Chapter 10

Episode 7, Winter Solstice: The Spirit World

I got on deck and looked around the forest in hope to see Iroh coming our way. It was getting dark and he still wasn't back making me worried.

Zuko came on deck looking angry and worried at the same time as he made his way off the ship. I quickly followed him, determined to find Iroh safe and sound. Zuko only glanced at me but ignored me, so I took that as a yes that I can follow him.

A few guards were following us and we made our way to Iroh's last place. "Uncle! Where are you?" Zuko shouted as he went through the bushes to the stony area where Iroh's pool was.

It was empty and there were spikes coming out of the pool. It looked like he was attacked by earth benders. "Sir, maybe he thought you left without him." One guard suggested and I scoffed at that. As if.

"Something's not right here," Zuko looked around for some evidence. I rolled my eyes at their stupidity, "There, these spikes of rock," I spoke up for the first time and pointed at the pool. Their heads turned to me and Zuko looked like he wanted to shout at me but the guard interrupted us, "It looks like there's been a landslide, sir."

"Yeah, because these rocks certainly moved by themselves. Uphill." I commented while rolling my eyes. "My uncle's been captured by earth benders!" Zuko said looking at us.

"Ready my Rhino, I am going to find my uncle," Zuko yelled as we hurried back to the ship. "I am coming with you," I told Ponytail as he waited in front of the ship for his Rhino. "No, you're not," he spat. I am so close to punch his handsome face right now. Handsome? No no no, I need to stop thinking that, he kidnapped me. My kidnapper can't be handsome.

I shook my head slightly to dismiss this thought. "Fine, you're coming with me. These idiots of guards are too stupid to watch after you anyways." His sentence snapped me back to reality. "Did you just agree?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Yes, now come on before I change my mind." He said and started walking beside his Rhino. I was still shocked that he simply agreed and jogged after him. When we were in the forest he got onto his Rhino and looked at me as if he was waiting for something.

"Could you please stop staring at me like that, it's creepy." I told him shifting my weight on my other foot looking away. "I am not staring at you," Zuko suddenly shouted making me jump.

"Hop onto the Rhino," he ordered. My jaw dropped as soon as realization hit me. "No, I'm not getting on that thing," I exclaimed pointing at the Rhino. It was so big and scary and besides I don't want to be so close to Ponytail, "I'll walk," I stated and started walking.

Zuko mumbled something under his breath and the Rhino started walking. I gasped when two strong arms grabbed my waist and put me onto the Rhino. "Hey!" I exclaimed now sitting in front of Zuko. My back is pressed to his warm chest. I knew that fire benders had a warm body temperature but he was so warm, almost hot like a radiator.

"Oh my Elements, he's so hot," I mumbled under my breath shifting in my seat a bit. "Did you just call me hot?!" Zuko suddenly asked. "You heard that?!" I replied blushing and turned my head to look at him with wide eyes. Oh no, that is so embarrassing.

"Do you have a fever?" I blurted out. I really have to make situations even more awkward than they already are. "No," he stated looking confused. I didn't know what to say, I only wanted to disappear into thin air in that moment. "Good," I replied nodding slowly, "Then let's find your uncle, shall we." As soon as I turned away from him I released a quiet breath of relief.

We were looking for the whole night and the sun was already rising when we found a shoe on our way. Zuko stopped the Rhino and got off. I followed his lead in need of moving around a bit because of sitting so long. I came to a halt beside him and looked at the sandal.

Ponytail bend down to pick up the sandal and smelled it. "Eww," I grimaced and Zuko did the same as soon as he smelled it. "Yeah, that's definitely Uncle Iroh." He stated as he stood up. "And you know that because of that sandal's smell?" I asked him full of disbelief. "No one can smell like my uncle," he told me as he made his way back to the Rhino.

I hesitated to go back to the Rhino not wanting to be close to Zuko again but when he shot me a death glare waiting for me to hop onto the Rhino I hadn't got another choice. I sighed and walked over to the big animal. How in the Avatar's name am I supposed to get onto that thing on my own?! i cursed myself for being short.

