Zuko insisted I ride the ostrich horse with Iroh instead of him. I hadn't talked to him much since the storm. As I was traveling through a forest I heard Iroh groan in pain behind me.
"Maybe we should make camp, "Zuko suggested.
"No, please, don't stop just for me." Iroh groaned again this time more dramatic. I stopped the horse and Zuko held out a hand to help me off. I accepted it. Iroh sat on a nearby rock grunting and winning more. We heard a sound coming from the nearby bushes. Zuko and I automatically drop into defense position. "What now?" Iroh groned. Suddenly a bunch of men on rhinos surrounded us. "Colonel Mongke, what a pleasant surprise."
"If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps." Said one of the men. They whip out their weapons.
"You know these guys?" Zuko and I ask at the same time. I glanced at him.
"Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist. They are also a very capable singing group." Iroh informed us.
Mongke raised his fist ready to attack, "We're not here for a concert, We're here to apprehend fugitives!"
"Would you like some tea first?"Iroh smirked. "I'd lovesome. How 'bout you, Kachi? I make you as a jasmine man. am I right?"
"Enough stalling! Round 'em up!" Mongke yells.
a ponytailed guy swings his ball and chain at Iroh, who kicks it away. The chain wraps itself around the leg of a nearby Rhino. He hits the Rhino in the back, making it run away, yanking the warrior off his rhino and dragging him along. Iroh waves goodbye as he watches them go. I feel a sharp pain in my thigh and I fall to the ground. I knock one of the men off his rhino with my earth bending. Zuko grabs me by my waist and pulls me onto the Ostrich horse with him and Iroh and we rode off. He was holding on with one arm and the other was wrapped around me.
He looked down at my now bleeding leg. "Y/N?! What did they do?!" He looked worried.
"That guy uhh...Kachi I think, cut my leg," I told him.
His eyes widened, "Are you ok?"
"More or less." I managed a weak smile. Less.
"It's nice to see old friends," Iroh said.
"Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you," Zuko replied.
"Mmm...Old friends that don't want to attack me..." Iroh thought out loud.
Once we were far enough away we stopped so I could wrap up my wound. Zuko put me down beside a log and grabbed the leftover bandages from when I had to patch up Iroh. I held out my hand so he would pass them to me. "No. I'll do it," He said. He grabbed his flask of drinking water and used it to clean my cut. I hissed in pain as the cold water hit my skin. "Sorry," He gently wrapped the bandage around my thigh. His fingers grazed my leg. He finished and looked up at me.
"Good job," I said sheepishly. I tried to get up and Zuko swiftly jumped up to support me. "I can walk by myself, Zuko." I push his arm away and immediately started to fall but he caught me. "Or not." Smiled down at me and I blushed and smiled back. He hooked his arm under my knee and carried me to the horse.
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We made it to a small tavern in the dessert. We all sat around a small wooden table.
"No one here is going to help us. These people just look like filthy wanderers." Zuko said.
"So do we," I pointed out.
YOU ARE READING
You're Not Alone Zuko x Reader
Fanfictiony/n was captured by the fire nation as a small child and now lives in the royal palace as Azula's handmaiden. I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS OR PLOT LINES
