“That’s right! He did ask when I was on my way to the meeting. I think I’ll change clothes, and rest for a while. It’s hard to believe that just sitting around at a meeting can make you so tired. Will you send Jonayla in to get me when she gets here?”
“Of course I will,” Proleva said. It was a lot more than just a meeting, I’m sure, she thought. “Would you like something to eat? Maybe a little tea?”
“Yes, I think I would, Proleva, but I’d like to clean up a little first. I’d love to go for a swim … but I guess I should wait until later. I think I’ll go check on Whinney first.”
“They took her with them. Jondalar said she’d want to go with the other horses, and the run wouldn’t hurt her.”
“He’s right. Whinney probably missed her children, too.”
Proleva watched Ayla walk toward the sleeping lodge. She does look tired, the woman thought. Not surprising. Look what she’s been through. Having a miscarriage, and now becoming our newest Zelandoni … and getting her call, whatever that really means.
The woman had seen the effects of getting too close to the spirit world. Everyone had. Anytime someone was seriously hurt, for example, or even more frightening, had an inexplicable critical illness, she knew they were near the next world. The idea that a person would purposely put themselves in contact with that world so that they could Serve The Mother was almost beyond her comprehension. Proleva felt a slight shudder. She was grateful that she would never have to go through such a harrowing experience. While she knew that someday everyone would have to move on to that fearful place, she had no desire whatever to join the ranks of the zelandonia.
She and Jondalar are having problems, too, Proleva thought. He’s been avoiding her. I’ve watched him go the other way as soon as he sees her. I’m sure I know what his problem is. He’s feeling ashamed. She caught him with Marona, and now he doesn’t want to face her. This is not a good time for him to be avoiding Ayla. She needs everyone’s help now, especially his.
If he didn’t want Ayla to know about Marona, he shouldn’t have started up with her again, even if she was encouraging him every way she could. He knew how Ayla would feel about her. He could have found some other woman, if he had to have one. It’s not like he still couldn’t have his pick of just about any woman in the whole camp. And it would have served that Marona woman right. She’s so obvious, you’d think even he would see it.
As much as Proleva cared about him, there were times when her mate’s younger brother exasperated her.
“Mother! Mother! Are you finally back? Proleva said you were here. You said we would go for a ride today, and I was waiting and waiting,” Jonayla said. The wolf, who bounded in after her, was just as excited, trying to get Ayla’s attention.
She gave the girl a big hug, then grabbed the head of the big carnivore and started to rub his face with hers, but her marks were feeling sore, so she just hugged him. He started to sniff her wound, but she pushed him away. He looked into his food dish instead, found a bone Proleva had left there earlier, and took it to his resting place.
“I’m sorry, Jonayla,” Ayla said. “I didn’t know the meeting with the zelandonia would take so long. I promise we’ll do it another day, but it may not be tomorrow.”
“It’s all right, mother. The zelandonia do take a long time. They spent a whole day teaching us songs and dances and stuff, showing us where to stand and what steps to make. I did get to go riding anyway. Jondy took me.”
“Proleva told me. I’m glad he did. I know how much you wanted to go,” Ayla said.
“Does that hurt, mother?” Jonayla asked, pointing to Ayla’s forehead.
Ayla was slightly taken aback that her daughter had noticed. “No, not now. It did a little at first, but not bad. That mark has a special meaning …”
“I know what it means,” the girl said. “It means you’re Zelandoni now.”
“That’s right, Jonayla.”
“Jondy told me you won’t have to be gone so much after you get a zelandoni mark. Is that true, mother?”
Ayla hadn’t realized how much her daughter had missed her, and she felt a rush of gratitude that Jondalar had been there to take care of her, and explain things to her. She reached out to hug the child. “Yes, it’s true. I will still have to be gone sometimes, but not as much.”
Maybe Jondalar missed her, too, but why did he have to turn to Marona? He said he loved her, even after she found them like that, but if he did, why was he staying away from her now?
“Why are you crying, mother?” the girl said. “Are you sure that mark doesn’t hurt? It looks sore.”
“I’m just so glad to see you, Jonayla.” She let go of the child, but smiled at her through wet eyes. “I almost forgot to tell you. We are going to visit the Lanzadonii camp and have a meal with them tonight.”
“With Dalanar and Bokovan?”
“That’s right, and Echozar and Joplaya, and Jerika, and everybody.”
“Is Jondy coming?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t think so. He had to go someplace else.” Suddenly Ayla turned aside and seeing Jonayla’s clothing basket, started going through it. She didn’t want her daughter to see her in tears again. “It will get cold after it gets dark; would you like to change into something warmer?”
“Can I wear the new tunic that Folara made for me?”
“That would be a good idea, Jonayla.”