The Land of Painted Caves (Earth's Children 6)

“It’s fine. He can stay,” Manvelar said.

Ayla stooped down and looked at the animal. “Stay with Jondalar,” she said, making the hand signal at the same time. He nosed the baby and made her giggle, then sat down. Whining with concern, he anxiously watched her as she and the baby left, but he didn’t follow her.

When she reached the imposing lodge of the zelandonia, she tapped on the panel, and said, “It’s Ayla.”

“Come in,” she heard the familiar voice of the First Among Those Who Served The Great Earth Mother say. The drape covering the opening was pushed aside by a male acolyte and Ayla stepped in. Though oil lamps were burning, it was dark inside and she stood without moving for a while, waiting for her eyes to adjust. When she could finally see where she was going, she saw a group of people sitting near the large figure of the First. “Come join us, Ayla,” she said. She had waited before speaking, knowing how the darkness inside left people momentarily blinded.

As Ayla headed toward them, Jonayla started fussing. The change in lighting had disconcerted the baby. A couple of acolytes made a space for her, and she sat down between them, but before she could focus her attention on the proceedings inside, she had to settle her child. Thinking that she might be hungry, she exposed her breast and brought the baby to it. Everyone waited. She was the only one there with a child and she wondered if she had interrrupted something important, but she had been given a message that Zelandoni wanted to see her.

When Jonayla settled down, the First said, “I’m glad to see you here, Ayla. We didn’t see you last night.”

“No, we didn’t make it to the Meeting Camp,” she said.

Some of the people who hadn’t met her before were surprised at the way she said certain words. It made them curious. It wasn’t like anything they had heard before. They had no trouble understanding her; she knew the language well, and had a pleasing low-pitched voice, but it was unusual.

“Were you or the baby not feeling well?” the First asked.

“No, we were fine. Jondalar and I went to check on the horses, and on our way back we saw Lanoga and Bologan trying to build a shelter. They didn’t have any materials for a lodge, and were trying to put up the tent poles. We stayed and built a lodge for them.”

The First frowned. “Where were Tremeda and Laramar?”

“Lanoga said they argued, Laramar left saying he was going to stay in a fa’lodge, Tremeda went after him, and neither one returned. Janida just told me that she saw Tremeda last night with some men who were drinking barma and gaming. I guess she got distracted,” Ayla said.

“So it would seem,” the Zelandoni of the Ninth Cave said. Though she was First, she was still responsible for the well-being of her Cave. “The children have a place now?”

“You built them an entire lodge?” said a man who was a stranger to Ayla.

“Not as big as this one,” Ayla said with a smile, waving her hand to indicate the especially large shelter of the zelandonia. Jonayla seemed to have had enough. She let go and Ayla picked her up, put her over her shoulder and started patting her back. “They aren’t sharing with anyone so it just had to be big enough for the family, the children and Tremeda and Laramar, if he decides to come back.”

“How nice of you,” someone said. The tone sounded rather derisive. Ayla looked and saw that it was Zelandoni of the Fourteenth who had spoken, an older, rather skinny woman whose thin hair always seemed to be falling out of her bun.

Ayla noticed that Madroman, who was sitting near the Fourteenth, along with the Zelandoni of the Fifth Cave, turned to look at her with a condescending expression. He was the one whose front teeth Jondalar had knocked out in a fight when they were younger. She knew that Jondalar didn’t like him, and she suspected the feeling was mutual. She didn’t much care for him either. With her ability to interpret nuances of attitude and expression, she always felt a certain deceit in his manner, a falseness in his smiling greetings, a lack of sincerity in his offers of welcome and friendliness, but she had always tried to treat him politely.

“Ayla has taken a special interest in the children of that family,” the First said, careful to keep the exasperation out of her voice. The Zelandoni of the Fourteenth had been an annoyance ever since the Zelandoni of the Ninth Cave had become First, always trying to provoke someone, particularly her. The woman had felt she was next in line and had expected to be made First. She never quite got over the fact that the younger Zelandoni of the Ninth had been chosen instead.

“It seems they need it,” said the same man who had commented earlier.

Jonayla had fallen asleep on her shoulder. Ayla took her carrying blanket and spread it out on the ground, the young acolyte on her right moved over to make room, then she put her infant down on it.

“Yes, they do,” the First was saying, shaking her head; then she realized that Ayla didn’t know the man, and though he had no doubt heard of her, he had not met her. “I don’t think everyone here has met my new acolyte. Perhaps some introductions would be in order.”

“What happened to Jonokol?” Zelandoni of the Fifth Cave asked.

“He moved to the Nineteenth Cave,” the First said. “The White Hollow that was found last year enticed him. He always was more artist than acolyte, but he’s serious about the zelandonia now. He wants to be sure that whatever is done with the new cave is appropriate … no, more than that. He wants it to be right. That white cave has called him now, more than any training could have done.”

“Where are the Nineteenth Cave? Are they coming this year?”

“I believe they are, but they haven’t arrived yet,” the One Who Was First said. “I will be glad to see Jonokol; I miss his skills, but fortunately Ayla arrived with many skills of her own. She is already a fine healer, and brings some very interesting knowledge and techniques. I am pleased she has begun training. Ayla, will you stand so I can introduce you formally?”

Ayla got up and took a few steps to stand beside the First, who waited until everyone was looking at them, then said, “May I present to you Ayla of the Zelandonii, mother of Jonayla, Blessed of Doni, acolyte of the Zelandoni of the Ninth Cave, the One Who Is First Among Those Who Serve The Great Earth Mother. She is mated to Jondalar, son of Marthona, former leader of the Ninth Cave and brother to Joharran, present leader. Formerly she was a Mamutoi of the Lion Camp, the Mammoth Hunters who live far to the east, and an acolyte of Mamut, who adopted her as Daughter of the Mammoth Hearth, which is their zelandonia. She was also chosen and physically marked by the spirit of the Cave Lion, her totem, and is protected by the spirit of the Cave Bear. She is a friend of the horses, Whinney and Racer, and the new filly, Gray, and the four-legged hunter she calls Wolf.”

Ayla thought it was a very comprehensive reciting of her names and ties, complete with explanations. She didn’t know if she was actually an acolyte of Mamut, but he had adopted her to the Mammoth Hearth and he was training her. The Donier hadn’t mentioned that she had also been adopted by the Clan, whom they called Flatheads. The only reference was that she was protected by the spirit of the Cave Bear. Ayla doubted if Zelandoni fully understood that it meant she was one of them, she was Clan—at least she was until Broud disowned her, cursed her, and made her leave.

The man who had spoken earlier approached Ayla and the First. “I am Zelandoni of the Twenty-sixth Cave, and in the name of Doni, I welcome you to this Summer Meeting Camp that we are hosting.” He held out both hands.

Ayla took his hands. “In the name of the Great Mother of All, I greet you, Zelandoni of the Twenty-sixth Cave,” she said.

“We have found a new deep hollow. It has wonderful resonance when we sing, but it is very small,” the man said. He was obviously quite excited about it. “One must crawl in like a snake, and it is best for only one or perhaps two people, though three or four could go in. I think it is too small for the First, I am sorry to say, though I would certainly let her make that decision. I promised Jonokol I would show it to him when he came. Since you are now the First’s acolyte, Ayla, perhaps you would like to see it, too.”