The Plains of Passage (Earth's Children 4)

"Jerika!" Jondalar said, smiling with delight.

"Jondalar! It's so good to have you back!" They hugged with obvious affection. "Since this great bear of a man of mine has no manners, why don't you introduce me to your companion? And then you can tell me why those animals stand there and don't run away," the woman said.

She moved between the two men and was dwarfed by them. They were exactly the same height, and the top of her head barely reached midway up their chests. Her walk was quick and energetic. She reminded Ayla of a bird, an impression reinforced by her diminutive size.

"Jerika of the Lanzadonii, please greet Ayla of the Mamutoi. She is the one responsible for the behavior of the animals," Jondalar said, beaming at the small woman with Dalanar's expression. "She can tell you better than I why they don't run away."

"You are welcome here, Ayla of the Mamutoi," Jerika said, with hands outstretched. "And the animals as well, if you can promise they will continue such uncommon ways." She was eying Wolf as she spoke.

"I greet you, Jerika of the Lanzadonii." Ayla returned her smile. The small woman's grip had a strength that was surprising and, Ayla sensed, a character to match. "The wolf will not harm anyone, unless someone threatens one of us. He is friendly, but very protective. The horses are nervous around strangers and may rear if they are crowded, which could be dangerous. It would be better if people would stay away from them in the beginning, until they get to know everyone better."

"That's sensible, but I am glad you told us," she replied, then looked at Ayla with disconcerting directness. "You have come a long way. The Mamutoi live beyond the end of Donau."

"Do you know the land of the Mammoth Hunters?" Ayla asked, surprised.

"Yes, and even farther east, though I don't remember as much of that. Hochaman will be glad to tell you about it. Nothing would please him more than a new ear to listen to his stories. My mother and he came from a land near the Endless Sea, as far east as the land goes. I was born on the way. We lived with many people, sometimes for several years. I remember the Mamutoi. Good people. Fine hunters. They wanted us to stay with them," Jerika related.

"Why didn't you?"

"Hochaman wasn't ready to settle down. His dream was to travel to the ends of the world, to see how far the land would go. We met Dalanar not long after my mother died and decided to stay and help him get the flint mine started. But Hochaman has lived to see his dream," Jerika said, glancing at her tall mate. "He has traveled all the way from the Endless Sea of the east to the Great Waters of the west. Dalanar helped him finish his Journey, some years ago, carried him on his back most of the way. Hochaman shed tears when he saw the great western sea, and he washed them away with salt water. He can't walk much now, but no one has made so long a Journey as Hochaman."

"Or you, Jerika," Dalanar added proudly. "You've traveled nearly as far."

"Hmmmf." She shrugged. "It's not as though I made the choice. But here I scold Dalanar, and then I talk too much."

Jondalar had his arm around the waist of the woman he had surprised. "I'd like to meet your traveling companion," she said.

"I'm sorry, of course," Jondalar said. "Ayla of the Mamutoi, this is my cousin, Joplaya of the Lanzadonii."

"I welcome you, Ayla of the Mamutoi," she said, holding out her hands.

"I greet you, Joplaya of the Lanzadonii," Ayla said, suddenly conscious of her accent and glad she had a clean tunic under her parka. Joplaya was as tall as she, perhaps a shade taller. She had her mother's high cheekbones, but her face was not as flat and her nose was like Jondalar's, only more delicate and finely chiseled. Smooth dark eyebrows matched long black hair, and thick black lashes framed eyes with a hint of her mother's slant, but a dazzling green!

Joplaya was a stunningly beautiful woman.

"I am pleased to greet you," Ayla said. "Jondalar has spoken of you so often."

"I'm pleased he didn't forget me, altogether," Joplaya replied. She stepped back and Jondalar's arm found her waist again.

Others had crowded around, and Ayla went through a formal greeting with each member of the Cave. They were all curious about the woman Jondalar had brought back, but their scrutiny and questions made her uncomfortable, and she was glad when Jerika intervened.

"I think we should save some questions for later. I'm sure they both have many stories to tell, but they must be tired. Come, Ayla, I will show you where you can stay. Do the animals require anything special?"

"I just need to remove their loads and find a place for them to graze. Wolf will stay inside with us, if you don't object," Ayla said.

She saw that Jondalar was deep in conversation with Joplaya, and she unloaded the packs from both horses herself, but he hurried over to help her take their things into the cave.

"I think I know just the place for the horses," he said. "I'll take them there. Do you want to keep the lead on Whinney? I'm going to tie Racer down with a long rope."

"No, I don't think so. She'll stay near Racer." Ayla noticed that he was feeling so entirely comfortable, he didn't even have to ask. But why not? These people were his kin. "I'll go with you, though. To settle her in."

They walked to a small grassy dell with a creek running through it that was off around the side. Wolf came with them. After he tied Racer's lead securely, Jondalar started back. "Are you coming?" he asked.

"I'll stay with Whinney a little longer," she said.

"Why don't I go carry our things in, then?"

"Yes, go ahead." He seemed eager to get back, not that she blamed him. She signaled the wolf to stay with her. Everything was new to him, too. They all needed some time to settle in, except for Jondalar. When she returned she looked for him and found him deep in conversation with Joplaya. She hesitated to interrupt.