Random Fact Of The Day: You're A Nice Person To Talk To And Seem Really Sweet! Also, There Is A Species

Republic City Zoo Animal Informational Article -- Sky Bison

Article by Keeper Lao of the Republic City Zoo, published in 176 AG

Research compiled with sources from Air Temple Island Archives

Sky Bison, Air Bison, Flying Bison. Whatever name you know it by, this marvelous creature is almost synonymous with Airbenders – and for good reason, as these animals have been their preferred companions for thousands of years!

Sky Bison nearly became extinct during the Hundred Year War due to the efforts of former Firelord Sozin. For a while, it was assumed that Appa, the iconic companion of Avatar Aang, was the last remaining Sky Bison in the world. However, after the war ended, a small population was revealed to have survived on a remote island, being protected by a group of sympathetic Fire Sages. All Sky Bison living today are direct descendents of this hidden population. Sky Bison were dedicated as an endangered species by Avatar Aang, and action has been taken all over the world to ensure their continued survival.

Prior to the Hundred Year War, both wild and domestic Sky Bison existed. Sky Bison were domesticated over hundreds of years by Airbenders. Domestic bison show a few noticeable differences to their wild counterparts, though both were able to interbreed with one another. Domestic bison are considered a subspecies of wild bison.

Wild Sky Bison

What differentiated a wild Sky Bison from a domesticated one was a simple, but major difference: wild bison did not depend on humans, nor did they seek out their companionship. Domesticated Sky Bison are just as attached to Airbenders as Airbenders are to them, and even domestic bison that are raised feral will be very receptive to human companionship when offered. Meanwhile, wild Sky Bison were very skittish and fearful of humans, avoiding them whenever possible. 

Domestic Sky Bison

As mentioned before, domesticated Sky Bison create very deep relationships with Airbenders. Airbenders are the only type of bender they create this bond with. While they can be friendly to people of all Nations, only an Airbender can truly become their lifelong companion. This is likely due to their shared bending history; Sky Bison are also Airbenders, and like seems to call to like. 

Before the Hundred Year War, there were two different breeds of Sky Bison. These were the Eastern and Western breeds. Large herds of bison were maintained at the Eastern and Western Air Temples, as the temperate climate is ideal for bison calves. Due to the separation of the temples, differences began to emerge between the two populations, eventually becoming distinct enough to be recognized as different breeds.

The Western Sky Bison is the only current surviving breed. Compared to the Eastern bison, the Western bison has a thinner stripe pattern along its back, and tends to have slightly darker fur, including brown ears rather than white. Their horns are also curved at a slightly different angle. Western Sky Bison were selectively bred for their fur, which is of higher quality than that of the Eastern Sky Bison. Eastern bison were selectively bred for their milk production, and tend to produce more milk with a higher fat content than the Western bison. 

As bison calves were largely born and raised at the Eastern and Western temples, Airbenders from the Northern and Southern temples would travel to their sister temples when it was time to bond with bison. Monks from the Northern temple would travel to the Western, while monks from the Southern temple would travel to the Eastern. 

Today, the largest breeding population of Sky Bison is kept on Air Temple Island, the main hub for all Airbenders in the world. The Republic City Zoo is also proud to host a small but prolific herd as well. 

Sky Bison Biology

Physical Traits

Sky Bison are massive, six-legged creatures, capable of carrying a multitude of people and supplies. They are extremely muscular and powerful, able to smash through rocks and even create shockwaves with a single slap of their tail. They are able to Airbend, and therefore spend plenty of time off the ground. They are highly adapted for long-distance and high altitude travel, and are able to survive for a long time on low-quality forage.

All Sky Bison have a thick, double layered coat consisting of a white or cream base and patterned with brown stripes. These stripes end in an arrow point on their forehead, and it is this pattern that inspired the iconic Airbender arrow tattoos. All have horns, though their shape and length can vary greatly due to breed, size, and other environmental factors. These horns are used for defense against predators, and on males, for showing off their battle prowess during mating season. 

The underbelly of the Sky Bison is hairless, dark, and leathery, and protected from the cold climates they hail from by a thick layer of fat. All bison also have a hump over their shoulders, which is another area of fat storage. This hump can grow or shrink depending on a bison’s access to food and water. Their feet are covered in hair except for their three toes, which are similar to their underbelly in look. Their toes are long, each with three knuckles, allowing them to have a minor amount of dexterity to the point of being able to grasp and pick up some objects. Unlike other herbivorous creatures, the eyes of Sky Bison are located on the front of their faces rather than the sides, likely due to their large size deterring most predators. 

Sky Bison have five-chambered stomachs, which allows them to digest even the toughest of plant material and access as much nutritional content as possible. Their teeth are large and flat, perfectly adapted for grinding down their food. 

Male and female bison have very few differences, and are difficult to tell apart from a distance. Females tend to be slightly larger, and are more likely to have a noticeable udder.

Flight

Many would assume that these giants couldn’t possibly become airborne, but that is not the case! Sky Bison are capable of Airbending, and keep themselves aloft by controlling the air currents around them.

Their large, paddle-like tails are used to generate both thrust and lift to get them off the ground, where they can then take over with Airbending. While in the sky, their tails act as propellers and rudders, essential for steering and controlling speed. Due to Sky Bison having the skill of Airbending, they are able to remain in the sky for longer than any other animal in the world, as they do not have to move their body to fly. 

