"When will I see Jondalar again?" Marona asked the strange man that always seemed to be guarding her.
Danni sighed with sadness, it hurt so much that the woman he loved couldn't remember him. She remembered Jondalar, had taken great delight in telling him how the Zelandonii man had asked her to mate him. She didn't realise that she was living in the past, that time had moved on, to her it was the summer when she would mate him, the summer when in reality she had been left standing at the altar waiting for the man who had left on a journey and wouldn't be seen again for five years. She thought she was still a young woman, instead of a mother, with children she couldn't remember.
Ayla walked into the tent, for a moment she forgot that the sick woman in front of her couldn't remember her, she wanted to share her excitement about her son with her old friend.
"You should see the outfit that Thonolan's mate is wearing for the matrimonial" she laughed, "it is beautiful."
"The matrimonial" Marona sat up in bed, "it is today. I must get ready; Jondalar will be waiting for me."
Ayla instantly saw the error of her ways, she had been thinking about her own happiness, and had forgotten the difficulty that Marona was in.
"Marona, it isn't your matrimonial" she tried to calmly tell her, "you are already mated."
Danni stepped forward, a smile of hope on his face, hoping that something within his mate would trigger her memory of him.
His hopes were dashed.
"No" Marona screamed, "I am mating Jondalar today. I have got to get dressed."
Danni couldn't stand it anymore, as much as he had stoically stood by and watched the woman he loved saying how much she loved another, he could stand it no longer. His heart hurt too much. So he rushed out of the tent, leaving Ayla with a distressed Marona.
"I need to give you something to calm you" Ayla said, quickly looking through her otter skin bag. She took three packages out, mint to flavour a tea, motherwort that would help calm her, and powdered hops would make her sleep. As this was the healing tent, there was already hot water heated over a fire. She poured some into a wooden bowl and then measured out a small amount of each herb into her hand, and put it in the bowl to steep. When the tea was cooled enough, she managed to get Marona to drink it. Then she sat down and waited for the woman to go to sleep.
When Danni didn't come back, Ayla decided that she needed to get someone to sit with Marona. She had spent too much time with the woman already, it was her duty to be with Leshia, as the mother of the man she was about to be mated to, it was expected that she be there, but as she had no mother, Ayla felt the urge to be there for the young woman even more. She went to the door of the tent, and looked out. There was no sign of anyone, so she ventured further sure that Marona would continue to sleep. She got all the way to the tent that Leshia was in without seeing anyone who could help, poking her head in, she saw Leshia resplendent in her outfit, an festooned with pearls. The Zelandoni of the second cave was visiting and Ayla on seeing her, smiled. She could pass on Marona's care to her.
---------------
Thonolan was sat in his own tent, enjoying the company of the males of his family and his friends.
"So did you bring anything else back except a pretty girl?" Joharran asked.
Thonolan grinned, "it is funny you should ask that" he said, "for while I was with Leshia's people, I learned about something called irrigation."
Jondalar sat up, and put down the cup of wine he had been drinking, "what is irrigation?" he enquired always ready to learn new things.
"The Larochai are very forward thinking, like our own people. When they saw us riding horses, they immediately realised how much taming wild animals would improve their lives. But one discovery they have made, which we haven't, is the ability to bring fresh water to them, instead of having to fetch it themselves. It is called irrigation; I actually helped a cave make their own one, which means I can help all our caves do the same."
"But what exactly is irrigation? How is it done?"
"Well we would have to find a fresh water spring in the hill of each cave, then climb that hill, taking tools and clay with us. We dig a trench in front of the spring, taking it to the edge of the hill, then we line the trench with clay. When it is finished, the spring will feed into the trench, which will feed down the hill, right next to the cave. A man made waterfall."
"wow, that is really ingenious, I wonder why we never had such an idea?" Joharran commented.
"Because the mother gave the idea to the Larochai, she meant it for them, and then for the rest of us. She has given us much, maybe she thought that it was time that she honoured other people too" the Zelandoni of the seventh caves observed.
"I just wish we could start now, but Thonolan mates tonight, and will be secluded with his mate for two weeks" Dojanan, his best friend moaned.
"Danni knows how it all works too, but he is too occupied with Marona at the moment" Thonolan informed them.
"We will have to wait" Joharran conceded, though unless you decide to live with another cave, hopefully the ninth cave can get this irrigation done before the end of summer."
"If you do that, then we should all send people from our caves to learn, and then maybe we could dig our own too, so hopefully by the beginning of winter many caves will have it."
That is a really good idea" Thonolan smiled, "after our matrimonial I will talk to Leshia about it, as she has been involved in countless caves of her own people getting irrigation."
"She might not want to talk about irrigation" Dojanan grinned, to everyone's mirth.
