For a Lifetime
"Are you sure he's old enough?" Katara asked worriedly as she trailed behind her husband who was carrying their younger son, complacently leaning on his father's arms, sucking his thumb solemnly.
"Of course. I was six when I got Appa." Aang replied cheerfully, patting Tenzin on the head lightly ruffling the peach fuzz on his shaven dome.
"But it's such a responsibility. I don't think he's old enough quite yet."
"Nonsense. He's a responsible boy. Aren't you, punk?"
"Yes, Papa." The little boy replied dutifully.
Katara looked into Aang's eager face skeptically.
"Katara, it's an Air Nomad tradition. Y'know, what we dedicated our lives to preserve? Besides Tsering just had a litter, it's perfect timing."
"Well…I guess we'll be taking care of his Bison until he gets older anyway…" His wife relented.
"Exactly! And come on, Katara, what six year old boy doesn't want a Sky Bison?"
As he spoke Aang pulled the stable door open and shed light on a grown female Sky Bison and her three cubs.
"Hey there, girl." Aang murmurer into her snout.
At a lowing behind him, Aang turned around. He laughed and went to give another Bison a hug.
"Hey, Appa. My boy's gonna take care of one of your boys from now on. Okay?" Aang put Tenzin down and stooped to give him an apple.
"Now, choose carefully champ. Remember, a Sky Bison's a companion for life."
Tenzin shyly took the apple and totted to the young Bisons, presenting them with it.
The first two shied away, but the third, with orange markings like his mother, sniffed and gobbled it hungrily. He then began to lick the delighted Tenzin on the cheek.
"I guess you have your new buddy, huh, Ten?" Aang grinned down at his son who's eyes were sparkling, looking up at his father.
"What's his name, Tenzin?" Katara asked, resigned to her son's new pet.
"Oogi."
"W-what?" Katara blushed and Aang laughed.
"Tenzin…did Uncle Sokka teach you that word?" Aang managed through his laughter.
The little boy nodded, confused.
46 years later…
"Yip, yip, Oogi." Tenzin commanded sharply. Oogi obediently stood up to get fed his hay.
"You can come in now, Meelo."
Unlike his own shyness on this day in his youth, his eldest son zoomed into the stables.
"Can I get one now daddy, huh?"
"Yes, you may." Tenzin handed an apple him. "Remember to choose carefully now, your bison's a friend for…"
"I choose him!"
Meelo ran to the nearest young Bison with orange stripes like his father, Oogi.
Tenzin sighed, but smiled, as he watched his son take his not yet named pet out to impress Korra, her friends, and his sisters.
He turned to Oogi and scratched him behind his ears.
"Don't worry, old friend. He'll take care of your son, just like I took care of you. But I think Pema's right, he is just a bit too irresponsible to right now."
Oogi bellowed softly and licked his masters ear as if saying
He'll learn. He'll have to. You did.
"I know you must miss your father. I miss mine too." Tenzin said.
But he was grateful his father left him this legacy. The comfort of knowing his son went through the same ritual he did, in the same place, and Rohan would too and their sons in time will as well.
In that sense, the gentle Avatar who begged his wife to let their boy have a pet and the Bison who was his friend from six years of age would never be gone. And they weren't, Tenzin reflected. The new Avatar was in Republic City (skipping her lessons to go on a date with Mako of course) and Appa's grandson was now with Aang's.
Perhaps, in little ways no-one noticed, the Avatar had restored balance to the world.
A/N: quick drabble I just thought up recently and wrote down, so it's a little rough. I just love the Sky Bison tradition and the idea of the Kataang family and this is what came out of that and (still) waiting for book 2. I hope we get kataang family flashbacks! Anyway I hope you like despite the rushedness. Please review! :)