After the Death Curse

by Sheri Contrary

What woman could walk away from her child? This is what happens to Ayla when she refuses to leave Broud's Clan at the end of The Clan of the Cave Bear. For the most part, this disregards books 2-6...except for customs of the Others. IN PROGRESS (but I have no intention of finishing...sorry).

2. Part 2

Author's Note

Reminder – any large portions that appear in italics are quoted directly from books and belong solely to Jean M. Auel.

And again...I apologize for the possible lack of scene divisions. They were there when I uploaded this document, I swear! But this site is weird about NOT including everything I write. However, though I said (in part one) that I wouldn't edit them back in, I have tried...might have missed some though...sorry. So aggravating! *sigh*

ETA: Looks like my "chapter" divisions have disappeared as well (at least in the "Document Manager"). How annoying!

Further, I decided not to give you the "original post date" (as I did in part one)...it was just too time-consuming to include and...do you really care? I didn't think so! =)

After the Death Curse – Part Two (of ten)

Ayla's First Day at Grov's Hearth

Due to the fact that the cave was their new home, and it was not fully stocked, the newly mated couples were given two days to clean and organize their hearths, and hunt food to keep them through the fourteen day period.

Ayla was greatly pleased with the hearth that was Grov's as it was very large, and had a great many shelves to put all of her medicinal herbs and medical paraphernalia. Grov even helped her organize everything, before he went hunting.

When the time came for the three men to go hunting, Ayla watched them leave, with a wistful expression on her face. Grov turned back one last time, saw her watching and wondered. He had heard of her skill, but he had not seen it as of yet. Ayla's new mate turned and left the cave with the other two men.

As the men came to the rolling hills, Grov glanced back once again to see Ayla standing in the small mouth of the cave, with her sling in her hand, obviously wishing to go with them, and he frowned.

"Grov, what's the problem?" Dorg asked, seeing his friend's hesitation and look back at Ayla.

Grov didn't know what to say, he wanted to invite his woman to join them. Dorg probably wouldn't mind, but Norv was another story. Though he was mated to a woman with a mixed child, he expected a woman to be a woman. "I would like to see Ayla's skill with the sling, but I guess now is not the time."

Norv grunted, "I'm not watching a woman hunt! I woman isn't supposed to hunt."

As the men walked out of sight, Ayla pouted, then decided to hunt for herself. I will hunt on my own, she thought indignantly. I don't know why I thought it would be different.

Ayla took Ora over to Uga, who would have to nurse the child soon anyway, and told Durc to go find Uba and stay with her. Then, she flung her sling over her shoulder and headed off the opposite direction that the men had taken.

The woman entered the line of trees that was not too far away, hoping to find small game there. She wasn't disappointed. In fact, there was an abundance of small game that was just waiting for her there.

Later that day, when the men returned, Ayla had been back for sometime. She had a fire going within Grov's hearth, a hare spitted over it, and a cup of tea ready and waiting for her mate.

As he approached their hearth, he couldn't mistake the smells of a good meal. He was definitely impressed by his woman's ability to hunt her own meat, cook it, and have tea ready when he returned. How had she known he was coming?

Ayla smiled as he came in. Her cross attitude had evaporated as she hunted. The man handed her his catches, which were less than hers had been in a shorter time period, and she went to work gutting, skinning and storing the meat. The man watched his woman very closely.

Durc, who had been off playing with Grev, came walking in saying, "Mama, I'm hungry!"

"Durc, go get Ora, she's at Dorg's hearth nursing," she said to her son. "And hurry back, I have our evening meal ready."

Grov watched her for a few minutes longer. "Ayla, how did you hunt all of this," he asked gesturing towards her own gutted, skinned, and stored meat, "and still have time to cook a meal, fix tea, and then take care of the animals I brought back?"

Ayla looked around at the hearth, and all that she had done, and said, "I guess anger kept me going." It was only after the words left her hands that she considered what she said and she blanched.

ButGrov was not mad at her, he was more upset that he may have angered his mate.

"Ayla, why were you angry?" he said knowing full well that she had wanted to go hunting with them.

"Grov, I know it is not the Clan way for women to hunt, and I do not expect to be allowed to hunt with you, but I really wanted to go with you." Ayla looked down at her hands, as tears slid down her cheeks.

"Tomorrow, Ayla. I will go hunting with you tomorrow. I'm not sure we need any more meat for our days of isolation, but we can hunt anyway, and cure the meat for later."

Ayla looked at Grov strangely, then smiled widely and threw her arms around his neck. She was glad she had been given to this man, for he really seemed to understand her.

Grov blushed at his woman's hug, but he did not pull back. It felt so good to be touched. It felt like it had been a very long time since Nora had died, though it really hadn't been, and he was starved for affection.

"Groovvvv," Ora squealed delightedly as she entered the hearth with her new sibling, Durc.

AtDC

A Peaceful Interlude

That night, Ayla and Grov ate in relative silence, staring at each other from across the fire, and thinking about the hug they had shared earlier. Grov was dying to signal the woman to his furs, but they were supposed to sleep separately for the days of isolation. Did that mean not sleep together, or not...? Grov did not know. His Clan had not practiced many of the Clan customs, and he did not know if he could hold back.

Durc, at almost four, watched his mother and Grov and could tell something was different between them. He understood that they were living at Grov's hearth now, and that it was very different than it had been when they lived at Creb's hearth.

Ora had fallen asleep, and the boy moved to help his mother, knowing that she was busy in thought.

"Mama, I will put Ora in her sleeping place, and then I am going to sleep too," he said in what Ayla thought was a mature way. Grov smiled at Ayla's son with gratitude, and moved to sit closer to the woman that was his mate.

Ayla stiffened as he sat down just behind her, with one leg on either side of her, and placed his hands on her back. He pulled his hands back as she stiffened, but only slightly. His light touch sent a shiver down her body, and she closed her eyes. She had never seen a man of the Clan touch a woman as Grov touched her, and it felt nice.

Grov, who had been mated to a woman of the Others before, had learned that a woman could be, and wanted to be, pleasured too. He wanted Ayla to know she could enjoy this, unlike her experience told her. Grov was aware of Broud's harsh treatment of her and he wanted to show Ayla only love—for though it had only been a very short time, he was sure that he loved this woman.

Grov gently eased his woman back so that she lay against him, and wrapped his arms around her. caressing her thighs. Ayla could feel his need against her back, and wondered why he did not just make the signal.

Grov decided that he would take it slowly with her, and not push her that night. He held her into the night, with his arms still around her until she fell asleep. Then he carried her to her furs, pulled them up over her and went to his own.

The next morning, Ayla awoke to find her mate lying in his furs staring across at her. She smiled sheepishly over at him and sat up, "I will make tea; you must be thirsty. This woman is regretful she wasn't up early enough to have it ready for you when you woke up."

"Ayla, that is okay," he said, and then changed the subject. "When do you want to go hunting?"

Ayla stopped. Was he really going to go hunting with her? Apparently so, she thought, as she looked at him. "We can go as soon as we are ready."

Before the two of them left the cave, they brought Durc and Ora over to Uga. She would nurse Ora, and keep an eye on Durc while his mother was gone, but they would have to stay with her, since she too could not leave her hearth due to isolation.

As the pair left the cave through smaller cave entrance near their hearth, one pair of eyes watched them go. Broud had left the cave by way of the northern entrance, had hiked off to a secluded place, and was angrily flinging stones with his sling, when the couple exited the cave. He could see the difference in them immediately. He could not understand what they saw in each other, but he did not like that she seemed so happy, or that the deformed man was making her that way. Broud decided to follow them.

AtDC

The Pleasurable Hunt

Ayla and Grov walked side by side as they approached the tree line. Grov kept glancing over at the woman as she walked. When they entered the trees, he saw her body movements visibly change from a casual walk to one of more stealth. He allowed her to move ahead of him, so he could keep her in his sights.

They walked through the trees for a short time, both thinking their own thoughts. Grov was watching Ayla move, and admiring her strength and beauty; she was beautiful to him. Ayla, on the other hand, was considering the night before; still wondering why he did not make the signal, but still feeling pleasure that they had shared a nice moment.

Then, she caught the movement of a roe deer through the trees, she turned and gestured, "I want to hunt him." Grov nodded, thinking they were probably too far away, and that more than a sling would probably be necessary, but he didn't know how skilled Ayla was with her sling.

She crept a little closer, picking up a hand full of round stones, then stood up and let them fly. "Thwack, thwack," was all Grov heard. When the man looked toward the deer again, he saw it fall. Ayla turned to him and smiled. She knew she could get the deer, but she was happy that he had been there to see her do it.

Grov looked back at his woman with a new respect for the Woman Who Hunts. He had heard the stories, but he would never have guessed that she was that good.

The two of them made their way through the trees, so that they could secure her kill. Grov noticed that both of her hits were to the deer's temple, probably killing it instantly. He was very impressed.

"That was a great kill, Ayla," Grov complimented, causing her to blush. She looked down demurely, but he reached over and raised her chin, wanting to look into her eyes. Ayla shivered, as she had the night before, and he leaned closer to caress her face, bringing his mouth to hers. The touch of his lips sent sparks through her, as she had not felt before, and she melted into him.

The man was having a difficult time, not taking her on the spot, but he wanted to use everything Nora had taught him about pleasuring a woman.

Grov eased Ayla down onto the leafy forest floor, so that she was on her back with her kneels raised, and then positioned himself beside her, caressing her breasts and stomach.

Ayla lay there shivering, watching him touch her, and wondered if this was how other men of the Clan treated their women, and she just hadn't noticed. She didn't think so.

As she watched him, he moved his hand from her stomach to her thighs, and reached through her legs, easing them apart, to touch her mound. As he did this, she gasped with unexpected pleasure, and closed her eyes. He took this as a sign that she was ready for more and with the next caress of her mound; he entered her with his fingers. As he pushed his fingers in and pulled them out, he found the small node that would bring her pleasure and he worked it gently. Grov was rewarded with Ayla's quiet gasps of pleasure, as she arched her back wanting more.

When he was sure that she was ready, he got up and moved his wrap aside, exposing his rigid organ. When Ayla opened her eyes and saw him there, full of need, she rolled over, kneeled and presented, as she knew she was supposed to. Grov hadn't wanted to take her this way, but her naked backside turned him on even more. He ran his hand along her buttocks as he positioned himself behind her, and entered her slowly. As he did this, she gasped, and he held her firmly still so that he would feel her moist opening surround him for just a moment. Then he reached around to find her special spot again, and rubbed it while he pushed himself inside her further, and pulled himself back. The pressure was building for both of them, but Ayla released first, with him following suit within seconds.

For a moment, she just knelt there, gasping for breath, and quivering all over. He had his arms wrapped around her middle, and he was still in her. When he realized that her legs were shaking, he rolled over, pulling her with him, so that they lay with her back to his front, and him still inside her.

Ayla's mind was reeling. She didn't know those feelings were inside her, just bursting to come out, but she shook with pleasure, happier than she had ever been.

Broud had followed the couple into the trees, and saw the woman kill the deer with her sling. He had to admit she was good at it, but that just served to remind him that she had witnessed him shove Zoug all those years ago, and that she should be dead for touching the weapon, not standing there hunting with it. Broud was about to turn back; he had seen enough of her sling hunting display, when he realized what they were about to do.

Grov did not give her the signal, Broud realized, but she kneeled and presented anyway. And then, she moaned as if it hurt her, but the look on her face told him she was enjoying Grov's penetration. That was so unlike how she had reacted to him years before; she had been disgusted with him, he thought. Broud was not capable of seeing that she had not been disgusted with him, but terrified of him instead.

AtDC

Oga's Move

Grov and Ayla lay as they were for quite some time. Long enough for them to fall asleep, but Ayla sat bolt upright at the sound of snarling around her deer. Grov was up in an instant, chasing the scavengers away, and going to work on the animal.

Ayla slit the animal's throat, bleeding it out, so that is would be lighter to carry, then gutted it, knowing that the animal's innards would be of use. Then, they lashed the deer's legs together, and used a small fallen tree, which they slid between the deer's legs, to hoist the animal up, making carrying easier. When all was complete, Ayla and Grov walked back the cave with Ayla's deer slung between them.

As they neared the cave, Dorg came out to assist them. Ayla skinned the deer, and then butchered it, giving a third of the meat to Uga, since they too would be in isolation for another twelve days. Grov took their third into their hearth, and Ayla prepared the final third, to bring to Norv and Oda.

This would be the last time she could leave the hearth for any reason other than to obtain water or pass her water for the remainder of the isolation, so she hurriedly walked down the passageway to Norv's hearth, heavily loaded with meat.

When she arrived there, Oda looked up surprised to see her, but Ayla went to Norv and kneeled on the ground like a proper Clan woman. Norv considered the woman at his feet, knowing that she was bringing him her kill. He had already told Dorg and Grov that he didn't think a woman should hunt, but he didn't really have much meat. Could he feed his hearth of five until the isolation was over? He could probably send Nouz out, if they ran out of food, but it seemed a shame to not take meat that was being given to them. The man considered refusing the meat once more, but instead tapped Ayla's shoulder, accepting the proffered food.

For the next twelve days, Grov and Ayla did not sleep together, but they shared each other often, enjoying their new found affection for each other. Grov found that Ayla was very different from his first mate. Nora had been much more like Clan women than like a woman of the Others, in that she did not hunt, but only maintained the hearth. Ayla did it all.

Ayla found out that Grov was interested in her cooking; he was actually good at making a few things, but that was the part of him that was Others. He also expressed an interest in her medicine, and wanted her to teach Ora the healing medicine as well. Ayla agreed, "Grov, she is the daughter of my hearth now, I will teach her anything she needs to know," Ayla said smiling, on the final day of their isolation.

The next morning, before dawn, Goov and Brun came through the cave to collect the three newly mated men for the consummating ceremony. All the other men waited in the men's ceremonial room. They stopped at Norv's fire first, then Dorg's, and finally Grov's.

Brun watched the mixed man for a moment, as he got up and put on his wrap. He saw Grov look toward the sleeping woman of his hearth with affection, and knew immediately that they were suited for one another. He could tell that the man had taken his mate physically, and that Ayla had not been afraid of or harmed by the man. It was good to see their first medicine woman happy.

The five men left quickly, and joined the others for their ceremony.

When Ayla woke up not too much time had passed from the time the men had left, but Ora was stirring. She could see that Eka and Uga were sitting together at Daub's hearth having a morning meal and tea. She decided to bring Ora to Uga to nurse and was invited to sit down with the two women. She was so glad she could walk about freely again.

When Durc woke up, he came over to Daub's hearth, and cuddled with his mother. After eating, he wanted to go find Grev, so Ayla picked up Ora and excused herself to go with her son.

As they walked through the passageway, passing hearths, it seemed strange to only find women and children. Ovra was visiting with Aza, and playing with the woman's two daughters. Ayla gestured a hello as she went by, but continued on.

When she came to Vorn's hearth, she stopped to talk to her sister, while Durc went off to find Grev.

"Uba, have you told Vorn yet?" Ayla asked her sister. When Uba nodded, Ayla smiled.

"Yes, Ayla. He was so happy. He said he asked Goov to make a plea to the spirits for me," Uba gestured with hope.

"I am so glad for you Uba. I will talk to Brun as soon as I can. I do not want you doing any hard work. And I will be keeping a close eye on you as well."

"What about you Ayla," Uba inquired. "How is your mating going?"

Ayla smiled at Uba's questions. "Uba, he is wonderful. He really likes me."

"I am so happy for you Ayla. Maybe you will get pregnant soon, and we can have our children close together. Wouldn't that be great?"

Ayla nodded, with a thoughtful look on her face. She had been taking Iza secret medicine, every morning, but now she didn't really have to, did she? She was a mated woman now, her child would not be unlucky. "Yes Uba, it would be nice."

The two women had been talking for a while, watching several of the children playing in the central space, when Oda, carrying Ura, and Oga came by to chat as well. Oga was looking more and more withdrawn everyday. Ayla was worried about her, and by Uba's look, so was she.

Oga had been staying at Brun's hearth, but she wasn't happy there, because Broud was always staring across at her. His looks made her remember how happy she had been before, but at the same time she felt like she needed to run away from him. She didn't know what Brun planned to do with her, and that uncertainty made her nervous.

The women were still sitting there talking when the men emerged from their ceremony. Broud was walking with Vorn and Borg, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Oga sitting there with Ayla, Uba, and Oda. Oga did not look at the man that had been her mate, but Ayla saw how hard it was for her to avoid his gaze. When Ayla looked up at Broud she could see the desire he had for his former woman. Though she did not like the man at all, she felt sympathy for Oga, who obviously didn't like being away from him.

Brun, just behind Goov and Grov, was the last man to leave the ceremonial cave. "Oga!" he called over to the medicine woman's hearth. Oga got up quickly and went to the leader, not knowing what he wanted. She kneeled down in front of him, and he tapped her shoulder.

"Oga, I have decided that you shall stay at Grov's hearth. They have much space, and two hunters to provide for more people. Gather your belongings so that you can settle in today."

Oga nodded, and scurried around Brun's hearth, picking up Brac, Grev, and her things. Ayla watched her for a short time, then went to help the woman.

As Ayla approached Brun's hearth, she could feel Broud's eyes burning into her back, but she kept going. Grov saw the angry man's look, and leveled his own look back at him, daring the former leader to threaten either of the women at his hearth.

When Ayla reached Brun, she gracefully lowered herself to the ground in front of the man. Brun tapped her shoulder, allowing her to speak. "Brun, this woman would like to help Oga move to Grov's hearth."

Brun grunted his approval, but Ayla did not go to help. "What else Ayla?"

Ayla hid her smile, knowing that the leader was still a bit uncomfortable with her smiles, but thinking that he better get used to them, considering that Grov, Vorg, Durc, Ura, Ora, and herself smiled a lot. The reason she was amused was that she was happy the leader could tell when she had something to say to him.

"Brun, this woman would also like to tell the leader that the second medicine woman is pregnant, and this woman thinks it would be best if Uba could refrain from doing too much work. Her last pregnancy didn't go well, as we all know, and this woman hopes that this time Uba will bring forth a new life.

Brun grunted again, looking over at Uba, who was sitting in Vorn's hearth. For a moment, Brun thought about his own sibling, Iza, and Creb, his brother, both of whom he missed dearly. He was the last of the three.

Ayla helped Oga carry her things back to Grov's hearth, setting Oga and her boys up in the connecting room to the hearth. That way Oga would still have some privacy, but she wouldn't be lonely.

"Oga, I would like you to have the deer hide that I have just finished curing. It could make a good ground covering for you or the boys," Ayla gestured, trying to help the woman settle in.

Oga took the proffered gift and said, "This woman is grateful to the medicine woman for her gift."

Ayla smiled at the woman that was three years her senior, and gestured, "You will find that we are not so formal at our hearth. Grov will not want you to ask to do everything. Just do whatever makes you happy, and, you can always come sleep with us if you want to, Oga, there is no reason to sleep alone if you do not want to," Ayla offered.

Oga nodded, not wanting to interfere with the newly mated couple. After all, she wasn't second woman, but she was happy Ayla had made the offer. It made her feel more welcomed—more part of the family.

AtDC

Goov's Plea to Ursus

Later on that morning, Brun came around to let everyone know he wanted to have another feast, in celebration of actually being in the cave. He said that each woman should make her own dish, and bring it to the central space to share at evening mealtime. Everyone was excited about the coming evening meal.

The women in Ayla's area decided to cook their offering outside, so that their children could get some fresh air while the work was getting done. It was starting to get cool out, but it wasn't too cold yet. Soon enough they would be confined to the cave for the winter.

Brac, Vorg, and Breg picked up their spears, deciding to 'hunt' just away from their mothers. Grev and Durc were trying to play hearths with Ada and Aka, but the twins weren't very interested in the game, since the boys were ordering them around, and they weren't used to that. The boys finally tired of the game, ran off to playing their own hunting game. Ora was lying on a hide on the ground near the women, napping before the meal.

The men, Daub, Dorg, and Grov, were sitting outside as well, somewhat off to the side of the women. They were watching the three older boys as they hunted, and were talking about what was going on.

"This Clan sure is different than the one we grew up with, but I think our women are adjusting fairly well," Dorg gestured.

Daub leveled a glance at Dorg. "Well, I guess so, but I think my mate's daughters are confused. They are not used to having boys tell them what to do."

"We will have to teach them to act properly, so that life is pleasant for them," Dorg said, glancing at Grov, who had said nothing. The man appeared to be a million miles away, and Dorg nudged him to bring him back to the conversation.

"Grov, what do you think of this Clan?" Daub said.

"Oh, fine," he said, looking back toward the women.

Dorg and Daub exchanged amused looks, as they followed Grov's gaze. He was watching Ayla, of course, never taking his eyes off her.

Dorg snorted at Grov's response, which caused the man to come to attention.

"What?" he said with a grin, knowing full well that they were making a joke about his mind being elsewhere.

It wasn't much different over by the women. They were fixing the meal, and discussing this Clan's differences. It was a good discussion, having two women coming from each Clan to bring in the different points of view.

Eka and Uga, who were both full Clan, had very liberal views about Clan ways. They had grown up with many mixed and Others people as part of their Clan, and it was quite normal for them to see changes in short periods of time. They understood that the changes were necessary for life to move on.

Oga, having lived with a somewhat conservative Clan all of her life, was having a very difficult time with the changes at hand. She did not like change; it was unsettling to her. Eka and Uka sympathized, but hoped the woman would get used to change, for it was not going away.

Ayla, who had contributed quite a bit early on, was now not adding anything to the conversation at all. She was doing more staring over at Grov. It did not need to be discussed that she was obviously the one most capable of change, since she was Others.

Finally, the other three women noticed that though Ayla was working beside them, she was not with them. They followed Ayla's eyes, and saw that Grov had the same ridiculous look on his face. If the Clan could laugh, they would be laughing.

Oga smacked Ayla gently on her thigh, and signaled, "Ayla, go to your man. You are of no use here, and apparently neither is he."

Ayla smiled back at the three women, then got up to go to Grov, who, seeing her coming, got up, and almost sprinted to her as well. He ignored the grunting men that were having fun with his inability to concentrate on anything but Ayla.

The three Clan women looked on with amused expressions, remembering what it was like to be newly mated for the first time.

Uga too had just been mated, but it was a second mating for her. Plus, she had been sharing Dorg's furs for sometime, and did not feel like a newly mated woman.

And Eka, who had been mated to Daub for several seasons, had become very comfortable with the man, and did not seem to get that rush of feeling as she used to. He did not make the signal to her as often as he used to, but that did not mean he loved her less.

Oga, who had been mated until recently, felt a twinge of sorrow. Even after all she had gone through with Broud, she missed him. He was all she had known.

When inside the cave, Grov grabbed Ayla around the waist and kissed her full on the mouth. She smiled at him through the kiss, and pressed herself up against him. They hardly made it to their hearth with their wraps still on.

On the other side of the cave, everyone was busy cooking and preparing meals. Ebra and Uka were working together, while Aba, Aga, and Ika were off doing their own thing. Uba and Ona had gone to help Oda, Ovra, and Aza, and most of the younger men had gone out for some casual hunting.

Broud didn't want to go hunting, but didn't want to sit around watching the women, so he had gone off by himself. Brun watched Broud leave the cave, thinking that the son of his mate was spending entirely too much time alone. He ought to be hunting with the men, and trying to get back into the swing of things, but he wasn't.

Goov, who hadn't gone with the hunters either, caught Brun's eyes and sent a plea to his totem, asking Ursus to help their former leader.

AtDC

Ayla Tries

That night, the feast was grand, and the storytelling was awesome. Each person was given a chance to tell a story, and while not everyone chose to, everyone enjoyed the ones that were told. The night reminded Ayla that Creb had always told her favorite, the Story of Durc, and that he was not there to tell it again. Feeling a little sad at the loss of the man that was like her mother's mate, she leaned back against Grov, who was also feeling a bit of loss that night.

As the night went on, Ayla watched everyone surreptitiously. Uba was glowing with her secret that only a few knew. Igra looked a little uncomfortable, she noticed, wondering if the girl was feeling okay. And Oga, who was sitting only a short distance from her, looked absolutely depressed.

Ayla sat up and gestured to Oga that she should come sit closer to her, and Grov, seeing his mate's concern, also signaled the woman to come. Oga moved back to sit with them, and they both moved in close to surround the saddened woman.

From the other side of the crowded space, Broud watched his woman get comfortable between Grov and Ayla, and felt a twinge of guilt that he could not comfort her himself. He knew he was the cause of her unhappiness, and that upset him greatly, though no one seemed to understand him.

When the night was coming to a close, Brun announced that the men would be hunting for the next several days, to stock up for the winter, which would be coming any day, and that the women would need to gather all that they could. When he finished, he and Ebra retreated to their hearth, followed by the other older Clan members, leaving the younger one to enjoy some time alone.

Goov signaled to Ovra that he would be spending a while in the men's ceremony room, searching for animals for the next day's hunt. Ovra nodded, and began gathering up her belonging to go back to the hearth for the night. He also wanted to start thinking about choosing an acolyte. It would be a useful thing to start working on over the winter, he thought.

Several others were cleaning up and going off to their hearths. Eka had already left to put the twins to bed, but Daub was hanging around talking to Corg and Norv about the coming day's hunt.

Ayla, who wanted to get the children off to bed, asked Oga to take them back with her, while she cleaned up. Grov was going to stay there with Ayla, but she sent him back with Oga, encouraging him to keep her company.

Ayla not only needed to clean up, but she also wanted to talk to examine Uba before she returned to the hearth. When she went to the medicine woman's hearth, she had to wait, because Broud was there talking to Vorn, and she didn't want to cause any trouble.

Broud saw her waiting and flashed her an unreadable look, confusing her. She decided to talk to him. Nervously, Ayla approached Broud, and kneeled at the man's feet. He stared down at her, wondering what she could possibly want from him, and didn't want to grant her an audience. However, his curiosity won out and he tapped her shoulder.

Ayla did not rise, but stayed in a kneeling position so as not to anger him, and looked up at the man who had caused her so much pain, and said, "This woman would tell the man that Oga misses him."

Broud stared at her briefly, then grunted, then walked away.

Ayla watched Broud leave, wondering if she should have spoken to him, then went to talk to Vorn and Uba. Vorn had been watching, and he shrugged his shoulders as she approached, as if saying, you tried.

"Okay Uba, I want to examine you," the medicine woman said, which cleared Vorn out of the hearth.

When she was finished, she told Uba that she had talked to Brun, so there was no need to worry. "We will do everything possible to bring a child to your hearth." Uba came as close as a person of the Clan could to a smile, letting Ayla know she was hopeful.

When Vorn realized they were done, he returned to the hearth, and the three of them talked for a short time before Ayla left.

During Uba's exam, Daub finished his conversation with the men, and was ready to leave. At the same time he getting up to go, Ovra was passing in front of him on her way out as well. Her arms were overloaded, and she kept dropping things, so he helped her back to the Mog-ur's hearth.

As Ovra followed the man back to Goov's hearth, she thought about everything that had happened to the Clan in the last few moon cycles. When they got there, she could not help but brush up against the man as she took everything from him, and put them away. Though the man was happy with his mate, and it hadn't been his intention, he quickly became turned on by the woman that stood in front of him, and he gave her the signal.

Ovra, being a good Clan woman, assumed the position for Daub to relieve his needs. When he was finished, he sat with her for a while, asking her questions about which woman was her mother, since he didn't know, and other unimportant things. He hadn't wanted to just get up and leave after signaling her to relieve him. When he decided to go, he said, "I am going now," and left to go to his hearth. Ovra cleaned herself up, straightened the hearth, and went to bed.

