Chapter 8
Signs and Wonders
"Oh no, not her. I don't think she likes me," Sela groaned. She spotted the elder veejia making her way up the hill. Sela and Thonolan had attempted to stay apart from the others to keep animosity down, since last night's dream. After the introductions had been made, the veejias of the Mamutoi didn't seem to want to spend time with the Sungaean veejia.
"I thought I'd find you two here." She looked over Sela, studying her closely. In one fluid movement, she sat down beside them. "Why does a Sungaean veejia have need to be at a Mamutoi camp?"
"I am a Watcher, just like you. I have every right to be here," Sela said, bristling slightly.
"Yes, but Thonolan does not need watching," Bectie said with a wink, "who do you think you're watching for?"
"Don't you know? Ayla is my younger sister."
Bectie looked taken aback but recovered quickly. "Ayla is Sungaean?"
Sela nodded and smiled as if teaching something difficult to a slow child. Thonolan gave a nod of agreement also.
That settled the matter for Bectie, but it opened up a new realm of problems. There were still bad feelings between the two groups. The Sungaea were not as progressive as her beloved Mamutoi, they were primitive in their customs and living. How could a strange Sungaean woman have a place with the Mamutoi? Bectie was privileged to know a bit of the path of the future but not the way in which it would happen. She knew that Ayla would become very important to the Lion Camp.
"Ayla does not know her origins," Sela continued, "she lost her family in an earthquake and was adopted by the Clan. She has only been with Jondalar since this summer." Sela watched in satisfaction, as the woman became more agitated.
"The Clan?" She exploded. "You mean flatheads? Oh no, this will never do. The Lion Camp will never accept her!"
Thonolan's eyes narrowed. "There is nothing wrong with The Clan. They have great intelligence and compassion. What is there not to accept?"
"Young veejia, you know as well as I do what is wrong. They are considered to be animals, and it is an abomination to interact with them. Why would you defend them?"
"I became Clan after my death. It's a strange story, so I won't tell you now," he said with am apologetic smile, "their destiny is intertwined with the people of the Others. They were created by the Mother just as we were."
Bectie looked at him sternly, then chuckled. "Thonolan and Sela, I'm so glad you're here. Days have become too monotonous for me now. I've been watching my family for far too long. I think you two are just the thing to liven things up." She got up and started to head down the hill. "Are you coming? I think it's best that you get acquainted with the others." She took Sela's reluctant arm in hers and led her to the camp.
Oba's eyes were shining with unrepressed love. She turned to Onlan as he approached them. "Did you see what he did? What my son did?"
Delighted to see her acting more like a woman of the Others, he smiled and shook his head. "What did Rydag do?"
"He signed! He signed, 'good morning mother. It was as if he was speaking to me."
Thonolan looked to Nezzie embracing her adopted son. She had tears in her eyes at Rydag's communication. So Ayla was already starting to affect the camp. She is destined for high status, despite the Sungaea or Clan background.
Nezzie and Rydag gathered closer as she began to teach them more words. Oba sat quietly watching them, her posture proclaiming her joy.
(TMH p.73)
0000000000
"I don't envy you your responsibility," Sela said to Thonolan, "you certainly have an awesome task. I almost think it would be easier if they were still in the valley or had just gone home."
Thonolan sighed. "I know, and it's harder with all the other veejias around, and Mamut. We have to go into hiding whenever he searches. I've been working on changing shape, though." He grinned slyly at her, "and it's not Ranec that I'm concerned with, it's Tala. I don't have to face the son, but the mother I see everyday."
"Do you want me to stay for awhile longer?"
"No, as much as I'd like to have you around I think I'll be fine for now. Oba watches for Rydag, Tala for Ranec, Bruzec for Crozie, Bectie for Fralie, Tarnov for Crisavec and Brazie and Nalie take care of Tasher. I think one of them may become responsible for the one to be born. That leaves them pretty busy. But they are willing to help if I need it. It's hard to believe that there's so many around at once. It's almost luckier to have lost someone who is not buried properly, for the living," he said with a smile, "and how is your father?"
"I think his time may be near, that's why mother didn't want to leave him. He gets sick more easily and winter is coming. I think I'll actually be glad when he dies, so we can all go home together," she confessed with a blush.
"I don't blame you, Sela. You've been watching faithfully for many seasons." He put his arm around her shoulders in a comforting gesture. She turned her head toward him and found his mouth very close.
Sela was giddy and tingled all over. With heart fluttering, she felt like she had drunk too much bouza. Her eyes opened briefly and noted the beauty of his face. But he was promised to another, and she waited with their son.
Thonolan's thoughts were also turned to Jetamio. Slowly, he pulled back. "Sela, I..."
"Don't say it," she said with a sob. Jumping up, she sped away without looking back.
"Thonolan you are a fool," he said aloud. He felt like an untried youth at a summer meeting. When he closed his eyes and tried to remember Jetamio's face. Slowly, he headed back toward the camp, hoping that no one could guess his thoughts. That's when he heard the cry of distress.
"Nuvie! Nuvie! O Mother! She's choking!" Snapping out of his self-pity, he sprinted the rest of the way. The cries were frantic, and the emotion panicked. He stared in horror when he saw little Nuvie lying still on the ground. She was turning blue, and she didn't have a Watcher.
He saw Ayla came through the helpless crowd and immediately set to work. With quick and purposefully movements, she managed to extract a bone that had been lodged in the throat. Nuvie was breathing again, to the relief of all. Thonolan felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down.
"How does she know how to do that?" Nalie asked, "I've never seen anyone with so much healing ability."
He smiled at her and swung her up on his shoulders. "Some things, I don't even know. Perhaps when we ascend, we can ask the Mother," he said wistfully, not thinking of Nuvie at all.
