The damp morning fog made packing up a misery for their group, especially for the injured and their exhausted healer. Junseo staggered to his assigned horse and handed his reins to a palace trooper before tying himself to the saddle. He did his best impression of a rock while they waited to pull out. Manager Doak's stalwart gelding took an intense dislike to San Jin's borrowed mount and they had both struggled until the line-up could be adjusted. Nobody wanted to ride close to the back ranks where the cart trundled along nearly overflowing with increasingly odorous remains.

Scout Jia led them down the back side of the hill to a town large enough to have both a sheriff and a magistrate. This choice doubled the time it might take to get back to the estate but did relieve them of the extra burdens of transporting prisoners and the fallen. The boys traded chores for being able to pitch tents in a farmer's field, securing their new camp with rings of noise-making traps before settling beside the fire for a long overdue team meeting.

Junseo cleared his throat and started with a quiet apology to the others, "It was foolish of me to go after the hold-outs with the troopers. Even as angry as I was, it wasn't my place to take revenge. The plan worked bit it wasn't smart."

"You might not have rushed off if I hadn't yelled at you. I know you would have done anything to save Guard Yun if it was possible," San Jin choked up and looked away for a moment.

"We're sorry. Your loss is greater but we all owed him for the way he took care of all of us," Chenhui said. He leaned over and patted San Jin on the leg. The others murmured their agreement and looked around at each other.

"I'm sorry to have become a burden, like this." Song hee pointed to his sling. "I also want to say thanks to Junseo and San Jin for trying so hard for that northern court fellow. He might not have deserved it but it was the right thing to do."

Hae-sung gave him a curious look, "Our youngest prisoner seemed far more worried about losing that guy that us finding out about the spies at the estate. I wish I could have gotten more out of him."

"I didn't get much today. The prospect of facing a magistrate likely overwhelmed Choi Ye Sing," San Jin said. "He seemed pretty rattled about breaking the accords. I guess nobody put it in their faces before."

"Yeah. I guess that was another case of me losing my temper. Not sure I can be all that sorry for calling them out. I'm kind of glad Hae-sung got me thinking about the wider implications. Scout Jia and Manager Doak might have talked about war but Hae-sung put it into perspective." Junseo nodded toward his reliable horse-captain.

They all sat quietly staring into the fire for several minutes. Junseo was getting ready to sum up the session when Hae-sung stirred. He cleared his throat and spoke slowly, "We haven't talked about what happened at the estate, or even a bit before that." He looked at Chenhui and Song hee. "Let me start by saying its too easy to not really listen to someone who is younger, especially when you think they may have different motives but Chenhui was right to worry about the gang members and Song hee was right about the spying at the estate."

Hae-sung's statement opened a floodgate of small resentments and concerns between the pair. Junseo let them vent, only intervening to insist on specific examples, not vague general statements. He encouraged each member to practice with examples of "when you do X it makes me feel like Y."

"When you say things like that it makes me feel a bit childish," San Jin teasing fell flat.

"When you keep secrets, it makes me feel like you don't trust me," Chenhui blurted.

Junseo's ears turned red and he started to answer but Song hee jumped in with his own statement, "When you keep prying, it makes me feel like you don't trust me."

"Seems like an impasse," Hae-sung said looking over at Junseo.

"No, not really. It boils down to boundaries. What is strictly personal, and what may affect the team. Here is an example." Junseo pulled the signate ring out, "My last patient gave me this to give to the northern prince if I get a chance." He put his hand up as the others started to jump in with their questions. "Me holding onto this could present risks, so it is only fair you know I am carrying it. What I can't share is the private message the man wanted me to deliver. Does that make sense?"

"It might but it doesn't make me less curious," San Jin's admission made the other smile. Their chuckles and relaxed posture were the signs Scout Jia had been waiting for, "I trust I am not interrupting." He approached with a tray of food he passed around the group. "Since you're here together I want your honest opinions. Manager Doak will be going back to the estate to recover. Knight-Master Lei wanted to send all of you along to the training camp while he deals with estate matters but we got a different request from General Tan. Your uncle decided he needs more kite-flying recruits." Scout Jia looked at San Jin and back to Junseo.

"I guess that means going back to Ilidan," Junseo said slowly.

"Eventually," Scout Jia nodded. "There is the little matter of examinations for some of you," he pointed to Chenhui and Song-hee then turned to Hae-sung, "And a security contract we still need to finish. With Candidate Donje out of it I need champion-level help."

"I would like to get Guard Yun's effect to his family," San Jin put in.

"Fair enough." Scout Jia scratched his beard for a moment. "Okay, we will send a couple of the palace guards along with you to the capital. You can drop Candidate Donje at home to recover. Hae-sung can come along with me and couple of the home guards. I'd take Junseo but he should monitor the injured."

"We aren't needed in court here?" Junseo asked.

"You'll give statements in the morning while I send some messages through to the estate. Let me know if there is anything you need sent to the capital for you," Scout Jia said.

Junseo blanched, "My design notebooks and the rest of my stones are still there."

"Yes, the sketches we have been working on could be very sensitive if they are taken out of context," Song hee added.

"Why did you..." Scout Jia start asked but then stopped himself. "I'll check in with Manager Doak about how to handle gathering up your things. For future reference you should try not to leave sensitive information laying around."

Song hee looked ready to argue but Junseo put his hand up, "We keep learning how little we can trust anyone outside our circle. It's not nearly as easy to get into our room at the forge as the ones at estate."

"Don't try pretending your mess in the dorm is any type of security." San Jin's quip invited other comments about the challenges of sharing a small living space. Junseo blushed said he would try to be neater but the others only laughed at the promised they had heard before.