Disclaimer: I don't own Yona of the Dawn.

A/N: Just a quick reminder, this fic generally follows the plotline of the manga, but there will be quite of few changes, especially in details and side plots.

Chapter 29

Every day that their group spent in the Fire Tribe lands was long but fulfilling, giving each of them endless opportunities to help the villagers. No matter how much work they did, there was always new tasks in the morning. Chores, mending, repairing, rescuing, protecting, every day brought something new as well as more of the same.

Shin-Ah healed quickly, his wounds fading into new scars under Yoon's careful attention. Every day, he would exercise and go through sword katas while Lien sat nearby, working on sustaining her flames. She allowed the fire to dance over her palms, thread through her fingers, climb up her arms.

She had to avoid letting her clothes catch on fire, and Yoon took to sticking nearby while she practiced, a bucket of water sitting by his feet. Lien was careful since she had feeling that if she did catch something on fire, Yoon would douse her and then he and Shin-Ah would roll her around in the sand until all the flames were out.

By using Jae-Ha's ability, they were able to travel around their territory in the Fire Tribe and keep an eye on multiple villages. Sometimes they would split up and stay in different villages, but for the most part, they all would spend the night in the same village for safety and companionship.

Lien perched at the edge of a porch with a few village children sitting around her. She was braiding long pieces of dried out straw together, creating dolls out of the only thing she could find. There was a woman in their caravan who made dolls like this whenever they went through a place with long straw. She also had a tiny bag of scraps that the kids were using to make clothes and wraps for the dolls. Two little girls were comparing their dolls, which were basically bundles of straw that had been wrapped up like swaddled babies.

"Mine's named Eung," one of them said, cuddling the doll close.

"I'm naming mine Ti-Ti," the other girl said, patting her doll gently, "She's gonna be a bandit when she grows up."

Lien smiled and kept braiding, working on a more complicated doll for one of the older girls. They were all being very patient, probably because Lien had promised them these dolls if they stopped pestering Zeno about the ginger soup he was making. It was a weak, thin brew in any case, but they were running out of food in general.

Her stomach was empty, and she could've drained half of the pot all on her own, but she would wait until camp that night to eat. Yona and Hak were supposed to go hunting that afternoon, so there was a chance that there might be a tiny bit of meat for each of them, though the main portions would go to the villagers.

She leaned back against a rickety post, careful to not put too much of her weight on it. There were many repairs that needed to be made around the village, and she would have to make a note that this porch needed some attention.

With her fingers occupied, she took a moment to glance around the village. Everyone looked healthier than they had when the Happy Hungry Bunch had first shown up, and that had to be due to all the work everyone had been putting in, including the villagers. Everyone was working together trying to make life better, though she wondered how much things were going to change if the Fire Tribe itself wasn't willing to make some changes.

On the other end of the porch, Zeno was playing with a couple other kids and tending to the ginger soup. Soon he would start ladling it out for people, with the kids getting the first portions, then the sick and injured, and then anyone else. He would need her help with bowls and cups. He caught her looking and sent her a bright smile. "Make Zeno a doll. A yellow one!"

Lien laughed and wrapped a bit of straw around a small bunch, creating an arm. "They're all yellow," she said, shaking her head at him.

"Even better."

A man wandered toward them, looking exceptionally lost and out of place. With long hair, pointed features, and an aristocratic set to his face, he looked different than any of the other villagers. Long hair was a feature of the Fire Tribe army and the aristocrats, they picked it up from their general. She had seen the long-haired bun style often enough when her caravan had traveled through the Fire Tribe's capitol. Instantly wary, Lien watched him come closer, his eyes flicking from person to person as if he was looking for someone in particular. She brought up her hood, covering her light green hair, an unconscious habit that she had had for years.

"Hey," Zeno said as the man came closer, his gaze set on Lien. "You're a far way from home, aren't you?" His tone was teasing and light, but he was watching the newcomer closely.

"I…no, I live here," the man said, a definite city accent to his voice. Lien narrowed her eyes but kept working on the straw doll. She didn't know why he was there, but he certainly wasn't a local. The fact that he was so blatantly lying made her suspicious.

"Ah, got it," Zeno said, nodding, "Are you okay?"

"I don't feel well," the man said, even though he looked healthier than all of the villagers. Lien raised an eyebrow at Zeno, wondering where he was going with this. He grinned at her and then ladled some of their precious soup into a bowl.

"Here you go," Zeno said, holding the bowl out to the man, "Eat up."

The guy looked at the bowl in obvious disdain and then set it on the ground, close to where the kids were playing. "My stomach's upset," he said, frowning, "I don't think I should eat that."

The ravenous kids stared at him and then looked at the bowl, starvation apparent in the hollows of their faces. How dare he sit there and not eat that meal when they were so hungry.

"Can the kids eat it then?" Zeno asked, "If you're not hungry?"

"Um, sure," the guy said, shrugging. Three kids immediately descended on the bowl, draining it quickly. The guy looked disturbed by their behavior, as if he was completely confused by starving people.

While Zeno talked with the imposter, Lien left the porch, promising to come back and finish the dolls later. She was wondering where Shin-Ah and Kija were. Jae-Ha and Yoon were at another village, and Yona and Hak were out hunting. She didn't think that Zeno should be alone or that the guy should go unwatched.

She hurried through the village, making her way to where Shin-Ah had last been fixing one of the huts. Lien spotted him hammering a patch into place on a wall, Ao sitting on the ground nearby playing with a twig. Well, she was actually chewing on it. That squirrel tried to eat everything. When she spotted Lien, Ao dropped the twig and skittered over to her, pouncing on her dress and then scurrying up her clothes until she was on Lien's shoulder. Shin-Ah looked over at her and lowered the hammer, a question in his posture.

"Some strange guy showed up," she said, "He says he's from the village but he's lying."

Shin-Ah set the hammer down and stepped toward her. "You're sure?"

"Definitely," she said, "He's got long hair, like the Fire Tribe aristocrats. He might be a spy, I don't know." And the only reason there would be a spy in town would be if he was here to find them. But were they really such a nuisance that the army was actively hunting them down? They were steadily increasing their territory, so maybe? Lien didn't know much about military stuff, but she did know that people with power didn't like when you threatened that power. Maybe they were upsetting the Fire Tribe more than they realized.

Shin-Ah nodded and headed into the village, walking with Lien at his side. She stayed close, a couple sparks blossoming at her fingertips until Shin-Ah glanced at her hands. Taking a deep breath, she put out the fire, knowing it would be dangerous to let this man see it. But by the time they had gotten back to the porch, the man was gone.

"Where'd that guy go?" she asked, sitting down beside the blond. Shin-Ah stepped onto the porch and looked around, his eyes searching from behind his mask.

"The young lord's just wandering around," Zeno said with a smile, "Not sure exactly what he's looking for, but I bet he'll find it here."

Lien blinked and stared at him. "Young lord?"

"Yep," Zeno said, standing up.

"What? How do you know that?" she asked, tugging on his cloak. "Zeno!"

"Zeno just knows," he teased and then gave Shin-Ah a light shove, "C'mon, Seiryuu, let's go play tag with the munchkins!" Before Lien could question him any more, Zeno took off, dragging Shin-Ah with him. Lien sighed and ruffled Ao's fur, pulling the squirrel off her shoulder so she could cuddle it for a moment.

"Apparently I'm the only one concerned," she said with a sigh. Though knowing Kija, he was probably stalking the guy through the village by this point. Hopefully the white dragon would keep an eye on him.