Watch it Burn

Chapter 15

I was blissfully sleeping, happy for the much needed rest I had been waiting for. That's when I felt a large shaking. I got up and realized I was surrounded by a group of fire nation mercenaries.

"Give up! You're surrounded!" The leader shouted.

It's true we were, not to mention their giant beast creatures were also ready to eat us.

I quickly got up, as did the others, and grabbed my fans, opening them. One of the soldiers shot arrows at me and I dodged them hitting him off of his beast.

We all raced to Appa, scared and ready to leave.

"my scrolls!" Katara shouted, realizing her water bending scrolls were gone.

"My staff!" Aang shouted, going for it.

I held off as many fighters as I could, grabbing Sokka and running into Appa. He protested, saying he needed his boomerang.

"Wait I need it!!" He shouted.

"Too fucking bad!"I shouted back.

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Zuko's POV:

I dismounted the ostrich horse, tying the steed to a nearby tree so that it didn't run away in the night.

It was getting fairly dark, and I was tired from riding all day. This morning I had left my uncle to travel on my own, ready to reclaim my honor.

Yet no matter how I tried to justify it, I just couldn't shake the guilt of leaving the old man behind.

Uncle Iroh had been with me for three years, never once abandoning me. He had left his own nation to take care of me. Deep down I wondered if he truly loved me, or if I was just some sort of surrogate for Lu Ten. The man never believed in what I was doing, he didn't think I could capture the Avatar.

Did he even want to go home? Did he even care about honor?

I shook my head, trying to shake off the thoughts that pummeled my mind. Yet I couldn't seem to rid myself of the cold guilt that weighed me down.

Turning to the small stream I had chosen to set camp up near I walked forward. I stripped off my clothing and dived into the stream.

The ice cold water stung, leaving a sort of burning sensation on my skin. I didn't care though. In fact, I welcomed the feeling.

'Rather this than foolish thoughts of my Uncle,' I thought to myself as I resurfaced.

Resting in the water I tried to think of anything, ANYTHING, that would rid me of the weight of my actions.

Many things crossed my mind: my mother, Azula, Mai, my father, even my search for the Avatar. None of them brought any relief though, they just made me more upset.

I noticed the water around me had grown warm. Looking down I noticed that I had been heating up my body without realizing.

'Zuko you let your emotions get the best of you,' Iroh's voice chided in my head. I let out a sort of wail at the thought, suddenly overcome by emotion again.

I pushed myself under water, submerging myself until I could no longer take it. I broke the surface, gasping for breath. I did that a few times until I felt I had received enough punishment for my emotions.

I lay back, focusing myself in the present, but that's when a new emotion raised within the pits of my stomach. A memory flashed through my mind-

Prideful green eyes