The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children 5)

“Jondalar made a new axe, and resharpened the others,” Willamar said. “It’s good to have him back.”

“Except now we’re going to have to watch out for stray chips of flint again,” Marthona said. Ayla noticed she was smiling and understood that she wasn’t really complaining. She was glad he was home, too. “He did clean up the flakes he knocked off to sharpen the axes. Not like when he was a boy. I didn’t see a single sharp sliver of stone. Of course, I don’t see as well anymore.”

“The tea is ready,” Ayla said. “Does anyone need a cup?”

“Jaradal doesn’t have one. You should always remember to bring your own cup, Jaradal,” Proleva said, reminding her young son.

“I don’t need to bring my own cup here. Grandam has my own cup for me,” Jaradal said.

“He’s right,” Marthona said. “Do you remember where it is, Jaradal?”

“Yes, ’Thona,” he said, getting up and running to a low shelf and returning with a small cup shaped and hollowed out of wood. “Here it is.” He held it high to show everyone, causing delighted smiles from the assembled group. Ayla noticed that Wolf had moved from his customary spot near the entrance and was wriggling on his belly toward the boy with his tail held high, every motion of his body expressing his yearning to reach the object of his desire. The boy spied the animal, drank down his tea in a few gulps, then announced, “I play with Wolf now,” though he was watching Ayla to see what her reaction would be.

Jaradal reminded her so much of Durc, she couldn’t help but smile. The boy headed toward the animal, who made a whining yelp as he got up to meet him, then started licking Jaradal’s face. Ayla could tell that Wolf was beginning to feel comfortable with his new, though very large, pack, especially the child of the extended family and his friends. For Wolf’s sake, she almost felt sorry that they would be leaving so soon. She knew it would be hard on him to be faced with the many new people they would meet. It would be hard on her, too. Her excitement about the Summer Meeting was tinged with trepidation.

“This is very good tea, Ayla,” Zelandoni said. “You sweetened it with licorice root, didn’t you?”

Ayla, smiled. “Yes. It’s calming for the stomach. Everyone is so excited about leaving, I thought I should make something calming.”

“And it tastes good.” Zelandoni paused, considering her words. “It occurs to me, since we are all here, that perhaps you should show Joharran and Proleva your way of making fire. I know I asked everyone not to tell anyone else about it yet, but we are all going to be traveling together and they will see it anyway.”

Jondalar’s brother and his mate glanced at the others with questioning looks, and then at each other.

Folara smiled. “Should I put the fire out?”

“Yes, why don’t you,” the donier said. “It is more impressive to see it that way the first time.”

“I don’t understand. What’s this about fire?” Joharran said.

“Ayla discovered a new way to start a fire,” Jondalar said, “but it’s easier to show you.”

“Why don’t you show them, Jondalar?” Ayla said.

Jondalar asked his brother and Proleva to come to the cooking hearth, and after Folara smothered the fire, and other people put out the lamps that were near them, Jondalar used the firestone and flint and soon had a small fire started.

“How did you do that?” the leader asked. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Jondalar held up the firestone. “Ayla discovered the magic in these stones,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to tell you about them, but there’s been so much going on, I haven’t had time yet. We just showed Zelandoni, and not long ago Marthona, Willamar, and Folara.”

“Are you saying anyone can do that?” Proleva said.

“Yes, with practice, anyone can do it,” Marthona said.

“Yes, let me show you how the stones work,” Jondalar said. He went through the process, and Joharran and Proleva were amazed.

“One of those stones is flint, what is the other one? And where does it come from?” Proleva said.

“Ayla calls it a firestone,” Jondalar said, and explained how she happened to discover its properties. “We looked, but didn’t see any on the way back. I was beginning to think they could be found only in the east, then Ayla found some not far from here. If there are some nearby, there should be more. We’ll keep looking. We have enough for all of us, but they could be significant gifts, and Willamar thinks they would be good to trade.”

“Jondalar, I think we’re going to have to have some long talks. I wonder just what else you haven’t told me. You go off on a Journey, and return with horses that carry you on their backs, a wolf that lets children pull his fur, powerful new throwing weapons, magic stones that make instant fire, stories about intelligent flatheads, and a beautiful woman who knows their language and learned healing from them. Are you sure there isn’t something else you’ve forgotten to tell me?” Joharran said.

Jondalar smiled wryly. “Not that I can think of right now,” he said. “When you put it all together like that, I guess it does sound rather unbelievable.”

“ ‘Rather unbelievable’? Listen to him!” Joharran said. “Jondalar, I have a feeling your ‘rather unbelievable’ Journey is going to be talked about for many years.?

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“He does have interesting stories to tell,” Willamar admitted.