It was as if the lake itself whispered a warning, but it was too late. The canoe swayed and broke his concentration. His instincts kicked in and, while exhaling impurities, he paddled forward. At the spot behind him, a shadow formed and his senses picked up on something moving in fast.
'Dammit.' He let his OCD tendencies get to him. He made a mistake. A mistake he wouldn't have ordinarily made if the power hadn't seduced his patience.
A huge splash of water flew up and crashed down on him, and the Misi-kinepikw lunged high above him, its serpentine body unfurling with astonishing speed. The creature's enormous, fanged jaws gaped open, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth as it came down upon him.
"Em—" His throat hitched and the impurities bottled up. Through sheer will alone, Dasha managed to circumvent the wheezing, and announced, "Ember Uppercut!"
