good location, but if she stays without a mate, who's going to take care of that brood of hers?'
'Or supply the barma she drinks every day,' Folara said.
'That may be what will encourage her to move to the Fifth,' Zelandoni said.
'Unless her eldest son takes over,' Proleva said. 'He's been learning to make that barma for several years. Some say his is better than Laramar's, and there are enough people along our section of The River who would rather have a nearby source.'
'Well, don't suggest it to him,' Marthona said.
'It won't make any difference. If we can think of it, someone else is bound to as well,' Proleva said.
Zelandoni noticed two more people joining the ones who were chanting, and one leaving. She nodded her approval to them, then glanced at Ayla. Did her skin seem more grey? She hadn't moved but somehow she seemed to have sunk deeper into the bed. The Donier didn't like the way she looked. She went back to her explanation.
'I was saying that I wanted to try to help Ayla get her mind off her problems, to get her to talk about other things that are usually of great interest to her. That's why I asked her about this Clan root, but I'm not without fault, either. I was too anxious to learn about it. I should have been paying closer attention to her. I should have seen how upset she really was. And I should have believed her about the potency of the Clan root. I took only one drink, and had to struggle to maintain control. It is far more powerful than I ever imagined,' Zelandoni said.
'I'm afraid Ayla is lost somewhere in the world of the spirits. The only thing I really remember her saying is that chanting was the tie that kept her bound to this world, and I could feel the pull of it when I was somewhat lost from just the one drink. I will be honest with you. I don't know what else to do for her, except to keep her warm and chant and hope it wears off soon.'
'The Clan root — she told me about that,' Marthona said. 'The one she calls Mamut said he would never try that root again, that he was afraid he would be lost forever. He told her it was too powerful, and he warned Ayla never to use it again.'
The First frowned. 'Why didn't she tell me Mamut told her not to use that root? He was One Who Serves; he would know. Ayla was a little reluctant to try it at first, but she never told me why. And then she seemed perfectly willing, even performing Clan rituals for it. She didn't tell me Mamut had warned her against it,' Zelandoni said, quite distraught.
The First got up and checked Ayla again. She was still cold and clammy, and her breath was hardly noticeable. If the Donier had just seen her, and touched her, she would have thought Ayla was dead. She lifted her eyelid. There was only a slight response. Zelandoni had thought, hoped, that all Ayla needed was time for the effects to wear off. Now she was beginning to wonder if anything would bring her out of it.
She looked around, beckoned to a particular acolyte. 'Massage her, gently. Try to bring some colour to her skin, and let's try to get some warm tea into her, something stimulating.' And then louder, so everyone could hear, 'Does anyone know where Jondalar is?'
'He's been taking long walks lately, usually by The River,' Marthona said.
'I saw him practically running in that direction earlier,' an acolyte said.
Zelandoni stood, and clapped her hands for everyone's attention. 'Ayla's spirit is lost in the void, and she can't find her way back. She may not even be able to find her way to the Mother. We have to find Jondalar. If we don't get Jondalar here, she will never find her way back; she won't even have the will to try. Search the whole campsite, every tent; get everyone looking for him. Search the woods, up and down The River; search in The River if we have to. Just get him here. Fast.' Zelandoni was more agitated and upset than most people had ever seen her.
Everyone except for those who were needed to chant rushed out of the lodge and scattered in all directions. When they were gone, the One Who Was First To Serve The Mother examined Ayla again. She was still cold, and her skin was turning grey. She's giving up, the Donier thought. I don't think she wants to live. Jondalar may already be too late.
One of the acolytes burst into the fa'lodge used by Jondalar and the two Mamutoi visitors. Willamar and Dalanar were also in the lodge. They had come to look for Jondalar, too. The young acolyte had only seen the tall, red-haired man from a distance and didn't realise how big he was up close. He felt a bit overwhelmed.
'Do you know where Jondalar is?' the young man asked.
'No. I haven't seen him since early this morning,' Danug replied. 'Why?'
'It's the new Zelandoni. She drank some liquid that she made from a root and now her spirit is in some dark void and the First said we have to find Jondalar and bring him right away or she will die and her spirit will be lost forever,' he said all in one breath without stopping. He finally caught his breath. 'We're supposed to search everywhere, and ask everyone to help look for him,' the acolyte said.
'Could it be that root she took with Mamut?' Danug asked, looking at Drewez with consternation.
'What root is that?' Dalanar asked, quick to notice their worry.
'Ayla had some root she brought with her from her Clan people,' Danug explained. 'Apparently it was used by the ones who talk to the spirit world. Mamut wanted to try it, so Ayla prepared it the way she had been taught. I don't know what happened, exactly, but no one could wake them up. Everyone was worried and we all had to chant. Finally Jondalar came and begged Ayla to come back, telling her how much he loved her. They'd been having some trouble — kind of like they are now. I don't understand how two people who love each other so much can be so blind to each other's feelings.'
'He has always had trouble with women like that. I don't know if it's pride or stupidity,' Willamar said, shaking his head. 'I thought when he brought Ayla home, he was past it. He's fine if he really doesn't care that much about a woman, but if he loves one, he seems to lose his sense and doesn't know what to do, but that's not important. What happened?'
'Jondalar just kept telling her he loved her and begging her to come back. Finally she woke up, and so did Mamut. Mamut told us later they would have been lost in some kind of a black void forever if Jondalar's love hadn't been so strong that it found its way to her; he brought her back, and him, too. Mamut said the roots were too strong; he could never control them, and would never try them again. He said he was afraid his spirit would be lost forever in that terrible place, and he warned Ayla against them, too.' Danug felt the blood drain from his face. 'She's done it again,' he said as he ran out of the lodge. Then he wasn't sure where to go. Finally he had an idea and he raced toward the camp of the Ninth Cave.
Several people were milling around the large cooking hearth, and he was relieved to see Jonayla. She had obviously been crying, and Wolf was whining and trying to lick the tears from her face. Marthona and Folara were trying to comfort her, too. They acknowledged the greeting of the big Mamutoi as he hunkered down in front of the little girl. He stroked Wolf's head when the animal nosed his way closer to the familiar man.
'How are you, Jonayla?' he said.
'I want my mother, Danug,' she said, starting to cry. 'My mother is sick. She won't wake up.'
'I know she is. I think I know a way to help her,' Danug said.
'How?' she said, looking at him with wide eyes.
'She got sick like this once before, when she lived with us at the Lion Camp. I think Jondalar could wake her up. He's the one who woke her up before. Do you know where Jondalar is, Jonayla?'
She shook her head. 'I don't see Jondy very much anymore. He goes away, sometimes all day.'
'Do you know where he goes?'
'Lots of times he walks up The River.'
'Does he take Wolf with him sometimes?'
'Yes, but not today.'
'Do you think Wolf could find him, if you told him to?'
Jonayla looked at Wolf, then back at Danug. 'Maybe he could,' she said, then, with a tremulous smile, 'Yes, I think he could.'
'If you tell Wolf to find Jondalar, I'll follow him, and tell Jondalar to come back and wake your mother up,' Danug said.
'Mother and Jondy have not been talking very much. Maybe he won't want to,' Jonayla said, with a worried frown. Danug thought that she looked exactly like Jondalar when she frowned like that.
'Don't worry about that, Jonayla. Jondalar loves your mother very much, and she loves him. If he knew she was in trouble, he would run here as fast as he could. I know it,' Danug said.
'If he loves her, why doesn't he talk to her, Danug?'
