by Jean M. Auel
'I think people like to enlarge stories to make them seem more interesting,' Ayla said. 'And who's to prove them wrong once the people the stories are about are gone? We just travelled back here to Jondalar's home. You no doubt have had your share of adventures.'
'But we didn't travel with a pair of magical horses and a wolf.'
'Danug, you know there is nothing magical about those animals. You watched Jondalar train Racer, and you were there when I brought Wolf to the lodge as a tiny puppy. He's just a wolf that got used to people because he grew up with them.'
'Which reminds me, where is that animal? I wonder if he'll still remember me,' Danug said.
'As soon as we got here, he ran off to look for Jonayla,' Ayla said. 'Apparently, she is with her age-mates doing something for the zelandonia. But I still haven't seen Jondalar. Did he say anything about going hunting?'
'Not to me,' Danug said, 'but the three of us haven't been around here that much. We're strangers, from far away, but introduced by Jondalar as your kin, so we have been welcomed as kin. Everyone wants to hear our stories and ask questions about our people. We've all been asked to participate in First Rites. Even me, as big as I am, though I was questioned about my experience with such young women, and I think I was tested by one or two "donii-women".' The huge young man grinned with delight. 'Jondalar translated for us in the beginning, but we've been learning Zelandonii, and can get by fairly well now on our own. People have been wonderful to us, but they keep wanting to give us things, and you know how hard it is to carry much when you're on a Journey. In fact, I did bring something that you left behind. I gave it to Jondalar. Do you remember the piece of ivory Talut gave you when you left? The one that showed landmarks to help to get started out right on your Journey?'
'Yes. We had to leave it behind to make room.'
'Laduni gave it to me to give back to you.'
'That must have made Jondalar happy. It was one thing he wanted to keep as a reminder of his stay with the Lion Camp.'
'I understand that. The S'Armunai gave me something that I will definitely keep. I'll show you.' Danug took out a figure of a mammoth made out of a very hard but strange kind of material. 'I don't know what kind of stone it is. Aldanor says they make it, but I don't know whether to believe him.'
'They do make that stone. They start with muddy clay, then shape it, and burn it in a very hot fire in a special enclosed space, like an oven built in the earth, until it turns to stone. I watched the S'Armuna of Three Sisters Camp do it. She is the one who discovered how to make that stone.' Ayla paused, and her eyes took on a far-away look, as though she were looking inside at a memory. 'She was not an evil person, but Attaroa did turn her the wrong way for a while. The S'Armunai are an interesting people.'
'Jondalar told me what happened to both of you there. But Aldanor is from a different Camp. We stopped overnight at Three Sisters. I thought it was strange that there were so many women, but they were very hospitable. After I talked to Jondalar, I realised that I might not have made it this far if you hadn't passed that way first. I shudder to think about it,' Danug said.
The leather entrance cover was moved aside. Danug and Ayla looked up and saw Dalanar looking in. 'If I'd known you wanted to keep her to yourself, I might have thought again before taking you along with us to this Summer Meeting, young man,' Dalanar said sternly, then smiled. 'Can't say that I blame you. I know you haven't seen her in a long time, but there are many other people who want to talk to this young woman.'
'Dalanar!' Ayla said, getting up and going outside the small tent to hug him. He'd aged, but he still looked so much like Jondalar, she felt a warm glow at the sight of him. 'Did Danug and the other two come with you? How did they find you?'
'By accident — or it was meant to be — depending on who you ask. Some of us were out hunting. There's a river valley nearby that attracts a lot of passing herds. They saw us and indicated that they wanted to join in the hunt. We were more than happy to have three healthy young men help out. I had already been thinking that if we made some really successful hunts, enough to put some meat down for next winter and take some with us, we might go to the Zelandonii Meeting this year.
'Their help made a difference. We counted six bison kills. It wasn't until later that evening that this young man started asking about you and Jondalar, and how to find the Zelandonii,' Dalanar said, indicating the huge red-haired man just emerging from the tent.
