The crackling of the campfire was the only sound as the group sat in uneasy silence. The tension was thick, the air heavy with unspoken words. Across from them, arms crossed, sat Azula. Not as a prisoner, not as an enemy—at least, not at this moment.

“I still don’t trust her,” Toph muttered, leaning back on her hands.

“Yeah, well, trust doesn’t exactly run in the royal family,” Sokka shot back, eyeing Azula like she might explode at any second.

Azula didn’t react. She sat straight-backed, her golden eyes flickering in the firelight, unreadable. She had agreed to this—this… truce, but that didn’t mean she had to enjoy it.

Aang, ever the peacemaker, cleared his throat. “Look, I know this is… weird, but we all have a common goal right now. We need to stop this rogue Fire Nation general, and Azula has information that can help us.”

Katara’s arms were folded tightly. “And we’re just supposed to believe she won’t turn on us the second we let our guard down?”

Azula smirked. “You flatter me, Katara. But if I wanted you dead, you’d already be ash.”

Zuko, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke. “Enough, Azula.” His voice was firm, but there was something else there—exhaustion? Frustration? He exhaled sharply. “We don’t have time for your games. If you’re serious about helping, then prove it.”

Azula tilted her head. “Very well. The general you’re after? He doesn’t just want to take over the Fire Nation. He wants to destroy it—along with anyone who gets in his way.”

Silence followed. Then Sokka groaned. “Great. So we’re teaming up with the other Fire Nation crazy to stop a different Fire Nation crazy.”

Azula smirked again. “Now you’re catching on.”