Chapter 19
Chameleons
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Another hunt soon, Thonolan mused to himself, I hope there aren't any dirk-toothed tigers around this time. I don't think I could hold one back by myself, he thought ruefully. Ayla and Jondalar were both excited at the prospect of trying out their new "spear throwers." I've got to hand it to you, brother; you sure know how to use your head! That is, when it comes to tool making. When it comes to matters of the heart you're like the simple chamois; unaware of what's going on around you! He started to chuckle at his own humor.
He watched the pair as they sat outside their cave. The valley was idyllic for a couple to get to know each other. Thonolan looked up suddenly when he felt the presence of other people approaching.
"Quick, change shape!"
Thonolan turned around, just in time to see Sela turn into an antelope. Another larger antelope was grazing beside her. Quickly, he reached within himself and tried to copy them, searching for the ability to mimic them. Snorting, the smaller doe trotted over. She took her muzzle and nudged him. Instantly, Thonolan found himself craving the rich green blades of grass on four long legs.
The sky was being disturbed as a wrinkling appeared. It rippled like a boat through water, except that was no boat sailing in front. The sight was oddly familiar to him, though he had never watched this happen from the ground before.
The presence of the person leading the search spotted the two people and the horses. Jondalar was tying something to the small brown horse and the old man paused curiously. His eyes missed nothing, and he wrinkled his angular marked tattoo when he saw the antelope. There was something about them that wasn't quite right, he mused. They might make for unusual hides. But still, there were only three and not enough for a hunt. He switched directions and looked elsewhere.
"That was close!" Sela exclaimed as she threw off the antelope cover. "I forgot that you didn't know how to change shape," she looked apologetically as Thonolan tried to follow her movements. "Here, let me help." She reached in and tugged on a part within his spirit. Instantly, he stood up and shed his cover. "It's not good for the living to see us, and that old man was one of the few who could."
"I'm glad we came here when we did." Malia stood tall beside her daughter pleased that they weren't noticed.
"That was amazing," Thonolan said.
Sela smiled slyly at him; "we can change into about any creature we want. It's always been quite interesting." She trailed a finger slowly across his chest.
"Sela, Did I not teach you manners?"
"Yes, but you never seemed to have any with Luthio around."
Malia looked at Thonolan, "I'm sorry. She was taught propriety, but," she said and shrugged dismissingly.
"Mother, you don't need to apologize for me." She turned to Thonolan, "unless of course, you think there was a need for one?" she queried with a raised eyebrow.
Enjoying the banter he grinned and winked, "nothing to be sorry for. Come, let me escort you ladies to the cave." Taking her hand in his arm, he guided them forward.
"We came to see how they were progressing," Malia said, "were you able to join them yet?"
Thonolan groaned. "I'm working on it. Don't worry," he added as the women exchanged dubious looks, "it will all work out, of this, I am sure."
"Of course it will!" Sela interjected, "now that the women are here."
"Do you mean to tell me that they haven't shared pleasures yet?" Malia asked in surprise.
Thonolan shook his head; "they don't understand each other's signals."
Sela rolled her eyes, "and you're the one who wanted to find a woman around each bend of the river? You're lucky you could find your way to their furs."
"My brother has always been the one that women were drawn to. Even if I had seen them first, all he had to do was turn those blue eyes on a woman." He combed a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Those blue eyes aren't working their magic this time," Malia said.
"I think the Cave Lion has chosen you, Jondalar." Snatches of their conversation wafted out to them.
"Can a clan totem choose a man of the others?" Thonolan queried. Sela turned to answer, but stopped with a look of anguish on her face. "Malia, what's wrong?"
"Lumio!"
Sela gasped and turned to where her mother was looking. "No..."
Someone sniggered behind Thonolan and he quickly turned around. "You!" He shouted as he jumped to his feet. "You're not welcome here."
"Welcome or not, it doesn't matter to me. I thought I'd amuse myself by watching you blunder with those two," he jerked his head toward the cave. A malicious grin played across his features, "perhaps I will help, how do I put this...sever the thread?"
Thonolan's fists clenched and he narrowed his eyes at the intruder. As he stepped menacingly forward, he felt a calm hand on his arm. He looked around into Sela's pleading eyes. With a groan of frustration he pulled back and laced her arm through his. Fighting would not help the situation.
"Lumio, please." Malia said softly.
"Don't try to stop me; I don't want to hurt you. My fight is not with weak women." He turned back toward the cave, ignoring the pain on Malia's face.
Sela disentangled herself from Thonolan's grasp and ran toward Lumio. Catching him just outside the entrance, she pulled him around. "You don't want to do this. Please leave here, and never come back. In the name of the Mother, leave her alone!"
Lumio looked deeply into her pleading eyes. For a brief moment Thonolan saw a hint of tenderness. The expression changed quickly to scorn.
"Bah, you women and your weak ways!" He drew back his arm as if to strike. Sela didn't flinch, but faced him squarely. "Enough! You are nothing. You are...weak." Turning on his heel, he stalked off into the deepening night.
Sela collapsed in sobs as Malia ran toward her. "My brave daughter." She too had tears coursing down her cheeks. Holding her daughter close, she gave a keening wail of loss.
Thonolan stood awkwardly, not knowing if his comfort would be welcomed. He turned and entered the cave to assure himself that no damage had been done to Ayla or his brother. He heaved a sigh of relief when he noticed they were unharmed, yet not unaffected. Jondalar was looking at Ayla from across the fire with an odd expression.
"What's wrong, Ayla?"
"I don't know."
