Hey readers, so so sorry for the delay. For a week and a half I had no internet! Not cool. I've been moving which is a stressful event, but I'm all moved now (for the most part anyways) so I'm back to a somewhat normal down time. I hope you like the chapter!

News of the Avatar's return spread like wildfire throughout the upper ranks of the Fire Nation's Military. Soon every captain and general dreamt of capturing the child and gaining eternal glory. Yet news of the Avatar's return spread quicker and more accurately throughout all of the members within the secret organization of the White Lotus. By the time Fire Lord Ozai knew of his son's failures in capturing the Avatar within the Southern Water Tribes' territory every member of the Order was fully informed.

The world was quickly changing.

As word spread across the earth, high above the lands within the grounds of the Southern Air Temple Avatar Aang would unknowingly notify four corners of the world of his return in his own way.

Chapter 29: The Avatar's Spirit

Another silent dawn had appeared across the Patola Mountain range. The mountain top was still and had little to no life along its ridges. The Southern Air Temple was desolate and had been for a hundred years… that is with the exception of one lonely lemur. The lost young lemur hadn't been able to find anyone within the homes and the nearby baron trees. It took a day or two before he even found food. Now with three weeks of isolation the lemur, who had just reached his full size, had learned to forage for food and find safe places to sleep at night. He didn't fly high above the roof tops of the temple due to his training and an unknown fear that he had always sensed in others. All in all he felt lost and confused and no one was there to rescue him which was causing the feeling of abandonment to grow.

It seemed hopeless until his sharp ears heard an unfamiliar sound. Instantly curious, the lemur followed the sound and soon heard voices. Peeking around a corner he saw two large doors that were open but having had explored the entire temple, he couldn't remember it being open before. Curiosity once again pulled at him so he scampered up to the strange looking doors to get a better look at them. With fuzzy little paws, he climbed the face of the door and batted one of its moving parts. A low bellow resounded from the movement causing the lemur to jump off and glide back down to the floor. His attention then shifted when he heard voices inside. Slowly and cautiously he crept in. At first he wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks or not but there appeared to be people amongst the statues.

"Lemur!"

"Dinner!"

A lemur yes, dinner he was not. With a ruffled shriek, his tail whipped around as he bolted out the door with pursuers close behind. With a frantic leap, the lemur dove off the balcony in a rapid descent. He was still being chased by one of the boys he saw, so he quickly hid from sight. For a moment the lemur felt safe within his hiding place but that feeling didn't last for long. Not a minute after he reached his stash of food did the winds begin to shift. All at once the mountain began to quake and violent winds began to circle the entire temple.

Back up top, a water tribe girl stood in wonder over the many statues of the past Avatar's when all of a sudden the statues' eyes began to glow with a strange blue light. Katara immediately left in search for Aang knowing in her heart that he was in danger.

All over the world the message went out. Aang in his distress had gone into the Avatar State with such ferocity that every stone in the world with strong spiritual powers glowed brighter than ever. The power of the light told those who witnessed it that the Avatar had returned to the world. From the Avatar shrines in the Northern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom and even the Fire Nation the sages could not miss interpret its source of influence. However there was one more location in the world who witnessed the powerful light of the stones. High above the hidden city of the Air Benders within the mountain on Element Island stood a great chandelier of amber crystals which had always held a glow that mimicked the sun. Yet today was the first time in its history where it began to glow with such intensity no one was able to look at it.

Many people within the mountain were terrified. Others wanted answers. The council and the elders all met together to determine what the sign had meant but after much deliberating they couldn't come up with anything concrete. Soon they determined that they would need the expertise of Guru Pathik and therefore they sent for him. Either way, regardless of the answer, it would be weeks before tensions would settle.

As for the lost little lemur with no name, he mustered up his courage to venture out once the air became still again. Not wanting to be alone any more, the lemur made a sacrifice by giving up his stash of food to the dark skinned boy and then retreated to the boy who was so much more familiar… he was an Air Bender like his trainer had been.

"I think I'll call him… Momo," Aang had decided later that day.

Momo, the young lemur liked the sound of it. He had waited all his life, all twelve months or so, just to be given a name and now he had one. Safety and security washed over the little fuzzy creature as they took off on a flying bison.

As Appa flew off into the skies, Aang and Momo stared off at the ruins of the temple below, each with his personal contemplation pooling just below the surface.

