Chapter Text
Suki and Kaori were on the first shift of guard, watching the perimeter, making sure they were ready if danger appear, taking care of the refugees so they could sleep peacefully, as well as their comrades in arms who would later take the second, Emiko and Nyoko, and third, Chiasa and Zuko, guard shifts until they could begin their journey again towards Full Moon Bay, which shouldn't take them more than a week to reach from the forest where they were currently located.
- It's lucky you had those bandages on - knowing that Suki was one of those on guard duty Zuko shouldn't have been surprised when she approached him while everyone else slept, as he continued tying the bandages on his hands after waiting for hours for them to dry after washing them to remove the blood.
- I don't think It did much to stop that boy's claws - Zuko replied after finishing tying the bandages.
- I'm not sure about that - Suki shrugged - but I know it helped prevent you from losing too much blood from your wounds. -
Yes, Chiasa had expressed her concern about Zuko's blood loss when she examined his wounds, and she had also expressed surprise when she realized that Zuko hadn't lost as much blood as she thought. That didn't stop her from treating his wounds with poultices and bandages, and then giving him a drink far too thick to be considered a beverage made from tree sap, beets, and carrots.
- I wouldn't have lost blood if I had read the boy better and avoided his claws - Zuko grumbled, regretting having let himself be dragged to that point in the fight.
- I think it was a good fight, and you still won in the end. -
- I'm not so sure anymore - Zuko hugged himself, frowning in annoyance. - The possibility makes me sick, but I think he might have let me win because I'm an omega. -
- I don’t think he cared - Suki denied, - though not because I think that guy believed in equal fighting ability based on gender or caste. - The blue eyed girl frowned, turning her head toward Zuko, doubt etched on her face. - By the way, how did he know you were an omega? Not even we knew. And by the way, how come we didn’t know? How did you manage to hide it? -
- full suppressants - someone called out, jumping up next to Zuko and startling both teenagers.
Zuko reacted quickly, grabbing one of the knives tucked into his robes and whirling around, still on his knees, intending to slash the perpetrator’s abdomen from side to side before he could finish speaking. Meanwhile, Suki leaped to her feet, extending her fan toward the man’s throat, but not cutting the skin yet.
- You - Suki growled. The boy with the strange eyebrows smiled, raising both hands as if he were an innocent soul who wouldn't hurt a fly.
- The name is Jet - the boy said, rolling his eyes at the warrior's growl.
- We won’t tell you our names - Suki growled back.
- If you don’t want to give your name, don’t - Jet replied, shrugging as he looked at the girl before glancing down at Zuko. - What’s your name, pretty boy? -
- Stop mocking us and tell us what you’re doing here - Zuko growled, annoyed by the guy’s presence, by his taunts about his scarred face, and by the fact that he himself had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t noticed or heard the forest boy approaching until he literally fell beside him.
- Do you like giving orders? - Jet asked with a playful grin before deigning to answer Zuko. - I came to welcome you to our forest… -
- We’ve been in this forest for days - Suki interrupted, - and I think you already gave us a proper welcome by the standards of thugs like you, you know, when you attacked us a few hours ago. -
- you weren’t in our territory until today - Jet shrugged vaguely - and since they’re not from the Fire Nation, I extend my protection services. - The boy with the unusual eyebrows smiled, nibbling at the stalk of wheat between his teeth as he quickly assessed the two people before him. - Although, of course, first I need to know exactly who I’m extending these… services to. -
- We don’t require your services - Suki growled.
- Why don’t you let their leader answer? - Jet asked, giving Suki an annoyed look before fixing his gaze on Zuko. - Well, pretty boy? -
- I think our leader already answered you - Zuko mocked.
- I see - Jet looked up at Suki, not very happy about the change in the situation. - Are you sure about your decision? There are many Fire Nation soldiers and camps in this area; one wrong step and you'll be surrounded. -
- We know the way. -
- You've never been through this forest, yet you know the location of every Fire Nation camp? -
- We intercepted a message and a map once; that’s where we got the information - Suki replied without hesitation, making her lie believable even to Zuko, who had to remind himself that he had given them the information.
- How did you intercept one of the Fire Nation’s messenger hawks? - Jet asked, still not believing Suki’s words. - They’re too fast to be caught and too wild and vicious to approach. -
What a big lie, Zuko thought. Messenger hawks took their work very seriously, so they wouldn’t let anything stop them and would get angry at anyone who tried to steal their packages, pecking to protect what they carried. But once they finished their mission and were resting in their towers, they were quite tame and calm animals that would sing and flutter their wings when you visited them to play or feed them.
