Time and Time Again

Chapter 21: Lord of the Flies

Intense, throbbing pain woke Zuko. At first, he could not figure out why he wasn't sleeping in his shelter. Nor could he remember why there was a dead, burnt boar next to him. Or why his leg was covered in blood. A glance down at the gaping hole in his leg brought his memories rushing back. Zuko winced as he attempted to sit upright so he could evaluate the damage. The movement almost sent him back into a faint. The boar beside him still gave off heat, so he couldn't have been out for long. Thank Agni. Had he passed out for too long, Zuko feared he would have bled to death. I will not die on this island. No matter what. He vowed silently. Trying to move as little as possible, Zuko tore his left pant leg off below the knee. He cut of a strip and tied it tightly above the wound, attempting to slow the bleeding. Fireworks went off in his head when he accidentally brushed against the wound. He growled curses under his breath as he used the rest of the fabric to absorb the blood. It seemed to return to it's original bright red coloring as the blood soaked it. His hands shook as he tore part of the pant leg off his right leg and used that fabric as a makeshift bandage. Unconsciousness threatened to take hold of him again as he wrapped the bandage around the wound. Once he finished, he quickly leaned over to the side and emptied his stomach. There wasn't much to empty.

Once Zuko ceased heaving, he looked up at the sky and tried to remember what little he knew of first aid. He would have to clean the wound when he got the chance. It would suck to survive the blood loss only to die of infection. He wondered if perhaps he should cauterize the wound with fire. The idea was almost enough to make him sick. Had he not suffered enough burning for a lifetime? He gently touched the scar on the left side of his face. No. He would not burn himself. Only as a last resort. Right now, he just needed water. Zuko grabbed onto the tree next to him and used it to pull his body up. He didn't put any weight on his left leg as he hopped over to a good sized stick. Keeping his left foot off the ground and relying heavily on the stick, the young prince slowly made his way to the stream near his camp. The sun had completely set and the boar was left in the dark to rot.

Katara watched as Jet made his way into the cave. She listened to the sound of rustling leaves as he settled down. She refused to go to sleep before him. She had grown tired of waking up with the boy holding her possessively against him as he slept. At first, the contact had made her heart race and her face blush. No boy had ever touched her in such a way. The initial giddiness had quickly worn off. Now it was just creepy and annoying. She wanted personal space. Lately, she felt as if she were suffocating whenever Jet was around. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. Had she done some terrible deed in her past life to be punished like this? Tui and La!

She thought about her brother and the young avatar. She wondered if they were eating okay and who was sewing patches into Sokka's pants. She almost giggled at the thought of Sokka trying to sew. He was helpless with a needle. The boy was a genius, but couldn't sew to save his life. She then thought about her own clothing; even though she washed them as often as she could, they had taken on a grayish-brownish hue. They had acquired many holes as well and without a needle or thread, Katara couldn't patch them. Her bindings were what concerned her the most. They were wearing thin and she had no replacements. She was already showing way more skin than acceptable for any respectable water tribe girl.

Katara looked up at the moon. When she was younger, Katara had often fancied that the moon was really a pale face in the sky that constantly watched over her. Being a waterbender, she was strengthened by the presence of the moon. With a happy sigh, Katara laid back on the ground and spread her arms, palms up, to absorb the moons glow. She felt it soak into her veins and was reminded of the cold nights at home when she would sneak out to feel the moon on her face. One of the perks about leaving the Tribe was the warmth. She didn't have to be covered head to toe in leathers and furs. Katara wondered if Sokka was looking at the moon, as well.