This an AU where every person can turn into an animal, but only one and whatever they turn into, is what best represents them. I will be using our animals: whale, snake, wolf, tiger, and not the show animals, because honestly, it's hard finding anything on the animals. 

Zuko's POV

I watch in envy as the group rest together in their animal forms. This is something most people only do with the people/person they feel,safest with. No one's ever done that with me, besides mother and uncle. Hell, they're the only ones who even know what animal I am. Ozai and Azula never cared, thinking and believing I was weaker then them from the start.Ozai saw me transform the first time and told Azula, and neither ever accepted me after that. I haven't shifted in a while, however, and I need to do it soon, I'm getting uncomfortable. I shift my shoulders, and try to ignore the tightness. I shiver as my animal claws around, moving and pacing, trying to get out.

"I know, just let me get to my room, then I'll let you out for a short time, ok? You can't stay out too long or they'll kill me."

It calms, but as I walk it hisses at me, showing it's displeasure at being forced to hide. I know how it feels, we're part of the same person, but I can't show him. He won't be accepted and I rather like him, so I hide him to keep him. Selfish, but I like having his company.

His pacing picks back up, and I sigh as I open my door, before shifting immediately. I sigh as I settle onto my four paws, sweeping my tail side to side. I yawn and ignore the urge to howl. I had always been this way, and it was shameful to be like this. Or at least, that's what father used to tell me. I no longer believe him and so, I know I should show myself, or tell the others what I am, but I just can't bring myself to. I fear that I will be rejected, since I already have been,  many times. Uncle and mom were the only ones to accept me, uncle even encouraging me to run about the ship when I got restless. 

I sigh and carefully lock the wolf back up, wincing as I stand, trying to get use to the difference in feeling, scents, sight and hearing again. Sensitive body... I moan and lie down, something telling me that I will not like what's going to happen tomorrow.

I moan and mumble as the sun rises, but get up. I stretch and yawn, before grabbing my swords, and throwing everything I own into the bag, arranging the frames carefully. My gut says we'll end up leaving, and this seems like a good time to pack. I almost whimper when I walk out into the main room and spot Katara, glaring and mixing, but I manage not too. She's the pack female alpha and Aang, the alpha, Sokka  the second in command and Toph the Beta. I am currently in the position of omega, trying to make my way into the pack, but with them still having the opportunity to kick me out. 

I set my bag aside and eat a small meal, before setting my bowl aside and going off the meditate, the feeling in my stomach growing as the time for Aang's training begins. I start us off with some basic forms, before moving us on into more complicated ones. He asks me to start attacking him, and I go ahead, holding back a little. We continue to spar, fire flicking at walls and the ground. Just as I go to stop the match and relieve him, some fire slips past his defense and burns his mouth, a small cry escaping, before it dies out, pain preventing him from doing anything. I race forward, worried,but before I reach him, water and... stone, push and block me from helping. I duck under the boomerang, and skip back a step, watching the group and aware I've made some kind of mistake. I know what's going to happen and can't help how my heart slows down in response.

"How dare you. We warned you what would happen if you hurt him. Leave. Never come back. The next time I see your face, I want to be able to whip you into oblivion. Run!"

I turn and grab my bag, lowering my head as I race from the clearing, crashing through branches and bushes. I hate how easily they were turned against me, but I know Aang had the fire in his control and I wasn't aiming for his face, so that means... I halt and turn around, before racing back. That means another firebender was there and the only one I can think of is... Azula. As I race back, I can hear explosions and fighting, but as I throw my bag to the side by the bison, where he starts to put it on his back, I hear something that I hoped to never hear. 

"AANG!!!!!"

I tear around that corner and spot all the others, corralled by firebenders, and Aang, lying in his side, trying to get back up, but from the looks of it, he's been burned pretty badly. I don't fight it and continue my run as I slam into Azula, tearing into her arm with my teeth. She flings me off and I flip, skidding a few inches back, but growling when she steps towards Aang. I crouch lower as she gets into a stance, and I can feel the eyes digging into my fur. But, I can't stop now, not while facing my sister. 

She starts and I breath fire, halting hers and overpowering it. She skids back, almost over the edge, but not quite. I growl and snarl when she tries to bend at Aang or the others. The other firebenders appear to be scared, so I don't focus on them, figuring the sound I hear behind me means the others have taken their chance to attack the scared benders. I snarl and lunge forward, ignoring the pain along my stomach as I sink my teeth into her shoulder. She screeches and sets my shoulders and one front paw on fire. I yelp and back up, limping when the pressure proves too much for or my bad leg. I guard Aang, not even bothering to try and ignore my instincts.

