The Mother could rest.". The night before their departure, Ayla had taken time to meet with the other Doniers and assure them that she would meet with them again soon after her return from the north. It's hard to believe that Clan people cook this way. Ayla was interrupted by Jonayla who had come forward with Cambarre. Zolana, Doroban's mate, served the food that Camma had prepared. They were packed and riding up the trail soon after a meal of dried Bison meat and mint tea. He looked like a human weasel, shifty eyes and ingratiating smile. As the sun rose above the horizon they had finished eating, and were on their way. All that was left of her teacher and friend were ashes in a jar of fired clay, now wrapped in a rawhide covering dyed red. Ayla and Jonayla worked away at the post until it was smooth as a deer's ear, then each taking an end, carried it near to the gravesite. It had been less than three full moons ago that Jonayla had come to her worried that she would never find a man and now here she was, a woman with a mate. Soon she slept. It would be too dangerous in the dark to continue on the ridge path. her mother asked quietly. He'd heard the story many times. In the back of her mind, she wanted to leave something physical behind, something beautiful that would outlast her. The Clan Mog-ur then looked for a long time at the hunter's mark on her throat, then finally signed, "And the totem mark?". he asked. She was just a woman, if you took away all her friends and strange companions. And that was the way she found sleep, in the comfortable reassurance of Jondalar's strong arms. "Yes, both are fine, although last winter we lost Ahnlay, Hochaman's mate. "No matter what you decide to do, I know it will be for the best. We all remember how much trouble she had at that birthing so maybe the Mother is watching out for her.". Soon the Elk steaks were spitted over the flame and Jonayla was stirring an accompanying vegetable mix in a steamy broth made from the meat juices. "Willamar!" The man spoke in a very stilted version of the Zelandonii language as if he had come from the coastal region. I can't stop you from feeling the pain but I'll make it as brief as I can. It was late morning before Jonayla spotted the cooking fires from First Place and they increased their horses' pace to a trot. They moved toward them as if floating, there were murmurs of fear from among Armuna's followers and murmurs of hope from the rest of the women who secretly opposed them. Finally, as they neared the herd, one by one, the men dropped to the ground to hide among the tall dry grass that covered the valley floor. As usual, many of the people had already gathered around the temporary burial shelter that had been built the day before. And with a bird spear at that," he said, sounding relieved. What more must she do to prove her power to you? We all three survived a terrible fate and we will always have that in common. Now it would normally hold hides for tents, grains and dried meats so they could be stored safely away from foraging animals. We are expecting someone from the south and we want them with us before we go further. The Summer Meetings had really become a gathering of the people for trade and to mingle; a place to look for a mate. Both the child and the blonde Zelandoni turned at the summons. Once the leg was secured to splints, she cleaned and wrapped his scalp, holding another poultice in place with some of the woven fibers that she had been using for that purpose. For reasons I couldn't even explain to myself, I pushed her into your father's embrace. "Please tell your leader that I will be arriving very soon and I will be bringing the leader of those who attacked the Clan as my prisoner." Jonayla had been about to stand up and start signing to the man of the Clan, she wasn't used to waiting to speak and thought he was being a bit too arrogant for his own good. "It is so good to see you!" He would lead the helpers while the Zelandoni were meeting or performing ceremonies. After everything settled down and the people from the hills were led back to the shore they found that nothing was left to see. "Yes, but I thank you anyway," the Zelandoni of The White Cave said. It's not something I asked for, it is a burden, but I know that it must be done. She knew that with all the council meetings and planning for the journey to the Summer Meeting, she hadn't been able to take the time necessary to answer his questions. If anyone should be giving thanks, it's me. She had been looking for more of the fungus ever since her initial success, but so far had not been able to find any that looked and smelled the same. Jonayla told me that you insisted the proper rituals be performed before you would leave," he replied. What do I plan to do next? Just as he realized that they might actually be the man and woman their leader had ordered them to seek out, the woman stopped and stared directly at him. "Are you about done?" It seems to work where other cures do not. He could see and smell two strange male horses and one female. Not waiting for Atta to die from the poison, Armuna walked over and looked down at him. Durcan dismounted and crept forward to the edge of the clearing. Jonayla asked, hoping the news was good. "But enough of my wistful feelings. the boy virtually wriggled with excitement and admiration, so much so that his father felt momentary jealousy at his son's obvious hero worship. He had crossed paths with the killers and had been captured by them. I think your mother is the only one with the wisdom