--------------
"Odala, we have done you a great disservice" Delmar looked at all of the chosen young people "In fact, we have treated you all abysmally. Will you let us make it up to you? Will you stay with us, and teach us your ways?"
Jonayla, answering for all of them spoke, "Delmar, what happened was the fault of one of our own people, and you have nothing to be sorry about. But as to staying, that is not what the mother wants; she has sent us to all the people of this land, not just yours."
"You honour us with your request" Odala interrupted, "but we have work to do, the mother's work. I don't know about the rest of us, but for me I believe that the mother has somewhere in mind for me to settle. I am sorry to say that it isn't here, for I love your people."
Delmar nodded, and started to sadly turn away when Lanogar stepped forward.
"Actually I would like to stay" he said, "before Madroman's violation of all things good; I was getting to know one of your young ladies. Thania is wonderful; I felt an instant attraction to her. If she will have me, and if I am allowed to stay, then I would like to mate her and become a member of the Pasduried."
"You would be most welcome to stay" Delmar smiled, "but I think you should go and ask the young lady before making any plans."
--------------------
Marona awoke to find herself alone. "Everyone must be waiting for me outside" she grinned, thinking of the handsome Jondalar. She looked around for her matrimonial clothes but only saw an unusual outfit, which tied at the back. She quickly put it on, pushing the too long sleeves up her arms. She struggled to tie it up at the back, not quite covering all her back. She looked down in despair, the tunic had no embellishment. But then she remembered her beloved's face, and forgot about the strange clothes, in her hurry to mate Jondalar.
She stepped out of the tent, and saw the fire light in the distance, "that must be where they are having the matings" she decided and started to walk, tripping every so often on weeds and exposed tree roots. "I haven't got any boots on" she moaned bending down to rub her sore toe.
-----------------
Thonolan stood waiting for Leshia. He knew what tent she was in, and his gaze never left the doorway. Eventually he saw the hide move aside, and his mother came out followed by other women. He strained his eyes looking for his first sight of his love. He knew that she would be wearing the outfit he had already seen, but wondered what it would look like at night. It had sparkled when they had mated, when it was day, but now the stones would reflect the fires. And then he saw her, resplendent, standing just outside her tent, staring over the distance right at him.
He took a deep breath, and smiled at her.
"Jondalar" a voice spoke into his ear, "I am here, we can get mated now."
Thonolan turned around to find the source of the voice. "Marona?" he questioned looking at her with incredulity. "What are you doing here? You are sick."
"Just sick with love for you Jondalar."
Thonolan looked at the woman he had known all his life, the mother of one of his best friends, the mate of his uncle. "Marona, you are ill, you shouldn't be here."
"But Jondalar I love you." She grabbed his arm, and tried to get him to kiss her.
"Marona, you are like a mother to me" he gasped.
"Jondalar" she whined, "how can I be a mother to you? We are to be mated."
By this time Ayla had reached the increasingly distressed woman, and tried to lead her away.
"But I am mating Jondalar" Marona insisted.
"Marona, that is Thonolan, he is my son" Ayla explained.
"But……, no he has to be Jondalar, he looks like Jondalar."
Jondalar wanting to help his pregnant mate, rushed forward.
"Jondalar?" Marona exclaimed, and then looked at Thonolan. "What is going on?"
"You are spoiling our son's matrimonial" Jondalar hissed.
"Your son, but she said he was her son."
"Marona, you have to come with me" she insisted.
"You stole Jondalar" Marona screamed.
The crowd was starting to grow restless; they didn't want to see Marona making a fool of herself, though it was funny. They were there for the matings; many come to see friends and family hitched.
"Boo" a man shouted.
"Hey Marona, we can see your but" another crowed.
"She's crazy."
"Barking mad."
"What is she wearing?"
"It looks like one of those straight jackets for mad people."
"Well she is mad."
The crowd all started to laugh at her, which caused Marona to feel panic as the people turned against her. She looked in desperation around her, seeing the old Jondalar with his arm protectively around the healer, and the young Jondalar holding the hands of a young woman.
She couldn't stand it anymore, and bolted, running for all she was worth.
----------------------
Danni was feeling guilty, it had hurt so much that she didn't know him, but he knew that he shouldn't have left her. Even if she couldn't remember their love, he knew it existed. It wasn't her fault; it was her accident that had turned her into a shell of herself. On the day of their matrimonial all those years before, he had promised that he would always protect her, always care for her. He felt like he had let her down, and was determined that it wouldn't happen again.
He was just about to head for the healing tent, when he heard a commotion coming from the matrimonials. There was raucous laughter, and when he heard her name he knew who they were laughing at.
He ran over just in time to see Marona disappear in the trees. "What happened?" he shouted, but didn't wait for an answer, he had to follow his mate.
