Homeless Dragon- Zuko

Ch. 8 Reunions Part 2

"If you're going to kill me, then do it now," she snarled at Zhao.

"Now, now June, like I said I have a business proposal, and you're the one I need for the job."

"Excuse me?" she asked, keeping her emotions under control. June did not know how to feel; afraid for her life, or confused by Zhao's sudden proposal of business.

"You're a bounty hunter now," said Zhao, "If that's the case, then you should have no problem serving the Fire Nation military."

The woman snorted.

"I would, but the thing is, you people tend to double cross those serving you," said June.

"I am ignoring the fact that you are alive, but if you refuse to cooperate then I may just suddenly remember," said Zhao brushing away June's rebuttal, "Are you interested, or not?"

June eyed Zhao warily. She knew he couldn't be trusted, but her secret was out.

Her last job was to track down a defector from the Earth Kingdom who knew very sensitive information regarding a province in the west. Apparently, the man gave the Fire Navy and Army weak points in the province's borders for infiltration. The plan however was prevented by Water Tribe warriors and the Earth Kingdom army stationed in the province, and an investigation was launched. Before the man could be discovered, he fled.

June had tracked the man as requested by the Earth Kingdom, and discovered he was on a Fire Nation supply ship. She cursed at the turn of events, but decided to get him anyway. After all, she was hired for a job, and she had to complete it. It would have been bad business to turn away, but more importantly it may have alerted the Earth Kingdom to her previous allegiances, giving her no place to hide safely.

Then again, serving the Fire Nation again was just as much a death sentence. Her existence contradicted all official reports, and now that the Fire Nation knew she was alive, she would be killed sooner or later.

After some thought, she decided to go with later. Later gave her time; time to plan a reasonable getaway for when Zhao would no longer have a use for her.

"Fine, I'll do it," said June, "But if it's something so big that the Admiral of the Navy is asking me to do it, my payment will be one of my choosing."

"Very well," said Zhao.

June was not fooled into thinking that Zhao would hold up his end of the bargain. After all, he was a traditionalist who despised the idea of the Auxiliary Divisions. She would rather trust her life with the Earth Kingdom's lowest scum rather than Zhao. However, in keeping with her plan, June controlled herself, and gave a nonchalant sigh to indicate her ignorant compliance.

"Who am I looking for?" she asked.

Zhao held up a blue necklace. When he read in the report that June was alive, he stopped the soldier holding the necklace, and got it from him, knowing that necklace was the key to finding the Avatar.

"What happened? Looking for an old flame?" she asked rudely.

"It's not the girl I'm interested in; it's the little bald boy she's traveling with," said Zhao.

"Little bald boy? That's disgusting even for you," she snickered.

Zhao started to see red, but stopped when June whistled to the forest. A rumbling came from the woods, and before long, a large animal with razor sharp teeth and nine-inch claws quickly and violently emerged. It was the even more aggressive cousin of the badgermole, the shirshrew. It appeared blind in terms of eyesight, but it seemed to move around the area with ease using its nose. The area reeked of Fire Nation soldiers and the creature let out a ferocious snarl before hissing and letting its barbed tongue hang out as a threat. The dragoons backed away as the creature did so, ready to fire if they had to, until June calmed the creature down.