Earth Dragon, Turning
ShortStory 5,023 words Recommended by 2 award/anthology sources
"Downwind from the encampment, the wind stank of refuse. The stench of people weeks into an unwashed trek intensified as Yue Ling limped out of the tree line, raising her hands over her head as she slowly approached the sentries. Both were young, younger than her oldest nephews."
Content warnings 2
deathdeath-of-a-loved-one
Quasar links out; the story lives on Uncanny, where the author gets the click.