Friends and Foes

As her husband enters the room, Yoi reads the expression on his face. She fights back the urge to react in fear.

"What happened?"

"Mawi." He moves across the room to the fireplace and begins to increase the heat using the wood he brought in. He places the smaller logs in and preserves the bigger ones. She watches him, waiting for him to say more.

"I met him outside. He wants me to help him with a job."

"Don't!" She knew about him. Over the years, she had heard and come to know of Feng's friends. How they met, fought, reconciled, over came problems and looked out for one another. Among his inner circle, only two people were bounty hunters. Zoraya and Taru. Taru had met Feng on multiple occasions and they had come to be good friends. He knew that Feng would help him get back at Mawi for trying to kill him. That was the hunt he was on before June's birth. "Such a man doesn't deserve your help."

"I know that, but he is not a person who would take 'no' for an answer. He also blames me for helping Taru get the bounty."

"So?"

"So, he is going to hurt me. Or worse. Hurt you and June."

"Let him try. At least this time we will have solid evidence and send him to prison."

"Or we will all die and he will walk away like nothing happened."

Yoi pouted. "Why do you have to be so negative?"

*Giggles* "My job has taught me to think of the negative and positive."

After a moment of silence, she got up and went to him by the fire. She placed her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his broad chest. "Do you really think he would go so far over a grudge?"

"I believe he would. For people like him, there is no such thing as 'having enough money'."

"Then how sure are you that he won't try to kill you if you work with him?"

"Am not."

She tightened her hold on him and looked into his eyes. "So, what do we do?"

"I will think of something."

June woke up and begun to cry. Yoi kissed her husband and went over to June.

------------------------------------------------

Feng stared into the fire. His mind raced as he went through several ideas on how to solve his problem. He was drawn out of his mental exercise by the voice of the servant on the other end of the door.

"Master Feng."

"Yes. What is it?" he asked as he approached the door to open it.

"A letter came for you, while you were out." She handed it to him and went about her final chores of the evening. He couldn't prevent himself from smiling when he saw the name of the sender.

"Who is it from?" asked his wife.

"Taru. He will come by tomorrow."

"Does he know that Mawi is here?"

"I don't think so. All he says is that he can't wait to see you and our baby."

Feng starts to get dressed.

"Where are you going."

"To find Taru."

"What why? Its late."

"I have to try and warn him about Mawi."

"But you don't even know where he is."

"I have a few ideas of where I might find him."

"Be careful."

"I will."

He rushes out of the house.

In the stable he prepares Kuai for the journey and arms himself with a sword before proceeding to Omashu.