It had taken him a long time, they had caught him by surprise when they had set off on their journey, but finally he had caught up with them.

As he spied on them he noticed that one of them; seemed to be limping. It was the girl who liked to climb mountains, and hills, the daughter of the Hadumai interlopers. The abomination was with her, supporting her as she walked.

The man spat on the ground in disgust when he saw the girl. Her father had been the bane of his life for as long as he remembered, he had always been the one that everyone favoured; no one had preferred the lesser boy. Her mother had turned out to be even worse, spouting on about flatheads, and the new way of the mother. He had sworn a long time ago that he would make them pay for what they had done to him, and his friends, and he had never forgotten, not through all the long years where his future had been warped so he could only ever serve, he could never control. He wasn't respected, but pointed at, laughed at, and derided.

He tensed when he saw another figure join the two; if it was possible he hated this one even more. His mother had been one of them, she had plotted along side them, but she had betrayed them, and joined the other side.

Yes he was going to enjoy this, for now he would just follow, and watch, but soon he would punish the children of those that had ruined his life.

--

Thonolan was having the time of his life. Surrounded by a bevy of beauties, all who wanted to hear about his people, the Zelendonii.

It had only taken them one week to reach the Larochai, with just the two of them and their horses they had made good time.

"Why didn't you visit them before?" he had asked Danni, "if they were so near."

Danni had shaken his head, on foot, and the way he had meandered around he had taken a very long time to reach the Zelendonii. "I didn't realise that they were so close, that we could reach them so quickly. Times have changed so much due to your mother; you must excuse those of us that due to our age struggle to understand what it could mean."

They hadn't spoken any more about it, as at that moment they had heard a shout, and saw a man running away from him.

"Evil spirits" he had shouted, "there are evil spirits, part man, and part horse."

Ashen faced, they had both dismounted from their rides, and slowly led the horses to the cave that Danni had grown up in.

"Hello" he had called into the deserted dwelling, "hello, we are not evil spirits, we are people. I am Danni of the Zelendonii, formally Danni of the Larochai, son of Olivia, born to the hearth of Tiege. Many of you will remember me, though I left over twenty years ago."

"Danni?" a woman's voice had quivered, "Danni who I play with as a child?"

"I am if you are Sophia" Danni had laughed with good humour, having recognised his friend instantly. "After all these years you are still a sight to behold, how are you?"

"Danni" the woman had started to sob, "I thought I would never see you again."

"As did I" another voice joined the woman's, and an older man had hobbled out, "you have aged well Danni."

"Faren, you look well" he had replied with respect to the leader of the cave.

"And who is this?" Faren had asked pointing at Thonolan.

"May I introduce you to Thonolan, of the ninth cave of the Zelendonii, son of the mystical Ayla, of the hearth of Yannis, my brother."

A gasp had gone around the cave.

"Yannis, well that is a name I have not heard in a long time" Faren had grinned. "He was my best friend for the time he spent with us. How is the old goat?"

Danni's face had fallen at this question, and then he had told him how Yannis and his mate Amalia had left this world together, entwined forever.

And now Thonolan had spent the last weeks, being chased by numerous girls all who wanted to catch the young man, especially after they had heard about the legendary Ayla.

--

"We have to move on" Aylanar said on one sunny morning. "It is still good weather now, but we know it won't stay like that. We have been gone six weeks from the Zelendonii, we haven't moved for four weeks since that lion attacked Mazia. She is a lot better now; I think we should start on our journey again. We need to find a people to stay with before winter."

"I know you are right" Danyayla agree, "but I don't think Mazia is up to riding a horse yet. I will talk to Jonayla and see what she thinks, but I am worried it is too soon."

"Yes, maybe. But can't we make a travois, which she can lie on?" he suggested.

"That might be an idea, and if she is in the middle of us, then no further harm can come to her. But what about her horse?"

"Darora will look after her, you know she will."

Danyayla nodded, and hurried off to talk to Jonayla and Mazia.

Aylanar watched his cousin, thinking what a wise woman she had become. He turned to the south; he could feel the pull of the people there, and the mother wanting them to continue on their journey.

--

The next day they set off, most of them rode but Jonayla walked next to Mazia, so if the injured woman felt any discomfort she would be there to help her. She carried her otter skin bag, but the rest of her belongings were in panniers on her horse's flank.

Next to her, walked Hoche, a spear shooter in his hand. He knew that they were more at risk of wild animals, so he was ready, and observant of every change.

