twitched as her ear twisted to the side, hearing paw steps in the distance. She pinned both her ears and raised her head, water dripping and clung to her whiskers and chin. She let it drip and narrowed her eyes on the ember eyes, which were staring back at her.

"Come out!" she growled. Her hackles were raised high as her eyes turned a bright blue. A familar scarred face appeared from the shadows and she went to a crouch ready to pounce.

"No!" Zuko screamed and covered his face defensivly. "I've come to talk." he pleaded.

Quynan narrowed her eyes and stood up and watched Zuko closely. "Speak." she said with a slight growl.

"I want to-to ask you..if I could..." he stopped, he was obviously nervous. He cleared his throat and tried to continue. "I wanted to know if I could join your-your team." he said and covered his face as if she was going to strike him down.

Quynan blinked. She was a bit surprised about his offer. She wondered if this was a trick or if he was for real. As if he read her mind he looked at her with eyes, that she'd thought he didn't have. They were filled with saddness. "Please, no one knows of me leaving. Please, Quynan, have a heart." he pleaded and crawled to her paws and looked up at him as if he were a starving puppy.

"Okay, but if you mess up in a weeks time. You'll be punished." she warned him and looked at him sternly.

"I agree to your terms." he said and grinned a bit.

Quynan smiled and lead him to the cove. Seader leaped in front of Zuko and bared his fangs, pinning him down. He was about to bite into Zuko's throat, but Quynan pulled him off by his tail. "Seader it's okay. He's joined the team. I have given him a week to behave, if he doesn't, I'll let you strip his flesh from his bones." she said to Seader and winked teasingly at Zuko. Zuko smiled when Seader looked away. Seader snickered, his thought aboutt hat happening and wagged his tail. He then pointed to Zuko and growled.

"I'm watching you, mutt!" he snarled and turned to follow Quynan.

Zuko got up and trotted far behind them.

They reached the cave and almost at once, a grey figure leaped from the shadows and pinned Zuko. Zuko was soon covered in loving licks. Quynan stood beside them as Iroh licked Zuko fatherly. Zuko, laughed for once and nipped at his uncle's nose playfully. "Nice to see you too, Uncle Iroh." he said with a smile so bright that his eyes dimmed from it. "Zuko!" Iroh cried and hugged Zuko tightly. Zuko patted his uncle and sat up. Quynan smiled and walked in.

She had no doubt. Zuko had changed, though every time she did think about it, the day of when he betrayed her and Iroh always came to mind. She shook the memory from her mind and layed by the fire, watching the flames. She yawned and closed her eyes. She could feel fur run against her side as Apri layed by her, laying her head on Quynan's neck. Quynan smiled as she slept.

It has been at least four days since Zuko had joined the team. He has kept a clean slate, even after Azula ahd attacked and everyone went after him, until Quynan told them it was Azula. After another attack by the fire nation, Quynan had made a descision; she was going to send the gang to her old territory so they'd be safe. She'd announce it today, though she feared what their opinions may be.

Quynan called the group out of the cave. Toph walked wearily out, it was still early and she yawned loudly, her mane in a mess. Iroh and Zuko walked out next, followed by Isis and Apri. They sat in a semicircle around Quynan. Mara was standing behind Quynan, fluffing up her feathers. The group was perplexed of why Quynan had asked them to come out so early in the morning. Seader was also there, because it involved him as well.

"I'm send you guys out to my old territory. I'm doing this for your safety and for your own good." she said simply. Apri stood up, even though Isis had his paw on her back. "Are, you coming?" she asked and looked at her. Quynan shook her head. "I am staying to protect the cove." she explained.

"But you'll be valunerable and.." she was interuptted by Seader, who stood rapidly. "I am not leaving you here alone!" He growled, his eyes blazing with determination.

"No. You have no say in this. This is my choice and I'm doing it to protect you." she said and looked at him.

"No!! I do have a choice. Youa re my friend and I won't leave you alone!" he yelled. Isis walked up beside Seader. "This is her choice, just do as she says." he said and put a paw on Seader's shoulder. Seader growled and shoved Isis's paw off his shoulder. "I'm staying and there is nothing you can do to make me leave!" he snarled and walked to the cave, which was suddenly blocked by a large boulder.

