Chapter 4 The Mother Speaks
"You are of my line, you were born to it...Creb, Broud almost beat me again!...This female horse's name is Whinney...What can be so bad about touching a piece of leather?...I know he's dead, Baby, but he's not for you...Always loved you...loved you best...Creb, why did you have to go back into the cave?...Spirit of the Cave Lion, the girl, Ayla, is delivered into your protection...Get out of the Cave!...Stinking, ugly hyenas...Look at those fires! They were made with stones, Whinney. Stones!...I beg you Brun, protect Durc...Mother! Motherrr!"
Thonolan took his hand away from her head feeling slightly sick with shock. Ayla's mind had been opened to him as he linked with her, but now he almost wished that he hadn't done it. He looked over at his brother who lay sleeping and smiled grimly. Thonolan had followed Jondalar's voice and was surprised to see that Ayla had begun to nurse him back to health. The cave was small but with plenty of room for the woman and her animals. He had wondered at first if she was One Who Serves, but now he knew the truth.
"Well, you've done it. I didn't think she existed, but you've found her." He recalled Jondalar's words after they had left Haduma and her people. Perhaps it was Haduma's touch, he mused.
Thonolan looked back at the woman sleeping near his brother and then gave a lopsided smile. It was the look that had melted the heart of many women.
"You got what you wanted, but I don't think it's going to be as perfect as you think," Thonolan said beginning to laugh as he thought of his brother adjusting to this unique woman, "it's clear that you two were destined to find each other."
He sobered as he thought of her past. He knew his brother had a deep-seated revulsion of flatheads. What tests did the mother have in store for them? He stood up and stood by Whinney.
He stepped out into the night, lit by tiny fires lacing the sky. As he looked at the huge vastness of the universe, he felt very small and lost.
"Doni! Can you hear me?" His voice echoed as the wind through the valley, "I'm Thonolan of the Shamudoi, mate of Jetamio. I am worthy to be taken into your arms. Please, show me the way." His voice broke, and he crumpled to the ground. "Speak to me."
The scuttling of the night creatures and the rushing of the river punctuated the silence of the night. The lone figure lay dejected, abandoned by man, spirits and the mother herself.
The wind shifted and blew toward the prostrate figure. "Thonolan, my son." The breeze caressed him lovingly. "Get up, I am here."
He slowly lifted himself, hardly believing his ears. "Great Mother, speak to me."
"You have a journey ahead of you, prepare yourself." The voice whisked around him, coming from all directions and none at all.
"You want me to watch over by brother on his journey?"
The wind picked up, "No!" He faltered at the words. "Your paths divide as they connect, your destinies lay separate in its sameness."
"I don't understand! You speak with shadows on your tongue."
"Can a mother make her baby understand her thoughts? Can the great ice comprehend the sun? Your journey has only started. You will weave together the threads put before you."
I just wanted to journey to the end of the river, to see the next bend, the next day, the next woman. I never asked for more than that. Then Jetamio came, and my soul found purpose. He shook himself out of his reverie. By Doni, I'm getting to sound like my brother. He smiled ironically at the thought. Excitement grew as a spark ignited an unnamed desire. My journey has just begun, but this time I travel with the wind.
"I'm ready."
"You are of my line, you were born to it...Creb, Broud almost beat me again!...This female horse's name is Whinney...What can be so bad about touching a piece of leather?...I know he's dead, Baby, but he's not for you...Always loved you...loved you best...Creb, why did you have to go back into the cave?...Spirit of the Cave Lion, the girl, Ayla, is delivered into your protection...Get out of the Cave!...Stinking, ugly hyenas...Look at those fires! They were made with stones, Whinney. Stones!...I beg you Brun, protect Durc...Mother! Motherrr!"
Thonolan took his hand away from her head feeling slightly sick with shock. Ayla's mind had been opened to him as he linked with her, but now he almost wished that he hadn't done it. He looked over at his brother who lay sleeping and smiled grimly. Thonolan had followed Jondalar's voice and was surprised to see that Ayla had begun to nurse him back to health. The cave was small but with plenty of room for the woman and her animals. He had wondered at first if she was One Who Serves, but now he knew the truth.
"Well, you've done it. I didn't think she existed, but you've found her." He recalled Jondalar's words after they had left Haduma and her people. Perhaps it was Haduma's touch, he mused.
Thonolan looked back at the woman sleeping near his brother and then gave a lopsided smile. It was the look that had melted the heart of many women.
"You got what you wanted, but I don't think it's going to be as perfect as you think," Thonolan said beginning to laugh as he thought of his brother adjusting to this unique woman, "it's clear that you two were destined to find each other."
He sobered as he thought of her past. He knew his brother had a deep-seated revulsion of flatheads. What tests did the mother have in store for them? He stood up and stood by Whinney.
He stepped out into the night, lit by tiny fires lacing the sky. As he looked at the huge vastness of the universe, he felt very small and lost.
"Doni! Can you hear me?" His voice echoed as the wind through the valley, "I'm Thonolan of the Shamudoi, mate of Jetamio. I am worthy to be taken into your arms. Please, show me the way." His voice broke, and he crumpled to the ground. "Speak to me."
The scuttling of the night creatures and the rushing of the river punctuated the silence of the night. The lone figure lay dejected, abandoned by man, spirits and the mother herself.
The wind shifted and blew toward the prostrate figure. "Thonolan, my son." The breeze caressed him lovingly. "Get up, I am here."
He slowly lifted himself, hardly believing his ears. "Great Mother, speak to me."
"You have a journey ahead of you, prepare yourself." The voice whisked around him, coming from all directions and none at all.
"You want me to watch over by brother on his journey?"
The wind picked up, "No!" He faltered at the words. "Your paths divide as they connect, your destinies lay separate in its sameness."
"I don't understand! You speak with shadows on your tongue."
"Can a mother make her baby understand her thoughts? Can the great ice comprehend the sun? Your journey has only started. You will weave together the threads put before you."
I just wanted to journey to the end of the river, to see the next bend, the next day, the next woman. I never asked for more than that. Then Jetamio came, and my soul found purpose. He shook himself out of his reverie. By Doni, I'm getting to sound like my brother. He smiled ironically at the thought. Excitement grew as a spark ignited an unnamed desire. My journey has just begun, but this time I travel with the wind.
"I'm ready."