Chapter 3
The Dark Thread
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Thonolan's attention was drawn by Ayla's gasp. He looked up to follow her gaze and saw atop the entryway the skull of the cave lion. The skull wasn't what had caught his attention; it was the giant lion spirit staring down at him.
Nalie gasped and clutched Thonolan's arm, "will he hurt us?" She whispered, "I've never seen an animal spirit this close before."
He stared uncertainty at the ominous spirit who had turned its piercing eyes on him. Without moving its mouth, the cave lion spoke to him. "The threads will be woven. The weaving requires many hands." Bunching up its powerful muscles the lion leapt from its perch and bounded away, shaking the ground in its powerful wake.
'A sensation of quivering earth beneath her feet brought a rush of nausea. She shook her head to dispel the vivid memory. "What's wrong, Ayla?" Jondalar asked.
"I saw that skull, and remembered when I was chosen, when the Calve Lion became my totem!"
"We are the Lion Camp," Talut announced with pride (TMH p. 18)'
Nalie relaxed her hold on Thonolan's cloak as the Cave Lion disappeared. Oba was less disconcerted than the rest. The animal spirits were a part of her clan spirit memories. She had noticed the look of frightened wonder on the faces of the Others. For the first time since coming to the Lion Camp, Oba felt pride in her clan heritage. The veejias of the Others treated her with respect, but their differences kept them emotionally apart.
Talut led Jondalar and Ayla to the Mammoth Hearth. Bectie motioned for everyone to stop short of the hearth. Cautiously, she stepped within the bounds and used all her senses to explore. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, she relaxed and motioned for the others to follow.
Thonolan looked at her with a puzzled expression, "what were looking for?"
"Mamut. He often searches for hunts. When he does, we're vulnerable, because he can see us. We're usually safe inside the lodge, but it's best to be cautious around his hearth."
Suddenly, it all became clear to Thonolan. This was the camp that Creb had shown him on that journey. That's why he had seen the Mamut searching; they had been close by all this time. His eyes searched the pile of furs for the familiar figure.
The old wizened face was studying the woman kneeling in front of him in clan fashion as well as the man beside her. He reached over and tapped her shoulder.
Thonolan looked at the others, his eyes asking if they had seen the same thing. "How does he know clan ways?" He asked in wonder.
Oba touched his arm and waited for him to turn to her. "Mamut lived with the clan for awhile before he was Mamut." She was about to say more but decided against it. The stories would be told eventually.
Mamut concentrated on the world unseen. As always, the spirits were surrounding and protecting the camp. Yet, there was something different in the air today. He knew it had something to do with Ayla and Jondalar. He shuddered as a cold breeze blew over him. Change was in the air, but he didn't know if it was good or bad.
Thonolan wasn't sure who he was frustrated at more, that dark man or his brother. Thonolan paced in front of the food area, casting a glance now and then at Ayla and the man. She was just too innocent and open in her feelings. Jondalar was too, but he was acting so foolishly! He kicked a rock out of his way, wishing he could talk some since into his brother.
"Stop that!" He looked up surprised as Bectie marched toward him. "It's fine that you know how to control the material world, but don't do it in front of the living!" She had her hands on her hips, her eyes scolding him like a mother hen.
He flushed and stopped his pacing. "I know, you're right. I wasn't thinking about it."
She relaxed her stance; "we all know what's troubling you." She glanced over at the woman who laughing at Ranec's remarks. "But brooding won't do any good. I can see you're more like your brother than you let on."
Thonolan looked over at his brother, then down at himself. A grin spread across his face, "Bectie, you're right. I'm acting just like him. Neither of us is being very effective, are we?"
She nodded and smiled. Inwardly she was questioning the Mother by giving these people a Watcher like this one. The wind crested the hill and shifted to them. Bectie looked up as the rest of the veejias became animated.
"Could it be?"
"I thought she had ascended, it's been so long."
"Wait until Thonolan meets them!"
