Burn Me *Prince Zuko Fanfiction*

Jet

It's been a few weeks since our encounter with the pirates and the prince. Aang and Katara were improving their skill with waterbending and so was I. Currently, lounged on Appa's saddle that was discarded on the ground in the forest. The chittering of animals could be heard from every direction. I sighed as I closed my eyes, enjoying the peaceful sound of nature. However, my relaxation was short-lived. I felt the saddle shift as another body climbed onto it. The person crawled over to me and sat in the little sunlight that broke through the trees. Peaking, I noticed Katara sitting next to me. Just staring. Wiggling my body, I settled back into my position and closed my eyes again.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Oh, ummm," Katara was at a loss for words.

"What is it, Katara?" I asked a little annoyed. "I'm just trying to nap."

"I know," she sighed, "I'm sorry... I just... what –" she huffed, annoyed with herself.

"Spit it out, sweetie, we don't have all day," I grunted, readjusting my arm.

"What was that look between you and Zuko?" She practically fell over her words.

My eyes snapped open at the mention of the fire prince's name. Katara looked at me with a wondering stare, trying to read my expression, but I kept my face blank, closing my eyes once more.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, but I knew perfectly well what she meant.

"Kay," she huffed, "you know exactly what I mean." I stayed silent. "When we were trapped... tied to the trees... you kept taunting Zuko. Trying to get a rise out of him. There was this moment when he slammed his fist in the tree. The two of you locked eyes and there was this intense moment between the two of you... even I could feel it."

"Katara..." I sighed. "I really don't know," I told her honestly. "Now, can I take my nap?"

Katara sighed, but she did not speak again. Rolling my body away from Katara, I hooked my arm behind my head, trying to rid my mind of the experience we had back with the pirates... the moment I had with Zuko. My heart ached at the thought of the boy, I felt like my mind was spinning into the vortex. I clenched my hand of my heart, squeezing my eyes tighter, but the moment replayed over and over again.

"Where's Momo?" Aang questioned.

Exhaling, I discarded myself from the task of trying to nap. Shoving my body away from the saddle, I turned to look at Aang. The young boy had a worried expression on his face as he looked around for the small lemur. A loud yowl began to echo around the forest. I whipped my head around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

"This way!" Aang cried, darting into the woods ahead of him.

My siblings and I rushed after the boy, trying to keep up with his pace. The call became louder as we drew closer. I watched as the air nomad leapt into the air, bending his way around. With a sweep of his arms, he soared. The boy hitched himself onto a tree and carefully walking across the branch. My heart clenched at the sight of Momo stuck in a cage. The poor creature cried out in fright. Aang sat along the top of the branch before flipping over and dangling like an acrobat on a trapeze. Aang secured his hand around the rope and unlatched the knot.

Momo slowly began to descend from the air as the trap lowered to the ground. I held my hands out and wrapped my fingers around the metal bars. As I set the cage with Momo inside on the ground, Katara and Sokka tugged at the bars, snapping them open. Momo scurried from his round cell and started eating the berries, seeming to forget about his previous impending doom. Aang released the two other snares that contained Hog Monkeys. The boy was taking his time, much to Sokka's annoyance. Sokka grunted and threw his boomerang, cutting the ropes. The cages slammed to the ground and sprung open. The Hog Monkeys cried in panic before scurrying away.