Joharran called a meeting the next day, "we need to have a hunt before we leave for the summer meeting" he told everyone and then looked at Ayla, "we have heard that there is a herd of horses about a days walk from here, and we wondered if you would help us catch some of the young foals."
"Are we going to kill the adults of the herd" Ayla asked.
Joharran nodded his head, "I am sorry Ayla, but even though we love and respect your horses, we cannot ignore the gift the mother has sent us."
"No, you misunderstand me" Ayla hurriedly shook her head, "I am just as willing as anyone to hunt and eat the horses, it is only my ones I hold as special. What I meant was that unless all the adults and older foals are killed, the young ones will never accept us, it would be impossible to raise them as I have Whinney and her young."
"So you will help us?" Joharran grinned.
"I would love to" she responded, now excited about the new horses they would have.
--
The day of the hunt saw them assembled outside the cave, ready to go. Ayla was sat astride Whinney who was waiting patiently, pawing at the ground.
"Is everyone ready?" Joharran asked.
"We have been ready for ages Joharran, are we going to go now?" came a cheeky response from the crowd.
When everyone had stopped laughing, Joharran gave his instructions. "Okay, Ayla and Jondalar, I want you to scout ahead and check exactly where the horses are. Everyone one else, is with me, taking the slow choice, walking."
"We will find the animals, and then come and find you all so we can make our plans" Jondalar spoke, and then tapping Racer with his thighs he was gone, in a gallop followed by Ayla and Whinney and a cloud of dust.
"Wow, those horses are really impressive" Joharran's second in command, Rushemar said, "if we manage to catch some new young ones, just think of the prestige it will give to the cave."
"I don't think we need any more status" Joharran smiled, "but just think how useful they will eventually be."
This conversation was echoed throughout the travelling Zelendonii.
"I like Ayla's idea of a travois, more horses would mean we could transport more."
"Just think of the meat we could haul back."
"The horses would certainly make travelling to the summer meeting easier for the older ones."
"What about if someone wanted to send a message to another cave, sometimes it takes a runner a week, with a horse they could be there and in a day."
"Be safer too, a solitary runner is always at risk of meeting a carnivorous animal, but with a horse it could be outrun."
"The baby horses are cute too; I love petting and feeding Grey."
Far up ahead, Ayla and Jondalar had found the herd of animals.
"How many foals are there?" Jondalar asked, trying to count them on his fingers.
Crouched down behind some bush grass, Ayla stared at the horses, "I count six, there are three grazing next to the lead stallion, two more by the side of the mare the same colour as Racer, and one more over by that tree."
"There is another one" Jondalar pointed, "look between those yellow mares over there, you can only see its black hooves."
Ayla peered in the direction he had indicated and spied small black feet. "It is a young one" she said, "it won't be able to survive without milk like the other ones, luckily we have Whinney and she has milk aplenty."
"Shall we go and find our people then?" Jondalar asked, knowing that she would spend all day watching the herd if he let her.
Ayla reluctantly nodded, "I suppose we should get back" she muttered. "But first we need to look around the area a bit, to make sure we can lead them back here."
--
"There are about fifteen adult horses and older youngsters" Jondalar informed his brother when they got back to them. "And we counted seven foals."
Joharran smiled, "that is more than I thought" he laughed, "the mother is with us."
"Okay" he said in a booming voice so everyone could hear, "when we arrive at the location, we will separate and quietly surround them. When that is done, I will indicate to our horse riders, and they will ride into the meadow, and scared the animals into our arms. I want everyone to be careful, and protect each other, and no one is to try to take down one of the babies, not if you can help it."
Silently they surrounded the herd, and patiently spears shooters held high, until they saw Joharran slowly lift his arm into the air, and pointed at Jondalar. They saw him mouthed the word go.
Jondalar and Ayla came galloping into the meadow, the horses scattered in terror, the hunters rose to standing expectantly and cast their short spears. It was chaos, horses screamed, the humans shouted and the foals nickered in fear. Blood poured as the horses lost their battle to escape from the interlopers. Finally it was quiet, except for the terrified squealing of the young animals.
Grass was covered in blood, and the hunters, covered in the life essences of the parents, walked towards the young ones, and timidly held their hands out, showing the apples that had been picked especially.
--
"Ayla, I was a bit surprised that you agreed so easily to this hunt" Folara said on the way home. "I would have thought you would have been against killing the horses."
"Folara, I love my horses, but I would be stupid to go against the mother's will, she sent this gift to us and to refuse could have incurred her wrath. Anyway, it was a necessary evil, so we could get some of the baby foals."
"Yeah, I suppose so" Folara thought for a moment, "it is exciting to have caught so many."
"How many did we get?" Ayla eagerly asked.
"Five" Folara smiled, "I think some got away."
"Oh well" Ayla sighed, and then grinned, "I think five is plenty. We are going to have our work cut out for us with five. I have only raised one at a time before."
"How are we going to do it?" Folara asked.
"It would be best if each horse was cared for by one person."
"Oh, I would like one" Folara exclaimed.
"Well, that is one sorted, we just have to find four more surrogate parents" Ayla said, "I know Durc and Ura would like to raise one."
"We should call a meeting, when we get back, and see who wants the responsibility."
Ayla nodded, "and we need to find somewhere to put them, they were safe out in the wilds with their herd, but five little horses would soon be prey to any passing wild animals."
"Can they not go in the horse shelter?" Durc had heard them talking and decided to join in.
"I don't think there would be enough room, not with Whinney and her foal already in there." Ayla thought for a moment, "we could build a bigger shelter, one that all the horses could fit in."