Darora and Aylanar rode at the back, both with an extra horse tethered to theirs. They too were super observant, weapons held ready.

Danonar and Odala led the way, this too was a dangerous position, but they were equipped for any problems.

Lanogar and Danyayla had galloped off, to scout the area, hoping to find signs of inhabitation.

--

Lanogar and Danyayla had been riding for some time when they saw the first signs of people. There were bones scattered near a river, and a district trail that led up to a distant cave. They dismounted their horses first, and tethered them to some trees out of the way. Then timidly they made for the cave, which they soon realise was empty, with a mother statue outside guarding it.

"Maybe they have summer meetings like we do" Lanogar suggested.

Danyayla nodded her head, "and the Mutomoi, they have them too. We need to keep searching, see if there are any tracks we can follow to find which way they went."

Quickly they looked around, in the soft mud; they found a noticeable trail of feet all walking in a southern direction.

"These tracks are about a week old" Lanogar commented, "thankfully it hasn't rained recently or they would have been washed away."

"Are we going to follow them?" Danyayla asked, grinning at the thought of meeting new people, the thought was exhilarating to her.

They quickly went back to where they had left the horses grazing on the rich grass, and started to follow the tracks. After about an hour of hard riding, they came to where the people had camped their first night. Ignoring this, they carried on. After about another hour, they stopped to rest the horses, and have something to eat. It was while they munched on dried auroch, drinking fresh spring water to help it down that they heard the first strains of music, lilting across the trees to them.

"I think we have found our people" Danyayla smiled.

They left the horses again, and walked in the direction of the music. Soon the trees became sparse, and opened up onto a big meadow filled with hide tents, and laughing people.

"Let's get back and tell the others" Danyayla recommended. That way we can make sure that they are heading in the right direction."

Soon, they were galloping back to their friends, grinning at the news they would bring them.

--

Thonolan stared in amazement at the outstanding achievement that the people he was visiting had achieved. The Zelendonii had never thought of such a thing, though it was a simple idea.

"We dug pathways up from the hill, right to our cave, this way we always have fresh supply, and no one has to strain when carrying it" his new friend was explaining to him. "We thought about making it into the cave, but we decided that would be too messy."

Thonolan stared at the cascading water that ran down the clay made paths from a spring on the hill, and down to make a small waterfall. "So Tenan, you get all your water from that one source?"

"Drinking yes, but we use a small pool for washing and bathing still. But this way our drinking water is never contaminated, there have been less illness since we did it."

"Wow, my people will love this idea, I can almost not wait until I am back with them, so I can show them" Thonolan laughed with joy.

"Well, my dear friend, I hope you will stay at least until the end of summer. There is much we can learn from you, and maybe we have a few more surprises for you too."

"I don't want to leave yet, not really, I have only just got here, and Danni, is having so much fun being with his old people" he smiled. "Anyway I think I have enough to distract me for the moment" he continued, thinking of a raven haired girl that he had seen.

"Maybe you can help us this summer; the Horse cave hasn't had an irrigation system dug yet. We are planning to dig one during the summer meeting, that way you can help, and you also learn practically how it is done."

Thonolan nodded, feeling excitement fill him. He had imagined all the years of wanting to be a chosen one that he would be bringing new ideas to people, lifting them out of their lives of drudgery. It seemed that these people at least, and probably others too, had as many new ideas to give as learn about."

--

The children tumbled out of the river, and fought in the mud. Madenia seeing her very dirty little girl walked over and firmly picked her up. "Come on madam" she said, trying not to laugh, "I think it is time for you to have a wash."

"Oh mama, can I not play?" the child moaned.

"No Selita, it is nearly time for our evening meal. I don't want you tramping mud all through our nice clean hut."

The child sighed, but realised that her mother was serious.

Madenia pick up her daughter and carried her to the bathing pool. She put her down, and then took off both her own and her child's outfits. After giving Selita a warning look to not run away, she found some soapwort, and bashed it against a rock to release its saponin. She rubbed the slippery liquid all over her child, paying particular attention to her muddy hair. Then she picked her up again and walked into the pool, letting the cool water wash over them, and watching the mud float away.

The little girl looked up at her, water clinging to her face, "mama, what do you think Aylanar is doing now?" she asked.

"I don't know" Madenia replied, starting to carry the child out of the water.

"Madenia, I saw you two going in the pool, so I brought a couple of absorbent leathers for you to dry yourselves on" a voice called from the bank.

Madenia looked, squinting in the afternoon sun at the dark shape on the shore. She couldn't see who was being so kind, but she knew the voice like she knew her own, "thank you Livie" praising her mate's sister.