When Ayla finally returned to Grov's hearth, she was pleased to see Oga sound asleep in Grov's furs. He was sitting by the fire, waiting for her to come back, and hugged her when she sat down.

Ayla could smell Oga on him, and asked, "How did it go," gesturing toward the sleeping woman?

Grov blushed a little, not wanting to answer her direct question, but spoke anyway, "She is fine, but I am not Broud, and she wants him, even though he is so awful."

Ayla smiled at her mate, "You did not have to signal her if you did not want to. I just don't want her to feel so lonely." The she added, "I did talk to Broud. I don't know what he thought, but he did not cuff me. That's a good sign."

Grov knew she was joking, but the thought of Broud hitting his woman made him mad. "He had better not cuff you," he gesticulated angrily. "He has done enough of that," he said looking over at Oga. "Why she still wants him is beyond me."

"Don't worry, Grov, this woman has been taking care of herself for a long time, I can handle Broud." She paused briefly, then cocked her head and coyly said, "Do you think you have it in you to signal this woman too?"

Grov looked at her seriously, and having become aroused as she made it know what she wanted, he made signal.

AtDC

Preparation For Winter

The next day, Grov left early with the men, so that they could hunt enough meat to get the forty-four members through the harsh glacial winter. Ayla stirred, as he brushed her hair off her face before he left, and smiled up at the man signing, "Good luck," but Oga remained still.

When Ora started to cry, Ayla got up, and brought her to Uga, then returned to the hearth. Oga was beginning to wake up Ayla noticed, so she put on some water for tea, and sat watching the other woman sleep. It wasn't long before the tea was ready, and Oga was awake.

Ayla smiled at the woman, and Oga gestured a morning greeting.

"How did you sleep, Oga?" Ayla gestured, thinking that the woman lookedbetter.

Oga shrugged, giving Ayla a strange look. Ayla was certain Oga had experienced something different the night before. The medicine woman was now sure that other men of the Clan just relieved their needs with their women, and did not give them pleasure as well. She knew she was truly lucky to have been given to Grov.

"Ayla," Oga said hesitatingly, "is it always like that with Grov?"

Ayla smiled again, and Oga blushed. "Well, I don't know for sure, since we have just been mated. But so far, yes."

Oga didn't say anything else on the subject, but she became very thoughtful.

The next few days were filled with hunting and gathering. Each day the men went out, and the women roamed around collecting everything they may need. Then, after the first days of hunting, the women's lives were consumed with cooking and drying meat, drying or storing vegetables and greens, and curing and tanning hides.

The meat was stored in the hearth area closest to the northern entrance. It had been like a freezer in there for the past few weeks, and with the chilled wind, the temperature was dropping daily. The vegetables and greens would be stored in the elongated room just in front of the meat area.

While some of the women worked on the afore-mentioned tasks, others worked on piecing together hides that would be used to block the four cave entrances, to hold in heat. Only the northern entrance hide would be placed somewhat inside the cave, because they wanted it to keep the meat frozen.

The entire Clan kept busy. Brun knew that they would need a considerable amount of wood for the many fires, so even the smallest children were instructed to gather wood constantly, and some of the older girls gathered grasses so they could spend time weaving baskets for storage purposes.

The cave was just taking a deep breath from all the work they had done when Grev and Durc, loaded to their chins, came running in, dropped their wood, and gestured wildly, "Mama, it's snowing!"

Ayla and Oga had been sitting near the center space fire weaving baskets for the late season apples they had gathered. Both women looked up to see their sons covered with snow and shivering. Ayla hid a smile and reprimanded the boys for getting wet and cold.

As it turned out, that was the first day of many long, hard winter days.

AtDC

A New Woman

A few days into the second big storm, Ika made her first trip through the cave passageway over to Grov's hearth to get Ayla's help; Igra had become a woman. Igra had just entered her seventh year, and her mother was worried about her daughter having to spend her first woman's curse off alone in the blowing snow. Ayla reassured the woman, saying that she would go talk to Brun.

Ayla and Ika, with Oga in tow, walked back through the passage together. Ika and Oga headed toward Crug's hearth, almost bumping into Broud, and Ayla hurried over to Brun's hearth. Brun was sharing a morning meal with Grod and Zoug at Grod's hearth, and the medicine woman didn't want to interrupt, so she waited with Ebra at Brun's hearth.

Since the incident at the river, which was over two moon cycles ago, Ayla and Ebra had become quite close. Ebra looked at the woman now as if she were her daughter. She was delighted that Ayla had found happiness with her mate, and wondered how long it would be before Ayla would be expecting another baby. The whole cave had heard about Ayla's and Grov's exploits, and knew that they were sharing it with Oga—much to Broud's frustration. He never did like to share Oga, and now his woman was living at another man's hearth. Ayla spoke to Ebra often about how Oga was, and about how worried she was about the woman. Sometimes Oga appeared to be getting over her depression, then just a day later, she was wallowing in it again. Ebra reassured the medicine woman that Oga would recover, but it would take time. Ebra knew Broud hadn't just hurt Oga physically, but mentally as well. It could take a very long time.

Brun was also happy that Ayla was happy. For many seasons he had wished she were a man, so he could talk to her openly about the things she thought, but a man would never discuss such things with a woman. Now, since Ebra had taken Ayla in as somewhat of a daughter, Brun began to truly understand what Iza and Creb had felt for the woman. He was also glad that Ebra finally had a daughter. He knew she had always secretly wanted one.

When he saw Ayla approaching his hearth, but looking at him over at Grod's hearth, he knew she wanted to talk to him. He didn't want to leave to go see what she wanted, because he knew it shouldn't matter if a woman had something to say, but his curiosity was always peaked when she wanted to say something.

So, Ayla and Ebra sat talking, and Uka joined them. Uka had long since given up the immature feelings about how Iza had usurped her sister's position as highest ranked female of their Clan. Now, it was Ayla that held that position, but it no longer mattered to the women. Uka was quite aware that Ebra now considered Ayla a daughter, and she readily accepted her new familial rank as aunt, though there was no term for it.

Ayla told them that Igra had become a woman, and they were pleased for Ika, yet scared for the new woman, and what Brun would decide about her woman's curse isolation. When they saw Brun approaching the hearth, Ebra and Uka left, heading straight for Crug's hearth, to talk to Ika and Igra.

Ayla watched them go, then since she was already sitting on the ground, she looked down, waiting for Brun to tap her shoulder. When he did, she looked up, and said, "This woman has news. Igra has become a woman, and Ika doesn't know what to do since she needs to endure her first curse away, but the weather is so bad."

Brun looked across the central space and into Crug's hearth. Crug was nowhere to be found. He must be somewhere else and does not know yet, Brun thought. "Igra can spend her curse in that small cave that opens up to the outside, yet still has a passageway to the inside. She will be away from all of us, and Ika can still visit her everyday."

Ayla nodded, thinking that Brun's plan was a good one, but waited, it seemed like he wanted to say more. "Ayla, I am going to allow you to visit her as well. I do not want anything to happen to the woman. It could be bad luck if someone dies in our new cave."

Ayla nodded again, agreeing with the leader. Usually a new woman was required to stay away from the cave, but due to weather, that would be impossible. She too believed that a death in the cave could be cause for the spirits to become angry with them.

When Brun dismissed the medicine woman, she went directly to Crug's hearth to tell them the news. Ika and Igra were beside themselves with worry, but Ayla was smiling as she approached and they visibly relaxed.

"Igra," Ayla said, speaking to the new woman, but including everyone else that was there. "Brun has given permission for you to stay within the cave. I will show you where. And, he is going to allow both Ika and myself to visit you."

The other women were shocked. "Why, Ayla?" they chorused.

"It may be bad luck if something should happen to Igra in our new cave, so he wants to make sure nothing does."

The women were all impressed and agreed Brun had made a very wise decision.

"So, let's get you packed up, and settled into your new space. It will not last long Igra," Ayla gestured remembering too well that it could be a very lonely experience. "And, once it's over, you can start thinking about being mated."

Igra blushed, she had already been thinking about that subject; wondering what boy would eventually become a man that she could be given to.

When Ika had Igra packed and ready, Ayla led them away, and the other women left to go to their own hearths.

Oga crossed the central space, trying to avoid Broud, but he was at Vorn's hearth and saw her coming. Without so much as an, 'I'm leaving now,' Broud got up and headed her off. He knew he could not order her around, or any other woman for that matter, but he really wanted to talk to her; he really wanted her back.

"Oga," he said, but then didn't know what else to say when she looked up at him. He didn't want to plead with her, Clan men just did not plead with women, but he didn't want her to go.

Grov, who had just been coming down the passage looking for Ayla, stopped when he saw the couple ahead of him, and he waited. When Broud didn't say anything else, Oga just said, "This woman is going now," and pushed past her former mate. Broud watched her go, and didn't miss Oga side step Grov to get back to the man's hearth. Why is that man watching our conversation? he thought angrily. But he couldn't help noticing that Grov was being protective of Oga, and that was a good thing, wasn't it? If he couldn't do it, wasn't it good that some man was—even if it was Ayla's mate?

Broud went back to Vorn's hearth, to finish the conversation he had so abruptly walked away from.

Brun, across the way, had watched the son of his mate. He had seen the anger on Broud's face change to something else. He didn't know what it was, but it seemed better than the open hostility he had been showing for so long.

That night, Oga did not share Grov and Ayla's furs; she wanted to be alone. She could not help her feelings of confusion. She wondered why she longed to be with Broud, when he had been so awful towards her. She looked over at her two sons, who slept soundly, and considered their training.

Brac was still spending time with Broud, even though he had defended her so strongly that fateful day, but Grev hadn't spent much time with Broud for some time. Grev knew that Broud did not like his milk brother, so he tried to stay away from the man. Oga guessed that Grov would train Grev, if Broud didn't do it.

As Oga drifted off to sleep, she was aware that Grov had signaled Ayla again, and she wondered if Ayla's totem would ever be defeated again.

AtDC

Who's Out There?

It was very dark in the cave when Oga woke up the next morning. The fire had burned down, and everyone was seemingly still asleep, so she got up to throw a log on the fire, and sat down, with her back to the opening of the hearth. She looked over at Grov and Ayla, who were snuggled close in their furs, and felt a pang of longing.

When watching them sleep became too painful, the woman got up and put on water for tea, then decided she needed to go relieve herself. In the darkness, she slowly crept through the small space toward the windbreak, which was anchored down strongly to keep out the icy blasts, and pushed it aside to go out. Being alone outside at dawn frightened her, so she hurried and went back in, fastening the flat back down as she entered.

She stood where she was for a brief moment, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness again after being outside in dawn's light, then slowly crossed back to the hearth. When she neared its entrance, she saw movement down the passageway to her left, and turned to look into the dark, rocky corridor. She was just about to hurry into Grov's hearth and wake the man, when Broud stepped out of the shadows.

Oga's eyes widened when she realized it was Broud. Had he been watching her? How long had he been doing that, she wondered. Her heart was pounding.

"This woman would greet you," she signed to him politely, not kneeling or waiting to be addressed as she used to. He did not say anything, but was struck by her formality. He had seen how informal she was within Grov's hearth, and desperately wanted his woman back.

When he didn't appear to have anything to say, Oga stepped back and turned to go, but Broud put his hand on her arm, and gently pulled her one step into the hallway. Oga paused, unable to leave, knowing that the man that had been her mate wanted her to stay. Then he did something totally unexpected, he leaned over and put his mouth on hers.

Oga's eyes flew open and her knees almost buckled. Broud had never done that before. She now knew that he had been spying on her for some time. He had obviously seen Ayla with Grov and/or her with Grov, and knew the effect the action had on them.

Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared into the dark passageway, leaving Oga even more confused than she had been. Oga just stood there looking into the darkness, until she was startled by Ayla's whispering voice saying, "Oga?"

Oga jumped at her name, and quickly went into the hearth. "Good morning, Ayla."

Ayla gestured good morning back to the woman, then said, "Oga, are you okay?"

If Oga could have cried, she would have been sobbing, "Oh Ayla," she said. "Broud was just here, he just put his mouth on mine, just like Grov does. I am so confused. I miss Broud so much. For all that he can be so mean, I still miss him."

It was no secret that Ayla didn't like Broud, but she felt for her hearth mate, and held the hurting woman in her arms. When the woman sat up to pour herself some tea, Ayla motioned, "Give it some time Oga, either the pain will go away, or you'll know where you really want to be. Broud was never terrible to you until he became leader. Maybe he just isn't capable of leading. Maybe if he doesn't ever become leader, then he can be your mate again."

Oga nodded and sipped her tea. She sure liked Ayla, and wished Broud didn't hate the medicine woman so.

Ayla finished off her own tea, and then went off to see how Igra's first night alone had gone.

Oga poured herself another cup of tea, and just sat there waiting for Ayla to return. When Ora started to cry, Oga picked her up and offered her a breast; her milk still wasn't gone, as Grev and Durc continued to crawl onto her lap and suckle. Ora had become fond of the new woman at the hearth.

For the next few weeks, every time Oga left the hearth, she looked for Broud in the shadows, but never saw him there. That didn't mean he wasn't there, but if he was, he had learned to be more elusive. Oga had not forgotten his kiss and wished he would come back and do it again.

On a clear day, about a month later, the men decided to hunt. They had been confined to the cave for so long, and it felt good to get out. Some of the women prepared to go out as well, just to get some air, but Ayla and Oga decided that they would go visit Ebra for a while.

However, before they could get out of the hearth, Ovra came walking up. "Ayla, this woman needs to talk to you," she said nervously.

Ayla invited the woman in, and gestured, "Is something wrong, Ovra?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I think my totem has been defeated again. I did not get my woman's curse."

Oga brightened, but Ayla had some questions. "When should it have come?"

"I think it should have been here over a moon cycle ago, but I have not really been keeping track for a long time now. It could be even longer."

Then Ayla's next question was, "Have you been drinking Iza's tea?"

Ovra blushed at this, "No Ayla, I ran out a while ago and I've been too busy to ask you for more."

"Well Ovra, you must be pregnant. You never did have trouble getting pregnant, it's just that you don't seem able to stay pregnant."

"But Ayla," Ovra said pleadingly, "I want to bring a child to Goov's hearth so badly. Is there anything you can do to help me?"

"Well, first I will talk to Brun about restricting you from all work. Then, I will need to talk to Goov about abstaining from giving you the signal. And I think it would be best if you stayed in bed during your entire pregnancy. It's going to be very difficult Ovra, but I will do everything I can."

Ovra was nodding her head, willing to accept whatever needed to be done to bring a child to Goov's hearth, and feeling hopeful. Ayla didn't want to wait on any of her medical advice, so they left the hearth immediately to go find Goov, whom Ovra had said did not go hunting.

They found him still in his hearth, sitting quietly with his eyes closed, meditating. Ovra was nervous about interrupting him, but Ayla said this was too important to wait for, and cleared her throat. Goov opened his eyes and knew something was up with only one glance.

The two women entered the hearth and the medicine woman lowered herself quickly. Ovra watched nervously, as her mate tapped Ayla's shoulder.

"This woman would like to tell the Mog-ur that his mate's totem has been defeated again."

Goov's eyes widened, and he jumped up and went to Ovra. "Really, Ovra?"

She nodded, looking happy, but frightened, and he knew why.

"Mog-ur, if you want Ovra to keep this baby, then she is going to need some help."

He looked at the medicine woman seriously, and said, "This man will do whatever it takes to help his mate. What do I need to do?"

"First, this woman does not want Ovra to get out of bed for any reason other than to relieve herself." Goov was nodding, and absently signaled to Ovra to get back into bed.

"This medicine woman must also let you know that Ovra should not be signaled to relieve your needs, or anyone else's, for that matter. It could disrupt the pregnancy." Goov was still nodding, he could do that; there were plenty of other women around to relieve him, and he would talk to Brun about announcing it to all of the men.

"And finally, we obviously need to have Ovra relieved from all other duties for the duration of her pregnancy, so we must speak to Brun." Goov gave a final nod, and left the hearth to go find Brun. He felt like the happiest man of the Clan.

AtDC

Broud's Visit

The winter was in full swing when Uba and Ovra's pregnancies started to show. Uba was in her fifth month, and as it turned out, Ovra was farther along than she had known. She was in her fourth month, and everything seemed to be going okay for both the women.

The whole moon cycle of confinement had been very difficult on Ovra, but her pleasure at finally becoming pregnant, after all those years of being seemingly barren, brought great joy to Goov's hearth and to the woman herself. She positively glowed, and had decided resolutely that she would walk through fire to have her baby if she had to.

Ovra did get out some. Ayla periodically took Ovra on short walks around the cave, and outside when the snow was not blowing. During these walks, they were always followed by Goov, who was incredibly nervous about his mate and her child to be. Ayla thought Ovra to be very lucky in that the mate she had been given to genuinely cared for her. He had never been upset with her inability to bring a child to his hearth, and now that it may happen, he was like an expectant mother himself. He even learned to have her favorite tea ready for her when she woke up every morning.

For Uba, things had been much easier; she had the option to get up and do almost anything she wanted, as her pregnancy seemed to be strong right from the start. The strength of her pregnancy did not however stop Vorn from following her around like a puppy, just as Goov did Ovra. At just five moon cycles along, her stomach had swelled promisingly, and the baby was extremely active. She could hardly believe the difference in how she felt now versus her previous experience. It amazed the young medicine woman everyday.

The people of Brun's Clan, or any Clan for that matter, didn't have much to do during the long winters, since they were essentially bound to the cave. The women's days consisted of basket weaving, scraping hides, cooking meals and other womanly duties, while the men did a little sling hunting, signaled their women to relieve their needs, or talked about the coming spring hunt.

When Goov told Brun that the Winter Solstice was approaching, Brun decided to break up the monotony and have a winter feast. For the next couple days every woman, with the exception of Ovra and Uba, started preparing meals for the coming festivities, and there was a buzz in the air. A few men even went out to see if they could drum up some fresh meat.

Ayla and Oga worked feverishly within Grov's hearth, Ayla making her ptarmigan dish, and Oga preparing the stew that she knew was someone's favorite. Grov was off somewhere else, and the women were enjoying their time together, which was filled with good conversation, and glances at their children, who were playing close by.

Ayla was putting the finishing touches on her ptarmigan, when she realized she didn't have some of the herbs she needed. "Oga, I have to go to the vegetable storage room, do you need anything?"

Oga looked around at what she was doing, "Yes Ayla, I need some of those small red potatoes."

"Okay, I'm going to go check on Ovra quickly and then I'll go get what we need." The medicine woman left quickly, leaving the other woman alone.

Oga busied herself around the hearth, waiting for Ayla. She decided to finish working on the wolverine hood she had started for Grev, and sat down to do her task. Then, a noise at the hearth opening caused her to look up. Broud was standing there watching her.

"This woman greets you," Oga said nervously. Broud signaled a greeting, but didn't move otherwise.

Oga tried again, "This woman would invite you in if you would like." Broud still did not move. This was Grov's hearth, and he could tell the man did not like him. Broud knew he had reason not to like him. Oga didn't know what else to say to the man. She could see a change in the man that had been her mate—he would never have had nothing to say in the past.

Just as Broud was deciding to leave, Grov came around the corner, and almost walked right into the man that stood there staring at Oga. For a brief second, Broud seemed angry that the deformed man showed up, then realized that it was Grov's hearth.

Grov looked from Broud to Oga, and realized the woman wanted the man to stay, so he invited him in. "Oga, make tea, we have a guest." Oga immediately jumped up, and started some water boiling.

As Grov walked into his hearth, he considered the former leader. Broud's whole demeanor seemed to be so different from the man he had met five moon cycles ago. He still had a lot of problems, but due to his punishment, he had become rather docile. Grov silently wondered if it could last. It was his experience that people like him rarely changed for the good. But, to give the man the benefit of the doubt, he did truly seem to miss Oga.

Grov sat down next to Oga, and turned to look at Broud. The man hadn't entered the hearth yet. He was struggling with the fact that Grov was sitting right next to the woman he still considered his. Grov watched the man working to control his emotions; something that had always been nearly impossible for the hot headed man.

He couldn't decide what he should do. He wanted to grab Oga and drag her away from the hearth, but he knew he couldn't do that, so he slowly took a step inside the hearth, and sat down on Oga's other side.

Oga was so nervous that she spilled the first cup of tea on the ground, then annoyed with herself, she started over. Grov watched her with an amused expression, thinking that the woman must really like this awful man.

Broud could tell Grov was enjoying the situation, and he didn't understand why the man did not get mad at her for spilling the tea. He would have been.

Then, when it was finally finished, Oga went to him and kneeled in front of him like she always had in the past. Broud tapped her shoulder and she handed him the cup. When he took the proffered drink, he made a point of brushing her hands with his.

They sat there in relative silence, drinking their tea.

Ayla had spent more time at Goov's hearth than she had intended. Ovra's mother had been there so they chatted for a while before the pregnant woman's exam. When the medicine woman finally did her examination, she smiled up at the woman.

"Ovra, you look really good. Everything inside feels just as it should, better than I expected. And your belly is growing fast."

Ovra, who was lying there with her hands on her stomach, and looking at the medicine woman through her open legs, was overjoyed by the news. She was so happy.

Uka turned toward her daughter, "You will be holding a baby of your own by mid spring, Ovra. I am so happy for you and Goov."

When Ayla was finished, she left the women alone, and started for the vegetable storage room. As she passed Norv's hearth, Ura came running out, "Ayla, up."

Ayla stopped to tickle the little girl who would be her son's mate someday, and picked her up and swung her around as she giggled. Norv was giving her a dirty look, so Ayla put the child down, and motioned, "I am leaving now."

When she turned around, Brun was staring over at her from the central space, and he too looked displeased. Ayla blushed at her misbehavior; she always seemed to forget that they didn't like unnecessary sounds.

At the vegetable storage area, Ayla gather what she needed, and some other things, then went the back way to the hearth.

Ayla walked back to the hearth, thinking about Brun's displeasure, and scolding herself for going against Clan ways again. She wasn't really paying attention, so when she entered the hearth it took her a second to realize someone else was there. And then, when she realized who that someone was, she blanched visibly.

Oga started to get up to help her, since her arms were loaded, but Grov pushed the woman back down and got up to help her himself. When the vegetables were put away, Grov told Ayla to sit down, and he handed her some tea, and asked about Ovra.

Broud watched Ayla's reaction to his presence, knowing that she did not like him either, but he was most surprised by Grov. First, he told Oga to sit, while he got up to help a woman, and then he poured Ayla tea and sat her down next to him. And finally, told the woman he was glad she was back. Broud had never seen a man act so strangely.

Broud did not stay long that night; it was a strained visit. Both of the women there had born the brunt of this man's anger at sometime or another, Oga much more recently, and it was only Oga that was feeling forgiving.

Ayla wanted Oga to be happy, that is why she spoke to Broud that one night, but she could not help but remember the pain this man had caused her.

AtDC

Not Alone

The next day started with everyone waking early, finishing up the meals for the feast, and straightening their hearths. It didn't matter what their hearths looked like, but most cleaned up just to be doing something.

At midday, Ayla left Grov's hearth to go help Ovra over to the central space. Goov was fussing over his woman, adding to her happiness, when Ayla arrived. The Mog-ur and the medicine woman walked the pregnant woman over to the space and propped her up with furs. Goov stayed with her, not wanting to leave her side, but Ayla needed to get back to finish up before everyone came out.

Broud had been watching everyone getting ready, but he had nothing to do, and no one to talk to, since everyone was busy. When he saw Ayla and the Mog-ur come in helping Ovra, he thought it would be a good time to go to the central space, and he made his way over there.

Ayla saw him coming out of the corner of her eye, and realized she was going to have to get used to seeing him since Oga was staying at Grov's hearth. Before he reached her, she grabbed her amulet and sent a plea to her totem to make her strong enough to deal with the man she didn't like.

"Ayla," he said, and she turned around and kneeled. The man tapped her should so she could rise, and she did, trying to disguise her height, knowing how much the shorter man didn't like it. "This man wants to see Oga. Is she at Grov's hearth?"

Ayla nodded. "This woman is going there now. If the man wants to come too, he is welcome." Ayla couldn't believe she was actually welcoming this man to her hearth.

Broud grunted that he would come, and they left with Ayla walking just behind the man.

Brun was watching the interaction between the son of his mate and the first medicine woman. Was there was something there that he had missed? This cave made it very difficult to know what everyone was doing. He couldn't see half of them half the time.

Broud and Ayla passed Daub, Eka, and the twins in the passageway. They were on their way to the feast. Then they passed Dorg, Uga and the boys. When they came upon Brac, Grev, and Durc in the smaller main space, Broud gestured a greeting to Oga's sons, and glanced at Durc, but did not greet him. Then, Ora toddled over and fell on the man's foot, and began to cry; sprouting tears out of her tiny eyes. Broud looked down at her as if she were some strange animal he had never seen before, then bent over and picked her up.

The man held the child in front of him, arms extended slightly, looking at the strange child that looked so much like the woman he had never liked. Ayla watched him surreptitiously with an amused smile on her face, then, deciding to relieve him of the child, hid her smile and stepped up to take the child. Broud took one last look at the little girl, then handed her to the woman who stood so close to him.

When Ayla and Broud entered the hearth, Grov and Oga were straightening themselves up. Ayla cast a glance at Broud trying to catch his reaction; she saw anger cross his face first, then pain, then he masked his emotions and stood there with no expression what so ever.

Ayla went over to Grov, handed him the crying child, and then kissed him, trying to show Broud that it was okay. Then she went to help Oga with the meals. Oga was flushed, partly because of her pleasure, and partly because she knew Broud was upset.

Grov felt a little odd. He had not wanted to signal Oga, but Ayla had been gone, and he did not want to go to the central hearth full of heat, and then Broud had shown up. Grov knew Broud did not like the situation, and he felt badly for the man.

Grov and Ayla left the hearth first, with the three boys trailing them. Oga waited trying to let Broud pass, but he signaled her to go, so Oga walked next, with Broud silently walking behind. They were to last to arrive.

Brun called everyone to order for the Mog-ur, who stepped up to announce that he spirits were happy with the Clan. He talked about the joining of three good Clans, the finding of the perfect cave, the three newly mated couples, the lucky hunts that they had had, and the fact that the two women that hadn't yet had children were both bringing forth life. Everyone was excited, and Brun was happy with his Clan. Brun dismissed them to eat, saying that the stories would come after the meal.

The women got up to serve their men; starting with Ebra, who obviously served Brun. Broud hung back, thinking that he would get his own, when all were through, but Oga, who now lived at Grov's hearth, who was mated to the first ranked medicine woman, was in the fourth ranked hearth, so she prepared him a plate and brought it to the man.

Broud, who was still somewhat pouting due to Oga's acceptance of Grov, was surprised to see the woman sitting at his feet with food for him. And, it was not just any food; she had his favorite meal. He grunted approval to her and took the plate.

Ayla was serving Grov at the same time, and she noticed Broud's pleasure at being considered again, and Oga's pleasure at serving him. Brun did not miss Oga's service of the son of his mate, nor did he miss Broud's proper behavior. He wasn't exactly sure what was happening between them, or the four of them, for that matter, he thought watching the other young couple that sat so close. The leader wasn't sure he liked not being able to see everybody interacting on a daily basis, but then, this may not be happening if we were all together all the time.

