Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Eighty-Four

Kali sits across from Sokka and beside Zuko as they pour over maps of the Fire Nation and the capitol. Going through the invasion plan together one last time before they have to meet up with everyone else. Katara and Toph are going through their equipment to check it and make sure it is battle ready, and Aang is still sleeping. They don't have the heart to wake him just yet. Letting him sleep for as long as possible.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Sokka asks Zuko who nods and then presses his finger to the map.

"My uncle will be kept here" He points out. "It is where high priority prisoners are held"

"That's very deep into the capitol" Sokka muses, brushing his fingers over his chin.

"I can't just leave him there," Zuko whispers. "He gave himself up so we could escape Ba Sing Se" Kali touches his hand softly. They talked through this during the night and she completely agrees with him. Iroh deserves their attention and rescue. And it should be them to do it. He gave them the chance to get here. Their freedom and the truths that have come from it are all down to his sacrifice. They need to set him free. "I'll be useless with the eclipse anyway" Zuko defends.

"You're still a good swordsman" Sokka argues. "And Kali would be a great help...If she could stay...." Sokka starts.

"I'm going with him" Kali stops him, firmly. "I owe Iroh everything" She offers. And she really does. Iroh freed her from Raya. "I am not going to let him rot in a prison cell any longer" Sokka lets out a breath and nods, knowing he is not going to change either of their minds. Iroh means so much to them. Done so much for them.

"Once you're done, if you can, come back to the fight, if not...head to this rendezvous point" Sokka offers and taps the map, his eyes shifting to the prison on the map and he lets out a breath. "Though I don't know how you are going to even get to the prison....."

"I have an idea" Kali starts and then sighs. Zuko and Sokka both look at her. "Work on a plan to get us if this doesn't work, just in case" She pushes herself to her feet and then walks away.

"You know what she's planning?" Sokka asks and Zuko shakes his head. He has no idea. His eyes follow Kali as she wanders away, light on her feet, flowers erupting behind her every step. Zuko has no idea what is going through her head right now.

...........

Close to camp, Kali finds a quiet place away from everyone else. She needs a moment to herself. To do this. Kali kneels on the ground and takes a deep breath before she sinks her fingers into the grass. They need a way to get around the troops to get to the palace without distraction. The only way she can see that happening is if they fly, and Appa will be with Aang. They need help. And she is hoping that it will come from her homeland. Bing's homeland. There were so many animals there that don't exist outside of Tian Tang anymore. Protected and safe. She hates to ask them for more. But this is the only thing she can think of. She leans forward, setting her forehead to the grass.

"Please," She whispers. "Something that can fly....something strong enough to carry people....I need help" She closes her eyes. "Please" She begs. She doesn't even know if her message got through. She has no way of knowing. She lets out a breath and leans up. She has done what she can though. Even if nothing came of it. It is something. She owes Iroh her best. She would not be here right now if it wasn't for him. If he hadn't stumbled upon Rana all those months ago now then who knows where she would be now. She found freedom and love and affection. She's learnt so much. Grown so much. She has Zuko and friends. And she owes that all to Iroh. She has to do what she can to free him now. She sighs and scratches at her neck before she pushes herself up to her feet to go back to the others.

.......

Back at the edge of the cliff, Katara is serving tea to Sokka, but is trying to ignore Zuko. It wasn't going to be as easy as him doing one nice thing to fix things between them. But she's not glaring at him so it is a start. A tiny start. Zuko pulls a map closer to look over it, brushing his fingers over Ran-Ya's head as the pygmy panther dozes. Bing has made himself comfortable on Sokka's back, his paw mimicking Sokka's hand movements. Kali sits at Zuko's side, tucking her legs under herself. He glances at her, silently asking her what she's done. She shrugs a little and rests her head against his shoulder. Aang suddenly appears, leaping into the air and landing beside Toph who sits crosslegged on a rock close by. Momo joins, jumping onto Aang's shoulders with a chitter.

"Top of the morning, Momo!" Aang greets the lemur warmly and full of energy. Katara smiles softly as she looks across at him.

"Sounds like you slept well" She comments. Aang moves his hands around.

"Like a baby moose lion" He assures her, then assumes a fighting stance and raises fists; exuberantly. "I'm ready to face the Fire Lord"

"So, what's your strategy for taking him down?" Toph asks as Kali lifts her head from Zuko's shoulder. "Gonna get your glow on and..." Toph punches the air with a determined expression on her face. "Hit him with a little Avatar State action?" Aang's good mood suddenly vanishes and he looks down, kicking at the ground slightly.

"I can't" He admits quietly. "When Azula shot me with lightning, my seventh chakra was locked, cutting off my connection to all the cosmic energy in the universe."

"You know what I just heard?" Toph starts, then holds up one hand and opens and closes it in a "gibber-gabber" expression. "Blah, blah, spiritual mumbo jumbo blah, blah, something about space" Katara turns to look out over the ocean and narrows her eyes as she spots a thick fog rolling in from the horizon.

"Oh, no. Sokka, do you think the fog will delay the invasion?" Katara asks her brother. Sokka pushes himself up to his feet, following her gaze.

"No" He whispers and then smiles as five Water Tribe ships suddenly appear from amid the mist. "That is the invasion!" Sokka assures them and then rushes off to greet them at the beach at the bottom of the cliffs, Bing now clinging on for dear life. Zuko gently sets Ran-Ya onto the pillow at his side before he stands and then holds his hand down for Kali as she stares out over the water at the rolling fog. She lets out a breath and then takes his hand, letting him help her up to her feet. 

Note: I do plan on Kali and Zuko making use of a flying animal during the eclipse invasion, currently that will be a winged horse, but if there is something else that you would like to see instead (I did consider Dragon, but that would ruin the reveal later on) then just let me know.