---------------
Lanogar stood next to the young Pasduried woman Thania; she had readily accepted his proposal. They had decided to get mated straight away so that his friends could witness it. Then when they left to continue their mission, he was going to live in his mate's cave, and teach her people all that the Zelandonii had learned over the years.
"Lanogar, you are a visitor, but when you mate Thania you will be numbered amongst the Pasduried, do you promise to give up your old life, your mission and give yourself wholeheartedly to her. Will you provide for her and any children that might come? Will you love her, and protect her?"
With joy he answered the only response he could make, and as he smiled down at the beautiful young woman, he whispered "yes."
--------------
The celebration to celebrate Lanogar and Thania's mating, along with all the other couples, was the chosen ones last night with the Pasduried, for the next day they would continue on their mission, already they had stayed longer than they had wanted. They partied late into the night, even after all the new mated couples had disappeared.
"Are you sure no one else would like to stay with us?" Delmar asked Jonayla, hope in his eyes.
She shook her head, "we have to go, we have to fulfil what the mother has for us."
----------------
Lanogar was up late the next day, his friends were already packed, and the horses were ready. His wolf that would be staying with him; came to wake him up, eager for him to not miss what in his animal mind he realised was an important event.
He quickly threw his clothes on, and exited the hut he had shared with his new woman the night before. He hadn't allowed himself time to put his boots on so he hopped over to them, one on and one still off.
"You were going without saying goodbye" he complained.
"Never" Aylanar insisted, "we would have waited all day just to say goodbye."
"I will miss you all" Lanogar sobbed, "but if you come back this way then maybe you could come and see me, maybe by then I might have a couple of children at my hearth" he said, hugging Thania who had come up behind him.
"I don't know what the mother holds for us, but I promise if any of us comes back then we will definitely come to see you" Jonayla smiled, "but now we must be on our way."
Lanogar watched sadly as he watched the young people who had been a constant throughout his life, disappear over a hill.
"Do you wish you had gone with them?" Thania asked, her serious grey eyes piercing his soul.
"No, I am glad that I have found you, it was for you and the Pasduried that the mother made me, you are my destiny, I am happy" and he hugged her.
--------------------
Thonolan and Leshia were mated, and in seclusion. Marona had disappeared, so Ayla had no important places she needed to be, which meant that she could spend time with the children of her old friends of the Mamutoi. First she had had words with the second cave Zelandoni who had forgotten to get someone to sit with Marona. That done, she had gone to find the Mamutoi young people.
She was eager to hear more about what had happened to her old adoptive family after she had left them.
"will you tell me more about the mamutoi?" she asked.
Valut nodded, and started to spin his tale.
"The Lion Camp is no longer like you knew it. We still live in lodges, but over the years, especially after the success of the summer meeting you attended, many of our people have wanted to join us. First of all the leaders were reticent, they worried that with so many people that there wouldn't be enough food. They were also concerned about space. But then there was a disaster, and the lion camp had no choice but to take in refugees."
"What happened?" Ayla asked, intrigued but alos a bit scared.
"A mountain exploded, and sent ash down over our lands."
Ayla nodded, "yes that's right, it happened when I was leaving to go with Jondalar, I remember worrying what it meant."
"I don't think it meant anything, not at first anyway. But that winter was hard, especially for those camps nearer the mountain. Many died, starved as the ash suffocated the land. Those that survived, decided when spring came that the mother had cursed their homes. And they came to us."
"That is horrible, so much suffering" Ayla commented, nearly crying.
Valut nodded, "yes it was terrible, it was a time of unrivalled suffering, though I obviously never experienced any of it myself. Anyway they came to the Lion Camp for help, and help we gave them. First of all the healthy people from the Lion Camp moved into tents to make room for those that were ill. The rest of the destitute people lived in the tents too. Then one day the hunters came upon a herd of dead mammoth, they had the ash around their trucks and mouths, it was assumed that they had died because of the mountain. But it was also believed that they were a gift from the mother, and a sign. The bones and the tusks of the great beasts were used to make another lodge. Which gave more room for our people.
"Wow that is pretty much like the Zelandonii, they have many huts now, unlike when I arrived when they lived in a cave, with dwellings within."
"Really" Valut queried, "we are not the only people to do that?"
Ayla joyously shook her head, and waved her arm, "please can you tell me some more?"
"Well that second lodge soon became three, and then we started building smaller ones, more family orientated. Now the original lodge is used just by the Mamuts; and the second and third for big celebrations. I was born in the first family lodge; it had just been finished in readiness for my birth."
---------------------
The group slowly moved towards the Zelandonii summer meeting. It had been a long time since they had met the people, but now it had been decided that they needed their help. They were in trouble; and if they didn't get assistance then all would be lost.
