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).

9. Part 9

Author's Note

Reminder – this fic is UNFINISHED...so when you get to (and through) part ten, don't bitch at me that you weren't warned! In fact, you are being warned at both the top AND bottom of each and every part, so...yeah!

Okay. So. Due to someone's very kind interest (noted in repost of the previous part (8)), my interest is renewed. Yay! Except that...I still have no plans of adding any more new stuff once all ten parts are up. I just...don't know if I have it in me. I am reREADING it though, so...that's something, right?

Anyway, I worked really hard to make sure all the scene breaks are there...but again, I apologize if some are still missing. I'm actually in the process of revamping the entire thing. I'll repost/replace the parts as I get them done. We'll see if it's any different. *sigh*

And further...sorry about the typographical errors (spelling, grammar, and the like). This was written years ago, when I was new to writing and just didn't know any better. I have, since learned A LOT! However, not all the errors are mine, as this site seems to make changes without my knowledge and/or consent. It's WEIRD!

After the Death Curse – Part NINE (of ten)!

NEW CHAPTER

Her basket full, Ayla headed back to the earthlodge. She'd gone out early, at Gredenzia's request, but now had what she was sure was more than Oak Camp's shaman had asked for.

She'd managed to collect a few other things as well: some mint leaves, which she liked to put in Grov's morning tea, because she knew it was his favorite, the purple flower-covered Lucerne grass, or alfalfa, that grew in plentiful supply across the land, and some rose hips. The alfalfa and rose hips were both good in tea, adding a nice flavor, but would provide the necessary nutrients Ayla believed Danara was lacking. Though the child had gained some weight already, she was far too thin and it had been on Ayla's mind a lot. She'd also come across some of Iza's goldenthread. Relieved to have found it, she collected that too and promised herself she'd begin taking it immediately, should the spirits choose to battle within her soon.

On Whinney, with Stomp and Nicuria trailing, Ayla rode lazily, enjoying her time out and about alone. Her times of solitude were always special—rarely did she have a chance to collect on her own. While with the Clan, she usually went out with the other women, a man hovering protectively while they gathered, and her time with the Others had hardly afforded her any time for gathering period, let alone by herself. She was at peace as she sat ahorse and not really paying attention, until some birds took to the air, first one and then two more. Instinctively knowing they were ptarmigan, she nudged Whinney to a run and pulled out her sling, a few stones at the ready. They were quickly dispatched.

After retrieving her kills, she hunted down their nests and collected several eggs, a clutch of five eggs in one, another seven, and only three in the last. Fifteen altogether—what a feast I'll make, she thought happily as she gently put the eggs on top of everything she had collected, then went to the stream. Once there, she picked some long reeds growing by its edge, tied the birds' feathered feet and draped them over the mare's back. Quickly then, she returned to the lodge.

~oxoxo~

"Oh, there you are!" Zarina burst when Ayla'd made her way to the cooking hearth. "Grov said you'd gone out to gather, but you were gone so long that I started to worry."

"I'm sorry," Ayla said. "I did not mean to worry you."

Zarina shrugged. "It's just the way I am, Ayla. Don't be sorry. I see that you found what you were looking for," she said, her eyes going to the younger woman's overloaded basket and the dead birds. "And some, I'd guess."

Ayla nodded. "Yes, I found many things." Dropping the ptarmigan on the ground, she said, "I would like to make my ptarmigan dish for the celebration."

Zarina smiled, remembering how much they'd all enjoyed it the first time the woman had cooked it for them.

"But I need to see Gredenzia first," Ayla went on.

Zarina nodded, but it was Fraylora who spoke. "He's waiting for you in the ceremonial hearth, Ayla. Just go on in when you get there."

Smiling, Ayla thanked her, then went to see the shaman.

~oxoxo~

Arriving at Bison hearth, Ayla frowned at the closed curtain. Then remembering Fraylora's words, she quietly pushed it aside and stepped in. Not wanting to interrupt, she just stood there at the hearth's entrance silently watching the man for several moments. He was sitting, cross-legged on a mat, within a circle of stones on the ground, in front of his fire. Eyes closed and waving a smoking plant, he chanted softly, seemingly in another place. But Ayla had the distinct impression he was aware of her presence, as well as the other goings on within the lodge, and moved in further.

"Gredenzia?" she finally whispered. "I have brought the sweet grass you requested.

He opened his eyes and smiled. "Thank you," he said, standing and glancing into the basket she held. "As you can see, I use a lot of it." He gestured about.

Ayla looked around to see the vanilla-scented grass strewn throughout the shaman's hearth, covering the ground, and hanging from the ceiling in several places. And even burning in his fire, she realized. Nodding, she said, "I use it in tea sometimes."

Gredenzia nodded. "I am drinking some now. Sit, we'll have some together."

Ayla had other things she needed to do, but still unaccustomed to doing anything else when a man made a command, she quickly put her basket down and did as she was told. When he handed her a cup of tea, she sipped at it and waited for him to speak.

"You are a part of Oak Camp, Ayla, from your birth. But you do not really remember being here."

She nodded. What he said was true, for the most part, she remember very little of being at Oak Camp.

"Do you feel comfortable here?" he asked.

For a moment, she had to think about it, but then she nodded again. "Yes, I am comfortable here. It is not the same as Brun's cave, the people and the customs, but I do feel comfortable."

Gredenzia smiled. "That is good. I was worried that you were not. Being gone from what you are used to for so long is difficult and...you have not been treated well since your return."

Ayla frowned. "Oak Camp has been very welcoming, Gredenzia," she objected.

"Not everyone."

Ayla's thoughts turned to Ivanolia's reaction to her presence in the beginning and she shrugged. "That no longer matters."

"So, you are happy here?" he said with a big grin. "Not just comfortable."

"Yes, I am very happy here, Gredenzia," she said, wondering about his concern.

"Yet you will not remain?"

Ayla's frown deepened as she realized where the conversation was going. Shaking her head, she said, "I cannot. I have a life...status...a family with the Clan. A sister and...a brother." She nearly grimaced at her wording she'd used to describe Broud—she still did not like the man, but had accepted their place so near one another. "And a mother of sorts," she went on, speaking of Ebra. She could not just abandon those who had raised her.

The man nodded. "I understand that. Family is important. But you have family here as well."

Ayla's forehead knotted further. "Yes, that is true." The thought of leaving her Oak Camp family pained her, but there was still more to consider than just herself. "But Durc is to train for leadership. The Clan needs my son. And I am their medicine woman. We cannot just leave."

For a moment he studied her, then he nodded. "We had hoped to convince you to remain, but it is understandable that you cannot. Vincenzia said that you would not stay and is already mourning your departure."

"I too am sad," she admitted. "I like being here and will come back...I promise. But that is all I can promise right now."

Gredenzia smiled despite his disappointment. "And we will accept that, since it seems that's all we can have. Just know that you are always welcome at Oak Camp."

Relieved, she sighed. She'd been afraid the man was going to try to talk her into staying, which would make her departure more difficult. She was glad he only wanted to reassure himself that she would be back. "Thank you."

The man chuckled. "Don't thank me, Ayla, you were born here and were numbered among us at birth. You are as much a part of Oak Camp as any other; the sacred hide attests to that."

Ayla smiled and nodded, but didn't really know what he meant by being numbered. She assumed it was similar to the practice of the Clan, but wasn't positive. And the sacred hide? She had no idea what that was.

"Now, it looks like you have things to do," he said, nodding at the other things in the basket she had brought in as he stood up.

"Oh, not really. I'm going to make a dish, for the adoption ceremony, but I am not so busy that I can't sit and talk with you."

His brows raised, he said, "Your ptarmigan?"

She nodded.

Smiling, he nodded. "It is already a favorite here, I think, and we've only had it once."

"It was Creb's favorite," she said. "He was..." Her heart tightened. It still hurt to talk about the venerable old magician who'd loved her as his own. "The man of my hearth when I was young."

"And your Shogur?"

Ayla nodded. "We called him, Mo-gur, but...Mog-ur," she said, the sound of her voice becoming more guttural. "But yes, Creb was our Shogur."

Gredenzia nodded. He was intrigued by the word so like their own in sound if not pitch and wanted to ask more questions. But his mind was moving too fast for all the questions he had for her. He just wished that he could spend the winter at her Clan's cave. Though impossible, he knew the teachings there would have been worth the while. Feeling slightly discouraged, he'd mentally made a listed of things he wanted to ask Ayla, in hopes of getting as much information out of her before she had to leave.

"Hmm. I've been curious about how your Creb discovers one's protecting spirit."

"Our totems?" Ayla asked.

"Yes, do you know?"

Ayla shook her head. "All I know is that he would sit and think on it, sometimes for a long time, and it would come to him...eventually." She shrugged. "But I do not know what else he did, if anything."

Gredenzia appeared to be considering her words. "That is what I do. Sometimes it is easy, other times...not so much." He paused, then nodded, as if to himself, then spoke again. "I would like to show you something, Ayla, but I want Grov to be here. Do you think he would be willing to join us?"

Ayla shrugged. "I don't see why not."

Gredenzia smiled. "Then I will make more tea while you get him."

Nodding, Ayla picked up her basket and left.

~oxoxo~

Danta awoke to a grumbling in her stomach and realized she was feeling the pangs of hunger. Not true hunger or starvation, but she was ravenous. She'd missed the evening meal due to pure exhaustion and now, she deduced by the level of noise in the lodge and the feeling of the air, it was late in the morning. Realizing she'd slept through the morning meal as well, she frowned and sat up, frustrated that she'd have to go out and hunt something up.

Then she smiled and, remembering they were at Oak Camp, where food was readily available, started to get up. Looking down at Davaria and Danara, who were apparently still sound asleep, she was a little embarrassed that she'd crawled into her brother's bed. He hadn't seemed to mind, and his presence had been comforting, but she wondered if it was appropriate now that they lived within Oak Camp. What would people say? Would they be made fun of—again? She remembered some Sumac members frowning on it, even going so far as to taunt Davaria, saying he'd never find a woman willing to share his furs if his bad-luck sister was always in them. Eventually he'd told her to stay out of his bed and leave him alone. It had hurt, but she did understand; it wasn't natural for a sister to need her brother so much. She did not realize that if there had been others who cared, then maybe she wouldn't need him so desperately. She only hoped that things would be different here. Maybe it would not bother people that they were so close. Or maybe, just maybe she'd finally feel comfortable enough to keep to her own furs.

Smiling down at Davaria and Danara, Danta re-covered them, then she changed her clothing and put on an old pair of camp shoes. It wasn't cold in the lodge, but she didn't relish walking through it with bare feet. Quickly, she left her hearth and went to the main communal cooking area.

"There you are!" Zarina said with a smile. "We were beginning to make wagers as to how long you'd keep to your bed."

Danta blushed. "I-I'm sorry."

Wäglodia chuckled and maneuvered himself in between Zarina and their newcomer. "Don't you listen to her," he said, smiling at the headman's mate as she gave him a look of shock. "She's been giving us all a hard time this morning."

Danta tried to smile. "I really am sorry. I guess I was tired."

"But now you're hungry?" the man asked knowingly.

Danta nodded. "Absolutely famished," she said with a roll of her eyes.

He chuckled again and took her elbow. "Well, come and sit down. We have plenty and it's all sitting here waiting for you to eat it."

Fraylora appeared then with a covered plate. "We set this aside for you," she said as she put the plate down in front of the woman and removed its cover. "And there's one for Davaria and Danara too, should they ever decide to join us."

Danta smiled and tentatively took a bite. Then she took another—and another. She didn't recognize anything on her plate, but it was delicious. Soon her belly was full.

"Here! Let me take that," Zarina said as she swooped in and grabbed Danta's empty plate.

"Oh, I can do it," Danta said, standing and following the other woman over to where she was obviously going to clean the plate.

"No, no, you just sit. You've had a long walk. Here's a drink."

Danta frowned at the cup of tea that had been shoved into her hand. Her walk hadn't been any longer than anyone else's, why the personal service? she wondered. But then she was distracted when Ayla came into the cooking hearth with Grov.

"You are up!" Ayla said happily. The blonde woman reached out and gave her a spontaneous hug, then turned to Fraylora. "May I leave the children here with you? Gredenzia has asked me to come back to the hearth...with Grov."

Fraylora nodded. "Of course. Go on ahead," she said as she flicked her wrist in a go away motion.

Ayla smiled then, at Danta, then she walked out with her mate.

~oxoxo~

"Gredenzia?" Ayla said when they'd arrived at the Shogur's closed curtain.

As if he'd just been standing on the other side waiting, he immediately pulled it open and gestured them in. "That was fast." Then to Grov, he said, "Good morning."

Grov returned the greeting, but waited, unsure as to why they were there.

"Okay," Gredenzia said as he clapped his hands together. "Come in. I have something to show you both."

They watched as the man reached for something on the shelf carved into the back of the ceremonial hearth, then with interest at what he was unrolling. At first, it just appeared to be a plain hide, but then they saw that it wasn't.

"This," Gredenzia said, "is where we number those among Oak Camp."

Fascinated, both Ayla and Grov studied the hide set out in front of them. It was covered with tiny symbols and depictions of animals, each apparently representing a member of Oak Camp.

After studying it for several moments, Ayla frowned and looked up at the man in confusion. "But there are many more animals drawn here than there are members of Oak Camp."

Gredenzia nodded. "Yes, this shows the history of Oak Camp...from its beginning."

Ayla's eyes widened as she looked the hide over again. "Oak Camp has seen many lives."

Gredenzia nodded. "Yes, with you and your age-mates, Oak Camp has entered into its fourth generation in this lodge," he said proudly.

"I have not ever seen something like this before," she said, then turning to Grov she asked if he had.

Grov shook his head. "No. I have seen painting on cave walls, but never on a hide. This is amazing! And good that you can take it with you...if you were too move."

Gredenzia nodded. "And I do...anytime we leave the lodge empty."

Grov nodded. "That is smart. It would be awful to lose such a sacred object."

"What does this mean?" Ayla asked curiously. She'd been studying the hide while the men talked; every animal had several symbols under it, but none of them meant anything to her.

"That is the marking for birth, and to whom, the Sungaea, and in what season."

"That looks like a bison head."

Gredenzia grinned. "It is; we call ourselves Bison Hunters, just as the Mamutoi call themselves Mammoth Hunters. This part," he said, pointing at the first symbol, "indicates the season in which the person was born. Our first headwoman was born in the summer, see?"

Ayla nodded, but Grov frowned. "How do you know that this person was a woman?" he asked. "This was many, many years ago, how do you remember?"

"It was indeed long ago," he said. "I was too young when she died to even remember her...that is how long ago it was. And I know this was a woman because this tells me so." He pointed to a small V-shaped drawing. "This represents a female when it's alone. But when it's with this," he said, pointing to yet another symbol, "it tells me she was the headwoman."

Both Grov and Ayla looked at it and nodded, then looked at the people next to and below the headwoman. "And this means headman?" Grov asked.

Gredenzia nodded. "Yes, this part means male and when it is combined with that, it means headman."

Ayla grinned. "And this?"

"That means the person walks the next world."

Ayla nodded, as if she should have know that, then touched a symbol he hadn't told her yet. "And this...is a joining."

