Dance of flames Who: Zuma and Kaja Where: Fire Academy When: Late afternoon, Saturday What: Secret firedancing
Zuma finished the last of her dance, the Phoenix’s Love…an elegant dance she had always wanted to perform. It was a more advanced dance, considering she had no one to properly train her but one she always envied. The tale that went with it was just as beautiful to her, it often sparked much thought in peaceful moments when she would daydream. Ribbons of fire fell down around her in burning spirals and she turned in time with the streamers of flame, spinning, and the world around her blurring. And then, she tripped and cursed under her breath as she lost control and the flames licked the exposed skin of her upper arm. Her eyes filled with tears and she bit her lip. The ribbons faded into the air and vanished.
With a deep breath to steel herself and resume the dance, Zuma once again fell into position. Her hands stretched high above her and her face looked upward resolutely, reaching for the sky beyond the roof. She knew she was supposed to smile and look happy but she could not keep the serious look of determination from her face until she had perfected the routine. Her back was lithe and stretched as she prepared herself to move again. Her every muscle was taut with holding the pose before she let go of the restraint and her body began to stir. The practice room was silent, save the heavy breathing of her exertion and the shuffling sound of her feet as she moved gently, bringing her left hand down, her right following and a ribbon of fire forming around her. Her whole body spoke of concentration and devotion to the art of firedancing, told of a love for the story being told by the dance.
And then, once again, she lost control of the band of fire. Still holding her concentration, she let it go before it could burn her once more. Her arm still stung with the burn of her lack of attentiveness prior. With a frown, she dropped her position and stormed towards the doors, stomping into the area beyond the practice room. It should come easy enough, she was the princess of the Fire Nation, after all! Fire was her everything, firebending had always come naturally to her and firedancing was just a form of that, was it not? She was taught the grace the dance required, she had the passion the first required and she knew the poses. Why was it so hard?
Zuma stepped to the side of the practice room, face sweaty and out of breath. She reached her towel and wineskin filled with water, first taking a drink and then wiping the sweat from her face. The ache of training began to set in as Zuma let her breathing calm and she bit her lip, battling with herself on whether to give that particular move another try or to try something she knew would be easier at the moment and rebuild her resolve. She decided better yet, it was time to break for the day and there would probably be students filing in any moment. She draped the items over her shoulder and got ready to leave the practice room, looking around nervously again, shifting the towel to cover the burn on her arm.