song4

"Get that flap for me," Jondalar pointed with his chin as he stuffed supplies into his pack. Ranec secured the loose end, then pulled the hood of his parka tighter around his face.

Jondalar examined two torches before putting them into the side pack baskets. He looked around the campsite making sure he had everything he may need. When Ayla hadn't returned by dusk, they knew something was wrong and Jondalar had had a hard time quelling the knots that had formed in the pit of his stomach.

Still, they waited, knowing that she had probably lost track of time, or wanted to be by herself. It wasn't until too long ago when the snow started, that Jondalar made the decision to go look for her. Wynic hadn't been nursed, and he knew that she wouldn't neglect the baby, no matter what. Something had to have happened.

Ranec had started packing supplies to go look for her on his own, but Jondalar insisted that he go. They argued, and it wasn't until Madenia screamed at both of them to stop that Ranec backed down. They had taken apart the tents, and Jondalar had the one he and Ayla used to share with him, incase they couldn't get back to the camp tonight. He didn't know how he was going to track her in this weather. After all it was snowing, covering up whatever tracks she would have left, and dark. Still, he knew he had to try.

Leaping onto Racer's back, he headed out in the direction she had taken.

"I must be crazy!" Dalanar muttered to himself as he trudged through the darkness. "I should have insisted that we go back to my camp and look in the morning." Stopping, he looked around his surroundings and sighed. He was pretty sure this was the right direction, Ayla had been thorough in her description of where the camp was located. He couldn't see anything though!

Cupping his hands to his mouth, he called out. "Hello! Can anybody hear me!?"

He repeated it in Losadunai and waited for a response. Not receiving one, he kept trudging. She had assumed that she'd walked about two hours before falling down the cliff, and he surmised that he'd been walking a little over an hour. Of course, she had stopped along the way, and took her time. He had a purpose. The way he figured it, he should just about be there by now.

Ahead was a slope of rocks, and he decided to climb it. Perhaps then he could see a fire, or hear a sound carried on the wind. Something. What he wasn't expecting to see, was the one thing he did.

"Hello!" he called out excitedly as he waved his arms above his head. He saw two figures turn towards him, and clamored down the snow covered mound. He jogged briskly towards them, but slowed his pace when he saw the dark man ready a spear. He'd never seen anyone with that coloring before! Dalanar briefly wondered how the Mother had chosen the spirits to make him.

When he was close enough, he pulled back the hood of his parka, then extended his hands outward, palms up to show that he hid nothing.

"Greetings, I am Dalanar, leader of the first cave of the Lanzandonii. I am looking for the son of my hearth, Jondalar of the Zelandonii. Do you know of him?"

Ranec eyed the blond man, surprised at the resemblance between him and Jondalar. There was no doubt that the Mother had chosen his spirit to help create Jondalar. Ranec didn't understand all the words he'd spoken, after all, his mastery of Zelandonii wasn't that great. He did know enough to realize it was a greeting, and a question.

The carver held his hands up and took Dalanar's. "I am Ranec of the Mamutoi. We are traveling with Jondalar and Ayla. He's not here though. Ayla hasn't returned and he went to look for her, we're afraid something may have happened." He spoke in a mixture of Losadunai and Zelandonii.

Dalanar let out a breath as Madenia came forward and handed him a cup of hot tea.

"Thank you." He gratefully accepted as she stared at him.

"You look just like Jondalar." She commented in his language. The amazement in her voice brought a smile to his face, though it didn't last long.

"Everyone thinks so. I found Ayla."

Ranec felt his heart race as he took a step forward. "Is she alright? Where is she?"

"She's fine." Ranec looked at him confused and he continued. "Apparently she fell down a small cliff and she thinks she's twisted her ankle. She sent the wolf to find you, but he couldn't find a way back up. Instead, he found me."

"I couldn't carry her back up, and she refused to go to my camp. She insisted that she needed to nurse her babies, so I told her I'd come and get help."

It was then that Dalanar realized Madenia was holding a baby in a sling and smiled. He wondered if it was Ayla's or hers.

"If she can't get back here, we'll have to take everything to her." Ranec's voice belied his concern for her. Madenia looked at him.

"What about Jondalar? If he can't find her and comes back here, we'll be gone."

"Trust me, if he can't find her, he won't come back here. He'll keep looking until her does. Besides, Dalanar knows where she is, and she needs us."

Madenia nodded as she ducked into the tent to pack.

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Ayla felt herself slowly wake because of a noise. A loud noise. Once she became more aware of her surroundings, she realized that it was Wolf howling rather loudly. She shivered as she scanned the area, but again she found they were alone. Wondering what was catching his attention, she looked up but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

It was late. She knew that she wanted a fire and some hot tea, but the only way to get it would be to make a fire. She did have her fire stones and tinder in the tiny kit she kept tied to her waist, but that wouldn't last more than a few minutes without something else to burn.