The people ate and enjoyed themselves, and told stories, and watched hunt dances. At some point in the evening, the men separated themselves from the women, by going to the other side of the central fire, to tell men's stories, so the women decided to tell their own stories. The children ate and played until they dropped, in which case they stayed where they were until mothers picked them up and brought them to bed.

Eka left early again, wanting to put Ada and Aka to bed, and this time Uga went with her, taking Ora to nurse her before she slept. Oda also left to put Ura down, but she returned.

Ayla, Oga and, Ovra were sitting together talking about babies. Ovra still could not believe she would be a mother soon, and the two older women questioned Ayla about whether or not she thought her totem would be defeated again. She refrained from mentioning that she thought men were responsible for getting babies started, not spirits, but admitted it was possible.

Oga kept looking across the fire at Broud, who was trying his best to avoid looking over at her, but try as he might, he could not help himself. Ovra and Ayla were teasing Oga that he was a new man, hiding their signs from the man, of course, so as not to make him angry. They weren't sure if he had really changed. Oga blushed a deep shade of red at their jokes, then teased Ayla about her man, which caused Ayla to blush as well.

Not too long afterward, Goov came over to Ayla asking her to help him get Ovra back to the hearth. Ayla had noticed the woman was starting to look tired. Before Ayla got up to go with Goov and Ovra, Oga tugged at her wrap. "Ayla, you once told me to, 'do whatever makes me happy.' Did you mean it?"

Ayla looked perplexed. "Yes Oga, but what do you mean?"

Oga looked across the fire to Broud, then turned so he could not see her, "Would it bother you too much if Broud…?" she said trailing off. "I know you don't like him, but this woman does."

Ayla looked into Oga's eyes; she could see that the woman really wanted this, so she nodded and left.

Seeing his woman go, Grov excused himself and went to get the boys, but Brun signaled him to leave them. "They can stay at my hearth tonight," he gestured, knowing the young couples wanted to leave, but the boys wanted to stay and hear the stories. Grov changed direction and joined Ayla at Goov's hearth just as she was finishing up with Ovra.

Broud watched the man go, and turned to look at Oga, she was sitting there alone looking at him. He could not stop himself; he got up, crossed the central space and told her he wanted to go back to her hearth. It was not a command, just a statement, but she nodded and got up, heading for Grov's hearth.

As they walked down the passageway, they saw Ayla and Grov ahead of them. Grov had Ayla up against the cave wall and he was kissing her passionately. Broud stopped to watch. Then Grov grabbed Ayla and pulled her along in what seemed to be a rough manner, but both Broud and Oga could tell she was enjoying it. What happened next shocked them both, Ayla pushed him up against the wall, and kissed him back, then ran away from him. Grov chased.

Broud was interested, they were playing with each other, he could tell, but he had never seen anything like it. "Broud," Oga whispered nervously, "this woman wants you to watch them. He nodded, his curiosity was piqued beyond measure, and they followed the couple to the hearth.

They caught up just in time to see Grov make the signal, but Ayla backed away shaking her head. Oga's sharp intake of breath was silenced by Broud's look. What would the man do to her? he thought. He knew what he had done, but Grov only grinned at the insolent female. Was it still a game?

Grov chased after her again, but she dodged around the fire. Broud and Oga pulled back somewhat, they did not want to be seen. The next time Grov lunged for the woman, she didn't get away, but she did giggle quietly, and he pulled her toward him for another kiss, then pushed her gently onto their furs, where he lay down beside her.

He caressed the side of her body, feeling the fullness of her beast, the dip of her waist, the smooth curve of her hip, the taut muscle of her thigh. She quivered under his touch. His hand brushed the golden curls of her mound, and across her stomach to the turgid swelling of her breast, and felt her nipple harden in his palm. He kissed the tiny scar at the base of her throat; then he sought the other breast and sucked her nipple into his mouth.

Broud and Oga watched wide-eyed as the couple continued. Broud was standing behind Oga, since she was smaller and would not have been able to see if it had been the other way around. Oga was aware that Broud had become aroused, but he still wanted to watch Grov and Ayla.

His mouth left her nipple and circled her stomach and her navel. When he reached her mound, he looked up at her. She was breathing in mewing gasps, her back arched and tense with anticipation. She was ready. He kissed the top of her mound...and inched lower. She was quivering, and when his tongue found the top of her narrow slot, she sprang up with a cry, then lay back moaning.

Oga was breathing hard just watching them, but Broud had an aching in his loins like nothing he had ever experienced. They did not take their eyes off the couple.

Suddenly she arched her back and cried out…. Her hands clenched and unclenched convulsively in unconscious beckoning motion that matched her spasmodic breaths.

As she arched up to receive him, he let himself enter…. He drew back and plunged deeply into her again. She wrapped legs around him to pull him into her.

He drew back once more. Ayla raised up to him with every nerve and muscle taut. They strained together, Ayla cried his name, and, giving her his final fraction, Grov filled her.

For an eternal instant, his deep, throatier cries rose in harmony with her breathless sobs repeating his name as paroxysms of inexpressible pleasure shuddered through them. Then, with exquisite release, he collapsed on top of her.

Broud drew back from the scene. It was over. He never fathomed that there was so much more to giving a woman the signal. Oga was watching him curiously, and it occurred to him that Oga had experienced Grov as well. For the first time in his life he wondered if he could measure up.

They waited there until the heavy breathing become the rhythmic sounds of sleep, then they approached. Oga gestured that she would get her furs and they could go into the joining hearth.

AtDC

A Visit With Brun

Broud woke early the next morning, and for a moment, forgot where he was. Then, recalling the night before, he looked at Oga, who slept beside him, and studied her relaxed expression. He could not stop thinking about what he had seen, and experienced the night before. Then he glanced through the opening to look at Grov and Ayla as they slept.

Grov was still sleeping deeply, but Ayla was stirring. She lay in her mate's arms, with her furs only partially over her. Though the firelight was dim, Broud could see her bare left thigh, breast and arm as she rolled over. He couldn't help but think that she was such an ugly woman. But Grov must not think so, he thought, looking back at the sleeping man. Then it struck him, Grov looks so much like her; that's why he doesn't think the woman is ugly.

Broud was still studying them when Ayla opened her eyes, and focused on the man that had been a thorn in her side for as long as she could remember. The sight of him staring into the hearth brought back such bad memories that she shuddered involuntarily. Then, not wanting to wake her mate, she slipped out of the furs, put on her wrap, and left to go relieve herself.

Broud had the urge to follow her; she should have offered him a drink, he thought, but remembering what he had seen of Grov's hearth, told him that this was Ayla's hearth just as much as it was Grov's hearth, and Grov didn't expect her to wait on him.

Ayla was feeling a tremendous amount of mixed emotions. When she had first seen Broud in Grov's hearth two days before she had a sudden feeling of anger that he was there, but seeing Oga's pleasure at his presence caused her to mask her anger. She wondered if she would have told Broud that Oga missed him had she known he would be coming around the hearth more often. All she could think now was that if he hurt Oga again, she would make him pay, even if Brun cast her out forever.

When the woman was through, she returned to the hearth, to find that Broud had not moved. He was still lying there staring, yet unfocused at the moment of her return. The young woman looked at him, then stepped into view, and his head turned toward her sharply.

"This woman would know if the man wants some tea," Ayla asked him. Broud sat up and nodded, and the woman threw a log on the fire.

While Ayla made tea, Broud got up, put on his wrap, entered Grov's hearth, and sat down silently. He did not know what to say to the woman he had hated for so many years. He did not know how he felt about her now, but he knew he felt differently.

Brun, who had also risen early, was up thinking about the son of his mate. He was aware that Broud left with Oga the night before, and that his hearth was empty now, so he thought he must be with Oga somewhere. He wouldn't have believed that Broud was sitting with Ayla at that very moment.

After sitting for sometime thinking about it, he decided to get up to go looking for the son of his mate. The leader stood up, and signaled to Ebra that he would be back, and he walked out.

First, he glanced around the central space, just to make sure he had not missed the man somewhere. Then had started down the passageway that led to the other space, noting that Broud was not in any of those hearths. When he came to the western entrance area, he looked into Dorg's hearth, and finding nothing, he turned toward Daub's hearth. When he didn't see Broud there, he almost didn't bother to go to Grov's hearth, as he was sure Broud would not be there, but something made the leader go anyway.

When he came around the wall that led to Grov's hearth, he saw the son of his mate sitting by the fire, sipping tea, and Ayla was sitting there too. When the woman noticed the leader, she jumped up, crossed the hearth, and knelt at his feet.

Brun was beyond shocked, and didn't immediately tap her shoulder, but signaled over her head to Broud. "Did you stay at the Grov and Ayla's hearth?"

Broud felt a little strange. "Yes, I stayed with Oga, in there," he gestured pointing toward the medicine woman's other area.

Then Brun turned back to the medicine woman. Ayla thought he was never going to acknowledge her. She had no idea he was speaking with Broud. When he finally did tap her shoulder, she said, "This woman would know if the leader would like some tea?"

Brun grunted accent, and entered the hearth. He didn't really want tea, and he had no reason to even be there, but he didn't want to admit that he had just been looking for Broud. The leader sat down, wondering what in the name of the spirits was going on here.

Within minutes, Grov woke up from the noise of people shuffling around, and got up. "Ayla, you should have woken me," he said. Ayla blushed knowing she should have, but had been stunned to see the leader on this side of the cave.

"I just got here Grov, it is not the woman's fault," Brun replied glad to see that Grov wasn't letting the woman become lazy. She had been behaving quite well, except for the one incident where she was causing Ura to make unnecessary mouth sounds, but he didn't know what was going on within the hearth.

Brun was still drinking his tea when Oga woke up and came into the area. She greeted the leader respectfully, and blushed as she looked at Broud. What is going on here, the leader thought to himself.

Then, as if making a decision about something, the leader turned to Grov. "I need to talk to you Grov. Alone."

Ayla and Oga got up to leave, and Broud slowly rose, wondering what Brun had to say to the deformed man, but Brun put his hand up and motioned them to remain there. "Grov and I will talk at my hearth."

So, Grov got up and followed Brun out.

When Brun was gone, Broud relaxed a little, he knew the man had come looking for him, yet he left with the other man; he wondered why. Broud turned to Oga, who was sitting next to him, and the sight of her reminded him again of the night before. He was becoming aroused.

Then he turned to look at Ayla; she was watching the two of them. Why is she always looking at people, he wondered. Then he realized, for the first time, that it was probably a medicine woman's job to always be watching.

When he looked at Oga again, he realized she was trying to entice him, so he made the signal. He knew he was not supposed to use the signal, but Oga obviously wanted him to, and he could restrain himself no longer.

Oga started to get up, to present herself to him, as she was accustomed to doing, but Broud glanced at Ayla, who had looked down, then he signaled Oga to go into the other space so they could be alone.

Ayla smiled, with sudden comprehension; Oga had obviously taught the man a thing or two. She had no idea Broud and Oga had witnessed them the night before.

On the other side of the cave, Brun was having a hard time wording what he wanted to say, so he just blurted it out. "Grov, at some point I want to give Oga back to Broud, but I cannot have him treating her as he did. I would like them to try living at the same hearth again, but it seems that Ayla and Oga have become close. I do not want to remove Oga from your hearth just yet. I want to have Broud stay at your hearth for a while."

Grov was stunned by the leaders news. "It could be very hard on my mate, to have that man in the hearth. I have heard about Broud's treatment of my woman and I do not like it."

Brun was nodding, "Yes, I know he has been brutal with her in the past, but this might be a way to heal old wounds; for both of them."

Then it was Grov's turn to nod. Brun was right, Broud and Ayla needed to get over their anger. He didn't know if this was the right way to do it, but since Broud had been forbidden to hit anyone, or order the women around, Grov could not think of a reason why it would not be okay.

Brun looked pleased, he had a place to put Broud, so that he would not be alone, and he would have someone to keep an eye on the man. "Send Broud to me when you get back to your hearth. And, you need to talk to Ayla. I am finished."

As Grov walked back to his hearth, he was thinking about how to tell Ayla that the man she detested was moving into their hearth. He knew Ayla would not be happy about this, and he didn't blame her one bit.

AtDC

Ayla's Tears

Before he got to the hearth, Grov tried to put his words in order. He tried to relax; there was nothing Ayla could do about Broud coming to live with them, and he would be there to keep an eye on the man, so she didn't have to worry. Buthe knew she wouldn't really be worried. She was not afraid of Broud, she just didn't like him.

When he got back to the hearth, he entered slowly, noticing first that Broud had left the fire and was relieving his needs with Oga in the other area. The man suddenly realized they needed another way to refer to this, for Broud was 'relieving' Oga as well, and the term didn't seem right when using it for the woman.

Then, when he turned to Ayla, he thought she had a rather odd expression on her face. She was aware that he had come back, but she was transfixed on Ora, as the child sat on the ground playing with the dirt.

The man shrugged his shoulders; he needed to wait for Broud to finish with Oga before he told the man to go to Brun, so he needed to wait to tell Ayla as well. Actually, he thought, studying her further, she looked like she wanted to say something as well. Does she already suspect what I'm about to tell her?

Grov came in, and sat down, waiting for Ayla to say whatever it was she had on her mind, but she didn't say anything, she just got up and fixed tea for the two of them. Ora smiled at the man of her hearth, and toddled over to him, plopping down on his lap.

Ayla made the tea, and then brought it to the man that was her mate and sat down on the ground facing him. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Ayla, what are you doing?"

"This woman would tell the man of her hearth something."

"Ayla, we are within our hearth, you do not have to talk to me this way."

"This woman knows that Grov, but…"

Grov was becoming concerned, and picked up the child, set her aside, and stood up, pulling Ayla to her feet. "Ayla, what is it? What is wrong?"

Ayla blushed, then said, "Grov, I have missed my woman's curse; I think I am going to have a baby."

It took a few seconds for Ayla's signs to register in the man's mind, then he put his arms around his mate. Now he understood why she had been staring at Ora; she was daydreaming about holding a baby of her own.

Just as their embrace concluded, Broud stepped back into the hearth, eyeing them strangely. Grov turned to the man, and gestured, "Brun wants you to come to his hearth."

Broud frowned, wondering what his mother's mate wanted. It seemed like every time he was summoned, he was in trouble. Was Brun upset that he was here with Oga? "Okay, I am going now," he said and left.

With Broud's departure, Grov turned to Ayla with a worried look. Now it was her turn to wonder. "Grov, I can tell you have something to tell me too. What is it?"

The man sat down, gesturing that she should sit as well. Ayla sat, and waited. "Brun has just told me that...that he wants Broud to move into our hearth." He waited for Ayla to become upset.

She stared at her mate, and said, "Why?"

"Brun wants to be able to give Oga back to Broud, but he does not want to change where Oga lives, since there's a good chance it won't work. He believes, and I think I understand, that it is a good way to have Broud back with her, and not have them alone, because I will be here to watch him, and... Well Ayla, maybe he will be able to come to terms with...with you."

Grov paused and watched her. Her eyes had filled up with tears. She had been putting up with him for Oga's sake, and now the man would be living in her space. She had been so happy just minutes before. Grov gathered her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

Ora, seeing Ayla's tears, tried to get the woman's attention. "Mamma," she said mimicking Durc. "You all right?"

Ayla laughed, wiped her tears, and pulled the little girl close, kissing her cheek. "Yes Ora, Mama's just fine."

Grov wasn't happy that Ayla was so upset. He had known she would be, and he might have told Brun it wasn't a good idea, had he known she was pregnant, but it was too late. And, he thought, Broud has been making progress. He still struggled inside, that was plainly obvious, but he had not so much as reprimanded a single woman.

Just then, Grev and Durc came walking into the hearth, looking for their mothers. Ayla looked at her son, and unconsciously put her hand on her belly, and smiled.

"Mama, we're hungry."

"This woman will feed them, Ayla," Oga said seeing Ayla's tear-stained face. She didn't know why Ayla's eyes were watering, but she had nothing to do, and was happy to help.

Ayla sat there next to Grov, holding Ora, and studying the boys. They looked so much alike, except for Durc's high forehead. Then the image of Broud relieving his needs with her flashed through her mind. She had to shake her head to dispel the bad memory, but she had been certain for some time that Durc had been started by Broud; that Durc was just as much his son as he was hers. And, she realized, Durc truly was Grev's brother; Brac and Grev's brother, for there was no mistaking that they looked like Broud as well.

Broud had gone to see Brun, and was both pleased and upset about what the leader had told him. The leader had also reminded him that everyone in the hearth had more status than he did, and that he should remember he was to take care of himself, and to not hurt anyone.

He was elated that he would be back with Oga and her sons, but at the deformed man's hearth? With Ayla there? That would be most difficult. Though he wasn't feeling hatred for her anymore, he couldn't say he liked her, and she definitely didn't like him.

Broud crossed the central space, greeting Vorn and Borg as he did, and gathered his things to move to the other end of the cave. The man feeling rather strange as he carried his belonging. This is woman's work, he thought.

Sitting next to Ayla, Grov decided he had better tell Oga about Broud's move. He would be back shortly, and he didn't want the woman shocked at his return.

"Oga, come here."

She did as he said, her life's conditioning forcing her to drop what she was doing to listen to the man. "Brun has decided to have Broud move into our hearth."

Oga glanced at Ayla, who was looking down at the ground. That was why her eyes watered, she thought. "This woman will do whatever she can to take care of Broud's needs as well as yours Grov, so that the medicine woman doesn't have so much work."

He grunted, knowing that she would. Their hearth had so many people in it; more than everyone else's, and another one on the way. At least they had the extra hearth area, and now they would have three hunters.

AtDC

Ayla Runs

Grov was pleased that Oga understood his mate's feelings about Broud. Oga was a good woman to have in the hearth, he knew Ayla was happy to have her there, if not the man. The winter had been okay so far, but Grov knew some things would change now.

When Broud approached the hearth, he walked determinedly into it, with his few things. Oga got up to help him, carefully avoiding his spears. She was pleased that he was there.

Ayla, on the other hand, was not happy with the turn of events and was showing it openly. Grov was torn between making excuses for her, and scolding her. Finally, she just stalked out of the hearth.

Grov didn't blame her, but she was not acting like a good Clan woman and it bothered and embarrassed him.

Oga blushed at Ayla's behavior, and Broud wondered why the man did not control his mate. It was Grov's duty to keep her in line and he wasn't doing it.

Ayla left the hearth in tears. She couldn't understand why Brun would do this, knowing she didn't like Broud and Broud didn't like her. I will never understand leaders, she thought.

As she passed Goov's hearth, she couldn't help but notice that Ovra was bored. Ovra saw her passing and beckoned her in.

"Hi Ayla. Why are your eyes watering?"

Ayla hesitated, then plunged in. "And now he's staying at Grov's hearth," she finished.

Goov had walked in and saw the end of the conversation. He gave Ayla the same sympathetic look, which Ovra had in her eyes. "I'm sure he will not do anything that Brun has told him not to," Goov said.

"Yes, you are right Mog-ur. He probably won't. It's just that he has been so awful to me. I know I have been disobedient in the past, but I don't think I could have done anything to please him."

Goov and Ovra felt for the woman, but there was nothing she could do about it, so they tried to encourage her to get over the past. "Ayla, Ovra needs to walk, and I have things to do."

Ayla nodded, and helped the pregnant woman up. They didn't go far, only to Uba's hearth; Ayla had something to tell her sister.

"That's wonderful Ayla," Uba exclaimed. "What did Grov say?"

"I think he was happy, but we didn't talk about it much," Ayla said. When Ayla didn't say anything else, Ovra explained what had happened. The three women discussed the changes, and how all of it could be good for her and Broud. After all, they had to spend the rest of their lives together in this cave, why not work things out. Ovra and Uba made some jokes about the situation, and about Grov, which successfully cheered Ayla up. When they had her smiling again, Ovra said she wanted to go back and lie down, so Ayla helped the woman back.

Brun watched the two women go, noticing Ayla tear streaked face from across the central space. He knew she would be upset, but he thought it would be worse for Broud. Broud hadn't really taken it so hard.

Ayla spent some time settling Ovra back down, then said, "I am going now."

When she stepped back into the passageway, she saw Broud coming and immediately changed direction walking rather quickly, thinking to return to Grov hearth by going around the other way.

Broud saw her turn, and he quickened his pace to catch up with her, but as she went out of sight, she started to run, and he had to run to catch up with her. "Ayla," he called, and conditioning made her halt.

The woman knelt down, heart pounding, waiting for the man to catch up. When he tapped her shoulder she looked up, but did not get up.

"Ayla, I know this is hard. I know you do not like me."

"This woman knows you do not like her either, though she has never understood why."

Broud grunted. He did not know why either. Everything this woman did bothered him. He did not feel like he could control it, well, not until recently anyway. "I do not hate you, Ayla."

Ayla gave him a disbelieving look. The man was struggling with what he was saying, but it was not a lie; the Clan was not capable of lying.

When Broud did not continue, Ayla said, "I am leaving now," and she turned and ran the way she had been heading before he could stop her.

When Ayla got back to the hearth she was looking over her shoulder and she ran right into Grov, who tried to grab her as she fell to the ground. Once on the ground, Ayla just sat there, and Grov knelt down beside her. "Ayla, are you okay?"

She nodded feeling stupid for not watching where she was going, then she started crying again. "Ayla, you need to stop this, I'm sure it's not good for the baby. In fact...Oga!"

When Oga appeared, Grov gave her an order, "Go get the medicine woman. I want her to come look at Ayla." Oga nodded and was gone.

"Grov, it is too soon for Uba to examine me. There is nothing she can do."

"This man would feel better if the second medicine woman came to examine you." Ayla nodded. "Now, tell me why you are running."

"This woman was leaving Goov's hearth, after taking Ovra for a walk and Broud was coming down the passage, so I...this woman ran the other way," Ayla finished up fast, knowing she had gone against the Clan, yet again, and waited for Grov to be angry with her.

"Ayla, I told you I would protect you. You do not have to worry about him. He will not harm you."

"This woman knows that, it's just so hard to see him all the time."

"I understand, but you have to get used to it. He lives here now."

Oga returned with Uba, she informed the medicine woman that Ayla fell down, while Ayla protested, "This woman is fine. It is too soon for an exam."

Uba gave Ayla the 'I am the medicine woman when the patient is you' look, and Ayla complied. Grov left to go find Broud, while Uba worked her magic.

"Ayla, you feel just right, but you have been pregnant for longer than you think. I would say you are about three moon cycles along."

Ayla was stunned, she hadn't even known. Her woman's curse had still come, or so she thought. The last two curses had been so light and short, but she didn't realize the truth. She was so pleased.

Later, when Grov returned, she told him the news, and promised she would work hard on getting over the past. "You are right. This woman has so much to be happy about now. This woman will not let Broud's presence dispel her happiness."

Oga was glad that Ayla would try harder to accept Broud being there, and Broud could see a difference in her when he returned that night.

AtDC

A Fourth Pregnant Woman

As promised the first medicine woman reached into the depths of her soul, and found a way to deal with Broud's constant presence within Grov's hearth. And when she finally accepted her plight, the changes were felt by all. Grov was so pleased with his mate's sudden change of attitude that he wore an almost constant smirk on his face. Life seemed so good.

Brun was also especially pleased by the arrangement he had created, though mystified as to why it had taken him so long to come up with the idea. Had he known this could have changed the two people in his Clan that caused distress to everyone, he would have punished the son of his mate, and given Ayla to him seasons before. But, he thought, it is probably Ayla's happiness with Grov that has helped her into acceptance.

Further, the whole Clan seemed less tense when the two people were in the same area. Ayla still did things that other Clan women never did, but they were used to that. When everyone found out Ayla was pregnant again, the whole issue about deformities came up within the men's ceremony room, but it was Broud that dismissed the subject.

Broud, who had been studying the interaction between Grov and Ayla, had to admit the mixed man was happy with his woman. He also had to admit that Ayla wasn't as disobedient as she used to be. The man was coming to understand that she was just different, because of who she was born to.

One night, about two moon cycles later the two men of the hearth were sitting around their hearth fire, leaning up against the cave wall, and drinking their tea, while their women talked nearby. Brac had gone off to find Nouz, who had become a good friend, and the two younger boys were tussling just outside the hearth. Ora was sitting with Grov, but got up to find something else to do.

Broud was watching Grev and Durc, and comparing them. Durc still looked different, but his difference was not as prominent as it had been when he was younger. At almost four seasons, he still had the high forehead, just like Ayla, but the child was definitely just as smart as the other children. Broud finally had to admit that the child was not deformed; he was just part Ayla and part Clan, as she had always insisted.

But, that thought made him start thinking about whose totem had created the child. Every man wanted the credit, but no one had wanted the woman. He knew most thought it was either Creb's totem or his totem, and he had refused to believe it was his at the time. Now, however, as he watched Durc and Grev, he could see that Ayla's son looked like Oga's son, whom he was sure was started by his totem, and Durc's hair seemed to stick up in the exact same place as his own did. Broud came to this realization suddenly, and turned to look at the strange woman of Grov's hearth. She was just starting to show her pregnancy again. Would it be another child started by his totem? He thought it could be, but Grov spent so much more time in close proximity to her than he did; it probably wouldn't be.

Then Broud looked at Oga, who had recently informed him that she too was expecting another baby. He knew that she was happy about it, and he was too. He only had one concern; what if Grov's totem had defeated Oga's totem? She spent a considerable part of her time with Ayla's mate; it could be his totem that created the baby. Broud shook his head to remove the thought. It would be obvious when the baby was born. It would either be full Clan, or mixed.

After chatting for a while, Ayla and Oga decided to go check on Ovra and Uba. The two women were nearing the births of their babies, and both of them were huge. They stopped at Goov's hearth first.

Ovra was sleeping, but Ayla decided to wake her for the exam and then take her on her daily walk.

"Ovra," Ayla whispered, and Ovra rolled over. "You don't look so good."

"Hi Ayla, Oga. This woman just has a backache. I will be fine, but I think I could use a walk."

Ayla sighed, she was glad Ovra was in good spirits despite the backache. Ayla knew what it was like to be confined to bed for the duration of a pregnancy, but Ovra never complained; she was too happy at the thought of holding her own baby in just two more moon cycles.

Ayla had Ovra lie on her back while she placed her hands on the woman's belly, visually measuring the size of the woman's stomach. "Ovra, you are just huge; you are going to have a big baby."

Ovra became a little nervous at Ayla's news, but put the thought out of her head.

Then Ayla checked Ovra's hands and feet for edema; she looked pretty good. Finally, Ayla gave the woman a vaginal exam, as she had done many times before. "The place that the baby will come through seems to be thinning, and everything feels normal to me, Ovra."

The pregnant woman sighed with relief, and Ayla and Oga helped her up so they could walk to Vorn's hearth to see Uba.

Once at Vorn's hearth, Ayla went through the same steps with Uba that she had with Ovra, noting that Uba's birth canal was thinning as well, and starting to open. She determined that Uba's baby would be big too. Uba's stomach was in constant motion as Ayla examined her, causing humorous looks from all four pregnant women. "This woman thinks your baby does not like the exam," Ayla said with a smile. "Okay Uba, tell me how you are feeling."

"Actually, I feel fine, just tired. I am not sleeping too well, but that is normal when a baby doesn't stop moving around. My body is getting ready for the birth, I keep having small contractions. Vorn has even been aware of them. We can see my belly get hard, but it doesn't hurt." Ayla nodded, knowing that was normal, and Ovra admitted to having them too.

When Ayla was finished, Uba said, "Okay, it's the first medicine woman's turn." Ayla rolled her eyes and lay down for Uba to examine her. She knew it was coming. Uba always managed to fit in Ayla's exam when Ayla did hers.

