Stratus | Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Chapter One | Azula

Kumo sighed, fiddling with her hair. She didn't like it when it was up, but it was too noticeable down, even with a hat on. Zuko had panicked after spotting a wanted poster with her face on it while they were travelling into a town, so made her where a large sedge hat (or otherwise known as straw hats or rice hats). Kumo hated it, it was itchy and warm.

She sat still, her eyes focused on a particular scroll she'd bought from the market they'd passed through. It was about spirits and the spirit world. Lang Yao had only briefly explained to her about herself as the blizzard was too strong, so she took it into her own hands to find more knowledge about the subject.

But so far, the scroll had been useless. She heard Iroh groan as he was being massaged, Kumo rolled her crystal eyes and looked over at Zuko who was unusually quiet today. Then glancing up as Iroh approached them, Kumo stood and wandered to view the sakura tree when he began talking to Zuko. She didn't want to intrude, she was sure it was something personal.

"I see, it's the anniversary, isn't it?" Iroh asked gently, Kumo's sensitive ears picking up on the soft voices.

"Three years ago I was banished, I lost it all, I want it back." Zuko hissed, his eyes burned with anger and his hands clenched into fists. "I want the avatar. I want my honour, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless."

"I'm sure he doesn't, why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Zuko shot his uncle a glare as he got and wandered over to where Kumo was, standing with her to admire the sakura trees.

-

"Look at all these beautiful shells!" Iroh explained, showing the shells to Kumo who stared at them in interest. They were a pretty peachy colour, she'd never seen shells before, after all, she did grow up in the North Pole. Shells weren't exactly in abundance. "I'll enjoy these for years to come."

"We don't need anymore useless things!" Zuko yelled, folding his arms coldly. "If you forget, we have to carry everything ourselves know."

"Well, Kaze could always carry some." Kumo suggested, Zuko gave her a stern look and she sighed, placing down a pale pink clam shell, it was pretty. Zuko never let any of them have any fun, it was avatar this and avatar that! She swore she never got a second of rest.

"Well, hello, brother, uncle." Zuko's head snapped in the direction of the voice, as did Iroh's. Though Kumo was slower to look, she knew who it was before she even saw her face. Zuko's sister, Azula, even though Kumo was not from the fire nation, she'd heard stories of Azula and how evil she was. "Oh, and you must be the air bender."

"What are you doing here?" Zuko growled, glaring at his sister. Azula rolled her eyes, making Kumo want to gouge them out.

"In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions." She scowled mockingly, getting up from her seat. "Have you become so uncivilised so soon, Zuzu?"

"Well, we're not in your country, are we?" Iroh glanced over to Kumo, shocked at her hostility. Azula smirked at Kumo's daring attitude, picking up on the subtle challenge.

"Well, looks like your parents didn't teach you any manners, did they?" Azula countered, she'd been informed by Zhao before his death of the air bender. Her smirk faltered as Kumo's grew, but before Kumo could say anything, Zuko interrupted as he yelled at his sister.

"Don't call me that." He roared, Kumo rested a hand on his shoulder, relaxing him instantly. Iroh sighed.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Iroh asked calmly. Kumo removed her hand from Zuko's shoulder as she ran her pale fingers over the back of a shell.

"Hmm, must be a family trait, both of you so quick to get to the point." She hissed, crushing a shell in her hand. Kumo snorted, Azula's temper flared, much to Iroh's disappointment as his face went sour.