WHALE BONE KNIFE ── sokka

ii. ────── ruined on short notice

Azari shoved her bag under her bed when a knock sounded through her room; calling for them to enter as she stood in her bent form over her bed. Opening the door, she was met with a guard in the doorway. “Azari, Prince Zuko wanted me to inform you that he has spotted the Avatar, and his hiding place. We should be arriving soon.”

“Thank you.” She gave a curt nod to the guard, who bowed before leaving her alone. Moving towards the set of draws that sat against the back wall of her room, she pulled out a set of Fire Nation robes. Unlike Zuko, who preferred to wear armour and protective gear, Azari took to wearing robes, which increased her mobility and decreased the weight on her body.

She redid her ponytail, securing it again at the nape of her neck. Azari gave herself a once over in the body length mirror; taking a deep sigh before walking out of her room to join Zuko and his accompanying soldiers on the deck of the ship

The ground beneath them began to shake. The thick ice of the South Pole was difficult to sail through, but the Fire Navy ship continued to trek forwards, destroying their once pristine icy tundra. The ship slowly came to a steady halt. Gases hissed from the ship, preparing to be lowered into the ice. Azari makes her way to the back of the group, allowing Zuko to take the lead into the small Water Tribe village.

Her eyes shot up at the sound of a war cry. A lone boy, who looked to be around her age, runs up to Zuko, club raised above his head, ready to strike down. However, Zuko only gives a look of disgust and disinterest as he knocks the water tribe boy into the snow without a second glance.

Where are the warriors? Azari thought to herself. The village consisted of nothing but women and children.

“Where are you hiding him?” Zuko yelled. He waited for an answer, but when he received nothing, he reached out, grabbing an elderly lady from the crowd.

“Zuko!” Azari yelled from where she stood behind the soldiers. She marched up to him, boots crunching the snow underneath her.

Zuko, being the person that he is, didn’t listen to her, instead, he shook the woman slightly, showing her to the crowd before them. “He’s about this age, master of all the elements.”

“Leave her alone.” Azari reached the pair in no time, as she gently pried Zuko’s grasp away from the woman. The village gawked at her action, unsure whether to be thankful or afraid that someone from the Fire Nation was helping one of their own. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

This makes Prince Zuko look at her. Seemingly for the first time. “I told you to stay out of my way, peasant.”

Oh. that hit hard.

Zuko knocked her with his shoulder. Azari adjusted her foot so that she was more secure on the ground, and she continued to glare at Zuko. The sound of another war cry made the two of them turn in its direction; the same Water Tribe boy.

Zuko ducked under the boy’s swing with ease, sending the boy tumbling down. Azari watched as he rolled out of the way of Zuko’s fire; throwing his boomerang at him in retaliation. While the weapon missed his head, she had to give the boy credit for not giving up, especially considering that he was apparently the only warrior in the village.

“Show no fear!” A small boy called out, bringing a little smile to Azari’s face. She watched as he tossed the other a spear. He charged forward, clearly with the intention of hurting Zuko, however, as the boy got closer, Zuko easily broke the spear with his bare arms; yanking the now broken weapon out of the boy’s hands. Using the dull end of the spear, Zuko knocks the boy in the head a few times, sending him to the ground once more.

Zuko broke the rest of the spear, clearly unimpressed at the fight the boy on the ground had put up.

The sound of whooshing wind caught Azari’s attention. Raising her eyebrow, she looked behind her. The boomerang came hurtling toward them. Kiria ducked just in case, watching it hit Zuko in the back of the head, fueling the rage inside of him. She yelled out as Zuko made daggers out of fire.