Thought Filled Camping

[princezuko]

There he was, the former prince of the Fire Nation, sitting down against the side of a tree trunk and watching the river go by. Just what exactly was he thinking about. Beleive it or not. He was thinking about the Time Lu Tan died. He missed his cousin, however it had to have been worse for Uncle. But there were things around the Palace that were just odd to him. Plain odd. Ozai meeting with generals and commanders in secret, and then there were several cloaked individuals that came to the palace as well. these were the things that he didn't care for under his fathers roof when he lived at the palace, during the time that grandfather Azulon was alive. Reaching over to a bamboo canteen, he popped the top and took a large drink from it, while eyeing the line that was supposed to help them catch dinner. Sighing he just shook his head before he looked out towards the high sun. He could feel it's life.

Turning his head to the camp site by the river, he just sighed and shook his head. They had been forced to flee the city of Ba Sing Se. He wasn't sure what to do. However Uncle had been there not to long ago and now he wasn't. Sighing he slowly stood up and eyed theline again, seeing no tugging. "Uncle. You better not be finding any more poisonous plants to try to drink. We've better things to do than to drag you to the nearest healer." He commented to the camp, before he eyed the line agian and grabbed it at the first tug. And thus the line struggled, and whatever he seemed to have caught was something big. Something good enough for supper.

"Ooooh. Your a strong one, aren't you." He growled out as he tugged to the side and thus did his catch reveal a nice trout fish, easily at fifteen pounds. "Uncle. We've got supper. Get your spices ready." And then he eyed the camp again, with a raised eyebrow. "Uncle?"

[mastabenda]

Iroh bumped along humming a classic Fire Nation hymn to himself. He was forraging for berries and herbs in the woods near his camp. Hopefully Zuko had caught something by now, although it was probably good therapy for Zuko to side riverside contemplating his past and more importantly his future. Together they had been through alot, yet Zuko still had much anger in his heart.

"Oh, these red and purple berries look delicious. I think they are tasty dragon berries .... either that or wild komodo berries, which are toxic..."

Iroh said lightly to himself. He eyed them for a while and then finally picked a branch off the bush. The two plants looked similar except for the flowers on the plant. But the season was changing and the plant was not in bloom. Then he spotted some herbs that he could definitly identify. He picked a few and he hummed along.

"These herbs will taste great with the fish .... assuming Zuko caught a fish."

Zuko was not a trained fisherman and his patience could sometimes get the better of him. Maybe hunger would teach him patience this day.

The sun was high in the sky ... it was nearly mid day. The clouds were being pushed by a light breeze, which had a little chill in it, suggesting the changing seasons. The breezed pushed Iroh closer to camp as well.

"Zuko I found some delicious berries to go with our supper!"

[princezuko]

Looked towards Uncle as he brought forth the berries, that he didn't know a thing about, Warily. Of course he thoguht that they were the worst of the two. Past Experiance with Uncle showed him that he was often a optimist with such things as good food and good tea.

Not that he could blame him. He missed the luxirous meals that he once had the privilage of taking part of in the large Palace. So when Iroh called that he had had some herbs for supper, he just held up the massive fish he caught, while he banked the fire for supper.

"I managed to catch something today." Zuko stated with a smile, before he looked towards the river agian. "The fish must be going upstream." And thus did he work on sharpening a few sticks with a small knife that he had acquired while they had been with in Ba Sing Se, looking to scewer the thing that they had caught.

"So Uncle. Where do we head out from here? I had heard some interesting rumours about the coast. It's bringing some rather unique things. And rumour has it that there are some ruins up there as well."

[mastabenda]

As Iroh walked back to the camp, Zuko held up the enormous fish he caught. Iroh tossed a stick he used while walking through the brush to his nephew. In turn Zuko sharpened the stick and impaled the fish with it. Then placed the fish above the fire to roast. Iroh tossed a few of the herbs in the fire. This sent a delicious aroma into the air. It would be a little while before the fish was finished cooking. He plopped down with his legs crossed next to the campfire.

"You know Zuko, rumors are alot like a balloon with a hole ... in order to keep it afloat you have to continuosly blow hot air into it..."

A large smile crept upon Iroh face to the point that his eyes were closed. He wanted to hear more about these rumors, however he didn't want Zuko getting his hopes up. He took in a deep breath, inhaling the smell of their supper. He eyed the berries up close next to the flame of their campfire.

"These ARE dragon berries. I remember eating them on my first campaign to Ba Sing Se. I can make a tasty jam to spread on the fish..."

This was a common delicacy many years ago but may have been something that turned young Zuko's stomach.