The leader stopped the group, and started to enter the camp on his own.
A boy ran after him, looking up at the tall man, he asked, "do you really think they will help us?"
The man looked kindly down at the son of his hearth, "yes they are good people, now will you go back to your mother?"
"Yes Bruk."
-------------------
Danni stared at the landscape around him with frustration. The trail that Marona had left had disappeared; he had no idea which way to go. Would she have followed the river, or would she have gone down into the valley? With a split decision that he prayed to the mother that his choice would turn out to be right, and started down into the valley.
As he stumbled down the sheer stone path he nearly turned around, thinking that with bare feet she would never had carried on walking over the painful surface. But then he noticed something that both cheered him, and also froze him to the core. Down lower than him, there was a red stain, he hurried towards it, and on reaching it bent down to see if it was blood. It was and it was fresh.
"Marona" he shouted, hearing his voice echo back at him.
He ran the rest of the way down the hill, and looked around the verdant scene; there was a calm pool, surrounded by lush grass, and bushes. He looked around, spying a cave in the cliff. "I wonder if she went there" he mused, and started dashed up the path that ran next to it. "Marona" he called in, and heard a scurrying noise.
With trepidation, his spear held out in case the noise was caused by a wild animal, he entered the cave. "Hello" he called, and heard a sob. "Marona, is that you?"
There was no light at the back of the cave, and his eyes took time to acclimatize to the gloom, but then he saw her, scratched, hair tangled, muddy, and shaking with fear. "Marona" he tried to soothe, "you are alright."
Fear filled her eyes, and she tried to scoot away from him.
"It is alright Marona" he crooned, finally reaching her, he put his arms around her sobbing shoulders.
They spent the night like that, and eventually she fell into a crying induced slumber.
Gently he arose, and went out of the cave to relieve himself. Then spear in hand, he crept silently down the path, towards the small deer that was drinking from the pool. With a prayer of thankfulness to the mother, Danni threw his spear, hitting the animal in its side, and right through its heart. He took out his flint knife, and cut the skin of the animal, and then cut it up into large chunks. He spent the day making a fire, cooking the meat, and curing the skin.
By nightfall, Marona awoke; she hadn't slept very much for days, so the prolonged slumber had done her a lot of good. But still she couldn't remember anything much beyond Jondalar.
"What's happening?" she mumbled, nearly incoherently, "who are you?"
Danni sighed, she still didn't know him. He had been hoping after the rest that she had had, that some memories would return. He looked at her, "I am your friend" he told her, finally realising that this was a relationship that had to start again, "I am going to look after you."
Marona nodded and looked towards the meat roasting over the fire.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, cutting her some with his knife. He placed it on a flat rock he had found earlier, which he had washed. It wasn't as good as a plate, but necessity meant it would have to do. "Careful, it is hot."
She timidly picked up the meat, and nibbled at it. "they were so mean" she murmured, looking down at her food.
"I know."
"Why were they like that?" Marona's voice trembled.
"I don't know" he shook his head, "some people are just nasty."
"And Jondalar is mated to that healer, and they have a son, what has she got that I haven't?"
"She is beautiful, and talented, but to me you are the more special."
"Do you really think that?" she stared in his eyes for the first time since her accident.
"Yes, you are the most important person in the world to me" his voice quivered from looking at the beauty and pain within her eyes.
------------------
They were out in the wild again, away from any one, with only each other for company. Where they were going, who they would meet they didn't know, they just went the way that the mother indicated, following the paths that she had set out for them.
It had been a week since they had left Lanogar, and even after seven days they still missed him, it felt like they were missing a vital part.
But they didn't look back, they couldn't afford to. The mother led them on.
They had past what would one day be the border between France and Spain, though they didn't know that. They just knew that they had to find people before the start of winter, or they would be in trouble.
Every night they stopped to make camp, eating the supplies that the Pasduried's had given them. This they supplemented with rabbit killed along the way, and fresh vegetation gathered from around their tents.
"I wonder how much time it will be until we come across more people?" Hoche murmured, as they all sat around the fire.
"My mother told me that her and my father didn't see anyone for weeks when they were travelling to the Zelandonii. It could be many weeks or even more before we meet anyone."
"I hope not" Aylanar sighed, despondently.
This was how the evenings were spent, following a day of hard riding but one day they came upon something that caused a break in their expected day.
"Did you hear that?" Darora asked, stopping her horse. "I heard a scream."
They stopped their mounts and listened intently, soon they hear a high pitched scream of terror.
"I don't like the sound of that" Aylanar commented, and turned his horse around and started to gallop in the direction the noise had come from.
In union they all followed him, intent to help the mysterious person who sounded so frightened.
