits and might be useful.

Zuko and Aang had actually agreed on the same gift since they both had the idea and they knew the likelihood that they actually require one another help to actually get it. Toph had decided to purchase some clothe and figure out about a new dress for Katara. Sokka was content just being her beck and call servant for a week. Which it seemed she was going to need the better part of to rest during the particularly fierce heat wave. Everyone took this as their chance to scurry and collect on gifts.

With the excuse of more fire training, which would always have to be practiced far from prying eyes of the village, they left the group in town. Zuko and Aang took only The Jet Pet. Fire magic like Zuko had taught Aang in the past was something only Shamans and Warlocks could do. They hadn't avidly looked for any Shamans, but were pretty positive from all their travels that Aang might just be the last one. When the Warlocks had risen up to try and control everyone, it was the Shamans that had gone head to head against them. Being all, but wiped out. After the mage wars, fire magic always caused a big stir. They tried as hard as possible to keep Aang's air, a Shaman only ability and their fire hidden as much as possible. So far, they had been lucky to run into very little complication over it. The biggest complication now walked as a zombie pet behind them.

It was less of a complication after Zuko and Katara had spent hours of enchanting and spell casting. For weeks it seemed like each night they would think up some new spell to add to him. Even Toph had come up with a few. He looked a bit paler then any human had rights, but he was fleshy and passed for human well enough. He could handle even being blown up, as Zuko had tested. As long as Aang remained, the magic seemed to find some way of piecing itself back together.

"Toph said it should be over this way. She seemed really positive about it," Aang said.

"If we can get her some of the Blue Water, I'm sure it will help. Honestly, I am surprised you even remembered," Zuko admitted.

A water priestesses magic, like Katara's and for some of Aang's magic required water. For attacks and such, it really didn't matter what sort of water was used, so Aang usually used whatever was handy. For Katara and her ability to heal with water, the more pure the water the best it was. Some water that was purified held its own type of magic, this was often referred to as Blue Water. It could be found naturally, but was often in some of the most dangerous of places; caves.

Some of the nastiest creatures in the realm had a habit of making their homes in caves. It made the already hard to find water even more rare. The effects it had on the wielder were worth the danger though. With the knowledge of how helpful it would be, they knew there was no way they couldn't at least attempt to get some for her. They had already spent a day doing some checking in the village for what fanged and clawed creatures lurked nearby and none of them seemed like anything that any farmer would even bat an eyelash at. That had sealed the deal.

After a few short hours of walking they came across the cave in question. Zuko insisted on going in first. With a few careful looks around, he made a small fireball in his hand and suggested Aang do the same. Zuko walked in front, though Aang walked mostly just to the side of him. The cave showed no sign of visitors or much animal use. There were bat dropping on some of the walls and floors, but they carefully just picked their way around it. They traveled deeper in trying to keep quiet. If there was some sort of monster, they were hoping to hear it coming long before hand.

The quiet sound of water could be heard echoing through the cave the deeper they went. Zuko felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Things were seeming too easy. He was a firm believer that when something seemed too good to be true, it usually was. Aang seemed to be growing as anxious as he felt.

The water seemed to be quietly flowing. If not for the echoing, it would have probably been only a whispering sound they would have passed up. The path in the cave hadn't been narrow, but they were reaching the main chamber. It brought with it the sound of bats. Zuko held out hope, bats were a good thing, it meant there wasn't a lurking dragon. He made it just to the edge of the main room when his fireball lit it up. At the sight above them, both Zuko and Aang put their fireballs out, but it had been too late. They ducked to the ground.

In the large oval chamber that was the main chamber of the cave, the stalactites housed hundreds of bats. Bats while dangerous were easy enough to deal with. The bats that seemed to fly over head were a cross breed of rabid bats and venomous frogs. The lack of any clues or dead things in the cave were thanks to that venom. It would liquidate the bones and everything within the body. The bats would then eat it sucking it out like nectar. Even the Blue Water wasn't likely to cure a bite from them.

