An Anchor In The Storm

Chapter 1

Deep mahogany locks dipped into his silver blue eyes making it hard to see his sparring partner. Kai huffed out a breath blowing his hair out of his face. "That all you got your princelyness?" He teased, giving a mock bow.

Zuko let out a small chuckle, "not by a long shot shorty." He swung his right arm, but Kai blocked his attack.

"Shorty!" Kai exclaimed. "I'm not that much shorter than you!" He ducked avoiding Zuko's next strike by a hair. He spun sweeping his leg under Zuko.

"What the-!" Zuko yelled as he fell.

"Don't let your guard down your highness." Kai laughed reaching out to help his friend up. Zuko knocked his hand away getting up grumbling. "Oh come on Zuko, don't be a sore loser. Maybe one day you will beat me without bending."

"Yeah right. You seem to always be one step ahead no matter what I do. I can barely beat you with my bending." Zuko rolled his eyes motioning for Kai to follow him inside.

Kai chuckled following his commander. "Well I have to be good, how else would I survive without bending?" Zuko shrugged shaking his head. "Like seriously, it's not easy being one of a handful on this ship that doesn't bend."

"Then why'd you volunteer to come with me? You knew it would be long and hard." Zuko questioned opening the door to his room.

Kai followed closing the door. "You know why Zuko. I couldn't stay there without you and I couldn't let you be here on your own." Kai sighed looking out the window while Zuko changed out of his training clothes.

"I don't need you babysitting me Kai. I can take care of myself." Zuko huffed pulling on his shirt.

Kai caught himself staring but shook himself out of it before Zuko turned around. "You need someone to keep you from losing your head." He rolled his eyes focusing on the ocean beyond the little window. "You can't tell me you wouldn't lose it more often if I wasn't here."

"Whatever." Zuko flopped down sitting on his bed. He looked at Kai, who was still staring out the window. "Something on your mind?"

Kai snapped out of his daze. "It's nothing." He shook his head leaning against the wall, "nothing at all." He then smiled at Zuko.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Kai I know you better than that. There's something bothering you."

Sighing Kai slid down the wall to sit on the floor. "We're heading farther south, how far are we going?"

"To the Southern Tribe, I want an update on information there."

Kai nodded closing his eyes. I wonder how much has changed.

There was a commotion drawing the teens from their thoughts. They rushed to the deck to see what it was. There was a bright light illuminating everything, even in the middle of the day. Kai tilted his head in curiosity, "what the-? What was that?" He looked to Zuko who didn't hear him.

"Finally," Zuko turned to an older man playing a solitaire game, "uncle, do you realize what this means?"

Iroh looked at him from his game. "I won't get to finish my game?" He looked to Kai then back to his nephew.

"It means my search- it's about to come to an end." Iroh sighed looking to Kai, who rolled his eyes. "That light had to come from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you getting too excited over nothing." Iroh motioned to the seat across from him, "please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?"

Zuko looked at his uncle getting angry. "I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar!" Zuko turned to a shipmate, "helmsman, head a course for the light."