Path Ahead

Next Step

"Well, this just proves my point," announced Sokka dramatically. "We can't stay here. Zuko found us, Combustion Man found us-"

"Yun Yi," Zuko corrected absently.

"Whatever. If we stick around much longer, we might as well send the Firelord an engraved invitation."

"I guess you're right," Teo sighed. "Haru, why don't you and I see what we can get from those fruit trees we found yesterday?"

"Right behind you," Haru answered, following the boy in the wheeled chair.

"I think we should still keep a lookout," Sokka said. "We won't want to leave until - until Yun Yi is well away."

"Why's that?" piped up The Duke.

"He'll tell anyone who'll pay him enough where we are, and we don't need him seeing which direction we go when we leave," Sokka replied. "The Duke, why don't you take a turn?"

"Great!" the little boy responded, jumping up and adjusting his helmet before he took off.

"Find the highest spot you can," Sokka called after him.

"What do you want us to do?" Toph wondered aloud, cocking her head in his general direction. Zuko was also looking at Sokka expectantly.

"Help me come up with a plan," he told them both. He pulled out two of his maps again, one of the Fire Nation and one of the world. "It sounds like we're heading to the Eastern Air Temple to hide out for a while, but we need to figure out our stops along the way."

"Uncle Iroh," Zuko blurted out.

"What about him?" asked Sokka.

"I'd like to see him again," said Zuko quietly. "I need to tell him...you said he might be at that sword-master's house."

"He might be, but we don't know for sure," Sokka warned.

"Oh, let's give it a shot," Toph interjected. "I like Iroh. I wouldn't mind talking to him again. Maybe he'll make us some tea."

"Tea?" Sokka gaped at her incredulously. With all of the problems they had, she was thinking about tea?

"It's really good tea," she shrugged.

Sokka wasn't swayed by the promise of tea, but he saw Zuko's body language as he sat cross-legged, eyes to the ground, and knew that they had to make the effort. Sokka was very familiar with the concept of a young man who needed his father. While Iroh wasn't technically Zuko's father, the relationship was clearly closer than the one Zuko had with the Firelord.

"It's as good a plan as any," Sokka agreed. "Besides, I could use a sparring partner."

"Sparring partner?" Zuko echoed, and he seemed genuinely interested. Sokka grinned at him.

"You don't think this thing is just for show, do you?" he returned, gesturing to the long sword strapped across his back. Before Zuko could respond, a new voice interrupted.

"What are we doing?" Aang asked, and Sokka turned his head to see both him and Katara rejoining them. They both looked somewhat troubled, but Sokka decided he couldn't worry about that right now.