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chapter vii

Word Count: 3,405 words

Chapter VII: 空穴來風，未必無因

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"Uncle, it's time to leave, where are you?"

It was before noon when Zuko was already shouting, Natsuko didn't like it one bit, especially when Zuko dragged her from her comfortable sleeping position on the few days she'll ever feel the softness of a bed. Now they were walking through a forest of bamboos as tall as the sky to get Uncle Iroh who they didn't know was relaxing a nice hot spring or at least what he made of it.

"Was it necessary to bring me along?" she wasn't sure of what he wanted her to do but he had some business to take care of beforehand, "Uncle Iroh!"

"Over here." the confusion Natsuko was due to their dynamic or rather Zuko's line of vision. She was certain that Iroh would've found a spring, based on the fire nation kind of clothing hanging around the branch of a tree and the humidity the direction they were headed versus the other parts of the forest. If she was still to remember what she learned through observation was that a place filled with trees could match the cool sea breeze and the hot air could mean several other things, "Uncle?"

"We need to move on, we're closing on the Avatar's trail. And I don't want to lose him."

It confused Natsuko more to see how she added to the mix of finding Iroh when he did it by himself, or if even was her job to help him find his uncle, she was considered as their guest after all, she should be relaxing as well, "You look tired, Prince Zuko, why don't you join me in this hot springs and soak away your troubles?"

"Could I join in as well?" Now Natsuko never had experienced a hot spring before and it looked like fun especially with the way Iroh mentioned Zuko's tiredness. Zuko, as a response, looked at her disapprovingly which she took as a no, "My troubles can't be soaked away, it's time to go!"

Going back to their dynamic, it was interesting to see an old man who talked with the tone only the wise use and a very hot headed teenager who always had his things his way, she was intrigued at the slightest until her thoughts were cut off and a fog began to grow from Iroh's direction.

"Get out of the water."

The next part was as dark as the night without a moon and Natsuko could feel pressure of what seemed to be covering her eyes, explaining the sudden darkness, she pried the cover away but didn't even budge the slightest to no avail, a firm grip Zuko had on her eyes and him turning away from the sight as Iroh stood up. Zuko's other hand landed on Natsuko's shoulder as he maneuvered them both to face away Uncle Iroh in all his shining tea loving stomach glory, "On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes?"

"Be back in the ship half an hour or I'm leaving without you."

"What's with the cover?" Natsuko was now realizing Zuko's calloused, sweaty, clammy, very dirty hands were on her eyes, "My eyes could get dirt and sweat inside them, let go."

"Show the man some decency."

"It's not like I'll laugh at him or anything, your hands are more disgusting."

Iroh sat down in content as the two of the teenagers walked back to the ship, or hopefully the ship. Now that's an interesting dynamic.

He also knew what was going through Zuko's head, leaving Natsuko lost in the woods were people who aren't as kind hearted as they were to her dwell in, she looked like she could bring a large sum of money from all of the market. Body, hair, eyes that had unusual color, limbs, they heard that there was a tribe of unknown elemental descent just at the West Coast that feast on human flesh and they definitely would find Natsuko tasty.