"I will help" Folara eagerly said, "I will talk to my brother" and hurried off in Joharran's direction.
"Well, my son, would you like to raise one of the little horses? As my son, it really is your destiny. Jonayla is going to have Grey when she is older, you should have a horse too."
Durc grinned, "oh Mama, I would love one of the horses, ever since I heard about you on your journey, I have dreamt about having one of my own and when I met your animals, the dream had become more intense."
"Well, that is sorted then, my son will have a horse of his own, and I will guide you in raising it. Have you thought which one you would like?"
"I would like the little stallion" he told her, "the one who looks like Racer."
Ayla nodded, "you have a fine eye son, that horse when it grows up will be the strongest of them."
--
It hadn't been easy leading the still scared young horses back to the cave, even with a ready supply of grain and fruit; they still refused to walk, yearning as they were for their mothers.
After many hours, to many to count, they finally arrived back at the ninth cave, to the delight of those who had been left behind.
"Ooh, you have brought horses."
"Did the hunt go okay?"
"Is anyone hurt?"
"How much meat have you brought back?" this last question came from Proleva, Joharran's mate.
"We will answer all your questions in time" Joharran shouted jovially, "but for now, we are tired, and need to put the horses somewhere safe."
"They can go in the horse shelter for now" ayla told him, "but we need to think about making a bigger one for all of them."
"Yes, Folara has already told me that, in fact you could say she had already twittered on about it until I agreed that we would make one."
When the animals were safely settled with their surrogate horse mother, and the meat had been stored it was time to talk and plan.
"Who is going to raise the new horses?" Joharran asked, expecting Ayla to volunteer.
"As I have already told Folara, I think each horse should be raised by one person" ayla smiled, "Folara is desperate to have one, and I have told Durc that he should have one."
"Why should that dirty flathead get one of the animals, it is not like he is even a part of the Zelendonii, he is nothing."
Anger filled ayla, she looked into the crowd for the speaker, but she couldn't identify who it was.
"I think that Durc should have one of the horses" Zelendoni interrupted, "after all if it wasn't for his mother, we would have never thought about catching and raising them."
Murmurs of agreement could be heard throughout the cave, along with some voices not quite so happy.
"Let the boy have one" a voice shouted out from the throng of people.
"Durc" Joharran looked directly at the young man, "do you want to raise one of the young horses?"
"It is what my mother wants" he answered, "and what makes my mother happy, makes me happy."
"Well, that is two of the horses, but what about the other three?" Joharran commented.
"The smallest one needs to be with Whinney, he is too young to be given to someone to train, he will need mother's milk for some time to come" Ayla informed them, "so there are only really two of the foals available."
"Can I have one?" a small voice shouted.
Ayla looked down at the child's eager face; looking towards his father she knew the answer.
"I'm sorry, Jaradal but you are just too young yet, maybe in a couple of years."
The little boy sadly walked back to his hearth, tears falling down his face.
"I'd better…" Proleva mumbled her apology and hurried after her son, catching up to him, she put her arm around her shoulder.
"We still have two of the horses available" Joharran reminded the crowd.
"Could I have one?" a young woman stepped forward, a good friend of Folara's.
"Ramila" Folara grinned, "please Joharran, can she have one?"
"I think she would make a fine horse trainer" the leader agreed, "but we have one horse left, surely someone else would like to be involved?"
"Galeya, what about you?" Folara tried to push her other close friend, "just think how much fun we will have training our horses together."
Galeya shook her head, and stepped backwards away from the limelight, "I couldn't, they are too scary."
"But Galeya…"
"Folara, she has said she doesn't want to do it" Zelendoni admonished.
"Does it have to be an individual?" Yannis asked, "I know that Livie and Ollie, along with their mates would have loved to raise one of the ponies, but they are so caught up with their new babies. Amalia and I could look after the last one, and they could help when we need it, or if they have the time."
"I think that sounds a marvellous idea" Ayla remarked pleased at the thought that her parents would be involved, "what do you think Joharran?"
"I think that there are no horses left, they have all been assigned."
"But how will we train them?" Ramila asked.
"I will help you" Ayla reassured her, "and I will be with you at every step."
--
He could feel the connection to his brother growing stronger each day and knew that very soon he would arrive in the land of the Zelendonii, and meet for the first time in his life the man their parents had talked about for all his childhood.
"Nearly there" he mumbled to himself, glad that his long lonely journey would soon be over.
"What's that?" he spied something lying on the ground in the distance. Carefully walking closer he realised it was an animal.
He was about to turn aside, and find a different way, when a cool breeze fluttered over him, and felt the mother touch his spirit. "Should I continue this way?" he asked, "past the animal?"
"Yes" whispered an ethereal voice in his head.
The man, shaking with fear timidly stepped closer to the silent beast, seeing no response; he became bolder and walked a little further. Soon the acrid smell of blood filled his nostrils, and saw a pool of red matter underneath the wolf, a large portion of one leg was gone.
"It is dead" he muttered, still cautious. Now not worried about the beast, but more about what had half eaten it, he started to hurry past.
"Stop" the mother's voice echoed in his head, "there is a wolf pup, I want you to rescue it."
"I must have imagined that" the man muttered to himself, starting to stride away.
"I am not your imagination" the mother's voice yet again spoke, "and if you want to see your brother, you will do what I say, I want you to rescue the wolf pup and take it with you."
The man shook his head in disbelief, "having a wolf with me will scare anyone I meet, what will the Zelendonii think of me?"
"Let me worry about the Zelendonii, you task for now is to help the young wolf. My spirit will lead you in the way to go."
