Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Eleven

There is a shriek that echoes through the trees, but a shriek of laughter as Kali weaves through some trees. Behind her, the two ostrich horses chase after her, but there is no threat. This is fun. Exciting. Entertainment. They were bored and she was bored. There is not much in the way of entertainment out here. Kali presses herself back against the trunk of a tree listening to the animals move, a vine creeps down as she reaches up a hand, the vine secures itself around her arm before it pulls her upwards into the trees just as the two ostrich horses attempt to ambush her. They both look around, frustrated when they find her gone. Kali crouches in the tree, a soft smile on her lips. They've not had much opportunity to have fun. She likes this. She likes fun. She glances back towards camp and then stands, using the trees to head in that direction. 

............

Back at the camp, Zuko frowns as he stands with his uncle in front of the dying fire. They are both staring into the trees though, listening to the ostrich horses. It's not really a noise they've heard from Kali yet. Pure unadulterated joy. She's happy playing with the two of them. Something she probably hasn't really had much freedom to do before.

"What's she doing?" Zuko asks, Iroh smiles at him and then goes back to watching the ostrich horses.

"They were bored" Iroh answers as he opens up his coin purse, thinking about the supplies they are going to need. "Kali offered to play with them..." Iroh makes a noise of disappointment and then closes the coin purse again. "We're out of coin" He admits. "And asking Kali to constantly use her bending to get us food...It doesn't feel right"

"You know that she offers to do that" Zuko argues. "We never asked"

"Still" Iroh counters and sighs. Zuko is suddenly lifted off his feet when a vine wraps around his ankle, hoisting him up into the tree. He lets out a surprised noise which causes Iroh to turn to face him. Kali drops out of the tree above him and lands in a crouch before she straightens up, wearing a smirk. Zuko gives her an unamused look.

"Very funny," He tells her as she chuckles. Iroh smirks at her side. The two of them just watching him dangle there. "Now let me down, Kali" She tilts her head and the vines release him slowly, setting him on his backside before he quickly pushes himself to his feet, brushing soil and dirt from the back of his trousers and robes. 

"There is an Earth Kingdom village down the road....perhaps we can see if we can't ask nicely for some coin" Zuko turns a look on his uncle, understanding perfectly what he is getting at.

"You mean beg?" Zuko asks, scoffing and folding his arms over his chest. It feels so degrading to have to do that. To have to beg for enough coin to buy food. The two ostrich horses suddenly storm the camp, heading straight for Kali who chuckles and allows them to tackle her to the ground, Zuko and Iroh jumping out of the way of them. Zuko finds himself smiling watching her with them. She doesn't care that they're animals. They're just more 'people' to her. Iroh glances at Zuko and strokes at his beard with a sly look.

......

Iroh packs up the saddlebags as Zuko digs through them, to his annoyance. He's looking for a cloak, or a blanket to use as a cloak. They need to do something about Kali's appearance. She stands out way too much. Zuko finds something he can use and turns to Kali as she pulls her bag strap over her head, resting it against her chest. He holds out the cloak and she nods.

"Because I am green" She points out, she knows that. She knows she has to hide herself. Zuko nods and pulls the cloak around her shoulders. "I know" She whispers, but he can read into it. She's not ashamed of the green, it doesn't bother her, it just bothers everyone else. Because she is the last of her people. She stands out too much. She can't just blend in with everyone else. He pulls her hood up, letting his hand linger on her cheek. Even though she has to hide, he does actually like the green. With her red hair and love of nature, obviously, it's rather fitting for her. "It's okay" She assures him as she brings the cloak around her. He drops his hand and then nods. It bothers him though. That she has to hide. They are the ones in exile and she is the one that has to hide. He lets out a breath and turns, pulling himself up onto the back of the ostrich horse, Iroh doing the same to his own. Zuko glances back down at Kali as she adjusts the cloak to be comfortable before she holds up her hand. He wraps his fingers around her arm and helps her up onto the back of the ostrich horse behind him, her arms instantly wrapping around him as she gets comfy against him. Her body is all warm against his back. Hands soft on his chest as she curls the fabric of his clothing between her fingers to hold onto him. He lets out a breath he had no idea that he was holding. There is always something about it, when she is this close to him. Like his heart want to burst out of him. A flutter in his stomach. It's not a bad thing, just something he's not used to feeling. 

"Comfortable?" He asks, she chuckles a little and nods, resting her cheek against his back as she closes her eyes. Zuko smiles to himself, lowering his straw hat down to hide it. 

"You're warm" She offers in way of an answer, he knows she likes that he's warm, it's why some nights he wakes to her curling into his side, usually after the fire has gone out. He lets her though, which says more about their relationship than he thinks. Closed off and hostile to everyone he met, until Kali. That he allows her to be so close to him, screams that he's changing, that she's changing him.