"Except for a little bit of swelling in your feet and ankles, you look good too. What am I missing?"

"Nothing...except that I am hungry all the time," Ayla said with a smile. Oga nodded, knowing the feeling. She wasn't showing yet, and she wasn't at that stage, but she remembered all the symptoms from her previous pregnancies, and understood how hungry a woman could get when expecting.

AtDC

Spring Labor

As the spring thaw started, and the river swelled to its full size, the people began to venture out of the cave. It was still pretty cool, and it rained periodically, but everyone knew the end of the cold season had finally arrived.

Daub, Dorg, and Grov decided to enter the forest to hunt deer, and had invited Broud to go along on impulse. Ayla, Oga, Eka and Uga were having a morning meal together, and happily talking about the changes within Brun's Clan. Out of the four women, only Oga found the changes a little difficult, but she was still pleased by them, as they had brought Broud back to her.

From the passageway hearths, Corg, Norv, and Goov had gone out the northern cave entrance at dawn to see how the hunting was, while Aza, Oda, and Ovra spent the morning together at Goov's hearth. Ovra had just entered the last moon cycle of her pregnancy, and she was having a little trouble moving around; she had become huge.

In the main cave area, the older women sat at the central fire talking about the four pregnant women. Uka was overjoyed that her daughter was finally having a baby of her own. Ebra, who now truly loved Ayla, and felt she finally had the daughter she had always wanted, was ecstatic that she would be gaining a grandchild when Ayla's baby was born. She was also more than thrilled about Oga's pregnancy, and about the new relationship that had developed between her son and the first medicine woman; she was happy that her son seemed happy. Aga was pleased that Vorn's mate would be giving birth, and she was hopeful that Ona would be next. Ika felt the same way that Aga did about Ona being next, and hoped that Igra would be mated soon, so she could start producing children as well. As for their mates, they had all gone down to the river to do a little fishing.

On the other side of the main space, Uba and Ona sat together working on various projects. Uba had just finished her birthing blanket, when she suddenly gasped.

"Uba, what is it?" Ona asked her, not really needing to as she watched the ground around Uba suddenly get wet.

"Ona, my water sac just broke. I will be in labor soon," she said with joy. "I think I should go tell Ayla."

"No, no Uba, I will go get the medicine woman," Ona said, but Uba protested saying she would be confined to bed soon enough, and that the walk would do her good. Ona looked at her nervously, but nodded figuring the second medicine woman knew what she was doing.

Uba got up, with Ona's help, and started for the western side of the cave. When they came to the passageway, Uba had her first contraction, and she paused for its duration. As they passed Goov's hearth, Ona gestured to the three seated women that Uba was in labor.

As they arrived in the small central space near the western entrance, the four women seated around the fire looked up. Ayla knew immediately that Uba was in labor, and got up to get her medicine bag. "Let's get you back to Vorn's hearth so you can rest in your own furs."

Uba nodded as another contraction caused pain to radiate through her middle. Ayla got her sister back to the hearth quickly, and word of Uba's labor spread quickly, causing all the women to congregate at Vorn's hearth.

As evening approached, the women started leaving to begin preparing evening meals. Ayla and Aga stayed to help Uba, but received meals from other hearths as they sat with the second medicine woman.

As the evening wore on, Uba was straining harder. Every few moments she took several quick breaths, then pushed hard holding the hands of the two women. Every member of the Clan kept vigil as the night wore on. The men were clustered around the central fire, seemingly involved in some deep discussion. But the occasional surreptitious glance betrayed their real interest. The women visited periodically, checking on Uba's progress, sometimes staying for a while. They all waited, united in their encouragement and anticipation while one of their medicine woman labored to give birth.

It was well after dark. Suddenly there was a flurry of activity.

Aga spread out a hide while Ayla helped Uba up into a squatting position. She was breathing hard, straining hard, crying out in pain…. Ovra and Oga…groaned and strained in sympathy…. The woman took a deep breath, and with a long, teeth-gritting, muscle-straining push, the round crown of the baby's head appeared…. Another tremendous effort eased out he baby's head. The rest was easier as Uba delivered the wet, squirming body of a tiny infant.

Ayla picked up the baby, extracted a gob of mucus from its mouth with her finger, and thumped the baby's feet, bringing out its first cry. Then, as she turned to lay the newborn on Uba's stomach, Uba eyes widened, and she refused to take the baby.

"Ayla, it's not over," she signed quickly. Ayla handed the baby to Oga, remembering that Uba had not yet delivered the after birth, but when she went to receive it, she saw that Uba was crowning again. "Uba, you are having another baby," she said looking over at Ovra, who had been the only one that had seen the conjoined twin sons Uba given birth to the first time.

The second baby came much faster, and then, with a final push, Uba brought forth the mass of bloody tissue. Ayla cleared the mucus out of the second baby's throat, and this time, Uba accepted the baby when it was offered, and gestured that she wanted the first baby placed in the crook of her other arm.

After cleaning the woman up, Ayla went to the central space to inform the leader about the birth. "This woman is pleased to report, she gestured as custom dictated, "that Uba has given birth to two healthy sons."

AtDC

The Naming Day

When Ayla returned from telling the leader about the birth of Uba's twin sons, she wrapped the afterbirth tissue in the hide that had been put down just before the delivery and hid it in an inconspicuous corner for Uba to take outside to bury in a place only she would know.

After a short time, Brun and the Mog-ur approached Uba and her sons. The two medicine women unwrapped Uba's babies, and held them up to Brun. Uba was careful not to look at either man. Both men examined the infants, which were wailing loudly at being taken from their mother's warm side and exposed to the cold air of the cave. They were just as careful not to look at Uba.

"The babies are normal," Brun's gesture announced gravely. "They may stay with their mother. If they live until the naming day, they will be accepted."

For the next seven days Uba would be isolated, confined to the boundaries of Vorn's fire, except for necessary trips to relieve herself and to bury the placenta. None of the Clan officially recognized the existence of Uba's babies while she was in isolation except for Vorn, because he shared the same hearth, but other women brought food for them so Uba could rest. It allowed a brief visit and an unofficial peek at the new babies. Beyond the seven days until she stopped bleeding, she would be under a modified woman's curse. Her contacts would be restricted to women, the same as during her menses.

When the seventh day arrived, Uba was beside herself with joy. The only thing that marred her happiness what the fact that her mother wasn't there to see her children, but she was sure Iza was watching her from the spirit world.

The entire Clan was milling around outside for this most joyous moment, and Uba waited anxiously for Goov's signal that announced he was ready and the Clan all gathered. Namings were often held before breakfast, shortly after the sun rose while the totems were still close by after protecting the Clan during the night. When he beckoned, she hurried to join them and stood in front of Mog-ur, looking down at the ground while she uncovered one of her children. She held the babe up while the magician looked over her head making the gestures that called the spirits to attend the ceremony. Then, with a flourish, he began.

Dipping into the bowl…he drew a stripe from the point where the baby's brow ridges joined to the tip of his nose with the red-ochre paste.

"Brev, the boy's name is Brev," Mog-ur said. The naked infant, assailed by the cold wind that whipped past the sunny front porch of the cave, voiced a healthy howl which drowned out the approving murmur of the Clan.

"Brev," Uba repeated, cuddling her shivering baby in her arms…. The members of the Clan filed past, each repeating the name to familiarize themselves and their totems with the newest addition. Uba was careful to keep her head down so she would not inadvertently look upon any of the men who came forward to acknowledge her son. Afterward, she wrapped the infant in warm rabbit skins, and handed him to Ayla, who stood close. The process was repeated for Uba's second son.

"Berc," the boy's name is Berc," Mog-ur said, and everyone filed by a second time at acknowledge the child.

After the naming ceremony Uba took her sons back to Vorn's hearth, and some of the women followed. Ovra was especially excited for Uba, since she hoped to be doing the same thing as the new mother in just one more moon cycle. Ayla went with Uba, to examine her one more time before going back to Grov's hearth, and Oga, who was never far from Ayla, was right there with the first medicine woman.

"Uba, we are so happy for you," Ayla said smiling. Oga and Ovra nodded at Ayla's statement. The four women drank tea, and talked for a while, but soon Ayla noticed Goov trying to make eye contact with Ovra, so she ended the chat. "I think we need to get Ovra back to Goov's hearth, he's looking a little nervous."

That was an understatement. The man was so worried that Ovra had done too much already that morning, and he was literally wringing his hands, wanting Ovra to go back to bed, but not wanting to interrupt the women while they were with Uba. As soon as they left Vorn's hearth, he jumped up and escorted her back to bed.

Ayla thought he was very sweet, but thought he was being over protective. After all, Ovra had made it through eight moon cycles, chances were she'd do just fine now. As Ayla and Oga were making their way back to the hearth, several others were breaking up to return to their own hearths, or to go out on hunting forays.

When Ayla and Oga got back to the hearth, no one was there yet, so they started a meal for the men. Ayla had run out of the vegetables she wanted, so she told Oga she was going to go get more.

"Oh Ayla, I need things too. You went last time, I'll go this time. What do you need?" Ayla told her and the woman left.

Just as Oga disappeared, Grev and Durc came running in, with Grov, holding Ora, and Broud right behind him. Broud looked around, but not seeing Oga, he sat down in his usual place with his back against the cave wall, and observed the hearth. He was learning more from watching this hearth than he had in his whole twenty-two seasons.

Grov put Ora down, and came over to Ayla and caressed her swelling belly. When his hand came around to grab her backside, she swatted at his hand, and said, "Grov, I'm trying to cook here."

"Well, I am trying to stop you from cooking," he said, grabbing her around the middle and pulling her away from her work.

"Grov, do you want to eat, or not?"

"Yes," he said, smiling.

Broud watched the scene, amazed that the man did not just give her the signal and be done with it. He understood that the couple was playing with one another, but he thought they took it too far. Oga does not do this, but what if she did, he thought? The thought of Oga teasing him like this aroused him as he sat there.

As the man sat there thinking about his need, but having no one to relieve him, Ora came over and tried to sit on his lap. Broud set her on the ground beside him and handed her some bones to play with. He watched the strange looking child, remembering that Ayla looked almost identical to her when Iza picked her up.

The bones did not amuse the child for long and she started to cry. Grov stopped messing with Ayla and carried the child to Uga to nurse.

Broud continued to watch Ayla, which was starting to make her uncomfortable, so she turned around and leveled a look at him. "This woman would know if she can do something for you Broud?" She could see his need, but unless he signaled her, she would not give him what he wanted.

He did not make the signal. Brun had told him he wasn't allowed, not even to Oga, but Oga wanted him to. So, he just said, "This man wants a drink of water."

Ayla stopped what she was doing, poured the man a cup of water, then knelt down to give it to him. She was still expecting him to give her the signal, but he took the water, and did not make the motion.

Grov returned in time to see her kneeling there, and smiled, glad that she was trying so hard. He also noticed that Broud was struggling greatly, and he knew why.

When Oga returned, Broud was very glad to have her back. She too saw his need. "This woman could use some help bringing more wood into the hearth," she said, giving him a coy look, which he understood right away.

Ayla watched them leave the hearth, glad that Oga had returned, and that she hadn't been signaled.

AtDC

Current Hearth Listing (sorry for including the dead people...their names are in italics)

Brun (34) – reinstated leader (Bison totem)
Ebra(32) – Broud's mother

Grod (30) – Brun's second in command, son of the mate of Zoug (Brown Bear totem)
Uka(28) – Ebra's sister, Ovra's mother
~ ~ Zoug (44) – second in command to the leader before Brun

Goov (21) – Mog-ur (Aurochs totem/Ursus totem)
Ovra(19) – Goov's mate, pregnant, (Beaver totem)

Grov (17) – mixed man (1/4 clan, 3/4 others), master hunter (Leopard totem)
Nora (quake death) – Grov's first woman (Others, 18 at death, w/b 19 now if alive)
Ayla (15) – Clan's first ranked medicine woman, others woman, "Woman who hunts," (Cave Lion totem)
~ Durc (4) – Ayla's son, mixed (1/2 clan, 1/2 others) Grev's milk brother (Gray Wolf totem)
~ Ora(2) – Nora's daughter, others looking (1/8 clan, 7/8 others), (Alpine Marmot)
Broud (22) – former leader (Wooly Rhinoceros totem)
Oga (18) – formerly Broud's mate
~ Brac (9) – Oga's first son
~ Grev (5) – Oga's second son

Vorn (14) – formally Broud's second in command
Uba (9) – second medicine woman, childless, but pregnant
~ Brev (newborn) – Uba's firstborn twin son
~ Berc (newborn) – Uba's secondborn twin son

Droog (32) – toolmaker, mated to Goov's mother before Aga
Aga (25) – Aba's daughter, Droog's second mate, Vorn and Ona's mother
~ Groob(7) – Aga's son born to Droog's hearth
~ ~ Aba (36)

Crug (23)
Ika (21) – Crug's mate, Borg's mother
~ Igra (7) – Ika's daughter
~ Dorv(2) – Ika's child

Dorg (21) – toolmaker (Red Tailed Hawk totem)
Ala (quake death) – Dorg's first woman (mixed)
Dreg (quake death) – Daub's twin brother, was mated to Uga
Uga (17) – previously mated to Dreg, now Dorg's second woman (Lark totem)
~ Vorg (8) – mixed child (3/4 clan, 1/4 others), son of Dorg's first mate (Ala)
~ Breg (6) – Uga's son
~ Ega (quake death) – Uga's deceased 2-year-old daughter

Corg (18) – takes on leadership role after cave's collapse, takes on an advisory role to Brun
Aza (16) – Corg's mate
~ Orga (6) – Aza's first daughter
~ Egra(3) – Aza's second daughter

Daub (18) – Dorg brother, Dreg's twin (deceased)
Eka (16) – mated to Daub
~ Ada (4) – Eka's firstborn twin daughter
~ Aka (4) – Eka's secondborn twin daughter

Norv (16) (Moose totem)
Oda (13) – daughter of Corg's mother, now mated to Norv (Hamster totem)
Nouz (10) – son of Norv's deceased mate, has been a man for just one moon cycle
Nala (5) – daughter of Norv's deceased mate
Ura(3) – mixed child (1/2 clan, 1/2 others), created by the totem of a man of the others (Red Wolf totem)

Borg (10) – (Boar totem)
Ona (10) – (Owl totem)

AtDC

Another Birthing

As it turned out, Ovra didn't last the full nine moon cycles. That night, after all had gone to bed for the night, Ovra began tossing and turning. Goov was awakened by his mate's movement, and was instantly worried. "I will go get the medicine woman."

Ovra was shaking her head, "Goov this will go on all night. I would like to let Ayla sleep if I can." Goov bit his lip and nodded, thinking, Ovra's a woman, she must know about these things, so he didn't go for the medicine woman.

Goov sat near his woman meditating. He thought he should leave the hearth since men are not usually there, but it was night and everyone else was asleep. He did not want to wake anyone unnecessarily if he did not have to. Uba had been in labor all day and into the night. Surely Ovra would go all night and into the morning.

Not much more time had past before Ovra was feeling the urge to push; she had reached transitional labor, but didn't know it. When the next contraction came, she bore down hard, causing her face to redden.

"Ovra, should I get Ayla yet," Goov asked, but Ovra held up her hand. She could not gesture and bear down at the same time.

When the contraction was finished, she beckoned her mate forward. "Goov, I need for you to go now." But, as he started down the passageway, Ovra let out an agonizing howl, which turned him around. She had pushed the tiny baby out of her body, and it lay there in a bloody heap on their furs. Goov stood there staring at Ovra and the baby for only a second, and then he returned to the hearth to help his mate.

Within seconds, Oda had crossed the passageway and had entered the Mog-ur's hearth. The scene that she saw shocked her beyond anything she could comprehend. With Ovra's instructions, the Mog-ur was helping to clear out the baby's throat. Then he placed the baby in his mother's arms.

"Mog-ur," Oda said, "This woman would help if there is anything she can do."

Goov looked up at Oda and said, "Oda, please stay with Ovra. I need to go get the medicine woman." Oda nodded, and the shaken man left the hearth.

That night Grov had signaled Ayla to his bed, and they had pleasured one another for what seemed like hours before falling asleep exhausted. They had been aware of the rustlings within the cave, but did not wake up at Ovra's cry, because they were truly spent.

When Goov arrived at the hearth, gesturing frantically in the semi-darkness, Ayla and Grov got up immediately. Grov stoked the fire, and the sight that greeted him was cause for serious concern. Ayla gasped. The man was covered in blood, and he was gesturing incoherently.

The medicine woman grabbed the man's hands, "Mog-ur, you must slow down. What has happened?"

Goov spoke only one word, "Ovra!"

Ayla's eyes opened wide, "The baby?"

Goov nodded, and Ayla grabbed her medicine bag to go to the woman. "Ayla, it's too late, the baby has been born."

Ayla nodded, calling for Oga, who appeared within seconds, "The Mog-ur needs tea, and someone needs to go tell Brun what is happening," then she hurried out of the hearth.

It did not take Ayla but seconds to reach the new mother, who as holding her new son. "Ayla, I have a son. Look at him, isn't he just wonderful?"

Ayla took the baby and looked her over, then handed him back to Ovra. "He looks fine Ovra, tiny, but fine. What about your afterbirth."

Ovra shook her head, "Not yet Ayla. I am certain another baby is coming. I still feel movement inside."

Ayla was shocked. The Clan hardly ever had babies born at the same time, and now their Clan would have three women with two babies born together. The second baby, also a tiny son, arrived minutes later with only one contraction. Ayla cleared out the child's throat, cleaned it off, and placed it on its mother's breast.

"Oda, would you stay with Ovra? This woman would like to go clean up, and see to Goov; he was quite a mess when I left him." Oda nodded, she could do that for the medicine woman, especially now that she had help, Aza had arrived.

Ayla went back to her hearth to find that Goov was just sitting there drinking tea, and staring at the fire. Ayla picked up a basket of water and brought it over to the man. "This woman would clean you up Mog-ur. You are a mess."

He nodded. "How are Ovra and the baby?"

Ayla smiled, "This medicine woman thinks Ovra and the babies are just fine, small, but fine.

Goov's eyes focused on Ayla, "Babies, she had two babies?"

"Yes Mog-ur, she did, and they are all just fine. This woman thinks you should go see them for yourself, after you are cleaned up that is, and I will go find Brun."

AtDC

Midnight Excitement

Goov agreed that he needed to go see his mate adn her sons, but decided to go to the pool that lay within the cave first. That way he could wash the evidence of Ovra's birth from his body completely. Then he would stop at the men's cave briefly to get a charm to protect him from the spirits battling within his hearth.

Once Goov was gone, Grov told Ayla that he had already sent Broud to Brun, but Ayla felt that as medicine woman, she needed to go see him as well, since she needed to inform the leader that there had been two births, and tell him the sex of the children.

Grov stayed at the hearth, with the four sleeping children, while Oga went to see Ovra and Ayla went to speak to Brun.

Ayla walked down the dim corridor, which was lit only by hearth fires, heading toward the leader's fire. When she arrived she saw that everyone was awake, including those from the two hearths next door. Ebra and Uka were sitting together at Grod's fire talking excitedly about the birth of Ovra's first baby. They did not know there were two babies yet. Aba and Aga were awake, but within Droog's hearth drinking tea.

The men, Brun, Broud, Grod, Zoug and Droog, were sitting in Brun's hearth, and waiting for news when the first medicine woman approached and lowered herself gracefully in front of the leader.

Brun tapped her shoulder, and Ayla looked up at the leader.

"This woman is pleased to report," she gestured, "that Ovra has given birth to two healthy sons."

The men were stunned. They could not remember a woman in their Clan ever having twins, and now there were three sets of them. "Two of them?" Brun asked questioningly, looking up at Goov, who had just arrived. Why is that man all wet, the leader wondered.

Ayla nodded. "They are very small, because they have come a little early, but this woman thinks they are healthy."

"Did you see them Mog-ur?" The leader asked, turning to the Mog-ur and ignoring the medicine woman.

Goov turned red and nodded to the leader, "This man saw the first one, but I was not there to see the second one."

Brun grunted, noticing that the Mog-ur had reddened, then gestured, "Well we must go see if they are normal."

Ayla moved closer to the men indicating that she wished to speak again, so Brun tapped her shoulder again, hoping the medicine woman would hurry. It was very late and he wished to see the babies and get back to sleep.

"This woman would go see Ovra and the babies first. This woman needs to examine her one more time before the leader and Mog-ur come. There might be more cleaning to do."

Brun grunted again, and Ayla left.

Ayla went back to Goov's hearth quickly, and did everything she had to do, including making a wormseed tea to encourage the flow of milk and to relieve the painful cramps that the new mother was feeling.

Ovra was beside herself with joy at the birth of her sons, and couldn't wait for the leader and Goov to come to the hearth to see that her sons were indeed normal.

When Brun and the Mog-ur arrived, Ovra uncovered the first son, while the medicine woman did the same to Ovra's second son, and they held them up to the two men. The babies let out a deafening howl, which confirmed in Ayla's mind that they were healthy. Both men examined the infants, who were both wailing loudly at being taken from their mother's warm side and exposed to the cold air of the cave. Ovra was careful not to look at either man, and they did the same.

"The babies are normal," Brun's gesture announced to the group within Goov's hearth. "They may stay with their mother. If they live until the naming day, they will be accepted." Then, with an exhausted expression, the leader signed, "I am going now."

Goov stayed with Ovra and the babies, as he was sure his charms would be enough to protect him, and everyone else went back to their own hearths to finish out the night.

Ayla smiled at the couple, and patted her own burgeoning belly. Soon, she thought. Soon I will have another baby of my own.

Back at Grov's hearth, the two men were up drinking a calming tea. Oga had gone back to bed, and Ayla wanted to go to bed as well. She was very tired from the night's activities, but also because she was pregnant as well. Very shortly, the two men joined the women in bed, leaving their fires to burn down slowly.

AtDC

Put In Her Place

The next day most people slept late due to the night's activities. Ayla was exhausted beyond measure, but she was one of the ones that rose early; there were new mother and babies to check on.

Ayla got up and dressed, then drank some tea, and gestured to a sleepy eyed Grov that she would return after looking in on the new babies. "Come back soon, Ayla, you need rest as well. This man doesn't want the medicine woman to forget that she is pregnant too." Ayla nodded, then left the hearth.

She stopped at Goov's hearth first, since it was on the way to Vorn's hearth. Goov was sleeping soundly next to Ovra, who held one of her sons to her breast; the other lay next to her contented with mother's milk.

Ayla entered the hearth, and signaled a greeting, which was returned with a one-handed gesture. "How are you this morning Ovra?"

"This woman is doing just fine, but I am so tired. These little ones kept us up all night," she said glancing at her sleeping mate. "Ayla, Goov was the one that helped me. I should have sent him to get you sooner, but I did not know they would come so quickly. I'm sure he's having a difficult time with his part in this. Men are not supposed to be around when a woman gives birth."

Ayla was shaking her head. "Ovra, the Mog-ur has his charms, he will be okay. I'm sure everything will be fine...but maybe we shouldn't mention this to anyone if we can avoid it. The only men that saw Goov covered in your blood were Grov and Broud, and I'm sure Grov won't say anything. Actually, come to think of it, I know Broud hasn't said anything, because Brun did not know when I went to talk to him about your birth, and Broud was there first. I know he wondered why Goov was all wet, but the leader did not ask the Mog-ur to explain."

Ovra sighed, she did not need her mind crowded with thoughts of losing her mate to the spirit world when she had just had two babies.

"Okay Ovra, I just want to feel your stomach to make sure your insides are shrinking back to their original size." Ayla poked and prodded the new mother, who moaned at the pressure the medicine woman was exerting on her middle. When Ayla was satisfied Ovra was doing good, she made the woman comfortable, and told her to sleep. "Ovra, you must sleep when the babies are sleeping, because they will not sleep much and you need your rest. I will have another woman bring food for a while, so that you do not have to be concerned with serving your mate or yourself. I still do not want you out of bed, at least for a few days." Ovra nodded and closed her eyes, and Ayla left for her next call.

At Vorn's hearth, Uba was up and busy already. Vorn was not there so Ayla went in and hugged her sister. "Uba, how are you today?"

"This woman is good, but I heard that Ovra gave birth, and that she had two babies as well."

Ayla nodded, "Yes she did, we were up half the night, but Ovra's sons are beautiful babies, tiny, but beautiful." Ayla paused then went on, "So, what are you doing up so early Uba? You know you should rest all you can."

"Yes Ayla, I know, but Brev woke us up early, so Vorn decided to go hunting with Norv, Nouz and Borg. When I finished nursing Brev, and got him back down, Berc woke up, so I nursed him. I just wanted to make myself some more tea, and then I was going to lie down again."

"Well, okay Uba, but I will fix your tea since I am here, and I want to look at you again." Everything looked good to Ayla, so she left quickly before Uba could insist on an exam for her.

As the medicine woman walked back to the hearth, she decided that a little spring hunting would be in order for herself as well, after a nap or course, since she doubted Grov would let her go hunting without some rest first.

The prospect of get out her sling after the long winter made her feel alive again. She had hardly been out of the cave since the snow had fallen, and now that it was spring, it was a perfect day to go hunting.

When she got back to the hearth, Grov and Broud were up, and Oga was making a morning meal. She went to assist the other woman, but Grov stopped her, saying, "You need rest Ayla."

Ayla nodded, but lay in her bed thinking about the hunting she wanted to do. Grov noticed that she wasn't sleeping, and asked why.

"Grov, I am not tired anymore. I have been thinking about going hunting."

Grov frowned; he didn't like the idea of her hunting while she was pregnant. "Ayla, I think it would be better if you didn't hunt while you are pregnant."

"But why, Grov? You know it is my favorite thing to do."

"Well, what if you fall down and hurt yourself or the baby. Or what if an animal attacks you. I do not want to lose another mate."

"Grov, those things could happen to me if I wasn't pregnant, or while just walking around. I have never fallen down while hunting. I need to go hunting today. I need to make a birthing blanket."

"Ayla, you have three moon cycles left in your pregnancy, you do not need to go hunting for a hide to make a birthing blanket today. Besides, I could hunt one for you."

Ayla was starting to get upset, and it was showing. "Grov, it would be easier for me to hunt now, while I am not so big, than later when I am. And, I do not want you to hunt for me, I want to do it myself."

Broud was watching them go back and forth, and he just could not understand why Grov didn't just tell the woman no. Why he allowed his mate to continue hunting at all, let alone pregnant, was something he thought he'd never understand. "Ayla!" The man said loudly, "Your mate does not want you to go hunting!"

Ayla turned towards the former leader, "Broud, this woman is the Woman Who Hunts. Brun has allowed me to hunt. It should not matter that I am pregnant."

"No, it may not matter that you are pregnant, but it should matter that your mate has said no."

Ayla leveled a look at Broud, but said no more. She had pushed the envelope as far as she cared to. She would not hunt that day, but she wasn't happy about it, and she wasn't happy that it was Broud that had been the sound mind that stopped her from arguing further and getting herself into trouble.

Grov didn't think Broud needed to step in, but he was glad for the back up. He knew that others women could be quite head strong, and it didn't bother him. He probably would have compromised with her, but now he didn't have to; she wasn't going today. But he was sure she would want to the next day, or the day after that, so he started thinking of a plan so that she could.

AtDC

Grov's Plan

Ayla spent the rest of that day pouting, hardly getting out of bed, but she knew Broud was right; it should matter that her mate wished her not to hunt. It did matter to her that he was worried about her hunting while pregnant. She just did not like it, or the fact that Broud had put in his two pebbles.