Bison spend much of their time in the air, and seem to take great joy in flight. Many Airbenders fondly report the different Airbending tricks their giant companions play on them, as they can manipulate the air around them with all parts of their body. 

Diet

Sky Bison are herbivorous, meaning their diet consists entirely of plants and plant material. Though they are able to consume non-plant materials such as eggs or honey, these foods are only eaten in times of extreme desperation. 

Bison can eat a wide variety of plants, but most of their foraging comes from grazing on grass or eating from the tops of trees while they fly. Domestic bison are often given hay or vegetables as part of their diet if adequate grazing material is not available. 

Due to the unique structure of their stomach, Sky Bison are able to persist on very low-quality forage for a long time. They can also eat parts of plants other animals cannot, such as sticks or tree bark. Their stomachs allow them to extract all the nutrients they need. 

Herd Structure

All Sky Bison are very social creatures, though domestic bison generally do not form permanent herds. Instead, they form a very strong bond with a singular Airbender, and will be companions their entire life. If their Airbender companion dies, the bison will rarely bond with another.

Wild and feral Sky Bison do form herds, usually consisting of about 6-8 adults and 1-2 litters of juvenile calves. Herd hierarchy is not sex-based, but rather age-based, with the oldest and most experienced bison dictating where the herd travels. Herds are made up of a mix of unrelated males and females. Calves remain with their birth herd until around 4-5 years of age, and then will go off on their own to find other bison of similar ages to form their own herd. 

Males will be aggressive with one another when a female goes into estrus, also known as heat. While their battles can look very impressive, permanent injuries are rare. The female bison in heat will select the most impressive male to mate with; usually whichever one wins more fights, but some females have been observed to have different preferences. All Sky Bison in a herd work together to protect and raise calves, though the females are typically far more aggressive. Females will nurse their herd mates' calves if they are in milk, and all members will take turns watching calves while they are grounded, making their parenting style extremely communal. 

Life History

The mating season of the Sky Bison takes place during the summer, lasting from around the months of June to early September. Bison are seasonally monestrous, meaning their estrous cycles are triggered by the amount of daylight, and they only experience one estrous cycle per breeding season. Sky Bison begin to go into estrus when the days become longer.

Female Sky Bison become sexually mature at around 6 years old, while males are mature at around 4. The mating of domestic bison is usually controlled by their Airbender companion, but even wild and feral Sky Bison have very long pauses between each litter. Most females average around five years between the weaning of one litter and the pregnancy of another, and do not go into estrus during this time. While male Sky Bison are fertile most of their lives, females experience a significant drop in reproductive ability about halfway through their lives, making pregnancy after this point quite rare. Sky Bison are extremely long-lived, with an average lifespan of 60-70 years. Accounting for the time of maturity, most females can produce an absolute maximum of 6 litters – though they typically only end up having 3-4.

After mating, Sky Bison go through a gestation period of around 410 days, approximately 14 months. Pregnant bison can still produce milk throughout their pregnancy if they are helping to nurse other calves, though they will enter a “dry period” in the final 2-3 months of pregnancy. Milk production will stop, allowing the expectant bison to rest, save energy for birth, and produce colostrum for her own calves. 

Calving season takes place in the autumn, from the months of August through November. When a bison goes into labor, her herd mates will form a protective ring around her to guard her and the newborn calves from predators. As domestic bison usually lack herds, this role is fulfilled by Airbenders.

Bison litters are typically around 3-5 calves. Sky Bison have 6 teats on their udder, so litters larger than 6 may struggle to get enough food without additional help. Calves are born fully alert, with a full coat of hair and small horn buds that will begin to grow soon after birth. Their mother will lick them to warm them up and stimulate them, and the calf will usually be walking and nursing within an hour. 

While Sky Bison calves are able to walk at birth, it takes them a few weeks before they are able to fly. This period is referred to as “being grounded”. During this time, a wild herd will remain close to the ground, with at least one bison watching the calves or remaining extremely close by to protect them. Calves will typically begin flying at around 2-3 weeks of age.

The milk of a lactating Sky Bison is extremely rich and fatty. This is one of the reasons bison calves grow so quickly. Calves begin weaning at around 6 months old, and this is usually the time domestic bison are introduced to their future Airbending companions. At 3 years old, the Sky Bison will have reached its adult size and weight. Sky Bison will leave to seek out their own herds at around 4-5 years of age. This separation is usually triggered by the onset of sexual maturity (or, as we keepers like to call it, Sky Bison puberty). Adult bison can reach up to ten tons in weight. 

Behavior

Though their large size makes them very intimidating, Sky Bison are known for being gentle giants. They are very docile creatures for the most part, and will only show aggression if they feel threatened or stressed out.

Sky Bison are a diurnal species, being most active during the day and sleeping at night. Most of their day consists of foraging, eating, flying, and napping. 

Herds of wild bison (and today, feral bison) typically follow similar flight patterns each year. The leader of the herd remembers the best places to eat and rest, and will teach these routes to the next leader. Prior to the war, many rural areas could expect to see herds of bison returning to the same places year after year. 