They expected to find someone being attacked by a carnivorous animal, a corpse, battered and ripped apart. But the scene they saw as they thundered out of the trees was something they couldn't have imagined in their wildest imagination, nor would they have wanted to.
A group of men were travelling; they were like them, human beings, others but that was where the similarity ended. For they were doing something that no person of the Zelandonii, or member of the clan would ever do. They were carrying children, on poles. Their hands and feet were bound and tied around the wood, all but one had a gag on, and she had been being whipped.
Now everything had stopped as they all looked towards the chosen ones, on horseback.
"Demons" one of the men shouted, and he roughly dropped his end of a pole, making the child slip down, terror in her eyes. Soon all the poles had been dropped, and the men ran away leaving the children to their fate.
Jonayla jumped off her horse, and ran to the crying children, who by the look of it, they were all girls and obviously usually well fed and looked after. Now they were bedraggled, muddy and scared.
"It's okay" she said, in what she hoped was a calming voice.
The girl without a gag was screaming again, so Jonayla went over to her, and quickly cut the rope trying her up. She just managed to catch her, before she ran off. She was only little, couldn't be more than six or seven, Jonayla put her arms around her, and stroked her hair.
The little girl, sensing that the woman meant no harm, stayed in her arms, crying as she crooned a Zelandonii nursery rhyme.
Soon all the children were cut free, and as Jonayla suspected they were all girls, the eldest looked around eleven, just before menarche, the youngest looked around two.
"What were they doing with these little babies?" she asked, looking at her friends. "How could they treat them like that? How could anyone be so evil?"
"Maybe they have no girls in their tribe, and stole them to mate them to their boys when they were older."
Jonayla shook her head, "if that was so then why would they treat them like they were?"
"Don't think about it" Danyayla instructed her, "we have other things to think about, like where these girls belong and treating their injuries."
Jonayla glumly nodded, still holding the little girl, who had fallen asleep, her thumb in her mouth.
--------------------
Each carrying a child in front of them, they rode deeper into the land the mother had sent them to. They didn't talk; they didn't feel like it, they were just glad that the mother had allowed them to rescue the children.
The landscape went by, but they didn't notice. The children slept, comforted, feeling safe.
Finally they came to signs of humans, smoke in the distance.
"I just hope that they are nice; and not more of those nasty ones" Mazia sighed, hugging the smallest child, motherly feeling filling her.
They rode towards the smoke, and came upon what looked like a late summer meeting. But the camp was seemingly empty. They rode through it, looking around nervously.
"Do you think it is because we are on horses?" Odala mused aloud.
"Maybe, but I think it is more likely that this is the camp where the children come from, and they are out looking for them."
Odala nodded, and got off her horse, disturbing the nearly young woman who was asleep there.
She shrieked with joy, putting out her hands to be lifted off the horse. Then she ran off in the direction of a hut, coming back a few minutes later with a small group of older women.
By that time, they had taken all the children down of the horses, the old women whooped with joy, lifting them up in their arms and spinning them around.
"Thank you" an incredible old woman smiled at them.
"You know our language?" Danyayla astoundedly asked.
"No, I don't know your language. The mother gave me a special gift when I was a young girl, I can understand anyone and they me, no matter what language they speak, I always hear Lamassana, and they always hear their tongue."
"Wow, that is amazing, I would love that ability" Aylanar commented.
"Well maybe the mother will bless you with it young man" the woman responded, a good natured smile on her face. "But first of all, I am Lamassa, the holy woman of our tribe, we are called the Lamassana. Welcome and again thank you, Natalia here" she put her arm around the oldest girl, "she is the daughter of my grand daughter, she told me that you all rescued them. You appeared out of the trees on the back of horses, terrifying those evil men. When I think what they might have done to our girls, well I am just glad that you were there."
"And we are glad that we were too, though I think it was the mother that sent us" Jonayla smiled, "but enough of that now. Tell me how did they come to be with those men?"
Lamassa grimaced with pain. "There was a time when those men were part of the Lamassana, they were our sons, our brothers, our fathers, but they turned away from the ways of the mother, and decided that they wanted to appease their evil desires."
"First of all they would just do bad things, fighting, causing trouble, but then they got worse. They started attacking those that couldn't defend themselves, first of all women from a race of people that live nearby, in the past we have had close links with them, through my gift I managed to be able to talk to them, and though they first struggled with communicating with a woman, they got used to it. They call themselves the Clan, and the men raped their women, beat them up, and killed their children. It caused a massive rift between the Clan and us, but the men didn't care."
"But then they started attacking our own women, first of all old women, then they went after young and pregnant women, finally they went after the children, hurting them, beating them, and well trying something that was an abomination. We had kicked them out by then, broken all ties, but they continued to prey on our people, so one summer we decided that we would all stay together, now the whole of our people live in one place, it is safer that way."
