Blades and Fans

The Firebender Part 3

Once they reached the camp, they could see all the Kyoshi warriors armed up and mounting their Ostrich horses ready to go out and search for them. "They're back, they've come back!" Tam squealed as she dismounted and ran over, the other Kyoshi warriors follow suit.

Zuko pulled his beast to a halt before trying to slide off the saddle. His body still aching from the fight and his exhaustion. Right when he got off he was nearly surrounded by the female warriors as they approached.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Kikki asked, eyeing his charred and torn tunic. He was about to answer when Aikio looked around frantically. "Where's Suki?" she asked, but her question was quickly answered when she saw Suki struggling to get out of the cart.

"Captain!" a few of the girls screamed and rushed over to help her up while Aikio glared daggers at the masked man.

"What happened to her? What did you do?!" Aikio yelled furiously in the Blue Spirit's face, jabbing a finger accusingly against his bruised chest. Zuko groaned but didn't answer, looking down forlorn as he was yelled at. He couldn't muster a way to defend himself and he didn't even want to try.

"Aikio enough," Suki said sharply, even with a tried quivering voice. "He didn't hurt me... we were ambushed by those Fire Nation soldiers. The same ones that attacked Chong Sheng," she said as Kikki helped her stand while Ami was examining her arm and removing her armor. "They killed my Ostrich horse and tried to kill me but... Blue saved me... he saved my life," she said softly as both Aikio and Zuko were stunned but for different reasons.

"You saved her?" Aikio looked to the Blue Spirit a bit in disbelief.

Zuko didn't meet their gaze, instead, he remained silent. He was still bracing for Suki to mention he is a firebender, but it never came, she was almost as silent as he was. "I... didn't," he said almost whispering.

"Don't be modest Blue, you big masked hero you," Tam smiled wide as she hit his arm playfully.

"Owwww," Zuko groaned rubbing his arm, even with such a gentle punch she managed to hit the cut sending a sharp pain through his body.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry I'm so sorry Blue," Tam panicked as she looked him apologetically hands in the air. Aikio huffed and pulled her aside to give the Blue Spirit some room.

"Let's... let's get you both patched up before someone else gets hurt," Aikio said as she offered her arm to the Blue Spirit to hold to lead him to sit. Zuko reluctantly took it, still very unsure what to do or think as he was lead over to sit by the outed campfire. Suki was also guided to take a seat near Zuko though neither of them looked at each other, the tension still there between them.

Suki bit her lip as she gave quick glances to him as Ami examined her arm. "You dislocated your shoulder pretty bad," Ami said running her fingers along the bruised. "How did this happen?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh right, the um... their commander had blasted me off my Ostrich horse and when I landed on the ground, it just sort of, popped," Suki explained.

"If I ever get my hands on him, I swear I'll kill him," Aikio huffed angrily, shaking her head. "Lift your arms Blue let's see the damage," she said bluntly as she went to pull his shirt off. Zuko groaned as she tugged his tunic top off revealing the large welt of bruises along his stomach and the cuts along his arm. When Suki saw the abuse he went through it made her heartache, she didn't notice as Ami was yanking on her arm.

"He's already de-Owwwww! What the owwww?!" Suki screamed as Ami yanked on her arm pulling and resetting her arm into its socket.

"Sorry, I had to reset your arm before it got worse," Ami said sorrowfully as she tentatively grabbed fresh bandages and ointments to treat her arm.