Sunburn

37

"And what's there to love about a seedy Earth Kingdom tavern now?" Katara asked eyeing the tavern with a slightly horrified expression.

"June," Zuko and Tsai said in unison. He pointed a finger across the tavern to the onyx haired woman that was cooly seating down beating a man down with only a kick while enjoying a cup of tea.

"Oh yeah that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole." Sokka said at the memory of meeting the bounty hunter.

"Mole?" Katara asked. "Her skin is flawless."

June stood up avoiding an incoming fist ducking and gracefully taking down a man without spilling a single drop of her steaming tea.

"No, she has this giant mole creature that she rides around on." Sokka continued explaining.

"The Shirshu." Zuko stated.
"It's the only animal that can track Aang's scent anywhere in the world. It's the one shot we have of finding him." Tsai explained. "Wouldn't recommend riding in the back of one." She bellyached remembering the motion sickness stomachache she got that first and last time she rode the beast with Zuko and Iroh.

They all witnessed as June cooly threw her drink up in the air flipped a man on his back and slammed him over a table without breaking a sweat.

"I don't know who this June lady is, but I like her!" Toph beamed with a wide grin officially joining the June Fanclub.

The group watched as June kicked an empty seat away from a table and took a seat continuing to calmly sip on her tea.

"I remember she helped you attack us!" Sokka said, glancing at Zuko and Tsai accusingly.

"Yep. Back in the good old days." Zuko deadpanned and began walking forward towards June. Tsai was already fangirling at the bounty hunter's side.

"Oh great," June drawled out sarcastically with zero enthusiasm at the familiar sight of the Fire Nationers approaching her.

"Let me get that for you," Tsai said politely taking the teacup and re-filling June's cup. She simply rolled her eyes at the gesture. Turning her attention to Zuko who was standing next to her. "It's Prince Pouty and Fan Girl. Where's your creepy grandpa?"

"He's my Uncle." Zuko corrected her sharply. "And he's not here."

June's eyes bounced between the two girls that stood on Zuko's sides.

"Oh hon, you should've run." June said to Tsai shaking her head before taking a sip of her tea. "So, which one of you two is the one with the daddy issues?" June asked her eyes bouncing between both Katara and Tsai. Both girl's eyes went wide with angry expressions on their faces. Sokka held Katara back. Zuko held the Tsai back while her brother sniggered behind.

"Good to see you worked things out with your girlfriend." June added with a small smirk before taking another sip of her tea. "Hope I get a wedding invite."

"Nobodyis getting married!" Tsai protested blushing brightly basically heaving after the double shot kill to her ego. A similar expression on Zuko's face.

June waved her hand dismissively at them. "Okay, okay, sheesh. I was just teasing..." She took a sip from her beverage. "So, what do you want?"

"I need your help finding the Avatar."

"Hmph." She scoffed and raised her cup to her mouth, "Doesn't sound too fun."

"Does the end of the world sound like more fun?" Zuko demanded stepping forward with a scowl.

xxx

"Nyla." June cooed as she walked towards the shirshu, holding a fresh piece of meat in the air and shaking it enticingly. The shirshu begun salivating greedily at the scent of the raw meat. June tossed the steak up in the air and Nyla caught it eagerly, chewing it loudly. Smiling, June walked up to Nyla and petted its snout, "Who's my little, hmm, Snuffly-Wuffly."