"We haven't had any trouble from them for years, we thought they had moved away, or been killed, and then the other night, they raided the camp in the middle of the night, and had taken our children before we realised what was happening."
The chosen ones sat in shocked silence, they had never heard a more terrible, shocking or stomach churning tale.
---------------
Leshia awoke, stretching luxuriantly, she looked around at her new mate, and seeing he was still asleep, got out of their shared furs, and opened the ties that secured their tent's entrance. She slipped out, and ran with exuberance towards the nearby river. She walked carefully into the flowing water, feeling it hit her body in crescendos. She shivered as its coolness rived over her, enjoying its silky feel. Deeper she went; until it came up to her shoulders, then she pinched her nose, and immersed herself. She rose out of the water, spluttering but happy. She went back to the bank, and picked up the soap she had brought with her, lathering her hair and body. Then she went back in the river to rinse. She was tempted to stay there, but then she remembered her sleeping mate, and ran out of the water, droplets spraying as she hurried back to her beloved.
She quickly brought new life into the fire they had made the night before. All it was now was embers, but before too long she had a roaring fire again. Then she placed a cooking pot over it, and filled it with water.
She went back into the tent, he was still asleep, she hurried over to their supplies, and not wanting to disturb him, took them outside with her, along with some of the clay cups and bowls Ayla had given them as a mating gift.
The water was already hot, so she took some out and poured it into the cups. She added herbs into both, and left them to cool.
Then she put oats into the pot, and stirred it. She watched as it thickened, and then added some honey. She scooped some into two bowls, and after taking the cooking pot of the fire, she carried their food into the tent, going back for the cups of tea.
Thonolan was gently snoring, she didn't really want to wake him up, he looked so lovely. This was a day that she had imagined all her life. Here now sat in this tent, she was mated, and longed to see after all of Thonolan's needs, as she had dreamt about all those long years ago, making her matrimonial outfit with her mother.
Thonolan's eyes started to flicker, which she took as a sign, bending over him, so her hair tickled his face, she kissed him.
"What a lovely way to be woken up" he murmured, pulling her into a full kiss.
She kissed him back, but then remembering what she had done that morning, she pushed him away, "we have plenty of time for that" she laughed at his affronted look, "for now I have made breakfast" and she gave him his tea, and the bowl with the oat mixture. "You need to keep your strength up" she grinned at him, with promise.
-----------------
The Zelandonii had been surprised and wary to see Bruk; or Brukeval as he was known to them. He had been hurried of to a hastily ordered meeting of the Zelandonia.
"Why are you here?" Ayla asked him.
"I, I need the Zelandonii help" he answered, sensing that the woman before him was now the first in the holy order. "When I was young I hated the Clan, I didn't want anyone connecting me to them, and when people did I became violent. But through you, and the mother, I was accepted by the people I hated. They cared for me, even when I hated them, even when I endeavoured to cause trouble; they just ignored it, and tried again. Slowly I realised that they were not monsters, and that was when I came to comprehend why I had hated them all those years. I felt that part of me was an animal, that I was only partly human, I was an abomination, I hated myself. But the love and care they showed me, it showed me that they were fully human and so was I."
Ayla nodded, her eyes filling with tears.
"From that time onwards, I changed, it was almost overnight, I wanted to learn everything, I helped out, I tried my hardest to be a valuable member of the Clan. I spent many years enjoying my new friends, I mated a wonderful woman, and she gave me two sons, and two daughters. She was everything to me, she gave me joy each day, and love each night."
For a second he stopped talking as he took in a large gulp of air, "but it all changed, times were hard in our corner of the world, the animals seemed to have left, vegetation was sparse and we had difficulty feeding everyone. But then last winter we had the winter sickness, which along with our lack of food stored for the winter meant many died, including my mate. When spring came, and things did not get better, it was decided by both the leader and the Mog-ur that the spirits had left us, and that we had to follow them if we wanted to continue living. We had to move, find a new land, a new home. We didn't know where to go, but we left anyway. We wandered around, with no real direction. The leader of our cave was hurt by a cave bear and he died, as the mate of the only child of his hearth, I was made leader. That was when I got a feeling, you could say that it came from the mother; I felt that the Zelandonii would help us. So we came to you for help, we want to live; we want our children to go on, to have a future."
"And you expect our people to support you?" the haughty voice of the Zelandonii of the fourteenth cave said.
"It is not for you to decide what happens to these people" Ayla cut through her moaning. She looked sternly at the woman.