Both domestic and wild bison have frequently been observed playing. Sky Bison of similar ages will often play-fight, headbutt each other, and spend time chasing one another on the ground and in the sky. Older bison will also play with younger ones as a means of teaching them important life skills. Airbenders often make time to play with their bison companions, or allow them time to play with others. It is noted that Sky Bison often don’t seem to know their own strength while playing with people, and it is not uncommon to see an Airbender receive a full-body tackle from their ten-ton best friend!

Sky Bison are incredibly intelligent creatures with an astounding memory. The bond between bison and Airbenders speaks to this intelligence, as bison learn a large range of commands, phrases, and even gestures so they can work seamlessly alongside their companion. Their memory is also incredibly impressive – a Sky Bison never forgets. 

Sky Bison Products

Sky Bison and Airbenders have an extremely symbiotic relationship. The bison provide many of the Air Nomads’ needs, including transportation, food, fiber, and even fuel. 

It is well known that bison are largely used for transportation. They are the preferred mode of travel for Airbenders, and can traverse huge distances at incredible speeds. The relationship between a bison and their Airbender is so close that many of them are able to direct their bison without reins!

As previously mentioned, Sky Bison milk is extremely nutritious. Airbenders famously do not eat meat, but bison milk is a massive part of the traditional Air Nomad diet. The milk is drank plain, and made into other foods such as butter, cheese, and yogurt. 

Unlike some other nations with dairy-producing animals, Air Nomads did not harvest milk from their bison until their calves were fully weaned. Even if it is not feeding calves, a Sky Bison will continue to produce milk for as long as it is being stimulated to do so. The main herds at the Eastern and Western temples historically contained several “nurse cows”; bison who were kept in milk all year round. This would allow for milk to still be harvested outside of calving season, as well as providing surrogates for bison calves who needed it. Many Air Nomads would not want to be without their bison for extended periods of time, so they would transplant the calves to the nurse cows, milk their bison for a few months to provide for their temple, and then allow them to dry off before returning to their nomadic ways. Although Sky Bison are extremely protective of their calves, their bond with their Airbender is even stronger.

Sky Bison also provided a major source of fuel for the Air Nomads. Bison produce plenty of dung, and because it is mostly comprised of plant fiber, it burns extremely well after being dried. This provided a traveling source of fuel for nomadic Airbenders, as well as a very consistent fuel source at the Air Temples. 

Lastly, Sky Bison fur can be used for many things. Bison go through a molt in the springtime. It is hypothesized that this is both due to the warming weather and as preparation for the upcoming mating season, so every bison’s coat can show off how fit and healthy they are. 

Bison have a double coat, which is an adaptation for cold climate and high altitudes. The outer coat is long, thick, and rough. These fibers were used to make ropes, tents, outerwear, rugs, and saddle pads. The inner coat is extremely soft and delicate. It requires more care, but was used to create clothing, bedding, and blankets. 

The molt is yearly, and each bison produces tons of fur. This fur is collected, and throughout the year Air Nomads would work their way through it, turning the fur into whatever they needed at the time. Airbenders were historically regarded as talented fiber artists, as every pair of hands was needed to process all the gathered fur each year. Weaving was one of the most common pastimes at the temples, and many Air Nomads would even weave as they traveled in order to pass the time. While Sky Bison fiber was exceedingly common before the Hundred Year War and often used as a bartering tool by traveling Air Nomads, today it is considered a rarity and regularly sells for quite a lot of money (most of the proceeds earned go towards the Air Nation Reparation Fund, established by former Firelord Zuko). 

Conservation

Although the Sky Bison has made an incredible comeback after its near-extinction, largely due to protection and carefully managed breeding, the numbers are nowhere near what they used to be prior to the Hundred Year War.

Avatar Aang, who headed up all Sky Bison conservation movements, suggested protection laws be established by the four nations, and later Republic City. All nations have passed these protection laws, prohibiting the hunting of Sky Bison worldwide. However, poaching still remains a large problem, with bison being killed for their meat, fur, and horns, and bison calves being routinely kidnapped from herds to be sold as pets or circus entertainment. 

The Republic City Zoo strongly opposes these practices, and our establishment seeks to educate the public on these beautiful animals and their importance in the world. To this end, members of the Republic City Zoo helped to lobby for the creation of protected lands for Sky Bison. In 155 AG, the Avatar Aang Bison Refuges were established at each Air Temple. These refuges, located in the land immediately surrounding the temples, serve as protected breeding, calving, and foraging areas for the many herds of feral Sky Bison. No development is allowed to take place in these areas to protect the habitat, and the punishment for harming a bison within the boundaries of the refuge are nearly triple that to other areas in the world.

So far, these refuges have reported large successes, with Sky Bison herds expanding yearly.

Our Herd

The Republic City Zoo maintains a small herd of Sky Bison, adding to the population of available calves for Airbenders to bond with, and providing an up close and personal look at these magnificent beasts to the general public. 

Meet our herd!

Sina: The eldest Sky Bison of the RCZ herd, and therefore the leader. Due to her age she spends most of her time in the exhibit, either grazing or napping.

Palden: Palden is the only male bison of our herd, and the father of any calves produced from the zoo. He is gentle and sweet, and easily the friendliest of the herd.