- And these are birds that can be found injured after a large, prolonged electrical storm like the one three months ago - Zuko replied, recalling that first winter storm after which he met Aang, Katara, and Sokka…
And he wasn't going to continue down that line of thought.
- Oh, how lucky - Jet said, still unconvinced but clearly relenting with a sigh. - But, as you said, that was three months ago. Now there are more troops, and the camps have changed positions. The Fire Nation is determined to finish conquering the Earth Kingdom this year. -
- Thanks for the heads up - Suki said, clearly intending to dismiss the boy.
- Listen, you're angry about our first encounter, I understand - Jet assured her, shrugging. - But are you going to endanger that whole group of poor refugees just because of that? Shouldn't you be thinking about their safety above your own discomfort? -
- The problem is, the only danger I see right now is you - the Kyoshi leader replied.
- Well, then let me fix this and show you I'm an ally, not a threat. - Jet smirked before nudging Suki's fan aside with a finger, as if it weren't a deadly weapon. - I'll give you a taste of my trust first, if you wish. I'll take you to my hideaout - Suki and Zuko exchanged glances again, distrustful of both Jet's words and actions. - And while we're at it, I can answer your question about how I knew the preatty boy's caste. -
- How do we know it's not a trap? - Zuko asked, holstering his weapon and standing up so the other boy would stop looking down at him.
- I've seen your skill with weapons, pretty boy. I wouldn't risk setting a trap for you - Jet replied, teasing Zuko once again with a wink. - It'll be a quick visit. We can chat then, and if you'd like, I can show you around or invite you on a special mission. You're not bad fighters. -
- We'll settle for the quick visit and the chat - Suki replied. - Then you'll leave us alone. -
- If you wish - Jet nodded before rolling the ear of wheat between his teeth. - May I know your names now, or should I continue calling you 'pretty boy,' 'painted woman,' and 'sword lady who watches me from the shadows'? -
- Kaori, you can come out of there. Wake Emiko and explain the situation. You'll stand guard, and I'll take your turn when I return - Suki told Kaori, who had been keeping watch in the shadows since Jet introduced himself. The Kyoshi warrior nodded and quickly moved away as Jet smiled calmly. - I'm Suki, and this is Lee. -
- Nice name - Jet agreed with Zuko before turning and gesturing for the two remaining people to follow him. - If you'd like to follow me, it's this way. -
- You were going to tell us how you knew about my caste - Zuko commented, following the boy after a quick exchange of glances with Suki.
- It was the blood - Jet replied. - Suppressants are more noticeable in blood; their scent is stronger, but it also masks the scent of your own blood and your true scent. Not just anyone would recognize it, but I grew up smelling many omegas who were hiding behind full suppressants, so I can recognize them. I guess you could say it was a combination of my recognition skills and luck that… -
He continued talking for the half-hour walk to his hideout.
To Zuko's surprise, Jet's hideout wasn't bad. He had expected moldy, half-collapsed tents, not stable, well-maintained wooden structures in the trees. Although it was clearly built by children who had strung ropes across it so they could slide down, not caring that if they didn't hold on properly or a rope broke, they would fall several meters to their deaths. This also made Zuko wonder, Who thought it was a good idea to build tree houses for a whole group of children who clearly didn't care about taking safety precautions for their survival?!, It was stupid and irresponsible, especially towards the younger ones, but it was also strategically intelligent if they were fighting against the Fire Nation. The forest itself already forced firebenders to be more careful when bending, but placing it at heights took away the possibility of good technique by not giving them a proper base and root to use firebending, and no Fire Nation soldier would think of watching an attack from above their heads now that there was no Air Nomad army.
Well, the truth was that apparently there had never been such a thing as an Air Nomad army. To think he'd had to have a quick argument with Aang to realize that his history books had deceived him and his entire nation for almost a hundred years.
No! Zuko wasn't going down that road of thought, he reassured himself, quickly shaking his head to clear the idea from his mind, earning a quick glance from Longshot, Smellerbee, and Sneers, who were accompanying him outside the hideout's meeting room where Suki and Jet were conversing.
