"Hey Toph do you know if the soldier boy is awake yet?" Katara asked coming back from the pond as Aang went to go find Sokka.

"Yea," Toph was laying on a rock in the sun.

"Where is he?" Katara looked over at the tree he was resting under, was now empty.

"He went for a walk I think, I don't think he likes to talk much, sweetheart thou," Toph yawned sitting up.

"What?" She blinked shocked.

"What? He's not our prisoner, dudes been alone for a bit, and no offense you guys are a lot to handle," Toph shrugged not getting down.

"Toph he's literally a trained soldier that wants to hurt Aang, for all we know he's going after him right now!" Katara cried out worried.

"Aang isn't helpless, and the soldier guy is in a lot more pain than he seems, he's not going to do anything that won't result in hurting himself," Toph waved her off.

—

Zuko walked down a trail in the rocky valley with a glare as he was trying to fix his shirt with the burn hole in it where he was shot. He can't believe after three years his own sister would still try to kill him.

It's not like he was surprised by it but at least now he knew she'd go that far.

He didn't know where to go now since he already was closer to the avatar than Azula will be for a long time. He could trick them into getting close to the fire nation and surrender the avatar to them. Or bring him back to the troops so they could help.

But they'd never buy that. For hiding his life from men he's spent years with, he still wasn't the greatest liar.

"Lee what would you do?" Zuko groaned covering his face as he walked.

He definitely wouldn't have gotten shot in the first place.

Could he get into contact with his uncle?

No. He'll be sent to a prison as soon as a letter got to the fire nation. Either way unless he delivers the avatar himself by himself he'll be sentenced away for the rest of his life.

Zuko gripped his chest at the thought of seeing his father again. To see the man from last time, and next time he'd see the fire lord he'd be sentenced to death or life long prison.

"Fuck!" Zuko punched a rock next to him in frustration.

"I just- ahh! Fuck what do I do?!" Zuko yelled in anger at no one. He was so lost. He's been lost as soon as Azula tore him from his troops. He was lost when he returned from the north.

"Hey, helloooo, fire bender that's throwing a temper tantrum!" a voice called to him and Zuko spun around wide eyes.

"Oh, the boomerang guy?" Zuko saw Sokka stuck in a hole with his arms stuck and body gone, neck and up exposed with a baby moose lion on his head.

"Yep that's me, hey buddy while you punch rocks and scream to the spirits can you help me out?" Sokka wiggled his fingers as the soldier walked over frowning.

"Why... how..?" Zuko blinked looking down at him.

"Oh right, soldier guy, this is fufu cuddly poops, fufu cuddly poops this is some soldier that doesn't like us," Sokka motioned to the baby moose line to Zuko.

"It's Zuko," he said flatly.

"Well I'm Sokka, and now since we're all friends can you help me out of here?" Sokka whined wiggling in the hole.

"Why should I?" Zuko raised a brow crouching down to him.

"Call it a favor? Man we just saved your ass from the crazy fire lady, just do me a solid I'm starving!" Sokka cried out and Zuko groaned grabbing sokkas wrist and the two boys grunted trying to work together.

"Ow Ow Ow my hands are gonna snap off!" Sokka regretted it as Zuko let go holding his shoulder in pain.

"Can you like get Toph or Aang or just ak earth bender!" He groaned.

"I'm like, trying to leave," Zuko jabbed his thumb away.

"Pleaseeeee go get someone! I'll do anything!" Sokka begged him and Zuko tilted his head to the side.

"Will You tell me what your great plan to stop the fire nation is?" Zuko asked curiously.

"Um have Aang master the four elements and go take out the fire lord? I thought that was obvious with being hunted by that zhao guy and all... is he still chasing us or did he need a vaca?" Sokka looked at him hoping that would be enough to please the fire bender.

"Zhao is dead? The avatar killed him in the North Pole? Kind of right in front of me," Zuko put his hands on his hips.

"Oh.. Sorry bout your friend," Sokka made a face awkwardly.

"Eh he's the reason I was there in the first place, he was a bastard," Zuko nodded.

"He was a jerk," Sokka agreed.

"Oh there You are Sokka," Aang ran over and saw Zuko just standing there.

"Aang thank goodness! Got any meat?" Sokka threw his head back in relief.

"What are You guys doing?" He looked at the older boys.

"You know, just hanging out," Sokka said sarcastically. "Mind helping me out of here?"

"Hmm I get I could air bend You out," Aang looked down at him and Zuko took a few steps back not wanting to be close by them. Aang bended heavy wind into the hole but it did nothing but make sokkas hair stick up.

"Seriously Aang, I know your new at is but I could really use an earth bender," Sokka huffed a little as Zuko sat on a rock to wait for them.

"I can't," Aang sighed.

"You can't earth bend?" Zuko raised a brow. "Your the avatar,"

"Then go get Toph," Sokka whined just wanting to get out of the hole.

"I can't do that either," Aang looked down.

"You can't? Why not?!" He cried out confused.

"It would be just really uncomfortable.." Aang mumbled disappointed.

"Tragic, discomfort," Zuko said flatly and Sokka grunted.

"Wouldnt want you to be uncomfortable," he rolled his eyes agreeing with the fire benders sarcasm.

"Thanks Sokka... it's just this whole earth bending thing has me confused, there's so much pressure, everyone expects me to get it right away, it puts me in a really awkward position," Aang sat between the boys as Zuko and Sokka looked at each other unamused.

"Awkward position, I think I know the feeling," Sokka pursed his lips and Zuko put his hands over his face.

"If I try I fail, but if I don't try I'm never going to get it," Aang pulled his legs to his chest keeping his eyes down. "I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place,"

"Huh, how bout that," Sokka nodded while the baby saber tooth moose lion came over and rubbed against sokkas head.