Yiomoh: She may seem a bit frightening, but Yiomoh’s roar is far worse than her bite. She is a bit shy, but once you’ve earned her trust you’d never know it!

Tseten: Tseten is the smartest of the herd, and a bit of a trickster because of it. She enjoys sneaking around – or at least attempting to – and surprising her herdmates to entice them to chase her.

Naalu: Our little swimmer, this Sky Bison can often be found floating in the middle of Yue Bay. She is incredibly affectionate, so watch out for wet bison!

Tinley: Tinley is one of the zoo’s best performers. She loves learning new tricks from the keepers – as long as she is handsomely rewarded with plenty of cabbages.

Meimei: The youngest and feistiest, Meimei thrives being the center of attention. She is rambunctious and playful, and can usually be seen wrestling with Tseten.

As Sky Bison require large areas to roam and fly, the RCZ utilizes an open-habitat concept. The exhibit itself is very large – the largest in the zoo, in fact – but there is no covering over the top, and therefore nothing keeping our bison from fulfilling their natural urge to fly. The Sky Bison can leave and return as they please. In the many years of managing this habitat, all bison return to the zoo nightly for feeding and attention, which is a true testament to the stellar care of our zookeepers!

We hope this and other animal articles help you to learn something new today. Enjoy your visit to the Republic City Zoo!

The craziest thing just happened to me

so I was having a slumber party with my friends bc my birthdays on Tuesday 🥳

and we went outside and I left my phone on the back of my brothers truck and he drove away

it fell off a few miles away and the impact set off crash detection and called the police so the police found my phone and called my parents and I had to make sure it was my phone

then the police showed up at my party to return my phone

and by some insane miracle after being in the middle of the road and likely run over my phone is completely fine. no cracks. No issues. not bent or anything.

so yeah I guess strange stuff happens at my birthday parties

Amazing fic but I’ve got a random question. Do you mind if I use the name that you used for the bison (Nyima) for my own story? It’s okay if not but I love the name.

i'm glad i get forever to see where you went

Yangvik Week Day 3: Angst

Summary: As Yangchen gets older, she starts to forget.

