Hello again! I don't really have much to say, except that there was a small error in the last chapter. The Yaunkur did not have only a few more hours to Allisan. They had two weeks. Oh! And thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story so far!

EDIT (12/1/17): Basic stuff, sentence fluency, I removed one small (and unimportant) paragraph.

EDIT (1/5/18): Name changes.

EDIT (7/24/18): Rewritten.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Two weeks after Hinata Hyuuga joined the Yaunkur tribe

Allisan, the bustling main port city of the Land of Fire, laid on the southern shore of the country, close to the Land of Tea and the Land of Water. Because of its close proximity and easy access, it was the perfect place for trade to thrive.

The port was also a place of great diversity. People from all over the continent traveled to the city, even from nations that were not on the best of terms with the Land of Fire. The nights were filled with dancing and festivities, and the days with hard bargaining in the bazaars where traders sold their wares. If one were to simply walk down one of the busy streets, it was likely that within the first ten minutes they would hear at least five different languages besides the common tongue, Nem.

There was one language, however, that could only be heard in Allisan once every two or three years. This was Kaeyugen (simply known by most as Kae), the ancient language spoken by the Yaunkur tribe. It was around this time in their travels that they passed through the port city of Allisan to board a ship to wherever it was they went to when not exploring the continents. Which brings us to the small band of Yaunkur children advertising their tribe's products in city square's marketplace.

"Yaunkur Wool! Yaunkur woven-cloth, charms, and talismans! Last day to buy some!"

They skipped and paraded about the market, displaying the colorful bundles of finely woven cloth carried in their arms. In some hands were carved charms hanging from leather cords, and in others were strings of beads made from all manners of things; from bones to clay, clay to wood. A few were even made of gold or silver.

The children called to the people wandering the market, beckoning them to take a look at the wares they had for sale. Many times they pointed their curious customers to the stand in the market courtyard where several older Yaunkur tribe members managed a much larger arrangement of Yaunkur products.

"A-ano, excuse m-me, si-sir!" Hinata squeaked out. "Would y-you like to bu-buy a tal-talisman?"

The man continued on, showing nothing to say he heard the girl.

She tried again, turning to a rather large, chatty woman. "Ma-Madam-"

The girl was interrupted as a heavy force slammed into her, throwing Hinata to the ground. The wares she had been carrying were scattered across the cobblestone street. Immediately, she began picking them back up, attempting to brush the dirt off of them, saying, "I-I'm s-s-sorry!", repeatedly to no one in particular.

"Weirdo! Freak!"

Hinata paused to glance up at the speaker, only to see a girl a few years older than her accompanied by two other children.

"What are you doing with those worthless Yaunkur? You don't belong with them! You're a freak-wannabe, which makes you just as bad as those primitive scavengers!"

Hinata bowed her head again feeling tears touch her eyes, and a strange fury well up in her chest. The Yaunkur were her new family, and it made her furious to hear them insulted. She wanted to throw the harmful words back at the other girl, but the dreaded and awfully familiar timidity swamped up the rage, slowing it. And she knew, hurting the girl in return wouldn't do anything to help. It would only make her feel even worse afterwards, no matter how much she thought the girl deserved it.

A tear of frustration slid down her cheek, and Hinata's fear grew.

"Aw, did I make the little baby sad?"

It was at times like these that Hinata hated herself and the way she was. She had been taught the fighting techniques of the clan she was born into, but had not the courage and strength to act on what she learned. It made Hinata so frustrated.

"Hey, what don't we teach the little baby freak a lesson?"

"I like the way you think-"

"-Leave Hina alone, you blrin'werns!"

Hinata pulled her eyes up, feeling both shock and relief. Nato stood before her with his arms stretched wide, shielding her. If the tension in his frame hadn't been there, one might have assumed he was going for a hug rather than a punch.

The punch would have landed, but one of the large companions of the girl got to him first, and Nato too found himself on the ground.