[princezuko]

Zuko had just gave a small smile to his wisened uncle and he nodded to him. It was true that there were many rumours flying about the coast, but it wasn't just the rumours about the coast. He figured that they would be safe, at least for a time there, where the Fire Nations reach did not extend so far, despite their obvious control of the Earth Kingdom. That, and he wanted to see the sea again. There were alot of happy times there, despite his obvious dislike for the situation back then.

"It's not just the rumours that I hear about the Coast Uncle... I also want to see the ruins, and enjoy a time of peace." He stated to him before he thought about their place at that point in time, and he just gave a gentle smile. And then he adjusted the fist so that way the fish meat didn'g burn, just like Uncle had shown him when he was young. "Heh... Remember all those times that you took me out to the woods and taught me how to build fires, set up camp? .... And I showed no liking to it....... Uncle... I'm sorry... I was such a terror on you and everyone else before..." He stated, shaking his head. And then he sighed, where the flames rose and fell with his breathe.

"Uncle... How can you keep having faith in me? I'm not exactly the greatest or the safest bet that you could put on... Why keep beleiving in me?"

[mastabenda]

"Because you are too stubborn to ever give up-"

Iroh chuckled loudly, which echoed off the trees and empty wilderness around them.

"Besides, you are not half the charity case you claim to be. Zuko you have a fire in you, a passion to see through, whatever it is you are after. It is not your ambitions that steer you astray, it is your aim."

Iroh still wore a large grin as he contemplated those long passed days when Iroh and Zuko would go camping together in the Fire Nation wilderness. Zuko in many ways was very much different to Ozai as a child. In fact Azula was a spitting image of young Ozai. Zuko was not even like Iroh as a child, he was instead a version of his mother, yet conflicted by the expectations placed upon him. Zuko was never free to become who he was meant to be. Instead he was constantly pushed down paths that led to dark places. Places of anger and rage.

"A true hunter sees not the animal in front of him, when aiming down the sight ... he sees the food on his family's table. Speaking of which, that fish looks about ready..."

Iroh began to smash the dragon berries and sweeten them with some spices.

[princezuko]

Just smiled at his uncle. If it was one thing that he could count on, it was Uncles wise words to reveal only half of the truth to him. Looking to the fish he nodded his head as he reached over to a large wood pallet that they had, and set it on there, before he began to go to work in severing meat from body. A feast for them to be sure. While he contemplated on the answers that his uncle had given him. Only then, when the fish was good and seperated from bones did he set the pallet down ontop of a stone beside his uncle and he nodded to him.

"Then I should change my aim...... Uncle. Would it be wrong to ask if you knew what I should aim for?"

It was true, in these aspects he was confused. A palace life that he had been exiled from, a fathers love that he had wanted and never received. Azula betraying them. So many things that had happened in the far and recent past, left the young teenager confused inside. It was evident by the way he looked at the fire and stared, almost demanding it and Agni to show him the way. But he knew that it would not come to pass.

"The Avatar isn't dead.... The Water Bender.... She's a healer. What will happen Uncle? Do you know?"

[mastabenda]

Iroh's eyes sank a little. His expression altered a bit to a more normal look. His brow wrinkled a bit.

"Zuko..."

His voice was tender and warm.

"You destiny and the Avatar's destiny are not on the same path. They could never have been."

His amber eyes glowed in the campfire which grew along with the passion in his voice.

"It his his destiny to restore balance in his kingdom. His kingdom is vast, it encompasses the globe and even into the spirit world. And it is your destiny to restore honor to your kingdom. Your kingdom is vast, and your people need you."

Iroh looked back in content.

[xun]

Soaked from head to toe, Xun continued traveling on foot in the river. Transversing the very middle of the river with barely his chin above the water while the volunteers, of more normal heights, walked the along river bottom closer to the shore. Since the quarry were firebenders, Xun figured that being drenched would offer them all some temporary protection. Now, if only they could maneuver around the fugitives’ campfire so the duo can be pushed towards the river.

But Xun long knew that you can’t really choose the people in your posse or their level of competence. They were often just a grab-bag, mainly composed of ne’er-do-wells and opportunist seekers and reward hunters and brawlers looking for a fighter. The sorts who’d turn tail if a task proved difficult, and this would be difficult: apprehending Fire Naiton fugitives Prince Zuko and Prince Iroh. One, a renegade heir of the current Fire Lord with the other being the Fire Nation’s former general, previous heir to the throne and elder brother to the current Fire Lord. Such a twisted mire the family relations were with that bunch, especially with the Princess being the one ordering for the arrest of these two.

