"You know, I read somewhere that golden retrievers can hold an egg in their mouth and not break it."
"Oh, really? That's kind of cool."
"Right? I wonder if Appa could do that."
"Aang, I don't think that's a good—"
But he was already on his way to the fridge, the sizeable mutt in question in tow. Katara and Zuko exchanged a look from where they were curled up on the couch with textbooks in their laps.
"Should we stop him?" Zuko asked her, his lone eyebrow arched.
Katara shrugged under the weight of his arm around her shoulders. "Kid has to learn somehow."
Zuko shrugged too before he fell back into his business policy textbook. Katara was right, as she usually was. He listened to Aang in the kitchen.
"Here you go, buddy, nice and gentle."
There came an unmistakable crack, and then Aang, sounding slightly panicked, shouting, "Appa, no! Gentle, buddy, gentle!"
Zuko met Katara's gaze, a smile breaking out across his face. She covered her giggle with her hand. Then Aang appeared in the doorway between the kitchen and living room.
"Hey, guys," he said hesitantly. "So, ah, Appa can't do it."
"Oof," Zuko said, barely concealing his snicker with a well-placed cough.
"Well, now you know," Katara remarked, her eyes never leaving her textbook.
Aang rubbed the back of his shaved head. "Um...do you think eggshell will hurt him? He sort of...ate it."
"I'm sure Appa will be fine," Katara said, just a hint of exasperation in her voice.
Zuko and Katara exchanged another look, smiles tugging at the corner of their lips.
Aang perked up. "Hey, maybe we should try it again! I'm sure he'll get it right this time."
Zuko and Katara's voices rang out in a shout at the same time, "No!"