So...took me long enough...again...review please?

I shot out of the water, sputtering and gasping for air. The surprised and shock of being picked up and dunked into the water knocked most of the wind out of me and left me out of breath. Laughter surrounded me and I spun around to face the culprit to my attack and was surprised to see Jake chuckling, his brother's behind him doubled over in laughter.

"Why did you do that?!" I asked, suddenly more angry than embarrassed. "I almost had it!"

"Don't take it so personal Sam! It's part of our initiation," Quinn explained through his laughter.

I froze. "Initiation?" The word rang strange in my ears, to use such a word that would only mean acceptance through some form of act and that act coming from Jake. Was this him showing me that maybe he accepted me as well?

"It's more like a prank we pull on the young kids we teach and we-well Quinn thought it would be funny to do it to you," Jake said, looking down and rubbing the back of his neck.

I stared at him in shock. It was the most he's spoken to me since I've been here and for the first time he sounded...pleasant...not like he wanted to kill me in my sleep. My anger slowly faded away as I stared at this man in front of me who looked more bashful than a shy little kid.

"I had the fish..." was all I could mumble, without a hint of anger in my voice, if anything just a little defeat.

Quinn had waded his way through the water to stand by me and patted my shoulder. "You're a natural born killer," he smiled, his eyes crinkling in the corners. "Well...sorta."

He smirked and without a moment of thought of what consequences my actions would bring I splashed him and then Jake. Kima joined me in splashing his brothers and just like that I had created a war.

x-x-x-x

After an intense splash battle in the river, we all returned to the camp dripping wet and laughing-also without a single fish in hand. Nadie ran up to us, smiling and staring at us all questioningly.

"It looks like to me that you all got pranked." She laughed and poked Jake who blushed. "I'm surprised serious man over here even joined in."

"He was probably just looking for an excuse to drown little Sam here." Quinn put me in a headlock and tousled my already messy hair.

Jake ducked his head, hiding his features in the shadows before quickly walking away from us. I stared after him, wishing I could have seen the sudden change in his expression, but instead just watched him walk away.

"It's okay Sam. Jake doesn't like to joke much." Kima said. "He likes you. He just doesn't know it yet."

My cheeks reddened and I looked down at my bare dirty feet. Even though I didn't really believe Kima, for some strange reason I really hoped he was right. I had an unexplainable desire for Jake to accept me in his life like his friends and family has done. But I felt a small pang of doubt and pain anyway.

I gave Kima a tight smile. "I'm going to find your grandmother." I shoved the spear at Quinn and turned away quickly; hoping that like Jake, I could hide the wave of emotions playing on my face. I needed to find Kimina. I needed to go home. I don't belong here and it was foolish to think, even for a second, that I actually did. Suddenly I felt overexposed and crossed my arms over my body trying to hide it. My feet felt sensitive to the bare earth and just wrong. Everything felt wrong.

I turned a corner sharply and ran into a tall, broad figure, causing me to stumble back. I looked up to apologize and met a cold unfamiliar and yet somehow familiar face. His face was wrinkled with frown lines, a man who looked always serious, his tall and strong build towering over me. I sensed power coming from him and wondered who I ran into and what kind of trouble I was in for it.

"You should watch where you are going." His voice was cool but not angry or scolding. Yet, it terrified me.

"I-I'm sorry." Was all I could manage as I continued to stare. He was covered in small scars along with larger ones, wounds most likely from battle, he looked like a warrior.

"Sam? Correct?" He asked, crossing his arms across his broad chest.

"Yes." I had the urge to say sir, but didn't because I wasn't sure if it would be a term he would be familiar with.

"Why did you come out here?"

I wasn't sure if he meant overall or just in this moment. "I was just fish-"

"No. I meant away from your home. Out here."

I thought back to what felt like forever ago, homesickness swelled inside of me and I worried for Gram and father. "I wasn't doing anything but riding." I felt defensive, was he accusing me of doing anything other than that? A small girl like me? As if I could possibly pose any type of threat. Clearly, my skills were very limited on this planet.

"A bit far from your settlement is it not?" He didn't sound like he believed me, like he expected me to be guilty of something.

"To be honest I don't even know where my home is and how far I am from it." I could hear the tinge of anger coming to my voice and hoped that I would not let my sarcasm come out.

He glared at me, probably catching my attitude towards him.

"Luke! I sure hope you aren't harassing our guest." Kimina walked up, again always with her perfect timing.

The man, Luke, rolled his eyes at guest. "Of course not mother, just doing my job."