Now, even though her body shook in protest, Hinata stood as she had never been able to do before. In Nato's courage she found strength. If it was for her friend, she knew she could do anything, even if her body still refused.

"Are you trying to protect your barbaric friend, weirdo? You're worthless, just like him. You can't."

"Hey! Hina's weird, yeah, the biggest weirdo I've ever met!"

At her friend's proclamation, Hinata felt some of the new found strength drain away.

He thinks I'm weird?

"But I like people like her! Much more than I like you!"

He...likes me?

"You need to be schooled, freak!"

The fist came hard and fast at the two kids, and Hinata raised her arms to block-

But there was no need to. There was a thud as a fist made impact with the bully's face instead.

Sura stood in the way, her fists clenched tightly and her eyes as hard as ice. "Don't mess with my family, coro coro," she spoke with a terrifying ferociousness. "I will end you." She prepared to swing another fist, but a hand grabbed her arm, pulling her away.

"Gakis! What's going on?!"

The posse leader, clutching her swollen cheek, put on a look of fear and relief. "Oh, thank you, sir! I thought she was going to kill me! Those Yaunkur freaks were beating me and my friends up!"

Sura wrenched her arm out of the man's grasp and pointed a furious finger at the bullies. "She's lying! They were terrorizing and hurting my cousins!"

"What happened?" Demanded another voice. Hinata turned around and saw a concerned Dimos making his way towards them.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I was minding my stall when I saw this girl here punch the other one. Luckily I stopped her before she could throw another. Who knows how far it could have gone."

Dimos nodded to the man in thanks, and turned to Sura. "Is this true, Coru Sura?"

"Yes, Onnis Dimos." She looked into his stern gaze unflinchingly, refusing to feel sorry for protecting her family. "But they punched Nato first."

"Yeah, they did, Onnis."

"No, he tried to hit us first!"

"It didn't actually hit you so it doesn't count."

"Just because you're incompetent doesn't mean it doesn't count."

"Why you-"

Before it could escalate into another fight, Dimos pulled his nephew back by the collar of his shirt. "That's enough. Now all three of you need to apologize."

"But Onnis-"

"You started the fight, so you you need to apologize."

"Actually, they were the ones that pushed Hinata and started insulting her long before we got here. They are the ones who should be apologizing."

Dimos looked at Hinata for a confirmation.

She bowed her head slightly in embarrassment and shame, saying, "Th-They did."

The Yaunkur patriarch frowned in concern, but then left the girl alone to speak to everyone else.

"There you have it. Now I think everyone owes some apologies. Under his direction, the children all apologized to each other reluctantly, barely concealed threats hanging under their "I'm sorry". Dimos sighed. It would have to do. The three children that weren't his left, and Dimos began picking up the cloth and beads from the road.

His kids stood in slight shock over what happened, two of them simmering with annoyance and anger. "Well, come on," he said. "Are you going to help me or not?"

Gathering together all of their precious but partly soiled crafts, the Yaunkur retreated to their stand.

"Why did we have to apologize? They were the ones that picked a fight with Hina for no reason!" Nato asked angrily.

"Sometimes you have to play nice and take blame for an act you did not commit," Dimos replied. "We are guests here and as such we are restricted in the way we can behave. Even a small fight like that could harm our reception in other countries."

There was more to it than that, but Dimos wasn't inclined to tell his kids about that just yet. It was something they would understand better when they were a bit older.

The Yaunkur were appreciated for their fine handicrafts and artistic performances, but people liked to keep their distance because the tribe was different from everyone else, the only people who kept hold of their ancient traditions. They were viewed as outcasts from society, even though their people were the last remains of what Benazir was before the shinobi. Some people even took it upon themselves to educate them about the modern world as though the Yaunkur were barbarians desperate for a light to shine in the darkness of their ignorance.

It wasn't that the Yaunkur didn't like learning and sharing with other peoples, or thought they were better because they remembered their stories and history. What frustrated Dimos many a times was that sometimes people wanted or thought they should change when the Yaunkur were content with what they had and there was no need to change.

