Chapter 2
Durc sighed as he left the cave to do another errand for Broud. Broud always insisted that Durc do work that a woman could easily do. They had recently come back from the Clan Gathering and had brought back Ura with them. In his eyes, Ura was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was nearly a woman, just as he was on the verge of adulthood. He still had not been allowed his manhood hunt. If Broud had his way, he never would. Durc and Ura had spent as much time together as possible during the Clan gathering and found that they had a lot in common. Both of them had many ideas that would improve the life of the Clan, but those ideas were often shunned. They did not know that they had the advantage of both Clan and Others. They had the ancient Memories as well as the ability to think of new things and try different ways to do something. They both could pick up on new concepts very easily and while Durc's creativity was with flint and carving (which he kept a secret), Ura's gifts were more oriented to women's tasks. Durc had been practicing with a spear for a long time and discovered that it would be easier to throw a spear than to thrust it-at least for the way he was built. Ura had made several new dishes by various accidents that would have simply been thrown out by Clan women. Both were willing to take an accidental discovery and use it to improve their lives instead of rejecting it. Many people thought of them as strange for their ideas, so most of their ideas were forgotten or kept in secret. Each was glad to finally have a friend who would understand.
Durc thought about Ura as he walked, and then his thoughts turned to his Mama. Not Uba, but the yellow-haired woman who had left him right after the earthquake. Brun had told him that his Mama, called Ayla, had been death-cursed twice. She had lived the first time, but the second time she had been cursed forever. But Brun had dreamed about her and believed that she had once again survived the death curse. Durc wondered if he would ever see her again if she had survived. He doubted it. She was one of the Others. If she lived, she would want to be with her own kind. Perhaps they would not see her as an evil spirit. Although his upbringing went against these thoughts, his unique mind created doubts that no pureblooded Clan person would think of without cause. He walked until he came to the cave where his Mama had hidden with him after his birth. Broud had forbidden anybody to speak of Ayla, but Brun had taken Durc away from the cave to tell him about her. Brun had always cared for Durc, had taught him to hunt with a sling, a bola, and later, a spear. Brun had kept Ayla's memory alive in spite of Broud. The whole Clan knew that Broud was a terrible leader, selfish and cruel. He had no reason to curse Ayla, and had shown terrible weakness soon after. He had insisted that they stay in the cave, that the earthquake had been to get rid of Ayla, and he made everybody work hard to clean out the rubble. He showed little mercy to the injured and old, and two people died clearing out the cave. Because of his impulsive nature reflected by his totem, many hunts were unsuccessful. His impulsiveness had ruined many hunts and caused the Clan hard winters. The content mood of the Clan had vanished with the earthquake. There had been some problems before, but the mood had never been as bleak as it was now. Durc did the task that Broud had ordered him to do: prepare the practice field for training some of the children on the sling. Of course, this is something the children could do for themselves. As the sun set, he slowly made his way back to the cave. Uba greeted him outside with a worried face.
"Durc, where have you been? I have been worried," she motioned.
He told her what he had been doing and the two walked inside to Vorn's hearth. Ura often joined Vorn, Ura, and Durc for the evening meal. The four of them ate in silence. After they finished, Ura helped Uba clean, then she went to find Durc again.
"This girl would like to walk and find herbs for cooking. May this girl ask for you to accompany her?" Ura used the universal language of the Clan. He nodded, and they set off together.
"Ura, I am not your mate yet, but I would like to request that you start using the everyday language of this Clan soon. I will help you, and so will Uba. I know that not very many people have been friendly to you because you are like me, but Uba and I will always be here for you. I look forward to sharing a hearth with you," Durc motioned.
Ura stopped, stunned. A man of the Clan never talked like that! But Durc was no ordinary boy of the Clan, nor was she an ordinary Clan girl. Conversation like this was only allowed when the two were alone. As Ura gathered herbs, they headed toward Ayla's old cave. Something in the air seemed to smell different, but Durc couldn't tell what it was. Then he saw some tracks on the ground. There were the tracks of two horses, a wolf, and two people! The tracks were fresh, but there were no animals that he could see, nor any strangers. He decided it would be wise to return to the cave. Durc had a strange feeling in his chest as he led Ura swiftly back to the cave. He didn't see the blonde-haired woman staring at him from a bush.