The fireballs had agitated them. They circled around the stalactites and made screeching and small burbling noises. It would be some time before they would settle. Even then, Zuko doubted they could just sneak past them for the water, which he had seen dripping from a stalactite to form a small pool by the back wall.

"I think we need to just slowly back out and go," Zuko whispered to Aang.

"It's right there! I'm not leaving without it," Aang hissed.

"Aang, we can think of a better plan to deal with them later," Zuko pointed out.

"Every moment later is one that Katara spends getting weaker from the heat."

"You think you dying will make her feel any better?"

"We can do this, Zuko."

Zuko couldn't believe he was in this position. He had always been the headstrong type to rush into everything. He wasn't one for plans and was just the type for getting it done, but here he was trying to teach someone else not to make the same mistakes he usually did.

"Listen to me, Aang. Its admirable that you would go that far for her, but right now-"

"For all of you!" Aang said a bit louder then he meant. He quieted down saying, "I would do it for all of you if I thought it would help you. This isn't even a glimpse of how far I would go for you. So stop all your talk like we wont be together any more and stop leaving me behind. Just stop."

Angry silver eyes stared at him from the mostly black cave. Zuko couldn't quite make them fully out in the dark, but he could tell enough and feel the glare on him. He felt suddenly guilty. He knew he was simply trying to protect Aang and do what any good guardian would, but now he knew he has pushed things too far. He quickly came up with a plan.

Reaching into his belt pouch, he pulled out a long strip of bandage that he carried in case of emergency. He set an end of it on fire and gave the other end to The Jet Pet.

"Tell him to run around the cave and then leave. You be on your toes and to the side of this entrance by the time they come out," Zuko told him.

Aang sent the zombie with the flaming cloth running around the huge cavern. It worked as if they were all moths. They circled and cried terrible shrieks as he circled. He then began to run towards the exit. Zuko helped get Aang up, but they barely managed to avoid the entrance by mere inches and the weight of them knocked Zuko back with Aang laying on top of him. He clutched onto him tightly as the rabid frog bats flew over head.

The Shaman pressed himself flat and felt reluctant to move after he knew the danger was past. Zuko figured it was just nerves and fear, but Aang didn't care what he thought. He lingered over the necromancer as he began to lift himself. Zuko had made another small fireball so he could see the chamber, but was held watching the odd way silver eyes reflected it. There was some thing different about the way Aang looked at him that made him want to study the boy closer, but time was short.

"Lets get these filled before they come back," Zuko said.

Quickly, they filled several small bottles that would maintain Katara, even with the heat. They packed them back in their belt pouches and quickly left. Near the entrance they had to spend a moment on the ground again as the creatures came back in, but they all seemed to fly past with only angry shrieks. Carefully, they made their way out. The Jet Pet lay a mess of flabby skin on the ground just outside.

"Looks like Katara and your magic can with stand that much at least, but I think the frogs got the better part of the bones. Can you fix it?" Aang asked.

Zuko rubbed his chin in thought and said, "Actually, it should fix itself. We enchanted it so that even if it has an inkling of bone in it, it can regenerate them back to its original self, so that if he ever got crushed by another rock, he would be able to fix himself. This shouldn't be too different. By the time we get these to Katara, he should be finished healing and on his way."

They made it back to the village and warned the watch that their 'friend' was lagging behind and should be back at some point in the evening. They made their way up to Katara's room where Sokka was currently delegated the role of fan boy. Aang offered up his full pouch of bottles to her, wishing her a happy birthday and a quick recovery. Zuko gave her his best wishes too.

Outside of the room, Aang asked Zuko why he didn't give his. Zuko undid his pouch and handed it to Aang.

"What is this for?" Aang asked.

"I know your birthday is coming soon too. I figured you would end up giving all yours and keeping none for yourself, but you deserve some too. I know this heat isn't easy on you, but you have put on a great face about it. Happy early Birthday," Zuko said pulling him into a hug.

FN: Prompt: Rabid Frogs (#27 of 50)