Word Count: 4092

TW: memory loss, grief, hurt with only a little comfort

(will be posted to ao3 later)

~~~~

As Yangchen gets older, she starts to forget. 

It starts slowly. So slowly that, for a while, Kavik doesn’t notice.

They’re retired now, out of the game for good. The world is at peace, a possibility neither of them could have imagined in their youth. Disputes are resolved. Treaties were written and are being followed. Yangchen has done her job as well as she possibly can, and now she and her closest companion get to delight in living out a simple, quiet life in the comfort of their home, nestled in the foothills surrounding the Eastern Air Temple.

Their days are easy, their nights are peaceful. They grow most of their food now, and so they spend hours in the garden, bringing forth life from the soil. Yangchen meditates often, Kavik reads to his heart’s content. The most excitement they get is a stray lemur or two flying down from the temple to follow the Avatar around, perching on her shoulders and chirping in her ears. 

Despite the peace they now experience, Yangchen’s struggle with her past lives is far from eased. Though at this point, it’s a struggle they are used to. When she cries out in the night Kavik pulls her closer, the rhythm of his heart soothing her back to sleep. When she speaks in a voice that is not her own Kavik doesn’t panic, instead simply talking to her, acting a new persona if needed, until she is able to return to herself. 

These are the struggles they are used to. This new struggle, however, comes as a surprise. 

Kavik watches the woman he loves as she works in the garden. She sings to herself as she digs, voice a bit scratchy and out of practice but no less beautiful because of it. A flying lemur chitters from her shoulder, digging its tiny hands into her gray hair, grooming her like it would one of its kits.

The lemur tugs especially hard at a small piece of hair, and Kavik watches Yangchen’s face tighten in discomfort. She lifts a hand, dirt beneath her fingernails, to gently bat the creature away. “Pak, that’s too hard.”

Pak? Her childhood lemurs have been dead for many years. 

The lemur darts off her shoulder, taking off flying, and Yangchen goes back to the bulbs she’s burying. She begins to sing again, resuming her tune.

Kavik brushes off the strange interaction. A small lapse in memory is nothing to worry about. He steps into the garden to join his love in the dirt. 

—

Some days later, the two of them are sitting on a bench outside of their small cottage, enjoying the sunset and each others’ company. The evening sun blazes behind the hills, painting the sky in a hundred shades of orange. Kavik is working on a small carving, whittling away at a block of wood and watching the shape begin to form. He thinks it might end up a turtle-seal. Yangchen is curled against his side, feet tucked beneath her, enjoying a steaming mug of tea. 

“The airball tournament is coming up soon, isn’t it?” She asks lightly.

“It’s tomorrow,” Kavik affirms. Though they’ve retired in the East, the pair have made a habit of trekking up to the temple whenever there’s an airball competition happening - the looks on the nuns’ faces whenever they cheer ‘East side, least side!’ are always priceless. Somehow the girls on the teams seem to get younger every year. 

“That’ll be fun to watch.” She nestles closer, and Kavik pauses his carving to wrap his arm around her. Her gray eyes stare off into the distance, the glow of the setting sun illuminating her face. 

Kavik ignores the beauty of the sunset. The scenery before him is beautiful enough. 

Yangchen has aged so gracefully. Crows feet and smile lines have wrinkled her face, signs of a life well-lived. Her hair is entirely silver, still tied in the same braid as always. He supposes he could look past the signs of aging, if he wanted. Her expressions are identical to the way he first met her. 

But why would he want to? He’s had the privilege of seeing her grow into this; from sly, conniving teenager to wise, benevolent old woman. She’s still the same Yangchen, whether she’s spry and agile or with liver-spotted hands that shake when she’s too tired. 

“You’re staring at me,” Yangchen notes. She sips at her tea, eyes sliding from the horizon and over to his face. Even all these years later, he still feels a blooming warmth in his chest whenever she looks at him. 

“Can’t help it,” Kavik replies, leaning over to nuzzle her cheek. Yangchen leans into the touch, and when he pulls away she has a soft smile on her face that makes his heart swell. 

“Hey, what day is the airball tournament happening?”

Kavik blinks. “What do you mean? It’s tomorrow; I just said that.”

A flicker of confusion crosses Yangchen’s face. “I don’t remember you saying it.”

“Well, I did.”

She sips from her mug again, brow wrinkling. “I… guess I wasn’t listening too well. Sorry.”

“You’re probably tired,” Kavik says, filling in the confusion with the most logical explanation he can think of. “Let’s go to bed.”

Years ago, she would have fought him tooth and nail if he tried to tell her to get some sleep. Now, she just nods, standing slowly from the bench. Kavik leads her inside, and they get ready in quiet familiarity. 

They crawl into the bed side-by-side, Kavik holding Yangchen close to his chest. He tucks himself against her, the space between her neck and shoulder the perfect home for his chin. 

“Goodnight,” Yangchen whispers, extinguishing the few candles in the room with a wave of her hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Kavik replies, feeling the weight of the words in his very soul.

Sleep comes easily to her tonight, her breathing easing and giving way to gentle snores in a matter of minutes. She really must have been tired.

But for reasons he can’t explain, Kavik finds that sleep eludes him.

—

It gets worse. 

From the gardens, Kavik looks up as a shadow passes overhead. A sky bison.

They don’t get too many visitors out here, especially not these days. So his interest is piqued as the bison lands in the field and the figures sitting in its saddle become clear.

It’s Yangchen, being escorted by a younger nun who looks like she might keel over in awe. Clearly, she’s realized this isn’t just any old lady out for a stroll.

The Avatar leaps from the bison’s saddle, cushioning her fall with an expert air bubble. Kavik walks over to meet her.

“You’re back a bit early. What happened?” She’d planned today to make her way to bison fields, armed with a basket full of homemade dumplings to feed the nuns on herding duty. It’s calving season, and the nuns in charge of caring for the giant beasts are out from dawn til dusk every day. 

(The dumplings were made by Kavik. Even all these years later, she’s still hopeless in the kitchen. He supposes this knowledge would put a hole in the ‘grandmother-of-the-world’ persona she’s got going on now.)

“I’m fine,” She assures him before he can ask, “I just got a bit turned around while heading to the fields. Luckily, Sister Tsumi and her bison Nyima were there to come to my rescue.”

She gestures the the nun, still standing in her saddle. She looks on the verge of tears of joy. She’ll remember this day forever, the day she gave Avatar Yangchen herself a ride on her bison.

Kavik bows to the young woman, giving her thanks. But a bigger concern pricks at the back of his mind. “What do you mean, ‘turned around’?” The fields aren’t too far away. They visit often. How could she have gotten lost in such a short distance?

Yangchen shrugs. “Oh, I probably just miscounted the number of hills or something. I would have found my way eventually.”