Moments later found him crawling along an animal dug tunnel, until he found himself confronted with a scared tiny wolf. "Come on little one" he tried to soothe, "I just want to help you."
The little wolf backed against the wall of the only home it knew, shaking with fear, it wet itself.
The man could smell the fear exuding off this small animal, as well as the urine. Carefully he moved his hands forward, clutching a leather wrap in his hands.
It is now or never" he quietly muttered to himself, and quickly covered the beast with the leather, wrapping it around it, so he could avoid the sharp claws.
What came next he had already realised would be hard, the worse part of the rescue. As the youngster struggled beneath the wrap, he tried to crawl backwards through the tight crawl space, wriggling along it seemed like he was encased beneath the earth for hours but it was really only minutes. Finally reaching the exit, he gulped in deep breathes of fresh air.
"What now?" he asked the mother, thinking as he watched the crying animal wriggle under the wrap that he had taken too much to chew.
"Feed it."
The man sighed, "what with?" he groaned.
"Cut up some fresh meat really small and then feed it slowly to the animal."
The man pulled his flint knife out of a pocket in his tunic, and rummaging through his pack, he pulled out the last of the fresh meat. He quickly cut a large section off and after making a fire; he put it over it to roast. He cut up the rest of the meat finely, and went to unwrap the baby wolf.
The little girl wolf was almost free, she had nearly wriggled her way out from the confining beast, and was about to retreat again to the safety of her well known home.
The man carrying a bowl with the cut up meat noticed the escaping wolf and just managed to catch her before she ran off.
"No little one" he crooned, wrapping her paws back into the hide, and pulling her into his lap, "the mother wants you with me." He put his hand into the bowl of raw blood clinging meat and pulled out a small chunk, putting it under her snout. "Eat little one" he sighed and was delighted to see her little pink tongue lick the meagre bit into her mouth.
"There you go little one, I know we are going to be great fun" he smiled, as she ate the rest of the bowl.
--
While Joharran, Jondalar and some of the other Zelendonii built a new bigger horse shelter, it was time for the first lesson for the human surrogate mothers
"When do we get to ride them?" Ramila asked enthusiastically.
Ayla looked at the woman, but realise that she was just exuberant, "it think you are getting a little ahead of yourself there, Ramila. It will be a long time until they are big enough to even think about riding them."
Ramila's face burned bright red, "when will they be ready?" she said in a quiet voice, hoping that she wouldn't feel a fool with this answer.
Ayla smiled at her, "both Whinney and Racer were a year old before they could be ridden, so this time next year, they should be big enough. But they have a lot of growing before then, and we have a lot to do."
"So what is the first step?" Folara asked, glad that it hadn't been her that had asked about riding the young horses, though she felt for her friend.
"First of all, they have to learn to trust us. They have to get used to humans and how we live. Have any of you thought about which horse you would like, Durc has already said that he would like the dark russet colt."
"Oh can I have one of the yellow fillies? The one with little black feet" Folara asked, "she looks so cute."
"I would like the other one, the one who keeps jumping and skipping" Ramila cooed, leaving her discomfort behind.
"Okay that just leaves Yannis and the yellow colt" ayla commented, "is that okay?" she asked him.
"Ayla, I have my blonde haired fillies already, a colt would be just fine" he smiled at her.
Ayla hugged him, "and you will never loose this filly again" she told him.
"So we just have to be friends with them?" Folara enquired, "like giving them food and looking after them like you look after Whinney?"
"Exactly, and it would be good to take them for a walk each day. Until they get used to their new family, you could use a strap so they don't run away."
"Will it not hurt them?" Durc asked, knowing what it was like to be restrained.
"Not if you are gentle with them, and remember they will probably get hurt worse if they managed to get away. A wild animal would tear them apart within minutes."
"Oh, I won't let that happen to my little one, what shall I call her?" Folara asked.
"It is up to you, what does she look like? I called Whinney because of the sound of her neigh, and Jondalar called Racer his name, because he thought he would be fast. Grey is called Grey because she is grey."
"I am going to call my one, Jaune for her beautiful yellow coat" Folara simpered.
"Mine is going to be called Dansee, because she looks like she is dancing all the time" Ramila grinned.
"I am going to call ours, Fanari after the people I was born to, who I will never see again" he said sadly.
"Durc, what are you going to call your colt?" Ayla asked her son.
"I am going to call him Brun after the man that took me his hearth, when you were forced away. He protected me many years from the leader of the clan."
Eyes filled with tears, Ayla hugged him, "Brun was a good man."
--
When they went to get the horses they could also see how the builders were doing, they had constructed a larger structure that had been attached to the old horse shelter.
"Wow, you have done so much" Ayla commented.
"We just split up some wood from trees that were hit in thunderstorm a few years ago, but there are gaps. I think it will be a bit draughty" Joharran apologized.
"Why don't we put hide over it, that way the wind nor anything else will be able to get through" Jondalar suggested.
"We will leave you to it" Ayla said, and after kissing her mate, started towards the original horse shelter.
Durc followed his mother, scratching his head as he walked. Suddenly he stopped still, and then turned around and stared at the new shelter. Then like a spark from the fire starting stones, an idea popped into his head, "you could use clay" he shouted, "Jondalar you could use clay to stop the draught. If it was mixed right, then once it was put over the shelter and dried it would protect it better than a hide, it would be tough and waterproof."
"Will it work?" Jondalar mused.
Ayla having heard her son's idea had rejoined the group, "clay when fired is hard, but doesn't it need to go in a kiln?" Ayla asked, remembering S'Armuna's Munai.