I move forward a second before Azula and shove her off the cliff, but as I expected, she grabs my scruff and pulls me over with her. The last thing I see before the sky are grey eyes staring at me in horror and sadness, a hand reaching out to try and save me. Then, I'm staring at the sky and trying to decide if this was worth it. Totally. I watch in disbelief as she firebenders to safety, saving herself, but I continue to drop. I wince as something hard is suddenly under me, but slowly roll over. I spot the brown in my vision, before pain consumes me as the burns from stomach, shoulder and paw all attack me. I know the battle is over,especially since all the kids are here, meaning a few of the olders were left behind so they could escape. I wince and drop my ears, scooting to the back of the saddle and lying down.

I know Katara won't heal me, and I am not changing back until I know my family is safe, so I decide sleeping will help me. I doze off the air flying past my ears, the scents of everyone by my nose, the taste of blood, unfortunately, in my mouth and the vague sight of the sky. I wake up with the rough landing. I jump out of the saddle and land gently on the ground, sniffing to find anything suspicious, but nothing comes up. I whine softly, but turn around, prepared to face the wrath of the others. 

"...Sparky? Is that you? What are you? You feel... smaller, but more compact."

"He's... a wolf. A lovely black wolf, with golden eyes and the fur shorter on one side, representing  the scar. He's even got this silver shade running down his back, and branching out like a leaf's veins. He's, actually really pretty. But... why is he a wolf?"

"I'm a rhino because I am hard on the outside and soft on the inside, but I can be really tough when I need to be. Anng,you're a white tiger, because you adapt to new times and are fiercely protective. Katara, you're a snake because you can be cunning and adapt quickly to every change around you, but really hold a grudge. Sokka, he's a polar bear because he's clumsy, but protective and dangerous when pissed off. Wolves? They're pack creatures and rely entirely on their family, while giving everything they have to prove themselves. They also understand the importance of having rules and agreements with others. I personally, am not surprised that Sparky is a wolf."

"I...guess that makes sense. But, why haven't you said anything before now?"

I decide shifting back is probably ok now, and do just that, gently caging the wolf inside. I wince as he whines, but soothingly caress him so he'll settle down. I meet eyes with all of them, before staring at the dirt as I respond.

"Why wouldn't I hide it? From the moment I could change, my father made me ashamed and hate the animal I turned into, for it howled and acknowledged the greatest strengths of our enemy. Azula? She simply loved that I relied on family and enjoyed twisting my views on what family were supposed to be, until I was left curled up and sorting out reality itself, in my head. Mother and uncle were the only ones to ever encourage me, but mother left and uncle... well I never listened to him. Not until recently. But, I was raised with the common phrase "do not change. If you shift, I will torture you until you get the memo." I learned not to change and to lock up myself, so I would never get tortured again. Neither of us like that much."

"I can't blame you for hiding. Can you... Will you shift back for us?"

I pause, and before any of them can say it's ok, I don't have to change for them, I shift, lying down. My burns light up, but I don't move, closing my eyes in submission. I know what I'm doing, and I hope one of them recognizes it. Slow, steady footsteps crunch in my ears, before something soothing and cool settles on the burns and starts to heal them, fixing muscle and tissue. I give a small sigh as it's finished, before gratefully licking Katara's hand. She gives a small smile and then pets along my head and behind my ears. I drop my head onto her lap as she continues, feeling my fur and the few spots where you can feel scars, even from under my fur easing up. I grunt when she pushes on my stomach, but don't do much more.

Soon, the others are crowding around and I whine happily, glad my family accepted me and took me in. I was afraid they'd reject me like many others have. I sigh and lie back down, happily snuggling with Aang, who shares a glance with the others, before shifting. I blink and lower my ears, preparing to stand so they can share some cuddling time. However, arms pin me down and I whine in confusion, before fur rubs against my own. I freeze, before nuzzling and scenting the white tiger back. Soon, the others have shifted and we're all cuddling and scenting and I moan when a sensitive spot is nuzzled. Sokka smiles and does it again, encouraged by my whine, he continues. I continue to whine, eventually giving off something similar to a purr, except it's the beginning of a howl, that won't ever escape. It never does. 

A nudge against my ear causes me to open one eye, and I see small, beady eyes glaring at me from a face that looked similar to some of the saddle stuff. I blink, and then whimper when I understand what she's asking. I lock eyes with each of the others for a few seconds and all of them are begging me to let it out. How can I deny my family? I sigh wearily and sit up, resting on my haunches, before tiling my head back and howling. I love the sound, especially since it holds a special part of me, someone whom I love dearly sang it all the time. The others recognize that and remain quiet throughout the piece, before snuggling closer when I lie back down. I whine and close my eyes, readily slipping into sleep.