“What about the dumpling basket? Is it still in the saddle?”

“Dumpling basket?”

Kavik frowns. “The dumplings? That you were taking to the fields? What happened to the basket?”

She presses the heels of her hands against her eyes, shaking her head. “I - I don’t remember. I must have set it down somewhere along the way…”

“I’ll go search for it!” Tsumi pipes up, eager to help more. 

It really isn’t that important; it’s only a basket. But Kavik nods anyway, letting the young woman continue to assist. The bison takes off again, and Kavik leads his love back to their home, holding her close to his side. 

She isn’t herself that night. She calls him by a dozen different names in a dozen different voices, speaking of long-dead kings until the sun comes up. Kavik talks to her when he can, plays the parts when he needs. Eventually she falls into a fitful sleep, curled in his arms.

He wants to blame her earlier confusion on this. It’s been months since she’s disappeared from herself so fully; surely that must be the reason.

And yet, a small part of him won’t allow himself to. Yangchen remembers her past lives with such clarity. How is she struggling to remember her own?

—

Life continues on, though. The endless wheel of time won’t stop turning, even for the most powerful being in the world. 

Winter comes, snow falling over the hills and frosting the windows of their cottage. Kavik can feel the cold in every one of his aching joints.

Sometime in the mid-winter, Yangchen gets sick. Kavik wakes to find her burning with fever, shaking uncontrollably in his arms.

He does the best he can to heal her. He’s never quite had her raw power for it, but he’s honed his own talents rather well. Unfortunately, waterbending healing doesn’t do nearly as much for illnesses as it does for injuries. He helps reduce her fever and then sets about making some soup.

Days pass. She’s getting better; less coughing, less congestion, no more chills. They spend most of their time snuggled together on their bed, wrapped from head to toe in blankets to keep them warm as they chat, fondly recalling their adventures together. Kavik kisses her plenty, even though she tells him it’s unhygienic. If he was going to get sick he would have by now.

She was getting better. She was, Kavik swears it.

Then a crash wakes him in the middle of the night and he finds Yangchen awake, digging frantically through their small bookshelf.

“Yangchen?” He always calls her by name first, wanting to see if it’s really her speaking. Her eyes flash in acknowledgement but she still keeps searching, tossing book after book behind her.

“Kavik, where on earth did I put that ledger?”

“A ledger? We don’t have any.” They’re retired. Kavik hasn’t had to do any accounting in years.

“We do,” Yangchen insists. From his spot on the bed, he can see a faint sheen of sweat forming on her forehead. “I was just working on it last night. It has a record in it that I need to look at for my report to Feishan.”

His blood runs cold. “Yangchen, Feishan isn’t the Earth King anymore. His son is the king now. King Fihong. You’ve met him.”

She turns to look at him, confusion creasing her face. “What are you talking about?”

He stands to meet her, wincing as pain flares in his knees. He takes her gently by the arms. Her skin is on fire again.

“You’re not well, Yangchen. Come back to bed, I’ll get you a glass of water.”

“Bed?” She laughs. “Kavik, I haven’t got the time. The report needs to be sent out in the morning; I have to find that ledger.”

Kavik doesn’t know what to say to this. She knows him. She knows herself. But somehow, she doesn’t know where she is in time. 

He refuses to let himself panic. He can fix this the same way as always; he only has to play along. Shouldn’t playing himself be easier, anyway?

“The ledger can wait,” He tells her carefully. “Let’s sleep, and I’ll help you find it first thing in the morning. I promise.”

Her burning hand finds the side of his neck, feeling out his pulse. Kavik feels wrenched backwards in time.

Thankfully, she seems to decide he’s being truthful. “Alright. But you have to promise you’ll check over my numbers before I send it out. You know I make more mistakes when I’m rushing.”

He nods, bringing her over to the bed to help her in. “I will. Now let’s get some rest.”

She settles down as he holds her close. Kavik watches her every movement, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. This has never happened to her before. 

Her fever breaks in the night, and in the morning she’s herself once more. She picks up the books from the floor one by one, replacing them carefully on the shelf. Kavik sees as her brows furrow in confusion at the mess.

She doesn’t remember anything from last night.

—

Kavik doesn’t know how to broach the subject, even as the forgetfulness grows worse. 

He knows that memory often gets worse with age. He’s certainly not as sharp as he used to be, either. 

Still, this seems to be something else. It’s almost daily, now. She loses her train of thought when speaking, trailing off until Kavik repeats her sentence and sparks her memory again. She forgets what she’s doing, leaving tasks half-finished and then wondering why they aren’t done. They hardly own any possessions but she still manages to misplace them. Kavik finds things put away where they don’t belong, and Yangchen doesn’t remember doing it.

Perhaps a part of him is just hoping they’ll adjust. She’s still Yangchen, whip-smart and compassionate and always ready with a quick remark. She’s still every bit the woman he fell in love with, just a bit more forgetful these days. They’ll get through it, surely. 

Jetsun is looming rather largely as of late. Nightmares about her sister seem to follow her constantly, and Kavik spends many nights listening to her cry, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words in her ear, doing whatever he can to ease the pain. Some mornings he jostles her awake when he gets up from the bed, and she responds with “Five more minutes, Jetsun, please.” When her eyes finally open she seems confused for a moment, as if expecting to see the inside of the Western Air Temple rather than their tiny cottage. 

Kavik doesn’t know how to help. The innermost workings of her mind have always been a mystery to him, even though he knows everything there is to know about her. 

He loves her, though. The world is always changing, and nothing is ever constant. The deepest truth that he knows in his life is this: He loves Yangchen with everything he has, for everything she is. 

He loves her. He squeezes her hand while she sleeps, finally at peace for a change, and hopes that it’s enough. 

—

Things come to a head, eventually. They always do. 

Kavik wakes up with a jolt from a dead sleep, sensing deep in his gut that something is not right. He glances beside him, feeling oddly panicked.

The bed is empty. Yangchen’s spot is cold. The front door of their cottage is wide open, wind whistling through the empty space. Her shoes lay, unworn, by the threshold. 

He heaves himself from the bed, but something in his back pinches, nearly sending him to his knees from the blossom of pain. He curses aloud, calling damnation upon the spirits and his old bones and everything else.

Kavik bites the inside of his cheek until he tastes blood, giving him a different source of pain to focus on while he hobbles towards the door. The night is cold, with a promise of rain in the air. He can’t leave Yangchen out in this weather with no protection. 