The Yaunkur found joy in traveling and dwelling in tents, in telling their stories and watching their flocks, in raising their children in their traditions and seeing them find the same happiness. Their life worked for them, but many others just couldn't understand that.

And that was the root of the problem. The Yaunkur were relics of the past, a strange and ancient people in a new, ever changing society.

"That's so unfair, ya know."

"So it is. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about it."

His nephew frowned and his brow furrowed in the way Dimos knew it did when he was in deep thought.

"Well, I don't care," Sura stated calmly, speaking up finally. "What they did was wrong and I won't forgive them."

Dimos could see that she was still holding onto her anger over the incident that had just taken place. He understood Sura's anger, but if something were to happen like this on a larger scale in the future, it could be very damaging to the tribe. The Yaunkur were tolerated because they didn't cause trouble. It was good to defend each other, the best thing really, but he needed to make sure the children understood that they had to try settling things peacefully, even if it cost some pride.

"Sura-"

"I don't care." She stomped away in anger, sending a strong signal that the conversation was over.

Dimos stared after her helplessly.

"Onnis," he then Nato speak again. "I think I understand a bit now. But I will make it change."

He knew that stubborn determined look in the child's eyes, and knew there was no way he could possibly say anything on the contrary. "Change what, Nato?"

He smiled brightly, mischievously. "You'll see."

"Alright then," Dimos sighed. "I need to go talk to Sura again." He nudged Nato in the direction of Hinata. She hadn't spoken a word since they left, and Dimos was a bit worried.

"Hina!" Nato gasped. "Are you okay?"

She was in good hands, so Dimos left to find Sura.

Hinata felt out of place, like she didn't belong. The Yaunkur were all so close to each other, so supportive and kind. She did not feel like she was helping much in return. They had to come to her rescue, and she hadn't been able to do anything.

If only I could be more like Nato.

Nato who stood to protect her even when he couldn't really keep himself from being hurt. Nato who helped her find somewhere to go and was trying so hard to help her fit in. Nato who was so bright it was blinding. Nato who was still reaching out to her.

"You were pretty awesome, ya know. If Sura hadn't been there to steal your thunder I'm sure you would have beat them all. You're so strong Hinata, and nice too. I wish I could be like that too!"

Like me?

"Why are you so sad, Hina? You're not hurt, are you?"

She shook her head.

"Ah! I know!"

Hinata lifted her head, eyes glinting with confusion as her friend grabbed a drum and roped one of the young Yaunkur men hanging around into playing it for him.

A steady beat began, and passersbies in the courtyard turned their gazes to the Yaunkur stand.

A hand touched hers, and a shining whiskered face beamed down at her.

"Hina, dance with me!"

The girl stared at the offered hand. He wanted her… to dance with him?

Hinata took Nato's hand, and allowed him to pull her out from inside the stall. Suddenly, she was standing alone with Nato in the courtyard, dozens of faces staring curiously. She saw Basheera bartering for food supplies with her two current apprentices, Inwoe and Emine; Samir pausing in his storytelling with other traders to see; and Kahina staring at them with her knowing smile.

She realized she was deathly nervous.

Then Nato started dancing and Hinata followed along. They sped up in a energetic dance, and the boy whooped in delight. Hinata laughed, barely noticing that they were no longer alone in their dance. She was too busy smiling as she skipped and danced, Nato's brightly shining face the only thing in her vision.

In her first few weeks as a Yaunkur, Hinata learned more than she had in the last two years of her life. Because she hadn't made much progress in her clan's Gentle Fist fighting style and had already learned what was taught in the Academy, Hinata hadn't learned anything new in a while. Her life had been at a standstill.

Then Nato and the Yaunkur came along and life was more vibrant and exciting than ever. She learned about things she never imagined needing to know before; caring for goats and sheep, spinning wool, and carving wood. She also knew of things she would be learning in the coming months and years, such as dying cloth and wool, weaving complex patterns, and shearing sheep. She couldn't wait.

