set my heart on fire (slow updates)

The Shirshu

Y/N's POV
Shinu and I were sat in the captain's cabin a few feet away from General Iroh when the ship was suddenly jerked forwards. Shinu grabbed onto my arm and held onto the wall before pulling me upright as the ship eased.

The general nodded at me and I offered Shinu a grateful smile before following Iroh out of the door and down to the front deck. Shinu followed closely behind me and I held up a hand for him to stop in his tracks when I noticed that every available member of the crew was standing guard against a massive beast with a woman mounted on its back.

"Get back! We're after a stowaway!"

Zuko stepped forward. "There are no stowaways on my ship."

She ignored him, her beast's great teeth ripping into the metal flooring and throwing it straight at Zuko, who hit the deck before turning back to her and scowling.

Just as he was about to yell what were probably threats and insults, a terrified man scrambled up from below deck and tried to make a break for it. The woman's lips pulled into a satisfied smirk as the beast lashed out its tongue, sending the man tumbling to the ground.

Zuko's eyes widened in awe. "He's paralysed..."

She jumped down to lift the man up and replied, "only temporarily. The toxins will wear off in about an hour, but by then he'll be in jail and I'll have my money."

"But how did you find him on my ship?"

She patted the beast. "My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away."

Iroh stared at her and muttered, "well, I'm impressed."

Shinu sighed, unable to take his eyes off her. "Tell me about it..."

I jab my elbow into his side, earning a wince from him and a chuckle from Iroh. But Zuko... his eyes were fixed on the beast as it climbed off his ship and disappeared into the Earth Kingdom.

—

Asking around didn't take long, I guess people don't really miss a massive beast thundering through their towns. Zuko, Iroh and I made our way to a sketchy looking Earth Kingdom bar. It was definitely the one, the shirshu was sat outside and didn't even bat an eye at the man that came flying out of the top window and crashed into the dirt. 

Without missing a beat, Zuko stormed in through the doors, shoving people to the side. "Out of my way! Step aside, filth!"

Iroh and I followed closely behind him, and his uncle smiled at the people Zuko had just shoved and assured, "he means no offence, I'm certain you bathe regularly."

I stand just behind the prince and go up onto my tiptoes to get a good look at the scene before us. The shirshu woman was in the middle of arm wrestling a rather muscular man for the entire bar to see.

Prince Zuko cleared his throat. "I need to talk to you."

She causally turned to us, "well, if it isn't my new friends, angry boy, his little girlfriend and uncle lazy."

My eyebrow quirked and I quickly corrected, "I'm not his girlfriend."

She shoved her opponent's arm down, it thudded against the wooden table and earned roaring applause from the entire bar, money was being thrown at her from every direction.

Zuko furrowed his singular eyebrow, but both his eyes narrowed nonetheless. "Your beast trashed my ship. You have to pay me back."

"Well, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money- drinks on me!"

Zuko grabbed her wrist, stopping her from getting a sip from the cup she was holding in the same hand. "Money isn't what I had in mind."

She followed us outside and he shoved the Water Tribe girl's necklace into her hand. "I need you to find someone."