The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children 5)

“What did you teach me, and the Lion Camp?” Jondalar said.

Ayla smiled. “Baby talk,” she said.

“You mean, when I was talking to Guban, I was talking baby talk?” Jondalar said, appalled.

“Even less than that, to be honest, but he understood. Just the fact that you knew something, that you tried to speak the correct way, impressed him,” Ayla said.

“The correct way? Guban thought his way was the correct way to talk?” Jondalar said.

Of course. Don’t you?”

“I suppose so,” he said, then smiled. “What do you think is the correct way?”

“The correct way is always whatever way you’re used to. Right now, the Clan way, Mamutoi, and Zelandonii are all correct, but after a while, when all I have spoken is Zelandonii for a long time, I will no doubt think that is the correct way, even if I don’t speak it correctly, and I probably never will. The only one I will ever know perfectly is the Clan language, but only of the clan I grew up with, and that’s not quite the same as the way they do it around here,” Ayla said.

As they reached the small stream, Ayla noticed the sun was going down and was caught up again by a glorious blaze of color in the sky. They both stopped to watch for a while.

“Zelandoni asked me if I wanted to be chosen for First Rites tomorrow, probably for Janida,” Jondalar said.

“She told you that?” Ayla said. “Marthona said the men are never told who they will be with, and they are never supposed to tell.”

“She didn’t exactly tell me. She said she wanted someone who would be not only discreet, but caring. She said she knew you were pregnant, and she thought I would know how to treat someone who might need the same kind of concern. Who else could it be?” he said.

“Are you going to do it?” Ayla said.

“I thought about it. There was a time when I would have been more than willing, eager, but I said I didn’t think so,” he said.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because of you,” he said.

“Me? Did you think I would object?”

“Would you?”

“I understand it is a custom of your people, and other men who are mated do it,” Ayla said.

“And you’d agree to it, whether you liked it or not, wouldn’t you?”

“I suppose,” she said.

“The reason I declined wasn’t because I thought you would object, although I probably wouldn’t like it if you decided to become a donii-woman for a season. It’s because I don’t think I could give her the attention she deserves. I’d be thinking about you, comparing her to you, and that would be unfair to her. I’ve always had more size than many, and I’d be withholding and trying to be careful and gentle, so I wouldn’t hurt her, and wishing all the time I was with you instead,” he said. “I don’t mind being caring and gentle, but we fit together. I don’t have to worry about hurting you, at least not now. As you get further along, I don’t know, but we can work something out then.”

She hadn’t realized how pleased she would be that he had refused. She had heard how attractive most men found those young women, and she wondered if she was feeling jealous. She didn’t want to be, she had heard what Zelandoni said at the women’s meeting, and she would not have objected if he had accepted the offer, but she was happy that he had not. Ayla couldn’t help but smile, a big radiant smile that almost matched the sunset, which gave Jondalar a warm glow.

All the couples who were to be mated met with the zelandonia the day following the Rites of First Pleasures ceremony. Most were young, but some were middle-aged, and a few were quite old, well over fifty years. Regardless of age, they were excited and looking forward to the event, and most were friendly to each other, the start of the special bond between people who were mated at the same Mating Ceremonial. Many lifelong friendships were established then.

Ayla left Wolf with Marthona, who said she would be willing to stay with him, though Ayla had to tie him down with a restraining rope to keep him from following her. Before she left, she noticed that Marthona was indeed a calming influence and he seemed more relaxed when she was with him.

When they arrived at the zelandonia lodge, Ayla saw Levela and a man she had not met. Levela waved them over and introduced everyone to Jondecam, a man of medium height with a red beard, a pleasant smile, and mischievous eyes.

“So you’re from Elder Hearth,” Jondalar said. “Kimeran and I are old friends. We got our manhood belts together. I saw him during the bison hunt. I didn’t realize he had become the leader of the Second Cave.”

“He’s my uncle, my mother’s younger brother,” Jondecam said.

“Uncle? You seem closer to age-mates,” Ayla said.

“He’s only a few years older than I am, more like an older brother. My mother was about the age of a girl during First Rites when her brother was born,” Jondecam said. “She was always like a second mother to him, even then. When his mother, my grandmother, died, my mother took care of him. She was pretty young when she mated, but her mate died early. I’m her firstborn, and I have a younger sister, but I hardly remember the man of my hearth. She was called to the zelandonia, and didn’t mate again.”