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“Has he lost fluid from his nose or ears?” Ayla asked.

“Not since he’s been here. There is an injury to his head, but it doesn’t seem very deep, just a few superficial scratches. He has so many broken bones, I’m guessing his real damage is internal. I’ll watch him tonight.”

“I’ll stay with you. Jondalar took Jonayla, and Wolf, with him. This man’s mate seemed uncomfortable around Wolf,” Ayla said. “I thought most people were used to him by now.”

“I suspect she hasn’t had time to get used to your wolf. She’s not from here; Amelana is her name. Jacharal’s mother told me the story. He went on a Journey to the south, mated her there, and brought her back with him. I’m not even sure if she was born in Zelandonii territory or only near it. The borders of territories are not always clear. She seems to speak it well enough, though with that southern inflection, a little like Beladora, Kimeran’s mate.”

“What a shame, to come all the way here, and then possibly lose her man. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to Jondalar right after I got here, or even now,” Ayla said, shuddering at the thought.

“You would stay here and become a Zelandoni, just as you are now. You said yourself, you don’t really have anyplace to go back to. You’re not going to make the long Journey all the way back to the Mamutoi alone, and weren’t you adopted by them? You’re more than adopted here. You belong. You are Zelandonii,” the woman said.

Ayla was a little surprised at the vehemence of the First’s statement, but more than that, she was gratified. It let her know she was wanted.

It wasn’t the next morning, but early the day after, that Ayla finally returned to her home. The sun was just coming up, and she paused a moment to watch the glowing color, brighter in one spot, begin to saturate the sky across The River. The rain had stopped, but clouds hanging low on the horizon strung out in wispy threads of brilliant reds and golds. When the searing light first lifted above the cliffs, Ayla tried to shade her eyes to take notice of the formations nearby so she could compare the rising of the intense radiance with where it rose the day before.

Soon she would be required to note the risings and settings of the sun and moon for a whole year. The hardest part of that, she was told by others of the zelandonia, was missing sleep, especially watching the moon, which sometimes first appeared or disappeared in the middle of the day, and sometimes in the middle of the night. The sun, of course, always rose in the morning and set in the evening, but some days were longer than others, and it moved across the horizon in a predictable way. For half the year as the days grew longer, it traveled a little farther north every day until it stood still for a few days in the middle of summer, when the days were longest, the time of the Summer Longday. Then it reversed its direction, setting a little farther south every day while the days got shorter, passing the time when day and night were the same length, and the sun set nearly directly west, until it stood still again for a few days in the middle of winter, the time of the Winter Shortday.

Ayla had talked with Jacharal’s mother and Amelana, and had become better acquainted with the young woman. They had at least one thing in common: they were both foreign women who had mated Zelandonii men. She was quite young, Ayla realized, and a little unpredictable and capricious. And she was pregnant, and still suffering some morning sickness. She really wished they could do more for Jacharal, for Amelana’s sake as well as his own.

Both Ayla and Zelandoni watched him closely, for themselves as well as for him. They wanted to see his progress to try to learn more about conditions such as his. So far they had managed to get some water into him, but it was only reflex action that caused him to swallow, and sometimes choke, when they put water in his mouth. He didn’t wake up as a result of their efforts. While they were together, Zelandoni also spent some time instructing Ayla in the ways of the zelandonia. They discussed medicines and healing practices, and conducted several ceremonies in an effort to elicit the help of the Great Earth Mother. Ayla was familiar with only some of it. They hadn’t yet gotten the whole community involved in the healing ceremonies, which would be much more elaborate and formal.

They also discussed a forthcoming Journey the older woman wanted to make with her acolyte, a long Journey that would take the entire summer, and she wanted to leave soon. There were several Sacred Sites to the south and the east that the First thought they should visit. They would not be going alone. Not only would Jondalar come, but Willamar, the Trade Master, and his two young assistants. They were discussing who else should make the trip with them, and Jonokol’s name came up. The idea of traveling so far to see new places was exciting, but Ayla knew it would also be arduous, and was grateful for the horses. It would make traveling easier for her and the First

. Besides, Zelandoni liked arriving on the pole-drag being pulled by Whinney. It created a commotion and she liked doing things that brought attention to the zelandonia, and the importance of the position of the First.

When Ayla arrived at her dwelling, she thought about making a morning tea for Jondalar, but she was so tired. She hadn’t slept much, staying up so Zelandoni could rest. In the morning, the Donier had sent her home to get some sleep. It was so early, everyone was still sleeping, except Wolf, who was outside waiting to greet her. She smiled when she saw him. It amazed her how he always seemed to know when she was coming, or where she was going.

When she went in, Ayla noticed that Jonayla was sleeping beside Jondalar. She had her own smaller sleeping roll beside theirs, but she liked to crawl in with them, and when Ayla wasn’t there, which was happening more often, she climbed in with him. Ayla started to pick Jonayla up to move her back to her own sleeping place, then changed her mind and decided to let them finish sleeping without being disturbed. They’d be up soon enough. She went to Jonayla’s bed, and though it was small, there was extra bedding in the storage area. Rearranging her child’s bedroll somewhat, she used it instead. When Jondalar woke up and saw Ayla sleeping in Jonayla’s place, he smiled, then frowned. He thought she must have been very tired, but he missed having her beside him.

Jacharal died a few days later, without ever waking up. Ayla used the travois to transport him back to the Seventh Cave. His mother wanted the funeral ceremony to be held there and him to be buried nearby so his elan would be in a familiar area while he was finding his way to the next world. Ayla, Jondalar, Zelandoni, and several others from the Ninth and neighboring Caves and all the people from Bear Hill took part in the burying ritual. Afterward Amelana approached Zelandoni and Ayla and asked to talk with them.

“Someone told me that you are planning to make a Journey south soon. Is that true?” Amelana said.

“Yes,” Zelandoni said, wondering what the young woman wanted. She thought she knew and was already considering how to handle it.

“Will you take me with you? I want to go home,” the young woman said, her eyes welling up with tears.

“But this is your home, isn’t it?” the First said.

“I don’t want to stay here,” Amelana cried. “I didn’t know that Jacharal wanted to move to New Home and live at Bear Hill. I don’t like it. There’s nothing there. Everything has to be made or built, even our dwelling, and it’s still not finished. They don’t even have a Zelandoni. I’m pregnant and I would have to walk to another Cave to have my baby. Now I don’t even have Jacharal. I told him not to climb up High Rock.”

“Have you talked to Jacharal’s mother? I’m sure you could stay at the Seventh Cave.”

“I don’t want to stay at the Seventh Cave. I don’t know the people there either, and some of them haven’t been very nice to me because I come from the south. I am Zelandonii after all.”

“You could move to the Second Cave. Beladora is from the south,” the First said.

“She’s south, but more east and she’s a leader’s mate. I don’t really know her. And I just want to go home. I want to have my baby there. I miss my mother,” Amelana said, and burst out into sobs.

“How far along are you?” Zelandoni asked.

“My bleeding stopped more than three Moons ago,” she said, sniffling.

“Well, if you are sure you want to leave, we’ll take you with us,” Zelandoni said.

The young woman smiled through her tears. “Thank you! Oh, thank you.”

“Do you know where your Cave is?”


Tags: Jean M. Auel Earth's Children Fantasy