Grov watched Ayla for the remainder of the day, wishing he could do something; wishing he had not been so insistent that she not go hunting, so that Broud wouldn't have had to say anything. He could not be upset with Broud though, Broud had shown considerable restraint, which not many men of their Clan would have shown had they been witness to the scene. He decided to let the incident go, but talk to Broud at a later date about others women; for the man had no idea what they were like, and that Ayla was an exact replica of those women. She could not help what she was.

Broud had managed to make himself scarce for the rest of the day, thinking that Grov was probably upset with him, and knowing that, as a man with no status, he should have kept his mouth shut, but unable to allow a woman to override a man.

In the evening, when Ayla and Oga went off to bring food to the two hearths with new babies, Grov thought it a good time to talk to Broud. He had not thought the chance would come so soon, but he took it since it did.

The two men were sitting by the fire, drinking tea that the women had made for them, but not conversing. "Broud, I am grateful that you helped me this morning. It was a difficult situation."

"I do not see it as difficult. Your woman should not be arguing with you, or any man, like that. She needs to be put in her place."

"But Broud, she is one of the Others. They do not dominate their women as we do. I do not think she can help what she is."

Broud considered Grov's words, but still didn't understand. "Ayla may be one of the Others, but she lives with the Clan. She is a Clan woman, for all that she looks different; she should act like a Clan woman. How can you stand it?"

Grov smiled slightly, "Broud, I am a mixture of Clan and Others; more Others than Clan, can you not see how I can stand it. It is in my blood to accept Ayla for what she is, just as you do not. I see tremendous change in you, and I want you to know that I do not expect you to like everything that goes on in this hearth, but just remember that Ayla is different than Clan women. My first mate, Nora, was a woman of the Others too. She actually lived with them for a time, and she was far more argumentative than this one."

Broud nodded, still not fully understanding, but willing to think about it further.

Ayla returned later in a far better mood than she had left in, and busied herself making the evening meal for Grov and Broud. Oga had taken the boys to get more wood from the wood storage area to stock up their hearth's supply, and Ora was playing happily on and around Grov.

Ayla watched the men as she did her work, wondering at the change in the man that had treated her so unmercifully in the past, and about her mate's tolerance of him. The men were sitting in their usually places, and discussing the coming spring hunt, which she was sure she would not be included in, when the two year old picked up a handful of dirt and placed it on Broud's head. Ayla could see that he was upset with her, but he only grabbed child's hand, and told her no, then shook his head to dispel the dirt. When Ora started to cry at his harsh gesture, the former leader picked her up and set her on his lap. Ayla could not believe it; she had to admit that Broud had changed considerably, and she smiled to herself at the thought, thinking, who says the Clan cannot change? If Broud can, then anyone can.

Before the night was over, Grov disappeared for a short time. Ayla did not know where he went, and he did not fill her in when he returned.

The next day Grov woke up wanting to take Ayla hunting, so he ate quickly and informed her of his plan. "We are going hunting today. I have asked Dorg and Daub to accompany us, so you will have enough protection while you hunt. They are happy to go, because they have not seen your skill with the sling and they are interested." Ayla looked at him in disbelief, and then smiled at her mate, knowing he truly wanted to make her happy.

Ayla ate quickly as well, wanting to go as soon as possible, and was ready when the other two men arrived at Grov's hearth. With her sling in hand, and several stones in a fold of her wrap, Ayla followed the three men out of the western cave entrance.

As the four hunters left the cave Broud watched them go, torn between wanting to go as well, and not thinking the woman should be hunting, pregnant or otherwise. The information he had gained from Grov the day before was causing a new struggle to mount within him. If women of the Others hunted, then why did it bother him that Ayla hunted? Even though she was raised by Clan, and lived with the Clan, she couldn't really help who she was, could she? Just as Clan women could not help that they didn't know how to hunt, and didn't want to learn.

AtDC

Dorg's Totem

Grov had forewarned the other two men about Ayla's skill with the sling, so they were anxious to see her in action. They opted to try out the steppes this time, since the spring had flushed such variety.

As the men held back watching the Woman Who Hunts, Ayla scanned to steppes looking for rabbit. She wanted rabbit because she thought it was so nice for birthing blankets. When she sighted what she wanted, she placed two stones in her weapon, and cast them out quickly, killing two with one throw. Grov looked at Dorg and Daub, and was pleased that they were sufficiently impressed. The two Clan men were nodding and gesturing that the young woman could be an asset to the Clan.

As Ayla neared the downed rabbits, she saw swift movement to her right, which told her something else wanted her kill, so she grabbed two more stones and ran ahead. Grov turned around in time to see the difference in her movements immediately, though he did not see what she was stalking. He had a sudden fear that she would get hurt, so he rushed forward.

Ayla came upon her kill to find nothing except the two rabbits, and looked around wondering where the feline was. Grov came up beside her, with Dorg and Daub right behind him. "What are you doing, Ayla? You have your rabbits."

Ayla put a finger to her lips, indicating that they should not make any unnecessary noises, then gestured, "I saw a cat of some sort. I thought it was going after my rabbits."

Grov frowned, "You should have waited until we came to help you."

Ayla was about to say something when out of the corner of her eye, she saw the animal slink by in the tall grass. "There it is again," she said pointing. The three men turned to look where she was pointing, but still saw nothing.

Then, all of a sudden, the cat jumped, and would have landed on Daub's back had Ayla not acted with instinct, and pushed the man out of the way. The two of them landed on the ground just to the right of the lynx, and Grov and Dorg had been able to side step the animal as well. Before the lynx had time to land and turn around, Ayla was up, and was flinging the stones she held. The cat dropped dead. She now had two rabbits and a lynx, but Grov was not happy.

"Ayla, you could have been hurt. You cannot take chances like that," he gestured angrily.

"Grov, this woman has been hunting for a long time. I know what I'm doing," she said smiling at her mate. "And besides, I could not just do nothing, or the lynx would have landed on Daub." She looked into the concerned eyes of her mate, and grabbed his face. "This woman is fine," she said to him, then moved her hands to her stomach, and gestured, "we are both fine."

Grov took a deep breath. She was right; she was fine, but she made him nervous. "Yes Ayla you are fine, I can see that."

Ayla grinned at her mate, then scanned the area saying, "I wonder what that lynx was after, since it wasn't stalking my rabbits."

"Oh no you don't," Grov said catching her wrist, as she started to take a few steps in the direction the lynx had come. "You gather your kills, Dorg and I will go see what else is out there. Daub will stay with you."

Ayla smiled again, picked up her dead animals, and waited there with Daub. Grov and Dorg went the way the lynx had come, but spread out slightly to cover more ground. They had not gone far when Grov yelled, "Ayla!"

Ayla and Daub came quickly to see an injured bird of prey lying with a broken wing. "Dorg, it is the bird of your totem; the red-tailed hawk, see," she said kneeling and pointing to the birds boney ridge over the orbit that provides shade for the bird's eyes. "It must be a young one; less than two seasons," she said, indicating the grayish brown banded tail and a square patch of feathers toward the end of the wings. "If it was full grown, it would have very red tail feathers."

"Ayla, how do you know so much about birds," Dorg asked.

Ayla just shrugged her shoulders, and said, "I guess I am just interested in everything that is around me. I have watched them before."

Then the medicine woman in her eyed the bird more closely to see what had happened to it. "That lynx must have broken its wing. The hawk must have been preying on the rabbits, and the lynx got him instead."

The men were nodding agreement, getting ready to return to the cave, but Ayla was taking a small hide out of her wrap to pick up the injured bird. "Ayla, what are you doing?"

"This medicine woman is going to take the bird back to the cave and heal it. I could not leave it out here to die; that could make Dorg's totem angry."

Dorg grunted, considering what the woman had said, then nodded. "I think the medicine woman is right. We cannot leave it here to die."

Grov and Daub shrugged their shoulders, accepting what the woman wanted to do. She now had two dead rabbits, a dead lynx, and an injured, but living red-tailed hawk that needed healing.

AtDC

Ayla's Figure Eight

When the small hunting party approached the western cave entrance a few people were outside enjoying the warm afternoon. Eka and Uka were roaming nearby collecting herbs, while Oga and Ovra sat, each holding one of Ovra's new sons and watching Ora play with Eka's twin daughters. The boys, Brac, Vorg, Breg, Grev, and Durc, played at spear hunting, while Broud and Goov looked on. It was Ora that saw them coming first.

"Mamma," she cried, getting up and running toward the returning hunters.

As the child ran up, Grov grabbed her and picked her up, bringing her up to eye level with Ayla. "Ora, look what Mama has," he gestured, as Ayla pulled back the leather blanket to reveal the injured hawk, which squawked loudly at the sight of the people.

Hearing the noise of the bird caused the boys to come over to inspect the animal. "Mama, what do you have?" Durc asked.

Ayla smiled at her son, "It's a red-tailed hawk, Durc," she said lowering the bird so that the boys could see it.

"What happened to its wing, Ayla?" Brac asked.

"Well Brac, I think this lynx attacked it," the Woman Who Hunts gestured as she shrugged the dead cat off her shoulder. "I'm not quite sure why the lynx was out during the daytime though, they usually hunt at night."

The women were approaching slowly amazed at what the medicine woman had with her. Grov was standing just behind the woman, holding Ora up, and smiling his pride at his hunting woman. Broud watched them, wondering how the man could be proud that his woman returned with a kill—three kills, actually, he thought, noticing that she still held more—and he returned empty handed.

"That is a meat eater," the former leader said. "Brun will not let it in the cave."

"Yes Broud, it is a meat eater, but it is injured and this medicine woman needs to help it. It is Dorg's totem animal, and I think it could be dangerous to the Clan if we do not at least attempt to save it."

Broud grunted, he had not thought of that. "I will go get the leader."

Goov took a look at the hawk, and considered the danger to the Clan. "I agree with you, Ayla. I will go with you Broud."

Broud and Goov walk through the cave entrance and then down the passageway to the main space. Brun was sitting at the central fire, and saw the Mog-ur and the son of his mate approaching. The Mog-ur looked calm, but he could tell that Broud was agitated.

Brun had been immensely pleased at the hearth arrangement he had come up with; it seemed to be maturing Broud faster than anything he had tried in the past. He was sure that part of it was that Broud had no status, and therefore could not cause trouble there, but he had hope that the new patience he saw in the man was permanent.

"Brun, the Woman Who Hunts has brought something back to the cave that you need to see." Brun noticed he called her the Woman Who Hunts instead of Ayla or the medicine woman; that told him that the something was something she had hunted. The leader glanced at the Mog-ur.

"She has killed another lynx with her sling," the Mog-ur gestured.

Brun looked at the two men suspiciously. "And...she has done that before, what makes this one different? Has she used something other than a sling?"

"No, she used her sling to kill the lynx," Broud gestured. "And two rabbits," he added quickly. "But...this time she has brought back a live, but injured, hawk that she says she must heal," Broud went on. Brun frowned. Why does this woman constantly do such strange things, he thought to himself.

Before Brun could say anything, Goov cut in, "It is a red-tailed hawk, Dorg's totem; she believes, and I agree, that she should heal it so that we do not anger the spirit of the red-tailed hawk, and cause danger to the Clan."

"But it is a meat eater," Brun said, knowing that he had already been through this with Ayla when she was a child.

"Yes Brun, but like I said, it is Dorg's protecting totem. I think we must allow it this time."

Brun grunted. "Bring the woman to me as soon as she has treated the bird. I want to talk to her."

Broud and Goov agreed and went back through the passageway.

Ayla had managed to get through the curious people, and back to Grov's hearth, intent on saving the bird. With Grov's help, she first cleared off the cave shelf that was at the back of the hearth. It would be a good place to treat the animal, and keep it safe from the hands of the children.

Once a place was ready, the woman cleaned the wounded wing with warm water, and made a salve that would remove any infection from the bird's cuts. Ayla believed this to be necessary since it was a feline that had gotten hold of the bird, and wounds from cats could fester pretty badly.

Then, using strips of soft leather, the medicine woman constructed a figure eight bandage around the bird, which would stabilize the wing by holding the wing in a closed position. The hawk would not be able to get around very well, and would have to be watched carefully so that it did not fall down and get hurt. Ayla asked Grov to construct something that would hold the bird until it was ready to be released. While he was doing that, Ayla butchered one of the rabbits, fed the hungry bird, and gave it some water.

By the time Broud and Goov got back to the hearth, the medicine woman was finished working her magic, and asked Goov to ask the spirits to help heal the hawk. He felt a little silly doing this, but he trusted Ayla's medicine magic and complied.

Broud eyed Ayla and the bird, thinking she probably couldn't save it, but wondered if there was anything the woman wouldn't try. "Ayla, when you are finished Brun wants to talk to you."

Ayla looked at Broud and nodded, knowing Brun probably wasn't happy about having a meat eater within the cave. She knew she had been told in the past not to bring them in, but she was a medicine woman; she could do no less.

AtDC

Ebra's Gift

Ayla finished up within the hearth, then made her way through the long dark passageway toward the leader's hearth. As she approached, the people sitting with the leader stopped their conversation, and watched the strange woman come near. Ayla sat at the feet of Brun and waited for him to acknowledge her.

"Ayla, the leader has been told that you have disobeyed my rule of not bringing meat eaters into the cave again. Why have you done this?"

Ayla stayed sitting, since Brun himself was sitting, and looked at the leader pleadingly. "This woman remembers that you have ordered her not to bring meat eaters into the cave, and the woman does not wish to make the leader angry, but the hawk is injured."

"Yes Ayla, I know that, but it is still a meat eater."

"But..." Ayla began—then changed tactics, "This medicine woman thought it could be dangerous to the Clan if the hawk should be left for dead. He is a red-tailed hawk, just like Dorg's totem spirit."

Brun considered her thoughts. He already knew this was why she had brought the hawk in, but he did not want her to know. He wanted her to feel like she had to explain her reasoning. "And what makes you, a woman, think she could know what the spirits may think?"

Ayla looked almost ashamed that she had implied she could know anything about the spirit world. "This woman regrets that she has assumed. This woman did not mean to upset the leader or disobey again. This woman will remove the hawk from the cave if the leader insists that she do so."

Brun grunted, happy that she was so contrite. This woman would be the death of him, he was sure of it. "I am finished with you for now. I have not decided if the hawk can stay or not. I will have to speak to the Mog-ur. Go back to Grov's hearth, and take care of your bird...for now."

Ayla got up to go, hiding a smile, but didn't get far before Ebra came up to her. "Ayla, I have something for you and for Oga," she said, placing what she held into Ayla's hands. "It's for your babies."

Ayla looked at the proffered gift, and her eyes brimmed with tears; Ebra had made each of the pregnant women a soft, supple blanket for their soon to be born babies. "This woman does not know what to say," she gestured, knowing that the Clan rarely gave each other gifts.

"There is nothing to say Ayla. I told you that you are the daughter the spirits never gave me, and this woman wants to do things to help you."

Ayla smiled, unable to stop more tears from coming to her eyes. "This woman is grateful."

Ebra reached up, and brushed the tall woman's tears away. "Ayla, your eyes are always watering. You need to wash them again."

When Ayla returned to the hearth, the three boys were all standing next to Ayla's drying rack, staring at the bound and caged bird, and commenting on whether or not they thought it would live. "Mama will fix it," Durc was saying, and Grev was nodding his agreement. Brac finished up with, "Brun will not let the bird stay in the cave."

Broud and Grov were sitting at the fire, watching the boys' conversation, and had been debating over Ayla's hunting before she returned to the hearth. Broud could not understand why the men went with her on her ridiculous hunt; he would have preferred to hunt for her himself, to keep her from hunting.

Oga was watching the men surreptitiously, and keeping quiet, so they would not know she was watching them. She busied herself by making the evening meal. Ora, on the other hand, was toddling around, doing her best to annoy the man that seemed to like her least.

As Ayla walked into the hearth, she saw that the child was on Broud's lap, pulling at his beard, and babbling incoherently in his face. Ayla could see he was getting upset, so she came to Ora's—and Broud's—rescue. The woman swung the little girl around, and set her up on the cave wall shelf, and motioned, "Ora, watch the bird while I cut up some meat for him." Ora nodded, with wide eyes.

As Ayla worked, she informed Grov that the hawk would stay until Brun decided what to do with it, then seeing Broud's frown, she turned to Oga, and handed her Ebra's gift. "This is from Ebra, for your baby. She is very happy that we are expecting," Ayla said holding up the blanket that the leader's mate had given to her as well.

Oga looked very pleased and went to put the small baby blanket away.

AtDC

The Men's Meeting

The next day, Brun called a meeting for the men to discuss the meat eater that was living at the first medicine woman's hearth. The men gathered at dawn and sat in a circle in the men's ceremonial cave.

"I have called this meeting to discuss the animal that was found yesterday by Ayla. The woman believes it could be dangerous to let it die. I am concerned that having a carnivore in the cave could bring us bad luck, or cause us to go without the food we need."

"Droog would speak, Brun."

"Droog may speak."

"I am not sure if having the bird in the cave would bring good luck or bad luck, but we know that Ayla herself has been good for our Clan; she has always brought us luck. She was the one that found the first cave, and she is responsible for finding this cave. She has healed many people in this Clan, including saving Ona while we were fishing many seasons ago, and Brac on that hunt. And, more recently by diving into the river to save Ebra." That last comment made some uncomfortable, as most believed the woman to be a spirit at the time. "I am finished."

"Crug would speak."

Turning from the first man to comment to Crug, Brun said, "Crug may speak."

"I would agree that Ayla has brought our Clan luck...but I am more concerned about having a meat eater around that could potentially take food from our mouths. If the bird lives, it could possibly eat the small game that we often subsist on in late winter. I am finished."

Many were nodding at the thought, including Brun. "Zoug would speak."

"Zoug may speak."

"I agree that the bird could take from us, but we do not even hunt most of what this carnivore hunts. Yes, we hunt rabbits and we fish, but the hawk is likely to go after animals that we do not consider suitable for consumption. We could allow the bird to stay, but make the woman responsible for feeding it, so that it cannot affect the Clan. And, it may not matter...by next winter it will probably be gone. I am finished."

Everyone was nodding again, but Norv was not happy. "Norv would speak, Brun."

"Norv may speak."

"I am concerned about the children of this cave. Some of them are small enough that the meat eater may see them as food," he said looking at Goov and Vorn, who both had two newborns at their hearths. "Or, due to instinct, it may attack some of the other children. I don't see how we can allow that to happen. I think we should just get rid of the bird and be done with it. I am finished."

"Grod would speak," Brun's stoic second said.

"Grod may speak."

"I do not like the idea of having a meat eater in the cave, but we cannot just 'get rid of the bird and be done with it.' We must carefully consider whether the death of the bird will affect the Clan. We do not want to anger Dorg's totem spirit. If we let it die, Dorg's totem spirit may turn against Dorg, or may turn other spirits against all of us, but if we allow the medicine woman to heal it, the spirit may be pleased and bring additional food to the area. However, I have mixed feelings, and I do not want a carnivore in the cave. I am finished."

Dorg was nodding. "Dorg would speak."

"Dorg may speak."

"I do not know about spirits, but I do not want my totem spirit to be angry, because we did not protect it. It has been protecting me for many seasons. I think the least we can do is try to heal it. It may not live anyway. I am finished."

"Daub would speak."

Brun turned to Dorg's younger brother, and said, "Daub may speak."

"Before the earthquake that brought these three Clans together, I was working with our Mog-ur, and learning about the spirit world. I do not think that the spirits would be upset if the medicine woman did nothing to heal the hawk, after all, the spirit of the red tailed hawk will return to the spirit world once it dies, no matter the cause. However, I do not have an objection to the bird staying in the cave, if there is any reason to believe the saving of the bird will please the spirits."

Brun watched the men openly discussing the situation and he was glad to see that most had something to contribute. Corg had said nothing, but he was an unusually quiet man, and watched carefully and nodded thoughtfully at all comments. Vorn said nothing as well, but Brun could tell he worried for the sons of his mate. And Borg and Nouz also had nothing to say. They were young, and didn't feel like they had enough experience to contribute. Two others said nothing; Grov and Broud. Grov felt that he was too close to the situation to comment; he did not want to upset his pregnant mate, and Broud was struggling with the idea of sharing the hearth with an animal, on top of being the lowest ranked male at another man's hearth.

For a short time the leader let the discussion run its course, then he put up his hand to indicate that he had heard enough. "I would like to hear from Mog-ur."

Goov looked at Brun, and then he turned toward everyone. "First, most of us know that Ayla has brought us luck, and has saved many lives. She is an asset to this Clan for all that she looks and acts differently. Even though she is just a woman...I do not like the idea of upsetting her, for we know that the spirit that protects her, the cave lion, has given her the luck she possesses, and we all have shared in it.

"Secondly, I think that Daub has brought up a valid point, the spirits may not get angry if the medicine woman does not save the bird, but we do not know; it could be dangerous for the Clan. I would like to meditate on this. I do, however, think that having the bird in the cave could please the spirit of the red-tailed hawk, and that would be good for the Clan, as well as for Dorg. It may even please the spirits of other meat eaters, therefore causing us further luck. And, Dorg may be right; it may not live even with the medicine woman's magic.

"And finally, as far as the physical danger to the children and other Clan members goes...well, the bird is injured; I do not see how it could hurt anyone while it is in the condition it is, and it will be gone before it can affect our hunting next winter. I am finished."

Brun nodded at the Mog-ur's logic. He understood why his brother chose Goov as acolyte many seasons earlier.

The leader considered, then asked if anyone had anything else to add. He turned to Broud, who always had something to say. "Broud?" he said, looking at the son of his mate. But the man only shook his head, so the leader turned back to the rest of the men.

"I will take all your thoughts into consideration before I make my decision. But now I want to ask each of you to give me a definite answer," the leader finally said. The men were sitting in a circle around the fire. They each clenched a fist and held it in front of their chests. A movement up and down would mean an affirmative answer, a lateral movement of the fist, no.

"Grod," Brun began with his second-in-command, "do you think the medicine woman should be allowed to heal the hawk?"

Grod hesitated, he wanted to please the spirits, but didn't know what would please them more; returning one of their own, or healing it, and he didn't want the bird in the cave. He moved his fist across his chest.

"Grod says no. Droog?" Brun asked, turning to the toolmaker.

Droog did not hesitate. He moved his fist up, then down.

"Yes. Crug?"

Crug moved his fist across his chest.

"Crug says Ayla should not heal the hawk," Brun confirmed. "Dorg?"

Dorg drew his fist up, then down.

"Dorg says Ayla should heal the hawk. Corg?"

Corg sat for a second thinking, then moved his fist across his chest.

"Corg says Ayla should not heal the hawk. Daub?"

Daub also did not hesitate, and moved his fist up, then down.

"Daub says Ayla should heal the hawk. Grov?

Grov moved his fist up, then down as well.

"Yes for Grov. Norv?"

Norv moved his fist across before Brun could say his name, and Brun moved on just as quickly. "No. Vorn?"

Vorn's concern still showed on his face as he moved his fist across his chest.

"No. Borg?"

Borg voted with a fist across his chest as well.

"No. Nouz?

Nouz looked at the circle of men, then at the mate of his dead mother, and moved his fist across his chest.

"No. Zoug?"

Zoug looked only at Brun and moved his fist up, then down.

"Zoug says Ayla should be allowed to heal the hawk," the leader said, as he turned to the son of his mate. Broud?"

Broud frowned, feeling as if this whole meeting was his fault, but knowing at the same time that Brun would have held it no matter who informed him of the presence of the meat eater. He didn't want to have the bird in his hearth, but then, it wasn't his hearth, was it? Further, he had never been for letting Ayla do the strange things she did, but Grov had been very accepting of his opinions in the hearth, and he felt like he owed the man, if not Ayla. He moved his fist up, then down.

Brun was shocked that Ebra's son voted that Ayla should heal the hawk, but masked his surprise quickly. "Yes. Mog-ur?"

Goov had decided that it would be better to heal the hawk, so he moved his fist up, then down.

"The Mog-ur says Ayla should be allowed to heal the hawk. Again, the opinions are evenly divided," the leader announced, thinking that this Clan never made anything easy on him. "The decision was never anything but mine anyway, I only wanted to know how you felt. I will think about this on my own, and decide by tomorrow morning. We are finished."

With that the men dispersed. Some returned to their hearths, while others tended to tasks that needed to get done; it was still early in the day.

AtDC

Brac's Lesson

Grov and Broud walked back to the hearth together, not saying anything. Broud was still feeling guilty about going to Brun, and Grov was thoughtful about Broud's support of the bird during the meeting. He was, without doubt, not the only one to be surprised by Broud's vote.

Brun watched the two dissimilar men walk away; one tall, younger, blue eyed, light haired and strange looking, the other, the son of his mate, shorter and darker, both in stature and within. The leader was very impressed with the young man that had come into their lives due to the earthquake, making changes for the good without even knowing it. Brun would file that information away in his brain for future use.

When they returned to the hearth, Ayla had just finished re-bandaging the bird's wing, and was preparing tea in anticipation of their return. When Ora saw Broud coming, she made a break for him. For some reason the two year old found enjoyment in the man that ignored her at all costs. "Up Broud," she said, as she stretched up, wrapped her arms around his legs, and pulled on his wrap. Ayla watched out of the corner of her eye, but decided not to save the man this time.

"Grov, this woman would like to go see Ovra and then Uba, to see how the babies are doing. Do you mind if I go?"

Grov smiled at Ayla, "Go Ayla. You do not have to ask to go talk to the women."

Ayla smiled back and kissed her mate, gesturing, "Do you need anything?"

Grov considered for minute, but could not think of anything. "No Ayla, go ahead."

Broud watched them and shook his head, trying to understand, but distracted by the child who was hanging onto him. The man looked back down at the child, saying, "Ora, stop!" When the man's harsh gesture finally reached the child, her lip turned down, and her eyes welled with tears, causing Broud to look around for help.

Grov was watching out of the corner of his eye, but decided to do nothing, just as Ayla had. He thought Broud was learning to control his temper well, and Grov knew he was close enough to step in if it was necessary.

Ayla went to Goov's hearth first, since it was on the way, and because she thought Ovra really needed the attention. Ovra's birth had been easy, but sleep had not been going well; the infants were small and needed to nurse often.

"Hello Ovra. How are you doing?"

"I am fine Ayla, but so tired."

"Don't worry, it will not last too long. When they grow a little, then they will sleep better. It will be their naming day soon. Are you excited?"

"Oh yes. Goov told me that he has chosen names for them. I can hardly wait to find out what they are...and to be able to get out of this hearth a little."

"You were out yesterday. The fresh air must have felt good."

"Yes, it was nice. You sure caused a lot of excitement with your unexpected catch. How is the hawk anyway?"

"He is doing well. His is a bit scratched up and his wing is broken, but he is eating well and he seems to trust me. I hope Brun will let me heal him. It would be a shame to start healing him and then have to set him free." Ayla had tears in her eyes as she spoke, and Ovra knew the medicine woman felt strongly about the bird already.

"This woman has noticed that Broud has been working with the boys on their hunting. How is everything at the hearth? Has Broud really changed?"

"This woman does not know if he really has; for Oga's sake, if for no other reason, I hope that it is so. He is not so terrible anymore...I still don't understand him, but at least I don't have to be afraid of him, now that I have Grov.

"Ayla, you never seemed too afraid of him. Only when you were very young, but you are different now."

He makes me wonder why he hates me so much. He says that he doesn't hate me, but I still wonder. This women thinks that he doesn't even know why."

