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cat-called, cracking jokes about Jamin
needing to wrangle her into the milking shed like a recalcitrant goat.
    “You will come away
from this accursed fallen star before you get hurt!”  Jamin grabbed her arm and
tugged her towards the shore. 
    Ninsianna spit in his
face.
    The warriors burst out
laughing.  Jamin grabbed her hair and shoved her face beneath the water. 
Ninsianna struggled, but she was not strong enough to free herself.  He pulled
her head above the surface.
    “Do you yield?”
    “How dare you!”  She
slapped him in the face.  He shoved her face beneath the water a second time. 
Water came rushing up her nose.  She kicked and hit with all her might, but
Jamin was twice her weight.  He pulled her head back above the surface.
    “Do you yield?”
    “Help!” The others
laughed at the drama unfolding before them.  No help there!  She needed to help
herself, then.  She kicked backwards and landed her heel in his testicles. 
Jamin yowled in pain.
    “I will teach you some
respect, woman!” 
    Jamin shoved her head
beneath the water a third time.  This time, he held her there.  She gasped for
breath and breathed water into her lungs.  It felt like they were about to
burst!  She struggled, but only the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears
and the muffled sound of Jamin's voice filtered through the water.  She prayed
to She-who-is to help her.  Suddenly Jamin loosened his grip.  Popping up like
an otter, she gasped for breath and looked at where the others gaped towards
the shore.  Walking towards them from the shattered sky canoe, his good wing
outstretched, was Mikhail. 
    “He is my protector,”
she shouted, hoping to panic them before they noticed how badly injured he
was.  “Run, before he smites you where you stand!”
    The village warriors
were brave, but the lightning which erupted from a stick Mikhail held in his
hands got his message across as much as his size and wings.  Rocks exploded out
of the ground at the warrior's feet, tossing the men back as though they'd been
rammed by an auroch.  Smoke and a scent like a thunderstorm wafted up from the
place where the lightning had struck.  The warriors shouted and ran away. 
    Jamin, however, had
never been one to back away from a fight, especially when it was over
something he viewed to be his.  Letting go of her hair, he held her arm
and shoved her behind his back, his dark eyes flashing with defiance.
    “It's a demon!” Jamin
hissed.  “Get behind me, you fool!  I'll protect you.”  He stood frozen between
her and Mikhail, eyeing the spear he'd foolishly left on the banks of the
stream when he'd pursued her into the water, calculating his best chance to
regain the high ground.
    "Níor
mhaith liom a dhéanamh má bhí tú mé," Mikhail rumbled.  "Ninsianna, teacht anseo! ”
    She couldn't
understand what he said, but a second bolt of lightning which landed in the
water inches from Jamin’s side, showering the both of them with water, was
abundantly clear.  Mikhail possessed weapons her tribe couldn't begin to
fathom.  He pointed the firestick at Jamin’s chest and gestured for her to come
to the shore.
    “Over my dead body!” 
Jamin broadened his stance so he appeared as threatening as a man could
possibly appear whilst standing waist deep in water with no weapon and nowhere
to run.  His grip tightened, twisting her arm as he stood between her and
Mikhail.  The idiot!  He thought he was protecting her.  He was the
demon!  And his possessiveness was about to get him killed!
    She needed to break
his grip.  Making a fist, she punched him right in the face while he was
distracted staring down Mikhail.  His look of surprise as she yanked free her
arm and pulled away from him was priceless! 
    Skittering up the
banks of the stream, she saw how pale Mikhail looked, how tenuous his grip was
on consciousness.  If he passed out, Jamin would kill him.  She pretended to
run into his arms and nestled into his