"Everyone, this is my friend Momo," Ikari announced, gesturing with his free hand toward the lemur. "Momo, these are our new friends." The lemur tilted his head, inspecting the crowd with curiosity before locking eyes on the bowl of soup in Ikari's other hand, then made a quick leap to try and steal a sip.
***
"Hey, hold on there, you little thief! That's mine." Ikari pulled the bowl away as Momo squeaked in protest, drawing laughter from the children around the fire. Ikari looked at Katara, who was staring at the lemur with a mix of fascination and surprise. "Katara, could you bring a bit of soup for my little buddy here? No fish, please."
"Y-yeah, sure," Katara replied, still a bit stunned by the lemur's presence. She turned and walked quickly toward the soup pot.
As Katara stepped away, Gran-Gran approached Ikari, her wrinkled eyes shining. "May I?" she asked, slowly raising her hand toward Momo, who watched her with curiosity.
"Of course," Ikari replied gently. "Just go slowly."
Gran-Gran carefully reached out to Momo, stroking his large, furry ears. The lemur closed his eyes and purred softly, and a smile lit up the old woman's face. "A flying lemur…" she murmured, her voice filled with emotion. "I never thought I'd see one in my lifetime. My mother used to tell stories about the Air Nomads' loyal companions, always flying by their side."
The scene seemed to inspire the children to come closer. Even the mothers, who had hesitated at first, joined in, reaching out to touch the lemur's soft fur. Momo clearly loved the attention, leaping from shoulder to shoulder.
Sokka, still catching his breath after nearly choking on his soup, pointed at Momo with a look of disbelief. "You've been walking around with that… thing inside your clothes this whole time?!"
"Hehehe," Ikari chuckled, scratching the back of his neck with a slightly embarrassed look. "Yeah. I got lost at sea for a while, and Momo here had to fly a lot searching for solid land. He really needed a good rest."
Sokka's eyes widened. "And what if I had hit him when we were fighting?!"
Ikari tilted his head with a mischievous smile. "That was never a possibility, Sokka."
"Argh! You didn't have to say that in front of everyone!"
Katara returned at that moment, carrying a small bowl of soup without fish, and stopped when she saw the group gathered around Momo. The lemur, now on one of the children's shoulders, seemed to be the center of attention, squeaking happily as he was petted. She smiled and approached Ikari. "Here," she said, handing him the bowl. "Fish-free soup, just like you asked."
"Thanks, Katara," Ikari replied, taking the bowl and placing it on the ground for Momo, who immediately jumped off the child's shoulder and began lapping up the soup eagerly. "He never misses a chance to eat," Ikari joked, winking at Katara.
Katara laughed, but her eyes didn't leave the lemur. "Can I… touch him too?" she asked, hesitant, already reaching out her hand.
"Of course, of course. Go ahead," Ikari replied, his tone encouraging.
Katara slowly brought her hand closer, gently stroking Momo's soft fur. The lemur turned his head, his green eyes meeting hers, and let out a low purr before going back to eating. "He's so… cute," Katara murmured, enchanted.
Gran-Gran, who had been watching the scene with a smile, returned to her place by the fire. "Did you find him at the Southern Air Temple?"
Ikari nodded, taking a sip of his soup. "Yes. He was the only living thing I found there," he said, his tone softening with a hint of melancholy. "The ruins were empty, except for Momo. He kind of… decided we were a duo." Momo squeaked, as if in agreement, drawing quiet laughter from those still nearby.
The group settled down again, turning their attention back to their bowls of soup, the crackling of the fire filling the silence.
***
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.