"Well Ayla, none of us understand you either. What kind of woman wants to hunt?"

Ayla had wondered the same thing for many seasons. "Grov says the women of the Others hunt all the time, and that it is perfectly normal for me to want to hunt. I am glad that I know how...I really enjoy it."

Ovra was nodding, glad that the medicine woman had something she enjoyed, then thought about the medicine woman's pregnancy. "And how is your pregnancy going, Ayla?" Ovra said, changing the subject.

Ayla smiled at the question. "Just over two moon cycles left," she said patting her expanding middle. "I'm hoping for a girl this time."

"But Ayla, you know it's bad luck to hope for a girl."

"I know that's what people think, but I don't think that. Besides, that's what I really want to have, and I'm sure Grov just wants the baby to be healthy." Ayla paused and looked at the woman lying on her furs. "Okay Ovra, I think I better go check on Uba. I'm sure she's going to want to examine me," she said rolling her eyes. "I am going now."

Ovra gestured a goodbye, then closed her eyes to rest.

At Vorn's hearth the younger medicine woman had tea waiting for Ayla. "How did you know I was coming, Uba?"

Uba looked at her older sister with an amused expression, and gestured, "Ayla, you come to look in on me everyday. I knew that you'd be here soon. Besides, it is I that will be examining you today. This woman is just fine."

Ayla grinned at the woman and said, "Well, I just want to make sure you are healthy and happy. Are you Uba?"

"Ayla, you are trying to distract me again. This woman is more than fine...lie down," Uba said pointing at the furs.

The pregnant woman did as she was bid, then drank tea and visited with Uba for a while before returning to Grov's hearth. Uba did not ask about the bird, deciding that it would be better to ask later, if the bird was allowed to stay.

When Ayla got back to the hearth, the three boys were once again watching the bird, and Ora was sitting on Grov's lap chewing on a piece of dried meat, and watching Broud's every move. Ayla shook her head, not understanding why the child liked the man so much. Oga was preparing the evening meal, so Ayla went to help her.

When they had all finished their meal, the bird began to squawk loudly, causing Ayla to worry. It turned out that it was just hungry. "Brac, do you want to feed the bird tonight?" the woman asked the boy.

Brac looked at her with an unsure expression. He had never fed anything before in his life; that was usually woman's work, but he nodded his head anyway.

Ayla smiled at the boy that was almost a man, and said, "Come here, I will show you. I have cut up some raw meat from the rabbit that I hunted yesterday. See? This way he can just eat it and not have to tear it up. I do not want him to have to struggle to eat, and maybe get hurt in the process."

Brac took the strips of meat from the woman, but asked, "Why does it matter if he cannot eat? Do you really think Brun will let you heal him?"

Ayla looked at the boy's skeptical look. "I am hoping so, Brac. It would be a shame to turn it out now. I can save him, but if I let him go, he will die for sure. This woman does not want that to happen. As medicine woman, I want to save everyone, or everything, if I can."

Brac looked at the medicine woman, and then looked over at Broud who was observing, but trying to appear that he wasn't. She had a good point, he thought, and Broud does not seem upset over this. If the former mate of his mother was not upset, then there was no reason that he should be. The boy looked down at the meat he was holding in his hand, and turned toward the bird. "What should I do, Ayla?"

Ayla smiled, and showed him how to give the bird the meat. It was not hard; the bird wanted to eat, and readily took the food.

That night Ayla tossed and turned, knowing that the fate of her bird would be revealed the next day, and hoped that she would be allowed to keep the meat eater, at least until it was healed.

AtDC

Ebra Waits

Brun did not sleep well that night either. He too tossed for half the night, before getting up long before dawn. Ebra silently woke with her mate, fixed a calming tea, and massaged the tight muscles in his back and shoulders.

Brun didn't know why he could not decide, but he did not know what to do. He did not want to turn out the hawk, for fear that its spirit would become angry, but some of the men's concerns over the meat eater troubled him. What if it harmed someone? What if it took food from their mouths? The leader shook his head with the frustration of it all. Why does Ayla always have to be so un-Clan-like, he thought to himself? Then he snorted aloud...because she isn't Clan, he mused.

While Brun sat there pondering his thoughts on the matter, Goov walked up, "You can't sleep either, can you?

Brun glanced up at the young Mog-ur, and gestured that the man should sit down. "No Mog-ur, I cannot. I just do not know if the bird could cause the Clan harm, either directly or indirectly."

Goov thought about the leader's dilemma, and said, "I'm sure it could be harmful...but I am willing to take the chance, if Ayla is made aware that she must take sole responsibility for the bird. I am sure the medicine woman can heal the bird, with the help of the spirits, of course."

Brun nodded. "You are not afraid for the babies?" Brun questioned, referring to both the unnamed twins that would not be fully recognized until their seventh day, and Uba's sons.

Goov hesitated slightly, but shook his head anyway, "I trust Ayla. She is a fine medicine woman. She would not allow it."

As the sun came over the horizon, the two men broke up their twilight vigil. "Ebra, go get Ayla," the leader demanded, and Ebra went off to find the woman.

As Ebra approached Grov's hearth, she had to stop and wait; Grov was relieving his needs with Ayla. Ebra did not want to interrupt the man, so she stood just behind a hide that had recently been hung up between the hearth and the open space to give more privacy. Ebra inspected the curtain, and thought it was a good idea. She wondered why they had not thought of it before.

As she stood there waiting, for what seemed like forever, she began to listen to the mated couple, and wondered what Grov was doing to Ayla that would cause him to go on for so long. She decided to look around the barrier, and saw that Ayla was not on her knees as was customary, but on her back with Grov on top of her. The older woman was intrigued by the position. Ebra did not know that so much time had past until Brun walked up behind her, and tapped her on the back of her shoulder, causing her to jump. "Ebra, what are you doing? Why have you not brought Ayla to me?"

Ebra turned around, and looked at Brun. "This woman did not want to interrupt a man as he relieves himself with his mate."

Brun nodded with understanding, then narrowed his eyes, "But you have been gone for some time. Why is it taking so long?"

Ebra shrugged her shoulders, "This woman does not know, but they are still...busy." Just as Ebra finished her sentence, Brun saw Broud come into the passageway from the hearth that joined with Grov's hearth.

"Broud," Brun called quietly. "I want to speak to Ayla. When Grov is finished with her I want you to bring her to me," he said, unhappy that the woman was not readily available, and still not understanding what was taking so long.

Broud nodded, and glanced in at Grov and Ayla, who were completely engrossed in one another, and thought to himself that it could be a while. Brun then looked at Ebra, and said, "Let's go, Ebra. This man is hungry."

Finally, when the two had finished, Broud stepped into the hearth hesitantly. Ayla was lying on her back, with Grov collapsed on top of her. "Ayla," Broud said to get the woman's attention. "The leader wants me to bring you to his hearth."

Ayla nodded and Grov extracted himself from her, so she could clean up and go. Ora, who was lying quietly on her own furs, brightened at seeing Broud come into the hearth, and got up to go to him. Broud rolled his eyes, causing Ayla to giggle as she got up.

"What is so funny woman," Broud gesticulated angrily. "This child is annoying, and should not be allowed to bother a man." Grov had to turn away to hide his own smile. There was something very amusing to them about how befuddled the former leader became with Ora's attention.

Ayla's stifled her giggle quickly, and tried to speak without a smile. "This woman knows that Broud, and I am sorry, but the child seems to like you, though I cannot see why."

Broud face turned red, and it looked as though he was going to become angry, but then he just took a deep breath, bent over and picked up the little girl, brought her to the medicine woman, and said, "I do not understand why the child always wants me either, but you should not talk to a man like that; someone may cuff you if you do."

Ayla eyed the man closely, and then took the child from him. "Yes Broud, this woman will try harder to teach Ora, but I cannot stop her from liking you."

Broud grunted, knowing she was right. "Come Ayla, Brun has been waiting for you for some time." Ayla nodded, handed Ora to Grov, and then followed Broud out of the hearth.

At the leader's hearth, Brun saw the son of his mate approaching with the medicine woman, and he could not believe Broud was walking with the woman without a look of hatred on his face. Something was definitely happening to the man to change him for the better.

When Broud stopped walking, Ayla came around him and knelt on the ground at Brun's feet. Brun signaled that Broud could leave, and when he had, the leader tapped the woman's shoulder, allowing her to look up at him. He did not say anything at first, but instead looked at her closely.

The woman was a few moon cycles from giving birth and her protruding stomach made her kneel in a position with one knee on the ground and the other off to the side, and Brun noticed that her breasts were becoming rather large. The medicine woman's long yellow hair was tucked behind her ears, but hung down past her knees, nearly touching the ground. Brun looked at her blue eyes. What strange eye's she has, he thought. Now there are three members with eyes that are too light. What other changes will this Clan be exposed to? Brun looked deeply into the woman's eyes, and she stared back with eyes wide open, wondering what the leader was doing.

"Ayla, this leader still does not understand why you have brought a meat eater into the Clan's cave, but I have discussed the matter with the men, and the Mog-ur has meditated. The Mog-ur does not think it is dangerous to us to have it here. Therefore, I am going to allow it to stay, but I will hold you responsible for it. You must make sure the animal hurts no one, and you are the one that must feed it. I do not want meat taken from the people of this Clan for that hawk. How long will it take to heal him?"

Ayla considered how long it took broken bones to heal. The bones of the Clan people sometimes took a long time to heal, but the hawk had smaller bones. It should not take as long, she thought. "He could be healed within a moon cycle, but it could up until the summer season begins before he is fit to fly."

Brun nodded. "Okay Ayla, take care of him, but don't forget what I told you. The Clan's safety must come first. If he threatens anyone, then he must be turned out. Do you understand me?"

It was Ayla's turn to nod. She was so happy she could hardly contain her excitement, but she managed to hold back and be respectful to the leader.

"Ayla, there is one more thing I wanted to ask you..." Brun started off, then stopped, not sure he knew what he wanted to say.

"Yes Brun?" Ayla prompted, hoping the leader wasn't upset about something else she had done.

Brun glanced around the cave, and positioned himself so no one would see what he was saying. "How is...everything within your hearth?"

Ayla looked at the leader strangely, thinking he must be wondering about her interaction with the son of his mate, but she sidestepped the indirect question. "This woman is happy with her mate. Grov is very good to me."

"Ayla, you know that's not what I am asking, though I am glad the first medicine woman is 'happy,' it makes for a healthy Clan...and a healthy baby," the man added looking down at her stomach once again. "But, I want to know how you are doing with Broud there. I know this cannot be easy on you after all that he has put you through."

"This woman did have a hard time growing up with the son of your mate around; that much is true," Ayla said, blushing at the directness in which she was being allowed to speak to the leader, a man. "He has always hated me, but I know that I have not always been obedient. Broud does not seem so hateful anymore, and I am working hard to not provoke him, though sometimes it is hard. You are right Brun, it has not been easy, but I think we are doing okay. Broud is even teaching Durc to use the spear, and you know how much Broud has disliked my son."

Brun watched the woman, considering what she said. He had always wanted to discuss things with this particular woman. Creb had always said she had many opinions on topics that were not womanly. It was too bad that she was not a man, so they could converse openly. "Okay Ayla, you can go now, but don't forget that you must hunt for the hawk, and it must not hurt anyone."

Ayla nodded and then gestured, "I am going now."

AtDC

Ayla's Hawk

Ayla left Brun's hearth walking normally, but when she got to the passageway, she turned right and ran through the portion of the cave that seldom had people in it; she was so excited, and she felt like she needed to run. As she neared the hearth she slowed down, but it was too late, she had built up momentum; she rounded the corner and ran smack into Broud, who had just stood up to leave the hearth.

As the woman hit the man, and began to fall backward, he instinctively reached out and grabbed her. This time she did not fall to the ground, but was pulled into the man's arms instead. This was the second time that Ayla had come around this corner too fast and run into someone.

Ayla stared at the man, then slowly backed away with a flushed face. "This woman did not mean to be so careless. I know I should not run in the cave. I will be more careful."

Broud stepped back from her, saying, "Ayla, you should be more careful..." But the man trailed off, thinking to himself that the woman had just said that. Then the man returned to the fire, in the confusion he forgot that he had been leaving.

When the woman finally composed herself, she turned to everyone in the hearth, and she noticed that they were all sitting patiently, waiting for her news. Grov had not gotten up, but had instead allowed Broud to handle the hastened woman.

"Well?" Grov gestured when she was composed.

Ayla smiled, "I get to heal him."

Grov got up and hugged his woman; he was happy that she was happy, and interested in the bird. All three boys were excited; Ayla could tell. She had already decided to enlist all of them to help her with minor things for the hawk, since they were so fascinated. Ora did not understand what was going on, but she knew Ayla was happy and that was all that mattered to the two year old. Oga was glad Ayla was happy too, but she was nervous as to how Broud would take it. Broud did not say anything, but Oga could tell he was not upset.

Ayla continued to talk to Grov, while she busily made a meal. Oga had tried to help, but the medicine woman told her to relax. "I can do this Oga, you rest." Oga didn't know what to do with herself; she didn't usually have time to just sit there watching the conversation.

The next few days went quickly, and before they knew what was happening, it was the morning of the seventh day, time for Ovra's twins to be named, and Goov was quite proud to be standing up there naming his mate's sons.

Ovra stood among the massive group of people out in the sunlight, waiting for her mate to come out of the cave with his bowl of red-ochre paste. When the Mog-ur finally appeared and beckoned, she hurried to the front of the assemblage, and stood in front of the Mog-ur, looking down at the ground while she uncovered one of her children. She held the babe up while the magician looked over her head making the gestures that called the spirits to attend the ceremony. Then, just as he had done a very short time before, he began.

Dipping into the bowl...he drew a stripe from the point where the baby's brow ridges joined to the tip of his nose with the red-ochre paste.

"Droov, the boy's name is Droov," Mog-ur said, looking through the crowd at his dead mother's mate. Droog looked on with pride and happiness for the son of his first mate, and had a look of pleasure at the name of the child. Then the air was split, for though the day was rather warm for early spring, the naked infant howled angrily at being removed from his mother's warm breast.

"Droov," Ovra repeated, cuddling her shivering baby in her arms... The members of the Clan filed past, each repeating the name to familiarize themselves and their totems with the newest addition. Ovra was careful to keep her head down so she would not inadvertently look upon any of the men who came forward to acknowledge her son. Afterward, she wrapped the infant in warm rabbit skins, and handed him to Ayla, who stood close, just as she had for Uba. The process was repeated for Ovra's second son.

"Creb," the boy's name is Creb," Mog-ur said, and everyone filed by a second time to acknowledge the child. When Brun passed by, saying the name of Ovra's second son, there was no mistaking his pleasure that the Mog-ur had chosen to honor the memory of his brother, their greatest Mog-ur, by naming the child after him.

"Creb," Ayla said, and leaned over to place her cheek next to the baby's cheek as she passed by. Ovra was overjoyed.

Later that same week, Ayla decided to re-bandage the hawk's wing again. She was doing it about every three to four days, and it was time to do it again. As she removed the existing bandage, she could tell the wing was becoming tight from being kept immobile, so she spent some time massaging it before she put fresh bandages on. The hawk had eyed her warily in the beginning, but the beginnings of trust had developed between them, and it was much easier as time went on. Ayla was very pleased at the bird's progress and ended the medical exam by petting his head, which was obviously enjoyed by the bird. Ayla was extremely happy with her new friend, and so it would seem was the bird with his healer.

Feeding was going well too. Every day, at about the same time, the hawk would let out a shriek that let the woman know he was hungry, and Ayla always had meat ready for him. The woman learned that he didn't like rats and mice as much as other animals, and that quail was his favorite.

Ayla also learned that the hawk knew who belonged in their hearth, and who did not. When someone other than the eight members of their hearth entered the hawk squawked in earnest to get everyone's attention.

However, though the bird knew who lived in the hearth, it was only Ayla that he allowed the close contact. When Ayla worked on his wound, he just sat there looking at her with wise eyes, and his head cocked. When she fed him, he took the food gently and waited patiently for more. When she scratched his head and neck, he lowered his head, enjoying every minute of it. When Ayla picked him up and held him, there was nothing but trust for the woman that had saved him and cared for him as if he were her baby. Ayla had essentially become his mother.

After a few weeks, Ayla starting thinking that the hawk needed a name, though she wasn't sure if animals had names. After all, no one could speak to animals, so how would she ever know, she thought to herself one evening while she preened her bird. She began to think about it often and wondered what the Clan would think of naming a bird. She was sure they would think she was crazy, but she could not help it; she couldn't just keep calling it 'the bird,' or 'the hawk,' or 'the meat eater.'

Finally, she decided that she would have to spend some time carefully studying him, so she could come up with something appropriate.

AtDC

Wrapping and Unwrapping

During the healing of the hawk, Brun was keeping tabs on the hearth with the strange member. He visited often, causing Ayla and Oga to become nervous, but observed that there was nothing out of the ordinary there. Oga was still behaving as a woman should; serving the needs of both men of the hearth, as well as visitors, and caring for the children and the cooking. Ayla had not changed either. She tended to all of Grov's needs, and served Broud if Oga could not, she cared for all four children as if they were her own, she tended to cave's health needs and she gave a significant portion of her time to the hawk. She did all this without complaint, even when she herself was tired.

One evening after thinking long and hard about it, Brun let both Broud and Dorg know that he had decided to take Brac and Vorg out on the spring hunt. Broud was very excited that the first son of his former mate might soon be a man; that would give them even more to talk about. Dorg, on the other hand, was a little nervous about the son of his first mate going on the hunt; as a mixed child, he was actually much younger than Brac mentally and physically, even though he was taller, andthe boy was all that the man had left of his dead mate.

The morning after making Broud and Dorg aware of his thoughts, Brun came to the western part of the cave to individually notify each man that the spring hunt would be in a few moons, and that they would have a men's meeting that evening to discuss the hunt.

The leader stopped first at Dorg's hearth, knowing the man, and the son of his first mate, were nervous about the boy's impending hunt, and wanting to reassure them both that it was not necessary for Vorg to actually make a kill, but to see a kill, and to be ready for one soon. When the leader left their hearth, both felt much better, and were looking forward to the hunt.

When Brun finished with Dorg, he went to Daub, who looked like he would quite happy to get out of the cave for an extended hunt.

"The winter had been long," Brun was saying, "And we will discuss which women will be coming with us on the hunt at the meeting tonight. Obviously, some cannot go."

Daub was nodding at the leader's statement. "Yes, I do not think Eka should go, since she has the two little ones to care for...but I suppose someone else could care for them, so she could go. I guess we do need to discuss it further."

As Brun was standing in the small central space of that area talking to Daub, he could not help but notice that loud shrieking that was coming from Grov's hearth, so he cut off the conversation to go investigate. What he found astounded him.

When he entered the hearth, he could see that Broud and Ayla were standing close together, with their backs somewhat turned to the hearth entrance, and Broud was helping the woman by wrapping her hand in a leather cloth, and tying thongs around it to hold it in place. Brun could not tell why they were doing what they were doing, so he continued to watch. At first he thought Ayla might be injured, but did not see any blood to denote injury, so he just stood there. As he watched he became amazed that the son of his mate was doing anything for the medicine woman. He was truly impressed with the change in the man, but still worried that it was not permanent. The leader decided to wait until the man was tested further before making any decisions about his future. Some changes would have to be made soon though, he thought, or Oga's baby would be unlucky, but he would think about that later.

What Brun realized as he watched the scene was that the hawk was not happy that the man was touching her. As soon as Broud was finished wrapping the woman's hand, and stepped back, the loud shrieking ended. Ayla then removed the figure eight bandage from the bird, and put her wrapped fist in front of the hawk's feet. The bird immediately ruffled his feathers and stepped onto Ayla's hand. Then, when the woman turned around, and the hawk saw Brun standing there, he began so shriek once again, frightening the leader. Ayla quickly put the bird back in the wooden enclosure on the cave shelf scolded him, "You are too loud. You must not shriek like that."

Ayla went over to the leader and knelt down; at his tap Ayla looked up. "This woman did not see the leader come in. This woman would know if the leader would like some tea."

Brun looked at her, "Water would be fine. I have come to talk to Grov and Broud about the spring hunt. Where is your mate?"

"This woman thinks he went outside for some fresh air. It is a little stuffy in the cave."

Brun grunted, indeed it was, he thought. "I see that you have removed the bandage from the hawk. Is he able to use his wing?"

"This medicine woman has just removed the bandaging, so I do not know, but his wing seems to be functioning." Ayla handed the leader a cup of water.

With that, Brun turned toward Broud. "The men will meet in the men's cave after the evening meal to discuss the hunt. Let Grov know. Also, Ebra wants both her children, and their families," the leader paused, thinking that Broud and Ayla made very odd siblings, and then turned to look at Ayla again, "to join us for the evening meal. She says you and Oga are working too hard, and should be able to rest for a night. She says that she will make the meal for all of us."

Broud and Ayla just nodded. Ayla felt guilty; the leader's mate would be cooking for two hands of people, but Broud was excited that he would be spending the evening at his mother's mate's hearth, which he had not done in quite some time, and then they would be going to a men's meeting. It would be a good evening.

AtDC

Broud's Pain

When Grov returned, with all three boys in tow, it was not long after Brun had left. He brought with him five ptarmigan: two in one hand, and one in each of the boys' hands. Ayla decided to cook two of them prior to going to the leader's hearth for the evening meal, despite Ebra's wish to do everything. Oga agreed that it was a good idea, and assisted by caring for the children.

It did not take Ayla long to get the ptarmigan into the ground oven, but the hawk was not happy to see the fresh kill disappear. He began to squawk loudly again, voicing his anger. Ayla signaled him to stop, then ignored him, and he finally gave up, but he watched everything that she did carefully; following her every move with his eyes.

When she had finished getting the food going, the medicine woman decided to go to the indoor pool to wash. "Durc and Ora," she said to get their attention. "Come with mama. We're going to get clean for our evening meal. Oga, do you want me to take Brac and Grev too?" she gestured, picking up her soap root, and a few absorbent leather towels. Oga nodded, and then Ayla turned to Grov. "Grov, do you want to come with us? I will wash your hair," she said suggestively.

The man looked at her and smiled. "Of course I will come with you." Grov got up, grabbed another towel, and led Ayla, and the two children, who obediently followed the pair down the dark passageway.

Broud watched them with an amused expression. He was beginning to see what they saw in each other, but he still thought they were the ugliest creatures he had ever seen, unlike Oga, whom he considered just the opposite.

At the indoor pool, Grov preceded to make a fire, so they could get some water boiling. When the water was boiling, Ayla took out another watertight basket, and mixed the boiling water with some of the pool water to make warm water. Then she took off her wrap, stepped into the pool, and shivered from the cold. The pool was only present because of the ice melt coming in from the cave opening above, and it was as cold as ice.

The woman quickly dunked herself up to her shoulders, and signaled Brac to get in and wash himself. Then, she picked up Ora to wash her thoroughly. Ora resisted when she was put in the cold water, but Ayla pulled her out quickly and set her on the bank of the pool. With a wet cloth and some soap root, Ayla scrubbed the child from head to toe, then dunked her in one more time, and handed her to Grov, who stood waiting. Ayla went through the same steps with Durc and Grev, but the boys did not complain about the cold. "Boys, take Ora back to the hearth, and put on clean wraps."

When the children had left Ayla turned toward her mate. "Well, are you coming in, or not?"

Grov looked at his mate. She was still standing in the pool, and the water that was dripping off of her body was glistening in the firelight. His eyes caressed her curves as they moved up from her wet legs and focused on her growing stomach. He was so happy that she was pregnant after only a short time. This was definitely a lucky mating, he thought. When he could finally tear his eyes away from her belly, and his thoughts, he looked next at her breasts, which had grown significantly with her pregnancy. Her nipples were hard from the cold, but he could see from her suggestive stance that there was more to it than the cold water. He could not stand it any longer, and stepped into the water with her. Unfortunately, the cold water held him at bay for the moment while she washed him completely, and then he had the pleasure of washing her too.

When they got out of the pool, they dried each other off, and caressed one another lovingly. Ayla took Grov's member in her hand and stroked it gently, causing it to become rigid once again. Grov pushed his mate down on the leather towels, and entered her slowly, being careful not to lean on her stomach. Ayla moaned with pleasure, and arched to receive him, shuddering with each thrust.

At the hearth, Broud was sitting drinking tea while Oga busied herself dressing Ora, when Eka came into the hearth looking for the medicine woman. Apparently Aka had stepped on something and was bleeding, and needed Ayla's assistance. Oga went off to fetch the medicine woman.

As Oga approached the couple engaged deeply in one another she hesitated, but realized Ayla's first duty was as medicine woman, so she cleared her throat, causing the people to look up at the woman.

Grov frowned, but could tell by the woman's look that something was wrong. "Oga, what is it?"

"This woman does not mean to interrupt, but Aka has stepped on a sharp rock and cut herself." Grov sighed, pulling his member out of his mate knowing that she would have to go tend to the child.

Ayla quickly gathered up her belongings, and looked at Grov, who sat there with his swollen organ throbbing, and felt bad that she was leaving him full of need. "Grov, I am not the only woman here," she said gesturing toward Oga. Grov glanced at the woman standing a little ways behind his mate, and nodded. As Ayla hurried off, she saw Grov signal Oga, and Oga complied.

Back at the hearth, Ayla asked a few questions of Eka, and began treating Aka's cut foot. When the child's foot was bandaged, Ayla dressed and sat down to talk to Eka about the cut. Ayla could see that Broud was anxious about something, but the woman didn't know why, and made him wait for her to finish. When she had a second, she turned toward the man, "Do you need something, Broud."

He hesitated, and then said, "Where is Oga?"

Ayla thought about his question, and considered that the man was going to be upset, and then answered him. "She is with Grov at the pool."

Ayla saw a look of unmistakable pain pass through his eyes before he left the hearth. Ayla sighed knowing he wasn't going to be happy with what he saw.

When Broud came into the clearing by the pool, he saw Oga down on her knees with Grov behind her, draped over her body and resting on her back. The man had just finished, and was taking a few breaths, but he had not extracted himself yet. Oga had her head hanging, and was also breathing deeply. She was flushed with pleasure.

Broud, on the other hand, was devastated, and flushed with anger. This was the first time he had ever actually seen someone taking his woman, and he could not keep silent.

"Oga!"

The woman looked up, and Grov opened his eyes. "You better go back to the hearth Oga," Grov motioned to her as he withdrew himself from her and got up.

Broud's face was red with anger now, but he was rooted to where he stood, and just watched the woman as she walked by him in fear, then turned his angry look on Grov. Grov cleaned himself, and put his wrap back on, then went to the man.

"What are you doing, Grov? You do not need Oga, you have Ayla," Broud sneered.

Grov was shocked at the man's anger; men of the Clan regularly signaled the mates of other men if there was no one else to relieve them, and Oga wasn't even Broud's mate. He did not know that Broud had never liked the idea of sharing Oga when they were mated, and now Broud had no one else he could signal. "Broud, I was only relieving my needs. I'm sure you know that Ayla had to go back to the hearth to help Aka. You are acting as though I was beating her for no reason."

Broud tried to compose himself, knowing that Grov had done nothing wrong, but he didn't like it that Grov signaled Oga. Broud changed tactics. "How would you feel if I signaled Ayla?"

Grov face turned a little red at the thought. "It is not the same, you are not allowed to signal the women. You are not even supposed to be signaling Oga, but she allows it."

"And if I was allowed...would it bother you then?"

"Yes, but only because you and Ayla have had many differences. You have not always been nice to her. In fact, from what I have heard, you were unbearable to her, and I would not like for my mate to be unhappy."

