Zuko and I spent the day 'borrowing', as I like to say, from towns folk. We borrowed food and money and we bought even more food.

We were now in our cave and I was sitting beside Zuko eating a pastry. "I haven't eaten something so good in so long!"

"Looks like you did some serious shopping." Iroh said as he walked in and sat down across from us. "But where did you get the money?" He examined the gold tea set that Zuko and I picked out for him in the market.

"Do you like your new tea pot?" Zuko asked him. "To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup." Iroh replied.

I furrowed my brows, "So you don't like it?"

Iroh sighed while standing up and walking toward us. He sat on the other side of Zuko, "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by. But it's nothing to be ashamed of! There's a simple honor in poverty."

"There's no honor for me without the Avatar."

"Zuko," Iroh sighed. "Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems - not now."

"Then there's no hope at all." As Zuko was about to stand up to leave, Iroh pulled him back. "No Zuko! You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to skip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts! In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner-strength."

Zuko looked back to Iroh over his shoulder and I waited for his next move. When he stood up and walked away, I was going to follow him. But Iroh stopped me. "Let him think to himself."

>>>

I waited for Zuko to return back from his moody walk. As I waited, my mind started to wonder about my siblings.

Where are they now? What are they doing? Have they gotten themselves into a mess since the South Pole? Did they forgive me yet?

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Zuko's voice. "Uncle, I thought a lot about what you said."

"You did? Good, good." Iroh replied. "It's helped me realize something. We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together." I frowned at Zuko's words. "I need to find my own way."

While I saw Zuko grab his pack, I stood up from my seat and grabbed mine too.

When I started to walk toward him, Iroh grabbed my arm. "This is his choice."

I nodded, "And this is mine... you told me not to give up on him. Me not being with him isn't going to make him gain anything."

Iroh let go of my arm and I watched him get Jimbo. "Wait!"

Zuko turned and Iroh handed him Jimbo's reigns. Zuko hopped on and I poked his leg. He looked down at me and shook his head. "You're not coming with me."

"Maybe I need to find my own way too." I shrugged while extending my hand out to him. "I'll follow you anyway so either way, you lose." Zuko rolled his eyes with a sigh before he grabbed my hand and helped me onto Jimbo.

Zuko slapped the reigns and we were off.

After a couple hours, I had the urge to pee and I couldn't hold it anymore. "Zuko, can you stop just for a second."

"No."

"I really need to pee."

"Sounds like a personal problem."

I bit my lip as I looked around. No one was near us. This is the perfect opportunity to go pee. I groaned as I leaned over Zuko and pulled the reigns. Once Jimbo stopped, I hopped off and ran toward a bush.

"Hurry up or I'll leave you!"

"No you won't!"

Sorry for the short chapter, I'll make sure the next one is pretty long (: thank you for reading.