Brukeval was already shaking his head, "you misunderstand, the Clan are a proud people, we don't want to rely on anyone. We just want to find a land of our own, one that the Zelandonii don't want, and we want to start trading between our two peoples. We have much to offer, skills that the Zelandonii don't have, and of course you all have much we don't."
Ayla stood up, and walked towards him, falling to his feet; she bent her head and waited for him to tap her on the shoulder. He did this quickly, and she looked up into his eyes.
"I always knew that you had goodness tucked away in you, I could feel it aching for release, you have changed much over the years, and you are better for it. I would be proud to trade with you and your people."
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Aylanar walked through the mists, he had been here before, in another dream the mother had spoken to him. Showed him the people that he would eventually find; now he suspected she had something else to say to him.
He looked around his surroundings, he was in a forest, looking up he couldn't even see the sky. The mist twisted and turned around each tree, and then started to drop to the forest floor, as the woman appeared in front of him.
"Aylanar I have protected my little ones from the evil that wants to hurt them, no abomination that could ruin their lives has happened, but one day the wickedness will succeed unless you stop it. Go to the Clan, I give you the gift of Lamassa, you will talk to them, gain their confidence, get them to see that the Lamassana, aren't part of the bad, that they are still their friends. The Lamassana, the Clan, and the chosen ones must work together. This malevolence must be stop, for it is the greatest atrocity to me, you will be my tool, you must protect the children, and find these men. Find them, and I will deal with them."
"But how could such wickedness exist?" Aylanar asked, shaking his head, he could not understand it.
"The ways of man are good, and kind, but sometimes they can warp. Your world is only young yet, you are mostly innocents, I am sorry to say that in the future man will look to their own desires more and more, and I and all that is good will be forgotten. My eyes are already red from weeping for that time, my heart aches for the pain caused. I will not let this wickedness spread earlier, these men are to be stopped, no matter what, their crime is not to be allowed."
The mist that had receded now flew up into his face so all he could see was white, but he heard her voice still echoing in his mind, "go to the Clan, and quickly, time is short, and they will need your help very soon."
With a start Aylanar awoke, sitting up, he could hear some of the early risers talking about the coming day. Then he realised, he could understand them, he had the gift of Lamassa, the gift of the mother.
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Danni sat in the small cave watching as Marona slept. The fire was roaring in the mouth of the cave, rain was tumbling from the sky, and Danni was making an outfit for the mate that didn't know him, using the deer hide. Since his wandering journey that had eventually led him to the Zelandonii he had always kept a sewing kit on him. He had learnt that it was better that way, one never knew when they would need to make a repair, or even create a whole new outfit.
With his last stitch, he held the tunic he had been working on out, looking at it with a critical eye, he knew that it wasn't perfect, but it was serviceable. More importantly it would keep his love warm.
He looked toward her again; tousled hair lay on the straw mattress he had constructed. Already he had killed quite a few animals; the fur that covered Marona was testament to that.
He felt a crick in his neck, so getting up he walked to the cave's entrance and stared out. The pool in the valley was already twice the size it had been when he had arrived. He knew that from the way the rain was pelting down soon there would be no way down. He stepped out into it, looking for any path that led upwards, just as he was thinking that he would have to awake Marona so they could escape the small cave before they were trapped in it, he saw a path leading up and out of the valley. He glanced back at Marona; she was still fast asleep, making a split decision, he started up the path, soon finding himself at the top of the cliff, looking at the fertile grassland teaming with wild life before him. With joy he examined every aspect, knowing that it would provide all they needed for a long hard winter.
"Danni" a small voice sounded below him.
He hurried back down the path, and into the cave to see Marona sat up, examining the outfit he had made for her.
"This is good" she said, already taking off the jacket she wore, and replacing it with the tunic and leggings he had already made for her. "Thank you" she said, already looking more like the Marona he knew and loved.
"I will make you a pair of boots next" he promised.
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Rydag wandered through the Zelandonii summer meeting, so like the Mamutoi ones he had grown up with. He looked at all the wares the traders were showing, he wanted something specific, something unusual that he could give to a special person.
The night before he had met the most wonderful woman, like him she wasn't originally a Zelandonii though she had been adopted along with the rest of her family when she was still a young girl. He had listened to her, mesmerised by her words as she described the great sea that she was born near. How she had spent day after day, on the beach, running in and out of the churning water, she had spoken of learning to fish, of rowing a boat out to the middle of the sea and then diving in to the vast water in search of the jewels of the sea. She had described the fish, swimming past her face, and having to be careful of the predators of the deep. Most of all she had sobbed when she had told him how a water wave had decimated their lands, flooded their caves, and made them flee. She had told him about all the things she had to leave behind, the doll her father had carved for her, the jewellery her mother had made her, and worse of all the shell her sister had given her on her deathbed. His heart had cried in time with hers when she finished, and putting his arms around her, she had clung to him with desperation.