'Language was a bit of a problem. The only thing Danug could say was "Jondalar of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii." I tried to tell him Jondalar was the son of my hearth, but didn't have much luck,' the older man continued. 'Then Echozar returned from the flint mine, and Danug started talking to him in signs. He was surprised to find out Echozar could talk, but not nearly as surprised as Echozar was to see Danug and Druwez talk to him in signs. When Echozar asked where they learned it, he told us about his brother, a boy he said his mother adopted, who died. He said you were the one who taught everyone the hand signs so he could talk and be understood, Ayla.
'That's how we managed to communicate at first. Danug and Druwez talked to Echozar in signs, and he translated. I made up my mind then and told Danug we were going to the Zelandonii Summer Meeting and would take them with us. The next day Willamar and his party happened to arrive. It's amazing how good he is at communicating with people even if he doesn't know the language.'
'Is Willamar here, too?' Ayla asked.
'Yes, I'm here.'
Ayla spun around and smiled with delight to see the old Trade Master. They hugged with warmth and affection. 'Did you come with the Lanzadonii, too?'
'No, we didn't arrive with them,' Willamar said. 'We still had a few other stops to make to finish out the round. We got here a few days ago. I was just getting ready to leave for the Ninth Cave.'
'We actually came a little early this year,' Dalanar said. 'I knew where the Ninth would probably set up camp, so we're close by.'
'I happened to be one of the people who saw the Ninth Cave coming,' Danug said. 'When I saw the horses from a distance, I knew it had to be your people, Ayla. I was really disappointed when you were not with them, though I was glad to see Jondalar. At least he could speak Mamutoi. I recognised Jonayla as your daughter right away, especially when I saw her sitting on the back of that grey horse. If you hadn't come, I was going to go back with the Ninth Cave and surprise you, but you surprised us instead,' Danug said.
'You are a surprise, Danug, a welcome one. And you can still come and visit the Ninth Cave, you know,' Ayla said, then turned to Dalanar. 'I am glad you decided to come with the Lanzadonii. Is Jerika with you? Marthona will be so disappointed not to see all of you.'
'I was sorry to hear she wasn't coming. Jerika was looking forward to seeing her, too. It's amazing what good friends they've turned out to be. How is Marthona?'
'Not entirely well,' Ayla said, shaking her head. 'She complains about her aching joints, but it's more than that. She has pain in her chest and trouble breathing when she exerts herself too much. I always did plan to come to the Meeting as soon as I could, but I hated to leave her. She did seem much better when I left, though.'
'Do you really think she's better?' Willamar asked. His eyes had become serious.
'She said if she had felt as good earlier, when the Ninth Cave left, she might have come, but I don't think she could walk the whole way.'
'Someone could have carried her,' Dalanar said. 'I carried Hochaman on my shoulders all the way to the Great Waters of the West, twice, before he died.' Dalanar turned to Danug. 'Hochaman was the mate of Jerika's mother. They travelled all the way from the Endless Seas of the East. His tears mingled with the salt of the Great Waters of the West, but they were tears of joy. It was his greatest wish to go as far as the land went, farther than anyone ever did. I've never heard of anyone who travelled farther.'
'We remembered that story, Dalanar, and wanted to carry her,' Ayla said, 'but she didn't want to ride on Jondalar's shoulders. I think she
felt it would be too undignified. She didn't want to ride on Whinney, either. I asked her, but she didn't want to do that either. She likes the horses, but the idea of riding one always did scare her.' Ayla noticed the travois, the simple construction of poles and cross-mats, now unloaded on the ground. 'I wonder … do you think she would mind riding on the pole-drag, Willamar?'
'For that matter, a few people could take turns carrying her on a litter,' Dalanar volunteered. 'With four people, one on each corner, it would be easy. She's not heavy.'
'And she could sit up; she wouldn't have to look backward. I'm tempted to tell Jondalar to go back and get her, but I haven't seen him yet. Has he been with you, Dalanar?' Ayla asked.