"Usually, but I think the sun would be hot enough to dry it but it will probably take longer. You should talk to Amalia and Ollie, they taught me."
"We could put in hair and straw in it, to make it stronger, to bind it together even more."
"Shall we? Jondalar asked Joharran.
"We have nothing to loose" came the reply, "yes, let's do it."
"I will take some of the men with me, and we will go and dig up the river bank and bring back as much clay as we can" Jondalar decided.
"When I use a teasel to brush my hair, I always find loads of loose hair, now we might have something to do with it" Marthona commented, "I will go around all the hearths and collect as much hair as possible."
"Don't forget the teasels I use on the horses, there is loads of horse hair there" Ayla shouted to her mate's mother's retreating back.
"I will do that Ayla" the woman called back.
"There is a pile of old straw that I was going to throw away, do you want me to get it?" Ayla asked, desperate to get to the horses.
"No, you need to help train the new horses, you have enough to do, but I will go with you to the shelter, and you can show me the pile. I don't want to take the fresh straw away from the horses."
Soon everyone had set about their new tasks and Ayla and the other trainers took the skittish foals out for a walk.
"Hold on tight to the strap" she warned them, "these little horses are stronger than they look."
--
"Have you seen that lot?" Marona asked a reclining Brukeval that night, "Jondalar has been out all night finding clay, Marthona has been collecting hair, and I saw Joharran carrying great heaps of soiled straw. "
"From what I have heard, they are trying to make some sort of cover for that new horse shelter" Brukeval told her. They have left everything piled up next to it, ready to mix it up tomorrow."
"New horse shelter, they make more room for those stupid animals, but won't give us any more room" Marona moaned.
Brukeval suddenly sat up, "let's spoil their plans" he said, "it is for the horses, let's put horse manure in it, there must be plenty in that shelter."
"Ooh, imagine it tomorrow, they are mixing it all up, and they get covered in horses….." she laughed.
--
The next day they started mixing the clay together, using their feet. When they came to blend in the hair and straw, they realised that a present had found it way onto it.
"Oh well" Jondalar said, throwing it all on top of the pile of clay, "accidents can't be helped; it might make the daub even better."
Marona and Brukeval watching behind a tree couldn't believe their eyes, "they didn't care" she whispered in disbelief, thwarted again.
--
"Amalia" Ayla called, "mama" she smiled, "if Jondalar hasn't taken all the clay from the river bank, would you show me how you make clay objects? S'armuna showed me what they do with clay, and how they prepare it, and I wondered if you have a different technique."
"S'armuna from the S'armunai?" Amalia queried. "When we lived with the Sungaea, someone from the S'armunai came to the cave and taught us how to make clay models and serviceable items."
"Will you show me?" Ayla eagerly asked, feeling that the teaching she had acquired from S'armuna had only scratched the surface.
"I would love to" Amalia hugged her daughter, "I would do anything for you Danyayla, I mean Ayla."
Ayla ignored the slip of the tongue, knowing that her mother still thought about the little girl that she had been. The little girl she had missed for so many years.
"Mama, shall we see if there is any clay left?"
"Ayla, if you had dug into a river bank, you would know that there is an endless supply of clay. No for now, I think we should build a kiln. When that is done, then we can go look for clay."
--
They worked in union, silently knowing what was needed. Even though they had been apart for so many years, they were still mother and daughter, and the connection they had had when Ayla was a child was still there. Intuitively they knew what they should do, they didn't need to communicate. They just fell into a comfortable state of companionship.
Ayla decided that she would collect stones, both small and large. She walked over to the river bank, and started sorting through the pebbles there, reminiscent of her playful childhood activity that had been followed by such disaster and unbelievable loneliness. As she sifted through the rocks, she remembered this, and smiled for now she had her mama again, and she had so much more.
As Ayla searched for the stones that would be the basis of the kiln, Amalia walked over to the area next to the new horse shelter. She had remembered that there was clay left from the day before, clay that had been left out to dry in the sun. And she knew that would make it even more workable. She took a large amount, and started to work it, pounding and kneading it into a smooth blend until it was ready.
Ayla had found all the stones she needed, knowing they were too heavy to carry she went and fetched Whinney. As she loaded, the stones into the panniers on Whinney's flank, she examined the stones. Some were tiny, some were medium size and one was large and flat, it would serve as the shelf in the kiln.
Happy with what she had found, she started to lead her horse as she went to find her mother.
Amalia saw them coming, and went to meet them, indicating an area she thought would be a good place for their project. Together they walked, Ayla saw that her mother had been hard at work, for on the ground was a pile of prepared clay, ready to fill all the gaps in the kiln that the stones didn't fill.
Quietly, they off loaded Whinney, and started piling the stones up, filling in gaps with little pebbles. Careful of each other, they balanced stone upon stone, knowing that one place in the wrong area would risk the whole structure.
As they worked many coming out to enjoy the hot morning sun came to watch them, but the two seemed so insular, like it would be wrong to interrupt them and ask questions, so before long they were on their own again, enjoying the silence, revelling in being mother and daughter again.
At long last they had the basic shape of a kiln established, and started covering it in the clay. It was slimy stuff, and they soon found that not only their hands were covered, but also their legs and arms and faces. But they ignored the tightness of their skin as the clay began to dry, and continued their task. Eventually it was done, and they sat back on their haunches to admire their creation.
Amalia reached out a gung covered arm and wrapped it around Ayla's shoulder, feeling satisfaction in their handiwork.
Ayla smiled at her mother, images of her childhood running through her head, feeling that it had been recreated on that hot early summer day.