(TMH pp.82-84)
"Oh no, not her. I don't think she likes me," Sela groaned. She spotted the elder veejia making her way up the hill. Sela and Thonolan had attempted to stay apart from the others to keep animosity down, since last night's dream. After the introductions had been made, the veejias of the Mamutoi didn't seem to want to spend time with the Sungaean veejia.
"I thought I'd find you two here." She looked over Sela, studying her closely. In one fluid movement, she sat down beside them. "Why does a Sungaean veejia have need to be at a Mamutoi camp?"
"I am a Watcher, just like you. I have every right to be here," Sela said, bristling slightly.
"Yes, but Thonolan does not need watching," Bectie said with a wink, "who do you think you're watching for?"
"Don't you know? Ayla is my younger sister."
Bectie looked taken aback but recovered quickly. "Ayla is Sungaean?"
Sela nodded and smiled as if teaching something difficult to a slow child. Thonolan gave a nod of agreement also.
That settled the matter for Bectie, but it opened up a new realm of problems. There were still bad feelings between the two groups. The Sungaea were not as progressive as her beloved Mamutoi, they were primitive in their customs and living. How could a strange Sungaean woman have a place with the Mamutoi? Bectie was privileged to know a bit of the path of the future but not the way in which it would happen. She knew that Ayla would become very important to the Lion Camp.
"Ayla does not know her origins," Sela continued, "she lost her family in an earthquake and was adopted by the Clan. She has only been with Jondalar since this summer." Sela watched in satisfaction, as the woman became more agitated.
"The Clan?" She exploded. "You mean flatheads? Oh no, this will never do. The Lion Camp will never accept her!"
Thonolan's eyes narrowed. "There is nothing wrong with The Clan. They have great intelligence and compassion. What is there not to accept?"
"Young veejia, you know as well as I do what is wrong. They are considered to be animals, and it is an abomination to interact with them. Why would you defend them?"
"I became Clan after my death. It's a strange story, so I won't tell you now," he said with am apologetic smile, "their destiny is intertwined with the people of the Others. They were created by the Mother just as we were."
Bectie looked at him sternly, then chuckled. "Thonolan and Sela, I'm so glad you're here. Days have become too monotonous for me now. I've been watching my family for far too long. I think you two are just the thing to liven things up." She got up and started to head down the hill. "Are you coming? I think it's best that you get acquainted with the others." She took Sela's reluctant arm in hers and led her to the camp.
Oba's eyes were shining with unrepressed love. She turned to Onlan as he approached them. "Did you see what he did? What my son did?"
Delighted to see her acting more like a woman of the Others, he smiled and shook his head. "What did Rydag do?"
"He signed! He signed, 'good morning mother. It was as if he was speaking to me."
Thonolan looked to Nezzie embracing her adopted son. She had tears in her eyes at Rydag's communication. So Ayla was already starting to affect the camp. She is destined for high status, despite the Sungaea or Clan background.
Nezzie and Rydag gathered closer as she began to teach them more words. Oba sat quietly watching them, her posture proclaiming her joy.
(TMH p.73)
0000000000
"I don't envy you your responsibility," Sela said to Thonolan, "you certainly have an awesome task. I almost think it would be easier if they were still in the valley or had just gone home."
Thonolan sighed. "I know, and it's harder with all the other veejias around, and Mamut. We have to go into hiding whenever he searches. I've been working on changing shape, though." He grinned slyly at her, "and it's not Ranec that I'm concerned with, it's Tala. I don't have to face the son, but the mother I see everyday."
"Do you want me to stay for awhile longer?"
"No, as much as I'd like to have you around I think I'll be fine for now. Oba watches for Rydag, Tala for Ranec, Bruzec for Crozie, Bectie for Fralie, Tarnov for Crisavec and Brazie and Nalie take care of Tasher. I think one of them may become responsible for the one to be born. That leaves them pretty busy. But they are willing to help if I need it. It's hard to believe that there's so many around at once. It's almost luckier to have lost someone who is not buried properly, for the living," he said with a smile, "and how is your father?"
"I think his time may be near, that's why mother didn't want to leave him. He gets sick more easily and winter is coming. I think I'll actually be glad when he dies, so we can all go home together," she confessed with a blush.
"I don't blame you, Sela. You've been watching faithfully for many seasons." He put his arm around her shoulders in a comforting gesture. She turned her head toward him and found his mouth very close.
Sela was giddy and tingled all over. With heart fluttering, she felt like she had drunk too much bouza. Her eyes opened briefly and noted the beauty of his face. But he was promised to another, and she waited with their son.
Thonolan's thoughts were also turned to Jetamio. Slowly, he pulled back. "Sela, I..."
"Don't say it," she said with a sob. Jumping up, she sped away without looking back.
"Thonolan you are a fool," he said aloud. He felt like an untried youth at a summer meeting. When he closed his eyes and tried to remember Jetamio's face. Slowly, he headed back toward the camp, hoping that no one could guess his thoughts. That's when he heard the cry of distress.
"Nuvie! Nuvie! O Mother! She's choking!" Snapping out of his self-pity, he sprinted the rest of the way. The cries were frantic, and the emotion panicked. He stared in horror when he saw little Nuvie lying still on the ground. She was turning blue, and she didn't have a Watcher.
He saw Ayla came through the helpless crowd and immediately set to work. With quick and purposefully movements, she managed to extract a bone that had been lodged in the throat. Nuvie was breathing again, to the relief of all. Thonolan felt a tug on his sleeve and looked down.
"How does she know how to do that?" Nalie asked, "I've never seen anyone with so much healing ability."
He smiled at her and swung her up on his shoulders. "Some things, I don't even know. Perhaps when we ascend, we can ask the Mother," he said wistfully, not thinking of Nuvie at all.
(TMH pp.82-84)