A New Friend and a Old Enemy

Chapter 7

The night was long for the young banished prince, he could not sleep because of the constant jerks of the wagon as well as other reasons. Zuko knew the time was soon going to come when he needed to rethink his life. Whatever destiny lay ahead, he felt that his father would never truly except him and that Azula is a liar who would like nothing more than to see their father lock him up in the palace dungeons forever. He still could not believe that he had listened to her before when she told him he could go home. It had been a trap and he would not fall for her tricks again.

Hours passed without sleep before the wagon came to a stop. The morning sun was just coming over the horizon and the light shone through the distance between the trees. Zuko was the first out of the wagon, glad for a chance to stretch his legs. Besides, it was really beginning to smell in the wagon. Wondering why the sudden pause in their trip, the banished prince walked around the side until he came to where Jin-lo sat in the driver's seat.

He probably looked just as bad as Zuko himself because he also stayed up all night.

"Why did we stop?" Zuko asked the tired Earth Bender.

Jin-lo yawned and replied. "Look up ahead, the path gets narrower and more crowded with branches. We won't fit."

Now that he looked Zuko saw it too, there was no way a wagon of this size was going to fit through. By this time the other Earth soldiers were waking up and coming around to see what the problem was. After Jin-lo explained the situation to them, they went to work quickly trying to find the solution.

Some suggested clearing the path but then they realized it would take too long and the Fire Nation was probably going to start looking for them After much discussion, it was decided that they would send one person to see what lay ahead. Naturally they chose Kin-lo, who was a natural spy and scout.

It was not long after Kin-lo left, that one of the men they had rescued got out of the wagon. He was the man Zuko thought he recognized, the banished prince should have been a little more worried that this man recognized him and he was, but what was he going to do?

"What's going on?" He asked, the man had dark brown hair. He was tall and thin. His sunken cheeks look as if he had not tasted food for quite awhile. The man also walked with a slight limp."

"We have a short delay," Loam replied "Are your men in any condition to walk? That is if we need to."

"I'm afraid not" The man answered. "Most of us haven't had a decent meal in a very long time."

After Loam heard this, he sent Zuko and the rest in to the woods to find food. They did not need to travel long before they found Fire Nation traps filled with different kinds of animals. When they returned to the wagon they killed and skinned the animals. They soon had them roasting over a roaring fire.

They helped the weakened soldiers they had rescued the night before out of the wagon. The starving Earth soldiers went to work eating the food. They ate so much, so fast that Zuko was starting to wonder if they were going to eat themselves to death. But thankfully none of them seemed to have starved that much. After they had enough, they soon got acquainted with each other. Zuko paid little attention to the first five names, but the last one got his attention.

The sixth held out his hand "My name's Sen-Su, but please just call me Sen." he said, Zuko was too stunned to say anything at first but quickly recovered.

He couldn't be the same Sen-Su, the brother of the little peasant boy, Li? The young boy's words still rang in his head."I hate you!" he had said after Zuko had rescued him and found out the banished Prince's true identity. But than Zuko saw the resemblance, Sen-Su was like a teenage version of Li.

"Lee" Zuko said taking the young man's hand. "My names' Lee"

"Really?" Sen-Su replied. "My brother's name is Li."

When Zuko said nothing Sen continued. "You know just last month, I and my entire battalion was captured. We were sent to the front line dressed in Fire Nation uniforms. Once the battle began we were getting killed by both sides, I was one of the few who survived. That was the reason I was promoted, but after that my father came and tried to pull me out of the army, but I refused to go. In return he told me about an unnamed stranger with a scar over his eye who protected my brother and my family from the thugs. He couldn't be you, could he?"

"I…" Zuko started but could not finish, clearly Sen-Su's father did not know about Zuko revealing himself to the entire town.

"If you are, thank you" Sen said, interrupting Zuko before he could continue.

All awhile the rest of the soldiers were listening intently to Sen-Su's story. They were all silent until Lang spoke.

"That only adds to the mysteries surrounding Lee" He said dryly. "So you're some kind of hero Lee? Well that takes renegade soldier off your list."