Mother?! I stared, more shocked than ever. Finally the familiarization I felt clicked. He was Quinn, Kima, and Jake's dad. At least I could see where Jake's personality came from...

"Well how about you take a night off for a change?" Kimina said, her voice always pleasant.

"If I did, all hell would break loose," he said, looking directly at me as if I were the devil himself.

I stared back, mimicking his glare before Kimina chuckled and grabbed my arm.

"Never thought you were a superstitious one, Luke." She began dragging me away, a whimsical smile still on her face. Once we turned the corner her carefree manner seemed to slowly fade with every step.

"You should be more careful on who you cross in life Samantha."

We walked up to a smaller fire, there was no one else in sight so I thought it must be one Kimina had lit before coming to find me.

"Sometimes, it is better to feel disrespected than to disrespect. Especially to those who you know are powerful people," she sat down and motioned for me to do the same. "But I get a feeling you have made a habit of crossing those with power."

I felt the heat in my cheeks and hoped that the growing darkness hid it...or that Kimina would mistake it for a sunburn. "I didn't know he was your son." This was all I could say, I knew he was probably a powerful warrior, but I didn't think he was anything more. The fire cracked and sparks shot out as the burning wood began to crumble. A lonely spark landed on my bare leg and I flinched as I quickly tried to brush it away.

"See even you can get burnt Mugwayan." She threw in a few more branches. "That is why you must never play with fire."

I stared at her quietly, not fully understanding her cryptic message that she was telling me. Or maybe it was a warning. I didn't know, but I decided it wasn't important at the moment.

"Kimina, I need to go home now."

The fire crackled again in the silence and I watched the spark carefully as Kimina continued to throw things into it. She didn't flinch, look up, or even seem remotely surprised by my statement. In fact, it was almost like I hadn't said anything.

"You said I was a guest. Guests can come and go as they please whereas prisoners or hostages cannot...," I began to grow a little annoyed by her lack of attentiveness as she continued to meddle with the stupid fire. "So which one am I, Kimina...a guest or a hostage?"

Finally, she looked up at me, her normal carefree expression gone and replaced with a more serious and searching look.

"You're my protector, Mugwayan."

Another spark had landed on me but I didn't notice. "Protector?" The word felt weird on my tongue and the context was even weirder. "Protector of what? Do I look capable of protecting anything? I can barely take care of let alone protect myself. I think you should probably ask Jake or one of your other able-bodied warriors to protect you. You saw my try and gut that fish and you want me to protect you? Kimina-"

"Mugwayan," she held up her hand but this time I did not silence, the word vomit had already begun.

I stood up. "No. Stop. I'm not a mug-whatever. I'm not a protector. I'm a seventeen year old girl with a family who needs me and I need to go back. I'm sorry Kimina, you've been very kind and hospitable but I believe I have overstayed my welcome." I looked down at the unfamiliar deerskin that clothed me and felt a sudden ache for my normal and yet annoying dresses. "I don't belong here and I think today has made that very clear."

Trying to swallow back my growing tears, I began to walk away.

"I will take you home."

I stopped. Slowly, I turned back towards Kimina. She stood and began approaching me.

"I will take you home. Under the condition that you will be my protector."

I pushed my hair out of my face in frustration. "I don't understand what you want. But I'm sure I can't do it."

"You thought you wouldn't be able to fish either, but you did."

I snorted. "In case you haven't noticed, I didn't exactly catch a fish."

Finally, she smiled at me a bit. "Ah, but you would have." She stood in front of me and grabbed my hands. "You underestimate yourself, Samantha."

She demanded my eye contact with her fierce dark stare, a stare that reminded me of someone...

"I may ask you a lot, but I know you can do it. I've been testing you, Samantha. Would you like to know what I have learned about you? I've learned that you have a strong mind but you have a stronger heart, which at times can lead you to foolish decisions. But they are decisions that are made in your heart, ones that you believe are right. Most of all, I've learned that you are brave; you put the safety of other's before your own. This though can take more than bravery. A brave warrior would sacrifice themselves for the safety of their people or fellow warriors. Yet you-you would put the safety of a complete stranger before your own. You contain a trait which many claim to have but truly lack...compassion. Your heart is full of it, Mugwayan."

I stared at her. Stunned and unsure of what I could possibly say to all of that. None of it seemed true to me. I wasn't brave. I couldn't even gut a fish. Yet, here stood this woman, a woman who was almost a total stranger, who made me feel like I could be all of those things. A woman who for the first time ever, made me truly believe in myself.

I would be her protector or at least give it my all.

Sorry it's short! Please REVIEW :D