In Search of Bison

Mai had to take a running start this time, as she woke, a loud explosion nearby shook her makeshift hammock, frightening the child that still thrived in Mai's mind. She jumped up, looking down to see her Lemur still sleeping. She quickly wrapped her bedroll up, and grabbed her glider-staff before poking May, who shot up as if she'd been faking being alseep the whole time. Mai took off, looking out at a nearby mountain, which at the top, she knew, was the the Great Southern Air Temple. She didn't know if anyone was there, she only knew that no one had left there all night, nor early this morning.

She pulled up, flying skyward, through the clouds. Once she surfaced, she found herself looking at a place that seemed vaguely familiar to the Northern Temple, though it was simpler. A faint smile touched her face, it was still intact, but she saw no one, heard no one. May hovered nearby, opening her mouth, and chewing whenever a bug drifted too close to her.

Mai giggled, "You'll eat anything, won't you?" The Lemur turned it's big round eyes on Mai, so understanding. "I wish you could talk to me...", her voice trailed off, and became small and sad, "I wish anyone would talk to me." She glanced up again, "Well, it can't be helped, c'mon, let's see if anyone's home.", she said, diving, and landing near the Air Soccer 'field', looking at it longingly. "I wonder if I'll ever play Air Soccer again...what do you think May?" The Lemur made a a few soft squeeks before falling silent, but seemed to be talking to a butterfly that had eluded her. "Yeah...I don't think so either.", she said, starting up the steps, toward the center.

Mai wandered aimlessly through the temple, realizing quite quickly that the place was deserted. "No Flying Bison here May..." She sighed, and had just about given up hope when a voice cut the silence, and sent the young airbender's spirit soaring. She perked up, and dashed in the direction of the voice with more enthusiasm than a young child, "My name is Mai Li!", she called out, hoping not to catch the person at a bad time. "Who're you?", she asked, just as she appeared before you. She was so happy that one might say she was even glowing. May, on the other hand, was munching noisily on something she had pinched firmly between her hands, staring at the new person with a piqued interest.

Mai shrugged, "Well, to be honest, I was hoping to find Flying Bison, or other Airbenders." She smiled, "Mission accomplished.", she said. She gripped her staff tightly between her hands, she was happy to see an Airbender from another temple, happy to know the Northern benders weren't the only ones who returned and thrived.

"Oh, and this is May.", she said, poking the lemur lightly with her staff. "She's usually more lively, but I guess she's in a lazy mood. What are you doing way up here, all alone too? Or are there other Airbenders hiding around here?"

[OOC--so sorry I forgot about this thread. ><]

Xilingshi Nailah Zoraki

Xilingshi shrugged. "I'm not sure how many are around here... there are a few of us up north, a bunch of us out in the west and east though. I'm from the Eastern Air Temple myself... came up here to see if there was any life of any kind here. apparently there is the occasional fellow. wonder if there are any permanent residents..." she paused. "does that answer your question?" she asked curiously; she wasn't trying to be rude.

Mood: Curious Condition: Perfect

Link:

Mai smiled, and nodded, "Yes, I was only curious if there were Airbenders here. You actually were a lot more detailed than that. Thank you." She looked up, "I hope some Airbenders move here...gee...any benders would be better than none." Her smile never faded, never faultered, "Maybe not Firebenders...the irony of it would make me pretty mad..."

"Anyway, what about Bison?", she asked excitedly, "Are there any Bison here? Oh, what about other Lemurs, I've never seen one living wild, always pets, or sometimes mail carriers. I haven't seen any Bison, the Northern Air Temple is kinda boring, not all broing, but there aren't many kids there, sometimes Earthbenders would show up to stay for a few days, but it wasn't all that busy, am I talking too much? I am, aren't I?" She paused, and thought for a moment, "Not that there weren't other kids there, but my friends were boys, and the girls thought I was too boy-ish so they didn't really want to do anything after the boys stopped being my friends." It was at this point that she took a breath, ahving spent all of it talking, "I'm 21, and this is the first time I've ever seen an Airbender from one of the other temples, you said Eastern, right? I heard it's beautiful there, is it?"

May had ceased eating, staring up at Xilingshi with questioning eyes, wondering if she could handle Mai's talkitiveness as well as she could. Though the lemur couldn't understand them, she had to listen to Mai all the time.

Mai nodded throughout Xi's speaking, absorbing every word. She, surprisingly, was an excellent listener, if you could get her to shut up, that is. She smiled more and more as you spoke, and then, suddenly, a question invaded her mind. "What're you doing so far away from the Eastern Air Temple if you enjoy protecting it so much?", she blurted it, her curiosity swirling like a hurricane.

May had finally decided to check Xi out, edging closer and closer in a casual crawl, stopping at your feet to look up at you with big round eyes.

Mai smiled sheepishly, "Well, of course, should have thought of that...", she remarked. "Anyway, um, well...I was here for more than just Bison...Airbenders, of course...and...there was something down in the forest...an explosion or something..." She shrugged, and then mumbled, "Come to think of it, that could have been a Bison landing..."

May jumped onto Xi's shoulder without warning, staring at her, and lightly patting Xi's head, as if to say good job. In reality, she hoped to find bugs.