Zuko watches the fire burn.

Uncle hasn't woken up.

He will, soon. He's not too hurt. The burn on his side isn't too deep. It must have been the impact on landing that knocked him out. He does have some bruising…

It'll be fine. The bruising will fade and with the salve the burn shouldn't even scar. It's not like –

Zuko turned out fine. Uncle will be alright too.

The kettle is whistling, the tea must be ready. Zuko put in those leaves uncle had on him. If it gets cold before he comes to he can always just reheat it later.

Getting water was the first thing he did after he chased off those stupid kids - and took care of uncle. That had taken up all the salve Zuko had been saving to deal with the scar. He feels it itch.

It was good that the villages' well hadn't completely dried up. Riding to and fro the nearest creek would've been too time consuming. He wasn't just going to just abandon his uncle, he is family. Zuko may have lost his shot at the Avatar, but… It would've been dishonorable. Him and uncle had split, yes, but that had been because he needed to learn on his own. Now he needs to be ready to face Azula, for the next time he'll face her. They're supposed to get along, he knows - mother always told him, but uncle, he will help. It will be fine.

Zuko kneels down and pours the tea. He's not sure he trusts the water from the dusty well, but that's why he's boiling it. It's not like he has to worry about keeping up the fire. If this Koh-damned hole is good for one thing it's all the dry wood there is to burn.

He closes his eyes and takes a sip of hot leaf juice.

It's bitter.

The wagon is shaking too fast and too much. The lower but constant rumble would have been manageable but the irregular rocking is making Ty Lee too nauseous to read. Like she wouldn't be racking her brain enough already. Let alone the rest of her body. Ty Lee scrunches her face. The salve still moist on her hands just left another stain on the wanted poster. If she gets a cut on her still tender fingers too she'll tear the Koh-damned paper apart. Make the stupid train stop, too.

Ugh, all this negative energy is just gonna make her skin break again. She can feel the next pimple forming on the edge of her upper lip, those are the worst . Better to redirect her energy

"Hey Mai," she speaks up.

Mai draws a knife across her sharpening rod one more time before responding. "What," she responds.

Ty Lee points to the paper. "You've seen this poster right?"

Mai raises her eyebrow and unloads her obligatory 'wit'. "Having trouble reading it?"

Haha.

"It's Zuko's."

Oh that gets her attention. Those knives are gone now.

"You mean there's a new one?"

"No, this is just the one. You know where he's bald and has a ponytail?" And a scar, she doesn't add.

"Oh." And there's the knives back again. "What about it?"

"It says here: 'Kill On Sight'."

There's a thunk.

"So?"

So they didn't even try to do that, so the whole world probably wants him dead, so they left him with maybe the most dangerous people on the planet So– "Azula told us to capture him," is what she says instead.

The knife swinging stops. "What, you're wondering why she didn't tell us to kill her brother? Because I don't know, okay?" There's a another thunk before she finishes. "Maybe she wanted to let daddy have another go at it."

Maybe.

That doesn't sound quite right, but Ty Lee lets the silence pass over them anyways, as much as the mechanical rhythm of the train, now accented by the thunking of various knives, can be called that anyways. Really, if it wasn't Mai. she'd ponder how she kept her aim. Alas, some things aren't made to be questioned it seems.

Inevitably, Ty Lee lets Zuko's blank eyes stare back at her from the poster. They're mismatched like the ones she stared down this morning, but these are boyish, like in her memories. The face looks softer too. They must've based it off an older painting.

It's funny, if not for the poster and the Avatar shouting his name she wouldn't have recognized the scarred figure jumping off the beast she'd seen the natives use in the colonies. What was it with those steeds anyway? Apparently they fared better when the snow came? Ty Lee wouldn't know, the circus always moved with the seasons. Old Shuzumu had said winter meant it was too much of a hassle trying to keep everybody warm, let alone to convince the locals to brave the cold by going out in the first place.

The wagon shakes so hard and for a moment it's like the wagon might break off and kill them all, but then it just keeps on chucking.

Ty Lee feels like throwing up.