"Yes, you are right. Very good," he said, then spread out the hide so she could see more of it and waited. It did not take her long to find herself.

"Hey, this is me," she said excitedly when she found herself near the bottom. Running her fingers over the drawings, she couldn't help tearing up. "And Grov...and the children."

Grov leaned in to take a look too.

"You are all part of Oak Camp, Ayla. You especially, because you were born here. But Grov and the children as well, through you...and Evenora."

"When did you do this?" she asked, her heart filled with emotion for the man, and the camp she had been born to.

"I've been working on it for a while...since we first learned that we hadn't lost you. It's important that you and your family are comfortable here," he said directing a smile at the woman's mate. "All of you," he amended.

The young couple nodded. "We are," they said in unison.

"Well, that is good, and all that I can ask for."

They studied the hide some more and let Gredenzia give some detail on some things. There were markings for the Rosantio, the people her mother had come from, and for the Mamutoi, and amazingly enough, one for the Clan, to show where Grov and the children had been born.

"I did not know my mother's protecting totem was the lynx."

Gredenzia nodded. "Annaliza was shy when she first came to live with us, but fast and agile, and very clever, just like her protecting spirit. Her totem revealed itself to me long before I was actually able to communicate with her." He grinned. "You see, when Vincenzia brought her here, she couldn't talk."

Ayla and Grov frowned. "Why not?"

Well actually, I don't know the entire story, just that she'd been ill and had lost her voice just before arriving. It was nearly a cycle of the moon before her throat was well enough to allow speech. We were just lucky that Vincenzia had already taught her a little Sungaean, or it would have been longer. But not much...you have your mother's gift for languages, Ayla. I have never before seen someone who could master a language so quickly."

Blushing, Ayla tried to avoid the compliment by looking at the hide again. "How did you know the rest of our totems?" she asked, noticing that, without even asking them, he gotten them all right.

Gredenzia shrugged. "Just as your Mog-ur meditates, so do I. With your family, it did not take long at all to feel what spirits protect and guide you—just moments. Only Ora was difficult," he finished.

Both Grov and Ayla laughed. "Tell me about it," Grov said. "That child was born to be difficult."

And as if knowing she was being discussed, Ora burst into the Shogur's hearth and launched herself into Ayla's arms.

"Mamma, I want to go outside."

~oxoxo~

After spending some time with the others in the cooking hearth, Danta made her way back to her own space. She was surprised to find both Davaria and Danara still asleep and frowned at them. She was used to Davaria sleeping all day, but she was concerned about her daughter, especially when she realized the child was not sleeping, but instead, laying there faking it, as she always used to.

"Why are you pretending to sleep?"

Danara shrugged. "You were not here and I was afraid to get up."

Danta frowned, feeling bad that she'd left her daughter in an unfamiliar place. "I'm sorry," she said, reaching out and lifting her daughter from Davaria's bed and then sitting them both down on her own.

Danara shrugged again. "It's okay. I'm hungry!"

Danta smiled. "I thought you might be," she said. "I brought you food."

"Did you bring some for me?"

Danta looked up to see Davaria lying there, eyes open, an arm flung behind his head.

"Of course," she said. "But you two need to get up. Zarina tells me that she expects the hunters back today and they'll need our help."

"Already?" Davaria asked, taking a bite of food.

Danta frowned at him. "We can't just lie around all day, Ari. We have to contribute."

He shook his head. "No, I didn't mean that I didn't want to help. I only meant that the hunting trip was fast. They couldn't have found much if they're expected back already."

Danta nodded understanding, then shrugged. "Well, I don't know...but I'm sure they'll go out again."

"We," Davaria corrected her.

"Huh?

"It's we," he repeated. "Not they. We're part of Oak Camp now."

She grinned. "We are, aren't we?"

He nodded.

"This is so wonderful!"

~oxoxo~

Zarina was right about the hunters, but they didn't make an appearance until nearly dark, so the meat was just carried in and stored, to be worked the following day.

Exhausted, the hunters shrugged off dirty and bloody clothing and quickly bathed in the river, then donned their evening wear, ate a quick meal and went off to bed. It had been a long four days since they'd separated from the rest, but they'd been rewarded for their efforts. With several bison kills, they'd managed to make a decent start to their winter stores. It wouldn't see them through the coming winter, but it would certainly help. And there were many days ahead of them that would be filled with hunting and gathering and making ready. Overall, they were just happy to be home—home from hunting and home from the summer meeting.

AtDC

The next morning, Danta came awake to find herself in Davaria's bed again. She didn't even remember getting up and going there, but there she was. Frowning, she decided to get up. Again, she managed to do so without waking him. But this time, glad she'd thought to ask someone the day before, she grabbed the night basket and took it out to dump. It was not a far walk, just several hundred steps out the back entrance. And while there, she decided to do her business, so that she didn't have to come out again later.

On the way back in, she ran into Jenadoza and Laurana. "You really shouldn't come out alone, Danta," Jenadoza said with a shrug. "I don't even do it and I've lived here my entire life."

Danta blushed; she wasn't used to taking an escort to relieve herself, but she nodded. It was definitely true that she didn't know the area well. "Next time...I promise," she said as she headed back to the lodge.

Upon entering, she was accosted by Gredenzia. "I was looking for you!"

Wide eyed, she tried to hide the smelly night basket as she stared at the man. "Oh...what did I do?"

Gredenzia chuckled. "You didn't do anything. I just need for you to come sit with me for a while."

Danta frowned then, glancing at her basket she said, "Okay, if you'll just let me get rid of this, I'll be right over."

Gredenzia nodded and watched the newcomer go to her hearth. He was surprised at how quickly she joined him.

~oxoxo~

"That was certainly fast."

Danta smiled. "I hope you don't mind...I brought Danara; she was awake."

Gredenzia shrugged. "Of course not. I was going to ask to see her as well. I'm working on the sacred hide and wanted to just sit with the three of you for a while."

Danta frowned, not having any idea what he was talking about, knowing only that she and Danara were only two. "I think my brother is still sleeping. Should I go get him for you?"

"Oh no, I can talk to him later. Sit," he said, as they entered his hearth. Watching for a moment as mother and daughter took a seat by his fire, the man crossed his legs and lowered himself to the ground across from them, then continued to observe them as they looked around his hearth.

Danta's eyes roamed. The ceremonial hearth, though decent in size, was cluttered with all sorts of things. The shaman's sacred belongings, what Danta believed were secret magics known only to Those Who Serve, were piled in all corners and stuffed into every nook and cranny of the space. Some even hung from the ceiling. She stared up at what appeared to be a dead bird, dangling overhead; it was huge. Then her eyes went to the partially open curtain that she knew led to the man's family's hearth. She'd never been in a shogur's hearth before and was fascinated that he had a separate place for his work. Sumac Camp's holy man hadn't had such a place. But then, Sumac Camp's shogur didn't dwell overly much on ceremony or the camp's spiritual needs, but instead spent much of his time drinking bouza, like the rest of the camp, and pretending to offer his guidance where the Mother was concerned.

Disgusted with the line her thoughts had taken, Danta took a deep breath, folded her hands, then looked at Gredenzia. Why she was here, sitting in the shogur's hearth, she did not know. But she figured she'd be finding out soon.

Smiling, Gredenzia handed her a cup of tea, then took a drink from his own.

"Oh, this is good," she said as she offered some to her daughter. Danara sipped, then smiled and nodded. But then her eyes floated up to the dead monstrosity overhead.

"What's that?" she asked with a grimace.

"That is a crow, of sorts," Gredenzia answered. "He is a guardian, here before all was created by the Mother, flying in the darkness before she made the light. Have you not seen one of his kind before?"

Danara wrinkled her nose. "Not a dead one...inside a lodge. Or one so big."

Gredenzia smiled. "This one is actually a raven; they are much larger than the crow, but related. The raven, like the Great Spotted Eagle, is a messenger," he explained.

"A messenger of what?" the child asked, thinking the big, black bird looked bad and scary.

Gredenzia shrugged. "Could be anything. It is said that he can transform himself into a man...that he can walk among us when he wishes it."

Danara looked at the gruesome dead bird skeptically, but her mother shuddered. "Is that why you killed it?" Danta asked.

Gredenzia chuckled. "No. And I did not kill it. I captured it because I wanted its lævedolge."

Danta frowned. "Its what?"

"That is what we call its secret wing feather."

"Secret?" said Danta and her daughter in unison.

"Yes, secret, and hard to find," the man replied. "But I needed it."

Danta glanced up, with uncertainty, at the bird that was as black as soot found after a long-burning fire, then back at the shaman. "What was so important about this secret raven feather?"

"It is important because it is believed that this particular feather has the power to lead he who has it to anything he wishes."

Danta shuddered again, but looked disbelieving of his claim. "Has it worked?"

"It seems to have. Oak Camp has not had an unsuccessful hunt since Raven here has forfeited its lævedolge. But who knows though," he said with a shrug. "We might just be lucky."

"Or very skilled," Danta quipped, thinking Oak Camp full of people more than adequately accomplished in every aspect of life and living.

Gredenzia smiled. He liked her compliment very much. "But I have not asked you here to talk about Raven or his lævedolge. I just wanted to sit and talk. As I said, I am working on the sacred hide. It is interesting that you've chosen the name red fox for your hearth, Danta, because I am almost certain that I sense that animal's spirit most when I'm around you."

The woman smiled, though it was grim. "I chose the red fox because it was my twin sister's protecting spirit. Or at least...I think it was."

Gredenzia nodded. "It is not uncommon for those born together to have the same spirits watching over them. I think it is a good choice. The red fox is very much a part of you and your brother. It keeps you all close to her and her daughter. They died of sickness?"

Danta had to swallow; the pain was still very great. Then she nodded and whispered, "Yes," as tears filled her eyes and trickled down her cheeks.

Gredenzia sighed. "It is very sad when loved ones die. When Fraylora's first daughter, Nemlora, died giving birth to Braydalana, we spent many, many days and nights in mourning. It is now eight years since her death and it still pains. The anguish has dulled some over the years, but it's not something one ever fully recovers from. I would not wish that heartache on anyone, and I am very sorry for your loss."

Danta nodded. She did not know what to say, but his words made her feel good. He, along with everyone at Oak Camp, certainly had a knack for saying just the right thing.

"I do, however," he said with a frown, "sense that Dreena is here with us...always watchful over her brother and sister."

Danta shivered at the man's words and couldn't help looking around, hopeful that she too would feel her sister's presence. But she did not and was disappointed, though she had no doubt the man did indeed feel what he said he did. Even though Sumac Camp's shogur had been a charlatan, she believed completely in the ways of those who served and had no misgivings when it came to Oak Camp's holy man.

"Do I have a protecting spirit too," Danara asked, bringing her mother's thoughts back to the shaman.

Gredenzia smiled. "Well, we'll have to see," he said. "Come. Sit close. And let me hold your hands."

Danara quickly got up and moved to sit with the man. Slipping her small hands into his, she looked up at him with expectation.

"Now, I want you to close your eyes and think."

Danara frowned slightly. "Close my eyes?" she asked a little fearfully. She was not used to trusting people, especially people she didn't know.

Gredenzia smiled and squeezed the child's small hands. "Yes, close your eyes and chase away all shadows of fear. Try to think about happy places, like walking in a forest on a nice day or swimming in a bubbling stream."

Danara smiled. "Or spending time in Ayla's valley with her horses or coming to Oak Camp to live forever?"

Gredenzia nodded. "That is exactly right. You can think about anything that makes you happy."

Danara's eyes immediately snapped shut, but the smile remained on her lips.

"Now, in this place that makes you happy, move around. See, in your mind, what is there to see. Take a deep breath and smell. Feel it too; touch things if you can. And listen. There should be much to hear."

It was then that Gredenzia closed his eyes. Danta watched silently as her daughter clung to the man's hands. Both breathed deep, searching for the animal spirit that watched over her, but both looked calm. Danta had never seen her daughter in such a relaxed state, not even when she was sound asleep. But she frowned when Danara nodded, as if she was answering a question posed by some unseen person.

"Do you hear anything?"

Danara nodded.

"I do, but I can't see it."

"Be patient. After a while you will see a creature slowly coming to you. And...shhhh...you don't want to scare it away, do you?"

Danara shook her head. "No," she whispered, her eyes still shut.

Danta glanced around. She saw no one her daughter could be talking to besides the shaman. He hadn't said anything, but he was smiling. Nervously, she twisted her hands in her lap and continued to watch them.

"I see something, but I don't know what it is."

"That's a marmot, Danara."

Danta saw her daughter shudder. Frowning, she glanced at the man and wondered if she should go get someone to help.

"What do I do?"

"If it comes to you and lets you touch it, then it is willing to guide you. Just wait."

Both Danara and the shaman waited and watched, but just as the large rodent was about to move closer, another animal appeared with a tittering on a branch above; it was a yellow-bellied warbler—a young one.

"I don't understand."

Gredenzia smiled. "Just wait." He watched the child and her animals. It was not often that a person had more than one guiding spirit, but not impossible; he had seen it before. But maybe one or the other would leave. Maybe they both would and another would come. It could even be an animal he'd never heard of before, one from another time and place. That too had happened, though that was even more rare than two animals choosing one person.

Smiling, he watched as both animals neared, first the warbler, taking flight and landing on Danara's folded knee, and then the marmot, coming up to her other side and standing on its hind legs to sniff at her shoulder. Both had touched her.

Gredenzia let go of the child's hands. "See if they will let you touch

them."

Tentively, Danara lifted a hand. The warbler cocked its head, its beady black eyes watching her. Then just as her fingers came in contact with its back, it ruffled its feathers. Danara snatched her hand back quickly—fearfully.

Sitting beside her, Danta frowned when she saw her daughter reach out to touch nothing then jerk her hand away, a look of fear on her face. But she did nothing except continue to sit and observe. After all, nothing was there, so they couldn't be in danger, could they?

"Try again, Danara."

Once again, the child reached out. But this time the bird jumped up, then landed, perched on the girl's forearm, and chirped its song.

"I think he is telling you who he is."

Danara smiled. "I think he is too. My name is Danara."

The bird chirped again, then lifted off and flew away. Both Danara and Gredenzia watched it go, then turned their attention to the marmot, who seemed to be making a whistling sound.

"Here, offer him this."

Danara reached out and took the grass the man was holding out to her, then slowly lifted it to the marmot. To her surprise, the marmot took her offering, then scampered away.

"They left me."

"No, they didn't. See, they are right there, one in the tree overhead, the other looking out of that hole in the ground." He pointed and the girl's head turned and nodded.

"They are both with you...always...as long as you need them. You are lucky to have two. Both the warbler and the marmot have been with you for a long time, I am sure. The warbler has made you invisible when you needed it, and has helped you to endure and survive the hardships of your life, short as it has been so far."

Danara nodded, knowing that it was so.

"And the marmot helped you to sleep through those hard times. He is a hibernator, just as you have been."

Danara nodded again and grinned. He was right again.

"But do not be sad if someday one does leave you. If you no longer need one or the other, it may leave, to be replaced by another...or not. But you should always spend at least a little time with your totem, thanking them for their protection and guidance."

Danara nodded a third time, then opened her eyes to her mother's worried frown.

