Ayla grabbed Jondalar's arm in fear. She had never liked
earthquakes, but this one was especially bad. They always brought on
frightening dreams, and this dream was unlike any she had ever had before.
She was standing in a dark cave alone and confused. Suddenly a girl entered wearing the strangest garments she had ever seen. They resembled Marthona's garments made of grasses, but they were made in strange colors with strange symbols. The girl grasped her hand and led her out of the cave. There was everyone she had ever known, except the people of the clan. They all wore the strange garments, and they were in the strangest dwelling she had ever seen. The walls were completely straight and an impossible white. They were squares in the walls that allowed one to see outside. What she saw was not the world she knew, but a gray and black world. The only thing she recognized was a blue sky.
Jondalar awoke and turned to Ayla, who was still asleep. Her brows were knotted in concentration, but there was a hint of fear lurking on her face. He never knew whether to wake her or let her be. Suddenly she sat up, gasping for breath. Jondalar looked at her questioningly, but she didn't know how to explain.
Throughout the next day she felt that something was amiss. Her mind kept wandering back to her strange dream. What did it mean? What were those strange dwellings that were too perfect to be caves, but were still made of rocks. What did it mean that everyone she knew wore those strange garments? And how was that dwelling so incredibly white and perfect, with perfect holes peering into a strange world? Nothing made sense. At one point Ayla considered wandering away from the cave so that she could be alone with her thoughts, then Proleva came and asked to help with cooking and she abandoned that idea.
If Ayla had decided to wander she would have come across Marie's home. If she had the courage to enter and found her way to Marie's room she would have found Marie sleeping. For, in fact, Marie slept throughout the day following the earthquake. Her body was weak and the only way she could gain back her strength was from a long sleep. But, unfortunately, Ayla decided not to wander so Marie and Ayla would have to meet another way.
She was standing in a dark cave alone and confused. Suddenly a girl entered wearing the strangest garments she had ever seen. They resembled Marthona's garments made of grasses, but they were made in strange colors with strange symbols. The girl grasped her hand and led her out of the cave. There was everyone she had ever known, except the people of the clan. They all wore the strange garments, and they were in the strangest dwelling she had ever seen. The walls were completely straight and an impossible white. They were squares in the walls that allowed one to see outside. What she saw was not the world she knew, but a gray and black world. The only thing she recognized was a blue sky.
Jondalar awoke and turned to Ayla, who was still asleep. Her brows were knotted in concentration, but there was a hint of fear lurking on her face. He never knew whether to wake her or let her be. Suddenly she sat up, gasping for breath. Jondalar looked at her questioningly, but she didn't know how to explain.
Throughout the next day she felt that something was amiss. Her mind kept wandering back to her strange dream. What did it mean? What were those strange dwellings that were too perfect to be caves, but were still made of rocks. What did it mean that everyone she knew wore those strange garments? And how was that dwelling so incredibly white and perfect, with perfect holes peering into a strange world? Nothing made sense. At one point Ayla considered wandering away from the cave so that she could be alone with her thoughts, then Proleva came and asked to help with cooking and she abandoned that idea.
If Ayla had decided to wander she would have come across Marie's home. If she had the courage to enter and found her way to Marie's room she would have found Marie sleeping. For, in fact, Marie slept throughout the day following the earthquake. Her body was weak and the only way she could gain back her strength was from a long sleep. But, unfortunately, Ayla decided not to wander so Marie and Ayla would have to meet another way.