The Plains of Passage (Earth's Children 4)

"Did you actually ask Her not to let him die?" Losaduni said.

"Well, no. It happened too fast," Jondalar admitted. "That lion mauled me, too."

"Think about it sometime. Try to remember if you have ever directly asked Her for anything, and if She complied or refused your request. Anyway, I will talk to Laduni and the council about a ceremony to honor the Mother," Losaduna said. "I want to do something to try to help Madenia, and an Honoring Ceremony might be exactly the right thing. She won't get out of bed. She wouldn't even get up to hear your stories, and Madenia used to love stories about traveling."

"What a terrible ordeal it must have been for her," Jondalar said, shuddering at the thought.

"Yes. I was hoping she would be recovering from it by now. I wonder if a cleansing ritual at the Hot Well would help," he said, but it was obvious he didn't expect an answer from Jondalar. His mind was already lost in thought as he began to consider the ritual. Suddenly, he looked up. "Do you know where Ayla is? I think I'll ask her to join us. She could be a help."

"Losaduna has been explaining it, and I'm very interested in this ritual we are planning," Ayla said. "But I'm not so sure about the Ceremony to Honor the Mother."

"It's an important one," Jondalar said, frowning. "Most people look forward to it." If she were not happy about it, he wondered whether it would work.

"Perhaps if I knew more about it, I would, too. I have so much to learn, and Losaduna is willing to teach me. I'd like to stay a while."

"We have to leave soon. If we wait much longer, it will be spring. We'll stay for the Ceremony to Honor the Mother, and then we have to go," Jondalar said.

"I almost wish we could stay here until next winter. I'm so tired of traveling," Ayla said. She didn't voice her next thought, though it had been bothering her. These people are willing to accept me; I don't know if your people will.

"I'm tired of traveling, too, but once we get across the glacier, it won't be far. We'll stop off to visit with Dalanar and let him know I'm back, and then the rest of the way will be easy."

Ayla nodded in agreement, but she had the feeling they still had a long way to go, and the saying would be easier than the going.

36

Will you want me to do anything?" Ayla asked.

"I don't know yet," Losaduna said. "I feel, under the circumstances, that a woman should be with us. Madenia knows I am the One Who Serves the Mother, but I am a man, and she has a fear of men right now. I believe it would be very helpful if she would talk about it, and sometimes it's easier to talk to a sympathetic stranger. People fear that someone they know will always remember the deep secrets that they reveal, and every time they see that person again, it may remind them of their pain and anger."

"Is there anything I should not say or do?"

"You have a natural sensitivity and will know that yourself. You have a rare, natural ability for new language, too. I am genuinely amazed at how quickly you have learned to speak Losadunai, and grateful, too, for Madenia's sake," Losaduna said.

Ayla felt uncomfortable with his praise and glanced away. It didn't seem especially amazing to her. "It is quite similar to Zelandonii," she said.

He could see her discomfort and didn't make any further issue of it. They both looked up when Solandia came in.

"Everything's ready," she said. "I'll take the children and have this place prepared for you when you are through. Oh, and that reminds me, Ayla, do you mind if I take Wolf? The baby has grown so attached to him, and he keeps them all occupied." The woman chuckled. "Who would have thought that I'd ever be asking for a wolf to come and watch my children?"

"I think it would be better if he went with you," Ayla said. "Madenia doesn't know Wolf."

"Shall we go and get her, then?" Losaduna said.

As they walked together toward the dwelling space of Madenia and her mother, Ayla noticed she was taller than the man, and she recalled that her first impression of him had been that he was small and shy. She was surprised at how much her perception of him had changed. Although he was short in height, and reserved in demeanor, his sure intellect lent stature, and his quiet dignity cloaked a deep sensitivity and a strong presence.

Losaduna scratched at the stiff rawhide leather stretched between a rectangle of slender poles. The entry door was pushed outward and they were admitted by an older woman. She frowned when she saw Ayla and gave her a sour look, obviously unhappy that the stranger was there.

The woman started right in, full of bitterness and anger. "Has that man been found, yet? The one who stole my grandchildren from me, before they ever had a chance to be born."

"Finding Charoli won't return your grandchildren, Verdegia, and he is not my concern right now. Madenia is. How is she?" Losaduna said.

"She won't get out of bed, and she hardly eats a thing. She won't even talk to me. She was such a pretty child, and she was growing into a beautiful woman. She would have had no trouble finding a mate, until Charoli and his men ruined her."

"Why do you think she is ruined?" Ayla asked.

The older woman looked at Ayla as if she were stupid. "Doesn't this woman know anything?" Verdegia said to Losaduna, then turned to Ayla. "Madenia didn't even have her First Rites. She is fouled, ruined. The Mother will never bless her now."

"Don't be too sure of that. The Mother is not so unforgiving," the man said. "She knows the ways of Her children and has provided means, other ways to help them. Madenia can be cleansed and purified, renewed, so that she can still have her Rites of First Pleasures."