"Any time" Livie replied, "do you want me to get you and Selita some clean clothes too?"

"Selita yes, hers are covered in mud. But mine are fine."

Madenia wrapped the leather towel around her shivering child and rubbed her dry, then leaving her wrapped in it; she quickly got herself dry and dressed. She had just finished when Livie got back holding an outfit for Selita.

"I thought you might like this for her" she said holding out the pale pinkish clothing. "I made it for Tamia last year, but she has grown out of it already."

Madenia took the pink tunic and leggings and quickly dressed Selita. She grabbed the little girl's hand and then the two women and the little girl started to walk back to the camp.

"Why does Tamia never get herself in such a state as Selita?" she asked.

"Tamia has only sisters, who all those to primp and preen, she has never had time for playing with the boys. Selita is your only girl, she has three brothers, and of course she is going to act a bit like a boy. And there is nothing wrong with that. Both choices, to be a girly girl, or to be a tom boy are right, they are just different girls, with different ideas. Anyway look how proud your little one looks wearing that pretty outfit, maybe you should make some more like that so she doesn't want to spoil them."

Madenia grinned at one of her oldest friends, "I think you are right, I will have to make her some pretty clothes, though I will still make her more serviceable ones too. Like you say, there is nothing wrong with a bit of mud play."

The two women laughed as the little girl sucked her thumb.

--

When they got back to Madenia's hut, Livie said her farewells and went to her own.

Madenia walked in the hut and quickly started a fire with the fire stones. Then she told her daughter to sit down, and started combing her hair with a carved wooden comb.

"Mama, can I have my hair like Tamia's?" the child asked, pausing in sucking her thumb. "You know weaved into two vines."

"I will do your hair anyway you want sweetie" Madenia tickled her, making the small child wiggle and giggle on the floor.

Soon the little girl's hair was tightly plaited. "Can I go and show Tamia what I look like?" she asked.

"Only if you promise not to go near any mud" Madenia instructed, and chortled at the three year old tottered off to visit her four year old best friend.

--

Madroman followed the young people; they were going so slowly that he had no trouble keeping up with them. "It will be easy to cause them trouble" he thought.

Just then the missing members of the group appeared, galloping on their horses. They had rushed right past him, and he had only just managed to stop himself squealing and giving himself away.

He listened to the excited duo as they told the rest of them about the people they had found up ahead.

"Maybe I can cause problems for these people they have found, and they will think it is their visitors and chase them away" he murmured to himself, keeping his laughter in check.

--

After two long days, they finally made it to where this new people were holding their summer meeting. Yet again, they left their horses behind, near a river, along with half of the group, the rest walked into the midst of the meeting, their hands raised up to indicate they meant no harm.

"Hello" Danyayla called out, and then pointed to herself and said "Danyayla of the Zelendonii."

"Zelendonii" a man enquired from the crowd, and then in a language very close to their own, he started to talk to them.

"My name is Delmer; I lived with the Zelendonii for a few seasons when I was a younger man. I even mated one of your women, who came back here with me."

"Delmer, what cave did you stay with?" Danonar, asked, intrigued by the old man.

"I stayed with the Fifth cave about thirty years ago, it was an interesting cave. Now tell me who are you?"

The young man had the good sense to blush, "I am Danonar of the ninth cave of the Zelendonii" he proudly said.

"We are all from the ninth cave" Danyayla interjected, "we have left some of our group back by the river, but I will introduce you to the rest of our group who are here, this is Darora, and the young man who seems to be admiring one of your young women, that is Lanogar. There are five more of us, though there are more to introduce you to" she finished cryptically.

"Is Marthona still alive, she was the leader of the ninth cave when I lived with the Zelendonii?"

Darora stepped forward, "I am sorry to tell you that my grandmother Marthona died a few years ago, she had past over leadership to her son a long time before that, before I was born. In the end it was her heart that took her."

"Oh, I am sorry to hear that, she was a lovely woman, so full of life. For a time I imagined that I was in love with her, but she only had eyes for Willamar. I left before they mated, but I can see both Marthona and Willamar in you, so I can safely assume they did mate."

"Yes, they did, and they lived long happy lives together. Willamar died not long after my grandmother died, many said he died of a broken heart."

"He was a good man."

For a few moments they quietly remembered the dead.