(VOH pp. 491-492)
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Chameleons
~~~~~~~~~~
Another hunt soon, Thonolan mused to himself, I hope there aren't any dirk-toothed tigers around this time. I don't think I could hold one back by myself, he thought ruefully. Ayla and Jondalar were both excited at the prospect of trying out their new "spear throwers." I've got to hand it to you, brother; you sure know how to use your head! That is, when it comes to tool making. When it comes to matters of the heart you're like the simple chamois; unaware of what's going on around you! He started to chuckle at his own humor.
He watched the pair as they sat outside their cave. The valley was idyllic for a couple to get to know each other. Thonolan looked up suddenly when he felt the presence of other people approaching.
"Quick, change shape!"
Thonolan turned around, just in time to see Sela turn into an antelope. Another larger antelope was grazing beside her. Quickly, he reached within himself and tried to copy them, searching for the ability to mimic them. Snorting, the smaller doe trotted over. She took her muzzle and nudged him. Instantly, Thonolan found himself craving the rich green blades of grass on four long legs.
The sky was being disturbed as a wrinkling appeared. It rippled like a boat through water, except that was no boat sailing in front. The sight was oddly familiar to him, though he had never watched this happen from the ground before.
The presence of the person leading the search spotted the two people and the horses. Jondalar was tying something to the small brown horse and the old man paused curiously. His eyes missed nothing, and he wrinkled his angular marked tattoo when he saw the antelope. There was something about them that wasn't quite right, he mused. They might make for unusual hides. But still, there were only three and not enough for a hunt. He switched directions and looked elsewhere.
"That was close!" Sela exclaimed as she threw off the antelope cover. "I forgot that you didn't know how to change shape," she looked apologetically as Thonolan tried to follow her movements. "Here, let me help." She reached in and tugged on a part within his spirit. Instantly, he stood up and shed his cover. "It's not good for the living to see us, and that old man was one of the few who could."
"I'm glad we came here when we did." Malia stood tall beside her daughter pleased that they weren't noticed.
"That was amazing," Thonolan said.
Sela smiled slyly at him; "we can change into about any creature we want. It's always been quite interesting." She trailed a finger slowly across his chest.
"Sela, Did I not teach you manners?"
"Yes, but you never seemed to have any with Luthio around."
Malia looked at Thonolan, "I'm sorry. She was taught propriety, but," she said and shrugged dismissingly.
"Mother, you don't need to apologize for me." She turned to Thonolan, "unless of course, you think there was a need for one?" she queried with a raised eyebrow.
Enjoying the banter he grinned and winked, "nothing to be sorry for. Come, let me escort you ladies to the cave." Taking her hand in his arm, he guided them forward.
"We came to see how they were progressing," Malia said, "were you able to join them yet?"
Thonolan groaned. "I'm working on it. Don't worry," he added as the women exchanged dubious looks, "it will all work out, of this, I am sure."
"Of course it will!" Sela interjected, "now that the women are here."
"Do you mean to tell me that they haven't shared pleasures yet?" Malia asked in surprise.
Thonolan shook his head; "they don't understand each other's signals."
Sela rolled her eyes, "and you're the one who wanted to find a woman around each bend of the river? You're lucky you could find your way to their furs."
"My brother has always been the one that women were drawn to. Even if I had seen them first, all he had to do was turn those blue eyes on a woman." He combed a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Those blue eyes aren't working their magic this time," Malia said.
"I think the Cave Lion has chosen you, Jondalar." Snatches of their conversation wafted out to them.
"Can a clan totem choose a man of the others?" Thonolan queried. Sela turned to answer, but stopped with a look of anguish on her face. "Malia, what's wrong?"
"Lumio!"
Sela gasped and turned to where her mother was looking. "No..."
Someone sniggered behind Thonolan and he quickly turned around. "You!" He shouted as he jumped to his feet. "You're not welcome here."
"Welcome or not, it doesn't matter to me. I thought I'd amuse myself by watching you blunder with those two," he jerked his head toward the cave. A malicious grin played across his features, "perhaps I will help, how do I put this...sever the thread?"
Thonolan's fists clenched and he narrowed his eyes at the intruder. As he stepped menacingly forward, he felt a calm hand on his arm. He looked around into Sela's pleading eyes. With a groan of frustration he pulled back and laced her arm through his. Fighting would not help the situation.
"Lumio, please." Malia said softly.
"Don't try to stop me; I don't want to hurt you. My fight is not with weak women." He turned back toward the cave, ignoring the pain on Malia's face.
Sela disentangled herself from Thonolan's grasp and ran toward Lumio. Catching him just outside the entrance, she pulled him around. "You don't want to do this. Please leave here, and never come back. In the name of the Mother, leave her alone!"
Lumio looked deeply into her pleading eyes. For a brief moment Thonolan saw a hint of tenderness. The expression changed quickly to scorn.
"Bah, you women and your weak ways!" He drew back his arm as if to strike. Sela didn't flinch, but faced him squarely. "Enough! You are nothing. You are...weak." Turning on his heel, he stalked off into the deepening night.
Sela collapsed in sobs as Malia ran toward her. "My brave daughter." She too had tears coursing down her cheeks. Holding her daughter close, she gave a keening wail of loss.
Thonolan stood awkwardly, not knowing if his comfort would be welcomed. He turned and entered the cave to assure himself that no damage had been done to Ayla or his brother. He heaved a sigh of relief when he noticed they were unharmed, yet not unaffected. Jondalar was looking at Ayla from across the fire with an odd expression.
"What's wrong, Ayla?"
"I don't know."
(VOH pp. 491-492)
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