Amalia pointed at the river, knowing that her daughter would understand her. Together they ran into the cool water, as the work of their hands dried in the hot midday sun.
--
The next day, Ura reverently approached Ayla and Amalia.
"Ayla, as the mother of my future mate," she looked at Amalia, "and as the woman I regard as my second mother, I wish to respectfully inform you that this girl has started her first moon time."
Amalia jumped up at this statement, "that is wonderful Ura" she cried, hugging the girl.
Ayla grinned, "now you and my son can be mated."
Ura's face beamed at this statement, "I have noticed that Durc has started to grow hair on his chin recently" she timidly commented.
Ayla smiled at this declaration, she had also noted her son staring at the new woman recently, but in a different way, he also was ready.
"have you got everything that you need?" Amalia asked not wanting the new young woman to feel unsure of herself.
Ura nodded, "my mother gave me some leather strips before I left with Durc."
"Would you like some moufflan wool, it would make you feel more protected."
"Thank you Amalia, that would be really nice of you" Ura smiled.
"How are you feeling?" Ayla asked, the healer showing, "how is your stomach? Does it hurt?"
"My stomach does hurt, but I don't like to complain" Ura responded.
"I know you don't." Ayla started rummaging in her otter skin bag, "I will make you a pasque flowers tea, to take away the pain."
"Thank you, Ayla."
Ayla, having found what she was looking for, glanced up at Ura, "you don't have to say thank you Ura, for soon you will be part of my family. You will make Durc so happy, I know and for that I say to you thank you."
--
"I hear that Ura has become a woman" Zelendoni bustled into the hearth, "is she going to have first rites or would a clan ceremony be more appropriate?"
Ayla looked expectantly at Ura, "what do you want to do?" she asked the girl.
Embarrassed, Ura put down the hot cup of pain relieving tea she had been sipping. "I am half Other, and I live with the Others, I would like to have first rites, but..."
"But what?" Zelendonii gently asked, half knowing what the girl would say.
"Can Durc be my first rites partner?" she nervously asked, knowing she would never have been so bold if she was still with the clan.
"You are going to mate him aren't you?" the holy woman challenged.
"Yes, if he still wants me" Ura's voice trembled.
"Young woman, I have seen the way that young man looks at you, I can tell you more or less for definite, that he will mate you" Zelendonii sighed, "this mating your first rites partner is becoming a habit. Maybe it is time for a new way of doing things."
"So Durc is allowed to do my first rites?" Ura exclaimed, and jumped up and hugged the large woman.
--
The man watched the small she wolf lope in front of him, laughing at her antics he shouted "Petit, come back here."
Petit bounded back to him, dropping a twig on the ground at his feet. The man laughed, "no time for games now, Petit, we are nearly at our journey's end."
Petit jumped up at him, wanting to play, but the man simply put a strap on her, "you will have to be good, these people are not used to animals living with them" he said as he walked up to the dark hole in the cliff face.
"Hello" he shouted, and received the shock of his life when a full grown wolf came running towards him, sniff Petit, and then after putting his legs on the man's shoulders, started licking his face.
--
"Arhhhh" shouted the man, trying to get away from the large wolf trying to eat him.
"He won't hurt you" he heard a voice tell him.
The man felt the animal pulled away from him, and saw a woman, standing smiling at him.
"Hello, I am Ayla" she said, "welcome to the ninth cave. But can I ask you, how do you come to be travelling with a wolf, I thought I was the only one."
The man blustered in the face of the beautiful woman, "I…I…"
Ayla smiled, "well, come in then" she said, "I will take you to Joharran the leader."
He watched the woman as she led him deep into the cave, stopping at a hearth, she walked up to a man.
"Joharran, we have a visitor" she said quietly.
The leader turned to him and smiled, "welcome, I am Joharran, leader of the Ninth Cave of the Zelendonii, son of Marthona, former Leader of the Ninth Cave born to the hearth of Joconan, former Leader of the Ninth Cave," and he held his hands out.
The stranger smiled, "I am Danni, traveller of the mother's earth, formerly of the people of the
Larochai, son of Olivia, born to the hearth of Tiege. It is a pleasure to visit your wonderful cave."
"So Danni" Joharran asked, "what has brought you to the land of the Zelendonii, to this cave?"
"I am searching for the brother I have never met, the mother has led me here, I look for a man named Yannis."
Ayla who had been silently listening, gasped at this statement, "you look for Yannis?" she asked.
"Yes."
"He is your brother?"
"Yes, do you know him?"
Ayla was shaking with the power of the mother by then, "know him, he is my Dada."
"Your Dada?" he didn't understand.
Ayla shook her head; she knew that there would be time enough to explain about male parenthood another time.
"He is the man of my hearth" she told him.
"Does he live here?" he excitedly asked.
Ayla nodded, blinking to stop the tears she said, "he is in his hearth, I will take you there."
Danni gulped with fear, knowing the moment was at long last here. "I would really like that" he told her, hugging Petit to calm himself.
"Yannis" she called as she entered a hearth, "there is someone to see you" she told him, and after offering and taking the little wolf pup with her, she withdrew letting them have some privacy.
"Hello" Yannis approached him, I am Yannis, now of the Zelendonii" he told him.
Danni felt water prickle his eyes, and knew he could cope no longer, and burst into tears.
Yannis looked at the stranger in confusion, why was this strange man in his hearth, and more importantly why was he crying? "Are you okay?" he asked, "is there something you want from me?"
"My name is Danni" the visitor told him, "I have travelled a long way, all the way from the Larochai, I am the son of Olivia, born to the hearth of Tiege, you are my brother."
