by Jean M. Auel
'Yes, of course,' he said. 'Hunting is what we were doing.'
'But not very well,' someone in the crowd who was watching said, under his breath, but loud enough so that everyone heard. Some of the young men blushed and looked away.
'Has anyone spotted any herds recently?' Jondalar asked, directing his question to the two hunters of the Cave. 'I think we'll need to hunt more than one animal.'
'No, but it's the right season for red deer to be migrating through, especially the does and young. Someone could go out and look, but it usually takes a few days,' one of the Cave hunters said.
'What direction would they be coming from?' Jondalar asked. 'I can go and look this afternoon, on Racer. He can travel faster than anyone on foot. If I find anything, Ayla and I can go back and perhaps chase them this way. Wolf can help, too.'
'You can do that?' the young man blurted out.
'We told you they were special horses,' Jondalar said.
The deer meat had been spread out on cordage that was stretched across a slow, smoky fire overnight. As Ayla was packing it into her parfleche meat container, she wished it had had more time to dry, but they'd already stayed two days longer than the First had planned. Ayla thought she could continue drying it over fires along the way, or even after they arrived at the Seventh Cave of the South Land Zelandonii, since they would be staying for a while.
The Donier Tour group had grown again; the seven young men would be with them. They had proved quite helpful on the hunt, if a little too eager. They did know how to throw spears; they just didn't know how to cooperate with one another to drive animals toward one another or into some kind of a cul-de-sac so they could be effectively hunted. The young men were quite impressed with the spear-throwers used by the travellers from north of Big River, including the First's Acolyte, as were the two local hunters, who had heard of the weapon but had not seen one in action. With Jondalar's help, most had already made spear-throwers of their own and were practising with them.
Ayla had also persuaded Dulana to come with them and enjoy at least part of her Summer Meeting. She was lonely for her mate and children and wanted to see them, though she was still nervous about the scars on her hands and face. She shared a sleeping place with Amelana. They had become friendly, especially since Dulana was willing to chat about pregnancy and giving birth from the point of view of her own experience. Amelana never felt comfortable just chatting with the First or her Acolyte, even though Ayla had a child with her. The young woman had heard them discussing medicines and healing practices, and other knowledge and lore of the zelandonia, most of which she didn't understand, and felt intimidated by the accomplished women.
She did, however, like the attention she was getting from all the young men, both the young hunters and Willamar's apprentices, though the traders did back off when she was surrounded by all of the rather bumptious youths. They didn't need to vie for her attention. They knew the youngsters would be with them only a few days, and they had the rest of the trip. While Jondalar with the help of Jonokol and Willamar was hitching the First's special riding travois to Whinney, Ayla and the Donier were watching the by-play of Amelana and the young men.
'They remind me of a litter of wolf cubs,' Ayla said.
'When did you see wolf cubs?' Zelandoni said.
'When I was young and still living with the Clan,' Ayla said. 'Before I started hunting meat-eaters, I used to watch them, sometimes for a long time, all morning, or all day, if I could stay away that long. I watched all kinds of four-legged hunters, not just wolves. That was how I learned to track very silently. Watching the young of any animal was always fascinating, but I particularly liked wolf cubs. They liked to play, just like those boys — I suppose I should call them young men, but they still act like boys. Look how they wrestle and punch and bump each other out of the way, all trying to get Amelana's attention.'
'I notice Tivonan and Palidar are not with them,' the Donier said. 'I think they know they'll have plenty of time to pay attention to her after we reach the next sacred site and the youngsters go away, and when we start travelling again.'
'You think those young men will go off someplace when we get to the next Cave? She's a very attractive young woman,' Ayla said.
'She's also their only audience right now. They will be the centre of attention of admiring friends and relatives when they arrive at their Camp with us, and bringing deer meat to share. Everyone will be asking them questions and be eager to hear the stories they have to tell. They won't have time for Amelana.'
'Won't that make her sad or upset?' Ayla said.
'She'll have new admirers by then, and they won't all be boys. An attractive young, pregnant widow will not lack for attention, and neither will those young traders. I'm glad neither one of them seems overly infatuated with Amelana,' the older woman said. 'She's not the kind of woman who would make a good mate for either one of them. A woman mated to a traveller has to have strong interests of her own and not depend on her man to keep her occupied.'
Ayla thought that she was glad Jondalar was not a trader, or involved in some other craft that would require him to travel long distances. It wasn't that she didn't have interests of her own or that she needed him to keep her occupied; it was that she would worry if he were gone for a long time. He occasionally took his apprentices to search out new sources of flint, and often examined likely sources when he was out with hunting parties, but travelling alone could be dangerous, and if he got hurt, or worse, how would she know? She would have to wait and wait, wondering if he would ever return. Travelling with a group or even two is better. Then one at least can come back and tell you.
It occurred to her that perhaps Willamar wouldn't choose just one of his apprentices to be the next Master Trader. He might choose both, and suggest that they travel together for company and to help each other. Of course, a trader's mate could travel with him, too, but once children came along she might not want to travel away from other women much anymore. It would have been much more difficult, when we were on our Journey, if I'd had a baby along the way. Most women would want the help and companionship of their mothers and other relatives and friends … just like Amelana does. I don't blame her for wanting to go home.
