The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children 5)

“She nursed him,” Ayla explained, “along with her own daughter. He was the son of a Clan woman who was alone and died shortly after his birth. Nezzie adopted him, just as Iza adopted me when I had no one to take care of me.”

It was still a shock, and in some ways even more startling because the headman’s mate had voluntarily chosen to care for the newborn who could have been left to the with its mother. A silence descended upon the group as each one paused to consider what had just been learned.

* * *

Wolf had stayed behind in the valley where the horses were grazing to explore the new territory After a time that was appropriate to him and for his own reasons, he decided to return to the place that Ayla had made him understand was home, the place he should go when he wanted to find her. Like all of his kind, the wolf moved with efficient speed and such effortless grace, he seemed to be floating as he loped through the wooded landscape. Several people were in Wood River Valley picking berries. One man caught a glimpse of Wolf moving like a silent wraith between the trees.

“That wolf is coming! And he’s by himself!” the man shouted. He scrambled out of the way as fast as he could.

“Where’s my baby?” a woman cried in a panic. She looked around, saw her toddler, and ran to pick her up and carry her away.

When Wolf reached the path that led to the ledge, he ran up it with the same supple, fast-moving pace.

“There’s that wolf. I don’t like the idea of a wolf coming up here, right onto our ledge,” another woman said.

“Joharran said we should allow him to come and go as he wants, but I’m going to get my spear,” a man said. “Maybe he won’t hurt anyone, but I don’t trust that animal.”

People backed out of the way to give him a wide berth when Wolf reached the ledge at the top of the path and headed directly for Marthona’s dwelling. One man knocked over several spear shafts when he bumped into them in his hurry to put plenty of clearance between himself and the efficient, four-legged hunter. The wolf sensed the fear of the people around him and didn’t like it, but he continued toward the location Ayla had indicated he was to go.

The silence within Marthona’s dwelling was shattered when Willamar, catching sight of the entrance drape moving, suddenly jumped up and shouted. “There’s a wolf! Great Mother, how did that wolf get here?”

“It’s all right, Willamar,” Marthona said, trying to calm him. “He’s allowed in here.” Folara caught her eldest brother’s eye and smiled, and though Joharran was still nervous around the animal, he could give her a knowing smile back.

“That’s Ayla’s wolf,” Jondalar said, getting up to ward off any hasty reactions as Ayla rushed to the entrance to settle the animal, who had been more scared than Willamar to be greeted by such loud, frantic noise in the place he had been shown to come. Wolf’s tail was between his legs, his hackles were raised, and his teeth were bared.

If Zelandoni could have, she would have jumped up just as fast as Willamar. A loud, menacing growl seemed to be directed specifically at her, and she shook with fear. Even though she had heard about Ayla’s animals and seen them from a distance, she was terrified by the huge predator that had entered the dwelling. She had never been so close to a wolf; in the wild wolves usually ran away from groups of people.

She watched with amazement as Ayla fearlessly hurried toward Wolf, stooped down, put her arms around him, and held him, speaking words, only some of which she understood, seeking to calm the animal. The wolf first became excited, and licked the neck and face of the woman while she fondled him, then did indeed calm down. It was the most unbelievable demonstration of supernatural powers she had ever witnessed. Just what kind of mysterious ability did this woman possess to command that land of control over such an animal? She felt gooseflesh raise at the thought.

Willamar had calmed down as well, with the encouragement of Marthona and Jondalar, and after seeing Ayla with the wolf.

“I think Willamar should meet Wolf, don’t you, Ayla?” Marthona said.

“Especially since they are going to be sharing the same dwelling,” Jondalar said. Willamar gaped at him with an amazed look of disbelief.

Ayla stood up and walked toward them, signaling Wolf to follow closely. “The way Wolf gets acquainted is to become familiar with your scent. If you hold out your hand to let him smell it…,” she started to say, reaching for his hand.

The man pulled it away. “Are you sure about this?” he said, looking at Marthona.

His mate smiled, then held out her hand toward the wolf. He smelled her hand, then licked it. “You gave some of us quite a fright, Wolf, coming in unannounced before you had met everyone,” she said.

Willamar was still a bit hesitant, but he could hardly do less than Marthona had, and put his hand forward. Ayla introduced Wolf in the usual manner, saying for the man’s benefit, as the wolf took in his scent, “Wolf, this is Willamar. He lives here with Marthona.” The wolf licked him, then gave a little yip.

“Why did he do that?” Willamar asked, drawing his hand back quickly.

“I’m not sure, but perhaps he smelled Marthona on you, and he warmed to her very quickly,” Ayla suggested. “Try petting or scratching him.” As though Willamar’s tentative scratching only tickled, Wolf suddenly curled up and vigorously scratched behind his own ear, bringing smiles and chuckles at his rather undignified posture. When he was through, he went straight to Zelandoni.

She eyed him warily, but stood her ground. She had been terrified when the wolf appeared at the entrance of the dwelling. Jondalar was more aware of her reaction than the others. He had seen her petrified fear. They had been concerned about Willamar, who had jumped up and shouted, and hadn’t noticed the quiet terror of the woman. She was just as glad they hadn’t. One Who Served The Mother was thought of as fearless, and in fact, that was generally true. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt such alarm.

“I think he knows he hasn’t met you, Zelandoni,” Jondalar said. “And since he’s going to be living here, I think you should be introduced to each other, too.” From the way he looked at her, she guessed that Jondalar knew how frightened she had been, and acknowledged it with a nod.

“I think you’re right. What is it that I’m supposed to do, give him my hand?” she said, thrusting it toward the wolf. He sniffed, then licked, then, with no warning, took her hand with his teeth and held it in his mouth with a low growl.

“What’s he doing?” Folara said. She hadn’t officially met him, either. “He only used his teeth with Ayla, before.”

“I’m not sure,” Jondalar said with a note of concern.

Zelandoni looked sternly at Wolf, and he let go.