THE OTHER AIRBENDER (Book 3)

(XIII) Fire

"Zuko, I don't wanna tell you how to do your job, but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? There's no way Aang's there," Sokka says, as I guide Appa in the direction Zuko instructs me towards.

"Just trust me," he says, as we continue our flight.

After a couple of hours, we arrive at a random tavern in the middle of the woods not far from Ba Sing Se. Zuko instructs us to follow him inside, though he still hasn't fully explained his plan to find Aang.

"And... The reason you've brought us to a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern is what now?" Katara questions, as we walk past several partiers around us.

"June," Zuko replies, pointing at a familiar face in the crowd. I swear, I would never be able to forget that girl.

"Isn't that... The girl you hired to find us a while ago?" I ask.

"Yeah! The one with the giant mole?" Sokka adds.

Suki frowns. "Mole? Her skin is flawless."

"Well, her track record sure isn't," I mutter.

"The shirshu. It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world. It's the one shot we have of finding him," Zuko explains, as I recall the scary creature with the ability to smell you out from any distance and paralyze you with its tongue.

"Well, I don't know who this June lady is, but I like her!" Toph declares, making me sigh.

"You've clearly never been paralyzed from the tongue down."

"Hey, I remember her! She helped you attack us!" Sokka suddenly recalls, as Zuko looks away awkwardly.

"Yup. Back in the good old days."

We walk up to her once she is sitting by one of the tables. From the look on her face, I can tell she can also recognize us.

"Oh great. It's Prince Pouty," June says with a snort. "Where's your creepy grandpa?"

"He's my uncle. And he's not here," Zuko replies.

"I see you worked things out with your girlfriend," June says, eyeing Katara.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Katara complains.

"Okay, okay. Sheesh. I was only teasing. So what do you want?"

"I need your help finding the Avatar," Zuko declares.

"Doesn't sound like fun."

"DOES THE END OF THE WOLD SOUND LIKE MORE FUN?" Zuko retorts angrily.

Somehow, we're able to convince her just like that to help us. We head outside, to where I find Appa and the shirshu growling at each other, before the bison suddenly licks the shirshu affectionately and they stare at each other curiously. Sometimes I envy animals' capability to forgive and forget so easily.

"Nyla..." June calls to her shirshu, throwing it a whole steak which it catches in the air. "Who's my little, hmm, Snuffly-Wuffly?"

Appa stares at me expectantly, but I raise my hands. "Sorry, bud. I don't have any food on me."

"Okay. So who's got something with the Avatar's scent on it?" June asks, while Katara hands her Aang's glider.

"I have his staff."

June allows Nyla to get a good sniff on the object. Suddenly, the shirshu begins sniffing around for a while, walking and pacing quickly, focused on its task. However, after a few minutes, it starts whining and it lies on the ground, covering its nose.