A few hours later…

I was growing nervous about my master, so I decided to go out and find him after my nap and a snack. My best bet was to find the avatar. As I entered the main part of town, I noticed several people running, the avatar's friends, towards the flying bison. I raced towards them, and tried to catch what they were saying.

"Sokka, Zuko has Aang! I went unconscious when I hit the post, and he stole Aang right out from under me," the girl, cried.

"He can't have gone far, we'll find him, Katara" her brother said confidently, as he jumped on the bison. I hurried, thinking fast.

"Wait!" I cried.

They both turned and looked at me, not sure who I was or what the heck I was doing. I gasped for air. "I want to help. Can I come?"

"Who are you?" Sokka asked.

"I am Sing," I bowed quickly. "Avatar Aang helped me before. Now I need to pay him back. You say he's missing?"

"Get on," Katara offered. I crawled up, unsure it was safe up here. "His body was stolen. Aang is in the spirit world and that's the only way he can return, through his body. That damned Fire nation prince Zuko beat me up and stole Aang. He's been trying to kill us and kidnap Aang as long as Aang returned from the iceberg."

"What a horrible person," I said quietly. So this was how people thought of Zuko. I knew he was not liked by many, but I never realized the hostility people associated with him. "I'll keep my eyes open."

We soared above the highest peaks, where the temperature dropped even more and the winds picked up. I held on tight to the bison's saddle, and peered over the edge. Suddenly, the clouds ahead of us changed abruptly. "That's Aang! He's back!" cried Katara, obviously recognizing his airbending. Sure enough, one burst of fire followed. My heart leapt to my throat; I crawled to the front of the bison.

We landed smoothly, but to my dismay, only the avatar stood, breathing heavily. The moment we touched solid ground, I leapt from the bison and searched frantically for Zuko. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw brown in a field of white. Cloth, material from clothing lay partially buried in a mound of snow. Underneath it rested a hand. I began digging hysterically, faster and faster, not thinking about the snow falling into my boots and gloves, until I reached my master. I uncovered him completely, and turned him over onto his back.

"Sing! Get away from him! He's dangerous, that's Zuko!" cried Sokka.

I ignored him, and looked over his face. It was bright red, and littered with burns and scratches from the boat explosion. His face and hands were cold. His pain brought tears to my eyes, and I laid my head on his chest, sobbing quietly for my once strong master.

I raised myself up, and sat back, kneeling in the snow. I looked towards the avatar and his friends, who stared at me with confusion and anger. Sokka's jaw had dropped and was staring at me like I was crazy.

I sniffled and started, "Please, I lied to you, but my master needs help."

"Your master?" Sokka exclaimed. "Prince Zuko is your master?!"

I nodded. "He needs my help; I must get him back to the village."

"OK, here's a question—why would we bring the person who's been trying to kill us back into a city full of innocent people, so he can be saved? We should go, now, and just let him die like he deserves," Sokka yelled, hysterically.

I felt more tears coming, and the lump in my throat grew. I thought Katara and Aang would agree; it's not like they have any good reason to save us. But Aang said quietly, "We'll bring you both back." Sokka whirled around and Katara stared, surprised at Aang. "What? We can't just leave him- both of them- out here to die," the avatar reasoned. Sokka moaned, and I thanked them a million times while we got Zuko up on top of the bison.

I took off my parka and wrapped it around the prince tightly. Once we were in the air, I began to tell our story: "When I was little, the Queen of the Fire Nation stole me away from my parents in the South Pole. I—"

"Wait. Did you just say the South Pole?" Katara asked. I nodded. "That's where we're from! Are you a waterbender?" she asked excitedly.

"Well, I can only do a little bit. Just push and pull water lightly. I've never really lived around waterbenders; I was taken to live with the Fire Nation royal family when I was five or so. The Queen wanted someone to take care of her son, Zuko. I don't know why she thought I could do it, but I have been ever since. I go with him everywhere, and this time I'm lucky to have found him."

"Why's that?" Aang asked, interested.

"Admiral Zhao tried to kill him five days ago, blew up his ship while he was on it. But he didn't do it himself, he hired pirates to do it for him. They found me and took me off before it blew, but I screamed and Zuko heard me, giving himself enough time to get out of the direct blast. The pirates kept me, and I convinced them to take me here, while Zuko stole away on a war ship with his uncle," I explained as I wrapped the prince up in all the clothes and material I had carried with me.

