46 The Western Air Temple

"I can't believe that I was there when you were born and now I have to look up to you." Lee greeted as he opened his arms to Tenzin.

"Lee, it's been a long time. I didn't know you were back from the Fire Nation."

"Yes, my mother is doing much better and when I got the letter from your father saying that it was time to resettle the temples, I couldn't resist."

Tenzin noticed a little hand clutching Lee's robe, then a pair of eyes peeped out at him and retreated, "Well Lee, I didn't know you had such a talented shadow." he said with a smile, "It's made itself look like a little girl."

"I'm not a shadow." a little voice responded from behind Lee's leg.

Tenzin stooped down "Oh, I'm sorry." he made a little bow, "Hello little 'Not a shadow."

Lee reached behind him and placed a hand on the girl's head, "This is my niece. She came to live with us." the he mouthed "She's a bit shy." and then in his regular tone he said "Say hello to Master Tenzin."

"Hello Master Tenzin." the quiet voice echoed with a small nod of the head.

The young man smiled and stood back up "So Lee, where is this entrance?"

"Follow me." Lee said and he and his niece led Tenzin to a statue of Avatar Yangchen in a chamber in the lower level of the temple. When they got there, he patted the girl on the head. "Well here it is, it was actually little Pim here who found it."

Tenzin looked at the statue, confused. He had seen it several times, in fact, as a child he would spend great amounts of time staring at it, trying to figure out why it was posed so strangely. The figure of the past avatar stood there, her right hand out and slightly cupped and her lips slightly parted as if she were asking for something. The statue stood on a slightly raised pedestal, only about two inches tall, and it was life sized.

"Found what?" Tenzin asked.

"She found that there was more to this statue than it appears." Lee put a hand on Pim's shoulder "Tell Tenzin what you told me Pimmy."

The little shy girl stood beside her uncle almost folded into herself. She lifted her eyes to Tenzin and spoke softly "I was chasing glow flies, just trying to catch one for a pet and they flew in her mouth," she pointed up to the statue. "Then her hand started to glow."

"Glow?" the young air bender asked.

"Yes." she stepped up to the statue and touched the raised hand lightly "Light came through all these little holes, then it was gone. Then the glow flies came out there." she said as she pointed to a crack in the base of the statue.

"We figure there must be something down there." Lee said, looking at Tenzin as he studied the statue.

"I...I think she wants someone to hole her hand." the child said innocently.

Lee smiled "I don't think it's that simple."

Tenzin looked thoughtfully at the little girl, then back at the statue "It may be just that simple."

He stepped to the side of the statue and placed his left hand in her right. Then he sent a small puff of air through the hand. The statue's reaction made him pull his hand away, the arm moved down slightly and a short, sweet musical mote came from between its lips.

Pim smiled "She's singing. Can you do it again Master Tenzin?"

Tenzin smiled at the girl "I can." and he stepped back to the statue's side again, placed his hand in hers and sent a longer stream of air. The hand moved down, the stand beneath the statue and it and its base slid counter clockwise to reveal a spiral staircase.

The three stood and looked in wonder "Uncle, let's go see what's down there." the little girl said.

"No Pim. It may not be safe for little ones down there."

The little girl pouted and the young man stooped down to her. "Why don't you let me go see what's down there and make sure it's safe and clean and then I promise I'll let you see what's in there."

"Okay." she said quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor.

He stood up and she watched him go down the stairs. 'It's not fair' she thought 'big people get to do all the fun stuff. I found it, I should get to go down there first.'

The little girl was so busy ranting in her head that she didn't hear her uncle call her the first time. "Didn't you her me?" Lee called from a few feet away. She shook her head "I said lets go help with lunch, Tenzin will come get us when he's done." she looked back at the staircase and Lee called her again, "Come along Pema."

"Yes Uncle Lee." she answered as she ran to catch up to him.

And here she is. Pema, enter stage right. Notice the fact that Lee only calls her by her nickname until he really needs her atention (like family members tend to do) and that's when Tenzin's not around...that'll come into play more later. I think I'm a little behind on these new names...I'll get them all updated later.

Thanks again to Jordanalane who suggested (and reminded me about) the air temples. The ideas have been flowing ever since.

Bryke created ATLA and LOK, I just like hanging out in their world.