"I remember some trouble between the fifth cave and the ninth" he suddenly said, "some young bucks had started fighting, about a woman I think, the one from my cave had his teeth knocked out, and the other one was sent to live with the father of his hearth at the Lanzadonii. I had never met a more disagreeable boy as Ladroman; I would have liked to knock his teeth out myself. For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the young man from the ninth cave, though it is on the tip of my tongue."

"Jondalar."

"Yeah that is it, do you know him?"

Danyayla started to laugh, "one of our group, Jondalar is her father."

"Father?" he asked, looking confused, "I have never heard that word before."

"It means the same as mother, but for the male, it is what we call the father of a child's hearth now, when our now first Zelendoni brought us new ideas."

"I can tell you have lots to tell us, but this lot are anxious to meet you too. Like I said, I am Delmar, I am the leader of the Bison cave, the people you see gathered here" he waved at the crowd, "we are all the Pasduried, the people of this land."

--

Thonolan stood at the bottom of the hill, looking up at the terror inducing rock slope.

"Are you sure there is a spring up there?" he asked, "it is quite a climb up there."

"Yes my friend" Faren assured him, "a climber ascended it earlier on in the season, he said there was a large amount of water coming out of the ground."

"And we have to carry those large packs with us?"

"They are filled with digging tools and clay."

"Of course they are" Thonolan remarked, picking up one of them and weighing the contents "it sure is heavy."

"I know" Faren laughed.

--

Weighed down by the heavy pack, Thonolan tried to scramble up the side of the hill, but because of the loose stones, he found he was taking two steps and falling back one. But slowly and surely he was climbing the hill.

"You are nearly here, my friend" Faren shouted back to him, already standing at the top of the hill.

"How did you manage…….." he puffed.

"Just more used to climbing hills" Faren laughed, "I have even climbed on of the big mountains we can see in the distant. Now that was an experience."

Finally Thonolan was at the top, "where now?" he asked.

"We have to walk around this path a bit and then we are there" Faren told him, already starting to stride off.

Thonolan exhausted though he was followed him, and the others that were already making their way to the spring.

The path was narrow, there were places that were not big enough for a human to be, leaning against the hill, Thonolan squeezed round, trying to not look at the sheer drop from this side. He was so concentrating on each step that he didn't realise that those ahead of him had stopped. He nearly walked right into them that would have caused many to fall through the gap in the path.

"Sorry" he mumbled, trying to control his fright. "How are we going to get across that? he asked, staring at the perilous drop.

"We could try jumping" one of the group suggested, eyeing the gap doubtfully.

"We have to get across somehow" agreed Faren, "and as there are no trees up here that we can put across, then I agree, we will have to jump. It isn't too far."

"If we have a rope, we could tie it to the person jumping" Thonolan proposed, "everyone else hold onto it, that way if the person falls, they might get hurt by the rocks a bit, but they won't fall to their death."

"That is an excellent idea" Faren grinned, "but have we got a rope?"

"I have" the man who had suggested jumping spoke up, "it is gathered around my waist, you would never believe how many times it has been needed." And he began to uncoil the rope.

Faren nodded, "okay we have a rope, but who is going to jump?"

With trepidation, Thonolan volunteered. First giving his pack to someone else, he tied the rope around his waist, around his arms and of his neck, and the around his waist again securing it with a clan knot his mother had taught him. Finally he was ready, checking first that each and every man was holding the loose end of the rope tightly, he backed up on the path slightly, and then taking a run up, jumped over the precipice, landing at the edge. Just for a moment, he tottered there, but then finding his centre of balance, he stepped forward and turned around. He bowed slightly to the tremulous applause from the men on the other side.

"That was easy" he shouted to them.

"Thonolan" Faren called back, "tie your end of the rope to that rock over there, that way the jumper doesn't have to rely on just our strength, but also on the weight of the rock."

Thonolan nodded, and quickly untied himself, and tied it around the large sturdy rock. He turned around to everyone else; another man was tying the middle of the rope around himself.

"Is it tied Thonolan?" Faren asked, satisfied when he saw the young man nod, "okay, Ranor do exactly what Thonolan did."

Soon almost everyone was across the gap, only Faren and another man remain. Faren being the leader would go last; making sure everyone else was safely across first. So it was the man's turn, everyone else braced the rope, and the man started running. He was just about to jump, when he stumbled on a loose stone, and fell head first into the gap. He didn't fall far, for the men holding the rope held it tightly, and dragged him up and over the edge, and onto the path.

It was now Faren's turn, putting aside his nervousness of someone nearly dying, he ran, jumped and landed perfectly on the other side of the gap, with about a foot length to spare.