The young Hyuuga girl sat now on a barrel below the decks of one of the ships taking the Yaunkur to the place they called Anusuli. She listened loosely to the conversation going between her friends and the millions of other noises in the cramped quarters, but most of her focus was on the red scarf she was almost finished knitting.

When Hinata has left the Hyuuga household that fateful night, she brought nothing with her but the clothes on her back. In those first days with the Yaunkur, she had felt quite useless. She didn't know how to pitch tents or tend to the flock. Cooking was a new experience also as she had always had servants doing that for her. She had only been able to stand by the side and feel lost, so it came as wonderous news to her when Nato told her of the tattered remains of a favorite scarf he was still holding onto.

He wailed miserably about it and how no one could fix it for him because a nice old lady in Snow Country knitted it for him and no one in the tribe really knew how to knit. The Yaunkur preferred their loom weaving. Luckily for both Nato and Hinata, the latter knew how. Because of the aforementioned situation Hinata was in without any of her old possessions, she was also incredibly fortunate that the Yaunkur did have some knitting needles lying about in one of their storage scrolls.

If the Yaunkur had knitting needles when no one actually knew how to knit, Hinata couldn't help but wonder what else was hidden in their scrolls. It wasn't a thought that stuck around for long, though. Hinata was just happy there was some way she could contribute, even if it was only making sure one certain Yaunkur boy was happy and warm. She was especially glad after what happened in the market the other day.

"Neh, neh, Hina! You're almost done, aren't you?"

She hummed softly, nodding her head.

He was right. There were only a few stitches left to make. She did that and then tied it off, looking over it one last time to check for any other holes. She smiled in satisfaction and passed it over to the beaming boy.

He wrapped the red scarf around his neck and hugged her excitedly. "Wow, Hina! You're amazing!"

She smiled softly.

"I can't believe you fixed it in only two weeks," Sura said in surprise.

"Yeah," Inwoe added, "that thing was shredded."

"Hey! Don't talk to my precious scarf like that!"

"It's true, though. Your love wore it to pieces. Why do you like it so much anyway? There are plenty of scarfs here."

Hinata was wondering that herself.

"Baba made it for me because I helped keep her company. I liked her cookies too. And now it's even more precious because Hina took the time to fix it for me!"

The shy girl felt a warm blush spread across her face at his words, the heat contrasting sharply with the cooler fall air.

"Oh, I see." Inwoe said with a small smirk and side glance at Sura. She nodded sagely as well.

Nato's brow scrunched in innocent confusion. "See what?"

"You'll understand when you're older, Coru."

Nato, who usually would start arguing at this point, simply huffed and sat at Hinata's feet.

"Whatever."

Inwoe raised a single eyebrow, reminding Hinata of their teacher, Meira. "Nato?"

Silence.

Inwoe crouched down beside the younger boy, reaching out a hand to shake his shoulder. "Nato?"

A hand shot out and wrapped around his wrist. Inwoe screamed and leapt back. The other three children laughed at his terrified and then indignant expression.

"Ha ha, very funny."

They cackled on.

Kahina obviously thought they were getting a bit bored, and came over to see them.

"I think you all need something to do, yes?" She plopped the baby she was holding into Inwoe's arms. "Here, watch after Murat for a bit. He should keep you occupied until we arrive."

Nato sat up. "Are we almost there?"

"No more than an hour, perhaps."

He whooped with joy. His energy had no bounds and being cramped on this ship for over a day was hardly helping him stay occupied.

Kahina left to go above deck and Inwoe was left holding the one-year-old Murat. Sura hovered nearby while Nato made funny faces to make the baby laugh.

Another thing Hinata had learned about the Yaunkur was that the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" really was true when it came to them. Everyone helped take care of the kids, even the other kids! Just like with what was happening now, sometimes parents would leave their kids with the older ones, trusting them to be safe in their care. The tribe was more than a tribe; it was a family with cousins, siblings, aunts and uncles, moms and dads, and grandpas and grandmas.

