I was working on this one pretty much all day since i was rather bored, but i dont know how to feel about it. It's not my worst, but it's not really my favorite. I just felt like i was beginning to focus more on Aang and Tenzin in the stories, and while they are needed, and i do love them absolutely, i thought it was about time that i gave Bumi some more love, or sympathy. And wo better to listen to his troubles, than our favorite bison?

Anyways, please review. It keeps me writing, and i've been working on a couple other chapters for this, but i havent finished them yet. I'll get back to them eventually.

Before i forget, this chapter is called Bison are Great Listeners, just becuase i could not think of anything else.

The small child ran about the stable, quickly grabbing the reins from their place on a hook and clambering onto the sleeping bison's neck. Appa flicked his ears as the boy struggled to get up and shook himself out so the boy fell back, reins still in his hand as he looked up at the great bison, with a now annoyed expression.

Appa looked down at the familiar face, and yawned, not used to being woken up in the middle of the night. He growled at the boy, who looked like he had had a rough night, probably not being able to get to sleep, even though he had been put to bed hours before.

"Hush Appa," the boy whispered, moving closer to the bison, which scooted away from him and continued to growl. The kid rolled his tired eyes, and ran a hand through his wild hair, "Please? I'll bring you apples everyday for the next month. I promise it'll only be once."

Appa paused his growling for a moment to just take in the sight of the boy, barely eight years old, and still too short to climb onto his back by himself, but holding the reins like he knew what he was doing. His hair was as wild as ever, but his appearance was unusually disheveled, his wrinkled clothes looking like they had just been tossed on in a hurry, like he really hadn't thought this through.

Still, the bison's master would not be happy if he found out, even if he probably wouldn't be angry at either of them. Appa was torn between duty to his boy or apples from his boy's boy. It was an easy choice. Appa shook out his fur again and scooted even further away, near the back of the cave.

Bumi sighed, "Please?" Appa still didn't move.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeease?" He tried again, bringing his hands together and giving an innocent smile. The bison blew air out of his nose and Bumi was pushed back a few steps.

Bumi looked thoughtful for a second, "You know," he said, "I could always get one of the other bison to go. They're much faster," he said with a mischievous smile, as the bison snorted, "And they won't care about apples. I'd say I'm offering you a pretty good deal. Besides," he said over his shoulder as he turned around, "Dad would at least know I was safe if I was with you. The other bison are a bit unpredictable you know. If I got hurt," he shook his head slowly, now holding the rope behind his back, "and I told dad that you were the first bison I came to, where would that leave you?"

Appa growled at the boy's use of blackmail. Even exhausted, he could push anyone's buttons to get what he wanted. Bumi just smirked back, "You know it's true. Now, will you go?"

Appa grumbled a bit, but laid back down, making Bumi grin, showing he was missing a tooth. He ran to the bison and climbed up his large tail, moving to his head slowly, used to a saddle being on the bison's back. He tied the reins on the horns slowly, making sure to get the knots right, having watched his father do it a hundred times, but never actually doing it himself.

When he checked both knots, and they satisfactory, he told Appa he could get up. Appa stood and walked towards the entrance of the cave slowly, grumbling all the way.

When they reached the entrance, both looked up at the temple, and Bumi frowned, patting Appa's head. "It's okay boy. We'll be back before they know we're gone. Yip yip." With a flick of the reins, Appa was in the air, quietly flying away from the island where its inhabitants were all sound asleep.

Bumi didn't look back until they had landed nearly an hour later. It was too dark to see everything clearly, but Bumi could tell that they were on an island somewhere off the coast, not too far from the island, but far enough away for him to clear his mind.

Appa lay down on the beach, and Bumi slid down his front leg, scratching behind the bison's ear, and looking at the stars shining in the sky.

"Thanks boy." Appa grumbled in contentment, but turned his head to look at the small boy, who had returned to looking depressed. Appa nudged him with the side of his head, and Bumi pressed his hand into his companion's thick fur.

