Suki looked behind them exhausted and could see the sun going down. She sighed heavily and fell onto her knees.

"I need a minute, my legs are going to fall off," she huffed, Aang and Katara immediately dropped next just as exhausted.

"Are we there yet?" Katara looked at Aang.

Aang looked around and touched the ground feeling for his temple. A smile grew on his face.

"We're here," he pushed himself back up.

Suki and Katara looked around seeing only the dried grass and dirt around them, a cliff up ahead that had another within view.

"Where is here?" Suki asked frowning.

"Toss me the rope, I'll get us there," Aang looked back at the girls and Katara sighed digging in her bag to toss the rope to the avatar.

Aang went to a small tree that was closest to the cliff and made sure it was secure, he grunted as he pulled on the rope and tossed the rest off the side of the cliff. A moment later he jumped.

"Aang!" Katara screamed racing to her feet to see if he was alive.

"Climb down!"

Suki and Katara blinked shocked hearing him land on something solid, there was more under the cliff?

"The air temples are in the cliff?" Suki whispered shocked.

"One way to find out," Katara secured her bag over her back and held onto the rope before slipping off the edge of the cliff with a small squeak. She held on as tight as she could slowly slipping down the rope to find the bottom. She saw the end of the cliffs depth before the temple was before her eyes. A small gasp of awe left her lips as a statue of the last air bending avatar was carved into the wall in front of her. Avatar Yangchen.

"Katara!" Aang waved her over, the rope ended two meters above the flooring, she swung a few times before dropping on the ground wirh a grunt.

"Okay Suki it's clear! Come down!" Aang smiled calling up to the last of them.

"Gosh you get to meet appa finally, did you bring anything for him?" He bounced happily as they waited for Suki to climb down.

"Bring?" Katara asked confused.

"He likes treats and since he's been lonely and kind of stuck in hiding, that's the best way to get appas full loyalty, he likes sweet things," Aang looked around excitedly as Katara started to go through her bag to see if there was anything of the sort.

"Um there's son fire flakes, roast jerky, it's all travel foods, rice, honey, more freaking fire flakes, no one eats these but Zuko?" Katara pulled out a few bags of fire flakes and set all the food to the side.

"Honey!" Aang grabbed it excited.

"Here give me your guys hands," he said as the two girls offered a hand to him each.

Only for Aang to dump a glob of honey in their palms.

"Aang!" They both yelled in confusion and irritation of the mess.

"Appa!" Aang ignored their cries and went back to venturing for his friend.

"Come on out buddy, it's me, Aang," he called with his hands cupped around his mouth.

"Spirits this is going to be sticky for a while," Katara held the handful of honey not sure if they should drop it or if that'll make things worst with the ground and bugs.

"Is there any water near by? A river we can wash our hands in?" Suki whined a little but felt something exhale deeply behind her. A grunt even.

"Katara, what's behind me?" Suki whispered wide eyes not daring to move.

Katara screamed in shock as she jumped backwards seeing a gigantic bison with horns and bigger than the both of them standing behind Suki. The red head turned to face the bisons nose.

"Appa!" Aang shrieked and body slammed against the bisons face with a hug.

"I missed you buddy!" He smiled nuzzling his face into the beasts fur.

"A-Aang what in the fuck is an appa?!" Suki dropped her handful of honey as she backed away frantically.

"This is appa, my flying bison," Aang crawled on top of his head, unable to stop his smiling.

Appa huffed and groaned at the girls unsure if he should protect his friend.

Katara whined a little holding out her hand of honey and let appa smell her hand. A minute later his tongue licked her upper body and cleaned her hand right off from honey.

"He likes You," Aang grinned as Katara shuttered a breath in disgust.

"I smell like bison breath," she wheezed wide eyed.

"Suki, you're up," Katara rasped pointing back to appa for her.

"Oh man," Suki whined holding out her hand. Only to receive the same wet lick from the bison and her honey covered hand was clean.

"Alright! Now let's find his saddle so we can get flying to the shore," Aang punched the air when he jumped down.

"Shouldn't we wait for Zuko? What if he's coming here?" Katara looked at him concerned.

Aang paused and looked at Suki unsure.

"Just in case he stops here first," Katara offered more with hope.

"Okay... we'll camp for the night here in case," Suki tsked nodded, aangs brows furrowed but didn't disagree with her.

"I'll make us some food and you guys get appa situated for when we travel tomorrow," Katara grabbed the food with a smile before Aang went to go find his saddle for appa. Suki joined looking where and what kind of saddle this would be.

"So are you going to throw me under the wagon when Katara finds out we lied?" Aang asked once they were out of ears distance.

"What?" Suki frowned.

"We know Zuko isn't coming here, physically that's not possible from where he was spotted last," Aang looked disappointed in her.

"It's not the lie, it's just to let her think he might come, and who knows maybe he will, that prince is full of surprises," Suki crossed her arms.

"It's to help her, we know he's not coming, she doesn't," she explained quietly.

"For all we know he could even be dead," Suki mumbled.

"He's not dead," Aang snapped back.

"We don't know that," Suki urged.

"Zuko isn't dead, he's smarter than you give him credit," Aang pointed accusingly.

"It's just a thought, a possibility, I'm being realistic," she sighed looking behind her.

Aang didn't respond and turned his back on her.

"Let's just find this saddle," he scoffed walking to the temples rooms where it might be stored.