Knowing she wasn't going to get any closer to the small bushes, pulled out her otter skin medicine pouch and feeling for the correct pouch, pulled it from the others. It was then that she realized that the knots she used for identification had another perk. Even if there wasn't any light from a fire, she could still be sure she had the right medicine. Still, years of training made her bring the contents up so she could sniff them, just to be sure. taking a dried root, she put it in her mouth and slowly chewed it, swallowing the juices. She made a face as she tasted it, but though it was bitter, it would help dull the pain for what she was about to do. Ayla made herself stand as she braced herself along the rock face. Taking a deep breath, she tentatively put pressure on her foot. When her leg held, she hobbled towards the bushes.

Wolf stopped his howling long enough to look at her. He whined as he trotted along side her and she gave him a reassuring pat. After what seemed to take forever, she reached the first of the small bushes and started tearing branches off. The wind had picked up and she hoped she'd be able to find an area that would allow a fire to start.

After three tries, Ayla scowled at the sticks as she wrapped her arms around herself. She was going to go back to the hole that she and Wolf had dug to keep warm when the idea hit her. It was almost like the fire pits of the Mamutoi! She quickly dug a hole and placed the tinder in it. After striking the stones together twice, she smiled in triumph as the tinder caught causing a small flame to jump to life.

Ayla added more sticks and finally sat back, pleased with herself. Taking her water skin, she placed it beside the fire to warm. She wouldn't be able to get it really hot for tea, but it was better than drinking cold water. Anything to warm her body was good.

Wolf laid down close to her, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Ayla had given him a few pieces of the traveling meat, but she knew they were low on food so she used it sparingly.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but when Wolf sat up anxiously, she came out of her daydream.

"Wolf! Where are you going?" she called out as she watched him race back towards the cliff bottom. She wanted to chase after him, hoping that he wasn't going after some animal. After all, she couldn't really help him with her foot the way it was. Not unless they got close enough for her to use her sling.

She could hear him howling again, and relaxed a little. 'I guess he's just as anxious to see someone as I am' she thought as she sipped the warm water. It wasn't long after that she could hear the crunching of snow over the low howl of the wind. Someone was coming, and they were moving fast.

Wolf bound into view, followed quickly by Jondalar! She stared at him as his eyes locked with hers. She had never been so happy to see him, and he was looking at her with worry, concern, but most of all love. His hood was pushed back, and he was breathing hard.

"Ayla! Thank Doni I've found you." He rushed towards her as she stood and crushed her to him. "I was so worried about you. When you didn't come back we didn't know what had happened. Then when I saw Wolf at the bottom of the cliff, and your spear thrower." His throat constricted and he couldn't finish his sentence.

Ayla held onto Jondalar just as tightly, reveling in the feel of being in his arms again. She too, couldn't find words. It had been so long since he held her, too long since she was cocooned in his warm embrace. He pulled back to look at her, and she winced as her weight shifted to her foot.

"You're hurt!" Jondalar helped her to sit as she shook her head.

"I think I may have twisted my ankle, but it's not serious. I just wasn't able to climb back up the cliff."

She looked at him tentatively, her eyes wary but filled with hope and longing. She hoped now that he knew she was safe, he wouldn't pull away from her again.

"I've missed you." She admitted, barely over a whisper. Jondalar felt his heart pound in his chest as he fought the urge to take her right there, in cold night. He'd been so stupid-again! How could he ever expect her to forgive him? He'd turned his back on her again, but here she was, looking at him with nothing but love. What had he done to deserve her?

As if a dam had broke, he pulled her to him again and pressed his lips to hers, leaving them both breathless. Their hands explored each others body, and it wasn't until he slipped his hands under her parka did her realize how much she was shivering.

He stopped as quickly as he'd begun, and didn't miss the look of disappointment on Ayla's face. "You're cold woman!"

She smiled at him mischievously. "I know a way you can warm me up."

He took a long look at the woman he loved. The only woman he'd ever been able to love truly and completely.

"Oh Ayla, I'm so sorry." Jondalar confessed as he held her close, trying to warm her. "I don't know why I acted like that. I justI never expected you to have a baby that.that wasn't of my spirit. I know the Mother chooses in Her own way, and only She knows why she chose Ranec's spirit, but still, II didn't know how to handle it."
"I understand-"

"No, let me finish, please." Jondalar took a deep breath as he held her hands. "I promise to love Wynic as if he were of my spirit. He's the child of my hearth, if you'll still have me, and also the child of my heart. I promise I'll never turn my back on him ever. Please give me another chance?" he looked at her pleadingly causing Ayla's eyes to fill with tears.