"Are you okay?" Danta immediately asked.

Danara nodded yet again and grinned. "Gredenzia says I have two protecting spirits."

"Yes, she does, but I did not tell you this, Danara. You saw it for yourself."

"Yes, mamma, I did. A marmot came to me, but then a warbler swooped down and let me touch him," she said, excitedly lifting her arms and spreading them wide. "And then he talked to me."

Danta smiled at her daughter's exuberance. "Talked to you?"

Danara nodded. "Told me his name."

"What was his name?"

"Don't know. He didn't talk like we do. It was more like he talked his song to me. And then he flew away and I fed the marmot."

Danta shivered. All this talk of spirits was a little scary to her, but she'd seen her daughter petting the invisible bird and feeding something else she could not see. She wondered if all their protecting animals were running around them at all times—invisible, but in reach when they were needed. The thought was just a bit daunting. She was glad for the hug her daughter sudden gave her; it was needed.

Gredenzia sat silently watching them, then picked up a small bundle of sweetgrass and tossed it into the fire. The sweet scent wafted up, enveloped the trio and calmed. That too was needed, he knew.

~oxoxo~

"I need to see Davaria as well," Gredenzia said. "Will you let him know when you see him?"

Danta nodded. "Of course."

The shaman nodded, then reached out to hug the young woman. "And do not be frightened, my daughter," he said, surprising her with a kiss on the cheek. "There is no harm in what your daughter experienced today."

"I know." But even as she said it, she couldn't help the tiny sliver of fear she had. First he told her that Dreena would always be with her, even when she herself could not see or feel her, and then he took her daughter to some unknown place where they communicated silently with one another, and with animals. She glanced again at the creepy, black raven hanging upside down in his hearth and wondered if it allowed the man a certain amount of insight, into things others did not see. She could not help but shiver—and Gredenzia chuckled.

"Go rest now, and tell Davaria to come see me."

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

When Danta and Danara returned to Red Fox hearth, Davaria wasn't there. Danara quickly flitted away, wanting to find Ayla's children and play with them before the blonde woman took her family away for the winter. Left alone in the hearth, Danta just sat down on her bed platform. She hadn't been sitting long when Jenadoza and Laurana popped around the corner.

"Everything okay?" Jenadoza asked.

Danta nodded. "Gredenzia asked me to send my brother to Bison hearth, but when I got back he was not here."

Jenadoza nodded. "He's outside, helping to butcher the bison. We had to nurse our babies, but we're on our way out. Do you want to come with us?"

Danta nodded and stood up. "Where's Danie?"

"We left her with the babies. Ivanolia has given her strict instructions to lie down and rest."

Danta smiled. "And how did Danie take that?" she asked, knowing that Ivanolia's foreign woman rarely listened to her bossy mate.

Laurana giggled. "Not too well at first...but Ayla insisted."

"But it's perfect. We needed someone to take care of the babies while we work and now she's available."

As the women walked through the lodge, they talked amiably, as if Danta had always been a part of their group. They truly seemed to like her and she felt at home there. It was an odd feeling she had, that sense of belonging—finally!

But when they got to the area where the butchering was taking place, her stomach turned suddenly and she gasped. Davaria was lying on the ground with Ayla and Travie leaning over him.

"What happened?" Danta burst, when she suddenly got her voice back.

The older woman shrugged. "I just got out here. Ayla?"

Ayla shrugged as well. "He just seemed to collapse. I have checked him over and he seems to be fine. Perhaps he just fainted. I sometimes feel a little light-headed when I don't eat. Has Davaria eaten?"

"I don't know. I wasn't at the hearth when he got up." Danta was near panic.

"Relax, Danta," Travie said. "Give him a minute. When someone's fainted, they usually recover quickly. Give him some space," the older woman demanded as she too moved away.

Ayla nodded. "And we should lay him out flat. Can you help me, Brulenzia?" she asked, seeing that he was the closest male.

Brulenzia nodded and quickly moved the man to the position Ayla had asked for.

~oxoxo~

"Oh good, you're here."

"Here? Where here?"

Gredenzia turned around and stared. "Davaria?"

The younger man frowned and nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh! You are not here. Go on! Go back!" Oak Camp's shogur said with a flinging of his arms. "And come back when you're better able."

Davaria flinched and took a step backward. He felt as if he'd been pushed, though the man hadn't laid a finger on him.

"Go, I said!" This time Gredenzia picked up one of his spears and used the blunted end to poke Davaria in the chest, hoping to make the man understand.

"Ouch!" Davaria said, grabbing his chest and backing away.

Gredenzia watched him go, shocked that he'd actually made contact.

~oxoxo~

"He's waking up!" Danta said, greatly relieved.

Ayla smiled, then looked into Davaria's unfocused eyes. "Are you all right, Davaria? I think you fainted."

Davaria's hand immediately came up to rub his chest and he blinked until he could see again. He focused on Danta first and realized his sister held fast to his hand, her eyes showing how truly frightened she was. And then he saw Ayla, concern etched on her brow, and Brulenzia beside her. And then there was everyone else, standing around watching.

Blushing, he tried to sit up—a bit too quickly. He swayed slightly.

"Whoa," Ayla said, putting a gentle hand on his chest. "Slowly."

Davaria cringed slightly when her hand touched his chest, but he managed to hide it as he was slowly helped to his feet.

"What happened, Ari?" Danta asked. "Did you forget to eat?"

Still rubbing his chest, he shrugged. "I must have." He frowned. "I don't remember."

"How can you not remember?" Danta asked, her voice pitched with frustration. "You should have eaten!" She sounded angry, but everyone knew she just worried about her brother.

And that included Davaria. Slipping his arm around her waist, he said, "Ata, I'm fine. But you are right, I should have eaten. But there was work to do and I wanted to help."

"There is always work to do, Davaria!" Tagnolia said. "But no one's expected to skip a meal. Go in and eat." And then, with a grin, the headman said, "Don't worry, we won't let you slack off."

Davaria blushed for a moment, then, realizing the headman was only playing with him, he nodded and allowed his sister to lead him away.

"And you need to go see Gredenzia," Danta was saying as they walked. "He asked me to send you over to Bison hearth. But you were gone when we got back to the hearth."

Davaria's eyes widened, as if suddenly remembering the man's words; ""Oh! You are not here. Go on! Go back! And come back when you're better able."

"Yes! I need to go see Shogur," he said. "Now!"

Danta stopped. "But you need to eat. You might faint again."

Davaria shook his head. "No, I need to see Shogur first, then I can eat."

Danta frowned at his adamancy. She hadn't missed that he was calling the man by his title and not his personal name. Many shamans wished to be called such, but few had earned the prestige, and Davaria's use of it told her he was a believer without having experienced the man's magic. Or had he? she wondered as she studied him. He seemed a bit disconcerted—and he kept rubbing his chest.

Reaching out, she pulled at his tunic and gasped when she saw a smallish bruise appearing—one with blood trickling from its center. "What is this?"

"It's nothing!" he snapped as he pushed her hands away.

"Fine!" she said, folding her arms over her own chest and looking at him defiantly. "Then I will guess."

Davaria groaned; he'd sworn to himself that he wouldn't let her play their game, not ever again. But every time she started it, he couldn't help but answer, and she knew it. "You'll never guess," he whispered, giving the usual comeback and frowning. Danta always guessed—eventually. Or managed to wheedle their secrets out of them.

And then, before they could utter the third response, We shall see,
a breeze blew, the sound of its whistle sounding just like a voice finishing their long-established game. Only now, it didn't seem like a game. Both of them froze and shuddered.

"Did you hear that, Ata?" he asked.

Clutching at his tunic sleeve, she could only nod.

"Come on, we'll go to Shogur together."

Danta allowed him to pull her, but once they'd gone inside, she stopped him again. "Please, Ari, tell me what's happened to you," she whined. "Please don't make me guess."

Davaria took a deep breath. "Honestly, I don't know what happened. I was outside butchering with everyone else...and then I was inside the earthlodge being kicked out of Shogur's hearth."

Danta frowned. "Did Gredenzia do this to you?" she asked fearfully. What she'd seen happen in the man's hearth earlier had frightened her, but now she was near panic.

Davaria nodded. But then he shook his head.

"I don't understand, Ari. Did he or didn't he?"

Davaria shrugged. "I was outside, Ata. I haven't been inside since I left this morning, and I haven't see Shogur all morning. Yet...I was in Bison hearth and he did...suggest, in a physical way, that I leave."

Danta shook her head. "I still don't understand. You're making no sense."

"Maybe I can explain."

The brother and sister turned around to find Gredenzia standing there watching them. "Come. Come to Bison hearth and we will discuss this."

~oxoxo~

Danta and Davaria sat in front of the Oak shogur, hands clutched, their fingernails biting painfully into the hand of the other. Both were more than a little fearful, and neither felt the pain that was caused by the other.

And Gredenzia, after forcing himself to calm down, had to admit that he was a feeling a bit off center himself. Given his position among his people, it was expected that he would know and understand more. But he had never experienced something of this magnitude and didn't know how to explain it or where to begin. He'd been thinking about Davaria and suddenly the man was there, right in front of him.

But he hadn't really been there, had he? Gredenzia frowned. It was a silly question really, because not only had he seen and talked to Davaria, but Davaria recalled being there as well. And worse, Davaria had felt it when he'd pushed him with his spear. He most definitely had been there.

"I have hurt you," the older man stated plainly.

Davaria shrugged. "It is nothing."

"Nothing!" Danta burst, then turned and yanked her brother's tunic away so that his growing bruise and leakage of blood was visible. "You call this nothing?"

Gredenzia's eyes widened, but he was forced to acknowledge the scratching on the curtain. It was Ayla, with several cups of steaming tea.

"Thank you, Ayla."

She nodded. "Fraylora said you'd need a calming tea. This one is my favorite."

Gredenzia smiled. "And I'm afraid we need your medical knowledge as well."

Ayla's eyes widened. "You are hurt?"

Gredenzia shook his head and pointed at Davaria. Reluctantly, the man pulled his tunic to the side and looked away.

Ayla would have liked to ask more questions, but it was obvious none of them wanted to answer any. Quickly, she assessed the bruise. It was minor; there were no broken bones beneath the surface, but she was concerned about the puncture wound. It appeared to be insignificant, but she wanted to clean it properly and bandage it, so that it would not get infected.

"The bruising is not serious, but it will be sore for a day or so," she said. "I will bring you a painkilling tea. I would also like to dress the wound, but I'll need my medicine bag for that."

They all nodded, then waited until she had gone. Then Danta turned on the shaman.

"How did this happen?" she demanded.

Davaria frowned. "Easy, Danta," he said, putting a hand on her arm to stay her anger and obvious frustration.

Taking a deep breath, Gredenzia shook his head. "I don't know," he said. The power had not come from him. He'd been part of Searches, where a more powerful shogur led those of lesser power, but that was usually with some sort of medicinal drink, a tea brewed with the fleshy, yellowish-brown, spore-bearing fungus found growing abundantly on the steppes at the time of year when the tree leaves began to fall.

"When I saw you, I thought you were here...and then you weren't."

"But I was here."

Gredenzia nodded. "But not all of you."

Davaria shook his head. "I guess not. What happened?"

"Well, I was thinking about you, because of the adoption, and suddenly you were here. What happened outside?"

"I guess I fainted, but I don't remember fainting. I was working on a bison, then I was in here and you were telling me to leave. Then, all of a sudden, I was lying on the ground outside and everyone was hanging over me."

"You're a Caller," Danta said, her eyes wide with awe as she stared at Gredenzia. She'd never seen a Caller at work before.

Gredenzia sat back on his heals and shook his head. "I have never been a Caller before, Danta. I can Search, but not always successfully. And I do not Call."

"Seems that has changed."

"I don't think so," the man said. "I think this has more to do with Davaria than it does me. He came to me. But I did not Call him here."

"But you said you were thinking about him. Isn't that the same?"

Gredenzia shook his head. "I wanted to sit with him to see if I could discover his protector, so that I could complete the sacred hide before the adoption, but I was not trying to draw him here. I'd already sent you out to send him to me, remember? There was no purpose in my Calling him...even if I could." He sighed.

"What he says is true, Danta," Davaria said with a nod. "I have no memory of being Called; I was just here."

Danta frowned.

Gredenzia watched them. Danta was scared, just as she had been earlier. But Davaria was curious, just as any person was if he or she had in them what it took to become One Who Serves. In Davaria, Gredenzia saw potential.

"I wanted to sit together with you, Davaria," the shaman said. "But now I think I want us to sit separately...to see if you can do this on your own."

Having no idea what the older man was talking about, Davaria could only frown. But Danta had questions.

"Like what you did with Danara?"

The man nodded.

"Are you saying that you want him to Search with no guide?" she asked worried. "What if he gets lost?"

Gredenzia shrugged. "It's not dangerous, Danta. I won't give him anything to aid the process. And Davaria's protector is here, as is Dreena, we just don't know what it is yet. And you can stay with him as well if you both wish it."

"Dreena?" Davaria had been listening, but when their dead sister's name was spoken he perked up. "What do you mean?"

Gredenzia shrugged, but it was Danta who answered. "Gredenzia says he can feel Dreena here with us, that she is always watching us."

Davaria's muscles tightened with sudden anger. He could see that Danta believed the man whole-heartedly, but he almost felt as if it were a trick. How could the man feel their dead sister's presence? She was dead! Gone! Never to be seen or heard from again.

But then a burst of air came down through the smoke hole, causing his hair on the back of his neck to prickle. And then he remembered the whispered voice he and Danta had heard outside. Trembling for just a moment, and then a serenity coming over him, he relaxed. And in that moment, his feelings of anger passed and he believed the man, just as much as Danta seemed to. And then he felt slightly irritated with himself for having shown doubt. Of course Gredenzia could sense things others couldn't.

"Can you see our sister?" he asked curiously. "Like you could see me."

Gredenzia frowned, then shook his head. "No. Dreena is dead."

Both Davaria and Danta winced. That fact, they knew all too well.

"You were...just outside. But, like I said, that wasn't me." Gredenzia paused and studied the young brother and sister. "Would you be willing to make an attempt to discover your totem?" he asked.

Davaria frowned, then shrugged. It really didn't matter to him and he wasn't scared in the least. "I suppose."

"You said I could stay with him?" Danta said quickly.

Gredenzia nodded. "Of course, Danta. Your presence didn't affect Danara. I don't see why it should affect Davaria."

"Could I get pulled in?"

Gredenzia shrugged again. She was clearly afraid, but he had to be honest. "It could happen, but mostly likely only if you're holding hands." He tried to smile his understanding; most people were a little nervous when it came to the mysteries of the spirit world. "It probably would help him if you held his hands, but that is entirely up to you."

Danta frowned, then nodded. "I will stay." She could at least do that much for her brother, even if it scared her half to death.

~oxoxo~

The trio had waited until after Ayla came and went again, and then Gredenzia instructed them on what to do. It was basic: sit in the circle he'd already asked the Mother to bless and get comfortable; eyes closed and breathing deeply; inhale, exhale; think positive, and of a calming place; relax and let the mind go wherever it wished to go.

They'd nodded and watched the shaman leave, then they looked at each other. They sat face to face beside the fire.

