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