Aang watched as the Southern Air Temple disappeared from sight. He had more noticeable composure now, but inside, he was still reeling, his guts felt as though they were being torn to pieces one agonizing tear at a time. Everyone he ever knew was dead. Everyone and everything he had ever loved and cherished was dead. The mountain tops began to fade into the mists as Aang solemnly said goodbye to his home, uncertain if he'd ever return.

While Aang settled the parting of ways from his home with grief and uncertainty, Momo looked on the departure with relief and contentment. The temple held nothing but sorrowful lessons, learned the hard way, for the lemur. He would never again rely fully on others to provide food for him. He had learned what it meant to be hungry. He would remain forever faithful to his new owner, but damage had been done. His new masters would never notice the lemur's tendency to steal and hoard food, no. But he, Momo, would always be certain to provide food for himself from now on. Momo could only hope that their journey together would somehow, eventually lead him back to the safety of his home tree.


"Guru Pathik, thank you for coming," Greeted the head councilman on the great balcony in front of the cities entrance.

"I will always go where I'm needed most," Pathik answered back. The entire council was standing in a semi-circle around the old man with great attention.

"Yes, thank you," he repeated.

"What seems to be troubling you all?" he asked although he had felt the change in the air but didn't know what it meant just yet.

"It's our crystals," he pointed above the group, "yesterday it emitted a powerful light; stronger than anything we have ever seen!"

Pathik noticed the men around him were all nodding in agreement.

Katsu was off to the side and was strongly interested in what the Guru thought of the incident.

The weathered old man with his snow white beard looked up at the artificial sun above and squinted both at the light and the distance of it.

"I will need a closer look," he said at last.

"Of course," the head councilman quickly answered but then no one moved. It generally took Air Bending to reach the upmost levels let alone its center but the eldest man on the whole island didn't move.

Pathik took in their blank stares and smiled. "Have you forgotten so quickly that I will not Air Bend?" he stated cheerfully. "One would think you of all people would be thus informed."

"Ah, um yes. I mean, we are. I'm simply trying to determine the best way to go about doing that," he fabricated.

"Perhaps you could lead a sky bison in to take me up," he suggested.

Bison weren't typically allowed into the city. The canyons within could support several bison however due to the nature of their strict flight patterns within the rock, they were kept outside of it.

"Yes, we could arrange that," he answered with relief. Everyone was unnerved and being the head councilman didn't ease that fear of the unknown.

Soon a smaller bison was led in and in no time Guru Pathik found himself face to face with the massive arrangement of glowing crystals. The energy emitting from it was nearly overwhelming for a man who was so in tune with the planets flow of life. He closed his eyes and rested a hand on the centermost crystal and knew in an instant the Avatar had returned to the world. Its power could be matched by no other and it coincided with the vision he had once had long ago. Opening his eyes, Pathik couldn't help but smile. He turned and nodded to his driver and they descended back to the men gathered below.

"I am not sure what the cause of this sign is," Pathik informed, "but I can guarantee that it is a good omen. I would not be afraid."

The group gave a unanimous sigh of relief then Katsu asked, "But Guru Pathik… what does it mean? Is it an answer we will ever have or will we must come to accept that the fact that we might never know?"

Pathik smiled to his friend amongst the rather unfamiliar faces. "I believe that I will come to the knowledge of such an answer; however it will take much meditation and work on my part. You all may have to wait several months before I have a definite answer to your question."

Councilman Katsu nodded in understanding and accepted the Guru's wise words.

"But you are sure that it is a good sign," the head councilman double checked.

"Yes, a very good sign. It may be years before we feel its effects but I will know more once my work is done." With a slight bow he turned to leave along with the bison and his master.

Pathik was positive it was the Avatar but such an unconfirmed statement as that one would bring about a great uproar amongst the island that would create a great unbalance in feelings when they could yet do anything at all. No, it was wiser to keep such knowledge a secret for now at least.

Standing back outside in the fresh air old Pathik stood in contemplation despite his carefree smile.

"Would you like a ride back to your hut Guru Pathik?" the bison rider asked respectfully.

Then an idea occurred to the old man. "Yes and no. Would you be so kind as to take me to Adullam. I would like to visit the other bison as well," he decided as he affectionately passed a hand along the flying bison's fur, ending his stroke to rest at the base of the beasts sawed off horn.

"It would our pleasure," he happily replied as his animal lowered to receive a second rider.

It didn't take them long to reach the cave that had been expanded several times over the years. The workers there all did their best to keep it remarkably clean but the cave still held the strong smell of a herd of bison.

