THE PLAINS OF PASSAGE ec-4

by Jean M. Auel

  Later in the evening everyone gathered in the large ceremonial space to listen to Jondalar and Ayla tell about their travels and adventures. The Losadunai were particularly interested in the animals. Solandia had already begun to rely on Wolf to keep her children distracted, and watching the wolf playing with them even distracted the adults. It was hard to believe. Ayla didn't go into detail about the Clan, or the death curse that had forced her to leave, though she did hint at differences that had arisen.

  The Losadunai thought the Clan were just a group of people who lived far to the cast, and though she tried to explain that the process of making animals accustomed to people was not anything supernatural, no one quite believed her. The idea that just anyone could tame a wild horse or wolf was too hard to accept. Most people assumed that her time of living alone in a valley was a period of trial and abstinence that many who felt called to Serve the Mother endured, and to them her way with animals verified the appropriateness of her Calling. If she wasn't One Who Served yet, it was only a matter of time.

  But the Losadunai were distressed to learn of their visitors' difficulties with Attaroa and the Sarmunai.

  "No wonder we've had so few visitors from the east during the past several years. And you say one of the men who was held there was a Losadunai?" Laduni asked.

  "Yes. I don't know what his name was here, but there he was called Ardemun," Jondalar said. "He had hurt himself and was crippled. He couldn't walk very well, and he certainly couldn't run away, so Attaroa let him move around the Camp freely. He's the one who set the men free."

  "I remember a young man who went on a Journey," an older woman said. "I did know his name once, but I can't recall… let me think – he had a nickname… Ardemun… Ardi… no, Mardi. He used to call himself Mardi!"

  "You mean Menardi?" a man said. "I remember him from Summer Meetings. He was called Mardi, and he did go on a Journey. So that's what happened to him. He has a brother who would be glad to know he's alive."

  "It's good to know that it's safe to travel that way again. You were lucky you missed them on your way east," Laduni said.

  "Thonolan was in a hurry to get as far along the Great Mother River as we could. He didn't want to stop," Jondalar explained, "and we stayed on this side of the river. We were lucky." When the gathering broke up, Ayla was glad to go to bed in a warm, dry place with no wind, and she fell asleep quickly.

  Ayla smiled at Solandia, who was sitting beside the fireplace nursing Micheri. She had awakened early and decided to make the morning tea for herself and Jondalar. She looked for the pile of wood or dried dung, whatever fuel they used, that was usually kept nearby, but all she saw was a pile of brown stones.

  "I want to make some tea," she said. "What do you burn? If you tell me where it is, I'll go get it."

  "Don't have to. Plenty here," Solandia said.

  Ayla looked around and, still not seeing the fireplace burning material, wondered if she had been understood.

  Solandia saw her puzzled look and smiled. She reached over and picked up one of the brown stones. "We use this, burning stone," she said.

  Ayla took the stone from her hand and examined it closely. She saw a distinctive wood grain, yet it was definitely stone, not wood. She had never seen anything quite like it before; it was lignite, brown coal, a material between peat and bituminous coal. Jondalar had awakened, and he walked up behind her. She smiled at him, then gave the stone to him. "Solandia says this is what they burn in the fireplace," she said, noticing the smudge it left on her hand.

  It was Jondalar's turn to examine it and look puzzled. "It does look something like wood, but it's stone. Not a hard stone like flint, though. This must break up easily."

  "Yes," Solandia said. "Burning stone breaks easy."

  "Where does it come from?" Jondalar asked.

  "South, toward the mountains, are fields of it. Still use some wood, start fires, but this burns hotter, longer than wood," the woman said.

  Ayla and Jondalar looked at each other, and a knowing expression passed between them. "I'll get one," Jondalar said. By the time he returned, Losaduna and the eldest boy, Larogi, were awake. "You have burning stones, we have a firestone, a stone that will start a fire."

  "And it was Ayla who discovered it?" Losaduna said, more a statement than a question.

  "How did you know?" Jondalar said.

  "Maybe because he discovered the stones that burn," Solandia said.

