Little Soldier Boy

The chase

Zuko rode on the ostrich horse as he wore his straw hat to protect his face from the hot sun above. He didn't know whether to head south or north to find the avatar, maybe just to follow the sun rise and see where it takes.

He noticed a strange substance next to him that was a white mark in the grass, there was a faded trail of it. Zuko pulled the reins back and stopped the animal to hop down and to figure out what it was.

He knelt to the white marking and touched it, it felt like fur in the way, but course and light at the same time. What animal has white fur in the earth kingdom? Moose lions and badger moles have a lot of fur and would be shedding but what's white?

Zuko frowned. It couldn't possibly be the avatars bison could it? It seemed too easy? He looked over at the trail where it seemed to be thinning out the direction he was heading. That probably would be where the avatar is heading since his pet would be shedding less over time in the air.

"You better be ready avatar," Zuko stood with a frown as he boarded back onto the ostrich horse and moved fast to catch up while following the trail.

—

The sun went down while Zuko was still following the trail but he decided to take a break for the ostrich horses sake, he was able to find a river for the animal to drink from and he refilled his own water. Running his hands through his short hair he looked where the moon was rising, the avatar must be heading where the moon and sun rise, heading further in the earth kingdom.

He wondered what the goal for the avatar was. That girl and boy he traveled with must be his teachers of some sort. Was he looking for an earth bending teacher now? Must be if he was no longer in the water tribes, was he going to take down the fire lord as well? If the avatar killed Ozai would he never go home then?

He would never be welcomed into the fire nation if the avatar dethroned the fire lord. Or worse... Azula would take the throne then.

His troops, his friends, his family, if the fire nation loses to the avatar their deaths would mean nothing.

Lees death would mean nothing.

Zuko covered his eyes with a hand as he sighed, he was getting to far in his head. He inhaled deeply pushing his hands through the round of his head and looked up at the stars to read the constellations, it was a map in a way.

But there was a dark smoke in the distance, that was moving. It wasn't a fire.

"What?" Zuko stood up confused. What could it be?

-

The avatar and the other teens laid in the bisons saddle as they were chased all night with barely a moment to even fall asleep. Azula, mai and ty Lee had the upper hand on finding them easily and chased them throughout the entire night on a steam motorized machine and mongoose lizards to individually catch up.

"So what's our plan?" Aang yawned sitting on appas head.

"Don't know, to tired to think," Their newest addition, Toph, groaned resting her head on her hands.

"I'm sure we'll come up with something after a short nap," Katara had her arms crossed while she rested her body against their luggage.

"Yes, sleep," Sokka smiled in relief putting his head down.

It was quiet for a moment as everyone just needed peace and silence to not go crazy, only seconds later they started to fall out of the sky. Sokka grabbed his sister before she flew out of the saddle and Toph gripped the side tightly with momo holding onto her ankle.

"What's going on?" The blind earth bender yelled confused.

"Appa fell asleep!" Aang gasped crawling to his companions fade and patted at his eye lid.