"Oh my," Pathik exclaimed as his nose naturally wrinkled. It didn't bother him though. Walking in, he kept to himself and not so much watched the people at work feeding and cleaning various stalls but rather looked intently from one set of bison eyes to the next. It wasn't until he reached further into the cave when he found what he was looking for. In the very last stall held the oldest bison on the island. Her fur was disheveled and her appearance was small as she lay tucked into the corner. Slowly she raised her head to acknowledge the man before her and as her large eyes opened Pathik saw clearly into her soul despite the blindness in one of her eyes.

"Oh my, my dear one," he softly spoke. "You have been so faithful to your master and I know all too well the pain in which you harbor."

One of the workers now approached the visitor.

"This here is Tensai," the Earth Bender remarked. "She is over a hundred years old which is just unheard of in a bison." The man went on to explain. "Yet, her master still lives despite being bed written from age yet this bison clings to life like no other knowing that she remains."

"Tensai," Pathik repeated. "This is Kokoro's bison then," his memory bringing fragments of history together.

"Yes, that's right," he confirmed as the young bender just now noticed the old man's arm badge. His gold stripe offered him instant respect.

"I believe your loyalty is well received. It is okay to pass on before her. You are both connected and will be reunited the moment your master crosses over," Pathik spoke kindly as he gently rubbed her head. Then he leaned in and whispered so only the old bison could hear, "but if you feel you have just a bit more strength in you, you may have one last look at the Eastern Air Temple before you go."

Standing back tall, Pathik looked intently into her good eye to see if she had understood him. Slowly she nodded and he smiled.

"Young man, the flow of life in this one is nearly done. She will come with me to the cool quiet forests in the north for a last moment of tranquility. I will fully take care of her on her journey."

The two men looked at each other and Pathik could see he didn't fully understand him.

"She will not be returning."

Understanding then hit the younger man like an avalanche and he nodded and turned to inform the head manager of the stalls.

Pathik stroked his long white beard in thought as he turned to his new charge.

"Shall we go then? Into the sky one last time?"

The two had slowly left then. It was a sight to see the two elderly beings walking from the cave yet no one would ever truly know the significance of that day.

Guru Pathik went on to arrange things in his home. Staging some items and preparing for his journey. By nightfall the two weathered pair took flight silently out to sea along the desolate cliffs of the eastern coast. It was a slow and steady flight. It had been so long since Tensai mustered up the strength to fly openly. The air felt cool and refreshing around her and she didn't mind at all that soon the sun began to rise. Pathik kept guiding the animal south and stayed just far enough off coast that he could just make out land. With the rising of the sun they continued. He knew it was dangerous but with each passing hour he was farther away from the others which kept their hiding place a secret. By mid day he was finally far enough south that they would need to turn inland. Not wanting to risk his luck, Pathik settled to waiting patiently in the sea until nightfall. Tensai could use the rest as well, so they bobbed up and down for several hours giving old Tensai a good nap in the relatively calm water. The moment the light in the sky descended they took flight once more. The land grew taller and higher with each passing mile. It was tiring and difficult to keep going yet with the climb in altitude something deep within the old bison's heart came alive and met the challenge head on.

Higher and higher she climbed, muscles were burning and shaking with weakness of age, with each gust of wind she was easily pushed aside yet she closed her eyes and finally flew home. She didn't need the sight of her one eye to find the way. Even after a century she still knew where her true home lay. On shaky limbs she collapsed onto the main balcony of the Eastern Air Temple, completely and utterly happy despite gulping down air. Pathik had praised her that night and soothed her pains the best he could. Tensai slept for more than a day before waking to enjoy being at home one last time. Pathik stayed by her side as she toured the ruins of the temple. The guru knew she was content and by the following day she passed away. She had been the only one of her kind to ever see her home again.

After Pathik had properly dealt with her remains, all that was left for him was to wait for his vision to turn into a reality. He did not know when it would happen, but he was sure beyond all doubt that the Avatar would find him and that the Avatar would need his help.

Time… how much more time would pass before all would be set right again?


Hey guys! This chapter was a bit odd for me to write. It's hard for me to describe a lemur's first point of view using words instead of images. I hope it's not too awful. I know this chapter lingers in episode 3 like the last one. After reading my story you might find it kind of fun to go back and watch the first few episodes. It puts a different spin on things. AND HAS ANYONE NOTED HOW MUCH MOMO HORDS FOOD? Just a thought. Sad but cute… poor guy.

And can I just say: AHHHHhhhhh! The next chapter has my long awaited Aang and the Gang entrance into the story! I never thought I'd see the light at the end but its getting just a bit brighter. The stories ending is in my head… now I must type.

Love your reviews forever!

Till then…