Off in the distant, the campfire was a speck larger than the stars tonight. Xun held up a hand then swayed it back and forth amid the river’s water. Acknowledging the signal his volunteers trudged towards the rocky shore and began walking into the forest separately as they continued down the river as a group. Hopefully, rather than choosing now to walk away from this, they would instead try to circle the firebenders’ campground from the side opposite the river.

Xun meanwhile instead held his breath then kicked his feet away from the river bottom. Diving, he swam down the length of the river, holding breath for as long as he could and gently trying to break the surface for air. After finally swimming some time downstream past then away from the campfire Xun finally walked out of the river, doubling back towards the campsite.

[princezuko]

Nodded his head. It had been a long and hard lesson that had been learned in Ba Sing Se. Reaching out to the bamboo Canteen, he pulled off the top and took a long drink before he turned his head to look around the various shrubs and trees, and then regarded his father once again.

"I know that Uncle. I know that now... And it was a hard lesson learned." He admitted as he took another bit of fish and took a bite from it. "But... The Avatar Can Help." He stated to him and just as he was about to begin again, he heard soemthing in the distance snap. A twig of some sort. That was odd. he hadn't thought that there were any game still left there. With the marching of the Fire Nation Army, any army at all for that matter, they tended to leave the area's they go through picked clean.

So slowly his hands drifted to his dual swords, looking towards Uncle, just wondering what he thought about the strange noise, but knew better than to bring it up to the wisened man. After all, if you beleived an ambush was coming, you shouldn't talk about it, after all it worked to your advantage.

"The Avatar will need to learn fire Bending Uncle... And to stop father, I'm going to need more than that of the basics this time... Will you teach me again?" He asked, eyeing their surroundings once again.

[mastabenda]

Iroh too heard the noice in the distance. He looked down at Zuko's swords then back up at him. He shook his head with the slightest motion. It was not the sound of any animal. As much as Iroh wished it had been an animal, he knew that someone was sneaking around. It was unclear whether or not the person was large or small, male or female, friend or enemy. So for the time being Iroh thought it wise to just continue their meal. And so he did as he talked to Zuko.

"Maybe you are right..."

This sentence had a double meaning. Zuko may be right about the person approaching and maybe he way right that it was time to start his training again. This could happen sooner rather than later.

"You still have alot to learn. Maybe I could show you a few things after our meal digests a bit. And of course after we have some tea."

Iroh's trademark smile reappeared on his face. Up until this point there had not been another sound. This mean that whoever did break that twig under-foot did not want to be noticed. Something smelled fishy ... and it wasn't just the supper.

[xun]

Xun leisurely exited the river. He trudged onto the shore with his heading aimed directly towards the campsite where Iroh and Zuko squatted. After a few steps toward their location Xun realized he was not breathing. And without stopping he quietly exhaled and continued ignoring any need of cover as he began executing his plan. It was the others aiding him that he required to be hidden.

Soaking, streams of water dripped from his uniform. Leather and paper armour squicking and squelching from his movement. His tetsubo, a metal and studded club, still hung across his shoulder by rope while his jutte and kukri dagger hung at his sides. Once hung from around his neck was an emerald orb, carved with Earth Kingdom's insignia and inset with gold that was removed after the Fire Nation claimed final victory over his country. Now in its place dangled a ruby sphere, carved with the Fire Nation's symbol filled with gold.

Calmly, Xun neared the campfire without ever halting or changing his pace. Surely they would have seen him by now. Or even heard him. They were talking about something but he could not discern their words. Yet maybe they actually did but were just pretending otherwise. An ambush countered with a ambush he would have smirked under better circumstances. If his country was not under the heel of the Fire Nation. If he was not facing two skilled and notorious firebenders. If he was not teamed up with aid whose abilities and courage he felt suspect.

Finally Xun came to an immediate halt. His drenched leather boots stopping at the edge of the campfire's light cast over the forest floor. His towering physique looming over them if he came any nearer. He still kept his hands at his sides while he observed them. His eyes scolding at Zuko though he felt more cautionary of Iroh for some unknown reason. He was quite uncertain as to why though but Xun felt him a greater threat than Zuko.

"Evenin'... gentlemen," his natural voice booming like a rock slide.

[princezuko]

Zuko nodded his head, at the double meaning. He may not have been the most observant when it came to the Fire Nation Protocol. However if it was one thing that Uncle had stressed upon him in the past years, in situations like this, look for what was underneath of being said. Golden orbs gazed at him for a moment before one hand left the sheath and moved towards the peices of fish where he took a large peice and ate, mulling it's taste around his mouth, while his orbs went this way and that, trying to see who was out there.