At the mention of his name, he turned and scanned the top of the hill. There, coming toward him was the most exotic woman he had ever seen. She was tall and dark, even a deeper shade than Ranec. The color reminded him of a deep rich colored wood he had seen on rare occasions. Her hair was the color of deep night and was pulled off her face in an intricate style. He noted the curly thick texture of the wisps that had escaped. The clothes she wore were unusual and added to the foreign quality. Her whole bearing was strong and graceful as her long legs brought her quickly toward them. His eyes traveled to her face when he noted that her flashing eyes were looking directly back at him.
"Welcome back!" Brazie raced up to the woman and flung her arms around her legs.
The woman smiled and swept her up in her arms, "it has been a long time, little one." Giving Brazie a squeeze, she swung the girl up onto her muscular shoulders. Brazie beamed in delight, hardly able to believe her friend had returned.
Nalie remembered her manners and approached, forcing her legs to go at a fast walk and not break out in a run. Secretly she wished she could have run up also. When the veejias approached and stopped in front of the woman, greetings were enthusiastically exchanged.
"I see you've taken good care of your mate," Bruzec nodded toward the newcomers. She gave a nod of ascent and turned to Thonolan. Bruzec faced them both, "this is Thonolan of the Sharmudoi, great servant of the Mother." He turned to the woman; "this is Tala, daughter of the Leopard Lodge, mate of Wymez and mother of Ranec."
Tala held her arms out in the formal gesture of the northern people, "I greet you Thonolan of the Sharmudoi." Her warm rich voice washed over him. Goosebumps broke across his skin.
Shaking himself out of her allure he brought his hands up, "I greet you Tala of the Leopard Lodge, mate of Wymez."
She turned to study the people who had surrounded the newcomers. "Now, where is my laughing eyed son? And what kind of mischief has he gotten into since we left?"
Brazie patted her hair, "he hasn't done too much yet. But I think he'd like to be trouble to someone now!" She pointed to a man and woman standing at the bottom of the hill.
Tala raised her eyebrows at Bectie, "so I've come just in time."
-----------------
Thanks for being patient with this last chapter. Real life had picked up a bit lately, but hopefully will calm down soon. I've added a "character list" for the spirits that are at Lion Camp on the first page. I hope this will clear up any confusion with the characters.
The Dark Thread
-----------------
Thonolan's attention was drawn by Ayla's gasp. He looked up to follow her gaze and saw atop the entryway the skull of the cave lion. The skull wasn't what had caught his attention; it was the giant lion spirit staring down at him.
Nalie gasped and clutched Thonolan's arm, "will he hurt us?" She whispered, "I've never seen an animal spirit this close before."
He stared uncertainty at the ominous spirit who had turned its piercing eyes on him. Without moving its mouth, the cave lion spoke to him. "The threads will be woven. The weaving requires many hands." Bunching up its powerful muscles the lion leapt from its perch and bounded away, shaking the ground in its powerful wake.
'A sensation of quivering earth beneath her feet brought a rush of nausea. She shook her head to dispel the vivid memory. "What's wrong, Ayla?" Jondalar asked.
"I saw that skull, and remembered when I was chosen, when the Calve Lion became my totem!"
"We are the Lion Camp," Talut announced with pride (TMH p. 18)'
Nalie relaxed her hold on Thonolan's cloak as the Cave Lion disappeared. Oba was less disconcerted than the rest. The animal spirits were a part of her clan spirit memories. She had noticed the look of frightened wonder on the faces of the Others. For the first time since coming to the Lion Camp, Oba felt pride in her clan heritage. The veejias of the Others treated her with respect, but their differences kept them emotionally apart.
Talut led Jondalar and Ayla to the Mammoth Hearth. Bectie motioned for everyone to stop short of the hearth. Cautiously, she stepped within the bounds and used all her senses to explore. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, she relaxed and motioned for the others to follow.
Thonolan looked at her with a puzzled expression, "what were looking for?"
"Mamut. He often searches for hunts. When he does, we're vulnerable, because he can see us. We're usually safe inside the lodge, but it's best to be cautious around his hearth."
Suddenly, it all became clear to Thonolan. This was the camp that Creb had shown him on that journey. That's why he had seen the Mamut searching; they had been close by all this time. His eyes searched the pile of furs for the familiar figure.