Once they were underway, the travellers settled into a routine quickly, and since they'd had such a good hunt before they left, they didn't have to allow time for hunting along the way, and travelled a little faster than usual. They did spend extra time collecting food that grew, however. Since the season had progressed, they had a greater selection and abundance of vegetables — roots, stems, leafy greens — and fruits to gather.
About midmorning on the day they left, as the temperature began to warm, Ayla began to notice a delicious aroma. Strawberries! We must be walking through a field of wild strawberries, she thought. She wasn't the only one who became aware of the favourite fruit, and everyone was glad to stop to make tea and to pick several small baskets of the tiny bright red berries. Jonayla didn't bother with a basket — she picked them right into her mouth. Ayla smiled at her, then looked at Jondalar, who was picking strawberries alongside her.
'She reminds me of Latie. Nezzie would never send her daughter out to pick strawberries for a meal. Latie ate everything she picked and never brought anything back, no matter how often her mother chided her. She loved strawberries too much,' Ayla said.
'Is that right?' Jondalar said. 'I didn't know that. I guess I was too busy with Wymez or Talut when you were talking to Latie or Nezzie.'
'I even made excuses for Latie some times,' Ayla said. 'I'd tell Nezzie there weren't enough berries for everyone. It was true enough; by the time Latie got through, there weren't, and she could pick them fast.' Ayla picked for a while in silence, but mentioning Latie brought up other memories. 'Remember how much she loved the horses? I wonder if Latie ever managed to find a young one to bring home? Sometimes I miss the Mamutoi. I wonder if we'll ever see any of them again.'
'I miss them, too,' Jondalar said. 'Danug was b
ecoming a fine flint-knapper, especially with Wymez to train him.'
When she finished picking her second basket of strawberries, Ayla noticed other things growing that could add to their evening meal, and asked Amelana and Dulana if they wanted to help her collect some. Ayla took Jonayla and headed first for the edge of the river they were following to collect cattails. Their rhizomes with their new roots and the corms and the lower stems were particularly succulent at this time of year. The top spike had also filled out with tightly packed green buds, which could be boiled or steamed and then chewed off. There were also several kinds of leafy greens. She saw the distinctive shape of sorrel and smiled when she thought of their spicy, tangy taste, and she was especially pleased to find nettles, delectable when cooked down to a delicious green mass.
Everyone enjoyed the meal that night. Spring foods were usually sparse — a few greens, some new shoots — and the larger variety and quantity of plant foods that summer brought were welcomed. The people sometimes craved vegetables and fruits because they provided essential nutrients that their bodies needed, especially after a long winter of primarily dried meat, fat, and roots. The morning meal was leftovers and hot tea, and a quick start. They planned to cover a lot of ground that day so they would arrive at the local Summer Meeting Camp early on the day after.
On the second day, shortly after they started out, the travellers ran into some difficulty. The river they were following had been spreading out and the banks near the stream were becoming boggy and overgrown with vegetation, making it difficult to walk close to the water. It was midmorning and they had been climbing up the sloping sides of a rise for some time. They finally came to the crest of a knoll, and looked out over a valley below. High hills ranged around a long, low area of land, dominated by a steep-sloped prominence that overlooked the confluence of three rivers: a major one that came from the east and meandered off toward the west, a large tributary originating in the northeast, and the small one they were following. Directly ahead of them in a field between two of the rivers was a profusion of summer shelters, lodges, and tents. They had reached the Summer Meeting Camp of the Zelandonii who lived in the land south of Big River, in the territory of the Seventh Cave.
One of the spotters came running into the zelandonia lodge. 'Wait until you see what is coming this way!' he blurted out.
'What?' said the Zelandoni of the Seventh Cave.
'People, but that's not all.'
'All the Caves are here,' another Zelandoni said.
'Then they must be visitors,' the Seventh said.
'Were we expecting any visitors this year?' the elder Zelandoni of the Fourth Cave of the South Land Zelandonii said as they all got up and headed toward the entryway.
'No, but that's the way it is with visitors,' the Seventh said.
When the Zelandonia went out, the first thing they noticed heading their way was not the band of people, but the three horses, all of which were dragging some kind of contrivances; two also had people on their backs, one of them a man, another a child. A woman was walking in front of a horse dragging a different apparatus, and as they drew closer, movement beside the woman resolved itself into a wolf! Suddenly the Seventh started to recall stories from people who had stopped on the way back from a Journey north. They talked about a foreign woman and horses, and a wolf. Then it all came together.
'If I'm not mistaken,' the tall, bearded, brown-haired man said, loud enough for the rest of the Zelandonia to hear, 'we are being paid a visit by the First Among Those Who Serve The Great Earth Mother, and her Acolyte.' He added to an Acolyte who was standing nearby, 'Go and find as many of the leaders as you can and bring them here.' The young man set out in a run.
'Isn't she supposed to be a large woman? Very impressive, I understand, but this would be a long way for a large woman to come,' said a rather plump Zelandoni.
