Stone Circle she holds the hand that holds her down

The stag had been healthy. The only thing to bring it down, besides dumb luck, was the dark-faced man. Sanja knew she was fortunate to have encountered him; without his help she would not have made it to Bjarna.

But think of the cost. Some part of her ached with the deeper knowledge of her sacrifice, which she now chose to ignore with a shake of her head.

The child tugged at a rib. Sanja watched them struggle and then moved in to help, waiting for a moment that Bjarna took a break so that she could insert herself. She grabbed the bone closer to where it joined the spine and violently thrashed one way, then the other, to loosen the connection.

Then she sank back on her haunches and motioned to it. Well? Try again. Sanja wasn't going to solve all the world's problems for her; but she did make it easier.