So now when he should have been enjoying the Doni women like many of the other young men, he was trading his belongings for a shell that was unlike any he had ever seen before.
Once acquired, he hurried off to find the young woman finding her in the story telling tent, he tapped her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear, "can you come outside? I want to talk to you."
"What is it you want?" she asked, a gleam in her eye as she hoped that the romantic story she had just heard was about to be repeated in real life.
"I have something for you," he held the shell out to her, "it is called a conch shell, if you hold it to your ear you can hear the sea."
The girl nodded, and lifted it to listen to.
"I thought you could that hearing the sea would comfort you, maybe if you listen carefully you will hear your sister singing her joy to be reunited with the mother."
She listened closer, and then nodded her head, "thank you" she said, realising that real life far outweighed the silly tales of the story tellers.
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Ayla, knowing that she had some time before the next meeting went to look for her mate, finding him in the knapping tent, she met his blue eyes with her grey ones in a silent beckoning to come.
Jondalar made his excuses and quickly followed her to a small clearing, taking hold of her hand on the way.
"Are you alright?" he asked as soon as they were totally alone.
Ayla grinned up at him, "can I not want to spend a bit of time with my mate, without you worrying that there is something wrong?"
He sheepishly smiled back, "I'm sorry Ayla, I just thought that maybe there was a problem with the baby." He suddenly frowned, "you aren't in labour are you?"
"No" she laughed, "the baby isn't even due for another month. No I just wanted to be with you."
"Oh, arhhh, you want to….."
Ayla playfully hit him, "I don't want to share pleasures. I know in the past I was always ready for you, but those days are gone, especially at the moment. I am too big and ungainly."
"You look perfect to me" he sighed, his eyes glazing over as he looked at the perfect example of the mother."
"Come on, let's sit down" she indicated an area that someone had left a large hide spread out, topped with baskets and bowls.
"Did you?"
Ayla nodded, "I know how much you love your food, your podgy stomach attest to that. I thought I would organise a little picnic for us."
Jondalar swiftly sat down, and opening a basket he peered inside.
"I think I put the poppy seed cakes in there, just like your mother used to make."
Jondalar picked one up, and bit into it, the expression on his face not just from the glorious taste, but from memories of years long gone when Marthona had made them for him. He quickly wiped a tear away, and reached for his mate, kissing her on the lips.
Ayla took the rest of the lids of the food, having a bit of a reminiscences herself, as she smelled the ptarmigan, Creb's favourite food.
Stuffed full of food, they lay together, Ayla in his arms and stared up at the sky, both falling into a blissful slumber.
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When Aylanar had found Lamassa the next day and started talking to her in her own language, she had been shocked, but then she had wisely smiled and cryptically stated "I knew you were special."
There was no time for flattery though, as Aylanar informed her what the mother wanted, she became more and more concerned.
"We have to go now" Aylanar tried to convince her and the leaders of the Lamassana. "The mother said that time was short, we have to help the Clan before one of their own is hurt beyond repair."
"But they hate us" Trilea, one of those in charge cautioned, "if we go there, they could massacre us, who will protect our children then?"
"Trilea, we have a responsibility to the Clan, this evilness came from our people, we must stop it" Lamassa sagely stated, "it must not be allowed to spread."
Trilea reluctantly agreed, and so the next day the chosen ones along with a group of the Lamassana started in the direction they knew that the Clan lived.
The Clan lived the other side of a range of mountains that if they went around would take them weeks. They didn't have the time for such a luxury; they had to climb one of the mountains, sheer cliff though it was.
By the first day they had managed to climb half way, and camped that night on a little cleft, tying ropes secured to the rock so that if they rolled in the night, they wouldn't fall to their death.
By the second day they were exhausted, on the cliff face there was nothing that Mazia wanted to do more than stop, but she knew that she couldn't.
"You can do it" the father of the baby they had rescued from the evil men encouraged her. "You all saved my little Zalia, but I have spoken to your friends and I know it was you who held her on the long journey to our people, it was you who held her to you, gave her comfort in her distress."
"I only did what anyone would do" she felt him behind her helping her upwards, "she is a lovely little girl."
"Yes she is" he replied, "and Mazia, look above you, we are at the top."
Mazia was amazed, "how did we get here so fast? Last time I looked we had a long way to go."
"I distracted you" he grinned, as they both climbed up to the plateau. "Arh look at the view."
Mazia gazed out at all the land before her eyes, it felt like she was on the top of the world, she wondered if she stared hard enough if she would be able to see the Zelandonii, her home camp, and her mother. "This is awe inspiring, I have always like to climb hills, but this is the highest I have ever been, I feel so close to the mother here."