Zuko seemed to sense my struggle and extended his hand for me to take it. I hesitantly put my hand in his and with his help I was back on the Rhino and muttered a quiet 'Thank you'.

We continued our way to find Iroh. After a few time we saw footprints on the ground and I smiled to myself because we were getting nearer. Zuko stopped abruptly, "The Avatar," he mumbled. I immediately snapped my head to look to the sky and saw Appa. I couldn't believe that they were here too. I sighed and closed my eyes because we needed to find Iroh now.

I glanced at Zuko from the corner of my eye, afraid of what he will do now. I swear if he goes after Aang I will find Iroh myself. He was about to change the direction of the Rhino and I couldn't believe he would really so that. "You would leave your uncle for the Avatar?! You can't just leave your uncle, he is family," I gasped and looked at him full of disbelief.

He glanced at me and nodded slightly, agreeing with me, before looking back at the footprints. I saw that this decision was hard for him but after he continued to follow the footprints to find his uncle a tiny smile made its way onto my face. I knew he cared for his uncle.

We came to a path with a cliff on one side. Zuko immediately stopped when he heard people talking. We got off the Rhino and walked towards the edge of the cliff. Down there we saw three earth benders who where standing around a kneeling Iroh. I gasped when I saw that Iroh's hands and feet were chained up. His arms were laying on top of a pile of earth.

"These dangerous hands must be crushed," we heard one of the earth benders say. I immediately looked at Zuko who was about to go down the cliff. "We won't make it in time," I told him the obvious. "We can't stop the time," he spat at me annoyed that I stopped him.

"I can't stop time but I can stop people," I blurted out. I really need to think before I speak but they would kill Iroh right there if I didn't stop them. Only this once I assured myself.

I saw a little lake right beside Iroh and the earth benders. Okay that would work. One of the earth bender manipulated a huge rock out of the ground ready to crush Iroh with it. I extended one hand and concentrated on the earth benders' blood. As soon as I felt it I closed my hand to a fist and the earth benders stopped in their tracks, not moving one muscle.

I knew I couldn't hold them for too long so with my other hand I concentrated on the water of the nearby lake and manipulated some of it out towards the earth benders. I put the water around their arms and legs and froze it immediately. Then I made the one earth bender shoot the huge rock onto one of his friends. He was thrown against the wall of rocks behind him with a groan falling to the ground unconscious.

I let got of their blood and took a deep breath. That was exhausting since I have never used this much bending at once. I guess that was the adrenaline in my veins. Zuko looked at me with an angry, impressed and shocked expression but I ignored it since we still needed to rescue Iroh.

We made our way down the cliff and I immediately froze Iroh's chains and broke them. He thanked me and stood up I turned around to see that Zuko already knocked down the other two earth benders. We stood there and Zuko turned around and came towards me looking angry. I stepped back as he came forwards, but it was no use.

He grabbed my collar and came closer with his face, "Who are you?" he asked me in a threateningly low voice. I gulped looking at him. I could literally see the anger in his eyes. "I am Jasmine. But I already told you that," I answered his question. He looked more furious by that answer if that's even possible.

Zuko was about so say something but Iroh thankfully interrupted him, "Maybe we should go back to the ship before they wake up," he pointed at the knocked-out earth benders. Zuko turned to his uncle and huffed but before he made his way back to the Rhino, he shot me a death glare.

I mentally cursed myself for exposing my bending abilities. After a long and silent trip back to the ship I was beyond exhausted. The only thing I wanted in this moment was to lay down on my bed and sleep forever. But life had other plans.

As soon as we stepped foot on the ship Zuko turned back to me, "You will now tell what happened back there," he ordered nearly shouting. I jumped at his sudden raise of his voice. Iroh, now fully clothed, put a hand on his nephew's shoulder, "I think we need to talk," he said looking at me with a kind smile. Dear Firelord, I screwed up.