"Okay, are you ready?" Davaria asked.

Danta shrugged and slowly reached out to grasp the hands he'd extended to her.

"Don't be scared, Ata," he encouraged. "I'll be right here." And as if to emphasize his words, he scooted closer to her, so that their knees touched.

She nodded. She couldn't help her fear, but the contact helped.

"Now, what did Gredenzia say to do first again?"

"Close your eyes...and think about a place you'd like to be."

Davaria smiled and squeezed her hands. "I'm already at a place I want to be."

She smiled too. "Yes, me too...but I think he means outside somewhere, some place that calms you."

Davaria nodded. "Okay, I can do that. Ready?"

Danta nodded, but didn't close her eyes when he did. For a long time she just stared at him and waited, hoping he'd get what he was there for without bringing her into it. She had no desire to be anywhere but in the physical world, and nothing short of a force would make her go. But Davaria, it would seem, had allowed his thoughts to drift, had let himself go. But to where, Danta did not know.

~oxoxo~

Walking slowly beside a nearly still river, in a flower-covered glen, Davaria almost felt like he was back in Ayla's valley. That was the first place that he could remember being allowed to be himself—to do as he wished and to make mistakes without serious repercussions, or someone laughing at him.

But some things were different. He seemed to be on the opposite side of the river and, though the waterway was lined with large rocks, there were no rocky openings in the side of the hill that would suggest caves in the area. It was just hilly, covered with green grasses, with a sparse patch of trees growing off to the side.

Turning, Davaria saw an animal pop up out of its burrow, then was surprised when a small bird landed at its side. The bird warbled a sing-song, then dropped a bit of shrubby vegetation, at which the large rodent whistled before picking it up, then scampered up the hill toward a larger stand of trees—but not before glancing at the human.

Davaria did not have to be told to follow; something in him just knew to go.

At the top of the hill, in a small meadow there, several horses grazed. The small herd looked up, then all but one moved off. Davaria studied the horse, then renewed his approach. And, for some reason, he wasn't the least bit surprised that the animal allowed him to come close enough to touch it. He was, however, disappointed when it started away from him, after allowing him only a moment to run his fingers over its back.

That was when he noticed the trees just beyond; they'd become dense, a boreal forest of conifers stretching as far as the eye could see. Undecided as to what he should do, Davaria stood there watching, letting the gentle breeze blow his hair.

But then he saw, on the other side of the horse, two reddish foxes, nearly identical, from their white bellies and bushy tails to their black-tipped ears and socks to their yellow-gold eyes. Instantly, he knew what he was looking at.

"Dreena," he mouthed.

Danta stared at her brother for a moment. She'd been watching him closely, her eyes riveted on his face, and she would have sworn he'd said their sister's name.

"Danta come!" he whispered. "It's Dreena."

Danta frowned. But in the next second she'd closed her eyes and, with a whooshing sound and a pull that felt like someone had grabbed on and was now dragging her, she went to her brother.

Unsure of herself, she stood, frozen in place as she looked around. She was surrounded by trees, the light of the sun dim under their canopy.

"Davaria?" she called out.

No answer came.

"Where are you, Ari?" she called out in a panic. "I can't find you?"

Still nothing.

Then she heard a noise. Scared more than ever before, she looked behind her. For a moment she saw nothing except more trees. But then two animals appeared; a marmot and a warbler. The marmot dashed by her, with the bird in hot pursuit, then both disappeared into the foliage.

Frowning, Danta didn't know what to do. She didn't want to move, out of fear that she'd get lost, but she knew she couldn't just stand there. Taking a deep breath, and remembering what Gredenzia had said, she tried to relax. Putting one foot in front of the other, she walked. But only a short distance.

"Danta, it's Dreena. Look!"

Glancing down, she saw that she held Davaria's hand; he was right beside her. Then she followed his gaze and saw a horse and a fox—and Dreena.

Dreena, an exact image of herself, stood between the animals. Then smiling at them, she dropped to all fours and turned into a second fox.

The moment seemed an eternity, yet, at the same time, it passed too quickly. When the animals turned to leave, the equine flanked by the canids, Danta screamed.

"No! No, Dreena, don't go," she wailed. "Please don't leave us."

In an instant, Davaria's eyes opened and he pulled his sister into his arms. She was sobbing.

Suddenly, a thick fur dropped over them, and Davaria realized they were shivering violently. He recognized Gredenzia, working to build up the fire while Fraylora, her eyes filled with worry, brewed a tea. And there were several curious faces in the opening to the hearth—faces that quickly dispersed when the holy man glared at them.

And then they were alone with a distressed-looking Gredenzia. But Davaria's concern was for no one, but Danta. His sister continued to cry her anguish, her wracking sobs tearing into his heart. He blamed himself for what happened; she would not have been upset had he not called her.

And then, when it was almost more than he could bear, her sobs subsided and she slept in his arms.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

After Danta was settled back into her hearth and Ayla knew she was resting peacefully, the medicine woman made her way outside; she needed some fresh air. She'd felt Danta's anguish more than anyone had known and it had frightened her. Gredenzia had warned her, but she hadn't been able to grasp what he was talking about. So, when Danta got pulled into Davaria's Search, so had the untrained young Clan woman—but without someone holding onto her.

And now, despite the warm summer sun overhead, she shivered and looked around for Whinney. She quickly found her four-legged friend, grazing with the other two, on the far side of the earthlodge.

"There you are," she signed, smiling at her friends.

And then, a screaming sounded from a short distance away, causing her to start. Instantly her chill disappeared when she saw her avian friend.

"Shriek!" she screamed. "You found us!"

Tears in her eyes, she tore into the lodge to find the piece of protective leather she used to give the hawk something to hold on to without gouging the skin of her forearm, then returned and extended it to her friend. Shriek landed immediately and allowed her to run a hand down his back before squawking for the tidbit of food he knew was coming.

Ayla laughed, then pulled out the strip of meat that she'd brought out for her feathered friend.

Once again, all was right with the world in Ayla's eyes.

~oxoxo~

"I thought he was gone for sure, Ayla," Laurana said as she sat there nursing her baby.

Several people nodded. The sun had set and all had eaten the wonderful meal that Zarina, Wäglodia, and Travie had made, with a few side dishes from some others, and now everyone was gathered in the cooking hearth, waiting for the adoption ceremony to begin. But all eyes were on the hawk who'd perched himself on the growing pile gifts that Davaria and Danta were bringing out.

Ayla nodded. "I must admit I thought he was gone too."

Grov could see that his mate was greatly relieved by Shriek's reappearance, but that her heart was still heavy with worry that she would indeed lose him one day. It was, after all, inevitable that she would, either to the bird's desire to be free, or to time; all living things only had so much time. Reaching out, he squeezed her hand.

Smiling, Ayla squeezed back, but tried to focus on the here and now.

"He is a fascinating creature," Danie said as she eyed the bird preening himself. "I am surprised that he's willing to come inside the earthlodge."

"He is used to it, Danie," Ayla said. "He lives at our hearth in the Clan's cave too."

Laurana looked at the medium-sized carnivore, then frowned down at her nursing daughter. "I'm surprised they allow it. To be honest, he frightens me a little bit."

Ayla understood the woman's fear; she was worried about her baby. What new mother wouldn't be? "The Clan was frightened too, but he's never harmed anyone. Most stay away from him, but he's quite friendly with those who give him a chance."

Grov smiled. "Or food. He loves anyone who feeds him."

Ayla grinned. "Mostly though," she said, "birds like Shriek are not aggressive toward people, or even other birds. They would rather abandon their own nest than fight. Once, I saw him flee from some songbirds who took turns diving at him."

"Oh no!" Laurana gasped. "What did you do?"

Ayla shrugged. "Nothing. What could I do?" She smiled. "And it only happened that one time...that I know of...probably because he nests in our cave. But it's not like I could fly up there and go after them."

"That's still scary. I'd be terrified every time he left my sight."

Ayla smiled. Laurana no longer seemed worried about her small daughter. "I am, Laurana. But, what can I do? I can't force him to stay."

"What can any of us do when our young ones leave the nest?" Serana said. She was sitting nearby talking to some others, but couldn't help overhearing the conversation. "Some of us are just lucky that our little birds choose a mate from within the family." The older woman smiled then at her three grown children. She was happy that none of them had chosen to leave Oak Camp in pursuit of someone elsewhere.

"And some of us are lucky that family decided to come with them," Danie said with a grin. She'd have been devastated if her mother hadn't come with her. She remembered all too well how painful it had been when her sister decided to mate the older Sungaean man and leave the Mamutoi, and she was glad that her own mating had brought them all back together again. It wasn't likely that the older woman would have stayed behind when her only children had gone, but it was nice all the same.

Ayla frowned. Knowing that her coming departure was going to be painful, that she was going to be hurt, and cause hurt, by leaving, she wished she could think of a solution. But none came to her; there was nothing she could do to prevent the anguish of separation. Though she didn't wish to leave Vincenzia, or her newly found people, she had to return to the Clan. They were expecting her back—they were expecting them all back. She and her mate, and her son, were needed among their people; she was their medicine woman and Grov and Durc were to lead someday.

But that wasn't the only reason they had to return. Ayla wanted to go back to the Clan. Life had been difficult there, but they were just as much family to her as the people she'd been born to and she was incapable of turning her back on them now.

Yes, it was definitely going to be a difficult parting.

~oxoxo~

"I am just dying to see what they've brought," Ivanolia said as he downed his fresh cup of wine and extended it up to the pourer again.

Serana lifted an eyebrow at her son's proffered cup, then refilled it—again. "In the name of the Mother, son, you're going to drink yourself to sleep before the ceremony even begins and...miss the gift giving altogether."

"Not likely," he scoffed. But as he did so, he only sipped at his drink. He had no intention of missing the gift giving ceremony.

"You do remember the gifts are just tokens, Ivan?" Jenadoza reminded her brother.

Ivanolia scowled at the woman. "Of course I do. It's just that...well...all this secrecy... It's driving me mad!" he exclaimed with balled fists to emphasize his point.

All those around him chuckled. It was so like Ivanolia to get worked up over something that would be over in the blink of an eye. And they all loved the giving and receiving of gifts. Who didn't? But all knew the biggest gift they were receiving were their three new members. All except Ivanolia, perhaps, who was more child than man when it came to things of this nature.

"You've been mad for most of your life, Ivan," Laurana teased as she wiped the milk dribbling from her sleeping daughter's mouth. "But we love you anyway."

Again Ivanolia scowled, then stuck his tongue out at his younger sister. More laughter ensued, but with several nods of agreement.

"She's got you there, my friend," Brulenzia put in with a clap on his friend's back.

~oxoxo~

"All right!" Tagnolia burst. He'd been waiting and watching, and it now seemed their adoptees had finally settled themselves down. Settled was, perhaps, not the right word, Tagnolia noted worriedly. Danara looked fine, sitting beside her mother, but both Danta and Davaria looked frightfully nervous, kneeling side-by-side, clutching one another's hand in a white-knuckled grip. In their free hands, each held the drink that had been handed them, neither of which had been sampled, and both shook with their nervousness.

"Is there anyone who doesn't have a full cup of my brew...or some of Serana's wine?" He looked around, visually checking cups, then grinned and clapped his hands together. "Wonderful! Let's begin. Tiflona?"

Tiflona smiled then as well and turned her eyes on the assembled group. "Tonight we come together to welcome new members to Oak Camp. It is not often that we do this and therefore a great honor to be chosen."

Everyone nodded, including those to be adopted. That they had even been found acceptable was, in their minds, the work of the Mother, and they were proud that they had been, that they now sat in the lodge of Oak Camp, about to become permanent members.

"It has been agreed upon by all who sit here tonight," Tiflona said, making a sweeping gesture about the room, "that you should be welcomed among us, that you should live out your days at Oak Camp, and that you should form the Hearth of the Red Fox within our earthlodge.

All smiled and nodded.

Both Danta and Davaria looked around and tried to smile, but it was a struggle. That there were no dissenters caused tears to form in their eyes. Danara, of course, was oblivious to the fact that this was a great honor.

"Is this what you want?" the headwoman asked.

"Yes, we do," the three said in unison. They had been told what was expected of them, that they had to declare aloud that they joined of their own free will.

Smiling, Tiflona went on. "Among us, it is important to have ties. Oak Camp offers you a home to live in, but that is not all. There are those here who wish to offer you kindship of Hearth." Tiflona turned toward the crowd then. "Who wishes to make this man and woman a son and daughter?"

Fraylora stood up and smiled. "I do. As mother of the Bison Hearth, I acknowledge Davaria as my son and Danta as my daughter," she said proudly, then lowered herself back to a sitting position.

Tiflona looked back at the brother and sister sitting there with tears in their eyes. "Though you will make your own hearth, the Red Fox Hearth, you may always claim Bison Hearth as home."

Nodding, the young brother and sister smiled. A simultaneous squeeze of their hands told one another that their thoughts matched that of the other. Where once they had no hearth to claim as their own, they now had two.

"But we are also honored by their desire to become one of us," another cut in.

Tiflona stepped back slightly to allow her brother center stage.

"The fact that these three valuable people were willing to leave their home camp to join with ours, tells us we too are held in high regard," Tagnolia said. "In this time, where every hand is needed to make life livable, the addition of two more hunters...and a future hunter," the headman added with a look down at a grinning Danara, "is always taken seriously. As we sit here tonight, our numbers increase by three," he continued. "Where once we were thirty-nine, we are now forty-two."

The headman's eyes went to their visitors. Neither had missed that they'd been included as Oak Camp members. Ayla had tears in her eyes and Grov sat up just a little bit straighter, feeling more welcome than he could imagine.

Turning then, Tagnolia faced Gredenzia, and all eyes followed. The man had stayed out of sight, just behind the hide that had been hung up to keep him hidden in the passageway, but now he stood, dressed in a full bison robe, his head adorned with a huge bison-horned headdress, in full view of everyone. A few let out a gasp of surprise; it seemed as if he had just appeared out of nowhere. But that wasn't all that shocking to most; they all knew that those who served often did this for effect—that he wanted to create an air of surprise. And he had. But to those who had not seen him in his ceremonial regalia before, the shock came because of the color of his dress—it was stark white, the entire hide of a white bison, and few had every laid eyes on such a creature, let alone owned a piece of one. Awed, they stared at the man.

"Tonight," the holy man said, "we are here to welcome Davaria, Danta, and Danara into Oak Camp."

He turned then, reached up and pulled on some thongs, which caused something to unroll. When he stepped to the side all recognized the sacred hide; it had been attached to the earthlodge ceiling and now hung open for all to view. Everyone leaned forward to see the new markings, and all smiled.

With a wave of his hand, Gredenzia gestured for the adoptees to stand and approach, then he looked at the headman.

"You have been added to our numbers. Again, we ask if this is what you want?"

"Yes, we do," the three repeated together.

Smiling, Gredenzia went to the fire, pulled out a stick with a blackened end, then returned to the hide. Once there, he made a few marks, then looked back at those watching.

"And now it is done," he said. "In the name of Sumata, the Great Earth Mother, we welcome you, Davaria, Danta, and Danara, into the lodge of Oak Camp. May your hearth, the Hearth of the Red Fox, be a happy one." With that, the man knelt down and unrolled a large hide. It was time for the gift giving.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

"Danta, please accept this gift from Bison Hearth," the man said.