- See, not even the swordsman believes you - Smellerbee said to Sneers, mocking the teenager with the fluffy cape.
- I'm telling the true - the teenager replied. - Her name is Kori, and she's... -
- Too pretty to be the girlfriend of someone she only sees once a year - Smellerbee interrupted, rolling her eyes. - Either she's not as pretty as you describe, or she's not real. And the fact that she happens to live in one of the first colonies, too many days' journey for us to verify her existence, makes me think it's the latter. -
- Kori is real - Sneers growled - and she's the prettiest beta girl you could ever meet. -
- bullshit - Smellerbee scoffed, waving her hands as if she were shooing the idea away like dust before turning to Zuko. For some reason, the girl who hours earlier had wanted to kill him was now desperately trying to drag him into the conversation with his friend. Zuko assumed it was because he hadn't killed Longshot, who seemed to be her best friend in the area, and this was her strange way of thanking him. - Do you think this guy could have a girlfriend as pretty as the one he described? -
- The description might not be accurate, but that doesn't mean Sneers is lying. -
- So you think he has a girlfriend, but she's ugly? - the girl said with a mocking smile at Sneers, who was about to explode at the insult to his girlfriend.
- Not exactly. I think she could be real, and I think to Sneers' eyes she might be as beautiful as he describes her, but if you saw her, you might not find her so beautiful. - Zuko shrugged at the confused looks of the fighters. - you don't have the same tastes, and people don't see things the same way. Sneers might see his girlfriend and see eyes like melted chocolate, just as he described, while you might see the same eyes and see an ordinary brown. -
The three fighters glared at him for several seconds before Longshot nodded in agreement. That was enough to end the discussion, with everyone nodding in conformity.
- I'm glad to see you two getting along - Jet said, leaving the room with a smirk as he took the spike from his mouth and approached the small group of the only ones still awake in the fighters' hideout. - It's essential for missions, like the one you'll be joining us on tomorrow, Lee. -
- What will I do? – Zuko asked, turning his head quickly towards Suki.
- Jet thinks you can help them with their secret mission - Suki nodded, - and in return, he’ll leave us a group of his fighters to make sure the refugees are safe while the Kyoshi warriors check the route to avoid any Fire Nation camps. -
- Do you want to stay and review the mission plan for tomorrow? - Jet asked Zuko. - I’ll give you the best bed when we’re done. -
- But the best bed is… -
- I know which one is the best, Sneers - Jet interrupted the other teenager, earning a confused look from him. Jet ignored him, turning back to Zuko. - What do you say, Lee? -
- I have to get back for my guard duty - Zuko replied, frowning, confused by the interaction and Suki’s annoyed expression. - And I have my own sleeping bag. - Zuko looked back at Jet, starting to feel like he was missing something in this conversation. - But if I have to review the plan, I’ll come back when my shift is over. -
- I'll accompany you. I want to make sure this mission doesn't make you uncomfortable - Suki said, gesturing to Zuko that they should both leave. - We'll see each other tomorrow - Suki said, quickly bidding farewell to the others.
- See you tomorrow - Zuko agreed, following the Kyoshi leader. He waited at least fifteen minutes to ensure no one was following them before finally turning to Suki. - Will you tell me the real reason? -
- I don't trust Jet, and he doesn't trust me. I'm sure we're both taking advantage of each other somehow, and I'm also sure Jet is so blinded by his anger toward the Fire Nation that he won't let us help that village we saw destroyed by the river. -
- He'll find out if one of us tries to help them. He'll definitely leave someone watching you- Zuko retorted.
- I can guess - Suki agreed. - That's why I told him we'll take advantage of our island's neutrality in the war to approach the villagers and encourage them to leave. He doesn't need to know that we'll have to help them get out of the forest and towards a military outpost that can help them. -
- There's an outpost five hours upriver - Zuko nodded before frowning. - It's the closest, but it'll still take almost all day. You won't be able to check the route. -
- Nyoko will go check the route. She's the fastest... -
- Alone? In a forest full of soldiers? - Zuko asked incredulously.
- Dark eyes and pale skin are common in the Fire Nation, and she's a beta - Suki shrugged. - Of the five of us, she's the one who'll raise the least suspicion. -
- I hope you're right - Zuko muttered, reaching his camp and collapsing into his sleeping bag, satisfied that he was too tired to think for a second before falling asleep.
