body language was even more important. Where the hands were held when the signs were made, the posture, bearing, and stance of the person communicating, the ages and genders of those both making the signs and to whom they were given; and often barely perceptible indications and expressions, a slight movement of a foot or hand or eyebrow, were all part of their sign language. One couldn't even see it all if one focused only on looking at the face, or just listening to the words.
From an early age, children of the Clan had to learn how to perceive language, not just hear it. As a result, very complex and comprehensive ideas could be expressed with very little obvious movement and even less sound — but not over a great distance or in the dark. That was a major disadvantage. They had to see it. Ayla told them of one old man who had been going blind, who finally gave up and died because he couldn't communicate anymore; he couldn't see what people were saying. Of course, sometimes the Clan did need to speak in the dark, or shout over a distance. That was why they had developed some words, used some sounds, but their use of speaking words was much more limited. 'Just as our use of gestures is limited,' she said. 'People like us, the ones they call 'the Others', also use posture, expression, and gesture to speak, to communicate, but not as much.'
'What do you mean?' Zelandoni said.
'We don't use sign language as consciously, or as expressively, as the Clan. If I make a beckoning gesture,' she said, showing the movement as she explained, 'most people know it means to 'come'. If I make it quickly or with some agitation, it implies urgency, but from any distance there's usually no way to tell if the urgency is because someone is hurt or if the evening meal is getting cold. When we look at each other and see the shape of the words or the expressions on a face, it tells us more, but even in the dark, or in a fog, or from a distance we can still communicate with almost as much understanding. Even shouting from a great distance, we can explain very complete and difficult ideas. Such ability to speak and understand under almost any circumstance is a real advantage.'
'I never thought of it that way,' Jondalar said. 'When you taught the Mamutoi Lion Camp to 'speak' the Clan way with signs, so Rydag could communicate, everyone, particularly the youngsters made a game of it, had fun giving each other signals. But when we got to the Summer Meeting, it became more serious when we were around everybody else but wanted to let someone from the Lion Camp know something privately. I remember one time in particular when Talut was telling the Lion Camp not to say something until later, because there were some people nearby that he didn't want to know. I don't recall what it was now.'
'So, if I understand you correctly, you could say something in words, and at the same time say something else, or clarify some meaning privately, with these hand signs,' the One Who Was First said. She had stopped walking, and the frown of concentration indicated that she was thinking of something she felt was important.
'Yes, you could,' Ayla said.
'Would it be very difficult to learn this sign language?'
'It would be if you tried to learn it completely, with all of its shades of meaning,' Ayla said, 'but I taught the Lion Camp a simplified version, the way children are taught at first.'
'But it was enough to communicate,' Jondalar said. 'You could have a conversation … well, maybe not about the finer points of some point of view.'
'Perhaps you should teach the zelandonia this simplified sign language,' the First said. 'I can see where it could be quite useful, to pass on information, or to clarify a point.'
'Or if you ever met one of the Clan and wanted to say something,' Jondalar said. 'It helped me when we met Guban and Yorga just before we crossed the small glacier.'
'Yes, that too,' Zelandoni said. 'Maybe we could make arrangements for a few teaching sessions next year, at the Summer Meeting. Of course, you could teach the Ninth Cave during the next cold season.' She paused again. 'You're right, though, it wouldn't work in the dark. So they don't go into caves at all?'
'They go into them; they just don't go in very far. And when they do, they light the way very well. I don't think they would go this far into a cave,' Ayla said. 'except alone, or for special reasons. The mog-urs sometimes went into deeper caves.' Ayla vividly recalled a cave at the Clan Gathering, where she followed some lights and saw the mog-urs.
They started walking again, each caught up in private thoughts. After a while Zelandoni started singing again. When they had gone another distance that was not quite as far as it had been to the first paintings on the walls, the sound of Zelandoni's voice developed more resonance, seemed to echo from the walls of the cave, and Wolf began to howl again. The First stopped and this time faced the right wall of the cave. Ayla and Jondalar again saw mammoths, two of them, not painted but engraved, plus a bison, and what appeared to be some strange marks made with fingers in softened clay or something similar.
'I always knew he was a zelandoni,' the First said.
'Who?' Jondalar asked, although he thought he knew.
'Wolf, of course. Why do you think he 'sings' when we come to the places where the spirit world is near?'
'The spirit world is near, here in this place?' Jondalar said, looking around and feeling a touch of apprehension.
'Yes, we are very close to the Mother's Sacred Underworld here,' said the Spiritual Leader of the Zelandonii.
'Is that why you are sometimes called the Voice of Doni? Because when you sing you can find these places?' Jondalar said.
'It's one reason. It also means that sometimes I speak for the Mother, as when I am the Surrogate of the Original Ancestress, the Original Mother, or when I am the Instrument of She Who Blesses. A Zelandoni, especially One Who Is First, has many names. That's why she usually gives up her personal name when she serves the Mother.'
Ayla was listening carefully. She really didn't want to give up her name. It was all she had left of her own people, the name her mother had given her, although she suspected 'Ayla' wasn't exactly her original name. It was only as close as the Clan could say it, but it was all she had.
'Can all Zelandonia sing to find these special places?' Jondalar asked.
'They don't all sing, but they all have a 'voice', a way to find them.'
'Is that why I was asked to make a special sound when we were examining that small cave?' Ayla asked. 'I didn't know that would be expected.'
'What sound did you make?' Jondalar asked, then smiled. 'I'm sure you didn't sing.' Then turning to Zelandoni he explained, 'She can't sing.'
'I roared like Baby. It brought back a nice echo. Jonokol thought it sounded like there was a lion in the back of that little cave.'
'What do you think it would sound like here?' Jondalar asked.
'I don't know. Loud, I suppose,' Ayla said. 'It doesn't feel like it would be the right sound to make here.'
'What would be the right sound, Ayla?' Zelandoni asked. 'You will have to be able to make some sound when you are Zelandoni.'
She paused to think about it. 'I can make the sound of many different birds; maybe I could whistle,' Ayla said.
'Yes, she can whistle like a bird, like many birds,' Jondalar said. 'She is such a good whistler, they will actually come and eat out of her hand.'
'Why don't you try it now?' the Donier said.
Ayla thought for a while, then decided on a meadow lark, and brought forth a perfect imitation of a soaring lark. She thought she heard more resonance, but she would have to do it again in another part of the cave, or outside, to be sure. Somewhat after that, the sound of Zelandoni's singing changed again, but in a slightly different way than it had before. The woman motioned to the right and they saw that a new passageway opened out.
'There is a single mammoth down that tunnel, but it's quite a long ways, and I don't think we should take the time to visit it now,' the Donier said, and added in an offhand way, 'There's nothing in there,' indicating another opening almost directly across on the left. She continued singing past another passage opening off to the right. 'There's a ceiling in there that brings us close to Her, but it's a long walk in and I think we should wait until we're coming out to decide if we want to visit it.' Somewhat farther on she warned them, 'Be careful ahead. The passageway changes direction. It makes a sharp turn to the right, and at the turn there is a deep hole that leads to an underground section of the cave, and it's very wet. Perhaps you should follow me now.'
