The Shelters of Stone (Earth's Children 5)

“Have you met the new member of the Ninth Cave?” Zelandoni said. She was speaking to the pleasant-looking woman with a conciliatory smile, but whom Ayla sensed had an underlying strength.

“I was at the introduction, of course, and the Matrimonial, but I haven’t met her personally,” the woman said.

“This is Ayla of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, mated to Jondalar of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, Son of Marthona, former Leader of the Ninth Cave, formerly Ayla of the Mamutoi, Member of the Lion Camp, Daughter of the Mammoth Hearth, Chosen by the Spirit of the Cave Lion, and Protected by the Cave Bear,” Zelandoni said, making the formal introduction.

“Ayla, this is Zelandoni of the Twenty-ninth Cave.”

She greeted the woman, but it came as a surprise to hear such a short formal introduction. It was, however, all that was necessary. As Zelandoni, she had given up her personal identity and had become the embodiment of the Twenty-ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, although if she had wished, the introduction could have included the person she formerly was, including her original name and all her previous ties. It just seemed unnecessary most of the time, since she was no longer that person.

Ayla thought about her most recent acquisition of names and ties. She liked the way Zelandoni had introduced her. She had become Ayla of the Zelandonii, and Jondalar’s mate, and that came first, but she had been Ayla of the Mamutoi, she hadn’t lost her connections to them, ties that meant so much to her. And she was still “Chosen by the Spirit of the Cave Lion, and Protected by the Cave Bear.” It pleased her that even her totem and her Clan connections were included.

When she first arrived and heard the long recitations of names and ties in the formal Zelandonii introductions, Ayla wondered, very privately and only to herself, why they made such extended, almost interminable introductions, full of unknown names and connections. Why not simplify it and just say the names that people were usually called—Jondalar, Marthona, Proleva. But she had been so pleased to hear her familiar connections mentioned, she was glad now for the Zelandonii way of including past references. She had once thought of herself as Ayla of No People, alone with only a horse and a lion for company. Now she had ties to many people, and she was mated and expecting a child.

She had one more passing thought as she turned her attention back to the people at the meeting. She wished she could include “Mother of Durc of the Clan” in her names and ties, but considering the reason for this meeting, and recalling the night of their mating, and the disruptions that Echozar’s appearance had made, she wasn’t sure if she could ever tell the Zelandonii about her son, Durc.

When the First moved to the center of the lodge, it soon became quiet. “I will begin by saying that this meeting will not change anything. Joplaya and Echozar are mated, and only they can change that. But there seems to be an undercurrent of nasty rumors and general ill will toward them, which I think is shameful. It makes me less than proud to be a Zelandoni of people who could be so heartless to two young people who are just beginning their lives together. Dalanar, the man of Joplaya’s hearth, and I decided to bring this matter out in the open. If some people have since

re complaints, this is the time to make them known,” the donier said.

There was some shuffling around and avoidance of looking directly at people. It was clear that there was some embarrassment, especially among those who had listened avidly and perhaps passed on some item of malicious gossip. Even temporal and spiritual leaders were not above such human failings. No one seemed to want to broach the matter, as though it were too foolish to even bring up, and the First was ready to go on to the next reason for the meeting.

Laramar could see the moment he had been agitating for was slipping away, and he had been one of the primary instigators of the discontent. “It is true, isn’t it, that Echozar’s mother was a flathead,” he said.

The look the First gave him was a combination of disdain and irritation. “He has never denied it,” she said.

“That means he’s a child of mixed spirits, and a child of mixed spirits is an abomination. That makes him an abomination,” Laramar said.

“Who told you that a child of mixed spirits is an abomination?” the Zelandoni Who Was First asked.

Laramar frowned and looked around. “Everybody knows that.”

“How do they know that?” the First asked.

“Because people say so,” he said.

“What people say so?” she pressed.

“Everybody,” he said.

“If everybody said the sun will not rise tomorrow morning, would that make it so?” the donier asked.

“Well, no. But people have always said so,” Laramar said.

“I think I remember hearing it from the zelandonia,” one of the onlookers said.

The First glanced around to look at the person who had spoken; she had recognized the voice. “Are you saying it is a teaching of the zelandonia that a child of mixed spirits is an abomination, Marona?”

“Well, yes,” she said defiantly. “I’m sure I heard it from the zelandonia.”

“Marona, did you know that even a beautiful woman can look ugly when she lies?” the First said.

Marona flushed and glared at the First with a malicious look. Several people turned to stare at her to see if what the First said was true, and some of them agreed that the spiteful expression on the young woman’s face did detract from her recognized beauty. She looked away, but mumbled under her breath, “How would you know, you fat old woman!”

Several people nearby heard her and gasped at the insult to the First Among Those Who Served The Great Earth Mother. Ayla, who was on the other side of the large room, caught her breath, too, but her hearing was almost supernaturally acute. A few others had heard Marona, among them the First, whose hearing was rather good as well.

“Look closely at this fat old woman, Marona, and remember that, like you, I was once considered the most beautiful woman at the Summer Meeting. Beauty is at most a fleeting Gift. Use it wisely while you have it, young woman, because when it’s gone, you will be very unhappy if you don’t have something else. I have never regretted the loss of beauty, because what I have gained in knowledge and experience is much more satisfying,” the One Who Was First said.

Then she continued to the rest of the group, “Marona has said, and Laramar has implied, that it is taught by the zelandonia that children who are born as the result of the blending of the spirits of one of us with one of those whom we call flatheads are abominations. In the past few days, I have gone into deep meditation and recalled all the Histories and Elder Legends, and all the lore that is known only to the zelandonia, to try to find out where this idea came from, because Laramar is right in one respect. It is something that ‘everybody’ thinks they know.” She paused and looked around the gathering. “That idea has never been a teaching of the zelandonia.”