The wall of fire surrounded the camp at a distance of less than six meters, pressing at Toph's dirt trench. (The earthbender was trying to smother it, but since people covered most of the nearby earth, it was hard to get material.)

Katara drew her water whip out of her canteen. It wasn't nearly enough to do them any good. Aang landed beside her.

"Can you go to the river for water?"

"The glider will fan the flames! I might just drive it closer to camp."

"Hmmm."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," said Iroh from behind them, "but I can't keep this up for much longer."

He had spread his hands apart and set his feet, as if he were going to earthbend. Now he was pushing the fire back, face straining with the effort. Its progress had slowed, but it continued to draw near.

"It's a pity we don't have Zuko here to help."

"Hey, where is he, anyway?" asked Sokka, pausing in his loading of Appa to stand upright and stretch. Momo changed his position on the young man's head.

"Wait a minute," said Aang. "You don't think that he-"

"A single firebender couldn't do this. The fire is too widespread. It was probably caused by more than one smaller fire," Iroh countered through gritted teeth. His hands were beginning to shake. "My nephew is not responsible."

"Well, then we're back to trying to stop the fire," Aang sighed. "Any ideas?"

Katara looked thoughtful for a moment. "If he didn't do this, then he's out there somewhere, right? And he might be close to the river!"

"Yeah, so?"

"If we call him back here, he can help us bend a path to the water."

…

The nephew in question was fighting desperately to keep the fire away from his body. He ducked and spun, as much to avoid inhaling smoke as to control the flames. He paused for a moment to get his bearings and peer around for the camp. The smoke was too thick to see clearly.

Then there was a slight flicker at the corner of his vision. He turned quickly. 'What was that?' Just as he was beginning to think that he was imagining things, he saw it again. 'There! Something yellow and red. What do I know that's- oh, duh.'

"Zuko!" yelled Aang from his glider.

"I'm here!" he shouted, trying not to cough. When Aang didn't answer, he stopped bending and cupped his hands around his mouth. "I'm here!" He dissolved into a coughing fit, but it didn't matter. Aang had heard him.

A moment later, something white and considerably smaller than the Avatar's glider flew straight at the firebender, carefully dodging the flames and chattering nervously.

The lemur stopped only long enough to drop a small roll of paper into Zuko's hand. Then it left. Using one hand and his feet to keep the fire at bay, Zuko unrolled the paper and squinted to read it through the smoke.

…

Aang was floating in the center of camp, using the downdrafts he created to drive the fire back.

"Is he reading it?" asked Katara. Her water whip was out, but with each hit, a little more sizzled away.

"Yeah!"

"Well, what's he doing?"

"Hang on, it's kinda hard to see through the smoke." He squinted to get a better look. "He's finished reading! He's putting it away, and- wait, I can't see- he's, umm… He's giving us a thumbs-up! Start the tunnel! I'll hold the fire. Go!"

Iroh, Toph, and Katara drew closer together as Aang landed. The Avatar increased the force of the air, redirecting the oxygen that was fanning the flames to push them back. Iroh began to slowly part the fire. Toph, careful to stay near those who could block the threat directly, dug small trenches on each side of the tunnel to slow the fire's spread. Katara circled around them, deflecting stray sparks and dangerously erratic tendrils of flame with her water whip.

For five tense minutes, each focused on his or her part, fighting exhaustion and hoping that they were going in the right direction. Then the fire parted in front of them before Iroh could move. His eyes widened slightly as he saw his nephew, arms spread and legs planted in the middle of the path. Zuko was clearly tired, but there was a distinctively determined glare on his face that (for once) reassured them.

Seeing them, the younger firebender stepped to the side. "Come on!" he shouted. Needing no further encouragement, Katara and Toph raced past him towards the river. Aang followed, widening the tunnel for Sokka and Appa. They closed it behind them and joined the girls at the river.

Katara simply kept the fire back until Aang arrived. Once he was in place beside her, she readied her stance. He imitated her.

"On three?" she asked.

"Sure."

"One, two, three!" They raised their arms, drawing the water behind them up into a wave three times their height. Katara watched out of the corner of her eye as the non-waterbenders grabbed hold of Appa. When she nodded, they quickly lowered their arms and thrust them forward.

They sent wave after wave at the wall of death, throwing the later ones once the fire had retreated out of their immediate range. By the time they had finished, it was getting dark out. The others were drenched and shivering in the cold, while Aang and Katara only felt tired and, paradoxically, vaguely energized.

Katara sighed. "OK. I think that it's out."

"It's too dark to leave now," noted Aang.

Sokka groaned. "So we're losing another day?! Come on, at this rate the Fire Nation will have taken over Ba Sing Se by the time we get there!"

"Your friend is right," said Iroh sympathetically. "It's too dark to see and we're all tired. I know that I could sleep for a week. Unfortunately, tonight will have to do." He chuckled, but the most anyone else could manage was a weak smile.

As they moved to set up camp and light a fire with what dry wood they could find, Zuko realized that he had made his decision.