and ability to put things right. Here the clay was buried deeper and it was a dirty job to get at it, requiring picking through stones and debris. She was not Clan and she knew that now was a critical moment in any future relationship with these people. Jondalar asked angrily. Ayla had spotted some tubers along the trail back in the forest and had dug them up for later use. "How does Joplaya fare? "Dark is the color of night, the color in deep caves, the color of charcoal, after fire has burned the life out of wood. There had been a few instances in the past when the wild men of the Others had attacked their caves and they were determined that it wouldn't happen again without warning. They brought her back to health and cared for her. The Donier had looked so pleasant when she had first greeted him, then suddenly like someone with an upset stomach; her mood had changed. When she came on the women of the Ninth Cave she told them that she'd come from their lodge and the men were discussing hunting so she thought she would come down and join them. After all, they were making the correct signs, just not using the male/female postures. If the spear had been of normal Zelandonii design it would most likely have shattered, allowing the cave lion to maul her. More than ever before, there was concern for the future and all the individual Doniers had their own alliances and agendas to put forward. Everybody knew that there were troubles in the north and that conflict was on the rise. As Rubio thought about these things, he began to realize why the sacred place was so important to his people, why his Cave had taken such effort to keep everything repaired and ready for use. "I just hope we don't have a need for it before we get back to the Summer Meeting," he said, still worried even as he held out both the spearthrower and his quiver full of deadly spears for Jonayla to take. "No, I can't stay. Apparently it is rare and hard to find. Durcan had been trained by his parents to always be aware of his surroundings and to be prepared for anything. The pity was that their cave members would need much more meat to survive the coming winter than they would be able to hunt before the snows came. He looked relieved that others would resolve his problem for him. "All I wanted was for you to treat me like a Zelandonii man, but you wouldn't let go of that mixed essence belief. "I hope there's still a way through. I thought our last meeting would have warned you off your interfering ways." Ayla hadn't said anything. It was strange how much better she felt just by drinking water at the First Zelandoni's command. At some point, once the causes for the unrest in the northern area had been determined, it might be necessary to return to settle disputes and mete out justice. "Oh, I already understood what they were and I was using them to myself when one day he discovered that I understood how they worked. On the second day, after stopping in the late afternoon to make camp, Jondalar and Durcan left the campsite in search of a supply of firewood while Jonayla and Lorala set up the overnight travel tents. Until now it has seemed that we were not important to the northern caves. Speculation concerning her demise by various, even nefarious, means has dogged the 66-year-old Portland, Oregon, novelist throughout the 11 years it has taken her to complete The Shelters of Stone, book five in the projected six-book Earth's Children series that began with The Clan of the Cave Bear in 1980. He couldn't understand what was being communicated but decided she was holding her own, so he remained silent and watched. "Here are the steaks," Cambarre said, holding the thick juicy slabs of meat out to his mate. See the largest tree with the trunk that is as big across as a man is tall? That fact made the game on the mountain more plentiful and he was pretty sure that he would be able to hunt something for the pot just about every day. Ayla agreed that it would be pointless to herd the animals all the way up north if her daughter's intent was to keep them for breeding. What Jonayla could not know, was that many years ago at a Clan gathering far to the east, her mother had been a preparer of the sacred root that Clan Mog-urs used during dream journeys into the Spirit World. A sea she'd never seen. They may use different names for Her, but it isn't hard to see who they proclaim and worship. Folrian asked. Ayla wanted to find out more about this woman. A smaller shelter was built using the fourth to provide cover for the packs and carry baskets and was placed only steps away from the travelers. Ayla pulled a hide from a storage basket and laid it out over a log bench seat that doubled as a work bench when needed for the purpose. Only by leading the people to peace and well-being under the Mother's gaze will I fulfill Her wishes. She felt ashamed that she had been so easily overpowered and had been unable to protect her daughter who had a nasty bruise on her temple from Brukeval's brutal treatment of her. Ayla was sincere in this. Please consider turning it on! Everyone was surprised when the two showed up in camp with their whining little companions. And yes, I know this also sounds hard to believe - that a young girl could do all this - but you must know by now that your new First Zelandoni is not just 'anybody'. "Very well," the Donier agreed. "You sound like you're still asleep. As Ayla talked, she continued to sign the same information to Groog so he would understand what she said. Then the shaking slowed and finally stopped. Now