When I tumble down the embankment with Doran, I feel Toad spill out from my sleeve. He belches out a happy croak, the last I'll ever hear of him. Like a slap, Winter Mist's tearful, angry face flashes painfully before me. Then there's another stroke of pain. A deep slash of Doran's knife into me shoulder. We both got the death-grip on each other now. Our legs tangle like two lovers. Another roll and I'm on top. I draw back for a strike at his bare neck but not fast enough. He tucks his head down and butts me in the chin with his stony skull so hard that I bite my own tongue. Tasting blood stokes the heat of the fight up to a blind, red rage.

I rise up like an eagle into the air. For one magnificent breath, I feel a rush of wind from the Boinne under me, lifting me higher. I look down on Doran as a sky-hunter beholds his prey. In awe he gapes at me. I will fall on him with my knife-talon and put an undeservedly swift ending to him.

But Doran rises up to meet me! His scarred and twisted face looms horrible, then there's a crunching whack as our heads bang together. Stars spangle the sudden night sky.

"Fools!" Da's voice is a bolt of lightning through the dark. "Leave off and run, afore the Niafer get ya! They'll do ye far worse than ya've done t'each other. Don' make me slam yar big empty heads together again now."

He's got me by the ear and is dragging me somewhere. Next thing I know I'm hanging halfway off a galloping horse, clinging for me life to Nion's crookback.