'No, I haven't seen him all day. He could be anywhere. You know how it is at a meeting like this,' Dalanar said. 'I haven't even seen Bokovan all day.'
'Bokovan? Are Joplaya and Echozar here? I thought Echozar said he'd never came back after the big fuss that was made over his joining with Joplaya,' Ayla said.
'It took a lot of persuading. Jerika and I thought he should come for Bokovan's sake. He's going to need to find a mate someday, too, and there aren't enough Lanzadonii yet. All the youngsters are raised like siblings, and you know how it is when children grow up together. They don't usually think of each other as potential mates. I told Echozar that it was only a few people who objected, but he wasn't convinced. It wasn't until this big Mamutoi and his cousin and friend came that he decided to go. They helped most of all.'
'What did they do?'
'That's just it. They didn't do anything. You know how people always seem to feel uncomfortable around Echozar when they first meet him — you never did, but you were an exception,' Dalanar said. 'I think that's why he's always had a special fondness for you. Danug didn't either, just started talking to him in signs. The young S'Armunai didn't seem terribly bothered by Echozar either. Apparently they don't think of the ones of mixed spirits with as much antagonism as some of the Zelandonii.'
'I think that's true,' Ayla said. 'Mixtures seem more common among them, and more accepted, though not entirely, especially when the look of the Clan is as strong as it is in Echozar. He might have some problem even there.'
'Not with Aldanor. All three of those young men accepted him as easily as anyone else. They didn't make him an exception, or make special efforts to be nice to him. They just treated him like any other young man. It made Echozar realise, I think, that not everyone would hate him, or object to him. He could make friends, and so could Bokovan. In fact, that young couple that mated the same time you did, Jondecam and Levela? They have all but adopted Bokovan. He's over there all the time, playing with their youngsters, and all the rest of the children that always seem to be running around their camp. I wonder sometimes how they put up with having so many children there all the time,' Dalanar said.
'Levela has no end of patience,' Ayla said. 'I think she loves it.' She turned to Danug. 'You will go with us back to the Ninth Cave, won't you? We haven't even started catching up on what everyone in the Lion Camp is doing.'
'We were rather hoping to winter with you. I'd like to go all the way to the Great Waters of the West before I return. Besides, I don't think there is any way we're going to get Aldanor away from here before spring, and maybe not then,' Danug said, smiling at his friend.
Ayla looked at him questioningly. 'Why not?'
'When you see him around Jondalar's sister, you'll know.'
'Folara?'
'Yes, Folara. He is absolutely smitten with her. Completely, totally, out of his mind over her, and I think the feeling may be mutual. At least she certainly doesn't seem to mind spending time with him. A lot of time with him.' Though Danug had spoken Mamutoi, he was grinning. His language was similar, and he had learned quite a bit of Mamutoi on their Journey, and her name was the same word in any language. Ayla saw Aldanor's face flush. She raised her eyebrows and then smiled.
The tall, graceful young woman that Folara had become easily commanded attention everywhere she went. She had her mother's natural elegance and Willamar's easy charm, and as Jondalar had always predicted she would be, Folara was beautiful. Her beauty was not quite the consummate manifestation of perfection that Jondalar had been in his youth — and for the most part, still was. Her mouth was a little too generous, her eyes were spaced a bit too wide, her light brown hair was a touch too fine, but the minor imperfections only made her more approachable and appealing.
Folara had had no lack of suitors, but none had quite excited her fancy, or fulfilled her unexpressed expectations. Her lack of interest in choosing a mate was driving her mother to distraction; she wanted to see a grandchild from her own daughter. After spending so much time with the woman, she had grown to understand her better, and knew that Folara's regard for the young S'Armunai would be of great consequence to Marthona. The biggest question was would Aldanor decide to stay with the Zelandonii, or would Folara go with him back to the S'Armunai? Marthona needs to be here, Ayla thought.
'Willamar, have you noticed Folara's interest in this young S'Armunai?' Ayla asked, smiling at the self-consciously blushing visitor.
'Now that you mention it, I guess they have spent a lot of time together since I've been here.'