Snagging a thick parka from the hook by the door nearly finishes him, back screaming in agony. He can feel the pain in his very blood. He won’t get far in this condition.

Still, he’s determined (‘to a foolish degree’, Yangchen likes to say). Next to the parka is Yangchen’s glider, worn from constant use. Kavik snatches it up to give himself something to lean against and gets moving. Yangchen will kill him for using her glider as a cane, but if she’s there to kill him at least it means she’ll be safe. 

Kavik would never call himself an excellent tracker, but somehow he manages to find her trail - freshly pressed grass, the indentations of bare feet. He follows, refusing to allow himself to feel the pain in his back, even as his legs shake with it. There are more important things right now. 

He crests over a small hill, and the sight before him makes him want to cry with relief. Yangchen is standing at the bottom, barefoot and smeared with mud, hands raised to the sky like she’s calling out to the universe itself. She’s okay.

Kavik almost tumbles down the hill in his haste, the wash of relief drowning out the rest of his pain. “Yangchen! There you are!”

She turns to face him. The moon illuminates her features and the shimmer of tear tracks on cheeks. Kavik is struck by just how frail she looks; paper-thin skin stretched too tight over her bones. She looks ready to fall apart.

Yangchen doesn’t answer his call, even as he comes to stand before her. She just stares, eyes clouded with emotions that Kavik can’t name. 

“I was so worried about you,” He tells her, taking a step closer.

“Worried?” She scoffs, and Kavik’s blood turns to ice. “Worried, Kavik, really?”

Reaching up to her face with an orange and yellow sleeve, Yangchen wipes away the remnants of her tears. More still pool in her eyes, threatening to drop at moment. “Were you worried about me you when chose to betray me?”

“I -” Kavik’s tongue feels too clumsy, lost for words for one of the few times in his life. He knows exactly what she’s reliving. Will another Avatar one day speak these same words, feeling Yangchen’s grief the same way she feels so manys’?

“I trusted you,” Yangchen whispers. She’s trembling. From the cold or from her pain, Kavik doesn’t know. “I was wrong about you.”

The cut runs just as deep the second time around. The pinched nerve in Kavik’s spine flares in pain, as if in response. He grimaces, leaning over his makeshift cane. 

“I’m so sorry, Yangchen.” It’s all he has to offer her. He wants to go to her, wrap her in his arms, kiss away her tears until she forgets she ever was in pain. But he can’t. All can do is apologize and hope his own heart holds together in the meantime. 

She takes a tentative step towards him, expression guarded. “How can I be sure you’re telling the truth? I can’t tell when you’re lying, Kavik.”

“I know you can’t. And I can’t make you trust me again.” Kavik blinks and realizes he’s started crying, too. “But let me walk you back. Please.”

He carefully steps forward, holding himself up with her glider. Yangchen is in arm’s reach. She puts one shaking hand out, wrapping it cautiously around the top of the glider. Her hand settles into the worn grip.

“Alright.” Something in her eyes goes blank, just for a moment. Then she blinks. Blinks again. Looks him over, observing his hunched figure and watery eyes. “You won the staff back. I thought it was going to be Iwashi’s forever.”

She’s suddenly much calmer, stepping closer to his side. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

“Nothing to worry about,” Kavik assures her. Taking the risk, he offers her the parka. “Keep your disguise on, okay? The others are waiting for us back at the safe house.”

She slides the warm clothing over her head with no complaint. “You had me going, you know. I really believed that you were going to lose.”

Kavik almost wants to laugh. Of course she still has the wherewithal to tease him. 

The hike back to the cottage somehow takes both days and seconds. Yangchen walks next to him, her hand still on the top of the glider. It makes it much harder for him to support himself with it, but he doesn’t dare push her hand off. By the time they get back she’s relaxed enough to bundle close to him once more, linking their arms together and helping him through the door. 

Kavik shuts the door behind them and collapses into the nearest chair, head spinning and back throbbing. His whole world feels upside down, and his mind is struggling to recalibrate.

Then, from the corner of the room, Yangchen speaks again. “Kavik? Are you alright? What are you doing out of bed?”

He looks over to her, his eyes blurring with pain. Somehow, some way, he can tell that it’s her again, her from the here and now. “I think I threw out my back chasing after you.”

She’s with him in a flash, glowing water already covering her hands. “Chasing after me? What are you talking about?” She pulls up his shirt to get access to his spine, spreading the water over him in the same motion. The pain begins to dissipate almost instantly, and Kavik is able to look her in the eye again.

“You weren’t in bed when I woke up. You left the house and walked out to the hills. I had to bring you back inside before you froze to death.”

She glances at the door. At herself, clothed in a parka she didn’t go to sleep in. “I - no, that’s not possible. Just now?”

“Just now.”

Her hands shake. The water stops glowing, spilling from his back and soaking his clothes. “I don’t remember.”

“It’s okay,” Kavik soothes, holding her hands in his. “Let’s go back to sleep. We can figure everything out in the morning.”

Still shaking, she doesn’t protest as Kavik, now able to walk without pain again, leads her over to the bed and helps her lay down. He kicks off his shoes and joins her, pulling her close.

“I don’t remember,” Yangchen breathes, so softly Kavik wonders if he’s meant to hear. “How can I not remember?”

He doesn’t have an answer for her.

Hands tighten in his shirt. Yangchen leans closer, voice cracking. “I’m frightened, Kavik.”

He is too. He wishes he wasn’t. He wishes he could be braver for her. 

“I know. So am I.” 

The dam breaks. Yangchen buries her face against his chest and sobs, tears soaking through the fabric of Kavik’s shirt. Kavik’s arms tighten around her as he cries too.

“I know I’m losing myself,” Yangchen chokes out between heaving breaths. “The threads in my mind are all tangled up. I can’t think straight. I can’t remember where I am. I’m terrified that one of these days I’ll forget about you, too.”

That fear has been looming in the back of Kavik’s mind as well. As much as it hurts, it almost feels good to hear it put to words.

Tears still streak down his cheeks as he cups Yangchen’s face in his hands. He lets her see him, all of him. Every fear and every worry. 

But he hopes that she can she can see the love, too.

“I’m not going to leave, Yangchen.” She sniffles, reaching up to hold her hand over his. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

She almost laughs at that; he can see the tiny quirk of her lips that proves it. Then her eyes turn misty again.

“I can’t promise that I’ll always know you.”

“So?” He strokes his thumbs over her cheekbones. “That doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is you. That you’re safe, and well cared for.”

“Even if I don’t know who you are?”

“Even then.”

There’s nothing more to say, not right now. Yangchen asked him, many years ago, to stay by her side. Kavik won’t break his promise to her. 

He leans in, kissing away the tears that still fall from her eyes. “I love you.”

Yangchen nestles into his arms. When she speaks, Kavik knows that it’s her. “I love you too.”