Broud was standing in a defensive manner, but Grov could not help but notice that the former leader was clearly in pain over the matter. "Is there something else you want to say Broud?"

Changing tactics again, Broud said, "I am concerned about Oga's baby."

"What about it?"

"Well...Brac and Grev must have been created by my totem spirit; they look just like me. And Durc...I now agree that he too was created by my totem spirit, but...what about this new baby?"

Grov sighed not seeing where the man was taking this. "And, what about it?"

"I am concerned that Oga's totem was defeated by your spirit...since you spend so much time with her." The last part came out with obviously pained gestures. Broud did not like looking so weak, but he could not help himself.

"Does it matter Broud? As long as the baby is healthy, does it really matter?"

"Yes it matters," Broud gesticulated angrily. "I do not want another man's children at my hearth."

Grov frowned, thinking that the man was deranged. "First of all, Broud, it is Ayla's and my hearth that Oga lives in, not yours. Secondly, the children would be Oga's children, not 'another man's children'. And finally, who cares whose spirit created them? You do not see me angry that Ayla's totem was defeated by your spirit, do you?"

"It is not the same," Broud gestured in a frustrated manner.

"Why not?"

"Because. Because you were not here then and...and it was my right at the time."

"Well Broud, is it not my right to do the same thing now. Oga is not your mate, and even if she was, I had need. I don't know why we are even discussing this. You really have no right to be angry, and you have no right to interfere with what woman a man signals, even if it is Oga."

Broud hung his head feeling defeated. "I know, Grov," the man said weakly. "I just...don't like to share Oga. Until you she had not been signaled by another man, and I liked it that way."

The tall man sympathized with the former leader, and considered the fact that someday his own mate could be signaled by another man. He was not sure if it would upset him; he had not thought of it before. It did not seem to bother Ayla that he signaled Oga; she actually encouraged it, but it clearly upset Broud. "Come on, Broud, let's go back to the hearth and get ready to go to Brun's hearth."

Broud nodded to the man, with similar thoughts in his own head.

Grov smiled and nudged the shorter man. "I'm sure Oga would assume any position if you signaled her when you get back."

Broud snorted, which was the closest he could come to laughter, and walked with Grov back to the hearth.

AtDC

Ayla's Hawk – Part II

Back at the hearth Ayla was just finishing up on Aka's foot, and handed the child back to her mother. Oga had been assisting, but her mind was elsewhere. When the two men arrived at the hearth, Oga looked up nervously, and then got up, poured tea, and sat at Broud's feet, hoping he would not be upset with her. Broud frowned down at her, not upset with her, but struggling to control what the Clan considered weakness. Grov decided long before that pain was not weakness, and he would talk to Broud again later.

When Broud had control of himself, he tapped her shoulder and accepted the proffered cup of tea. "This woman would make you happy Broud. What can this woman do for you?"

Broud looked at the beautiful woman before him, wishing she was still truly his, but thankful that she had not been given to another man yet, and thankful that she still seemed to want him after all he had done to her. "Yes Oga, you can relieve this man," he said giving her the signal. The woman popped up from her kneeling position, and placing a hand on his forearm, guided him to their furs. Broud had to admit, he was enjoying the newfound pleasure of signaling his former mate, and he couldn't forget who had given him the gift; Ayla and Grov.

When Broud and Oga had gone, Ayla went to sit with Grov. He had obviously been able to calm Broud down. "This woman would know what you said to him?"

Grov smiled. "He does not want to share Oga, and he sure said some strange things."

"Like what?"

"Well, he said that he doesn't want another man's children at the hearth."

Ayla frowned, she had often considered the parentage of the children of the Clan. Everyone knew who the mother was, but no one really knew which man's spirit defeated a woman's totem. She had been thinking about that topic herself, and she concluded that it was a man that was responsible for the creation of life, and not spirits. And more directly that it had something to do with men making the signal. As she considered it further, she decided that Durc was started within her only after Broud had forced her, and that it was obvious that her son was of Broud's spirit. Ayla looked over at Durc and smiled. She had hated Broud when he did that to her, but she was thankful for her son. Her son, she thought…wouldn't Durc be Broud's son as well if it was him that directly created the life within me?

"Is he worried that Oga's totem was defeated by your spirit?"

"Yes, and it could be possible, but why would he think of the baby as a man's child?"

Ayla thought again for a moment, then began, "Well Grov, this woman does not think a woman swallows the spirit of a man, and then if her totem is defeated then she will has a baby. I think that when a man places his organ inside a woman, they are creating new life."

Grov frowned. "But Ayla, men signal women many more times than a woman becomes pregnant. I don't see how that can be."

"I haven't figured that part out yet, but I am almost certain that I am right. I did not become pregnant until after...until after Broud...and look at Durc. Other than having my bulging forehead, my son looks almost identical to Broud...and Brac and Grev. I think we will know whether Oga's baby is yours or Broud's, as soon as it is born, and I am positive that mine is yours, because I have not relieved any other man except you."

Grov smiled down at his woman, there was really something special about her. "Does it bother you that Oga may be carrying what you say is my baby?"

"This woman would ask you the same thing Does it bother you that Durc is most definitely Broud's son?"

Grov considered her question. "No, I just don't like what he did to you."

"This woman does not like it either, but I wanted a baby so badly, and I would gladly go through it again if that was the only way to have my son."

Grov watched her talk about her son, and about the man that may have created the child, and he noticed that she did not harbor any of the pain and anger any longer. He decided that this was very good, and wondered if Broud would ever truly get over Ayla.

"Ayla, you did not answer my question. Does it bother you that Oga may be carrying my baby?"

Ayla was shaking her head before he had even finished his sentence. "Grev and Durc were milk brothers, and I believe real brothers. I think it is great that Oga's new baby and my new baby may be siblings too." Ayla paused for a second, "But, this will be very hard on Broud if the child is yours and not his."

Grov nodded in agreement, but they all still had some time to wait to find out.

When Broud and Oga entered the hearth, Oga was again all flushed. Broud informed them that they were heading off to the pool to wash, but that they'd be back hurriedly so they could leave. Ora begged to go with the couple, but Ayla told her no.

While the couple was gone, Ayla put the last preparations to the ptarmigan together, and fed the hawk. This bird still needs a name, she thought as she sat waiting for him to take the next morsel of quail. When the woman had lapsed into daydream, the hawk shrieked loudly to get her attention. Ayla smiled at her winged friend. "You are a very loud bird. You are always shrieking at everything. Maybe that would be a good name for you," then she tring to imitate the hawk with her own loud shriek. He cocked his head, and repeated her shriek, as if responding to her. "That is what I will call you," she said calling him in the manner in which he would speak to other hawks.

Grov watched her and had to laugh out loud…and he thought Broud had said some strange things. Ayla had just convinced him that men created babies, therefore making them a man's child as well as a woman's child, and she had just named a bird, which she was calling by his animal sounds.

AtDC

Brun's Hearth

Broud gave Ayla a look of disbelief. "You named the hawk?"

"Yes," she said matter of factly. "We cannot just keep calling him 'the hawk,' can we?"

Broud thought for a moment. "But if he is healed, then you need to let him go. Why bother naming an animal. People do not share caves with animals."

Ayla looked at the bird, which sat perched on her wrapped hand, and wondered about a hawk living in the cave. She had grown attached to him during the moon cycle that he had been staying with the Clan. She hadn't realized that this would happen, and she now knew that she could not just 'let him go.' Ayla looked into the wise eyes of the young bird, and rubbed his head. "This woman will set him free if he wants to go, but I won't force him to go if he wants to stay."

Broud frowned, thinking that this woman was very stubborn. Brun was not going to like this...he did not like this. He did not want to share the hearth with a bird, but...the bird did not really affect him, did it? He supposed not. "What did you name him?"

Ayla smiled, she had seen the pebbles rolling around in the man's head, and could tell he was not happy, but was reaching for acceptance. When she said the birds name she sounded like the bird, which caused Broud's mouth to drop open. "Ayla, that is not a name."

"This woman has been listening to the hawk, and that is what he says all the time. I think it is a good name."

Without realizing it, the man was engaging in a debate with the woman, and it did not seem to bother him. Grov and Oga watched from the side, looking back and forth. "We cannot sound like a hawk Ayla. You need to come up with something else."

Ayla thought for a moment, realizing that the whole hearth was watching them. She tried to form the loud bird sound into a spoken word. "How about Shriek?"

Durc said the word with no problem, and Grov repeated it after the boy. Then Ora piped in and said, "Shreeeek!" She liked the word sound game. Everyone else attempted the name, but just could not pronounce the sound. All they could manage was Seek.

Ayla nodded, thinking that that was okay with her. She would call him with bird sounds, and refer to him as Shriek. And then, the mixed Clan people could say Shriek, and the Clan could at least say Seek. Ayla decided that the bird would not care. "I think Shriek suits him fine. I think it is a good name."

Broud shrugged his shoulders, still thinking the woman was strange for naming a bird, but not wanting to discuss it any further. "Are we going to Brun's hearth or not?" he asked changing the subject.

Ayla put Shriek back in his enclosure, gave him some food, and then picked up Ora. "Okay, this woman is ready."

As they left the hearth, Grov said, "Do you want me to take Ora from you Ayla? She must be getting heavy."

"This woman can carry her if Oga will carry the food," Ayla said handing the platter of food to Oga.

When they arrived at Brun's hearth, Ebra made a big deal about welcoming them to the hearth. She first offered a drink to the three men, then hugged both Oga and Ayla, and finally acknowledged each child separately. Brun was shaking his head, thinking that his mate was acting as though they had never been there before. Ayla too was wondering what was wrong with Ebra, but decided to question the woman about it later.

When the people were settled on mats around the fire, Ebra, Oga, and Ayla served the men their evening meal. Ebra was thrilled that Oga and Ayla had brought a contribution to the meal even though she had said that she would do it all. Brun noticed this as well and thought they were a credit to Grov's hearth.

As they ate, the men informally discussed the coming hunt. Brun informed them that he had seen bison in the valley just beyond their territory, and that he had decided to hunt them.

Grov nodded, thinking that a bison hunt was a great idea. They had not had bison in a long time. "Bison is good meat. I would like to have some bison stew," he said, knowing that his mate was watching the men as they discussed her favorite topic.

Broud was finishing up his plate of food, and was happier than he had been in many moon cycles. The only thing that would make him happier, he thought, was to have his mate back.

"At the men's meeting we will discuss what women will be coming with us on the hunt. I am thinking that neither of your women should go, Grov, since they are both pregnant." Broud frowned at Brun's wording, but tried to relax. "But I don't know what to do about bringing a medicine woman along. Uba cannot go either since she has two new sons to care for."

Grov looked at Broud's expression, and thought for a moment. "I think we should bring Oga. Broud will need his woman there, and she is not that big yet. As for Ayla...she is a better choice than taking Uba away from her new sons, or having no medicine woman to heal the men if necessary. Besides, I'm sure Ayla would want to be there," he concluded looking over at his mate.

Brun was nodding, thinking once again that the mixed man was very logical. Broud was happy too, because Grov was making suggestions that would benefit him. Neither man missed that Grov had referred to Oga as Broud's woman, if not his mate. This got Brun thinking...what was he to do with the unmated pregnant woman? The leader looked over at the women. Ebra and Oga were engrossed in conversation, and Ayla was rudely staring over at the men. Brun had learned from Grov that women of the Others hunted all the time, and he was finally beginning to understand that Ayla was truly one of the Others, but she should control her staring, he thought.

"Ayla!" Brun snapped. "Do you need something?"

Ayla blushed, feeling embarrassed that she had been staring. "No Brun, this woman apologizes for staring at the men. I was just interested in your conversation." She looked down and started to turn away.

"Ayla," Brun said again. "Do you think you and Oga are fit to go on the hunt?"

Ayla glanced at Grov and Broud and considered the question. "This woman thinks so, but I don't know if we could be of that much use. We can butcher meat, and clean hides and skins. We can care for our men, and I can heal any injuries, but it would not be good if we carried heavy loads."

Brun grunted and turned back to the men. "Let's go discuss the hunt with the rest of the men," he said getting up. Grov and Broud got up as well, and as they walked back to the men's cave, the other men of the Clan followed suit.

AtDC

The Men's Meeting

When the men left, Brac asked to go off and find Nouz and Vorg. He was very interested in learning from the young man Nouz, and Vorg, though mixed had become a good friend. The women allowed the boy to leave the hearth.

Grev and Durc played just outside the hearth's boundary, and Ora fussed but lay on Ayla's lap while the women talked. As the women continued, Ayla steered the conversation toward Ebra's behavior.

"Ebra, this woman would know why you are fussing so much."

Ebra tried to evade the question by saying, "Can't a mother take care of her family?"

Ayla and Oga narrowed their eyes. "Ebra, Oga and I have been pregnant before. We love that you want to take care of us, but it is not necessary." Oga was nodding her agreement.

Ebra got up to get more tea. When she sat back down she changed the subject. "So, this woman has heard that you have named the hawk, but I cannot say the name correctly."

Ayla glanced at Oga, both women decided to let Ebra drop the subject of her behavior. "Yes, his name is Shriek."

"Sseeeek," was as close as the woman could come, but the mention of the bird got Ora's attention.

"Shreeeek, Ebra, it's Shreeeek," the child said, over pronouncing the hawk's name. Ebra just shook her head.

In the men's cave the conversation had only one topic; who would go on the spring hunt. Some of course could not go.

"I have decided that we will hunt bison. Just a few days ago a herd was spotted by Corg and Norv in the valley just beyond our usual territory. We will set out in this many days," he gestured, holding up two fingers. "Now, we need to discuss who is going on the hunt, and who will stay behind. I have already decided that Grov and Broud are going. And, that Brac and Vorg will come, but not to hunt. Therefore I think Dorg should definitely go too. Is there anyone that would prefer to be left behind?"

Zoug, Droog, Goov, and Vorn raised their hands. "Zoug would speak, Brun."

"Zoug may speak."

"I am too old to go hunting, but not to old to stay behind to defend the cave."

"Yes Zoug, you are the perfect defense for our women and children. You may stay." Then turning toward the other men. Droog?"

"I would like to stay behind and work with Groob on his hunting skills. The boy will soon be a man, and I would like him to be ready for his manhood hunt."

Brun was nodding, and looked over at the Goov and Vorn. "I don't suppose your wanting to remain behind has anything to do with the two new sons at your hearths?"

Both men nodded in agreement, and Brun agreed to let them stay behind. "Okay, what about the women? Ebra will go of course." That much they all knew. The leader seldom left his mate behind if he could help it. "We are taking Ayla. We may need a medicine woman and Uba is indisposed at the moment. And Oga will go," Brun said without giving explanation. "Who else?"

"Grod would speak, Brun."

"Grod may speak."

"I think Uka would prefer to stay behind, and care for children. She is not fond of extended hunting trips."

"That is fine Grod. I am sure Ebra would be happy to serve her sister's mate along with me. Crug?"

"Ika will go," he said, not wanting to rely on another man's mate to serve him.

Brun nodded, "Dorg?"

"I think Uga would rather stay at the cave, and I can use Daub's mate if I need to," he said looking at his brother.

Daub was nodding, "Eka will gladly go, if someone will care for the twins.

Grod brightened, "I am sure Uka would be happy to do that for Eka."

Brun was pleased with how accommodating his hunters were being. "Corg?"

"We will need many hands to carry the meat back…Aza will come with us."

Brun skipped over Daub since they had already heard from him. "Norv?"

Norv also did not want to rely on another man's mate. "Oda will come with us, but she will worry about Ura, and I do not want to bring Nala."

"Borg would speak, Brun."

"Borg may speak."

"Ona can stay to help care for the children. I'm sure she would be happy to do that."

Brun nodded. "Okay, we will take Brac and Vorg on the hunt, but we will also take Igra since she is a woman, and Orga, since she will be soon. What about the other children," he said turning to Grov who had his hand raised, "Grov?"

"Since Uga is staying, Ayla will leave Ora with her so she can nurse the child, but I think Grev and Durc should come with us."

Broud was nodding. "Oga will be worried about having Brac out with the men. It may help to have someone to focus on."

"Okay Grov and Broud, the boys may go."

"Dorg would speak, Brun."

"Dorg may speak."

"If Grev and Durc will go, then Breg will want to go...but without his mother there to make sure he behaves, it may not be a good idea."

"I am sure Ayla and Oga would be happy to keep an eye on him, Dorg," Broud spoke out.

Then Crug's hand went up again. "Crug would speak."

"Crug may speak."

Since Ika and Igra are going, Dorv will go. Ika will need to nurse him.

Brun nodded. "Okay, the rest of the children stay. Does anyone else have anything to add?" Brun looked around to see all fourteen men shaking their heads. He gave a final nod and dismissed the men.

As the men were leaving, Brun thought of something else. "Broud," he said, and waited for the son of his mate to join him. "I need to talk to you."

Those Going on the Hunt

Brun and Ebra
Grod
Grov, Ayla and Durc
Broud, Oga, Brac, Grev
Crug, Ika, Igra and Dorv
Dorg, Vorg and Breg
Corg, Aza and Orga
Daub and Eka
Norv and Oda
Borg
Nouz

Those Staying at the Cave

Zoug
Droog, Aga, Groob and Aba
Goov, Ovra, Droov and Creb
Vorn, Uba, Brev and Berc
-~- Uka, caring for Ada and Aka
-~- Uga, caring for Ora and Egra
-~- Ona, caring for Ura and Nala

AtDC

Brac's Decision

Broud frowned, wondering what Brun wanted, and thinking he had done something wrong again. "Yes Brun," he said questioningly when all the men, with the exception of Goov, had left the room.

"Broud, I am wondering if Brac has considered a mate for himself."

Broud sighed audibly, glad that he was not in trouble. "I do not know Brun. I guess Igra is the only unmated woman. I was going to mate Brac to her."

"Yes, I would have too, but now we have more people to consider. Brac is not a man yet, but Nouz is. However, if Brac wants her, then I will put off mating Nouz until there is another woman to give to him."

Broud was nodding. "I think we would have to talk to Brac, because I am not sure. If you want me to guess, I would say he is not interested in Igra now that there are other girls here."

The leader considered the words of Ebra's son. "Bring him to me, and we will discuss it with the boy." Broud gave a clipped nod and left.

Broud went first to Brun's hearth, but was informed that the boy was somewhere with Nouz and Vorg. Broud went first to Norv's hearth, but the boys weren't there. Then he went to Dorg's hearth, but only Vorg was there. "I think they're playing in one of the empty hearths in the back of the cave," Dorg informed him.

Broud started off for that part of the cave and found the young boys playing hearths with Igra and Orga. Boys usually felt this game beneath them when they became men, such as Nouz had, or even when they were close to manhood, like Brac was, but it appeared that they were doing more than just playing. Broud smirked at Oga's oldest son as he entered the hearth, and seeing him behind Orga, pumping away he thought to himself, well, I guess we know which girl Brac wants.

When Brac realized that Broud was standing there he was almost finished. Broud signaled him to finish, and walked out of the hearth to wait. Brac finished and left his friends to join Broud in the passageway. "This boy apologizes for not knowing you were here."

Broud waved his hand dismissively, secretly proud of Oga's son for coming into his own. "I am only here, because Brun wants to talk to you. Actually, it's about this very topic."

Brac frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, Brac. Let's go see the leader."

When Brac realized they were heading for the men's cave, he became excited; he had never been in the men's cave before.

Within the men's cave Brun and Goov sat by the fire waiting patiently. The Mog-ur wanted to know what the boy's choice would be as well, since he would be doing the ceremony.

When Broud returned with Brac, the boy looked scared and awed at the same time. He was scared that he was being summoned by the leader, and apparently the Mog-ur as well, but awed that he was being allowed to enter the men's cave before he was a man.

"Brac, please sit down," Brun gestured to the boy. Brac came in and sat as he was instructed. Broud sat down next to him.

Goov looked at the boy. "Do you know why you are here?" Brac shook his head, with wide eyes.

Brun looked on with humor in his eyes. "Relax boy, you are not in trouble. We just want to know if you have any interest in Igra. She has been a woman for a while, and you will soon be a man. As the son of the mate of the son of my mate, I want to make sure you have the woman you want. You are lucky there; not many others would be asked."

Comprehension finally crossed Brac's face. "This boy is not interested in Igra...but Nouz is."

The men all looked at each other, and then Brun turned back to the boy. "You do realize that another woman may not come available for quite some time? The next oldest girl is Orga, and she is only one season past her weaning year."

Brac was nodding. "I would be willing to wait for Orga. She is the one I want to mate."

Brun gave a nod to the Mog-ur, who left promptly, and then looked back at Brac. "You can go back to whatever you were doing." Brac glanced at Broud, and then ran off to join his friends and their activities.

The two men watched the boy go. Brun was glad the boy had made things easy on him. Now he wouldn't have to worry about mating Nouz. "He might have to wait a while for that one."

Broud smirked again, and relayed the story of finding Oga's son deeply embedded in Orga. If Brun could have laughed he would have. "Ahhh, to be young again."

The two men left the men's cave, and returned to the Brun's hearth. The women were still talking. Those woman sure can talk, the leader thought. When Ebra saw Brun enter the hearth, she jumped up and began fussing over him, much to his annoyance. "Ebra! What are you doing? What is wrong with you? Just get me tea, and go back to the women."

Flustered, Ebra did as she was bid and went back to the women's discussions.

Ora, who had been dozing on Ayla's lap, heard Brun's voice and woke up. When she saw Broud, she struggled to get up. "Want Broud," she gestured to Ayla, who was busy with the women and didn't pay attention to what the girl wanted, and let her get up.

Ora toddled over to the men, and seeing her coming Broud scowled. "Ora want sit on Broud's lap."

Broud looked over at Ayla, who had her back to him, and then signaled that the child could sit down. She did so with a huge grin on her face, and proceeded to play with the hair on the man's arm, and promptly fell asleep in the man's arms.

Brun watched the son of his mate, wondering who this man sitting with him was. Certainly this was not the man that hated Ayla with a passion. What was going on in the western section of his cave?

The night ended shortly afterward when Grov came to collect the women and children. Broud was going to stay, but didn't want Oga to go back with Grov, without him, so he too got up to go.

Ayla expressed her pleasure at eating at the leader's hearth, which Brun dismissed, but was pleased to hear to hear the woman's compliment. Ebra hugged the two women, which caused them to look at her strangely, wondering what was up. "Are you sure you have nothing to tell me, Ebra?" Ayla asked secretly.

Ebra looked completely unaware of what the woman was talking about, and shook her head. Ayla eyed her suspiciously, but figured Ebra would tell her if there was something going on. "We are going now," Ayla said, and then followed her mate out of the leader's hearth.

AtDC

Extended Hunt – Day One

The few days went by rapidly, and soon it was dawn on the day that more than half the cave would leave on the spring hunt. Brun had ordered that everyone meet outside the main entrance shortly after daybreak, so that was where everyone was. The ones that were not going carried supplies and packs for those that were leaving.

Tensions were high, but everyone was also excited about the change. Those staying behind knew it would be lonely with many relatives gone, but also easier and more relaxed. Those going on the hunt were looking forward to some time away, and the change of pace. It would be hard work, but they were looking forward to it all the same.

Brun and Grod lined up in front as they always did, with the first medicine woman behind them. The rest of the woman, carrying children and the Clan's belongings, came behind Ayla, while the men flanked them for protection. It was travel as usual.

Uga brought Ora, who was crying hysterically, to Grov and Ayla for a last goodbye, and Ayla could hardly stand the child's cries. "Ora, mama will be back very soon," she said taking the child from Uga and crushing her in a big hug. Grov put his arms around both the woman and the child, and shushed their tears. When Uga took the child back she offered her a breast to quell the child's sobs. Ayla knew she could not take her for she could not offer the child a breast, not yet. Uga then went to her son, Breg, and reminded him to listen to the women.

The only other upset was Ada and Aka, who had never been separated from their mother before, but they were quickly distracted from the departing people by the promise of playing with friends; Egra and Ura were not upset about the separation, and were waiting to play with the twins.

When Brun finally gave to signal to start out, Ayla was relieved to be on their way; the goodbye was just too painful. As they disappeared around a bend, Shriek flew out of the cave, located his trainer, shrieked in true Shriek fashion, and swooped down, landing on the woman's outstretched arm, which she had quickly covered to protect herself from the bird's talons

Ayla had wanted to take him, but figured that since he could fly again, he would be okay if she left him. She was wrong. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight, and Ayla was glad.

Brun spent the first day walking at a steady pace. He wanted to get to the valley in no more than three days, so that they could set up a camp, and wait patiently for the bison. He knew that the bison would go to that valley, because the scouts had seen them passing through. His only concern was that they would have to leave Clan territory to do their hunting. He decided it was worth the risk to have bison meat.

The people fell into a routine rather quickly. It was as if they hadn't stopped traveling even though they had been settled in their cave for two hands of moon cycles. Ayla was thrilled to be out and about again. She had always loved going on the extended hunting trips, though the Clan didn't go on them much. She collected a massive variety of plant life, and contributed greatly to the evening meal that night. Grov was becoming more and more aware of how much his mate actually knew about plants.

Ayla truly loved her forays, but tried to include whoever wanted to learn to gather as well; it became a lesson that lasted all day. Oga helped the woman carry all that they gathered while Ayla explained the finer points of each item to the interested women. Aza, Eka and Oda helped as well impressed by the woman's knowledge, but it was Igra and Orga that were most adept at finding and identifying the different plants.

The first night, they set up tents, but spend a considerable time out under the stars, enjoying the fire and meal. For a people that did not adjust to change well, they would appear to be quite content with the different scene.

Ayla had slipped away to put Durc to bed before the storytelling began, as did all the women with their own children, but all returned quickly to enjoy the stories. When Ayla returned Grov motioned that she should sit close to him. She sat down between his legs and leaned against his chest, and relaxed completely. The man wrapped his arms around her, and rubbed her growing stomach. Several thought it odd that he did this, some even considered it rude, but the man did not care; he was very happy.

The strangest part was that Broud did the same thing to Oga, who was shocked by his actions, but melted as soon as the man touched her. Brun could tell Broud was learning from being at Grov's hearth, but he wondered about the behavior; it was very un-Clan-like, which made him uneasy.

During the storytelling, Nouz signaled Igra to his tent. The young woman looked positively pleased that the man had been enticed so easily.

After they left, Daub decided to turn in, but signaled Eka to go to Dorg's tent. Daub knew his older brother would be lonely without his mate. Dorg was seldom without Uga since the earthquake.

After the meal and stories, the people that had not already gone to bed went with their respective mates, or alone, to their tents; exhausted from the day of travel. It had been a long day.

Back at the cave, everyone was turning in as well. Droog had had a successful lesson with Groob, who had been upset at first to learn that he would stay behind, but was now happy to have had the time with his mother's mate. It was good to have some time alone with the man of your hearth, the young boy thought after the day's hunting.

AtDC

Extended Hunt – Day Two

On the second day of travel Brun's Clan rose early and the women packed. The Clan assumed their positions, and started off without preamble. Only Ayla and Oga were without heavy burdens, though they did carry plenty, and they did their best to herd wayward children.

Ayla decided to work on training her bird while they traveled, much to the amusement of many. Some shook their heads that she would even try, but all watched with rapt attention.

As she walked along, never missing a step, she held out her arm, gave it a subtle shake, indicating to the bird that he should fly away. Then, when he had lifted off, and was soaring high above, she would pull out a piece of fresh meat, and shriek a call out to him. It did not take him but few tries, before he figured out the drill, and came to his savior. From then on out Shriek usually came quickly, though he was enjoying his renewed ability to fly. During that whole day, he began to fly off on his own, but never let the woman out of his sight.