Yannis didn't know what to say, here was a man in front of him, professing to be his brother, one that must have been born long after he left.
"Brother?" he asked.
Danni nodded his head, "our mother asks me to find you, she wanted you to know that she had never forgotten you, and had thought about you all her life."
"All her life?" he asked, dreading the answer he continued; "is she dead?" He look at the young man, and knew the answer, knees bungling underneath him, he sniffled "how did she die?"
"She died of old age Yannis, as did her mate, quite a few years ago" sitting down next to his brother he put his arm around him. "I am sorry to bring you such news."
Teary eyed, Yannis looked up at him, "it is alright Danni, that is what you said your name is right?"
Danni nodded, "I was named after you."
"Death is a part of life" Yannis continued, "thank you, I am glad that I know" he said, and then hugged his brother back. "And I have a brother" he grinned through his tears.
--
News soon got around about the addition to Ayla's family, but most exciting of all for the young women, was it was a man, a very cute looking man who was still very young.
"Ah, isn't he nice?" exclaimed Folara watching Danni from afar. "I hear his name is Danni."
"Oh what a lovely name" cooed Ramila, "and he hasn't got a mate."
"I will be his mate" commented Galeya, "in fact I be anything he wanted."
"Galeya" laughed Ramila, "you are insatiable."
"Well what do you expect" she grinned back, "there are no decent males around this cave. I have felt I am going to die of thirst recently from lack of male company."
"There is always Brukeval" Folara giggled.
"No, I don't think so, do you?" said Galeya in a well-bred voice.
"I would rather mate a cave lion than mate him" Folara smirked.
"Well, you might get your chance. Look there is one over there."
"What?" Folara shrieked and then felt her face flush with anger when she saw her two friends falling around in laughter. "That was not funny."
"Yes it was" roared Ramila.
"Her face went white as a sheet, when she thought there was a cave lion creeping up on her" bellowed Galeya, tears gushing down her face from laughing so hard.
Just then Danni walked past the girls, he was about to stop and introduce himself when he was put off by the bellow of loud mirth.
"Girls" he muttered, as he hurried off to find his brother.
--
A party was called to celebrate the visitor's arrival. The girls decided that it would be a good opportunity to see if any of them could turn his eye so they dressed in their finest clothes.
"Do you like this tunic?" Folara asked, modelling a deep blue woollen ankle length dress.
Fibre and beads had been woven throughout the outfit, so that it looked like the dark night sky, with stars aplenty. On her arms she wore a leather bracelet adorned with pearls and jewel. Her feet were clad in delicately strapped sandals, leather thongs tied around her ankles.
"You look wonderful" Ramila smiled, and then twirled, "what about me?"
Ramila was wearing a long leather dress, fringed to the thigh. It was covered in precious jewels, and sparkled when she moved. Around her neck she wore a thin leather thong, beaded with so many pearls that the leather was virtually invisible. On her feet she wore carved wooden shoes that made a tapping noise as she walked.
"Is everyone ready?" Galeya asked; her hands on her hips that were encased in yellow skin tight leggings. Her upper body was covered by a short tunic, that came down to her mid drift, the leather having been cut into strips, dyed yellows and reds and then sewed together to create an incredible top. On her feet she wore serviceable ankle boots. She wore no jewellery, but she didn't need any for she had the most luxurious dark black hair that hang down her back in shimmering curls.
"He won't know what has hit him" laughed Folara as they left her hearth, and made a beeline for the celebration.
Across the cave he saw her, one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back, and as she glanced at him, her eyes seemed to twinkle in the light of the fire.
"Who is that woman?" he asked his brother.
"Why that is Tremeda" Yannis replied.
--
Danni stared at the lovely woman, "Tremeda" he mumbled under his breath, enjoying how it felt as it rolled around his mouth.
"She is gorgeous" he said.
"Who?" Yannis asked.
"Tremeda."
"Tremeda?" Yannis choked, and started to cough. In a strained voice he asked "you think she is beautiful?"
Danni didn't get the chance to answer because that was the moment that Folara had decided to try her luck.
"Hi" she said preening in front of him.
Danni looked up at her, "hi" he replied and then disinterestedly turned back to stare at Tremeda.
Folara didn't understand, she knew she looked amazing, many had asked her to share their furs already that evening, so why wasn't Danni all over her.
"It is Danni isn't it?" she tried again, and when she looked up at her she gave him her most dazzling smile.
"Yeah, what do you want?" he impatiently asked.
"I, I wanted to ask if you wanted to dance?"
"No" Danni started looking at the woman of his dreams again.
"Oh okay then" she sadly sighed and went back to her friends.
"You were rude to her" Yannis hissed at his new little brother.
Danni looked at him in surprise, "was I?" he dreamily asked, "it is just I can't be bothered with some silly girl when there is such a woman over there."
"You really like Tremeda?" Yannis asked with amazement.
"She is so pretty" Danni sighed.
"Whatever floats your boat little brother, whatever floats your boat."
--
Yannis picked his way across the rubbish strewn floor of Tremeda's hearth. He couldn't believe what he was about to do but Danni had pleaded with him until he agreed. Now he gulped down the disgust he felt seeing mouldy bowls of days old stew. "Little brother what was your life like, that you would find such a woman attractive" he thought.
"Who's there?" a voice slurred, and a woman unpeeled herself from a dirty platform. What do you want?" she barked, sending fumes towards him.
Yannis stepped backwards and stared at the repulsive woman, it is worse than I thought" he muttered. Even though there wasn't much light in this area of the cave, the woman was too lazy to be bothered, he could see her greasy knotted hair, cut haphazardly that limply draped down her back. On the side of her face he could see tide marks where she didn't wash enough, and when she spoke he could see dirty broken teeth.