"Aw what a cute baby moose lion," Aang picked it up.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you," Zuko said flatly.

"It doesn't look like a saber tooth moose lion?" Sokka frowned.

"It's hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in, whatcha doing out here little guy? Lost your mama?" Aang held the animal out but it had no intention to bite him.

"You do know how mothers work right? Your going to get mauled," Zuko rested his cheek on his fist annoyed with the child.

"He's not so vicious, he's so cute," Aang showed the soldier.

Only to hear a roar behind them and Zuko pointed behind Aang at the full grown moose lion that was gigantic.

"Uh uh uh we found your baby," Aang laughed nervously setting the cub down and let it run to its mother. Zuko slowly stood from the rock ready to run any moment.

"See, we have no problem, we're friendly," Aang smiled with open arms.

"I'm. Leaving," Zuko hissed.

"Hey hey fire boy, don't you dare, I don't want to get mauled," Sokka hissed back as he was behind Aang.

"I don't care if You do, I am able to leave," Zuko shook his head but paused when the moose lion locked onto him when he moved.

"Aang this is bad! You gotta get me out of here," Sokka wiggled his hands panicking.

Sokka let out a loud girlish scream when the moose lion charged at him for making noise but Aang used the air to bend the animal over their heads.

"This is really bad! Please get me out of here! Earth bend! Something!" Sokka yelled at them as Aang didn't know what to do.

Aang put on a determined face and stomped his foot on the ground making a few moved and tried to bend up. Nothing happened.

Before they knew it the moose lion was charging at them again but a wave of fire decided the animal and them as Zuko glared with his fists balled up.

"What kind of avatar can't earth bend?" Zuko looked at him confused.

"The air bending kind!" Aang cried out.

Aang leaped up on a higher cliff near by and made sounds trying to distract the beast but it didn't budge as it ran over the fire as Zuko stood his ground ready to take the animal down. Aang came in and shoved the moose lion was a blast of air to the side as it slid away.

"Aang? It's coming back!" Sokka yelled as Aang stood in front of them in a fighting stance seeing the moose lion charging once again.

He made the air shove the moose lion back as it rolled over in the dirt and growled at the three boys. But it accepted defeat backing off finally.

"Is it gone?!" Sokka gasped relieved.

There was a slow applause from the side and the three looked to the side seeing Toph just sitting there.

"What are You doing here?" Zuko raised a brow as he held his shoulder.

"Enjoying the show," she smiled.

"What? You've been here the whole time?" Aang looked at her upset.

"So I could've left?" Zuko asked flatly.

"Pretty much," Toph nodded.

"Why didn't you do anything? Sokka was in trouble, you could've gotten him out and helped us get away," Aang threw his hands in the air.

"I guess it just didn't occur to me," she shrugged it off. She reminded Zuko of the soldiers and even the commander, that was disturbing to him almost.

Toph dropped a shelled nut on the ground as she had aangs staff to crack it. Before it hit the ground Aang grabbed his staff from her hand.

"Enough, I want my staff back," Aang snapped at her.

"Do it," Toph got in his face.

"What?" He didn't understand.

"Earth bend twinkle toes, you just stood your ground against a crazy beast, and more importantly you stood your ground against me, so do it, earth bend," Toph smirked knowing he had the potential.

Aang felt his chest lift and got in stance, punching his fist forward and rock went flying into the valley wall.

"You did it!" She whooped proudly.

"And you doubted him," Sokka smiled up at Zuko.

"I hope your feet are numb," Zuko frowned at him.

"My belly button and below is all numb," Sokka smiled more.

"Now with this wonderful moment of officially having two earth benders, can you guys please get me out?" Sokka clasped his hands together with a begging smile at them.

"I got it!" Aang raised his hand.

"Actually you should let me do it, you're still new at this and we don't want to crush him," Toph stopped him.

"Yes. No crushing please," he agreed.

-

Katara was waiting with the animals as she had dinner ready and smiled seeing Aang and Toph helping sokka walk back to camp. As well as Zuko walking behind them.

"You found him!" Katara only cared that her brother returned and paid Zuko not even a scowl when she hugged Sokka.

"The whole time I was in that hole, not knowing if I was going to live or die, it makes a man think about what's really important, that-" Sokka was cut off by Kataras attention getting stolen by Aang.

"Katara check this out!" Aang yelled and bended a Boulder across the air.

"I knew you could do it," Katara gasped happily knowing he was struggling from before.

"You tried the positive reinforcements didn't You?" She whispered to Toph.

"Yup, it worked wonders," Toph grinned a little.

"Appa appa I can earth bend now!" Aang yelled running to his bison but was knocked over by appa licking him.

"So what are we doing with grumpy here?" Katara raised a brow at Zuko who stayed back and quiet.

"He hurt himself fighting the moose lion," Toph motioned back to him.

"I did not?" Zuko made a face.

"You've been holding your shoulder the whole time," she said flatly.

"It's just sore," he rolled his eyes.

"Good, now we can stick with four people on appa," Katara crossed her arms.

"Good," Zuko agreed with a glare.

"Katara he did help protect me from the moose lion, maybe we should make sure he's not hurt anymore before sending him off," Sokka offered and Zuko sent his glare over to the older boy.

"He's just going to try killing Aang again," Katara didn't buy it.

"Correct," Zuko pointed back at her with his arms crossed.

"Hey you agreed three days after we release you," Toph commented.

He shrugged.

"Fine, let me check your wounds and see how bad you hurt yourself," Katara snapped her fingers and made Zuko follow her as he rolled his eyes.