  "It looked enough like wood that I thought I would try burning it. It worked," Losaduna said.

  Jondalar nodded. "Ayla, why don't you show them," he said, giving her the iron pyrite and flint along with the tinder.

  Ayla arranged the tinder, then turned the metallic yellow stone around in her hand until it felt comfortable and the groove worn into the iron pyrite from continued use faced the right way. Then she picked up the piece of flint. Her motion was so practiced that it almost never took more than one strike to draw off a spark. It was caught by the tinder, and, with just a few blows of air, a little flame burst forth. There was a collective sigh from the watchers, who had been holding their breaths.

  "That is amazing," Losaduna said.

  "No more amazing than your stones that burn," Ayla said. "We have a few extra. I'd like to give you one, for the Cave. Perhaps we can demonstrate it during the Ceremony."

  "Yes! That would be a perfect time, and I will be happy to accept your gift for the Cave," Losaduna said. "But we must give you something in return."

  "Laduni has already promised to give us whatever we need to get over the glacier and continue our Journey. He owes me a future claim, though he would have done as much anyway. Wolves broke into our cache and got our traveling food," Jondalar said.

  "You plan to cross the glacier with the horses?" Losaduna asked.

  "Yes, of course," Ayla said.

  "What will you do for food for them? And two horses must drink much more than two people – what will you do for water when everything is frozen solid?" the One Who Serves asked.

  Ayla looked at Jondalar. "I've been thinking about that," he said. "I thought we could take some dry grass in the bowl boat."

  "And perhaps burning stones? If you can find a place to start a fire on top of the ice. You don't have to worry about getting them wet, and it would be much less to carry," Losaduna said.

  Jondalar looked thoughtful, and then a big happy grin warmed his face. "That would do it! We can put them in the bowl boat – it will slide across the ice even with a heavy load – and add a few other stones to use as a base for a fireplace. I've been worrying about that for so long… I can't thank you enough, Losaduna."

  Ayla discovered by accident, when she happened to overhear some of the people talking about her, that they considered her unusual speech mannerism to be a Mamutoi accent, although Solandia thought it was a minor speech impediment. No matter how hard she tried, she could not overcome the difficulty she had with certain sounds, but she was glad that no one else seemed very concerned about it.

  Over the next few days, Ayla became better acquainted with the group of Losadunai who lived near the hot well – the group was called a "Cave" whether they lived in one or not. She particularly enjoyed the people whose dwelling space they shared, Solandia, Losaduna, and the children, and she realized how much she had missed the company of friendly people who behaved in a normal way. The woman spoke the language of Jondalar's people reasonably well, with some Losadunai words mixed in, but she and Ayla had no trouble understanding each other.

  She was even more drawn to the mate of the One Who Served when she discovered they had a common interest. Although Losaduna was the one who was supposed to have learned about plants, herbs, and medicines, it was actually Solandia who had picked up most of the lore. The arrangement reminded Ayla of Iza and Creb, with Solandia treating the Cave's illnesses with practical herbal medicine, leaving the exorcism of spirits and other unknown harmful emanations to her mate. Ayla was also intrigued by Losaduna with his interest in histories
, legends, myths, and the spirit world – the intellectual aspects she was forbidden to know when she lived with the Clan – and she was coming to appreciate the wealth of knowledge he possessed.

  As soon as he discovered her genuine interest in the Great Earth Mother and the nonmaterial world of the spirits, and her quick intelligence and amazing ability to memorize, he was eager to pass on the lore. Without even understanding them completely, Ayla was soon reciting long verses of legends and histories and the precise content and order of rituals and ceremonies. He was fluent in Zelandonii, though he spoke it with a strong Losadunai flavor in the expression and phrasing, making the languages so close that most of the rhythm and meter of the verses were retained although some of the rhyme was lost. Even more fascinating to both of them were the minor differences, and many similarities, between his interpretation and the received wisdom of the Mamutoi. Losaduna wanted to know the variations and divergences, and Ayla found herself being not only an acolyte, as she had been with Mamut, but a teacher of sorts, explaining the eastern ways, at least those she knew.

