“There are some good planks on that surround. It’s good for more than firewood,” Willamar said.
“You can have it all, Willamar. I don’t even want to see it again,” Ayla said, with a shudder.
“Yes, why don’t you decide what to do with that wood, Willamar. There are some good pieces,” Jondalar said, thinking to himself that the snow leopard had scared Ayla even more than it did the horses. It made her angry, too. She’d probably burn the surround herself just to get rid of it.
“How do you know it was a snow leopard? They are not usually found around here,” Willamar said, “and never in summer, that I can remember.”
“When we got to the enclosure, we found the remains of the leopard, but no sign of the horses,” Jondalar said. “Ayla found a long fluffy tail of grayish white fur with dark spots and recognized it as belonging to a snow leopard.”
“Sounds right to me,” Willamar said, “but snow leopards like the highlands and mountains, and go after ibex, chamois, and mouflon, not usually horses.”
“Ayla said she thought it was a young one, possibly male,” Jondalar said.
“Maybe the mountain feeders are coming down early this year,” Marthona said. “If that is true, it could mean a short summer.”
“We’d better tell Joharran. It might be wise to plan some major hunts soon, and lay in a good store of meat early. A short summer can mean a long, cold winter,” Willamar said.
“And we’d better pick all we can of whatever ripens before any cold weathe
r comes,” Marthona said. “Even before it ripens, if necessary. I remember one year many years ago when we collected very little fruit, and had to dig roots out of almost frozen ground.”
“I remember that year,” Willamar said. “I think it was before Joconan was leader.”
“That’s right. We weren’t even mated yet, but we were interested,” Marthona said. “If I remember correctly, there were several bad years around that time.”
The First had no recollection of the event. She was probably a very young child at the time. “What did people do?” she asked.
“At first, I don’t think anyone believed the summer could be over so fast,” Willamar said. “And then everybody started hurrying to lay in food for the winter. It was good that they did. It turned out to be a long cold season.”
“People should be warned,” the First Among Those Who Served The Great Earth Mother said.
“How can you be sure it means a short summer? It’s just one snow leopard,” Jondalar said.
Ayla was thinking the same thing, but didn’t say anything.
“No one has to be sure,” Marthona said. “If people dry extra meat or berries, or store more roots or nuts early, and it doesn’t turn cold, it won’t hurt anything. It will get used up later. But if we don’t have enough, people could go hungry, or worse.”
“I told you I wanted to talk to you, Ayla. I’ve been thinking about when we should start your Donier Tour. I wasn’t sure if we should go early, or wait until the end of summer, maybe even after the Second Matrimonial. Now I think we should start as soon as we can. We can warn people of the possibility of a short season at the same time,” the First said. “I’m sure the Fourteenth would be more than happy to conduct the Late Matrimonial. I don’t think there will be many couples anyway. Just the few who may meet and decide this summer. I know of two couples who aren’t sure if they want to mate yet, and one whose Caves are slow in coming to agreements. Do you think you can be ready to go in a few days?”
“I’m sure we can,” Ayla said. “And if we leave, I won’t have to find another place for the horses.”
“Look at the crowd,” Danella said, watching the people who had congregated in groups and pockets around the large zelandonia dwelling. She was walking with her mate, Stevadal, the leader of Sun View, and with Joharran and Proleva.
They were watching the crowd who were gathered around the large shelter, watching to see who would come out, not that there wasn’t enough to see anyway. The special pole-drag with the seat that had been made for the First had been hitched to the dun yellow mare of Jondalar’s foreign woman, and Lanidar, the young hunter from the Nineteenth Cave with the deformed arm, was holding a rope attached to a halter, a device made of rope that went around the horse’s head. He was also holding a lead attached to the young brown stallion, who had a similar pole-drag hitched to him, loaded with bundles. The gray foal was standing near him, as though looking to him for protection from the crowd. The wolf was beside them, sitting on his haunches, watching the entry, too.
“You were still weak and weren’t here when they arrived,” Stevadal said to his mate. “Do they always get so much attention, Joharran?”
“It’s always like that when they load up,” Joharran said.
“It’s one thing to have the horses around the edges of the Main Camp, and the wolf at Ayla’s side; you get used to seeing the animals being friendly to a few people. But when they attach those things they pull, and load them up, when they ask the horses to work and the horses are willing, I think that’s what comes as a real surprise,” Proleva said.
There was a stir of excitement as people started leaving the summer dwelling. The four of them hurried so they could make their farewells. When Jondalar and Ayla came out, Wolf stood up, but stayed where he was. They were followed by Marthona, Willamar, and Folara, several Zelandonia, and then the First. Joharran was already planning a large hunt, and though Stevadal was a little reluctant to accept their warning of a short summer entirely, he was more than willing to go along on the hunt.
“Will you be coming back here, Ayla?” Danella asked, after she had brushed cheeks. “I’ve hardly had time to get to know you.”
“I don’t know. I think that depends on the First,” Ayla said.
Danella also brushed Jonayla’s cheek with hers. The child was wide awake, held to her mother’s hip with her carrying blanket, and seemed to be sensing the excitement in the air. “I wish I’d had the chance to know this little one better, too. She is such a delight, and so pretty.”