Zuko's wife

The Desert

Sky's POV

We rode on the ostrich-horse through a small cleft in the valley. Iroh was clearly in discomfort. He kept groaning and moan as we kept travelling. I could tell it was getting on Zuko's last nerve. I was really uncomfortable from ridding for so long and the fact I kept getting kicked in the gut by my baby(ies). Unlike Iroh though I knew better than to annoy Zuko by 'hinting' about it continuously. I was biding my time before asking for a rest stop... or on second thought a potty break. Before I could even open my mouth Zuko started to take the hint and asked, "Maybe we should make camp."

"No, please, don't stop for me!" Iroh replied in a pain filled voice. We continued our during again. Though Iroh continued to let out several more pained groans. Zuko pulled the reigns of the Ostrich-Horse, stopping it. He and Iroh dismounted. Iroh groaned and took a seat on a large flat rock. The Ostrich-Horse perked up, pricking its ears. Clearly, it detected something unusual. Zuko took a defensive posture and I hugged myself into the Ostrich-Horse's neck, hiding my bump and reassuring myself a bit. "What now?" Iroh asked annoyed.

The ground rumbled sightly as the Rough Rhinos approached. Colonel Mongke's rhino stamped the ground forcefully, breaking the surface crust. Colonel Mongke pulled back on the rhino's reins stopping it. Zuko continued his defensive posture. Iroh brightened and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder, seemingly happy to see them. "Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!" Iroh said pleasantly.

"If you're surprised, we're here then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps." Mongke said sneering. Mongke looked stern. He emphasized his remarks by making sparks with his bracers. His men readied their weapons. "You know these guys?" Zuko asked Iroh as I tightened my hold of the Ostrich-Horse. "Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Riders are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapons specialist. They are also a very capable singing group." Iroh said rubbing his shoulder. "We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives and rescue our princess from traitors!" Mongke stated.

"Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kachi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?" Iroh asked continuing to rub his shoulder. "Enough stalling! Round 'em up and get the princess unharmed!" Mongke ordered.

The dark skinned, pony tailed fighter swinged his ball and chain at Iroh. Iroh kicked the ball away. The ball, redirected, wrapped its chain around the foot of another warrior's rhino. Iroh dodged the fire blasts by tumbling along the ground. He raised back up to swat the rump of the rhino that had been chained. The rhino ran off, yanking the dark-skinned warrior who had one end of the chain attached to his belt as well as its own rider. Iroh waved as he watched them go.

The archer shot a lit arrow at Zuko's back. Zuko sensed the arrow, turned, and broke the arrow apart as it approached him. Zuko then let a fire blast loose, which burned a hole in the archer's bow, a hand's width above the archer's hand. The blast passed through the bow and broke the string.

Mongke was letting loose fire blast after fire blast at Iroh. Iroh deflected each. Zuko ran up and jumped on the back of Mongke's rhino behind him. A brief duel ensued, with Mongke quickly being kicked off the rhino by Zuko. Iroh ran up to the ostrich horse, jumped up on the saddle behind me, and we rode to Zuko. Zuko jumped from Mongke's rhino into the saddle as we galloped by.

The armoured warrior, rode in pursuit, through a grenade at our fleeing ostrich horse. The grenade exploded ahead of our ostrich horse, but we were able to ride through the explosion. "It's nice to see old friends." Iroh said as Zuko and I looked at him.

"Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you." Zuko stated causing me to giggle. "Hmm... Old friends that don't want to attack me..." Iroh wonders looking ahead causing me to have giggle fit.