all we need to do is find a place to set up camp.". "Joplaya and Echozar do well," Robonar replied solemnly. Ayla was about to move when the Mog-ur tapped her on the shoulder. Brukeval had grown up with some of them. We have no food for the children to eat,' said the younger brother's mate in tears. There were plenty of grain-headed grasses and a small stream within easy reach. "Things were different than they are today. "Cambarre, don't you think we should turn west now. ", "Yes, I suppose so," Ayla said with a sigh. We could use your experience, especially since that Mog-ur from the Flat err, Clan is there. The two women had removed their tunics as they worked by the stream and gave them to Cambarre to hang under the shelter to begin to dry. ", "Sweetheart, you know that Wolf is just too old to make a journey of several days, it would be very hard on him. For the first time, Ayla acknowledged in her heart that he might die. Cambarre did as he was told and Jonayla scrubbed his back, building up the suds and standing close to him so that her breasts were soon pressed against his back. The people sitting around the large open hearth murmured knowingly. How could anyone kill a child and then display its tiny skull as if it were a trophy. Joharran, leader of the Ninth Cave, Manvelar, leader of the Third Cave, Trivodan, leader of the First Southern Cave and Tormaden, leader of the Nineteenth Cave stood before Ayla. The other Zelandoni joined in. ", "Of course I trust you Zelandoni. Ayla had retrieved her wolf pup after he had been handed around to those who wished to touch him and to get to know him better. Cambarre saw this and moved left, mirroring Jonayla's move. He is a friend of Matagan. "Not necessary, the Donier of Third Cave at Two Rivers has taken charge of that task. Those that supported her, the Zelandoni of the Third, Fifth and Eleventh Caves as well as all of the Southern Caves were sure they could convince their cave leaders of the necessity of intervention in the north. She and Lorala were riding side by side in conversation when Cambarre reined his horse into step with Jonayla's Gray. It will still be some time before the slowest to prepare are ready to go and I need some peace and quiet for a few moments.". "That is many times the size of the Chimu," Camma said, quite impressed. But now, with a powerful shaman to lead the way, they soon became the ones who made the rules and told other people what to do. At how helpless and useless she had felt. They were up with the dawn. He wanted to scare them, make them run back across the river, never to return. A few strands of his blonde hair had escaped his ponytail and were flying loose in the breeze. "I don't feel that I did anything to take credit for," Ayla replied. She allowed her colleague to ply her with medicines and as an accomplished healer herself, she used the opportunity to test her body's reaction to the younger woman's cures and to share her observations as any healer might under the same circumstances. As the sun rose above the horizon, father and son had already set out and within a very short time had a bird's eye view of what had caused the river flow to stop. She has learned new cures using plants and roots that seem to grow only here. "It was five winters ago when my father died and I was chosen as leader. He was an extremely handsome man and she felt the familiar urge deep down inside as she looked into his clear gaze. He knew it could be done," Cambarre concluded. "He and Blackie are trailing around after Durc. He would be tall; it was obvious from the height he had already attained. "I will leave this with you so you can drink when you wish," she signed, placing the water bag within easy reach. Since the First Zelandoni had become ill, things hadn't gone well for peace in the north, a peace that had always been present in the region before this time. If a man with a spearthrower threw with all his might, and then walked to the spear he had thrown, then threw it again and repeated this thirty more times, that is how far the water from the sea came into the land. "I'm going to finish unhitching the pole-drag and give Summer Child a rubdown; you should do the same for Gray. There was a ripple of excitement among many, looking forward to the wordplay that everyone expected as the Doniers began to examine the candidates for the position of First Zelandoni. Ayla reached for her medicine bag and pulling the flap back took out a red colored clan-style amulet pouch and handed it to him. Jean M Auel is a noteworthy author from the United States who has written a number of novels in the Literature & Fiction genre. She helped him up onto his elbows and held the water bag to his lips to let him drink. That wasn't the Zelandonii way, direct questions were considered rude and besides, he didn't want to embarrass her. "I'm glad you like him. The spearhead was buried deep and would have to be cut out, causing further damage. Ayla wanted to believe it too, and she felt it could be true. Jonayla had only walked a few paces beyond the Zelandoni lodge before hearing her name called. I assumed that you had them for a generation at least.". "Mother, are you all right? He was a wise man, who only spoke when he had something important to say. "Greetings First Zelandoni," the other woman said, smiling. Durcan whirled around to see his father waving. The man looked beyond Joharran to the woman, "Ah, so I'm to believe a woman who went away with the Shaman and his Hunt Leader. 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