The people were amazed that the woman could control the animal so easily, but none more than Brun. Brun wondered about what other things this woman could and would do in the future. Future, he thought, and then wondered why he would be thinking about what lay beyond the immediate here and now.

That was an odd concept, for the Clan did not usually think about the future in the sense that the Others did. They thought about the coming winter, by storing the necessary food to get them through, and a leader had to consider who would mate whom, but that too was necessity, without doing this they would die off, but beyond this, they had no concept.

Without meaning to, Brun's large Clan brain was adapting and changing. After ten seasons with the woman of the others, he had learned that life was full of changing. It had been hard, and still would be for everyone, but Brun knew back in the deep reaches of his brain that it would be necessary to survive; if only for a short time.

That evening was not much unlike the previous evening, with the exception of a few sleeping arrangements. Eka slept with her mate that night, while Grod had asked for and received permission to signal Ika, and Borg signaled Igra.

AtDC

Extended Hunt – Day Three

The third day began early with a warm wind that was not typical of spring. It blew into their faces, making Brun a little nervous thinking that something was wrong, but they continued their journey. As they walked, the prairie grasses became longer and longer until the people could no longer see over them. This did not help to calm Brun down, but Corg assured the leader that they were heading in the right direction.

The people walked on and on, listening to the sound of the warm spring wind, which had become a breeze, as it blew through the grasses. It was rather calming, Ayla decided, and glanced up at Brun. He too looked more relaxed, she thought. The only other sound was sounds of the people crunching the grasses, and that of Shriek as he squawked high above their heads.

By late afternoon they had reached the valley that had been their destination, and Brun called a halt. The prairie grass that littered the valley floor was much shorter; about knee high, which make visibility better for all. Far off in the distance, many large animals could be seen. They knew that it was a herd of bison, but they were too far away to see what the make up of the herd was. Good thing we are down wind, Brun thought.

As the women set up camp, the children played, and the men left to scout the area and decide on the best approach. It appeared that the bison had nowhere to run, for the valley seemed to be enclosed. The hunt would be the next morning. The men would set out early, and with luck, would be back before the evening meal.

Ayla was pleased with the hunting location, for she would be able to watch it, if only from their far off vantage point. She knew she would not be able to participate, only in part due to her pregnancy and her means of hunting. A sling would not kill a full-grown bison. But mostly, she knew that she would not be allowed to go on the hunt, due to her gender, but she still craved to see every bit of it that she could.

The woman finished her work, and then began to scan the area looking for the best place to watch the hunters. When she found it, she sat there for a while with Shriek listening to the breeze and enjoying the movement within her body. Not much longer, she thought to herself. I will be holding another baby very soon, she smiled to herself.

When the men returned Grov noticed his mate sitting alone on the hillside, so he went to her.

"Ayla, what are you doing?"

Ayla looked up at the man and smiled. "I am just enjoying the day, thinking about our baby, and wishing that I could go on the hunt."

Grov knew she might be thinking about the hunt. It was, after all, her favorite pastime. "I know Ayla, but even if it was possible, Brun would never allow it...and it's not possible right now anyway. You have something far more important to do; protect the baby." The man knelt down beside her and put his hands on her belly, and kissed her lips tenderly. Ayla kissed back passionately, then smiled at her mate.

"Yes Grov, and this woman is so happy to be having your baby." The two of them sat there for some time watching the bison off in the distance, and the people below them, before returning to the encampment.

AtDC

Danger

The next morning came very early. The women got up to serve the men their morning tea, but that was all; the men would not have a meal. The men, and the two boys, Brac and Vorg, sat by the fire, drinking their tea, then got up silently and left the women alone. This part made the women very nervous, but there was no other way. Ebra was left in charge, and Brun knew that Ayla would be the women's only protection. He had considered leaving a man behind, but didn't do it. Ayla would do fine. She could chase off many animals with her sling, and their fire and movement would keep many others away.

Ayla watched the backs of the retreating men still wishing she could go. But, knowing that it was not to be, she sighed, and then joined the women in the making of a morning meal. Where the men thought it better to fast before a hunt, the women and children were under no such restriction; they would eat heartily, and have food waiting when the exhausted men returned.

Some women worked together on the meal, while others gathered for later. Ika had been cooking when her two-year-old son, Dorv, began to fuss, so Igra under Oda's watchful eye, took over for her. Ika was nursing her son when the meal was ready, so Ayla prepared a plate of food for the woman. The other women, and the three young boys, sat with Ika in a semicircle around the fire, enjoying the calm of the morning.

The women didn't have much to do. Some cleaned up from the meal, while others went back to their gathering. Ebra sat down with Ika, who was working on weaving a new cooking pot, and showing her daughter the finer points of her intricate basket design. Ebra had just picked some of the heavy prairie grass, and wanted to make a large, shallow platter.

Time passed quickly as the women happily conversed and worked together. Soon it was time for their afternoon meal, which went about the same as the morning meal.

When the meal was done, Ayla wanted to go up on the hillside to watch the far off hunt, but decided to take the three young boys. "Durc, Grev, and Breg," she called. "Come with the Woman Who Hunts. This woman wants to do something with you."

The young boys were excited to be going up the hill with the Woman Who Hunts. They knew she would not have called herself that if she wanted them to do something that was not hunting related, and it got them out of cleaning up after the meal.

Ayla and the boys hiked up the hill, and sat down. Ayla had not expected the men to be so close to the beast already, but they were there, and apparently the hunt had started. Ayla could see one downed beast, and pointed it out to the boys.

"See Grev," she said, recognizing that it was Broud's form that she could see hovering over the dead animal. "Broud has made a kill. You should be very proud." Grev looked on amazed as did the other two boys.

"And look at Brac and Vorg," she said, pointing to the two boys that had been placed off to the side. "They are very close to the bison. This woman is sure they are learning a lot."

Down below, the women had continued on with the activities that they had been working on during the morning. Ika had just put Dorv down for a nap when the breeze changed directions. No one commented on the warm and dry breeze, nor did they mention the change, but all of them noticed it.

When Ayla felt the change she thought nothing of it—at first. She watched the hunt with excitement, and continued to explain what was happening to the boys. Then, for some reason, the bison stopped milling around, and began to dart off in different directions. Ayla felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, as she watched in horror as one of the beasts ran straight for Brac and Vorg. Ayla stood up feeling helpless, realizing that the change in the wind had brought the bison their scent, and that of their fire. Brac and Vorg were off to the side of the hunt, but not far off. Ayla relaxed somewhat as she saw Grov and Brun down the animal that was about to assault the children. She took a deep breath.

Then, before she could relax fully, she saw that a few of the animals had turned and were stampeding toward them. She watched closely, and considered the size of the opening to the prairie. We should be fine, she thought. The bison have plenty of room to run by us.

It was not long before the women could feel the ground shaking under them. They could see a dust cloud, but nothing else. They were frightened, and looked up at Ayla, knowing she could see more from her perch.

"Ayla?" Ebra called out questioningly.

Ayla turned to look at Brun's mate. "The bison are stampeding. They are heading for the opening to the prairie," she gesturing, then pointed toward the opening. "We should be fine, Ebra." But as Ayla turned to look back at the bison, she saw that two of the beasts had veered off from the others, and were heading directly for the women.

"EBRA!" Ayla screamed, but the woman didn't look up. "EBRA!" Ayla tried again, but now it was too late. The dust cloud had become enormous, the ground was shaking violently, and the bison were grunting and groaning as they madly approached what they saw as escape from certain death.

Ayla turned to look at the men. Several were already running back to their camp, then Ayla turned toward the three boys that were watching, unaware of the coming danger. "This woman wants you all to wait here. Do you understand me? DO NOT leave this hill!" The boys' eyes widened and they all nodded, wondering what was going on.

With that, the Woman Who Hunts left the hillside, hoping to get to the women before the bison did.

AtDC

Ayla's Transgression

Ayla ran down the hill as fast as her pregnant body would allow. Ebra had seen the frantic woman coming, and became nervous. She had not missed the growing dust cloud. Ayla arrived with some time to spare, but gasping for breath. "The bison are coming this way," she gestured holding up two fingers and pointing. "Take the women up the hill," she ordered Brun's mate. Ebra nodded. The women were already running for the steep hillside, but as first medicine woman, Ayla would go last. She helped the women up the initial first step, which was steep, then looked behind her to make sure everyone was gone. To her dismay, Orga was still standing by one of the tents, completely terrorized by the imminent assault. Ayla had no choice but to go to the girl, despite the danger to herself.

"Orga, what are you doing?" Ayla gestured when the girl focused on her. But Ayla didn't expect an answer. Instead, she just grabbed the girl and ran for the hill. Luckily Ayla looked over her shoulder in time to see that they would not make it to safety, and instead veered to the left. The two bison veered with her, and were closing in. Ayla turned again, now heading back toward the area where the woman had been only moments before. The woman circled one of the tents, considering hiding in it, but knowing that the bison could trample it easily. As one of the bison came around the tent, the other continued to run away from them. Ayla, pulling the girl with her, ran around the tent again. Ayla and Orga were heaving with exhaustion; the two could not last much longer, but then Ayla saw something across the camp, and had an idea.

As the frightened and angry bison came around again, the two frightened people dodged, and when they came to the tent opening, Ayla quickly shoved the child inside and kept up the chase. The bison had not seen her hide the child, nor would he have cared; he chased after the movement.

When Ayla rounded the tent for the fifth time, she darted toward the fire, and the object she had spotted; a lonely spear that the men had left behind. She did not hesitate to pick up the hunting weapon; it was her only chance. Ayla adjusted the weapon so that she was holding it as she had observed the men holding theirs, and in the next instant, the woman was thrusting the spear into the bison's angry, bloodshot eye. The spear pierced the eye with a popping sound, and entered the animal's brain, causing the beast to topple before her.

Ayla had blood all over her hands, and there was a stripe of blood that ran down her face, onto her wrap, and down her leg. The bison had definitely marked her as the hunter of the kill.

When the woman noticed that both of her hands were still on the spear, she removed one hand, and grabbed her amulet, sending thanks to her totem that the bison had not been charging, but had instead been coming at her with slow exhaustion. She knew that that was all that had saved her from having the animal land right on top of her.

The woman was shaking, and realized she was using the spear to hold herself up. She feared that without it she would have fallen. Then, she began to comprehend what she had done, and she paled. Oh no! Not again! she thought. She looked over at the women, they were all staring at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. Oh no, I have saved myself only to be death cursed. I should have let him kill me.

Ayla felt the blood in her veins and in her heart pumping wildly. She was shaking violently with fear and loneliness, and her eyes were becoming unfocused. She was beginning to feel light headed and dizzy, and then she felt nothing as she slipped to the ground unconscious, one hand on her amulet, and the other hand still tightly gripping the spear.

AtDC

Back In Order

The women had watched the battle rage before them, and all were stunned that the great beast had not gored the Woman Who Hunts. They had watched her protect the child, they had watched her give chase, they had watched as she hid the girl, and they had audibly gasped as she grabbed the hunting weapon. Now they stared at her, covered in blood and sinking to the ground. They all continued to stare.

Durc was the one to recover first. "Mama! Ebra, we have to help Mama."

Ebra shook her head, as if to dispel the scene from her mind, and she saw the fear in the boy's eyes. "I will go. Everyone else stay here."

The leader's mate crept down the hill, and jumped down the steepest part with ease, and went to the crumpled woman. Orga had come out of the tent, and was gawking at the spectacle before her. Ebra quickly went to the downed woman. Ayla lay on her back, but had fallen into the bison, so she was slightly propped up. Ebra knelt down beside her and put her ear to the woman's mouth. She breathes, Ebra sighed, but she's covered in blood.

Ebra looked the woman over, she turned the Ayla's head from side to side. No cuts, no injury. She looked at her arms; no injury there either. The leader's mate gingerly touched Ayla swollen belly, and felt the baby kick violently within her. The baby is okay, she thought, thank Ursus. Then she ran her hands along each of the woman's legs, finding nothing of concern. When she did not see any injury she decided that the blood belonged to the bison.

Then Ebra noticed that Ayla's hand still clutched both her amulet and the spear. She tried to pull Ayla hand off the spear, but the woman's grip tightened as she pulled, and Ebra did not want to touch the spear to remove the woman's hand.

Ebra turned to the child, "Orga, get water!" Then she looked up at the women and gestured to them. "I think it is safe, and I need some help."

Aza came to help Orga with the water, and Ika joined Ebra. "She has fainted, but she will be live...at least until the men return and Brun curses her." Ebra was distraught over the thought of losing Ayla to the spirits.

Ika put her hand on Ebra. "Just wait and see Ebra. Let's get her cleaned up first." As Ika was saying this, Grov came running up completely winded from the long run. Ebra gasped to see him standing there staring at them.

As he knelt down beside Ayla, he turned to the women, and demanded to know what happened, even though it was plainly and painfully obvious as to what had happened. Ebra was so frightened that they could not even answer the man.

Eka came up behind him, and told the man the story of how Ayla had come and saved them all; she had gone back for Orga, who had not run to the hill. She had hid the child in the tent. She had made the bison tired by running it around, and then Eka told him how Ayla had finally killed the bison with the spear.

Grov looked back at his woman, who lay peacefully against the dead bison, then looked up to see Brun, Daub and Norv running toward them. Grov feared what would happen to her, since she had touched the weapon, but right now he just wanted to help her. He reached out and prided her hand off the spear, gathered the woman into his arms and held her as if she were a baby.

Brun approached and Ebra told him the story, flinching as she told the part about the spear. Brun frowned. "She killed the bison all by herself?" Ebra nodded as he looked at the dead animal.

He turned to Daub and Norv. "Look at this kill. She stuck the spear right into the bison's eye. That is a very difficult target."

Daub looked at the spear. "Yes, a very difficult target, but the best one for certain death. She could have gone for somewhere else, and easier place to hit, but that would have angered the beast had she been unsuccessful. She made the right choice." Brun was nodding.

Norv was watching the three men. One was holding the unconscious woman with watering eyes, and the other two were discussing the merits of her hunting. "Who cares if she made a good kill! She is a woman who used a hunting weapon. It is bad enough that she is allowed to hunt with a sling. She should be cursed for this."

Brun looked at the young man. "Yes Norv, that is the custom, but we sometimes have to consider other things. The spirits do not like to see Ayla punished so severely. She has been death cursed twice before. The first time it was temporary, she came back to us, and the spirits did not object. The second time she was cursed the earthquake that destroyed all of our caves came. The spirits were not happy that she was cursed. I will not unsettle them or us again.

I also have to consider other people. This woman has a mate and two children, and a baby on the way. Ebra says the baby is fine, so I cannot condemn a pregnant woman. That would condemn her child, and possibly her family."

Norv's face had turned red at the leader's words. This Clan was so different for the one they had lived with. His previous leader would not have hesitated in cursing a woman who touched a weapon...but then his previous leader would not have had to, no woman would have touched one.

In just a short time, the women had all come back down, and started getting things back in order. After they had everything picked up, three of them worked on a meal, while three of them butchered the bison, which Brun had deemed they would keep, and Ebra and Ika began to wash to woman up.

When Ebra touched the wet cloth to Ayla's face, she groaned and her eyes flickered open. She stared around her, and realized she was in Grov's arms, and that Ebra and Ika were there with her. She began to cry knowing the consequences for what she had just done.

Ebra shooshed her, and continued to clean her up. "Ayla, just relax. No one is going to curse you yet. Please just let this woman clean you up."

Ayla nodded, stifled a sob and closed her eyes. Then her eyes flew open again. "What about my baby? If I am cursed, I cannot take care of my baby alone."

"Ayla," Ebra said sternly. "You need to relax. Right now your baby is fine."

Grov squeezed her and kissed her forehead. "I will go talk to Brun, Ayla." He eased her to the ground, where she sat up on her own.

"I think I should just go rinse off in the river. It is not too far," she said looking at the water wistfully.

Ebra nodded, "I will go with you."

As the two women got up to leave, Shriek took off and followed. He had been perched on top of one of the tents watching, but now that she was up, so was he.

Grov was nervous as well. He had already decided that he would leave with Ayla if she was cursed, but he didn't think she would be. She would most definitely be punished, but not cursed. He approached the leader.

"I see that your mate has woken up," Brun started off before he could even sit down.

"Yes, she has, but she is very nervous."

Brun was considering the dilemma he was in. He couldn't curse her, but he couldn't just do nothing, and he couldn't even curse her temporarily; she might give birth during the temporary curse and die. The leader remembered the birth of Durc; no, she could not be alone for that.

"Tell her that she will not be cursed. I will not endanger the Clan or her family with a curse. I will have to talk to Mog-ur though, before I can know what to do. Tell her also that I do understand she had no choice."

Grov looked at the leader, whom he considered a wise man, and nodded.

It was evening before the rest of the hunters arrived back at the camp. They had had a heavy load to carry back, and two less men to do the job. As they set the beasts down, and came up to the fire, the women brought water. Brun had ordered no gossip, so the men wondered about the butchered bison, hoping the leader would fill them in soon.

AtDC

Shriek's Discovery

The rest of that day, and a few days afterward, were filled with work for the women. The men had done the hunting, now it was time for the women to butcher the dead bison. As some women worked on the butchering, others quickly constructed racks to hang up the meat, which were situated by the fires. Grod started several fires for the women's purposes.

Ayla and Oga were in charge of hanging the meat up, as it was the easier of the two jobs, but Brun had let them know that they should also service all of the men's needs as well, so the other women would not have to stop what they were doing to bring water, and such.

Oga was a little apprehensive of Ayla to start off, considering the incident that had just happened, but both the women were happy that they could work together; they had become extremely close during their time living in the same hearth. Ayla too was nervous, but with each passing day she relaxed more. Brun still had not spoken to her about what had happened, but he did not appear angry, just pensive.

Brun watched the two women as they worked, and was pleased that the two of them had finally found friendship. Ayla was a strange looking woman, but she was a good woman, despite the things she did that were unClan like. Had she not been one of the others, they would be short several members: Ona, Brac, Ebra, Oga, and now Orga. Who had he missed? Broud? She had definitely saved the son of his mate, though not from death.

After days of butchering and drying, the bison were picked clean, and the meat was ready to be stored. Brun noticed that they had more meat than one hand full of women could carry. Ayla and Oga could only carry limited loads, and Ika had to carry Dorv. Brun didn't know what to do. It was Grov who suggested that the men help. Brun's sense of propriety was offended by the idea of doing woman's work, but he also did not want to loose what they had worked so hard for. Each person, including the six children, were instructed to prepare a pack of meat. The men balked at first, but a sharp look from their leader set their hands on the task.

As they lined up to leave, Brun looked at his people; no one was heavily burdened. This is a good idea, he thought. The women are no so weighted down, so they will not slow us down. The man wondered why he had not thought of this before.

The trek back to the cave started off as a happy one. The people were tired, but pleased that they had secured so much meat. No one made mention of Ayla's transgression, and she soon let it slip from her mind, though not completely.

Toward the evening on the first day of travel, Shriek suddenly took flight. Ayla tried to call him back, but the bird was unresponsive. They had been walked through the tall grasses most the majority of the day, and Ayla could not see where the bird had gone. Then, just as suddenly as the bird had left, he appeared over the people again, and true to his name he shrieked loudly. Ayla did not know what was wrong with him. She called him again, but he flew away.

Brun could see that the hawk was agitated, and it made him nervous. "Ayla," the leader called.

Ayla went to the leader and kneeled at his feet, and when he tapped her shoulder, he immediately asked, "What is wrong with that bird?"

Ayla frowned up at him, "This woman does not know, Brun." Shriek shrieked again, and was hovering over them. Ayla held out her arm and the raptor landed on it, shrieking loudly in her face. Then he took off. "I think he wants me to follow him."

Brun nodded in agreement. "Take Grov with you, and Broud. The rest of us will make camp here for the night."

Ayla got up and went to Grov first to tell him what Brun had instructed her to do. Then she went and kneeled at Broud's feet. Broud knew that something was up, but did not know what and was very curious. He tapped the woman's shoulder.

"Brun is allowing me to go see what all the squawking is about, and he wants you and Grov to go with me." Broud grunted acceptance, and pulled out his spear. Shriek appeared over them again, and called out urgently.

The three people followed the bird for what seemed like a long time, when finally they began to hear a whimpering sound. Ayla was very curious as to what it could be, but as they got closer, it was obvious that it was the sound of a human crying. A human child of the others, Ayla thought.

They approached the sound cautiously, wading through the tall prairie grass slowly, not wanting to frighten the person, but also not wanting to interfere if there was no need to. Ayla was the first to see what lay before them.

As they parted the grass they saw a child of the others, a girl child, sobbing and crumpled over the body of a woman. The child did not see them approach.

Without haste, Ayla went to the girl, and kneeling down beside her, she lay a hand on the girl's arm. The girl sat bolt upright, and stared at the woman. The girl was blonde and blue eyed, and her face was dirty and covered with tears. Ayla took out a leather towel, and wiped the child's face. "What happened here?" Ayla gestured to the girl. But the girl did not respond. Ayla tried the ancient language, but that too elicited no response. The child was babbling, but Ayla did not know what she was saying.

Grov and Broud watched from behind the grass, but something made Grov step out of the grass and into the girl's view. She stared wide-eyed as the mixed man approached, and then gasped out loud when Broud came forward. She had never seen a flathead before, but she was told that they were animals.

Ayla followed the girl's eyes, and could tell that she was frightened of the men. "Grov, she does not know how to speak properly. I do not know what to do, but the woman is injured and I would like to look at her."

Grov knelt down by the woman, then looked at the girl. "You Sa-gay-ah," the man asked, pointing at the girl. When she nodded, the man smiled at her. He had heard her babbling, and had recognized the language. It was the language that Nora had spoken. Nora had given him many lessons in her language; he never thought that he would need it.

Ayla was shocked that her mate could speak to the child. "Grov, what did you say to her?"

Grov looked at his mate. "The child is from the same people that Nora was from. They are called the Sa-gay-ah."

"Sungaea," the child corrected.

Ayla looked at the girl. "Sugaya." Then shaking her head, she tried again, "Sun-gay-ah." The girl smiled.

Grov pointed to the woman. "What wrong? Where people?"

The girl began to cry again. "This is my auntie. We're lost."

Grov was struggling to remember all that Nora had taught him. Auntie...he knew he had heard that before, but couldn't remember what it meant. Lost...he did know what that meant.

"They're lost, Ayla." The woman nodded and started to look the woman over. What a strange wrap she's wearing, Ayla thought. Ayla touched the woman's skin and found that it was dry as a bone, then on closer inspection, she noticed that the was no moisture in the woman's eyes or mouth either. "She's dehydrated, Grov. How can that be? The child seems to be fine, but the woman is dehydrated."

Grov just shrugged his shoulders, while Ayla examined her further. "She has a badly twisted ankle, and a bump on the head, but I am more worried about giving her water." Ayla pulled out a skin, and first offered it to the girl. The girl took it and drank heavily, then smiled at he woman. "We have to get her to drink some water, Grov. Will you try to sit her up so she does not choke?"

Grov went around the woman, and picked her up. He propped her up against his chest, tilting her head back against his chest. Ayla put the skin to the woman's parched lips, and poured gently. The water went into the woman's mouth, but then dribbled back out and onto her wrap. Ayla tried again. The same thing happened, but this time the woman licked her lips. Her eyes did not open. Ayla tried a third time, and the woman appeared to try to swallow, but chocked and coughed as the water went down her dried out throat. The woman's eyes fluttered, and she groaned, but she did not awaken.

Broud had not said or done anything; he just stood there. He could tell that the child was frightened of him. The child brought back memories; memories of when Ayla had been found. The girl appeared to be older than Ayla had been, but the resemblance was uncanny. Did all the others have yellow hair and blue eyes, he thought? He glanced at the unconscious woman; her hair was blonde too, though not as light, but he could not see her eye color.

Ayla looked at the girl, and tapped her own chest. "Ayla."

The girl smiled, "Ayla." Then she tapped herself, "Braydalana."

Ayla cocked her head, and tapped the girl's chest, indicating that she wanted the girl to say her name again.

"Bray-da-la-na," the child spoke slowly, drawing out the word.

"Ba-da-la," Ayla said. That was as close as she could come on her first try. "Bra-da-la-na," Ayla said, clearly upset that she could not seem to pronounce the child's name. She tapped the girl's chest again.

"Bray-da-la-na," the child said smiling, and thinking this was a fun game.

Ayla concentrated, then made another attempt. "Brayda-lana." Ayla knew she had gotten it, and was pleased with herself. Grov tried the name, and did not have trouble. Nora had trained him to pronounce the other's words well, Ayla thought. Broud on the other hand, could not say more than Ayda, which made Ayla start thinking...that was very close to her own name.

After learning the girl's name, Ayla pointed to the unconscious woman. The girl understood instantly that the woman wanted her auntie's name. "Jenadoza. Jen-a-do-za," the girl articulated slowly.

This one was easier Ayla thought. "Zen-do-da."

"Ja...Ja...Jen-a-do-zza," the child said again.

Ayla smiled, "Jenadoza." She was pleased with herself, and so was the child. Again, Grov had no problem, and Broud skipped over the first part of her name altogether, and called the woman Oza.

Ayla looked at the two men. "This woman would like to take them back to the camp. It would be easier to treat the woman, Jenadoza, there. Do you have any objections?"

Grov shook his head, and they looked at Broud. Broud was struggling again, Ayla could see it. This was bringing back memories for both Ayla and Broud. Ayla didn't remember much, except that Iza had rescued her, and then cared for and loved her. Broud was thinking about all the wrongs that he thought the woman had done to him. He knew she had not meant to, but he was worried about it happening all over again.

"Broud, we can't just leave them here; they will die."

Broud nodded, then walked away. He decided that he should return to the camp to inform Brun of their findings.

Ayla smiled at the girl, then pointed at the man's retreating back, "Broud." Then Ayla touched Grov's hand, and said, "Grov."

The girl pointed toward the tall grass, which now hide the retreating man from view, and said, "Broud." Then she put one hand on Ayla and the other on Grov, and said, "Ayla, Grov." And then she smiled.

Ayla smiled as well, and so did Grov. Then Grov tried to talk to her again. "Come, camp, people."

The girl's eyes opened wide again, she was definitely frightened, and wondered what kind of people were at this camp. "People like Ayla, or people like Broud," Braydalana asked.

Grov, wasn't quite sure of what she was asking, but he thought he knew. Nora had told him that the others didn't like the Clan much. What did they call us, he tried to recall? He couldn't remember.

He looked at the girl. "People...Broud."

The girl looked even more scared, and was shaking her head. Ayla put her hand on the girl's arm. Grov thought for a moment. "Ayla take care. Ayla, medicine...healer," he said, remembering the correct term.

The girl still looked apprehensive, but nodded, and stood up. Grov picked up the unconscious woman, and Ayla took Braydalana's hand, and they headed for Brun's camp.

End of Part TWO!

Post Script

As stated at the top of this page, there are TEN parts to this. However, part ten is unfinished...and I hardly ever update it anymore. Sorry! I repeat...you are reading an unfinished story. Continue at your own risk!

Again, it took me over an hour to transfer part two from the site where I originally posted it to here (copy/past, copy/past, copy/past, copy/past, copy/past...and so on), so it might be a while before I transfer parts three through ten. I promise that I'll eventually get it all moved over.

Thanks for reading and for your patience!