That is all... lol -Sha
Ch. 11- A Moment's Hesitation
Sokka didn't know what he was doing...
He had no plan, and chances were, this was only going to make things worse... But he could NOT let Zuko get to Aang. That much he knew for sure. True Zuko's honor and 'happiness' depended on bringing the kid to his father... but the WORLD depended on Aang; and no matter his budding feelings for the Fire Nation Prince... The World came first and foremost.
The Inuit's legs carried him in as fast a run as he could manage down the ship corridors, making for the deck. He needed to get to land... get to Zuko, and with any luck at all, talk some sense into him. Or better yet, get Iroh to do it! Iroh was the master of 'sense talking'!
He called out for the older bender, hoping to find him before it was too late to get Zuko to turn around. Sokka spotted him on the deck, gazing out towards the shore with a sober expression while watching the hulking forms of komodo rhinos burdened with several soldiers each vanish into the forest bordering the beach heading for Kiyoshi Village. Iroh turned to look at Sokka, taking in his disheveled appearance and frowning with concern. "... You should really be resting... your injuries aren't fully healed yet, Sokka."
The younger man shook his head and pointed towards land.
"That doesn't matter! Did Zuko already get onto shore?!"
"Yes, he's in the lead..." Iroh murmured with a heavy-hearted sigh, glancing to the shore again where now only tracks remained.
"And you didn't try to stop him?! You KNOW what will happen if he brings Aang to the Fire Lord!" Sokka screeched with indignation. "It'll be the end of hope for ALL of us!"
The older man bowed his head gently and nodded, glancing to the irate, but understandably so, young Water Tribesman, keeping his voice ever calm and collected.
"I am well aware of it, Sokka... But Zuko must walk his own path with me only there to help GUIDE him, not block him or push him onto the path I'd rather he take... He must learn to make the right decisions on his own, don't you see?"
Sokka threw up his arms in aggravation and turned to head below deck where he knew the gang-plank would be open and he could get to land. Iroh, puzzled and concerned for Sokka, turned to follow him, his eyes widening as he saw the already injured young man approaching a remaining komodo rhino with determination.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Those beasts are ill tempered enough to begin with! Do you even know how to ride one?!"
"... No... but they can't be much different than a Polarbear Dog..." Sokka muttered, sizing up the large scaly-leather skinned rhino that looked ready to gore or trample him. Sokka went to get a saddle and reins, blinking as Iroh put a weathered and warm hand on his arm to stop him.
"You'll never get it ready in time to do any good out there with your injuries... Let me help." The seasoned fire bender murmured with a small, but distressed smile.
Sokka was grateful for the help in saddling the beast and once Iroh had helped push him up into the saddle that could easily fit four grown men, he looked at the troubled old man with a gentle nod.
"I understand your reasoning... But some people are too stubborn to see any path except the one directly ahead of them... They're the ones that sometimes need a good shove in the RIGHT direction. I can be the one to give him that shove..." He grinned broadly and winked at Iroh before turning the komodo rhino and kicking it into a bulky gallop down the gangplank towards shore. Iroh was Zuko's rock when he faltered... Zuko needed him to always be there in support when he was at his weakest, or most stubborn... To that end, Sokka could take up the role of 'bad guy' and bully the young Prince when he needed his perspective altered.
He only hoped he wasn't too late for Kiyoshi Village...
Zuko's head was a storm of swirling thoughts and emotions.
On the one hand... He finally had a chance to corner the Avatar and take him down. To bring him back to his father and FINALLY have his honor restored! To be welcomed back home with open arms by Ozai himself and once more be able to sit at his side in his rightful place.
On the other hand, however, was Sokka...
Something had changed between them, and now... Well, now Zuko felt a sickening churning in his gut at the thought of what would become of the Inuit once they got back to the Fire Nation. If Zhao had been any inclination, Zuko could never subjugate Sokka to that a second time... Which would mean that he'd have to set Sokka free before heading home. Then again, with how adamant the younger teen was against him capturing the Avatar to begin with, Sokka might run from him the second he had the chance! Hell, he could be planning his escape right now! Most of Kiyoshi Island was forest. It would be easy for Sokka to get on shore and hide until they'd set sail again, leaving him to seek the villagers for a way back home, or to the main land at the very least.
Zuko grimaced at the thought and shook his head, tightening his grip on the reins of his rhino mount and kicking it forward as the village gates came into view, a large wooden sculpture of Kiyoshi herself hovering high above and overlooking all who came and went. Although the sculpture looked freshly painted and beautiful, Avatar Kiyoshi's visage was a bit daunting...
By the time Zuko and his soldiers made the village gates, the whole town was already on high alert. The Prince tensed for conflict, feeling the approaching battle thick in the air. Unlike most villages whose able bodied men all rushed out to fend off the attack, this village was eerily quiet... poised even... Like a held breath.
When the attack did come, it was sudden and fierce. Painted-faced warriors rushed the small rhino caravan with what appeared to be flashing golden fans. They were fleet of foot, silent, and accurate in both attack and withdrawal, using his men's energy and less graceful attacks against them. Zuko hung back from his men up front, his lips pulled back in a dark grimace of annoyance and body coiled tightly. When the painted-faced warriors turned their efforts on him, he was prepared and quickly countered each attack blow for blow.
