The Mammoth Hunters (Earth's Children 3)

Many people hurried to greet the Lion Camp, offering to help set up and arrange their place, and were greeted warmly, but Talut and Tulie passed several meaningful glances between themselves. They didn’t remember having so many friends who were so willing to help before. With the help of Latie, Jondalar, and Ranec, and for a while, Talut, Ayla set up a place for the horses. The two young men worked together easily, but spoke little. She turned down offers of help from the curious, explaining that the horses were shy and strangers would make them nervous. But that only made it obvious that she was the one in control of the animals, and engendered more curiosity. Word of her spread quickly.

At the farthest edge of the encampment, slightly around a curve of the wall of the ravine that opened onto the river valley, they constructed an awninglike lean-to, utilizing the hide tent she and Jondalar had used when they traveled together, supported by small trees and sturdy branches. It was somewhat hidden from the sight of the people camped in the hollow, but the view of the river and the beautiful wooded meadows across was expansive.

They were moving in and setting up places to sleep in the somewhat more crowded quarters when a delegation from Wolf Camp, along with several others, came to welcome them officially. They were in the host Camp’s territory, and though it was expected, it was more than courtesy to extend to all visitors the use of the Wolf Camp’s hereditary fishing weirs, berry, nut, seed, and root beds, and hunting grounds. Even though the

Summer Meeting would not last the entire season, hosting such a large group would take its toll, and it was necessary to find out if some particular area should be avoided so as not to overtax the resources in the region.

Talut had been quite surprised when told of the change in the location of the Summer Meeting. The Mamutoi didn’t, as a rule, meet at a home Camp. Usually they chose some location that was out on the steppes or in some large river valley that could accommodate such concentrations of people more easily.

“In the name of the Great Mother of all, the Lion Camp is welcome,” a thin, gray-haired woman said.

Tulie was shocked to see her. She had been a woman of uncommon grace and robust health, who had shouldered the responsibility of her co-leadership with ease, but she seemed to have aged ten years in the last season. “Marlie, we appreciate your hospitality. In the name of Mut, we thank you.”

“I see you have done it again,” a man said, grasping both of Talut’s hands in greeting.

Valez was younger than his sister, but for the first time, Tulie noticed that he also showed signs of age. It made her suddenly aware of her own mortality. She had always thought Marlie and Valez were close to her in age.

“But I think this is your biggest surprise,” Valez continued. “When Toran came running in, shouting something about horses walking across the river with you, everyone had to go and look. And then someone spied the wolf …”

“We won’t ask you to tell us about them now,” Marlie said, “though I must admit I am curious. You’ll just have to repeat it again too many times. We might as well wait until this evening so you can tell everyone at once.”

“Marlie is right, of course,” Valez said, though he had been ready to hear the story right then. He also noticed that his sister seemed especially tired. He feared this would be her last Summer Meeting. That was why he had agreed to host it when the place that had originally been selected was washed out by a change in the course of the river. They would be handing over their co-leadership this season.

“Please make use of whatever you need. Are you settled in comfortably? I’m sorry you have to be so far away, but you are late. I wasn’t even sure that you were coming,” Marlie said.

“We took a roundabout way,” Talut agreed. “But this is the best place. It’s better for the animals. They aren’t used to so many people.”

“I’d like to know how they got used to one!” a voice called out. Tulie’s eyes lit up as a tall young man approached, but Deegie got to him first.

“Tarneg! Tarneg!” she cried out as she rushed to embrace him. The rest of the Aurochs Hearth was not far behind her. He hugged his mother, and then Barzec, and all had tears in their eyes. Then Druwez, Brinan, and Tusie clamored for his attention. He put his arms around the shoulders of both boys, hugged them and told them how much they had grown, and then picked up Tusie. After a mutual hug and a tickle which produced delighted giggles, Tarneg put her down.

“Tarneg!” Talut boomed.

“Talut, you old bear!” Tarneg returned in a voice as powerful as the two men hugged. There was a strong family resemblance—he was nearly as much a bear as his uncle—but Tarneg had his mother’s darker coloring. He bent down to rub Nezzie’s cheek with his, then with a mischievous grin, he put his arms around the rotund woman and picked her up.

“Tarneg! What are you doing? Put me down,” she scolded.

He set her lightly down on her feet, then winked at her. “Now I know I’m as good a man as you, Talut,” Tarneg said, and laughed out loud. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do that? Just to prove I could?”

“It is not necessary to …” Nezzie began.

Talut threw back his head and roared with laughter. “It takes more than that, young man. When you can match me in the furs, you’ll be as good a man as I am.”

Nezzie gave up trying to scold her dignity back, and just looked at her great bear of a man, shaking her head with exasperated fondness. “What is it about Summer Meeting that makes old men want to prove they are young again?” she said. “Well, at least it gives me a rest.” She caught Ayla’s interested look.

“I wouldn’t put a wager on that!” Talut said. “I’m not so old that I can’t still clear the way to the lioness of my hearth just because I’m shoveling other drifts.”

“Hmmmf,” Nezzie shrugged, turning away, disdaining to reply.

Ayla was standing near both horses, and keeping the wolf close by so he wouldn’t growl and frighten people, but she had been watching the entire scene with intense interest, including the reactions of the people around. Danug and Druwez looked slightly embarrassed. Though they’d had no experience, yet, they did know what subject was being discussed, and it had been very much on their minds. Tarneg and Barzec were grinning from ear to ear. Latie was blushing and trying to hide behind Tulie, who looked on as though all this foolishness was beneath her. Most people were smiling benignly, even Jondalar, Ayla noticed, which surprised her. She had wondered if the reasons for his actions toward her had something to do with customs that were very different. Perhaps, unlike the Mamutoi, the Zelandonii did not believe people had the right to choose their own partners, but he did not seem disapproving.

As Nezzie passed her on the way into the tent, Ayla noticed a knowing little smile playing across her mouth, too. “Happens every year,” she said in a half-whisper. “He’s got to make a big scene, tell everyone what a man he is, and the first few days, even find another ‘drift’ or two—although she always looks like me, blond and plump. Then, when he thinks no one is noticing any more, he’s happy enough to spend most of his nights at Cattail Camp—and not so happy if I’m not there.”

“Where do you go?”

“Who can tell? With a Meeting this size, even though you know everyone, or at least every Camp, you don’t know everyone well. Each year there is someone to get to know better. Though I admit, often enough it’s another woman with growing children and a new way to season mammoth. Sometimes a man catches my eye, or I catch his, but I don’t need to make a big scene about it. It’s all right for Talut to brag, but if the truth were known, I don’t think he would like it if I bragged.”

“So you don’t,” Ayla said.