Everyone across, they continued on their way, and soon worked their way around to the less steep sloped, though the bottom of them were impossible to climb, they were sheer, and about the height of two men.

On the gentle slope they found the spring, a trickle of water meandering in the opposite direction that was needed.

"Now we need to dig" Faren instructed, pulling his own digging tools out of his pack.

Thonolan gripped the handle of the digging tool that he had been given; it had a wooden bar, attached by twine to a bone shovel. The handle was simply more twine, that made the tool fit more comfortable in the hand. Just digging was tiring work, and under the hot sun, he soon found that he was worn out, stopping for a moment to wipe the perspiration of his brow, he looked at how much they had all dug. There was a shallow path leading from near the spring right to the edge of the hill, already about half of it had been stone and clay lined.

"Why haven't' we dug right up to the spring" he questioned.

"The clay needs to dry, if we dug right up to it, then the spring would be emptying out into it. This way only the beginning of the path will get wet" Faren explained.

By late afternoon, it was all done, and water emptied out into the path, running down it, and over the side of the sheer hill wall next to the Larochai cave, causing a waterfall.

That evening they held a celebration, with Thonolan as the guest of honour.

--

It was nearly time to go to the summer meeting, it was an event that she could never remember attending, though one day she knew the way the Lanzadonii were growing, they would have their own.

"Joplaya, do you know where my other boot is?" her mate shouted.

Joplaya pursed her lips, here she was the leader of the Lanzadonii and she had to go scrabbling around on a cave floor looking for a lost boot. "Where did you last see it?" she asked with exasperation.

"I wore them yesterday, when I joined you in our furs last night, I took them both off, and put them together on the floor. And now they are gone" he moaned, "and they are brand new."

"Hello" a voice called into their hearth, "is anyone looking for a boot, I found one of the pups playing with it. It is a bit chewed and wet, but other than that it is alright."

Echozar hurried to the voice and snatched the boot from the man, "it is brand new, they have only just been made" he groaned.

"You could be a bit thankful you know" Joplaya admonished him, "you haven't even said thank you to Rydag."

Scarlet faced, Echozar turned to the visiting young man, "thank you" he meekly apologised.

Rydag grinned easily, and then cheekily said "do you want me to give your other boot to the pup to chew? Then you would have a matching pair."

Joplaya holding her laughter within her, looked at the young man with interest, he had only arrived a few days before but already felt part of the family. He and the rest of his travelling companions came from a people far to the east, a people called the Mamutoi. He was very good looking, she noticed, with his muscled form and blond hair. He would make a very good mate for her daughter, Dalana.

Rydag felt uncomfortable under the leader's gaze, and quickly made his apologies and left them.

Echozar looked at his boot in disgust, and decided to wear an old pair. He had been so busy putting them on, that he hadn't noticed the speculative look on his mate's face.

"You know" Joplaya cut into his thoughts, "that Rydag is a fine young man. I think he would make a fine mate for our daughter."

"Will you stop playing match maker" he groaned, "she will find a mate in her own time, and of her own choice."

"I know, it is just I would like some grandchildren" Joplaya admitted, "and with Hoche gone, well she is my only child now, I must put all my hopes for the future on her."

Echozar came up behind her, and put his arms around her waits, nestling his head on her shoulder, he kissed her cheek, "we could always have another one" he pointed out suggestively.

--

Madroman watched the people with disinterest, wondering what trouble he could cause. He quickly realised from the bustle in camp that they were going to hold a summer meeting get together celebration that evening.

Madroman thought back to how easy these people had accepted the chosen ones. Even with two abominations travelling with them, along with horses and wolves, these people had seemed to be particularly accepting. Madroman didn't like that.

He noticed the flathead girl, Odala was her name, she was sat next to a young woman, peeling tubers which she threw into a cooking skin. There was a delicious smell coming from skin, meat wafted to meet his nose, reminding his tender stomach that he hadn't eaten all day. He pushed his hunger aside, and that is when an idea came into his head. He looked around, and noticed just what he wanted. There growing at the base of a tree were clumps of pretty purple flowers. As long as he could remember his mother had always told him to never eat bluebells, they made you ill, she had told him again and again. As he looked at the flowers, he smirked; it was time for an experiment. "I wonder what will happen if I put them in Odala's stew?" Quickly he pulled clumps out of the ground, and ripped them to shreds, then when Odala had left her cooking, and there was no one around, he hurried over, threw the bluebells in, and stirred the stew. Then he went back and waited for the fun.