'You know Marthona, Willamar. You know she would want to be here if Folara is getting serious about a young man, especially one who may want her to go with him back to his home. I'm sure she would come here if she could.'
'You're right, Ayla, but is she strong enough?'
'You said something about carrying her on a litter, Dalanar. How long do you think it would take for a few strong young men to run back to the Ninth Cave and bring her here?'
'No more than a few days for good runners, maybe twice that to bring her back, and however long it would take her to prepare. Do you really think she's well enough?' Dalanar said.
'Would Jerika be well enough if it was Joplaya?' Ayla asked.
Dalanar nodded with understanding.
'Marthona seemed much better when I left, and if she doesn't have to exert herself, I think she would be as well here, where there are so many people to help her, as she is at the Ninth Cave. She likes the horses, to watch them or pat them, and I think under the circumstances, she'd even ride the pole-drag to get here, but I believe she'd be more comfortable sitting up on a litter and able to talk to people along the way. I'd ask Jondalar, but he doesn't seem to be around anywhere. Could you and Dalanar, and maybe Joharran, arrange it, Willamar?'
'I think we could do that, Ayla. You're probably right. Folara's mother needs to be here if she is getting serious about mating, especially to a foreigner.'
'Mother! Mother! You came! You finally came,' a young voice called out. It was an interruption Ayla was delighted to hear. She turned and smiled, and her eyes lit up as she held out her arms to the young girl running toward her, with the wolf happily loping beside her. Her daughter fairly flew into her arms.
'I missed you so much,' Ayla said, hugging her close; then she pulled back to look at her and hugged her again. 'I can't believe how much you have grown, Jonayla!' she said when she put her down.
Zelandoni had followed the child back, at a slower pace, but smiled warmly at Ayla as she approached. After they had embraced in greeting she asked, 'You finished your watching?'
'Yes, and glad of it, but it was exciting to see the sun stop and turn back, and mark it myself. The only problem was not having anyone there to share it with who really understood. I kept thinking of you,' Ayla said.
Zelandoni observed the young woman closely. There was a different air about her; Ayla had changed. The woman tried to find it. Ayla has lost weight — has she been sick? She should be starting to show, but her waistline is thinner and her breasts are smaller. O, Doni, she thought. She isn't pregnant anymore! She must have miscarried.
But there was something else, a new assurance in her manner, an acceptance of the tragedy, a self-confident poise. She knew who she was — and who she was, was Zelandoni! She has
been 'called'! She must have lost the baby then.
'We're going to have to talk, aren't we, Ayla,' Zelandoni Who Was First said, stressing her name. She could be called Ayla, but she wasn't Ayla anymore.
'Yes,' the young woman said. She didn't have to say more. She knew that the One Who Was First Among Those Who Served The Mother understood.
'We should do it soon.'
'Yes, we should.'
'And, Ayla, I am sorry. I know you wanted the baby,' she said quietly. Before Ayla could respond, more people crowded around.
Nearly all her close friends and kin came to the camp to greet her. Everyone seemed to be there except Jondalar, and no one seemed to know where he was. Usually when a person was leaving the Meeting camp to go off by themselves or with just one or two others, someone was told where they were going. Ayla might have begun to worry, but no one else seemed to. Most people stayed to have a meal or a snack. They recounted events that had taken place, talked about people, who was getting mated, who'd had another child or was expecting one, who had decided to sever the knot, or take a second mate — friendly gossip.
In the afternoon, people started wandering off to other activities. Ayla arranged her sleeping roll and the rest of the belongings that she had brought with her. She was glad she had taken the horses to the meadow in the woods earlier, and the corral that had been fenced for the horses, not so much to keep them in as to keep people out. Horses in a meadow were fair game under normal circumstances. Though everyone knew about the horses the Ninth Cave brought with them, just to leave no doubt that these were in fact those special horses, the area was conspicuously fenced. Jondalar and Jonayla often took them to the grassy steppes, to ride, or just to let them graze, but whenever they were not in the enclosure, she knew someone was with them.