Danta smiled at the lidded birchbark container the older man handed to her. It'd been decorated with what appeared to be fox tracks, running around the rim and a fox face attached to the lid. It was simple, but it was beautiful, and Danta could not remember ever owning anything so nice.

"Thank you, Gredenzia, Fraylora...all of Bison Hearth," she said, looking at the children of the hearth who were spattered throughout the assemblage.

The shogur smiled, then knelt down and looked at Danta's daughter. "Danara, please accept our gift," he said, holding out to the child a doll that had been made to resemble the person who now held it.

"She looks like me," Danara squealed.

Gredenzia chuckled. "Yes, Fraylora has a knack for them. And she thinks every little girl should have one."

Danara grinned, then ran over to the older woman and threw her arms around her. "Thank you, thank you!"

Fraylora smiled. "You are most welcome."

"And for Davaria," Gredenzia said. "We decided that a man who comes from the Bison Hearth should have a piece of the bison."

Davaria's eyes widened as the entire pelt of a bison, dark brown and heavy, was laid in his arms. He was speechless and could only nod his gratitude.

Danta smiled, then went to their pile to extract their gifts for Bison Hearth. "For you, Gredenzia," she said, handing him a large rectangular box.

Upon opening, Gredenzia gasped. The box contained a rolled up mat, woven from sweetgrass, and a rawhide-covered drum and striker. "This is perfect, my old drum was ruined just last winter," he said with a teasing glare over at Ivanolia.

"Hey, it was in no way my fault that it ended up in the cooking fire," the blond man protested.

Everyone laughed, remembering the man's antics from the winter before.

"And this mat," Gredenzia went on. "It is beautifully made, and of my favorite material." He brought the mat to his nose to inhale the sweet, vanilla-like scent of his gift.

Danta smiled, relieved that their first gift was so well received. For Fraylora they had a woven basket filled with nuts and berries; for Fürlasa a set of wooden cups and bowls, a line of oak leaves carved into the rim; for Fräubita several slices from a bison horn, smoothed to a shiny finish to be worn as bracelets; and finally, for Gildenozia, a new pair of bison fur winter boots. Each examined their gifts, then hugged their new brother and sister.

The headwoman, still standing nearby, came forward next. Smiling, she embraced the trio as one, then said, "Please accept these fox pelts from Jack Rabbit Hearth. We hope that you will find a use for them."

Their eyes widening as they counted the pelts given them, thirteen in all and of several different colors. "Thank you, Jack Rabbit Hearth," Danta said. "I'm sure we can find many uses for them." Davaria nodded as he ran his hand over the soft fur.

"Can I have one, Mamma?" Danara asked.

Danta grinned. "Of course you can. They are for all of us," she said as she separated one from the pile and handed it to her daughter.

Danara threw it over her shoulder and smiled. "I like fox fur!"

Davaria smiled at his sister's daughter, then went to get their gifts to the headwoman's hearth. Each, wrapped up to keep the gift a secret, was placed in the hands of its new owner. Tiflona went first and grinned at the wonderful rabbit fur hat she was presented.

Pulling it onto her head, she immediately untied the flaps and pulled them down over her ears to feel the warmth. "This will be most useful over the long winter. Thank you!" she exclaimed.

Wäglodia then pried the lid off the container he held, discovering in the process that it was not easily removed and that it was most probably watertight. But what he was most surprised about was what the container contained; it was brimming with a large assortment of filled packets, each tied closed in a different way or with a differently colored thread. Confused, he looked at Oak Camp's new members.

Danta grinned and reached to pick up a packet. "Each one of these has a different herb inside," she explained as she opened it. After sniffing, she held it out to him. "Sage." The man inhaled, then smiled at her.

"We copied the way Ayla differentiates her healing medicines," Danta went on, "so that you'll know which cooking herb is in which."

"Ingenious!" the camp cook exclaimed. He'd noticed that inside Ayla's medicine bag there were many different pouches and he'd wondered how she knew what was in each, but he hadn't had the time to ask her about it. Now he knew.

"No more hunting around to find the herb I'm looking for. This is perfect!" he said, reaching out to hug the three dark-hair people.

"Now you just have to memorize which tie goes with each herb," Davaria teased.

Several people laughed, but Wäglodia waved off the comment. "Not a problem there. What I can't remember, I'm sure Zarina will," he said, looking over at his co-cook.

Danta then handed out the gifts to the other members of Jack Rabbit Hearth. For Tabita, a set of wooden cups and bowls, which were as near to identical to Fürlasa's as was possible, both young women would soon make hearths of their own and decent dishes were hard to come by; for Torina a matching necklace and bracelet of graduated spiral shells; for Talneezia, a beaded, rabbit foot necklace, similar to that he mother wore, and a pair of rabbit-skin camp shoes; and for Tena, a leather pouch filled with bracelet-making materials, since the girl loved crafting them with her friends.

After hugging each member of Jack Rabbit Hearth, Danta and Davaria looked next at their headman. Tagnolia stood silently, drinking his brew and watching his people enjoy themselves. Smiling, he put his cup down and, motioning toward his mate, the two stepped forward.

"Danta, please accept our gift," said Zarina as she pulled out a black-tipped red fox fur shawl and draped it over the younger woman's shoulders. "We hope that this keeps you warm."

"Oh!" Danta cried, hugging herself to feel the warmth of the gift. Then turning to her brother, she went on. "Look at this, Ari, isn't it beautiful?" But, spinning back toward Zarina, she didn't give him a chance to respond. "I love it! Thank you."

Both Zarina and Tagnolia grinned at her exuberance. Everyone had noticed how easily their new members were delighted and it made the gift-giving more fun than anticipated. Hugging the woman, they turned to Danara and presented the child with a small hollow tube with several holes cut into it. Danara looked it over, but it was soon obvious that she didn't know what it was.

"It's a flute, Danara," Brenevia said as he got up and came to her. Taking it from her, he blew on it gently, using his fingers on the holes to change the sound that came out of it. "See?" he said, handing it back to her. "I have one just like it."

Danara smiled and made an attempt to copy his tune, realizing fast that it wasn't so easy. "I will have to practice." The boy nodded, then went back to his seat.

"Thank you, Antelope Hearth."

They all nodded.

"And for Davaria," Zarina said, handing the man his gift.

Davaria accepted it, a long-sleeve tunic, made from the hide of a saiga antelope and trimmed with fox fur. Looking it over, Davaria decided it was the finest thing he'd ever owned. "Can I put it on?" he asked.

With a pleased smiled, the headman's mate nodded. "By all means," she said, reaching out to hold the man's new shirt while he took off the old one, then handing it back to him when he was ready.

Davaria, quickly redressed and, smiling, asked, "How does it look?"

"Very nice, Ari," Danta said, running her hand over the soft, treated leather.

Davaria turned and embraced both the headman and his mate, then went in search of their gifts. He found Zarina's quickly and, plucking it from the pile, he handed it to his sister, then picked up the long, narrow, hide-wrapped package that contained several similar objects and returned to the front of the group.

On his way, he noticed Ivanolia nearly bursting with curiosity and almost laughed. "There's nothing for you in here, Ivan," he teased knowingly.

Ivanolia's brows knotted together and he let out an animal-like growl, causing several to laugh. This time Davaria joined them.

Looking at his sister, Davaria nodded, indicating that she should go first.

Smiling, Danta handed Zarina a large cooking pot with large antler handled stirring spoon and matching carved serving fork.

"And to go with this, I promise to cook meals whenever called upon," Danta offered. "Cooking is one thing I can do well."

Zarina smiled. "And I will gladly take you up on that offer," she said, hugging the dark-haired woman lovingly. "Though, I suspect there are many things you do well, Danta...if your gifts are any indication of the talents you two possess. But again, I won't argue with anyone who wants to help. It might be nice to do just a little less cooking."

"Who are you trying to fool, Zarina?" exclaimed Wäglodia.

Tagnolia boomed with laughter, as did everyone else. The headman's mate had few interests aside from cooking and everybody knew it.

"He's got you there, woman!" Tagnolia said, leaning in to nuzzle his mate's neck.

"I can't think anything you enjoy more than cooking," Wäglodia continued with a shake of his head, and a smile at the headman.

"Well I can," the headman said, giving his mate a playful pat on the rear, then allowing the other man to take her into his arms.

Everyone smiled at the blatant innuendo as the men teased. All knew that Zarina shared pleasures with both men regularly and that she loved them both.

Zarina allowed herself to be kissed, then stepped back and folded her arms over her chest. Rolling her eyes, she said, "Well, it's never too late to find a new hobby...one that doesn't include either of you."

The group laughed again, knowing the woman had absolutely no intention of doing such a thing.

"Why doesn't anyone take me seriously?" she asked with exasperation.

Both men grinned. "Oh, we do, Zari. Don't you worry."

Zarina sighed, but looked back at Danta with a smile. "Guard your heart, Danta. But if you ever find a man like either of these two, don't ever let go."

Danta smiled. She couldn't imagine ever finding one, let alone two, but it seemed like good advice. In fact, if she could find someone who loved her as much as her brother did, that would be fine too. Glancing at Davaria, she hoped it would be possible—someday.

With a grin, Davaria was watching the byplay, then nervously stepped forward when an opening appeared. To Tagnolia, he presented a spear that he'd tipped with the semi-transparent, wax-colored horn of a saiga antelope.

"We did not know if your Antelope Hearth was the Saiga or not, but this seemed appropriate."

Tagnolia took up the spear and smiled. "This is almost too beautiful to use. Look at this Zarina," he said. "They've carved little saigas all over the shaft."

Zarina examined them and nodded. "You're an artist, Davaria."

Davaria beamed with their praise, then reached for the other Antelope Hearth gifts. For Frala, several strands of smoothed and polished deer antler pieces that they'd painstakingly bored holes into and strung on a dyed piece of sinew to be worn as bracelets; and for Morina, a graduated spiral shell necklace and bracelet that matched Torina's perfectly.

The next person who came forward was Ivanolia, much to the exasperation of his mate.

"What?" he demanded when he heard her harrumph behind him.

Danie shrugged her shoulders and threw up her hands as if to say, nothing, but didn't actually say anything.

Ivanolia smiled then and handed Davaria a highly decorated pair of camp shoes. "From one Fox Hearth to another," he said.

Davaria looked them over with a grin, then kicked off the ones he was wearing, sat down and put on the new ones. "These are great, Ivanolia," he said, walking in a circle to test them out. "Aren't these great, Ata?"

She smiled and nodded.

"And he made them himself too," Danie put in. "Except for the beading; that was me." Then turning to her friend, she said, "Here Danta, I made you and Danara each a pair too."

Danta frowned. "But you already gave me a gift, Danie."

Danie shrugged. "Yeah, but a fox skull is kind of boring...appropriate, but boring. And more for the both of you...for the hearth. When Ivan told me what he wanted to give Davaria, I decided to make you both some to match his. I'm not so good at beading, but I was trying to make a fox design with them."

Danta smiled, then hugged her new footwear. "I can see it. I love them. Thank you."

"Me too," Danara piped. She'd already put hers on as well.

Danta watched her daughter prance around, then looked back at Danie. "Now you," she said, going to get their gifts to Artic Fox Hearth. Pulling two boxes from the pile, she went first to Danie. "Here."

Danie smiled and took the box. Smoothed and hollowed out from one of the gray pieces of driftwood they'd found in the valley of horses, it was neither small, nor large; approximately the size of a man's hand, and decorated with tiny pieces of shell and the clear quartz crystal that they'd found on the beach there as well. Turning it over gently, the woman said, "It's so shiny."

Davaria smiled. "Open it," he prompted when she didn't do so on her own.

Danie frowned, then lifted the lid to find a fox jaw, hanging on a beaded leather thong. "Oh, it's a necklace." Lifting it from the box, she handed it to Davaria and said, "Will you help me?"

Nodding, the man tied it around her neck.

"How does it look, Ivan?" she asked with delight.

"I love it," he said with a smile, but his tone told them he was losing patience.

Rolling her eyes, she looked at the adoptees again. "You better give this little boy his gift before he has a tantrum."

Sitting there patiently, Braydalana giggled at the man of her hearth.

"What are you sniggering about?" Ivanolia snapped.

The girl rolled her eyes and shook her head—as if the man's ridiculous behavior was beneath her. But when she didn't comment, Ivanolia ground his teeth and gestured that they should give to the child first.

Smiling, Danta handed Braydalana a leather pouch and, much to the child's delight, she found that it was filled with bracelet-making materials, just like Tena had received.

"Oh thank you!" she squealed as she launched herself into Danta's arms. Glad that she'd have something to fill her long winter away, she decided that the first person she would make something for would be little Danara.

"And this, Danie," Danta said after Braydalana finally released her, "is for the baby." It was a warm, rabbit-skin blanket.

The two women hugged again, then, noticing Ivanolia's not-so-sunny disposition, they dissolved into giggles.

"All right, already!" Danta said with a roll of her eyes. "Davaria?"

Davaria was enjoying the blond man's lack of control as much as the women, but he quickly handed the man his gift, if only to move things along.

To all those watching, it appeared that Ivanolia hardly took the time to admire the well crafted box in his hands. But that wasn't really the case; he'd been surreptitiously inspecting it while the other man held it. And now that he had it in his own hands, he just wanted to see what was inside it. But he wasn't ready for what he found. Inside, an axe and knife, like he'd never seen before, lay nestled in the folds of a fox pelt. Its handle wrapped in deer skin, the flint-tipped axe looked almost too beautiful to touch. Instead, the man lifted the knife and slid it from its sheath. Inspecting it, he grinned. "You carved this from antler?" he asked as he turned it over in his hand again and again. Davaria nodded, but Ivanolia hadn't really been expecting an answer; he was just amazed and was talking to himself. Then he looked up at his old friend with a frown.

"Why in the Mother's name did you keep this talent hidden?" he asked.

Davaria shrugged. "Hey, if I'd known I had such a talent, do you really think I'd not have used it?"

Ivanolia nodded. "Good point...literally," he said as he ran his finger down the flint blade and then tapped it on the sharpened point; any more pressure would have drawn blood. "This is fantastic! Sharp and decorative," he said as he went back to inspecting the fox carved into the knife's antler handle.

"All right," Travie cut in impatiently. "Enough about you."

Several people laughed as the older woman came forward. Even Ivanolia knew he'd taken up too much time and stepped back to give his mate's mother her turn.

"Please accept my gift," she said. "It is a little boring, but very practical." For Davaria, she presented a comfortable pair of saiga leggings, matching exactly the tunic he'd received from Antelope Hearth; and for mother and daughter, beautifully decorated deer skin dresses. "I have missed making clothing for others."

"These are not boring, Travie," Danta said. "We need clothing."

The older woman smiled, glad that her gifts brought so much happiness.

"And for you," Danta said, presenting the woman with her gift; a water-tight container filled with a large assortment of packets similar to those given to Wäglodia.

Travie pulled out several and smiled. "But not for cooking," she guessed.

Danta shook her head. "No, a healer needs her healing herbs. Ayla helped me."