Of course she would forgive him! All she ever wanted was for him to love her, and to share a hearth with her, and to have his babies. She nodded and their mouths met again as their passion exploded. It wasn't long before Ayla no longer felt the cold.

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Ranec was feeling more than a little impatient by the time they had all the belongings packed. Since Jondalar had Racer, they had to think of a way to carry the extra load. Remembering the Mammoth hunt, they finally added a long looping leather strap and both Dalanar and Ranec pulled it. Madenia sat on Whinney as she held Tholiza in a back carrier, and Wynic to her front. The horse willingly followed the two men, and Madenia did the best she could to shield the children from the bitter night wind and snow.

Traveling was slow going at best, but Dalanar had a good sense of direction and knew where to head. They could hear Wynic's cries over the wind every once in a while and though they were tired, neither lessened their pace.

"I hope he's found her by now." Ranec commented and Dalanar nodded.

"I didn't see him on my way here, but he could have taken another route. She said she had been walking for a few hours so if he's following her trail it could be awhile."

The small stunted trees grabbed at their legs and snagged the travois quite a few times as they made their way to the cliffs and it was well into the night before they reached the ledge. The men wearily put the travois down and looked over the ledge.

"I don't see anything. Are you sure this is where you left her?" Ranec asked.

"I'm sure we're close." Dalanar cupped his hand over his mouth "Ayla! Can you hear me?"

"Ranec" the dark man looked back at Madenia and she motioned for him to come over. Pulling a torch out of the pack basket, she held it while he cracked two firestones together. Though the snow made it splutter, it finally danced to life as the flame jumped about.

Ranec started to walk the edge of the cliff, looking for signs of footprints. He didn't have to go far before he found what he was looking for.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jondalar held Ayla close to him, unwilling to let her go for even a moment. Though their pleasures had been haste, they had been satisfying for both. She laid with her head on his chest by the fire, basking in the glow of his love.

"Jondalar."

"Hmm?"

"We have to get back to camp. I need to feed Wynic." Ayla said, sitting up. Jondalar frowned as he thought of their situation. How would he get her back up the cliff?

She studied his face as he thought of a solution and smiled when she remembered Dalanar. Had he seen him yet?

"What?" Jondalar asked upon seeing her breathtaking smile. She shook her head, then asked, "When you left to find me, did you see anything unusual?"

"Like what?"

Ayla never had been very good at hiding the truth, and she couldn't outright lie. Besides, what if Dalanar hadn't been able to find the camp? He would probably come back here to look for her, but what if she wasn't there because Jondalar had taken her back to the camp?

"When I couldn't find a way back up, I told Wolf to come and get you."

Jondalar frowned at the animal he'd been absentmindedly petting.

"Anyway, he couldn't find a way up either, but there was a man camping near by. He came back to help and went to find our camp. I thought you may have seen him."

Jondalar shook his head slowly. He didn't like the idea of a stranger near by. Why didn't he take Ayla to his camp? And what was a man doing out in this weather by himself? Certainly most people wintered, and not many made a journey across the glacier in this weather.

"Who did he say he was? Was he Losandunai?" Jondalar asked, concerned.

"No," Ayla grinned, almost bursting with anticipation. She smiled brightly and was about to tell him when someone called out.

"Ayla! Hello!" They both looked in the direction of the cliff, and Jondalar stood as Ayla called out.

"Over here! By the brush!" Jondalar looked down at her but she only smiled. After a few moments, a big blond man stepped into view.

"Dalanar?" Jondalar asked in disbelief.

"Jondalar!" the older man boomed before he covered the distance between them and crushed him in a bear hug. Ayla felt hot tears come to her eyes as she watched the look of relief and joy cover Dalanar's features. Ranec stepped into the light of the fire next and relief washed over him as he went to Ayla.

"Are you alright? Dalanar told us what happened. Where are you hurt?" Ranec asked question after question, and Ayla felt uncomfortable with all the fussing around her.

"I'm fine. I just slipped."

Jondalar stepped back after Dalanar released him, still not believing he was here.

"What are you doing here? Is anyone else with you?"

Dalanar shook his head. "There is much for both of us to tell, but right now we have to find a way to get the horses and supplies down the cliff.

"That's right! I left Racer when I climbed down here to find Ayla."

"We've moved the camp so Ayla didn't have to travel back." Ranec informed him.

"Is Wynic here?" Ayla asked, hoping to ease the ache in her breasts.

"Yes. Madenia has him and Tholiza with the horses. As soon as we can get them down here, you'll be able to feed him."
Ayla stood, trying not to place too much weight on her foot.

"Where are you going?" Jondalar asked as he went to her side, putting his arms around her to help support her weight.

"Back to the cliff."

"No." Ayla looked at all three of them, who had spoken at the same time. She was out numbered. "We'll find a way to get them down here, and we'll set up camp. Besides the brush is blocking some of the wind and snow."