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

“She is?” Jondalar said. “No, I didn’t know. When?”

“In a few days, at the Late Matrimonial, when Folara and Aldanor mate,” Proleva said, just coming in. She was followed by Joharran.

“That’s what Aldanor told me,” Danug said.

Greetings were exchanged, the women hugged, and the leader of the Ninth Cave bent down and touched her cheek with his. Low stools were dragged close to Ayla’s bed.

“Who is she mating?” Ayla asked, after everyone was settled, picking up the thread of the recent disclosure.

“Some friend of Laramar’s who was staying with him and that bunch at the fa’lodge, the one they aren’t using anymore,” Proleva said. “He’s a stranger, but Zelandonii, I understand.”

“He comes from a group of Caves that lie along Big River to the west of here. I heard he came to our Summer Meeting with a message for someone, and decided to stay. I don’t know if he knew them before, but he got along well with Laramar and the rest of that bunch,” Joharran said.

“I think I know the one,” Jondalar said.

“He’s been staying at the camp of the Fifth Cave, since they left that fa’lodge, and Marona has been staying there, too. That’s where he met her,” Proleva said.

“I didn’t think Marona wanted to mate again, and he seems rather young. I wonder why she would choose him,” Jondalar said.

“Maybe she didn’t have much choice,” Proleva said.

“But everyone says she’s so beautiful, she could have almost anyone she wanted,” Ayla said.

“For a night, but not for a mate,” Danug said. “I hear people talk. The men she’s mated before don’t speak very well of her.”

“And she’s never had any children,” Proleva said. “Some people say she can’t have any. That could make her less desirable to some men, but I guess it doesn’t matter to her intended. She is going with him to his Cave.”

“I think I met him,” Ayla said, “when I was walking back from the Lanzadonii camp with Echozar one night. I can’t say that I cared much for him. Why did he move out of that fa’lodge?”

“They all did after their personal things were taken,” Joharran said.

“I heard something about that, but I wasn’t paying much attention at the time,” Jondalar said.

“Someone took things?” Ayla said.

“Someone took personal things from just about everyone who was staying at that fa’lodge,” Joharran said.

“Why would anyone do something like that?” Ayla asked.

“I don’t know, but Laramar was pretty upset when he found out that a new winter outfit he’d just traded for was missing, not to mention his pack carrier and most of his barma. Someone else was missing new mittens, another man lost a good knife, and almost all the food was gone,” Joharran said.

“Does anyone know who did it?” Jondalar asked.

“Two people are missing, Brukeval and Madroman,” Joharran said. “Brukeval left without anything, as far as anyone knows. The other men who were staying at the fa’lodge claim most of his things were still there after he left, but later most of them were missing, and so are Madroman’s.”

“I heard Zelandoni tell someone that Madroman did not return the sacred objects he received as an acolyte,” Proleva said.

“I saw Madroman leaving!” Ayla said, suddenly remembering.

“When?” Joharran asked.

“It was the day the Ninth Cave shared a feast with the Lanzadonii. I was the only one at camp, and just coming out of the lodge. He gave me a look of such hatred, it actually frightened me, but he seemed to be in a big hurry. I remember thinking there was something odd about him. Then I realized I hardly ever saw him without his acolyte tunic, but this time he was wearing regular clothes, except I thought it was strange that his outfit was decorated with Ninth Cave symbols, not Fifth Cave.”

“That’s where Laramar’s new outfit went,” Joharran said. “I wondered if it was him.”

“Do you think Madroman took it?” Ayla said.

“Yes, and everything else that was taken.”