~~~~

a/n: sorry

random but I think toph would have been taught and made to sneeze silently in her childhood but once she left home she just did it normal.

The answer is not Aang, please see episode 1.

Uncommon Questions for OCs and their creators:

Send me a # (questions for OCs) or a letter (questions for creators) and I’ll answer

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR OCs

What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?

How easy is it for your character to laugh?

How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)

How easy is it to earn their trust?

How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?

What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child

Do they swear? Do they remember their first swear word?

What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them?

How do they cope with confusion (seek clarification, pretend they understand, etc)?

How do they deal with an itch found in a place they can’t quite reach?

What color do they think they look best in? Do they actually look best in that color?

What animal do they fear most?

How do they speak? Is what they say usually thought of on the spot, or do they rehearse it in their mind first?

What makes their stomach turn?

Are they easily embarrassed?

What embarrasses them?

What is their favorite number?

If they were asked to explain the difference between romantic and platonic or familial love, how would they do so?

Why do they get up in the morning? 

How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)? 

How does envy manifest itself in them (they take what they want, they become resentful, etc)? 

 Is sex something that they’re comfortable speaking about? To whom? 

 What are their thoughts on marriage? 

 What is their preferred mode of transportation? 

 What causes them to feel dread? 

 Would they prefer a lie over an unpleasant truth? 

 Do they usually live up to their own ideals? 

 Who do they most regret meeting? 

 Who are they the most glad to have met? 

 Do they have a go-to story in conversation? Or a joke? 

 Could they be considered lazy? 

 How hard is it for them to shake a sense of guilt? 

 How do they treat the things their friends come to them excited about? Are they supportive? 

Do they actively seek romance, or do they wait for it to fall into their lap? 

Do they have a system for remembering names, long lists of numbers, things that need to go in a certain order (like anagrams, putting things to melodies, etc)? 

What memory do they revisit the most often? 

How easy is it for them to ignore flaws in other people? 

How sensitive are they to their own flaws?

How do they feel about children? 

How badly do they want to reach their end goal? 

If someone asked them to explain their sexuality, how would they do so? 

QUESTIONS FOR CREATORS

A) Why are you excited about this character? B) What inspired you to create them? C) Did you have trouble figuring out where they fit in their own story? D) Have they always had the same physical appearance, or have you had to edit how they look? E) Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you? F) What do you feel when you think of your OC (pride, excitement, frustration, etc)? G) What trait of theirs bothers you the most? H) What trait do you admire most? I) Do you prefer to keep them in their canon universe? J) Did you have to manipulate or exclude canon factors to allow them to create their character?

a stupid comic based on this meme thingy. Ft my amazing art block

Just give me a fandom for my own ocs and my life has purpose

two truths and a lie, I love this game

fuck it. tag game

make a poll where the options are two truths and one lie and have your followers guess the lie

I’ll go first

npt: @starkissed-mars @l1ve-l4ugh-lov3craft @garden-of-runar @loozerboykisser @aesthetic-writer18 + anyone else who wants to <3

I’ve got 4 blankets and 6 pillows. I love bedding.

Bedroom Bingo Tag Game :)))

Original:

My Filled In As A Start:

Moots - @aj-kit @doompicklez @peachyyokai @lil-leon @cowabungacarl420 @queenofthewigglers @peoplepersonoaktree @lunarloaches22 @chil-aglia @d-o-n-n-i-3 @tonystarkwasrobbed @globbleglockxd @juhamato @iobsesswaytoomuch @ceciturtle @just-a-garlic @danger-noodle4 @aneptunicperson @bigb22374 @reluctantscribe @rafareba @quetzal-animations @peaceandquietforhours @toulouie @luna1star10 @plutoplaysgames @re-fried-beanz @ervikirvi @bisexualnerdpanic @eatin-bread-n-cryin @sac-808 @kitkatthekitkatkat @silverdovv @risedonniefan2525 @lunaeuphternal @carrots-bear @lovesickartgirls @silvereyesofelivostis @spookymoody928

Ik that meme thing is pretty old but I did my ocs (two of the many lol) these ones are mermaids and sirens