"You were Right Uncle. The Berries were a good idea to add to the fish. Their a bit sweet though." Zuko commented as he tried another peice. And then in the distance in a not to far river, he heard it. the squishing sound of wet feet in soaked shoes, shoving the water and air out from beneath them. Turning his head to look at the waters, he squinted. He could not see anything with the given light out there. So slowly he returned to eating his fish. Whatever happened would happen sooner or later. And Uncle didn't seem to be bothered by it at that time, so he didn't do anything.

"Uncle... How do you think that we can stop my father? He's surrounded by all sorts of protections and accross the ocean no less. Getting to him will not be a easy thing to do." He admitted, while reaching out for the wood cup that held his tea, and took a long drink from it washing it down. And then his mind wandered for a moment, to a moment in time just after the Great Escape from under Zhao's very nose. And then the Avatar's face came into his mind, one of sadness and question.

"If we met in another time... Do you think that we could have been friends?"

And how had he repaid the Avatar at that time? He shot a fire ball at him. Shaking his head he looked towards Uncle and he sighed. "When first light comes, We search for the Avatar.... I need to do soemthing that I should have done long ago, Uncle." He stated as he sipped his tea lightly, while looking up to the twinkling stars that were beginning to come out, one at a time. "I'm going to apologize to him.... and after that... I don't know." He admitted before shifting his gaze towards the new comer that came into the light of the Camp Fire and he nodded his head to him.

"Evening." he replied, offering a faint smile. "There's plenty of room around the fire. Did you want to sit and warm yourself?" He asked, already knowing that Uncle would have made the attempt at being civil even with out his concent. More importantly, he didn't want to fight on a full stomach, it was bad for the digestion, or so he had heard time and time again from Uncle's attempts to stop training right after a meal.

[mastabenda]

What a situation this had turned into ... and it was threatening to end a delicious meal. 'What a waste,' Iroh though to himself as the stranger approached. The sheer size of the man seemed to infer his intentions. He was strong and the definition of his body suggested that he was either a slave laborer or a warrior. Iroh was betting on the latter.

It caught Iroh off guard at how considerate and cordial Zuko was to the approaching stranger. It similarly suprised him that Zuko intended to seek out the Avatar and attempt to make amends. Iroh did not, however, respond to any of Zuko remarks, or even the question about how to encounter Ozai. Iroh's full attention was on the newcomer and the possible friends he brought. He was not sure if there were other, but he suspected it, since Xun was soaking wet, which suggest he just emerged from the river, and the crackling twigs was behind them in the woods.

"Perhaps you could invite your friends to join us as well..."

Iroh said with a more commanding voice than he had used previously during supper. Perhaps the reaction of the stranger would divulge the truth about whether there were indeed others ambushing them. And perhaps the change in his voice and demeanor would alert Zuko to the increasingly obvious fact the the stranger was not friend of theirs.

Iroh eyed the dagger at Xun's waist and also decerned from his attire that Xun was from the Earth Kingdom and probably an earthbender from his stride and stance. This was not looking good. Iroh was not in the best shape of his life and Zuko still lacked the refinement in his firebending training. Perhaps Iroh should not have been so lax in Zuko's training in the past. If they did make it out of this situation that would change.

[xun]

The mention of his aid failed to take Xun aback. He doubted their skill enough as it was, yet from them he heard the slight hissings of argument in the brush followed by a wet slap. Not until I give the signal, he said inside his head.

Zuko’s behaviour on the other hand made him nearly take a step back in utter confusion. That was nowhere near the reaction he was expecting from the dispossessed prince. Based upon reputation, word-of-mouth and assumption he figured that the boy would have to be reigned in if his uncle was quick enough to keep this boy in check. And their food? Surely they didn’t have enough time to tamper with it, or could they?

Still standing there, Xun merely shook his head. Besides, delaying near the fire meant he would be drying off. “No can do,” nonchalantly pulling at his armour with one hand then sliding a the other hand in as if he was reaching into a coat pocket. In a moment he produced an bundle wrapped in oilskin. Unfurling, it there appeared now to be two scrolls with the Fire Nation’s insignia stamped at their end handles. Tossing one to each of them the scrolls unrolled until they were treated to a wanted poster of either of them.

After they looked back to him, Xun held up his badge of office, letting the ruby sphere, carved with the Fire Nation's symbol filled in with gold dance in the firelight. “I am Magistrate Xun Xue Xola of His Royal Maje—His Bright Lordship’s service. Prince Zuko. Prince and General Iroh, in the name of the Fire Lord you are both under arrest for suspicion of high treason and crimes against the crown.”