'We shall see,' said the Seventh. Since the most sacred site in this region was near the Seventh Cave, the Zelandoni of the Seventh Cave usually, though not always, became the acknowledged leader of the local zelandonia.
More people started gathering around, and the leaders of various Caves began appearing. The leader of the Seventh Cave came and stood beside the Zelandoni of the Seventh. 'Someone said the First is coming to visit?' she said.
'I believe so,' the Zelandoni said. 'Do you remember those visitors we had a few years ago? The ones from far to the south?'
'Yes, I do. Now that you mention it, I think I remember that they said one of the northern Caves had a foreign woman living there who had great control over animals, horses in particular,' the woman said. The tattoos on the side of her forehead were on the opposite side of the ones on the forehead of the Zelandoni, but similar.
'They told me she was an Acolyte of the First. They didn't see much of her, at least not before they had to leave. Her mate was a Zelandonii man who went on a long Journey, five years or more, and brought her back home with him. He also had control of horses and even her child did, and they had a wolf, too. It looks to me like that's who's coming,' the Zelandoni explained. 'I'm guessing the First may be with them.'
They have efficient spotters, the First said to herself as they pulled up to a rather large lodge, which she assumed was for the zelandonia. They seem to have gathered together quite a welcoming party. Ayla signalled Whinney to stop, and when the First was sure there would be no last-moment jerks, she stood up, and with great agility and grace the large woman stepped off the special travois. That's why she can travel so far, the plump Zelandoni thought.
All the Zelandonia, leaders, and visitors exchanged formal greetings and identified themselves. The leaders of the Caves from which the young hunters originally came were also glad to see them. Their fa'lodge was empty and no one had seen them for several days, and their families were beginning to worry and wanted a search party sent out to look for them. Since they arrived with the visitors, there was obviously a story here, which could be told later.
'Dulana!' a voice called out.
'Mother! You came!' two happy young voices shouted at the same time.
The elderly Zelandoni from the Fourth South Land Cave looked up, surprised to see the young woman. She had been so despondent after she burned herself, she couldn't even bring herself to come outside of her shelter, and here she was at the Summer Meeting. She would have to make some inquiries and find out what had changed her mind.
A major celebration, feast, and Mother Festival were immediately planned to welcome the visitors and the First, and when it was learned that they wanted to visit their sacred site, the Zelandoni of the Seventh began to make the arrangements. Most of the usual Summer Meeting ceremonies were over, except for the last Matrimonial, and people had begun making plans to leave, but with the coming of the visitors, most people decided to stay a little longer.
'We may need to arrange a hunt and perhaps a foraging excursion,' the leader of the Seventh said.
'The hunters, including your young men, did manage to intercept a herd of migrating red deer before we left,' the First said. 'They made several kills and we brought most of the animals with us.'
'We only field-dressed them,' Willamar said. 'They'll need to be skinned, butchered, and either cooked or dried soon.'
'How many deer did you bring?' the leader of the Seventh Cave asked.
'One for each of your young hunters, seven,' Willamar said.
'Seven! How could you bring so many? Where are they?' a man said.
'Would you like to show them, Ayla?' Willamar said.
'I would be glad to,' Ayla said.
The people nearby noticed her accent and knew she had to be the foreign woman they had heard about. Many of them followed her and Jondalar back to where the horses were patiently waiting. Behind both Racer and Grey were newly made pole-drags that appeared to be piled high with cattail leaves. As Ayla started to remove them, it was quickly revealed that beneath the vegetation were several whole carcasses of red deer of various sizes and ages, female and young. Th
ey were covered with cattails mainly to protect them from insects.
'Your young men were very enthusiastic hunters,' Jondalar said. He refrained from adding, but not very selective. 'These are all their kills. They should make a hearty feast.'
'We can use the cattails, too,' a voice from the watching group said.
'And you are welcome to them,' Ayla said. 'There were more growing where we turned away from the river, and other good things to eat as well.'
'I imagine plants growing near your Camp have been picked clean by now,' the One Who Was First said. There were nods and comments of agreement.
'If some of you would be willing to ride on the pole-drags, we can take you to the river where they are, and bring you and your pickings back,' Ayla said.
Several of the younger people looked at each other, then quickly volunteered. They went to get digging sticks and knives, and wide-mesh carrying bags and baskets. On a regular travois, two or three people could semi-recline, but on the one made especially for the First, two normal size people could sit upright, side by side, three if they were very thin.
When they started out, Jondalar, Ayla, and Jonayla rode on the backs of Racer, Whinney, and Grey, while the horses pulled six more people on the pole-drags. Wolf followed after them. When they reached the place where the travellers had turned away from the river, they halted the horses and the young people got off, feeling rather pleased with themselves for taking the unusual ride; then everyone spread out in several directions to forage. Ayla unhitched the pole-drags to give the horses a rest, and the animals grazed while the gatherers worked. Wolf nosed around, then ran into the woods after a scent he wanted to follow.
They were back at the Camp by midafternoon. While they were gone, many hands had made short work of processing the red deer, and much of it was already cooking. Work had begun on turning some of the pelts into leather that could be worn or made into other useful products.