One of the fleet-footed warriors managed to unsaddle him, his body rolling in the dirt before he got his footing under him again, his eyes flashing with fury. It was a mistake to force him off his mount... Now he had full freedom of movement and he intended to use it to his advantage. The pair faced off, slowly half-circling each other. Zuko could now see that this painted fighter was a woman, and he immediately surmised that they all must be woman... They idolized Avatar Kiyoshi after all; the infamous woman warrior of the Earth Nation.
Woman or not, she would NOT keep him from capturing the Avatar!
"I know that the Avatar is hiding here! Just give him to me and I'll leave your village MOSTLY in tact! Continue to fight me and everything you love will burn to ash!"
He shouted, kicking an arcing wave of flame at the young warrior, only to have it broken by the slice of wind from her fan attack.
"You Fire Benders are all the same! No matter if we give you what you want or don't, you'll still destroy everything! I have no reason to trust your word!"
The spirited young woman countered his threat, her eyes narrowed and golden fans flashing like rays of sunlight as she lifted them once again and attacked. Zuko glowered and tightened his fists, rushing towards her and blasting his opponent with wave after wave of heat, driving her back towards a building where she had less room to maneuver away from him. The young woman faltered, falling back against the outer wall of the small house and looking up at Zuko with sudden fright as the scarred Fire Prince prepared to strike a final blow. She lifted an arm, ducking her face away from the coming burn but a large shadow fell over her instead and there was the rough bellow of a large animal as it was forced to take the blast of flame itself, it's leathery hide only minorly singed.
Zuko jerked back in surprise as the komodo rhino barreled between himself and the girl. He looked up, prepared to chew the soldier astride the massive beast a new one, only to feel his snarl catch in his throat when his eyes met the Inuit's.
"...S-Sokka...?!"
The darker skinned teen frowned hard at Zuko, looking at him with disappointment and a silent pleading.
"Don't do this, Zuko... You're hurting these people!"
The Fire Nation Prince tensed at that, his voice raw with anger and vindication.
"They're purposefully hiding him from me! All I want is the Avatar! Once I have him I'll leave them alone! NO ONE HAS TO DIE FOR THIS TO END!"
"...Except the Avatar..."
Sokka murmured gravely, his brows creased and jaw clenched with determination. He didn't want to see Zuko become the man his father wanted to mold him into... Ruthless... without compassion... He KNEW Zuko could be better than all that if he'd just stand for his own beliefs instead of constantly trying to prove himself to a man that had wounded him in every way imaginable.
Zuko felt his chest burn and tighten at that, knowing it was true. He couldn't feign ignorance that in handing the avatar over to his father for his own reinstated honor would end well for the air bender. Ozai was out to rule the world, and his ONLY threat was a mere twelve year old boy…
Knowing how his father dealt with anything that got in the way of his rise to glory… his wife… his son… The young avatar would not be spared. The boy would die… brought to his doom by a prince who so badly wanted nothing more than his father's approval….
His blood would forever stain Zuko's hands… and his soul.
The fire bender grimaced at the acidic burn that brought to his chest and throat. He KNEW it was the wrong choice… but… Maybe it would be different…! Maybe Ozai would keep Aang alive, if only to use his power for his own gain! There was always a chance that things would turn out ok…
Wasn't there…?
He lifted his gaze back to the young water tribe prince, his brows creased with his painful indecision. Sokka could see the older teens struggle, that he took the gravity of this moment to heart. He shifted to slide off the leathery scaled beast to the dirt, stumbling slightly on his still injured leg and feeling his breath catch when it was Zuko's hands yet again that moved up to steady him, their eyes locking on each other. He needed to convince Zuko, in this very moment, that the RIGHT path to follow was the one of peace! The path his uncle had been desperately trying to guide him along all this time. Zuko's tense, pained expression told him more plainly than words that this was the crucial moment. Opening his mouth, Sokka took in a hesitant breath, hoping to say everything Zuko needed to hear… but, as irony would have it, a young, feminine cry of shock and amazement cut through the fragile thread connecting them like a serrated blade.
"SOKKA?!"
The sound of that long missed voice that had once grated on his nerves now sounded like the most beautiful siren song in all the world! Sokka's head snapped up and to the side, his eyes lighting up with excitement and relief at the sight of his little sister.
"KATARA!"
Sokka's first instinct was to run to his sister with his arms flailing above him and tackle her in the biggest bear hug he could muster, but as soon as he turned towards her and jerked forward, pain rushed through the sudden pressure on his bad leg and he half stumbled, Zuko's grip on his arms tightening and hauling him back up so he wouldn't fall. He fell back against the side of the komodo rhino with a grunt and a wince.
To Katara's eyes, her brother was being restrained and hurt by their fire bender. Rage got the better of her judgment and she summoned the water from her sealskin pouch to her aid, firing a blast at Zuko strong enough to knock him onto his back almost 10 feet away.
"Get away from my brother you monster!"
Sokka's breath sucked in as a sharp gasp as he watched Zuko go flying. That was it… The moment was over. His hesitation had just cost them everything…!