"I am sorry, Seader, but I can't let you." she said saddly. Seader turned to her and walked into the forest. "I'm not leaving." he growled and disappeared. Quynan rolled her eyes and looked at Isis, Apri; who was crying because she didn't want to leave Quynan, Iroh and Zuko. Zuko sighed and looked at Quynan. Quynan tried to smile, but it never came.

"Well, you better get going. I'll send for you every other week." she said and hugged Apri and the others in a group hug. They walked onto Mara's back. She lifted into the sky and flew off to the distance.

She sighed and walked into her cave, which was now empty, but still filled with the scents of her friends. She closed her eyes and fell asleep by the fire.

Chapter 13: Fire Rages

Quynan layed alone in her cave. It was eerie quiet. The only sound was her faint breathing. She opened her grey eyes and looked around the empty cave. She sighed and sat up. She shook her pelt and heade dout of the cave. She was about to howl out to her friends, but she forgot she sent them away. She sighed and lowered her ears. "It was for thier own good." she said to herself, reassuring it was the right thing to do. She sighed and walked off into the forest. She didn't go too far though. She layed by her a nearby creek and drank from it. She garbbed a lost fish and ate it slowly.

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About a dozen fire navy ships were headed to Quynan's cove.

"Time to show the avatar, how valunerable she really is." Azula said with a smirk and looked at the opening of the cove only about a few 500 yards away. She grinned watching. She was in her anthro form, with her Fire Nation suit on. She had her hands behind her back as lead an assult on the cove. The ships seemed to get faster and faster as they got closer and closer.

The ships soon hit shallow waters and hit the beach with a jolt. Azula walked in and out of the ship as the hatch in front of ship, let out a hiss of steam and fell on the sand with thunderous thud.

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Quynan looked up thinking she heard something. she shurgged and rested her head on her paws. She couldn't get her friends out of her mind. She covered her muzzle and sighed again.

"The avatar is not to be harmed. We only hear to show how valunerable she really is." Azula said to the waiting fire benders. All the fire benders nodded and in unison they all fell into their wolf forms, even Azula. It was like a wave, it started at oen end and ended on the other, one by one. The thousands of fire benders went into their wolf forms and waited for Azula to give the signle.

As if on que, she shot a fire ball into the air, like a flare and all thousands of fire soldiers bolted out into different parts and sections of Quynan's territory. With every step, the forest was lit on fire.

The forest sent up in smoke. The smoke could be seen for mile and miles on end.

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Wyvern looked up from a kill. He was near Quynan's old territory. He felt and smelt the smoke. The air was thick with smoke. He widen his eyes in fear for his friend. He raced off to fetch Apri, Isis, Iroh, Toph and Zuko. They didn't need to be told. They had already saw the smoke high in the air as if it were only a few feet away.

"We have to get back to Quynan!" Apri said and looked at each of the wolves.

"Well, we better get going!" barked Zuko and Iroh. The group nodded and ran out toward the territory. They raced to get there, hoping they were too late.

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Quynan coughed as she was surrounded in smoke. She already felt the smoke in the air and the heat on her body as as ran toward the river, she hoped the flames hadn't gotton there first. She kept running and skidded to a stop. She turned quickly as flames jumped in front of her. She panted hard, her eyes burned from the fire and smoke. She could feel the flames licking up at her hind legs as she rana dn the fire steamed toward her as if it were a hungry beast.

She could now know that she was near the river, but she skidded to a stop to find that flames baracaded the river. She growled and turned west to try and find the other part of the river, but once more flames jumped front of her, blocking her way. She turned around, but she was surrounded in a wall of flames. She growled and scanned for any openings, but none were found. She could feel the flames on her back. She took a gulp of air in, but only took a gulp of soot and heat. She coughed hard. She thought she'd cough out her lungs.

She backed up into the flames seared her lower body. She took another breath in and raced toward the wall of flames which on the other side lay the river. She ran and once in leaping distance took the leap, she felt flames burn her underbelly and sides. She soared through the air like an eagle. She burst through the wall of flames, the fire closing in on her. Then a thunderous splash was herd as her body slammed into the river below...

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Azula watched the forest burst into flames. She smiled. She stopped the assult and walked back into the ships. The ships abcked away from the shore and headed back to the Fire Nation. Azula