Kaida Queen Of Ice <<ATLA; Book two: Earth>>

CHAPTER FIVE

   A couple days later we had made a camp from a cave and stayed there hiding only it wasn't just that, Zuko would leave constantly and never told us where he went.
One day he came back from one of his "walks" he brought a basket of pasteries avoiding to tell us where he got them.

   "Hey." I followed Zuko out of the cave. "You stole those didn't you?"

   "Go back to the cave." He said as he continued to walk away from me.

   "Where are you going?" I asked but he didn't stop. "Why are you doing this to strangers, I get the one guy from before but I'm not sure about who you're attacking now."

   "It doesn't matter, go eat." He replied and I glared at him.

   "I'm not eating stolen food." I followed him but he stopped and I ran into his back.

   Why does that keep happening to me?!

   "Stop nagging!" He yelled. "That's all you ever do, is lecture me!"

   "You're one to talk, you lectured me when we we're in the woods!" I yelled back but calmed down and pulled him to stop.
I had to do something. "Seriously Zuko, don't you want to change?"

   "No." He answered bluntly and continued walking away until he was gone.

   I rolled my eyes and went back to the cave. "Your nephew is sketchy." I sat down. "You know, more than usual."

   "I know, Kaida." Iroh nodded. "And he knows what he did was very wrong but he thinks he is helping us by doing so."

   "I know he has good intentions." I admitted. "I need to do better. I can't just keep watching him dig a bigger hole, I mean it might reach to a point where he could never get out."

   "He learns by his mistakes. Why do you think I never stop his quest searching for the Avatar?" Iroh asked and chuckled.

   "That's the only thing that keeps him motivated." I mumbled walking out.

   I had walked out, close to the river and formed the dragon only this times it was smaller, much smaller. I sighed but then I heard a twig snap and shot ice daggers, pinning them to a tree, I walked over and chuckled as Zuko glared up at me.

   "A sight for sore eyes." I rolled my eyes and set him free but I looked down at all the money and other things he had. "Are you serious?"

   "Would you stop trying to scold me!" Zuko hissed.

   I stayed quiet, Iroh would want him to solve this out alone. We headed back to the cave and I noticed Iroh was still gone. Zuko and I stayed quiet but he tossed something in front of me. I looked at it and saw it was a waterskin.
It's a nice gesture. It's the thought that counts right? It's what Iroh said.

    "Looks like you did some serious shopping." Iroh said. "But where did you get the money?"

   "Do you like your new tea pot?" Zuko asked crossing his arms.

   "To be honest with you the best tea taste delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup." Iroh replied and walked over. "I know we've had some difficult times lately, we've had to struggle just to get by, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honor in poverty."

   "There's no honor for me without the Avatar." Zuko replied.

   "Zuko," I whisped and we looked at each other. "Even if you did capture the Avatar who do you expect to honor you? Your father? The people? No one would honor you, they'll fear you."