CHAPTER 9

Straight ahead was the border into Fire Nation waters. And I wasn't so sure about this plan. I felt like this day would end in a bit of pain. I just hoped I wasn't right. I hated being right about things like this.

"Sailing into Fire Nation waters..." Iroh said to Prince Zuko. "Of all the foolish things you've done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish." I couldn't have agreed more.

I stood next to Iroh on the deck, a concerned look on my face as I looked at the prince. What was he thinking?

"I have no choice, Uncle," Zuko declared.

Iroh was not one to get angry, but he did right then. "Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished both you and Kiara?!" I looked down at my feet, remembering that awful day. " What if you're caught?"

"I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home."

"You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type."

Zuko ignored him, looking through the spy glass that he held. He and his stubbornness were going to kill us all. The reason he was so stubborn right now was because we were following the Avatar. He was refusing to turn around even with the possibility of us being imprisoned just because the Avatar was going into the Fire Nation. I mean, it was possibly one of the stupidest things that he's ever done.

"There they are!" he suddenly exclaimed. I looked up, seeing the flying bison that held my siblings and the Avatar. "Helmsman, full steam ahead!"

It was all his fault. That little boy was the reason my family was in danger. He was the reason my brother was probably making stupid and sarcastic remarks, the reason my sister was probably acting like a grown woman. I was older than her. I should be at home with them, making dinner for them while Sokka teaches the younger ones to defend themselves. I was only younger than him by a few minutes.

No. It was all that man's fault. The man who had snatched me from my mother's arms and handed me to someone else. That man was most likely the same one who'd killed her. Where was Dad in all of this? Why did he never come back?

"Kiara," Zuko's voice startled me. I actually jumped when I felt his hand on my shoulder. "We're bringing the catapults up. Go up to the spotting deck."

He remembered. He actually remembered that I got sick last time they used those things. Those flaming stink balls made me sick for a week last time I smelled them. I think it was something in the flammable substance that they cover them in.

I nodded and headed for the doorway to go inside. The stairway was to my left up ahead, and I could already smell the stuff. So I hurried up to the spotting deck where the fresh air was. I felt the ship rock a little as they shot the first one.

They were aiming at my brother and sister...

That made me go faster, running now. Once up on the spotting deck, I looked ahead and in the air to see that the bison was still there. I sighed in relief. It was what was ahead of us that caused me to grip the railing so hard that my hands hurt. A blockade. Either way I looked, it was there. Ship after ship of the Fire Navy, blocking Fire Nation waters.

We were going to be arrested. This was it. I would spend the rest of my life in a prison cell.

Or be hit by one of the flaming rocks headed straight for us... Oh, joy.

One of them hit the water directly beside the ship, causing it to rock. I held onto the railing tighter, afraid that I might fall if I move. The next one actually hit the ship, pretty close to where I was too. At the impact, I had closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I realized that I was looking up at the sky. Why was that?

It could be the fact that I somehow was flipped over the railing and my hand slipped to one of the vertical iron bars. I was hanging only by my left hand. When I brought my right hand up, it caused my left to slip even more. But I didn't fall. Not yet, at least.

So I called out to get someone's attention. "Help!"

Below me, I saw six heads shoot up, one of them being Prince Zuko's. I could see his eyes widen from up here. Another head was Iroh's. The other four were soldiers that I hadn't learned the names of due to my first two weeks being bedridden. After that, I just didn't have the time. But that's not the point.

"You!" Zuko shouted to two of his men standing at the doorway to the inside area of the ship. "Hurry and help her!" I saw them nod and run inside. Then I heard his voice. "Don't let go."

"I'd die if I did!" I called back to him.

"Kiara!" Iroh's comforting voice rang. "Use your other hand!"

I wanted to tell him that I couldn't, but I didn't get the chance. The door to the spotting deck burst open and the two men Zuko had ordered up here exited. The rush of air hit my sweaty hand and made my grip fail. I didn't scream. I never screamed. Not even when I was scarred. That, and a strong hand grabbed my wrist before I could fall. Four hands pulled me up, saving my life.

"Thank you," I said to them. "You saved me."

One of the guards spoke, his voice kind. "Even though Prince Zuko ordered us to help, we would have anyway."

"Yeah, you're the only one on the ship who has any influence on his actions," the other man said.

I laughed lightly, shaking my head. "He doesn't listen to me half of the time."

"But he still cares."

~~~
It has been a truly eventful day. I almost watched my brother fall to his death right after I was saved from mine, and Zhao allowed us to pass through the blockade. Why would he do that?

"What's he up to, Uncle? Why didn't Commander Zhao arrest us?" Zuko asked. I now stood next to him, a blanket wrapped around me. He was still a little angry at the look that Zhao gave me when we passed his ship. It was pretty creepy, and it made me physically shutter.

"Because he wants to follow you," Iroh replied. "He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after... the Avatar."

"If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's exactly what I'll let him do." Looking at Zuko's face, it was determined.

I somehow knew exactly what he was planning to do.