Normally Zuko would have taken issue with that comment, but he felt different some how. He knew his experiences were slowly changing him, but in what way he had yet to learn. They sat around the camp fire talking and exchanging war stories until they were interrupted by a movement in the woods. Soon a red uniformed soldier appeared from the covering of trees.

Loam didn't think, he just reacted, like so many years of war had taught him. He stood up and raised a rock out of the ground, he hurled it at the soldier with lightning fast speed. The startled man saw and dodged the rock just in time as it crashed into the tree behind him.

"Not quite the welcome I hoped for," Kin-lo said, dryly after the rocked crashed behind him.

Loam was not sure how to react, he could relax a little now that he knew they were in no danger. But on the other hand he almost killed one of his own. That he could never forgive himself for.

"That's what happens when you wear the enemy's colors." Loam said, annoyed. As he looked down he realized he as well as the others were still wearing their Fire nation costumes.

"I know, but we'll still need them." Kin-lo said as he sat down, then realizing they had some food. He changed subject and said "Every time I leave, you guys eat. What's up with that?"

"Why do we still need to wear these dragon colors?." Katso demanded as he looked down with a disgusted look upon his face.

"Because about a mile up the road there is a town." Kin-lo explained, " I think it was once an Earth Kingdom town but it is now taken by the Fire Nation. My guess is that the towns people treat soldiers like gods, they'll give us anything we want."

"That's perfect" Loam said, and they started developing a plan for their trip ahead.

ATLAB

Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, rode her Mongoose-Lizard up to the thousands of tents that housed the many soldiers of the Fire Nation. Her two friends Mai and Ty-Lee were her wing mates who also rode on their own lizards. Soon a royal escort accompanied Azula and her friends into the camp. There, the thousands of soldiers awaited her, then upon seeing the princess they all bowed.

All pleasantries had their place but Azula had other things on her mind, like how she was going to get into Ba Sing Se now that the drill had failed. She had a plan that involved the Kyoshi warriors' uniforms but it would take time to create the details.

The fire nation General Klow came up to the Fire Princess and gave a short bow.

"Greetings Princess Azula. We are honored to have you at the front." He said, then the expression on his face changed to a worried one. " I am sorry you arrived at a troubled time. It seems we had some spies amongst us who's missions seemed to be to free the prisoners. Most of the prisoners were able to be kept under control and are ready to be sent to the weapon factories at any time. But thankfully all they accomplished was to free six Earth Kingdom soldiers."

"How could you allow this to happen?" Azula said, her tone was cold. "If you are incapable of running things, I believe my father will have others that are more than capable of taking your place."

Despite the threat the man's expression became neutral, "I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me when you hear the news."

Azula was taken off guard by the man's fearlessness, but she could respect that. "Oh?" she questioned, amused "What could be such important news that you would risk your job and your life?"

"I know your brother had eluded your grasp so far…" the general paused.

"Well get on with it!" Azula said impatiently.

"We have a very good reason to believe that the banished Prince Zuko was one of the Earth Kingdom soldiers who freed the prisoners last night."

Now that got Azula's attention, up until then she was growing very impatient with the general.

"Explain."

"Two days ago a transport carrying weapons and supplies was ambushed. That is how we believe the Earth Kingdom entered our camp. Anyway, all on the transport was killed, that is all but one. The man was beaten and bruised but he would swear that one of them was Zuko."

Azula laughed in her head. Well, well Azula thought, What has Zuzu gotten himself into this time

"Take me to the man, I wish to question him my self." Azula paused and turned to the general. "General Klow do you have any idea where the men would have taken the escapees?"

"There is a small Fire nation town a few miles away from here, that's where we believe they could have gone."

"Very well" Azula said, "take as many men as you think will be needed to the town. Kill anyone who gets in your way. I am placing you, General Klow, in charge of this mission. If my brother is there take him alive if you can"

"But if we can't?"

"Very well, just kill him if it becomes necessary" Azula said, "I will be in charge until you return. If your succeed, your job will be waiting for you, but if you should fail you will be treated like a traitor. Which as you know means death."

TBC