Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Fifty-Five

A/N - So for timeline info, Zuko and Kali are currently at about The Painted Lady; obviously given the changes and stuff regarding Zuko, things will play out slightly differently. Kali will join the Gaang in the Runaway but Zuko won't join until the Western Air Temple as he does in the show. So they will spend six episodes apart where Zuko can have his important moments with Iroh and Ozai as well as find out about Roku and Sozin and Kali can bond with the Gaang and maybe even further her own bending.

....

As Kali and Zuko are led forward, it is silent. The marked figures don't even talk to each other, let alone them. Even the animals are quiet. Kali can feel that they are still in a forest, they are actually heading deeper into it. She can hear Bing and the mongoose lizards as they are moving, though more willing than she would like, considering their circumstances. She tries to reach out to them, but for some reason, she can't hear them in her head. And that worries her more. Because that means they are actively not communicating with her.

"Kali?" She turns her head hearing Zuko.

"Be quiet" One of the masked men snaps at Zuko who clenches his jaw as he is shoved forward. Being blinded and restrained means he has no idea how many people they are dealing with, he has no idea where they are standing, where Kali is standing. He can't just bust his way out of this without risking hurting her. Kali can feel as hanging leaves brush over her, passing through them. Before a deep sense of peace washes over her. She lets out a breath and closes her eyes behind the hood over her head. She is then shoved forward and her hood is pulled off. She blinks a little and then looks ahead. Finds that they have been brought to a village hidden in the trees. Rows of huts are intercut with streams and huge cherry blossom trees. Each hut is decorated with flowers and vines. There is a giant willow tree that ascends from the centre of the village, its glowing purple hanging leaves encircle the entire village. Kali sees flashes of green through the village, faces and bodies as they duck out of sight but still strain to see what is going on.

"Wait" She whispers as she realises what she is looking at. She turns as her masked assailants pull off their masks to reveal naturebenders. Men and women. All like her. All of them look like her. The oldest of them moves to Kali.

"Welcome home, Sister" He greets, holding out his hand to her. She frowns a little and shakes her head. "You are finally free of him"

"You think he took me captive?" She whispers and looks at Zuko.

"Why else would you be with a firebender? The Fire Prince at that?" He asks her, lowering his hand again.

"Because he's my friend..." She answers and then softens. "I love him" Zuko looks at her surprised by that statement. They've not said that to one another yet. He knows she had some high level of affection for him, but love was not something he considered really. It's a big thing. Love. A big step for them. For him. The older naturebender looks between them before the whole group's stance changes. Hostility melting away.

"I am Adair" He offers as he moves towards Zuko, pulling the blade from his belt, but there is nothing hostile about his movements this time.

"You believe her?" Zuko asks. The naturebender cocks his head.

"What reason does she have to lie about that?" He counters as he cuts the binds on Zuko. Kali moves to him, patting at his arms as she checks on him, but he's fine. He touches her arm and then her face. She lets out a breath and looks up at him. She then turns to Adair.

"What is this place?" Kali asks.

"Tian Tang," He tells her and then motions around them. "This is where our people retreated to during the war....protected by the Spirit Tree" He reaches out and the hanging purple leaves of the tree wrap around his wrist.

"I have seen what Kali can do on her own" Zuko turns to Adair. "You could have ended the war with a small army....years ago....why didn't you?"

"We do not get involved in outsider problems"

"Outsider problems?" Kali argues. "Your own people were being slaughtered and you hid away"

"They were given the option to retreat here" Adair counters, stepping closer to her. Softening. "I assume your family..."

"Yes," She answers and shrugs. "I don't know, maybe...." Adair turns to Zuko for an explanation.

"Kali was taken as a slave when she was a child" He explains softly. Adair lets out a sad breath and turns to Kali.

"I am truly sorry that was your fate" Adair offers. "But your family would have been given the option to come to Tian Tang" Kali clenches her jaw and looks around. This could have been her life. This could have been her home. "When the war broke out..." Adair continues. "There were a lot of casualties...a coordinated surprise fire attack hit our homeland whilst our people slept....of those that escaped, some came here, others became nomads....over time more and more of the nomads were wiped out, some did join us eventually.....you should talk to our elder, she was there at the beginning"

"How is that possible?" Zuko asks. "It was 100 years ago"

"And it shows" Adair offers as he waves them forward, heading deeper into the village. "She was a child at the time and nature has done what it can to keep her alive......" He then shakes his head. Their other captive then release Kali's animals who follow after Adair, Kali and Zuko, sticking close to Kali and Zuko more than Adair, but they are relaxed about being here. Bing lets out a noise and races towards where a small group of animals just like him are playing in a stream. Kali lets out a breath and smiles. Ran-Ya makes a sadder noise and Bing turns to wave him over to join them. Ran-Ya looks at Kali who nods softly and he runs off to join Bing. Behind them, the mongoose lizards are joined by small naturebender children who start to fuss over them, laughing and happy. "They will safe with us" Adair assures Kali who turns to Zuko. The two of them share a look. On the line between worried, cautious, and relieved. Adair leads them towards a larger hut than the rest that sits under the large willow tree. Zuko reaches out and takes Kali's hand as they pass through the floral doorway. The room beyond is full of plant life. The walls are covered in all colours and shapes and sizes of flowers. Vines hang from the ceiling. On the back wall is a floral mural that shows the destruction of their original homeland. It's clear through the use of a lot of red and orange flowers that they blame the Fire Nation for it, and Zuko knows the stories and the narrative that his own people made about the extermination of these people. That they were eradicated to protect the world, to stop the dangerous and bloodthirsty naturebenders. He gets that they are dangerous, he's seen Kali in action, but Iroh told him that they were peaceful, and this village, Tian Tang, is proof of that. The numbers they have, they could have easily righted the wrongs inflicted upon them, and yet they choose to stay here, hidden and protected from the world. A large pink flower sits in the middle of the room, petals all closed. Large leafs protecting it. "Alchemilla" Adair states and the flower starts to shift, petals opening to reveal an ageing grey-haired naturebender. Her dress is made of leaves and flowers, flowing along behind her when she steps out of the flower to the floor. A floral headpiece adorning her head. She moves closer to Zuko and Kali, a stern and firm look at Zuko makes him go to take a step back but Kali clutches at his hand, keeping him close to her.

"It's been so long since we have found one of our own on the outside" Alchemilla comments as she looks over Kali, she wrinkles her nose at the clothing she is wearing. Torn and tattered in places from Kali's fights and their life on the road. "Adair, make sure our guests are comfortable" She turns away, heading back to her plant. 

"Wait" Kali begs. "I have questions..."

"And I will answer them" Alchemilla assures her. "Once you have rested" She disappears into the flower and Kali lets out a breath, closing her eyes. Zuko squeezes her hand and then pulls her along with him as he follows Adair out of the hut.