As I stroked Appa's silvery grey fur the fire flickered in a small room of the Air Temple. Appa let out a low sigh as his spirit weakened its hold on his elderly body.
My first born son sat beside me, clutching a handful of Appa's coat in his strong hands. Kuzon was only fifteen and already his shoulders were at an equal height with mine. As he methodically stroked the dying airbison I could see tears glinting in his eyes.
I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. I could not offer any words of comfort, as I needed them just as much as him.
I didn't want to let Appa go. He's been with me for my whole life. He was with me when I killed the Fire Lord, with me when I proposed to Katara, with me when Kuzon was born, not to mention the other children.
When I chose the baby airbison he knocked me over and licked my face, enthusiasm evident in his eyes…
We were flying through the air, the whole gang on his back, laughing.
Appa opening his mouth, letting out a delighted bellow.
My children gathered around him, feeding him treats and playing fetch with him.
The memories attacked me, making my eyes fill with tears. Appa would stay if I asked him; he'd do anything for me. Just one simple word and he would stay here with Katara and the kids. But I couldn't do that to him. He's already held on for so long, I could tell he wanted to leave this earth, and seek out his brethren in the spirit world.
Appa took a long laboring breath, and his eyes opened. They were dim and they had a question in their brown depths.
"It's okay, buddy, you can go. I'll see you again someday," I whispered to him..
Beside me Kuzon started to sob, rubbing Appa's velvety ear, but he didn't say a word. He knew just as well as I did that it was Appa's time.
With one last breath Appa let out a low bellow, and his tounge darted out to lick my face, then Kuzon's. And as his spirit slipped away, he let out a great sigh, as if the weight of the world had just been lifted from his great shoulders. So it was that my greatest friend of over 135 years died peacefully in the very room I met him. I held Kuzon close, letting him cry into my shoulder, my own tears wetting his shoulder.
"I loved him so much, Dad, why did he have to go?"
I tilted his chin up with one hand, gazing into his deep blue eyes, "He completed his destiny here on earth, son, and now he wants to experience the unknown of the spirit world. We should be happy for him."
Kuzon nodded, his black hair blowing in the wind, his blue airbender tattoos peeking out.
"I understand."
I stood u and brushed my pants off, laying one last kiss on Appa's forehead, and gathered a small ball of fur in my arms. The baby airbison squeaked as he opened his eyes and licked me full in the face.
"The cycle continues," I said quietly.
Almost two weeks later, back at our home in the Earth Kingdom countryside, I walked outside to find my youngest daughter throwing a stick up in the air, over and over again. I bent down to her level and brushed her brown hair away from her tiny face.
"What are you doing honey?" The tiny toddler giggled and pointed up into the sky,
"I'm playing with Appa, Daddy!" My eyes widened in shock, and I gently kissed her forehead.
I miss you buddy, can I play too?
