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

They walked to where the horses were waiting, and took the lead ropes. “Thank you, Lanidar,” Ayla said. “I am grateful for your help with the horses, especially these past few days. They trust you, and feel comfortable around you.”

“I’ve enjoyed it. I like the horses and both of you have done so much for me. If you hadn’t asked me to watch them last year, and taught me how to use the spear-thrower, and given me my first one, I never would have learned how to hunt. I’d still be following my mother around picking berries. Now I have some friends, and some status to offer Lanoga, when she’s older.”

“So you still plan to mate with her,” Ayla said.

“Yes, we are making plans,” Lanidar said. He stood for a moment, as though he wanted to say more. Finally he did. “I want to thank you and Jondalar for the summer dwelling you built for them. It made such a difference. I have stayed there a few times—well, most nights—to help her with the little ones. Her mother came back two, no three times. Tremeda always asks me for something, but not until the next morning. At night, she can hardly walk. Laramar even spent the night once. I don’t think he noticed that I was there. He left in the morning right after he got up.”

“How about Bologan? Does he stay there at night and help with the younger children?” Ayla asked.

“Sometimes. He’s learning to make barma, and he stays with Laramar whenever he makes it. He’s also been practicing with the spear-thrower. I’ve been showing him. Last summer, he didn’t seem interested in hunting, but this year, I think after he saw what I’ve learned, he wants to show that he can do it.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear that. Thank you for telling me about them and yourself,” Ayla said. “If we don’t come back here after our travels, I will look forward to seeing you next year.” She brushed her cheek with his and gave him a hug.

Ayla noticed the crowd’s attention was drawn to Whinney’s pole-drag. The large woman who was the Zelandoni of the Ninth Cave, and the First Among Those Who Served was walking toward it. Ayla had some idea how nervous she was, but she didn’t show it. She walked with an air of confidence, as though it were nothing at all. Jondalar was standing there with a smile, and held out his hand to assist her. Ayla stayed at Whinney’s head, to steady her when she became aware of the added load. The woman stepped up on the lower step, and felt it give as the poles bent with her weight, but no more than the normal spring of the wood. Still holding Jondalar’s hand for balance, and reassurance, she continued up, then turned around and sat down. Someone had made a very comfortable pad for the seat and backrest, and once she had seated herself, she felt better. She noticed arm supports that she could hold on to once they started moving, which also eased her concerns.

Once Zelandoni was settled, Jondalar went to Ayla, and locked both hands together to make a place for her foot. He stood beside Whinney and helped Ayla, carrying Jonayla, get up on her horse. When she was carrying her baby, it was difficult to jump up in her usual way. The man tied the long lead that was attached to Gray’s small halter to the frame of the pole-drag, then went to Racer, who was beside them, and easily climbed on.

Ayla started out, leading the way out of the Main Camp of the Summer Meeting. In spite of all her encumbrances, supporting a rider and hauling a heavy load on the pole-drag, Whinney was not about to let her offspring get in front of her. She was lead mare, and in a herd, the lead mare always led the way. Ayla smiled down at him as Wolf fell in beside her.

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nbsp; Racer and Jondalar fell in behind them. He was glad to be bringing up the rear. It gave him the opportunity to keep an eye on Ayla and her baby, not to mention Zelandoni, to make sure nothing went wrong. Since the First was facing backward, he could smile at her, and if he got close enough, even have a conversation, or at least say a few words.

The Donier waved sedately at the receding Camp of people, and continued to watch them until they were too far to see clearly. She, too, was glad Jondalar was behind her. She was still a little nervous about riding behind the horse, and just watching the place she had been and the landscape passing by was not terribly interesting after the first few miles. It was a bumpy ride, especially when the going was a little rough, but all in all, it was not a bad way to travel, she decided.

Ayla headed back the way they had come until they came to a stream coming down from the north, near a landmark they had discussed the night before; then she stopped. Jondalar, with his long legs, had to do little more than step off the young stallion and went ahead to help Ayla, but she had already swung her leg over and slid down.

The horses were compact animals, not ponies, but wild horses in their natural state were not tall. They were, however, sturdy, robust, and exceedingly strong, with a rather thick neck capped by a short mane that stood upright. They had tough hooves that could run over any land—sharp stones, hard ground, or soft sand—without needing protection. They both walked back to Zelandoni and held out hands, which she took to help her balance as she got down.

“It’s not difficult to travel like that,” the First said. “A little bumpy, sometimes, but the seat pad eases that and the arm rests give you something to hang on to. It feels good to stand up and walk, though.” She looked around, then nodded. “From here we travel north for a while. It’s not too far, but it will be uphill and the climb is steep.”

Wolf had raced ahead, following his nose to explore the area, but returned when they stopped. He loped back into sight as they were helping Zelandoni back on the pole-drag; then they got up on their horses. They crossed the stream and followed it north, upstream on the left bank. Ayla noticed cut-marks on trees and knew the trail had been blazed by someone who had gone that way before. When she looked closely at one of the marks used to indicate the path, she could see it was just a fresh renewal of an older blaze that had darkened and was not as readily seen; there was an older mark that was partly grown over and, she thought, another even older one.

Ayla kept the horses at a slow walk so as not to tire them. Zelandoni talked to Jondalar, who felt like walking and had gotten off Racer and was leading the brown horse along the marked trail. It was a rigorous uphill climb and as they ascended, the landscape changed with deciduous trees that became brush that was interspersed with taller conifers. Wolf kept disappearing into the woods, then would materialize from another direction.

After about five miles, the trail led them to the entrance of a large cave high up in the hills of the watershed between The River and West River. It was well into the afternoon by the time they reached the place.

“That was much easier than walking up,” Zelandoni said as she stepped down from her seat on the pole-drag, not even waiting for help from Jondalar this time.

“When do you want to go in?” Jondalar asked, going to the entrance and looking in.

“Not until tomorrow,” Zelandoni said. “It’s a long way in. It will take all day to go in and come back.”

“Do you plan to go all the way in?”

“Oh, yes. All the way to the back.”

“Then we should probably set up camp here since we’ll be staying at least two nights,” Jondalar said.

“It’s still early. After we set up camp, I think I’ll look and see what is growing around here,” Ayla said. “I may find something nice for our evening meal.”

“I’m sure you will,” Jondalar said.

“Do you want to come? We can all go,” Ayla said.

“No. I’ve already seen some outcroppings of flint coming out of the rock walls, and I know there’s some inside the cave, too,” Jondalar said. “I’m going to take a torch and go in and look.”

“What about you, Zelandoni?” Ayla said.