Avatar; The Royal Firebender.

The Banyan Swamps

Zuko silently wraps up a letter he's written and puts it into the tube on the back of a messenger hawk. Shortly after leaving New Ozai, Zuko intercepted the bird on its way to deliver a message. He didn't bother reading it, instead he burned the message and took the gold that was being carried by the bird meant to pay the caretaker for the animal. He gives the hawk a large piece of trout that he had caught the previous night before tightening the tube on its back. "Deliver this to Mai Asakura, traveling with Princess Azula." He tells the bird before lifting his arm allowing the bird to take flight. He watches as the bird flies off, waking up Momo for a moment before he goes back to sleep. Zuko slowly returns to camp, having used the excuse of having to relieve himself to go and write the letter. As he's walking back into camp, the only person awake now is Iroh, poking at the coals with a stick.

"Every time I have to battle against the firenation, I feel ashamed of myself." Zuko admits after a moment of silence passes between the two. "Like I've brought nothing but dishonor to our family name, I've questioned everything I've done since this journey began. Prince Zuko... What does that name mean anymore?"

"That is for you to discover. No one can tell you what your destiny is, not me, nor the firelord." Iroh says before patting a hand on Zuko's shoulder and rubbing his back. "No one can take away your honor. Because that is who you are, a hero, the symbol of hope, and above all else, you are honorable, more than me, more than your father and more than anyone else in this world."

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko says before he yawns and then continues to sip his tea.

"You should get some rest... a man needs his rest." Iroh says softly as Zuko finishes the rest of his tea. With a quiet nod, he stands from the seat at the fire and heads off to bed for the night.

The following morning, Zuko elects to be the one to fly Appa, letting the others rest in the saddle through the early morning hours. The conversation with Bumi still fresh in his mind, "You must find a master who waits and listens to the earth before striking." Reflecting on the confrontation with his sister, he meditates on the battle, and with what Bumi told him. How fast Azula went from open and inviting, almost alluring even, with all the temptation of gaining his honor back and going home. He knew her too well for that, "Azula always lies..." He says to himself, though the air rushing past him doesn't let his words travel past him. Beneath him, the skies are wide open, and the arid mountains around the north east part of the earth kingdom begin to change, now a lush forest flies past beneath him. Zuko doesn't pay any attention to the story Yue is telling them about. All he manages to catch is something about her early childhood learning to be a healer.

As the day begins to run into the afternoon, the forests below have changed, now he can't see the forest floor whatsoever. The tree's leaves have changed, now darker and much much denser. In the distance he can see a gigantic banyan tree spreading out over the canopy, then he hears something. What sounds like whispers, echoing from the swamps below, and not just him. Aang also perks up when he hears something whispering to him, he even shushes the others so he can hear it louder. "Zuko, is there any reason why you're taking us down?" Sokka asks as they begin to descend underneath the clouds, he snaps out of the trance-like state he was in before turning to face Sokka. "Oh... I didn't mean to take us down." He responds, "Are any of you guys whispering?"

"Are you sure you got enough sleep, Zuko?" Yue asks, prompting him to nod, "Avatar stuff then?" She asks but Aang interrupts her.

"I hear it too... it's like the forest is... calling to us." Aang responds.

"Why is Aang hearing it too then?" Katara asks, prompting the young airbender to just shrug.

"The air nomads were the most spiritual people, it was said ages ago that the nomads could rid themselves of all earthly attachments and learn to fly without need for glider staves or anything like that. Some of them were even able to visit the spirit world like I did." Iroh speaks up, "I can hear a strange beckoning from the swamps as well."