The old wizened face was studying the woman kneeling in front of him in clan fashion as well as the man beside her. He reached over and tapped her shoulder.
Thonolan looked at the others, his eyes asking if they had seen the same thing. "How does he know clan ways?" He asked in wonder.
Oba touched his arm and waited for him to turn to her. "Mamut lived with the clan for awhile before he was Mamut." She was about to say more but decided against it. The stories would be told eventually.
Mamut concentrated on the world unseen. As always, the spirits were surrounding and protecting the camp. Yet, there was something different in the air today. He knew it had something to do with Ayla and Jondalar. He shuddered as a cold breeze blew over him. Change was in the air, but he didn't know if it was good or bad.
Thonolan wasn't sure who he was frustrated at more, that dark man or his brother. Thonolan paced in front of the food area, casting a glance now and then at Ayla and the man. She was just too innocent and open in her feelings. Jondalar was too, but he was acting so foolishly! He kicked a rock out of his way, wishing he could talk some since into his brother.
"Stop that!" He looked up surprised as Bectie marched toward him. "It's fine that you know how to control the material world, but don't do it in front of the living!" She had her hands on her hips, her eyes scolding him like a mother hen.
He flushed and stopped his pacing. "I know, you're right. I wasn't thinking about it."
She relaxed her stance; "we all know what's troubling you." She glanced over at the woman who laughing at Ranec's remarks. "But brooding won't do any good. I can see you're more like your brother than you let on."
Thonolan looked over at his brother, then down at himself. A grin spread across his face, "Bectie, you're right. I'm acting just like him. Neither of us is being very effective, are we?"
She nodded and smiled. Inwardly she was questioning the Mother by giving these people a Watcher like this one. The wind crested the hill and shifted to them. Bectie looked up as the rest of the veejias became animated.
"Could it be?"
"I thought she had ascended, it's been so long."
"Wait until Thonolan meets them!"
At the mention of his name, he turned and scanned the top of the hill. There, coming toward him was the most exotic woman he had ever seen. She was tall and dark, even a deeper shade than Ranec. The color reminded him of a deep rich colored wood he had seen on rare occasions. Her hair was the color of deep night and was pulled off her face in an intricate style. He noted the curly thick texture of the wisps that had escaped. The clothes she wore were unusual and added to the foreign quality. Her whole bearing was strong and graceful as her long legs brought her quickly toward them. His eyes traveled to her face when he noted that her flashing eyes were looking directly back at him.
"Welcome back!" Brazie raced up to the woman and flung her arms around her legs.
The woman smiled and swept her up in her arms, "it has been a long time, little one." Giving Brazie a squeeze, she swung the girl up onto her muscular shoulders. Brazie beamed in delight, hardly able to believe her friend had returned.
Nalie remembered her manners and approached, forcing her legs to go at a fast walk and not break out in a run. Secretly she wished she could have run up also. When the veejias approached and stopped in front of the woman, greetings were enthusiastically exchanged.
"I see you've taken good care of your mate," Bruzec nodded toward the newcomers. She gave a nod of ascent and turned to Thonolan. Bruzec faced them both, "this is Thonolan of the Sharmudoi, great servant of the Mother." He turned to the woman; "this is Tala, daughter of the Leopard Lodge, mate of Wymez and mother of Ranec."
Tala held her arms out in the formal gesture of the northern people, "I greet you Thonolan of the Sharmudoi." Her warm rich voice washed over him. Goosebumps broke across his skin.
Shaking himself out of her allure he brought his hands up, "I greet you Tala of the Leopard Lodge, mate of Wymez."
She turned to study the people who had surrounded the newcomers. "Now, where is my laughing eyed son? And what kind of mischief has he gotten into since we left?"
Brazie patted her hair, "he hasn't done too much yet. But I think he'd like to be trouble to someone now!" She pointed to a man and woman standing at the bottom of the hill.
Tala raised her eyebrows at Bectie, "so I've come just in time."
-----------------
Thanks for being patient with this last chapter. Real life had picked up a bit lately, but hopefully will calm down soon. I've added a "character list" for the spirits that are at Lion Camp on the first page. I hope this will clear up any confusion with the characters.