"I guess you want to know why I ran off?" he quickly asked the bison, who roared in reply. "Sorry for dragging you into it, but I just," he yawned and shook his head. "I guess I needed some fresh air."

Bumi could feel the bison growl in reply before he could hear it. "I know, I know, but I can't sleep. I've got a lot on my mind," He looked his father's bison and best friend in the eye and nearly began crying, "Dad told you about Tenzin right?" He scoffed, "Of course he told you. He told everyone. He's so proud that he's not the last airbender anymore. He probably told you first."

Appa did remember his master running around the island, more excited than usual, but he had barely spoken a word while passing the stables. He did see that the youngest boy had taken to wearing the clothes of the old masters, and suspected as much, but was never directly told before now. That had been nearly a week ago.

"He's so caught up with that. He's forgotten about me and Kya. He spends all his time with Tenzin now. I know mom had guessed it before, but it wasn't until last week that he actually did it, and mom and dad were so happy," Appa could hear that the boy was actually crying now, and he nudged him with his head, careful not to push him over, but trying to comfort him like he needed to be.

That hadn't completely been the case actually, but now that training started, Aang had been spending more time with the youngest, and even though that meant a couple hours less with the other two, he still tried to get as much time with all of them as possible. But an hour was a week to a kid like Bumi, and Appa had been in a similar situation before.

Bumi buried his face in Appa's fur, crying his eyes out, while Appa closed his eyes and remembered how he felt like he had been betrayed when the first of his master's kids was born, how he was ignored for days, which felt more like months of loneliness when his boy had been able sit and just talk to him for hours before, even spending the night in the stables if he lost track of time, or going on trips just to go.

Once Kya was born, his master had far less time, sparing only minutes for his lifelong friend, and no time for senseless trips or nights together. It seemed like when he finally got the time back, other than when Appa was needed to get somewhere in a hurry or go on vacation with the family, it happened again with Bumi, then again with Tenzin.

Appa vaguely remembered the jealousy he had at first, that had quickly gone away when the tiny masters would run up to him and try to hug him for the first time, and he knew that it would be worse for this boy than it was for him.

"I was happy for Tenzin at first. I still am. I'm happy for both of them," Bumi lifted his head up and wiped his eyes of their tears, "but I feel horrible."

Appa waited for him to continue, knowing this boy hadn't been able to bend anything before. He never seemed to care for it either though, and Bumi hadn't minded, until he was overshadowed by his younger brother, "I can't do anything!" he sobbed, and Appa flicked his ear at the sudden outburst.

"Kya's got waterbending, and Tenzin's got airbending now, but what do I got? I just got a boomerang from Uncle Sokka. He only gave it to me cause we found out I'll always be a nonbender. Things would be different if I was an airbender or waterbender. Then dad would have more time for me. Mom's been trying, but she's the same way with Kya, and they're both happy for Tenzy too, but they don't see it like I do!"

When he stopped, Appa grumbled again, and Bumi found comfort in it, sitting back against his fur and pulling his knees up to his chin. "But I was happy for them, and I still am, but I just…I feel terrible for wanting to be more like them. They tell me that I'm unique, but what difference does it make to me when nearly my whole family are benders?" The boy sobbed again, and Appa was getting tired. "Mom's a master waterbender, the best in the world, Aunt Toph's the greatest earthbender in the world, and no doubt Lin's gonna be incredible too, and Dad's the Avatar. There's uncle Sokka, and he knows what I mean, but he doesn't understand. Kya and Tenzy are gonna be amazing, but what about me? I don't know how Uncle Sokka could do it. He told me to find something I love as much as they love their bending, but I don't know yet."

Bumi yawned again, and Appa did the same, "I just don't know what to do anymore," Bumi rubbed his eyes and turned onto his side, while Appa stole a glance at the boy, who had already fallen asleep, before closing his eyes too.

