Song stretches languourously, then bounds off in search of something to eat. She's pleased with how quickly she caught up to Junior and his uncle -- ah, but the name he gave her was false, now wasn't it? His name is Zuko, and she knows that name. And if that man is really his uncle, she knows who he is, too.

But why are they in the Earth Kingdom - why are they acting like refugees? Are they spying? But there's nothing in her village to spy on. There was no reason for them to steal Tuó Mǎ, either, she reminds herself.

A rustling in the bushes distracts Song from further ponderings, and she stalks and catches a mousevole. Pleased her hunting skill hasn't rusted, Song consumes her kill and then darts up a tree in search of nuts.

Unfortunately, other catsquirrels have been at them already, leaving only the green ones behind. Annoyed, Song washes her ears, then scampers down the tree and heads back to the ostrich-horse-thief's camp.

The Fire boy is back, with food this time. He's shared it out with his uncle, and conversation has apparently stilled. Song lashes her tail, then strolls up to the old man and rubs her head against his side.

"Hello again," he says, sounding amused, and scratches her gently under her chin. Song purrs at his touch - he may be Fire and a thief-accomplice, but he knows the right places to scratch.

"It's a wild animal, Uncle," Zuko says, sounding aggravated.

"I am aware of that, my nephew," the old man replies, returning to his meal. "But Shou Mei seems to have taken a liking to us."

"To you, you mean," the boy shoots back. "You fed it, didn't you."

"She is quite capable of feeding herself, Zuko," his uncle points out in turn. Pleased, Song flicks her tail and paces to the middle of the camp to wash herself at the thief. She will go wherever she pleases.

Zuko reaches for her, and Song lashes out before she can even blink; the Fire boy yelps and jerks back as four red lines well up on the back of his hand. "It scratched me!" he yells, angry; fearing retaliation, Song flees behind his uncle.

But no fire chases her, no too-warm hands grab at her tail or hind legs to pull her back and punish her. When she peeks out at the boy, he does look angry, but also bewildered. Of course -- he doesn't know why she lashed out at him. So far as he knows, she's a wild animal, one who has taken an inexplicable liking to his uncle.

"You frightened her," the old man comments, reaching back and scratching Song behind the ears. Zuko stares for a moment, then makes a frustrated noise and stalks away. Song relaxes and settles against the old man's thigh, accepting his caresses. She can work with this.


Notes: I blame Bex, Kat, and Rin for encouraging me in this.

Yes, Song is a shapebender; I did a mild fusion with one of my favourite books of all time, The Catswold Portal. Does this mean Song has spiritblood? Probably, but all she gets from it is the transformation and some catsquirrel-like attributes in her human form. These will be dealt with as I write other stories in the 'verse.