Travie's eyes went to the Clan medicine woman, then back to those giving her the gift. "I could not have wanted anything more. Thank you."

Both Danta and Davaria nodded.

"Who needs more to drink?" Tagnolia asked during the silence.

Several nodded. Standing, Serana and the headman went around refilling drinks. When they finished, the woman stayed.

"Please accept Ermine Hearth's gifts," she said, handing Davaria a bladder full of her blackberry wine, and Danta a finely made set of cups and plates. For Danara she knelt and pulled a hat onto the child's head, then accepted the little girls loving hug.

"And for you, Serana," Danta said, "so that you may continue making your wine."

Serana accepted the proffered container and opened it to find it filled to the rim with a variety of berries. Wide eyed, she asked, "Where did you find all of these?"

Danta grinned. "On our trek here; I picked all but a few."

Vilognia, now standing beside his mate, peered in the basket. "You've never made your wine with red raspberries before."

Serana shook her head. "No, but I'll start on some right away."

Danta smiled, then presented Vilognia with his gift. "I did not have any ermine, Vilognia. I hope this will be acceptable."

Opening his gift, the man smiled brightly. "A wolverine hat," he said as he put it on. "It is in the weasel family, just as the ermine is. It's more than acceptable; it's perfect!"

Relieved, Danta sighed and allowed Davaria to pass out the other Ermine Hearth gifts; for Vegodia, a pair of wolverine fur boots, because they'd been informed that he'd one day be their camp's runner and runners needed decent footwear; and for Serlona, another pouch of bracelet-making materials, which delighted the girl into giggles.

"All right, who's next?" Danta asked when Serlona calmed herself.

With a shrug, Jenadoza stood up, but instead of approaching with her mate, she beckoned to her sister. Standing, Laurana joined her, and their men followed more slowly.

"Please accept our gifts," they said together, presenting three ornately beaded tunics with matching, but less decorated, leggings.

Danta's eyes filled with tears in seeing an outfit beaded with Jenadoza's specially made beads. She was so overcome that she could not speak, but Jenadoza seemed to understand.

"You are part of Oak Camp now, Danta. What I make belongs to all here."

Danta tried to blink back her tears, but was unable. Letting them coarse down her cheeks, she hugged the two blonde women and whispered a thank you.

"Jenadoza made and beaded the tunics," Laurana said with a smile as they separated. "I did the pants. I'm much better at pants and not so great at beading."

Danta grinned through her tears. "Well, leggings are important too...very necessary in the winter."

"Oh Mamma, can I put it on?" Danara exclaimed, jumping up and down with excitement.

Laughing, she stripped the child down and helped her into the new outfit, then watched as her daughter sat down with all her new things gathered around her. Finally, she turned back to the group. To Jenadoza she gave a decorated bead container, filled with tiny pieces of clear quartz crystal and other things used for beading.

"We found these on Ayla's journey," Danta said, touching the clear stones she'd given the woman. "I hope you can use them."

Jenadoza nodded. "I can. To be honest, I was getting a little tired of using the same old beads all the time. It'll be great to have something new...and I can mix them."

Danta smiled, then handed Laurana a small woven basket. "I made the basket, but what's inside belonged to our sister," Danta said. "We thought you could make use of them."

Opening it, Laurana grinned as she sifted through its contents; it contained several hair accessories; a bone hair pin, a wooden hair fork, two other hair pieces, and a multitude of leather thongs, each decorated differently with beads and feathers, that could be used to tie ones hair back.

"Maybe you should have given some of those things to Brulenzia," Ivanolia said to Danta from over Laurana's shoulder. "He's got a lot of hair too."

"Would you get out of here, Ivan!" Laurana burst. "Your turn is done." Then, much to everyone's entertainment, she elbowed the man in the ribs.

Danta grinned. "What makes you think we're not giving him some?"

Ivanolia frowned, then smiled, realizing their new member was just teasing. He was impressed though when Davaria pulled out two expertly made spears, one with wolves carved on it for Brulenzia, the other with cave bears for Donzolnia. Both men were pleased, but had to fight to keep possession of their gifts as Ivanolia insisted on handling them. While that was going on, Danta gave Jenadoza and Laurana each a rattle for entertaining their babies, for Teglodia a bear-shaped one and Bruana's was round.

For many moments everyone talked and laughed and watched the antics of Ivanolia and the two other men, then a throat was cleared, causing them to calm and sit down again. And then Vincenzia stood up and came forward with his gift.

"Davaria, please accept a gift from Snow Leopard Hearth."

Davaria took his gift, a Y-shaped piece of bone with a hole in it, and smiled, but he didn't know what it was for.

"A little birdie told me that you were having trouble with your spear shafts, so I thought a shaft straightener would be do the trick...though, lack of ability isn't evidenced by the spears you have gifted us," the older man said. "But I'd be happy to work with you anyway, if you'd like."

Davaria turned the item over in his hands and rubbed the well-worn hole with a finger, then smiled up at the man of Ayla's hearth. "I would be very grateful for whatever assistance you might be able to give, Vincenzia."

"And we also have this for you," Darvie said, coming up behind the man and holding out something else.

Davaria stared at the entire pelt of a snow leopard, then grinned and tossed it over his shoulder. "I don't think I want this made into anything," he declared. "I think I'll wear it just the way it is."

Danta smiled and ran a hand over the snow leopard pelt, its ringed spots of dark, ashy-brown and rosettes of black a beautiful contrast to its whitish-tan coat, and gorgeous against her brother's coloring.

"And for Danta we have a small piece of the Mamutoi," Darvie said.

Danta examined the intricately carved mammoth ivory bracelet, then slipped it on her arm. "I have never seen such a thing."

Darvie nodded. "There is a man at Lion Camp who is an artist beyond compare. Many years ago, I traded for this...but now it's yours."

"Oh Darvie, thank you," Danta said as she fingered the carving spanning her wrist.

"And I have a carving for you as well, Danara," the Snow Leopard woman said. "Well, several of them actually." Pulling out a pouch, she dumped out a handful of square marked pieces. "These are ivory pieces that we use to play knucklebones. Do you know how to play?"

The little girl shook her head, her eyes round with interest. "No, but I like games."

Darvie smiled. "Good then. I'm sure Crisana and Brenevia would be happy to teach you. Perhaps all of Oak Camp can learn to play."

"Those are pretty fancy," Davaria said. He'd leaned in to see and was impressed. He'd played knucklebones a time or two, gambling for this or that, but he hadn't been very good at it. And he'd certainly not seen any of such beauty, carved from mammoth ivory.

Darvie nodded. "The man I told you about, from Lion Camp, the man of his hearth once visited a people a long distance to the south, and he brought some like this back with him. Then later, the son of his hearth crafted these for me. Now I have several sets and thought Danara might like to learn to play. You know, it's said that nobody can become a skilled dice player if he has not devoted himself to it from his childhood."

"No, I have not heard that," Davaria said. "But it must be so, because I stink."

Darvie chuckled. "I'm not so good at it myself, but you should see my children play."

"Hmm. Well...let's see what we have for you," Davaria said, changing the subject. For Darvie, they had a birchbark container etched with a family of mammoths on the side and a ring of oak leaves running around it's rim; for Vincenzia, a carved wooden box, filled with fine nodules of flint; for Crisana, a bag of beads and sinew, for the making of jewelry; and for Brenevia, a child-sized spear, wrapped with soft deer hide and carved with a snow leopard.

"I did not know we were giving Brenevia that," Danta whispered while everyone was admiring their gifts. "Don't you think it's a little dangerous?"

Davaria rolled his eyes and shook his head. "It's not like he's going on any big hunts, Ata. Relax."

Frowning, she bit her lip and watched the boy play with his miniature spear. "He's only five, Ari."

Davaria sighed. "Durc has one."

Danta eyes went to Ayla's son. He did indeed have his own spear; several of them, in fact, and he almost always had one with him. Then recalling what she'd been told about the Clan, that a boy of five in the Clan was actually much older, she frowned again. But she didn't object any further. Davaria was right, it wasn't as if the child would actually need to use the spear for anything more ferocious than a rabbit or a mouse.

"Who's next?" she finally asked as people settled down again.

"I guess that would be us," Ayla said with a smile as she stood up and came forward; they were the last. "Please accept our gifts to Red Fox Hearth." To Danta she handed a small wooden bowl with a close-fitting lid.

When

Danta opened it, she looked at Ayla with a puzzled expression. It was filled with pure white marbleized softened tallow—tasteless, colorless, odorless animal fat that had been rendered in simmering water. She smelled it, and smiled, but was still puzzled.

"I make rose water, from petals

and mix it with other things," Ayla explained. "It is to be used on your skin, to make it smell and feel nice."

Danta grinned and dipped a finger into it, then rubbed it on the back of her hand. Bringing the hand to her nose, she sniffed. "That is nice. Thank you."

Ayla nodded, then looked to Durc, who then jumped up and ran to the visitor's hearth. Everyone watched and waited, surprised when the boy returned with a covered basket that was almost too large for him to carry. Setting it down in front of Danara, he said, "For you."

Crouching down, Danara lifted the lid to find a pile of red fur. Thinking it was another fox pelt, she reached for it. But then it moved. Startled, she pulled her hand back, but reached out again when the live pup yipped.

"Ahhh, it's so cute," she said as she lifted the tiny fox and cuddled it close. "Is this for me?"

Durc nodded. "I found her today."

"Oh Mamma, look."

Danta, along with everyone else, looked at the tiny canid, but the woman was just a little leery. Her worried eyes quickly went to Ayla. "Do you think it's safe."

Ayla shrugged. "If Danara teaches it to be," she said. She had no way of knowing for sure, but experience told her that all creatures seemed to have the ability to learn. Weren't her other animals proof of that?

"We're taking her brother home with us," Durc put in as he lifted a second pup from the basket that nobody had noticed. Grov and Ayla hadn't really discussed it yet, the keeping of the second one; they knew Brun wasn't going to like it, but what else could they do, leave it to die? The only other alternative was to give it to someone else at Oak Camp, but both knew Durc would be sorely disappointed if he didn't get to keep it.

"Ohhh, siblings Mamma," Danara squealed. Reaching out, she patted her fox's brother; he was just a bit darker in color than his sister, but every bit as adorable.

"I just couldn't leave them to die. Durc found their mother dead, so we searched out her den. I hope you don't mind," she said worriedly to the group at large. It was, after all, a carnivore.

Several people shrugged.

"As long as it doesn't pose any danger, I don't suppose it matters," Tiflona said. "What cute little things they are." She'd inched forward, along with everyone else, to better see the dual red balls of fur and smiled when it stared up with a frightened look in its eyes, giving little puppy barks of protest.

"I guess Red Fox Hearth will truly be a red fox hearth," Tagnolia said. "I think you've started something Ayla."

Ayla grinned. "I do love my animals."

Everyone laughed; several wondered what animals she'd bring the following summer.

"Now, Davaria's gift," she said.

"Oh yes," said Grov. Moving closer, he presented the new Oak man with one of his Clan style spears. "You probably won't want to hunt with this, but I wanted to give you something to remember us by."

Davaria accepted the spear, noticing immediately how heavy it was, then smiled at his friend. "As if I could forget you. Because of you two, all of this is possible." He paused as his throat constricted and he had to swallow several times before continuing. "And for you," he said, presenting the Clan couple with two of his beautifully carved spears, Grov's with a pouncing leopard on it, its tail wound around the shaft, and Ayla's, her three horses, their manes and tails seemingly blowing, carved on hers. They'd both seen them before, but not the finished project. They were a work of art.

And for the Clan children Davaria and Danta had, a child-sized spear for Durc, and identical rabbit fur hoods and mittens for Ora and Annaliza.

Smiling, Ora held them up to her mother and said, "Help me."

"Me too," Annaliza quipped.

Kneeling, Ayla helped her daughters into their gifts. It was much too warm inside the lodge to keep them on for long, but she did it anyway. Within moments, they wanted them off, but not before everyone saw how nice they looked in their new garments.

Smiling and nodding, everyone was talking about their gifts, while Davaria and Danta watched. A warmth spread through them and they realized, once and for all, that they'd truly found home.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

Danta sat down on her bed platform and watched her brother. He was standing, his back to her, arranging his new things, folding his clothes and finding places for everything. They'd just come back to the hearth to put things away, but were expected to return to the cooking hearth for the rest of the celebration. She was a bit nervous, about the drinking part of it—they both were—so they were taking their time.

Finally, Davaria turned around and sat down.

"Where's Danara?"

"She stayed with Brenevia. They were going to practice their flutes."

Davaria nodded, then glanced around. "Why am I so nervous?"

Danta shrugged, then shivered and hugged herself. "I am too, if that means anything to you."

He smiled, then got up and sat down next to her. Draping an arm over her shoulder, he pulled her close. "It is comforting to know I'm not the only one, but...I don't want you to be scared, Ata."

She frowned. "I'm not really scared...just worried that one of us will do something wrong, that we'll cause them to be sorry they took us."

Davaria frowned, then stiffened as he understood her meaning. "I promised you back at the summer meeting that I wouldn't drink...too much," he added when she glared at him. "Oh come on, Ata, I've been real good."

Danta sighed, knowing that he had been.

"I have something for you," Davaria threw out, standing quickly, going to his bed platform and pulling out a small wrapped package. "Here."

Danta accepted the gift with a smile. "For me?"

He nodded, then watched as she excitedly opened his present; it was a necklace of fox teeth with the carving of a fox head on a wooden center pendant. "Do you like it?"

She grinned. "Do I like it? It's beautiful, Ari," she exclaimed. "Will you help me?" Spinning around, she allowed him to tie it on her, then she turned and threw her arms about his neck. "Thank you," she gushed. Then remembering his sneaky behavior in the valley of horses, she gasped. "This is what you were up to in Ayla's valley!"

He blushed. "Yeah...but I do have something for Danara too," he said. He hadn't forgotten that that's what he'd told her he was doing—making her daughter an adoption gift. "It's here...see?" With that he reached for another wrapped package and, now worried about what she'd think, he unrolled it.

Danta frowned. "A spear, Ari," she said with disappointment. She hadn't liked that he'd given a spear to Brenevia and Durc, but to her daughter too. She was mortified.

"It's blunted...see?" he explained as he thrust the tiny weapon into her hands. "It couldn't hurt a mouse."

Danta took the spear and examined it, then grinned at him. "You thought of everything, didn't you?"

He shrugged. "I tried to. Is it okay?"

Danta looked it over again, then handed it back to him with a nod. "I suppose."

Sighing his relief, he grinned at her. "Oh good."

Then, with a grin of her own, she went to her bed. "I have something for you too."

His eyes widened. "You do?"

She nodded. "Of course, silly. Weren't we supposed to give a gift to every Oak Camp member?" He nodded. "Well then, here you are. They are from both Danara and me."

Sitting down on his bed, he ripped the package open to find a pair of warm winter boots trimmed in fox fur. "Oh! These are great!" Quickly, he'd pulled off his camp shoes and was walking around the hearth in his new footwear. "I wish it was snowing outside...so I could see how warm they are."

"Well, that'll come soon enough," a masculine voice said from the hearth entrance.

Turning, Davaria saw Ivanolia standing there.

