'She is?' Jondalar said. 'No, I didn't know. When?'
'In a few days, at the Late Matrimonial, when Folara and Aldanor mate,' Proleva said, just coming in. She was followed by Joharran.
'That's what Aldanor told me,' Danug said.
Greetings were exchanged, the women hugged, and the leader of the Ninth Cave bent down and touched her cheek with his. Low stools were dragged close to Ayla's bed.
'Who is she mating?' Ayla asked, after everyone was settled, picking up the thread of the recent disclosure.
'Some friend of Laramar's who was staying with him and that bunch at the fa'lodge, the one they aren't using anymore,' Proleva said. 'He's a stranger, but Zelandonii, I understand.'
'He comes from a group of Caves that live along Big River to the west of here. I heard he came to our Summer Meeting with a message for someone, and decided to stay. I don't know if he knew them before, but he got along well with Laramar and the rest of that bunch,' Joharran said.
'I think I know the one,' Jondalar said.
'He's been staying at the camp of the Fifth Cave, since they left that fa'lodge, and Marona has been staying there, too. That's where he met her,' Proleva said.
'I didn't think Marona wanted to mate again, and he seems rather young. I wonder why she would choose him?' Jondalar said.
'Maybe she didn't have much choice,' Proleva said.
'But everyone says she's so beautiful, she could have almost anyone she wanted,' Ayla said.
'For a night, but not for a mate,' Danug said. 'I hear people talk. The men she's mated before don't speak very well of her.'
'And she's never had any children,' Proleva said. Some people say she can't have any. That could make her less desirable to some men, but I guess it doesn't matter to her intended. She is going with him to his Cave.'
'I think I met him,' Ayla said, 'when I was walking back from the Lanzadonii camp with Echozar one night. I can't say that I cared much for him. Why did he move out of that fa'lodge?'
'They all did after their personal things were taken,' Joharran said.
'I heard something about that, but I wasn't paying much attention at the time,' Jondalar said.
'Someone took things?' Ayla said.
'Someone took personal things from just about everyone who was staying at that fa'lodge,' Joharran said.
'Why would anyone do something like that?' Ayla asked.
'I don't know, but Laramar was pretty upset when he found out that a new winter outfit he'd just traded for was missing, not to mention his pack carrier and most of his barma. Someone else was missing new mittens, another man lost a good knife, and almost all the food was gone,' Joharran said.
'Does anyone know who did it?' Jondalar asked.
'Two people are missing, Brukeval and Madroman,' Joharran said. 'Brukeval left without anything, as far as anyone knows. The other men who were staying at the fa'lodge claim most of his things were still there after he left, but later most of them were missing, and so are Madroman's.'
'I heard Zelandoni tell someone that Madroman did not return the sacred objects he received as an acolyte,' Proleva said.
'I saw Madroman leaving!' Ayla said, suddenly remembering.
'When?' Joharran asked.
'It was the day the Ninth Cave shared a feast with the Lanzadonii. I was the only one at camp, and just coming out of the lodge. He gave me a look of such hatred, it actually frightened me, but he seemed to be in a big hurry. I remember thinking there was something odd about him. Then I realised I hardly ever saw him without his acolyte tunic, but this time he was wearing regular clothes, except I thought it was strange that his outfit was decorated with Ninth Cave symbols, not Fifth Cave.'
'That's where Laramar's new outfit went,' Joharran said. 'I wondered if it was him.'
'Do you think Madroman took it?' Ayla said.
'Yes, and everything else that was taken.'
'I think you're right, Joharran,' Jondalar said.
'I would guess he didn't want to face people after the disgrace of being rejected by the zelandonia, at least not the people who knew him,' Danug said.
'I wonder where he went?' Proleva said.
'He's probably going to try to find some other people to live with,' Joharran said. 'That's why he took the things. He knows winter is coming and he didn't know where he would be staying.'
'What will he do to get some strange group to accept him? He doesn't have a skill, and he never was much of a hunter. I heard he never went out hunting again after he joined the zelandonia, not even on a drive,' Jondalar said.
'Anyone can do that and almost everyone does. Children love going out and beating the bushes, and making a lot of noise to flush rabbits and other animals out and then chasing them toward hunters or into a net,' Proleva said.
'Madroman does have a skill. That's why he didn't return the sacred objects he got from the zelandonia,' Joharran said. 'That's what he'll do. He'll be a Zelandoni.'
'But he's not a Zelandoni!' Ayla said. 'He lied about being called.'
'But some strange group of people won't know that,' Danug said.
'He's been around the zelandonia for so many years, he knows how to act like one. He'll lie again,' Proleva said.
'Do you think he would really do that?' Ayla asked, appalled at the very idea.
'You should tell Zelandoni you saw him leave, Ayla,' Proleva said.
'And the other leaders should know,' Joharran said. 'Maybe we can bring it up before your meeting tomorrow, Jondalar. At least it will give people something else to talk about besides you.'
Ayla's eyes opened wide. 'So soon?' she said. 'Proleva, I am going to be there.'
They were outside on the level ground in front of the sloping sides of the large natural amphitheatre. Laramar was seated, and though his face was still somewhat swollen, he appeared to have essentially recovered from the beating he had received at the hands of the man facing him, except for the scars and battered nose from which he would never recover. Jondalar tried not to flinch as he stood in the bright afternoon sunlight looking at the man whose face was so badly damaged. He would not have been recognised by people who knew him well, if they hadn't known who he was. Originally there had been some talk that Laramar might lose an eye, and Jondalar was grateful that he had not.
It was ostensibly a meeting of the Ninth Cave and the Fifth Cave, with the zelandonia as mediators, but since any interested parties were free to attend, nearly everyone who had come to the Summer Meeting was curious and had indicated 'interest'. Though the Ninth Cave would have preferred to have waited until later for this confrontation, after the summer gathering of Zelandonii was over, the Fifth Cave had insisted. Since they were being asked to accept Laramar, they wanted to know what they and Laramar could expect as compensation from Jondalar and the Ninth Cave.
Jondalar and Laramar had met for the first time since the incident just before the public meeting inside the zelandonia lodge, along with Joharran, Kemordan, the leader of the Fifth Cave, each Cave's Zelandoni, and several other leaders and zelandonia. They knew Marthona was not strong, and she was told that she did not need to be at the meeting, especially since Laramar's mother was no longer alive, but she would have none of it. Jondalar was her son and she was going to be there. The mates of both of them were not a part of the first meeting either since they both presented complications. Ayla, because she had played such a large role in the incident, and Laramar's mate, because she did not want to move to the Fifth Cave with him, another aspect that would have to be dealt with.
Jondalar was quick to say how sorry he was, and how much he regretted his actions, but Laramar had nothing but disdain for the tall, handsome brother of the leader of the Ninth Cave. For one of the first times in his life, Laramar had the high ground; he was in the right, he had done nothing wrong, and he wasn't going to give up any of his advantage.