Yannis swallowed the bile that had formed in his mouth, and only because of the promise he had made muttered, "my brother Danni asked me to come, he thinks you are his soul mate, but as he doesn't know anyone in the cave, he asked me to see how you felt."
Tremeda stared at him, and then started to try to fluff her rank hair, "oh, oh, oh" she exclaimed, literally rubbing her hands in glee at the thought of getting them on the beautiful boy. "Send him to me" she said, in what she thought was a seductive voice.
Yannis quickly left the hearth, and started to gag at the situation. He wiped his mouth, and muttered "Danni, are you insane?"
--
With exuberance, Danni rushed to the hearth of his beloved, ignoring the fifth at his feet, he hurried to the woman sat in a dark corner.
"Tremeda" he mumbled in his excitement, "I love you."
"Well come over here lover boy" Tremeda answered him, "come and sit next to me."
Danni sat on the log next to his beloved, in his subconscious he wondered what the smell was, but the thought passed him by, he was to in love with his wonderful goddess. He turned to gaze at her wondrous face, but barely had chance to, when Tremeda grabbed the back of his head, and pulled his mouth to her gaping one.
--
Danni ripped his mouth away from the woman, quickly backing away, he finally saw the woman as she followed him out into the light.
"You are not Tremeda" he shouted, feeling his lunch starting to find its way up again.
Tremeda tried to push her disgusting body against him, "I am Tremeda" she said, and threw her tunic off to reveal her body in all its glory.
Danni threw up, he couldn't help it, it was from seeing her body, her dirty, fifthly, repulsive body thrust towards him. "Where is the other Tremeda?" he gulped, thinking that surely he would have nothing in his stomach if he didn't get away from this horrible woman soon.
"There is only me" Tremeda now felt hurt, she could see the disgust in his eyes, and quickly covered up herself. "Was this a joke?" she muttered quietly.
Danni's eyes blazed, "yes, I think it probably was" and turning around he started stomping off to find his brother.
--
"Yannis how could you?" he shouted as he walked into his bother's hearth.
"Ssh" Yannis hurriedly stood up, "you will wake the babies. What is wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Danni bellowed, not thinking about the sleeping babes, in his rage he yelled "what do you think is wrong?"
Yannis sighed, "I take it your meeting with Tremeda didn't go well, but really brother she isn't right for you."
"Not right for me?" Danni screamed, "no she isn't, she's the wrong woman."
"What?" Yannis asked, confused about what his brother was talking about.
"Tremeda is a hideous looking, stinking smelling old woman, so why did you tell me the angel I saw was her?"
Yannis was starting to catch on, "you mean you don't fancy Tremeda?"
"No" Danni said, "I don't"
"Oh brother, you have made me so happy" Yannis exclaimed, hugging him. "I thought you were mad."
Danni held himself stiffly in his brother's arms. "Why?" he asked.
Yannis looked at his brother, and then realisation came to him. "Danni I am so sorry, when you asked who the woman was, I thought you meant Tremeda."
"Why would you think that?" Danni was still angry.
"Oh my, because you pointed at her, but it was someone else you were pointing at really wasn't it. It was Marona."
--
Tremeda stood in her shell of a life, gulping barma; she walked away from her life, and into the open.
"No one cares about me here" she said, "Laramar is dead, my children have deserted me and I am a laughing stock of the cave. I will go to my mother's cave, she loves me, no matter what I have done, I know she will always love me, maybe she will let me live with her."
And she walked into the sun, casting aside the barma skin as she walked.
--
Marona tossed and turned, she was dreaming about the mother, and the mother was not pleased with her.
"I'm sorry" she was saying, not understanding what she was apologizing for.
"Child, you have to let it go" the mother told her.
Marona woke up in a sweat, the first thing she saw was a young wolf cub curled up at the bottom of her feet.
"Go away" she yelled, scaring the small creature. Marona watched the small creature run away, and felt her spirit fall, "why do I suddenly feel so sad?" she muttered, and then laid back into her furs and went back to sleep.
--
"You would be better off with Tremeda" Jondalar told his mate's uncle, "Marona is spiteful, cruel and downright evil."
Danni couldn't believe his ears, how could his goddess be what Jondalar said? "No" he muttered, "you are lying."
Jondalar pulled himself up to his full height, which was considerable compared with Danni's. "I am not lying" he seethed, "ask Ayla, go on ask Ayla what she is like, ask her about the trick she pulled on her not long after we arrived at the ninth cave."
Ayla sighed, "it is true she played a nasty joke on me, but I am not sure that she is evil, spiteful yes, cruel too, but evil, I haven't seen her carry out an evil act. I think she is jealous."
"Jealous?" Danni asked, "Why would she be jealous?"
Now it was time for Jondalar to sigh, "I promised to mate her, and left her standing in front of the Zelendonia on the day of our mating to travel with my brother, Thonolan."
Danni stared at Jondalar, "you were going to mate her, but you left her behind? That was really cruel."
"I don't think it was cruel, we were just not meant to be together" Jondalar tried to defend himself.
"It was cruel" Ayla stated, her blue grey eyes staring at his blue ones with sorrow, "I am sorry Jondalar, but you know I cannot lie, to agree to mate her, and then leave her without telling her that you had changed your mind, was cruel."
"Did you even apologize when you got back after your journey?" Danni asked, feeling anger growing within him.
"Er…no" Jondalar mumbled, "I didn't."
"And you call her cruel" Danni shouted. "If she is cruel, it is you that made her that way."