  Jondalar was also enjoying the Cave of people, and becoming aware of how much he had missed having a variety of individuals around. He spent quite a lot of time with Laduni and several of the hunters, but Solandia was surprised at the interest he showed in her children. He did like children, but it wasn't so much her offspring that interested him, as watching her with her youngsters. Especially when she nursed the baby, it made him long for Ayla to have a baby, a child of his spirit, he hoped, but at least a son or daughter of his hearth.

  Solandia's youngest, Micheri, aroused similar feelings in Ayla, but she continued to make her special contraceptive tea each morning. The descriptions of the glacier they had yet to cross were so intimidating that she would not even consider trying to make a baby with Jondalar yet.

  Though he was grateful it hadn't happened while they were traveling, Jondalar was filled with mixed emotions. He was getting worried about the failure of the Great Earth Mother to bless Ayla with pregnancy, feeling that in some way it was his fault. One afternoon he brought up his misgivings to Losaduna.

  "The Mother will decide when the time is right," the man said.

  "Perhaps She understood how difficult your travels would be. However, this may be the time for a ceremony to honor Her. Then you could ask Her to give Ayla a baby."

  "Maybe you're right," Jondalar said. "It certainly couldn't hurt." He laughed disparagingly. "Somebody once told me that I was a favorite of the Mother, and that She would never refuse anything I asked." Then his brow wrinkled. "But Thonolan still died."

  "Did you actually ask Her not to let him die?" Losaduni said.

  "Well, no. It happened too fast," Jondalar admitted. "That lion mauled me, too."

  "Think about it sometime. Try to remember if you have ever directly asked Her for anything, and if She complied or refused your request. Anyway, I will talk to Laduni and the council about a ceremony to honor the Mother," Losaduna said. "I want to do something to try to help Madenia, and an Honoring Ceremony might be exactly the right thing. She won't get out of bed. She wouldn't even get up to hear your stories, and Madenia used to love stories about traveling."

  "What a terrible ordeal it must have been for her," Jondalar said, shuddering at the thought.

  "Yes. I was hoping she would be recovering from it by now. I wonder if a cleansing ritual at the Hot Well would help," he said, but it was obvious he didn't expect an answer from Jondalar. His mind was already lost in thought as he began to consider the ritual. Suddenly, he looked up. "Do you know where Ayla is? I think I'll ask her to join us. She could be a help."

  "Losaduna has been explaining it, and I'm very interested in this ritual we are planning," Ayla said. "But I'm not so sure about the Ceremony to Honor the Mother."

  "It's an important one," Jondalar said, frowning. "Most people look forward to it." If she were not happy about it, he wondered whether it would work.

  "Perhaps if I knew more about it, I would, too. I have so much to learn, and Losaduna is willing to teach me. I'd like to stay a while."

  "We have to leave soon. If we wait much longer, it will be spring. We'll stay for the Ceremony to Honor the Mother, and then we have to go," Jondalar said.

  "I almost wish we could stay here until next winter. I'm so tired of traveling," Ayla said. She didn't voice her next thought, though it had been bothering her. These people are willing to accept me; I don't know if your people will.

  "I'm tired of traveling, too, but once we get across the glacier, it won't be far. We'll stop off to visit with Dalanar and let him know I'm back, and then the rest of the way will be easy."

  Ayla nodded in agreement, but she had the feeling they still had a long way to go, and the saying would be easier than the going.

  36

  Will you want me to do anything?" Ayla asked.

  "I don't know yet," Losaduna said. "I feel, under the circumstances, that a woman should be with us. Madenia knows I am the One Who Serves the Mother, but I am a man, and she has a fear of men right now. I believe it would be very helpful if she would talk about it, and sometimes it's easier to talk to a sympathetic stranger. People fear that someone they know will always remember the deep secrets that they reveal, and every time they see that person again, it may remind them of their pain and anger."

  "Is there anything I should not say or do?"

  "You have a natural sensitivity and will know that yourself. You have a rare, natural ability for new language, too. I am genuinely amazed at how quickly you have learned to speak Losadunai, and grateful, too, for Madenia's sake," Losaduna said.