It turned out that, being mostly children, the freedom fighters tended to sleep until several hours into the morning. Jet had made an effort to get up when Suki and Zuko arrived early to explain the mission to them both. Zuko's role was to shoot arrows to paralyze soldiers from a distance, just like Longshot, and he would only join a direct fight if things got out of control. Suki had nodded in agreement and left after a quick goodbye with Zuko. Jet had returned to his room to continue sleeping, but not before inviting Zuko to join him. Zuko had refused, since with the morning sun in the sky it would be difficult for him to sleep anyway. So Zuko had finally gone off with Pipsqueak, one of the few people already awake and who, coincidentally, was also an adult, to help him with the morning chores.
They set off on the mission at midday, taking one of the secondary routes, a fork in the main road a day's journey away, a couple of hours from the forest and the hideout. They waited for several minutes for the mission's objective to appear: a caravan full of food and medicine supplies traveling from a coastal colony city to a construction site miles from Ba Sing Se. The caravan consisted of no more than seven carriages, each with a driver and a pair of ostrich horse riders, twenty-one people in total. Zuko was to focus on the drivers to prevent them from escaping with the supplies, while Longshot would disarm the riders so his comrades could fight.
It wouldn't even be a challenge, Zuko thought, pulling his baklava up to cover half his face as he watched the first carriage approach. He readied his special arrows and searched for any exposed skin in the Fire Nation's military uniforms. It was fortunate that their hands were always open, whether they were firebenders or not.
The soldiers stopped in shock as the first arrow struck the hands of the first and second drivers. Just a split second later, Zuko fired two more arrows as Longshot began firing, and the freedom fighters rained down on the soldiers. Chaos erupted, and the last three drivers tried to retreat or turn around, only to be struck by the remaining arrows before they could complete their mission.
Zuko holstered his arrows and lowered his bow before watching from a distance as Longshot remained silent and focused, firing accurately into the soldiers' hands, causing them to drop their weapons. He was young and so skilled that under other circumstances, the Yuyan archers would have been delighted to recruit him, but in the midst of this war, Zuko doubted that would ever happen.
Jet's whistling, imitating a cat-owl, pulled Zuko from his thoughts, causing him to drop his bow and quiver on the branch where he was hiding and jump into action, throwing shurikens to catch the clothes of some soldiers before getting between two soldiers and taking their dice swords out of their cases on their backs.
The two men exchanged a glance before attacking simultaneously with their spears. Zuko spun around, both swords shielding him, pushing the pointed end of one aside and slicing off the tip of the other. He then used his other sword to split the spear in two as he moved close enough to leap over the soldier, wrapping his legs around his neck and twisting sharply to the side, bringing the soldier's body beneath him in a somersault that sent him crashing down onto the other soldier.
- Nice moves - Jet commented from behind Zuko as he used the hilts of his swords to strike the soldiers on the head, knocking them unconscious. - I think I've said this before, but you're a good warrior, Lee. You'd be a great help if you joined us. -
After glancing around to make sure there were no more soldiers to fight, Zuko finally twirled his swords back into their sheaths, shaking his head at Jet.
- I'm taking a break from the groups - he commented, watching fighters quickly approach the caravans to collect supplies amidst quick jokes. Longshot soon dismounted, handing his quiver and bow to Zuko before quickly joining the group to search the caravans for anything of interest.
- And why are you with those… - Jet gestured with his hand as if searching for the right word -…warriors? -
- Well… we have the same… path - Zuko lied, mentally berating himself for his words. Zuko was terrible at lying. Why did he even think of doing that?
- Lee, I don’t mean to offend, but I don’t think those warriors need you - Jet began, slowly approaching Zuko. - Their job is simple: they just transport refugees from one place to another. They can do it themselves. You won’t make any difference - Jet’s hand rested on Zuko’s shoulder, drawing his attention until they were looking directly at each other. - But here, you will. We fight the Fire Nation every day, and we need people like you, with your skills, your movements, your determination, and your courage. You’d be perfect for us, and more than anything, you’d be invaluable. -
- Jet, you have to see this! - a boy called from the caravans, catching both of their attention and allowing Zuko to react by taking a step back and freeing himself from Jet’s grip.
- Just think about it - Jet told Zuko, giving him a quick but gentle pat on the other shoulder before walking away in the direction he’d been called. Zuko couldn’t help but watch him, Jet’s words echoing in his head.