Bumi awoke with a start as Appa suddenly stood up, causing him to fall into the sand on the beach. "That's just what I needed," he said, rubbing his back and sitting up, "Thanks buddy."

Appa's roar went unnoticed as Bumi looked around, remembering what had happened the night before, his eyes widening as he saw it was nearly midday. He quickly stood up, "Well I'm grounded." He then turned to Appa, "but a promise is a promise, and you'll get your apples."

Appa snorted as Bumi moved in front of him to pet his nose, "Thanks Buddy. I really needed a night away. We should do this more often," Appa practically rolled his eyes, but licked Bumi from head to foot, causing the boy to laugh. "I get it now. Maybe I just needed a good night's sleep. I have a feeling we'll get a lot of attention when we get back, though. We should probably go before they start looking for us."

Appa roared in agreement, not eager to be scolded, but wanting to get back home and get it over with. He bent down so that Bumi could crawl back onto his neck, and they were soon in the sky again, flying near the coast, where Bumi could see some people waving at him, probably thinking he was the Avatar. He just laughed and waved back, Appa roaring as Bumi suddenly turned the reins. "Sorry."

Air Temple Island was in a panic. The Acolytes were on high alert, looking for the son of the Avatar. Kya and Tenzin had been searching all throughout the house and across the island, looking in Bumi's usual hiding spots and Katara was calling Toph and Sokka to see if they could keep an eye out for him in case he was in the city, but he had just disappeared. Aang had gone straight to the bison caves with his glider to get Appa, but was mildly surprised and annoyed to see that he was gone.

He stood outside the bison caves with his arms crossed, knowing few people were able to take Appa without much of a fight. Aang leaned back against the rock wall and waited. He told one of the passing Acolytes to tell his wife that she didn't need to call anyone else, and that no one needed to look anymore, and kept his gaze on the horizon.

Soon a spec caught his attention and he watched as it grew closer, seeing that Bumi was in fact with Appa. He could see the grimace on his son's face as Appa landed, scooting down Appa's leg and staring apologetically at his father, who took a few steps closer, a stern look on his face, but stopped dead in his tracks at something he never thought possible.

Appa was growling…at him.

He took a few steps in front of the boy, placing himself in between him and his master, who blinked in confusion. "Appa?"

Bumi scooted around Appa and scratched his ear again, getting the bison to stop, "It's okay Appa." He then turned to his father, "Dad, I…"

He was engulfed in a hug less than a second later. Aang shook his head, "Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it right now. You'll have plenty of time to explain yourself while you're grounded for the next month."

Bumi sighed, looking at Appa, "Told ya." Appa grumbled in response, Aang pulling away from the boy for a second to look from his son to the bison.

"Did I miss something?"

Bumi smiled sadly, "I was just talking to Appa. Now I see why you do it all the time. He's a great listener."

"Yeah, and you'll have plenty more time to talk to him when you're cleaning out the stables, but…" Aang looked at Appa out of the corner of his eye, "He does realize he's in trouble too right?" Appa turned his head to them in response. Aang raised his eyebrows, looking the bison in the eyes, "No apples for a month."

Bumi grimaced again and scooted away from his father, hands raised and eyes closed, "I'm gonna let you deal with this one. I'll go let mom know I'm home," and just like that, he left the confused Avatar kneeling there, head tilted slightly as he tried to figure out what the boy had meant and why he was in such a hurry to tell his mother, who was sure to have given him a worse punishment.

"What was that about?" He turned back to Appa, who looked anything but happy, and stood, "Fine. But you're still grounded too." Appa snorted and knocked Aang over with a swipe of his tail as he passed into the cave. Aang sat rubbing his head for a minute, wondering what had gotten into his bison.

So what do you think? Savvy? Not savvy? Like i said before, i'm not so sure about it, but i'll leave your thoughts up to you. Well, review if you have he questions, comments, or concerns, as usual, and til next time, Ciao.