Fire Queen

Chapter 36

"It's so calm"

Zuko said as they are sitting by a waterfall, hearing water falling from the hill and then blending in with the rest of the water of the pond without any difficulty.

"Yeah" Ryu smiled, putting her head on his shoulder, and looked down at the fish in his hand that they just cooked, "you want a bite?" he asked lifting it to Ryu.

Ryu smiled and nodded taking a bite, "You that was an indirect kiss" he said like children do, "Don't you think we are too old for things like indirect kisses" Ryu laughed.

Zuko took a bite from where Ryu have just eaten, "Beggars can't be choosers, got to live with what you got" he took another bite, looking at Aang and Appa in the pond.

Ryu lift her head to the left a little peck on the side of his lips, he put the fish aside and looked up at the star-filled sky above "Thank you" he whispered, smiling ear to ear.

"Water is amazing, jump in" Aang called out from the middle of the pond.

"No, we are good" Zuko replied, Ryu stood up, "Come on, water does look refreshing"

Zuko stood up and whispered in her ear, "I don't want you to take your clothes off"

"Why, Come on Aang have seen me like this before at the beach remember" Ryu tried to argue.

"Well that was different" Zuko looked back at Aang, "It's not him, well it is but it is more me, I don't think it will be good for me" he looked down at the ground trying not to look at her.

"Oh okay" Ryu stepped back and turn to Aang "Hey I am going to bed I am tired, I will maybe take a dip in the morning"

"Okay, Zuko coming?" Aang asked as Zuko saw her returning to his separate tent,

"Yes, buddy"

In the morning Ryu woke up earlier than them, after giving Appa some fruit Ryu decided to take a dip, but the water is too cold, what's the point of being a fire bender if you can't even warm water? Ryu dipped her hand in the water and after a few minutes, it turn into a hot spring.

Ryu Sighed stepping in she forgot how much she use to hate traveling, it was just too much for her body, Ryu found a place to use as a take and closed her eyes, only a few minutes she thought, but those few minutes turn in to more few minutes and few more bending to warm the water, that turn in to hour or hours, who knows.

But after some time Ryu felt like something was wrong, so she kept her eyes closed and tried to focus on her surroundings I am being watched she thought, suddenly someone seemed to jump from one tree to another, and Ryu waited for another moment.

*Crunch*

The noise of leaves being crushed under a foot came to the left, Ryu turned and bended a flashy flame, "Woah" Zuko said using his fire to block hers.

Ryu turned to him, "We are being watched" she said looking around the trees. "Are you sure, It wasn't just me you sensed" Zuko looked around where Ryu was looking but nothing moved in the trees.

"There might be an animal" he took a knee by the pond.

"No it was too big to be an animal that can jump on trees, it has to be human" Ryu finally turned to meet his eyes but they were busy a little down from her eyes, Ryu let herself go a little down so water covers more.

"It might be in your head" Zuko took off a shirt.

"What are you doing?" Ryu asked.

"Water look's so great, I was hoping you wouldn't mind sharing" he waited for a reply.