  Ayla felt uncomfortable with his praise and glanced away. It didn't seem especially amazing to her. "It is quite similar to Zelandonii," she said.

  He could see her discomfort and didn't make any further issue of it. They both looked up when Solandia came in.

  "Everything's ready," she said. "I'll take the children and have this place prepared for you when you are through. Oh, and that reminds me, Ayla, do you mind if I take Wolf? The baby has grown so attached to him, and he keeps them all occupied." The woman chuckled. "Who would have thought that I'd ever be asking for a wolf to come and watch my children?"

  "I think it would be better if he went with you," Ayla said. "Madenia doesn't know Wolf."

  "Shall we go and get her, then?" Losaduna said.

  As they walked together toward the dwelling space of Madenia and her mother, Ayla noticed she was taller than the man, and she recalled that her first impression of him had been that he was small and shy. She was surprised at how much her perception of him had changed. Although he was short in height, and reserved in demeanor, his sure intellect lent stature, and his quiet dignity cloaked a deep sensitivity and a strong presence.

  Losaduna scratched at the stiff rawhide leather stretched between a rectangle of slender poles. The entry door was pushed outward and they were admitted by an older woman. She frowned when she saw Ayla and gave her a sour look, obviously unhappy that the stranger was there.

  The woman started right in, full of bitterness and anger. "Has that man been found, yet? The one who stole my grandchildren from me, before they ever had a chance to be born."

  "Finding Charoli won't return your grandchildren, Verdegia, and he is not my concern right now. Madenia is. How is she?" Losaduna said.

  "She won't get out of bed, and she hardly eats a thing. She won't even talk to me. She was such a pretty child, and she was growing into a beautiful woman. She would have had no trouble finding a mate, until Charoli and his men ruined her."

  "Why do you think she is ruined?" Ayla asked.

  The older woman looked at Ayla as if she were stupid. "Doesn't this woman know anything?" Verdegia said to Losaduna, then turned to Ayla. "Madenia didn't even have her First Rites. She is fouled, ruined. The Mother will never bless her now."

  "Don't be too sure of that. The Mother is not so unforgiving," the man said. "She knows the ways of Her children a
nd has provided means, other ways to help them. Madenia can be cleansed and purified, renewed, so that she can still have her Rites of First Pleasures."

  "It won't do any good. She refuses to have anything to do with men, not even for First Rites," Verdegia said. "All my sons have gone to live with their mates; everyone said we didn't have room in our cave for so many new families. Madenia is my last child, my only daughter. Ever since my man died, I have been looking forward to her bringing a mate here, having a man around to help provide for the children she would bear, my grandchildren. Now I won't have any grandchildren living here. All because of that… that man," she sputtered, "and no one is doing anything about it."

  "You know that Laduni is waiting to hear from Tomasi," Losaduna said.

  "Tomasi!" Verdegia spat out the name. "What good is he? It was his cave that spawned that… that man."

  "You have to give them a chance. But we don't have to wait for them in order to help Madenia. After she is cleansed and renewed, she may change her mind about her First Rites. At least we need to try."

  "You can try, but she won't get up," the woman said.

  "Perhaps we can encourage her," Losaduna said. "Where is she?"

  "Over there, behind the drape," Verdegia said, pointing to an enclosed space near the stone wall.

  Losaduna went to the place and pulled the drape back, admitting light into the darkened alcove. The girl on the bed put up her hand to ward off the brightness.

  "Madenia, get up now," he said. His tone was firm but gentle. She turned her face away. "Help me with her, Ayla."

  The two of them pulled her to a sitting position, then helped her to her feet. Madenia didn't resist, but she didn't cooperate. With one on each side, they led her out of the enclosed space, and then out of the cave. The girl didn't seem to notice the freezing, snow-covered ground, even with bare feet. They guided her toward a large conical tent that Ayla hadn't noticed before. It was tucked away around the side of the cave, screened by rocks and brush, and steam came from the smoke hole at the top. A strong smell of sulfur permeated the air.