Hinata was pulled from her thoughts when a goat wandered over. For the sake of warmth, the sheep and goats had been distributed among the three ships the Yaunkur hired. They didn't have any problem with huddling up to their shepherds, and this goat was headed straight over to Murat.

They baby stuck out his fingers to touch the goat's nose, cooing softly. It sniffed Murat's hand curiously. A puff of warm air from the goat's nostrils caused the baby to snatch his hands back, shrieking in delight and ducking his head against Inwoe's neck.

"You squirm so much!" He groaned.

After that, the goat didn't seem too interested in the baby anymore, and moved on. It turned towards Hinata and began chewing in her long skirt.

"U-Um...a-ano…" She panicked. She tried gently pushing the goat back, afraid to hurt it, but it stubbornly paid her no mind.

Nato came to her rescue and shoved the goat back. "Bad! No eating Hina's skirt!"

The goat, unperturbed, reached for the boy's newly knitted scarf.

"OI! AND NOT THE SCARF!"

Hinata giggled, knowing that if the goat did end up nibbling on the scarf, she would fix it gladly. No matter how many times Nato would come to her to repair it.

Murat reached again for the goat, and Inwoe obligingly guided his hand to pet its back. Sura watched with a warm smile, and Nato continued to argue with the goat.

Yes, that was something she was sure of.

Anusuli rose in the distance, and it was nothing like Hinata had ever seen. It was made of these huge pillars of earth that rose from the sea, and with her excellent eyesight she could see colorful homes carved and built into the sides of them, swinging bridges connecting one moss covered pillar to another.

Their ship approached the harbor and beach of the widest pillar, where a dock was waiting for them to disembark. The three ships entered the harbor, ropes were thrown to secure them, and then people began lining up to leave the ship.

Nato and most of the kids didn't wait that long. They jumped into the water, splashing and playing as they swam for the beach.

"Come on, Hina! The water's great, ya know!"

She took a deep breath and leapt. As she hit the water, the noise of the people leaving and the unceasing waves was instantly diminished, and then Hinata swam to the surface. It was nice and surprisingly warm. She followed after the others and headed to shore, her soggy skirt and robes doing little to hinder her movement.

When she reached the beach she again followed the others lead and pulled off her winter robes and skirt, basking in the warm afternoon sun wearing only the Yaunkur summer wear; a light tunic, shorts, and a colorful sash around her waist.

They all stayed on the beach like that until the sun rested on the horizon and their Onnis and Annis began calling for them to come into the caves.

Groaning, the children picked themselves and their clothes up, reluctantly heading into the surprising bright opening. Before she headed in, Hinata saw mysterious lights beginning to grow around the pillars and buildings as the sun's glow fell beyond the horizon. It looked magical.

She followed Nato inside, surprise filling her as she saw the wide halls and high ceilings. There were many winding tunnels and their width was enough for three large people to walk side by side. The walls were carved and painted, and the floor was softened by fine carpets. More of the mysterious lights illuminated the tunnels, making it bright and cheerful. Other Yaunkur bustled about, unpacking scrolls and herding children towards chambers for sleeping. They knew the young ones would hardly be any help until their eyes were more rested.

The children didn't complain, weary from the journey and drowsy from their rest on the beach. They'd think about food in the morning. The room Nato and Hinata were led into along with a bunch of other children was large and again covered with soft carpets. A door on the opposite wall led outside to the narrow pathways winding up the pillar, the more unstable way to the other rooms.

Their damp outer clothes were passed to one adult while another dumped thick blankets on the floor. Seeing them made Hinata notice just how cold it now was that the sun was gone. Speaking little, the children curled up around each other on the ground, sharing blankets and body warmth.

As tired as she was, Hinata didn't realize until the next morning that she had laid right next to Nato, her head resting on his stomach.

Translations:

Coro coro - Brats

Coru - Child, little, little one, etc.