"Are you two coming back to the cooking hearth or what?" Ivanolia asked as he handed a cup of wine to each of Oak Camp's new members. "Everyone's already dancing." Ivanolia looped an arm around each of their shoulders and began leading them back out to the others.

"Wait," Davaria said. "I need to change back into my other shoes."

Ivanolia let the man shrug out of his embrace, but he kept Danta pinned to his side. "Fine then...we'll meet you out there," he said. "But hurry up, would you!"

~oxoxo~

Deciding to take a little break from the dancing, Ayla sat down on one of the many cooking hearth benches. She'd consumed a little more wine than she would have liked and her head was spinning. She considered going back to the visitor's hearth and crawling in to her furs, but Grov still looked to be enjoying himself, so she stayed.

Watching her mate, she grinned. Seeing him attempting the intricate steps of the Sungaean dances made her realize just how different he was from any man in their Clan. He's seemed a touch embarrassed at first, but at least he'd tried. And now, he was doing rather well. And she'd done fairly well herself, with all the Sungaean men vying to assist her. The older men had taken turns at first, including the man of her hearth, but then they'd stepped back to let the young men take a crack at her. And even the boys had had their turn.

"Why are you sitting?" Brulenzia asked as he plopped down beside her. Both he and his brother had been very attentive, but now Donzolnia was dancing with Danta, so Brulenzia wanted to have a moment alone with Ayla.

"I am tired," Ayla replied. "And just a little bit drunk, I think."

Brulenzia grinned. "Me too. But then, that's what celebrations are for." The man paused, but seeing the woman's frown made him reach out and take her hand. "But that is not all, is it?"

Ayla shook her head. "No...we are leaving tomorrow."

Brulenzia nodded. "I thought that you might be. Have you talked to the others about it?"

"Yes. We told them earlier today...but that does not make it any easier."

"No, I don't suppose that it does." The two of them watched the dancers for a while, then Brulenzia turned to her. "Ayla, there's been something I've wanted to talk to you about," he said seriously. "And I guess this is the last chance I'll have until next summer."

Sitting up straighter, Ayla tried to clear her mind. "Okay...what is it?"

Frowning, Brulenzia looked over at Danie; she was currently involved with Grov. "It's...about Danie...and babies."

Ayla glanced over at her mate, suddenly concerned that Brulenzia worried over the Clan man's spirit getting it Ivanolia's woman. "Babies?" she asked. "What about them?"

The man continued to frown. "It is your belief that...a man puts a baby inside a woman...when he shares pleasures with her...right?"

Ayla nodded. "Yes, that is what I think," she said, realizing that his worry was about something else because Danie had not shared herself with Grov.

"But how do you know this?"

Ayla shrugged. "Because, you can see it...in the child. Take, for example, your daughter; she looks just like you."

Brulenzia smiled and nodded. "Yes, she does, doesn't she?" He was so proud of little Bruana, just the thought that he was responsible for her existence made his heart fill with love for both the child and her mother. "But..." He paused. "Laurana has not been with another man."

"That is my point," Ayla said. "It would be difficult to know for sure, if she had been with other men...unless the child looked like someone else."

"Like Morina?" he said. Both of them turned to look at his little sister. With her brownish-red hair and green eyes, almost an exact image of Torina, no one could deny the fact that the man of his hearth was not the man whose spirit had created her; that distinction belonged to Wäglodia.

Ayla nodded. "Exactly. But in your case, you can be certain."

Brulenzia frowned, not entirely certain of her logic. Maybe the Mother had used another man's spirit to create Bruana. It might even have been Donzolnia's, since the child looked just like him as well.

Ayla watched him, then followed his eyes back over to Grov and Danie. This had nothing to do with Laurana and Bruana, she decided. "What is it that you're worried about, Brulenzia?" she finally asked.

"I shared pleasures with Danie," he blurted. "On our journey to Lion Camp."

Ayla nodded. "I know," she said, still not comprehending what he was thinking.

Brulenzia's brow pinched together further. "Might not her child be mine?" he finally asked.

With a nod of understanding, Ayla said, "Oh...no." Then she smiled and shook her head. "No, Danie was already pregnant when she shared your furs, Brulenzia. I do not think there's any chance that the baby is yours; the child's spirit had already been chosen by then."

Sighing his relief, he squeezed her hand and grinned. "Oh. Good." He still was not certain about her ideas; they seemed farfetched, but her explanation gave him some relief. "Hey, are you ready to dance again," he asked to change the subject.

"Actually, my stomach is feeling a little bit..." She grimaced. "I think I want to go to bed. Do you think you would mind telling Grov where I went?"

"Of course not, Ayla," Brulenzia said, standing up. "And thank you."

Smiling, she hugged the man, then turned and left.

~oxoxo~

A short time later, Grov entered the visitor's hearth to find the fire burning low and Ayla already in their furs. Glancing over at the other beds, he saw the children already sound asleep. Dropping a log into the fire, he quickly stripped, then crawled into their bed, gathered Ayla into his arms and started kissing her neck.

Squirming, she pulled away slightly.

"I know, we can't share pleasures," he said, knowing and understanding her reasons if not agreeing with them. "But I need to hold you...and kiss you."

"That is not it," she said.

Frowning, he leaned back slightly. "What is it then?"

Ayla blushed and tried to avoid looking at him.

She'd never been able to avoid answering a direct question before so he thought there was something seriously wrong. "Ayla," he said, sitting up quickly. "What is it?"

Frowning, her face still hidden slightly, she said, "My totem is battling."

"Oh...is that all." He now knew why she didn't want him to touch her, but the fact that she wasn't pregnant made him instantly hard; he wanted her. That he'd be able to have her soon meant nothing to him. He wanted her now. Leaning into her again, he nibbled at her neck and reached for a breast. "Take these off," he said, tugging at the offending garments that clung to her.

"Grov," she protested, shoving at his chest. "Did you hear me? I am bleeding."

"I do not care," he said. "I have waited long enough." And with that he put his mouth on hers, hoping to put an end to her objections. It worked, for a moment, then her mind seemed to clear.

"We can't," she said, somehow managing to get out from under him. In a flash, she was standing beside the bed frowning down at him. "Are you not afraid that your totem spirit will be drawn into the battle?"

"No!" he said, reaching out quickly to ensnare her wrist. Giving it a yank, he had her on the bed and under him again before she could counter his move. "Someone has taught me that that totem battling thing is all nonsense." He kissed her as she began to protest. "Though...I did not...truly believe...it before," he said, pausing every few words to nibble at her lips.

Slowly, with a smile, she began to give in. "But...it will be...messy," she said with a blush. She was still embarrassed; years of conditioning were difficult to ignore.

Grov chuckled as he untied her leggings and started removing them. "So, we will clean it up...clean you up. What's a little blood?"

She frowned again, then shivered as his fingers caressed her womanhood. It was not long before she'd lost herself in his touch.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

Rolling from the bed platform, Ayla grimaced down at what she saw—red splotches on her thighs and stomach. A glance at the bed, which was empty, made her sigh with relief; she was glad that her mate would not see her this way. Quickly, she went to the bowl she'd filled with water the night before, but frowned when she found it nearly empty. Sighing, she dipped a small piece of cloth into the tiny amount of liquid and tried to wipe herself clean.

"Here, let me help."

Startled, Ayla bolted to her feet, dropping her cloth in the process. Then, with a horrified expression, she grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her nakedness.

"I did not hear you coming."

Grov smiled. "I figured as much," he said. Then, approaching her slowly, he repeated himself. "Let me help you. I brought more water."

Ayla watched as he poured water from a larger container into their bowl, then picked up her small cloth and dipped it in the water. But then, when he reached to run it over her, to help her clean herself, she took several steps backward.

"I can do it," she said, extending a hand to take the cloth from him.

He reacted by pulling his hand back. "I know that you can, but I want to help."

Frowning, she dropped her outstretched hand and backed up another step. This time her legs came in contact with the bed platform, causing her to sit abruptly. Quickly, he descended upon her with his wet cloth, and a smile. Her first reaction was to cringe and squeeze her eyes closed, but when it came in contact with her skin, she relaxed somewhat—the water he used was warm.

Unfortunately, its temperature did not divert her attention for long; Ayla tensed once again. Leaning forward, Grov distracted his mate with kisses as he coaxed her legs apart and ran the cloth over the marks they'd smeared on her during their lovemaking. He knew this was difficult for her, and new for himself as well, but strangely it did not bother him the least bit. This was his mate; nothing about her bothered him.

When he finished, he continued to kneel before her, watching her. Her eyes were still closed, but she seemed at peace. For a moment, he wondered if she'd fallen asleep, but then rejected the thought; her breathing was not even enough.

"Where are your straps?" he asked, glancing around at her packed bags.

Immediately, Ayla's eyes snapped open and she was on her feet. "I will get them," she declared.

Grov chuckled as he watched her scurry over to her belongings, search through several bags, and come up empty.

"This is not funny."

Grov instantly suppressed his mirth and handed her a small bag that sat separate from the others. "Are you looking for this one?"

With a sigh of embarrassment, Ayla nodded, then put herself together. Thankfully, her mate lay down on the bed and kept his eyes averted. When she was nearly finished, he finally spoke.

"It is not necessary for you to be embarrassed, Ayla. There is nothing unnatural about a woman's time."

Ayla frowned and looked at him. "How can you disregard all that you have learned growing up with the Clan."

He shrugged. "If I did not, then I would not have even acknowledged you when I first met you...or...later, after being told of your death curse."

She continued to frown.

"And maybe...all those times you were insolent...I should have cuffed you, like other Clan men might have. You do like to argue, don't you?"

"I do not argue," she protested, her hands on her hips.

Grov rolled his eyes, then rolled off the bed and to his feet. "Oh no, not you," he said as he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms for a kiss.

For several moments she stood stiffly in his embrace, then she melted. "Well...maybe I argue...some," she allowed.

Chuckling, he smiled down at her. Then glancing at their piles, he reluctantly set her from him and reached for their belongings. "We should hurry. Everyone's waiting and you still need to eat. I'll pack the horses."

Nodding, Ayla helped carry things outside, then went in to eat. Too quickly the meal was finished and everyone was lining up to say goodbye. It was a long line, filled with many tearful farewells.

"I refuse to say goodbye," Vincenzia said. The older man had been struggling with his emotions, then finally decided it wasn't worth the fight and let his tears fall.

"Good!" Ayla choked. "Because we will see each other again soon! A winter is not that long."

"Right! It will go by fast, I'm sure."

Ayla nodded, then sniffed, then fell into the older man's arms and sobbed.

Vincenzia wanted to beg her to stay, but knew that no amount of pleading would change her mind. She had to go back. Deep down he knew that she wanted to go back, that, despite being born at Oak Camp, the Clan's cave would always feel like home to her. It saddened him, but he couldn't blame her; they were all she really knew. He would take comfort in the fact that she was no longer lost to him. Clutching her tight for another long moment, he opened his eyes. He had to blink several times to find Grov, and when he did, he gave the man a slight nod.

Understanding it right away, the younger man stepped forward, took Ayla's shoulders, and led her to her horse. She said nothing as he lifted her to Whinney's back.

"Take care of our girls," Vincenzia finally said to Grov as he smiled up at Durc, who was already seated on his horse. He'd handed Annaliza up to her mother and now clasped the arm of Ayla's mate.

"You can count on it."

Grov backed away then and swung up onto Stomp. Making a few adjustments, he looked down at Brulenzia, who stood there waiting with Ora. Before handing Evenora's daughter up to him, the Oak man kissed her forehead, then quickly went to stand with his mate. For all that their beginnings had been awkward, things sure seemed smoothed over now. Grov's gaze quickly went to Ivanolia, who stood with Danie.

"Give us...one hand of days...five days," Grov corrected. "Then follow."

Ivanolia nodded, then waved as they turned to leave.

~oxoxo~

After a long period of silence, and many worried looks at his mate's stiff posture, Grov rode up along side her. "We could stop...and rest, if you want to."

Ayla shook her head. "No, it's still early...we should probably keep going."

Grov looked up at the sun and noted that it was partially hidden by clouds, and realized that it was actually a bit chilly in the shade. Where had the summer's warmth gone? he asked himself. Then looking at Ayla, he realized she needed him to tell her it was time to stop.

"No," he said. "We're stopping."

Instantly, the woman halted her horse, slid off Whinney's rump pulling the baby with her, and turned to look at the man. "You are hungry."

Grov shrugged. "Maybe a little...but I just wanted to stop. Let's just stay here tonight."

Ayla frowned. "Here?"

He nodded, then getting down, he set Ora on her feet, then started unpacking his horse.

Ayla watched him for a moment, then shrugged and followed suit. Quickly, they had a small camp set up and were settled down with warm food and a hot cup of tea.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

"It is just around that bend," Levaria said excitedly to the other headman.

Sardovia nodded. It was rare that he'd visited the caves of Cedar Camp, but he knew well where they were. Everyone knew where they were, because most avoided the area like they would a spring sickness. Looking around at the Cedar people, he could only slightly understand their excitement at being home. Of course, home was always where he found peace, but Cedar Camp? He shuddered at the thought.

And then he glanced around him. The people had halted, but no one was approaching their cave. Then a whiff of something rotten made him grimace, and he wondered what creature had resided within their home over the summer. After a few more forward steps, Sardovia stopped in his tracks; the foul odor was horrifying. Turning away and pulling his tunic over his mouth and nose barely kept the stench at bay.

"What is that smell?" someone said.

Everyone was backing away from the cave's entrance. Finally, with grim determination, Levaria and his sister's mate, Deniskia, braved the stench. But they didn't get far. It took only moments to figure out that the cave was no longer inhabitable, that they'd lost their home and probably everything within it.

~oxoxo~

"What do you mean we can't live here?" Lariska demanded. She'd waited while her brother and mate went inside and quickly came out. They'd signaled Spruce Camp's leaders to join them the moment they'd reached her. "What has happened in there?"

"It's more like who's been in there?" Levaria said.

Lariska stared at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"He means that everything's been destroyed...it's all gone," Deniskia said dryly.

Lariska frowned, then turned and started toward the cave.

"No, Lariska," Levaria said, running after her to prevent her from seeing the wreckage. He held onto her until she wrenched herself away from him, then slowly followed. What she found turned her stomach. Not only was all that they owned completely demolished, but every bit of the cave was covered in blood, rotted meat, and human excrement.

"Nooooo," she howled.

Levaria tried to go to his sister, but she backed away, furiously upset. Not knowing what to do, the man could only watch as she paced and muttered to herself. But then, when it looked like she would collapse, he went to her and dragged her from the cave. Once outside, she kneeled and vomited.

"Who would do such a thing?" she sobbed, grateful to her mate for coming to her rescue, if only to hold her hair back while she retched.

"Do you really need me to answer that?"

Lariska wiped the acidic spit from her lip with the sleeve of her tunic, and looked up at her brother; he stood beside where she knelt in the dirt with her mate.

"Ash...Sumac...Dogwood! One of them...all of them! I don't know."

"We made the right decision, Levaria," she snarled.

"Yeah? Well, what do you suggest we do now? We are officially homeless!"

Lariska had to take a few breaths before standing, but when she did, she faced her brother and said, "If they could do such a thing, then I want no part of them. What I saw in there tells me they're not human...they are disgusting hyenas!"