"Wow, that's quite an adventure for a slave girl," Sokka said from the front of the bison.

"Sokka!" Katara said. "He's not the kindest person," she added quietly to me. "But why does Zuko want Aang so desperately? He's nearly killed all of us several times."

"Do you know how Zuko got the scar on his face?" I asked.

Everyone shook their head no.

"When Zuko was thirteen, he insulted his father the Fire Lord and the entire Fire Nation after speaking out at a war meeting he was especially privileged to attend. An Agni Kai, or fire duel, was the only way to solve the matter, and Zuko thought himself more than ready to battle an old man. But when he entered the fighting arena, it was his father he had to battle." Katara gasped. "His scar is a sign of the dishonor and betrayal of him to his country and family. His father banished him for showing cowardice in the Agni Kai, when Zuko refused to fight him, as well as for his disrespect. Zuko's only chance of returning home to the throne and ending his exile are by bringing Aang back to his father."

Everyone was quiet, realizing the truth to the statement. It made me sad to think that Zuko was causing so much horror in the life of kids younger than him. At such a young age, Zuko was a threat to anyone and everyone who wasn't an ally. These were the people, well, kids we've been chasing around the world to capture and maybe kill?

Aang landed the bison, whose name I learned was Appa, near the front gates and the home I was living in. Nobody approved very much, but I promised I'd be out of the city by midnight. Katara helped me carry the prince into the home and laid him on the bed. While I searched for more blankets to cover him in, the girl stood above Zuko and stared at him.

"I've only ever gotten a good look at him once or twice, when we've squared off to fight," Katara said, absentmindedly.

"I'm sure the only one of you three he's memorized is Aang, of course," I replied while I started to take his shoes off to dry.

The girl looked hard at his sleeping face. "He looks, not so much angry, but lonely, or sad. I can't put my finger on it."

I smiled a bit. "I've thought the same thing sometimes. I think the only way Zuko knows how to express himself is through anger and violence."

Katara nodded, and began to think of other things. "You know, I bet if you hadn't of been taken away when you were little, we would have been good friends."

I looked directly at her. "You think?"

"Yeah, we both think in similar ways, and we're both waterbenders."

I sighed, "I wish I knew how to do more than just the wimpy stuff."

"I hope you can learn one day," she said sincerely. She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I think we definitely would have been friends."

"Is it too late?" I smiled and she smiled back, and we walked back out to Aang patiently waiting while Sokka complained about me and Katara.

"I can't thank you guys enough for saving us. You could have left me and my master to die; we probably would have. But your compassion and good nature is what is keeping us alive now. Thank you all," I said to the three enemies. "I wish that I didn't have to see you guys as the target. Maybe one day we can meet again, on good terms."

I shook Sokka's hand, staring into his grey eyes, and said, "You are a strong person, take care of Aang and your sister." He nodded, staring right back into my eyes.

"Aang, I am honored to meet you, but ashamed to be who I am. I can't keep Zuko from hunting you, but I will try to keep you safe as long as I can," I said with honesty as I bowed to the avatar.

I was surprised to see him bow slightly in return. "Sing, don't be ashamed of who you are. You can't always control who you become; I know a thing or two about that."

I smiled, knowing he understood more than anyone here. Then I turned to Katara, and she had a big smile on her face. We hugged each other, and she said to me, "Sing, you'll always be a great friend to me. It doesn't matter what Zuko does to any of us; his actions are not your fault, as much as we hate him."

"I'll miss you," I said to my friend. "Remember, where Zuko is, I'm in the shadows behind him, always."

"We'll all see you again," she said as they climbed up onto Appa's back. I waved and Aang and Katara waved in return, Sokka just looked back at me, still looking into my eyes. I turned sad, and walked back to my little house. Zuko was still sleeping, the color beginning to return to his beaten face. I sat on the end of the bed, and started to think how I could get out of the city with him, especially in his condition. I knew Uncle was outside with Admiral Zhao, poised for attack again on the city. There was no way I could get back on the pirates' ship. I had to figure something out, and quick, as it was already starting to get dark.