--
"Ayla, now the kiln is ready, we can finally make something out of clay" Amalia grinned at her.
Ayla jumped up with excitement, handing Jonayla to her mate, she said, "Jondalar you are in charge of the baby today, just bring her to me when she needs feeding."
Jondalar groaned, he had been planning on sleeping in, but now he had to look after a small child. "Ayla" he moaned, but shut up when she sent a stunning smile in his direction. "Okay ayla" he yawned, and then turned to the baby "and how is dada's favourite girl today?"
Jonayla gurgled in reply.
"Let's get Durc and Ura" suggested Ayla, wanting to spend some time with her special son.
In the end quite a sizeable group congregated next to the kiln. When Durc had heard about the activity, he had told Ollie, who had told his twin sister, and so it went on. Friend told friend, neighbour told neighbour, visitor told Zelendonii, and now stood by the bank of the river, there were many who wanted to learn a new skill, and some that just wanted to practise.
"Okay" said Amalia feeling overwhelmed by the interested crowd. "Initially we have to burrow deep into the river bank to reach the clay, it is usually a yellowy brown colour, but the clay that Jondalar dug up recently was more of a reddy brown."
"Red is a sacred colour" Zelendoni stated with a smile, "Anything we make will be special, offering the mother's protection to the maker and the eventual owner of the object."
"Zelendoni" Durc interrupted, feeling the mother wanted him to speak, "if the earth here is red, then the mother must have a very extraordinary task for the people living on it."
The holy woman stared at the new man, "you are right" she said, amazed that such a young man, and half clan at that could show such insight. "The mother indeed must have something exceptional for the Zelendonii people to do."
Ayla smiled, to her Durc would always be special, but it was wonderful to see the mother working in him, to better those around him.
"You are one outstanding man" Zelendoni said, deciding that she would be talking to the Zelendonia about the man, and his pronouncement.
Amalia decided to take back control of the lesson, "so Zelendoni you are saying that because the earth is red here, anything that is made with it will be sacred, and bring much blessing to the Zelendonii people? Well, we had better get to work so the blessings can flow."
Soon the group were hard at work, as they dug into the soft ground, occasionally finding old bones and sharp stones; soon they had uncovered the clay that resembled Donii's life blood.
Zelendoni fell on her knees, the large woman bent forward and kissed the uncovered earth, "oh bountiful mother" she said, "we thank you for the use of your glorious sacred clay."
Ayla helped the woman to stand up, and then they began to fill basket after basket with the blood clay.
"We have to have enough clay for everyone here to make at least one item" Amalia shouted, urging them to fill even more baskets and containers.
"This is so heavy" grumbled one of the Zelendoni men as they carried the baskets to some nearby rocks.
"Don't grumble Ranokol" Zelendoni admonished him; "we all have an even load."
"We have to spread out the clay, and leave it for the sun to dry" Amalia told them when they had reached the large stones. "After that we all get to go back to the cave and do our own thing until tomorrow, when nature will have done its work, and the clay will be one step closer to ready."
--
The next day was a glorious day, filled with bright sunshine. When the group reach where they had left the clay the day before they found that it had dried hard.
Amalia gave them each a wooden mallet, "now it is dry, our next task is to pound it up into dust, and then soak it overnight in hot water. After that, we have to kneed it, until it is smooth, dashing it against the rocks. Eventually it will be time to mould it into any shape we want."
"Will it be ready to put in the kiln then?" Ramila eagerly asked.
"No, it will need one more night to prove, and then all what has been made will be put into the kiln and fired."
The next couple of days found Amalia very busy as she supervised the making of all manner of items, Donii's, plates, cups and an idea that Ayla had come up with.
--
Mother and daughter worked simultaneously, together they beat the clay they needed, and jointly they collected small stones. Finally it was ready and they started to assemble the device that would come from Ayla's innovative idea.
Stone after stone, they piled together, using the clay to glue them together, finally they covered it in the red clay, left it to set and then put in the kiln, the only thing in there, as nothing else could fit. When this was all done, they finally sat back and enjoyed the hot sun as they waited.
When the fire had died down, and the kiln was at long last cool enough to remove the object, they took it out and examined it.
"I think it will work" Amalia agreed, ecstatic that her child was so ingenious.
--
Joharran had called the entire cave together to witness the miracle of Ayla's latest invention. They all assembled by the central cooking hearth, waiting to see this wonderful idea. No one had any idea what it could be, only Ayla and her mother. When Amalia indicated the time was right, she pulled back a screen to reveal ayla stood next to a smaller replica kiln from which came the smell of something appetizing.
Ayla stepped forward and smiled, "this is called an oven, not a ground oven, but one that can be built over the hearth fire, one that food can be placed in to bake. You are all here now to taste the first offering of this piece of equipment. Some time ago I put some oat cakes in there, and from the smell of them they are ready, who wants to be the first to try some?"
Marthona holding a hot cake was astounded at such an idea, when she had looked closer at the oven, she exclaimed, "now we won't have to use hot rocks to cook cakes and biscuits on, no more trying to get them out of the fire before they burn."
"Mmm" said Zelendoni,"these are so crisp, but without the black that usually comes with such food."
"And no soot" exclaimed a jubilant Folara stuffing the cakes into her mouth, "I could live on these."
Ayla laughed, she was so glad that her idea had gone down so well, as well as the cake. When she had lived with the clan she would never have been able to introduce a new idea, even if she had been a male it would have been impossible, they were too set in their ways. But with these people, the sky was the limit. Happy that her idea had given so much joy, she smiled and popped a cake into her mouth.