Lion turtle

A Lion Turtle is a very large turtle with the head of a lion. It has been mentioned several times in the series as a statue, but there has only been one actual one in the series.

History
First seen in Sozin's Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King as a small, dome-shaped island that appearse just off the coast of Ember Island at night. Aang, feeling conflicted over the seemingly impossible realization he must kill Ozai, goes there with Momo. By the following morning, the island is gone, and with it; Aang and Momo.

While the others are searching for him, Aang wakes up the next day to see that the island is now adrift in the middle of the sea. in the next part, Sozin's Comet, Part 2: The Old Masters, After exploring a little, he finds himself at the top of the island, where he finds a hexagonal piece of what appears to be wood. He then decides to meditate there, and calls on his previous incarnations for guidence; starting with Roku, then Kyoshi, and finally Kuruk and Yangchen. After listening to their advice, he realizes he has no choice but to kill Ozai.

Eventually, the island starts moving, and Aang jumps off it and dives below, where he discovers it is in fact a creature. After aproaching the head, he realizes it is in fact; a Lion Turtle.

Aang then asks the turtle for guidence, which it gives telepathicly, as well as teaching Aang the power to remove Bending from a person. it then leaves Aang and Momo on the Earth Kingdom shore, waiting for the Fire Nation Airship fleet, and Pheonix King Ozai.

Connection
The Lion Turtle is as its name sugests. It has the body of a turtle and the head and 'paws', of a lion. It appears to be able to communicate telepathicaly, much like Dragons. It is also quite large, as Aang first mistakes it for an island and it does in fact have a small forest with a clearing at the top on its shell. It is also possible it has lived for a very long time, as it teaches Aang the ability to remove Bending, and speaks of a time before the Avatar.