Levaria sighed. He might agree with her, but that didn't help their situation in the least. "But what do we do now? We can't stay here. Even if the mess could be cleaned, which I have no interest in doing, there's no reason to believe they won't come back. We can't stay here, someone could get hurt...but we have nowhere else to go."

"That's not entirely true," Lariska said. She quickly glanced around at everyone; they timidly approached. She lowered her voice. "Most of us came from somewhere else originally. We'll have to go home."

Levaria looked about and frowned.

"And what of those who have no one else?" another man demanded.

"You must have some other kin somewhere, Daknaria," Lariska said.

"We did," another hollered. "Before you abandoned them. This wouldn't have happened if we'd have left with them."

Lariska laughed. "Do you hear yourself, Zadonskia? Do you really want to be like those crazies...those who butchered a rotten bull and smeared it all over our home...and did the Mother knows what else in there?" she asked, the memory of what she'd seen and smelled causing her stomach to turn once again.

Several gasped in horror; no one else had seen the mess. They'd been curious, but her short description made them less so.

"Zadonskia is right, this is your doing!" Daknaria accused. "We should find them and make amends."

"Wait just a minute!" a young man said. Looking at the man of his hearth he frowned. "You can't be serious, Daknaria. What worse betrayal could there be than destroying one's home?"

Daknaria scowled at the eldest son of his absent mate and gritted his teeth. "Gather your woman and child, Zhenekia, we are leaving!"

Zhenekia shook his head. "Bogdana and I are going nowhere that is connected with those whom we formerly associated."

Daknaria shook with fury. "I can think of worse betrayals...disobeying the mate of your mother, for one," Daknaria burst.

"My mother is gone, Daknaria. You ran her off!"

Daknaria's face turned purple with rage as he turned his back and stormed over to the daughter of his mate. "Come, Dashna!"

Dashna might have been caught by his violent grab, but her mate pulled her out of the way. Only stunned for a moment, she reacted.

"No! I stay with my mate," the young woman said.

His blood boiling, Daknaria turned and left, the youngest son of his hearth following. "You will be sorry!" he declared. "I promise you that!"

~oxoxo~

"Now what?"

"Well, we could split up and go our separate ways."

"Or?"

"Or we could find a new place and set up a lodge."

Someone scoffed. "Before winter? I don't think so."

"It was just a suggestion."

"Well, I don't like it!"

"Do you have a better one?"

Silence.

"Does anyone have a suggestion?"

More silence.

Sardovia, who had been silent as well, cleared his throat. "Might I make a suggestion?"

Cedar Camp stared at the man, then several nodded. Why not? they were probably figuring.

"Spruce Camp could take in one family for the winter, is there not a place each family could stay...for a winter. Then in the summer you could come back together and try to reform."

Everyone frowned.

"We could probably return to Maple Camp," Zhenekia said with a shrug. "Bogdana is related to them...distantly."

"And we could find a place with Birch Camp," said Vanechkia as he took up Dashna's hand. "After all, I was born there."

Dashna smiled. "Or maybe even Beech Camp with your mother."

Vanechkia nodded. "Perhaps."

"That still leaves three families," a woman complained. "And we have no one!"

"That's not entirely true, Hetara," Jondaria interrupted, "if you'll let me make a suggestion."

The woman frowned, then shrugged.

"Oak Camp was looking for a healer all summer. You might be able to find a permanent home with them."

"Hold on there!" Levaria burst. "If we lose our healer, then we have no hope of coming back together.

"You'd still have your sister!" Hetara screeched. "And...I have no intention of staying in this region, even if I have to take my daughter and live under a rock at the bottom of a river!"

Levaria frowned, then glanced at his sisters. Lariska was their headwoman, but Lada was a decent healer. "What do you think, Lada?"

She shrugged. "I could do it."

Levaria scratched his head, then nodded. "All right."

~oxoxo~

Jondaria sat with his camp discussing the situation while Cedar Camp tried to find anything that might be salvageable. "I can take them to Oak Camp."

Janika pouted. "You just want to see Ayla again."

Jondaria rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine then, I will take them back to Pine Camp and let Bandolia send a runner to Oak Camp...not that Ayla will still be with Oak Camp," he said.

A few people chuckled.

"All right," Sardovia said. "That sounds good. And I think we should move out today, to get away from...this." He shuddered and waved his arm toward the offending stench of the cave Cedar Camp used to occupy.

AtDC

Spruce Camp (34 people)

Cave Bear Hearth

Sardovia (headman) – related to Vardasia, but not Vincenzia, stayed at summer meeting (Maple hosting) during first summer hunt, supported Ayla
Tashana – headman's mate
~ Tarasia
~ Tekla
~ Sardashia

Badger Hearth

Sarasha (headwoman)
Zekaria – headwoman's mate
~ Zabeka
~ Sabina

Bison Hearth

Anara (Shogur)
Makaria
~ Masha

Wolverine Hearth

Anikara (healer)
Jeeteria – master hunter, makes bouza
~ Jondaria (20)
~ Janika (15)

Lemming Hearth

Larrisa
Tomasia
~ Tomochkia
~ Matvia
~ Lukia (Luke)
~ Lazara

Giant Beaver Hearth

Varvara
Pavelia
~ Vikularia
~ Nikita
~ Petrovia

Red Deer Hearth

Yesfira
Sevastia
~ Yevgenia
~ Soneshka

Snow Crane Hearth

Fedora
Vladimia
~ Vonda

Next...here's Cedar Camp:

Cedar Camp (numbering 26 people after split from Ash, Sumac and Dogwood) – hearths unnamed

Levaria (from Latin word Leo, which means lion) – headman (35), reluctantly agrees with sister (headwoman) to remain at summer meeting when 3 camps (Sumac, Dogwood, Ash) split off, originally from Larch Camp
Raisa – headman's mate (30)
~ Lenechkia (13)
~ Yakovia (10)
~ Pavlovia ("small"), (7)

Lariska – headwoman (32)
Deniskia – headwoman's mate (36)
~ Zhannah (12)
~ Lera – twin (9)
~ Valya – twin (9)
~~ Danita (53) – Deniskia mother

Maksimia – shogur (30)
Lada ("nice") – headman and headwoman's sister (29)
~ Evara (11)
~ Katya (8)
~~ Olezhkia (means "holy") – former shogur, man of Maksimia's hearth (49)

Hetara (healer) – from a long line of healers (39)
~ Dakara (14)

Daknaria (41) – reluctantly stays with Cedar Camp, mate (Zadora - ran off years before), leaves at end of post
~ Zadonskia (17) – son of Zadora (who is gone), leaves with Daknaria at end of post

Zhenekia (23) – son of Zadora (who is gone), close friend of Vanechkia
Bogdana – distant cousin of Maple Camp leaders (Bolodenkia and Breidara), (20)
~ Zashara (2)

Vanechkia (21) – Belana's middle son (who's now at Beech Camp)
Dashna (19) – daughter of Zadora (who is gone)
~ Varana (2)

And last...here are some younger members (4) who decided to go with leaving camps (Ash, Sumac and Dogwood) from summer meeting:

Makushkia (22) – Maxsimia's younger brother
Ragozia (21) – Raisa's younger brother
Danushkia (19) – youngest son of Belana (who's now at Beech Camp)
Baboshkia (18) – Bogdana's younger brother

Reasons these 4 left - 1) loyalty to leaving camps, 2) not enough women in their camp to sustain them, and 3) just plain stupid!

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

The next few days passed quickly and soon Grov and Ayla were just around the corner from Brun's cave. With much care, they crossed the tiny river that had still been frozen on their trek out, but had since thawed, then started out across the meadow that would bring them to their cave's northern entrance. In the meadow they could see several people doing various tasks; the women working hides or tending children and the men practicing their slings or making spears. Suddenly, Ayla became very nervous about being home. What if they couldn't fit in?

"Grov?" she said, fear causing her voice to crack.

Grov glanced at her with loving concern, then moved Stomp to Whinney's side and reached to give the woman's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Relax Ayla, we're home."

She could only frown, and wonder why she felt so odd. She'd been sad to leave Oak Camp, but with each step they took away from them, her mind went to those she couldn't wait to see once again. Uba and her sons. Brun and Ebra and Eda. Oga and her children. Ovra and her sons. All the women. And, Mother forbid, even Broud. She shuddered at the thought, but it was true, she missed all the people.

And then she heard a loud shriek and looked skyward. Shriek was over head and had just alerted the Clan to their presence. She watched as women and children went inside the cave and the men crowded closer, to protect. Even from a distance it was clear they were apprehensive.

Grov's brow knotted, then he glanced up, wishing the raptor hadn't called out like that. "I think we should dismount," he finally suggested. They'd come close enough to make out individuals, and he could tell that the Clan was frightened of them, probably thinking them, four-legged, two-headed beasts.

Ayla nodded. Sliding off Whinney, she handed her daughter to Durc while Grov set Ora down next to the boy.

"Maybe we should leave the horses here, until we...you have a chance to talk to Brun about them."

Grov stared at her for a moment. "Me?"

Ayla nodded. "Yes...you. You are a man. He will listen to you."

"I'm not so sure," the man said. "You seem to have a way with him."

"Not always. Besides," she went on, "As future leader, you should be the one to plead our case."

Grov smiled at her. "You are a sneaky woman...making me do the dirty work."

Ayla grinned at him.

~oxoxo~

Grov and Ayla and the children slowly approached the few who ventured out to greet them. Some had stayed in the meadow to watch the strange entourage draw near, but several others had gone inside, the fear being too much for them.

Ayla would have liked to run inside herself, to avoid the coming confrontation—and inevitable discussions—but she knew that it was not possible...especially when Brun finally reached them. He had Goov on one side of him and Broud on the other. All carried the heavy, yet familiar Clan spears. Gracefully, she dropped to her knees.

"What is this you have brought?" Brun gestured uneasily, ignoring the woman on the ground for the moment.

Grov frowned, knowing there was far more than just what was initially visible. For one, there was the tiny fox pup hidden in one of Durc's packs, but also so many new implements, knives, spears, and other utensils they'd been given by Ayla's people, and the ideas of the Others as well. The man knew the leader must be quite distressed to not welcome them home before questioning them. He told himself it would be this way, but he'd hoped it wouldn't be.

"The horses are...like Shriek...friends of Ayla's, and of myself," Grov said in signs—and words so Ayla would know what was being said.

Brun frowned. "A horse cannot be friend. Grod is friend. A horse is food."

Grov gave a small nod; the man was right, of course, but it wouldn't go over well with Ayla if her equine friends suddenly became the main dish in a welcoming feast. He didn't know what to do. He glanced at Goov, whose attention was riveted on their three horses a short distance away, and then to Broud, who was staring down at Ayla, who, while meaning to just sit there patiently, could not help but cast surreptitious glances up at the men. She'd seen the comment about her precious animals being food and was near panic. As quickly as she dared, she'd moved herself so that she was practically on Brun's feet, in hopes that he would tap her shoulder. The leader took the bait, then exploded.

"Why are you kneeling, woman?" he gesticulated tersely. "Did I not raise your status to that of almost a man?"

Frightened and not knowing what to do, Ayla slowly stood up, but took several steps backward so as not to be towering over the men. She knew how much they hated that. Then, once she was standing, Brun addressed her directly.

"What is the meaning of these animals?"

"They are...friends."

"Friends?" The leader was incredulous.

She nodded. "They will not hurt anyone. This woman will make sure of it."

Brun looked over at the horses skeptically. How could a mere woman prevent an animal from hurting someone? More than just instinct told him that a horse could run him down—could crush him. He had seen it, and recently.

Then he saw movement and turned his eyes on the animals; they all did. One of the horses—the darkest one, was moving steadily closer. He wanted to run, but instead he took a step backward, as did the other two, and all three raised spears to defend themselves. Ayla immediately stepped between the men and her young horse, and Grov moved with her.

"Brun, they are friends," the man insisted.

Brun only partially saw the man's words, he was struggling to the core at what he was seeing. He could fathom how an animal could be a friend.

While Grov stood protectively in front of her, Ayla started backing up. She felt a desperate need to touch the approaching horse. When she felt him nudge her in the back, she stopped and turned around. Reaching up, she hugged Nicuria around the neck, then looked back at the men; they only stared at her, shocked by what they saw.

"Would you like to touch them?" she gestured.

The leader continued to stare at her. Touch them? Was she crazy? People did not touch animals, unless they were making a meal out of them. And at that point, the animal was dead, not alive and walking about. He wondered if Ayla had finally lost her mind. It did happen sometimes, after much trauma. But the both of them? He looked at the woman's mate; he looked normal, even if a little worried, and it seemed highly unlikely that the young couple would both have lost it together.

Then, what he saw next amazed him. Ayla's son, who'd been standing quietly with Ayla's daughters, moved up behind his mother, reached up and, grabbing the horses stiff, stand up mane, pulled himself to the horse's back.

Brun's mouth dropped open. The boy was now sitting on the horse's back and he looked perfectly calm. But Brun wasn't; he wanted to run. And he would have, had he not become suddenly curious. If the boy was not frightened, then why should he, a man and the leader, be afraid?

"Would you like to touch Nicuria?" Ayla repeated.

Brun frowned. This is insane, he thought. But even as the thought ran through his mind, he found himself slowly nodding; he could not help but wonder what the animal's fur felt like.

Reaching into a pouch, Ayla produced two small apples. She handed one to Brun, then gestured, "Hold it like this." She demonstrated, holding the sweet treat in her flattened hand.

Brun's brows raised as the animal took the proffered fruit from the woman, then he slowly stepped forward to do the same. It was a struggle, just moving closer to such a large beast. And feeding it went completely against all that he could comprehend. Animals were food, to feed people, not to be fed. But when the horse's lips pulled the apple out of his hand, tickling it in the process, he gave the woman an appreciative look. He would never have believed it, had he not seen it with his own eyes, or felt the horse's soft lips on his hand.

"Nicuria likes to be rubbed...here," she demonstrated, running her hand down his long neck.

Brun watched her for a moment, then slowly reached out and touched the horse, his hand sliding over the animal's neck fur. He discovered that it was smooth. Nicuria gave a small nicker of pleasure as the man lifted his hand to pet him again. A slight quiver of the horse's flesh, however, caused the man to pull back, and Nicuria nickered again in protest and then nudged the man for more attention.

Trying not to show his fear, Brun remained rooted in place, but the look on his face told Ayla he could not take much more.

"Nicuria is greeting you, Brun. That is the way he says that he likes you, that he wants you to pet him again."

"Nic-cur," Brun repeated with a frown.

Ayla nodded. "That is the name this woman has given the animal. I call him that because that is the sound he makes." And, as if to validate her words, Nicuria nickered loudly.

Brun looked at the horse again, then off in the distance where the other two grazed. "What are their names?"

Relieved, Ayla glanced at the horses, then back at the leader. "The lighter one is called Stomp. She is Grov's horse and Nicuria's mother. And the other one is called Whinney," she said, mimicking the sound her horse made almost exactly.

Brun started at the sound the woman produced; if he didn't know better, he'd have thought a horse had whinnied. "These horses," he gestured, "they are all friends?"

Both Grov and Ayla nodded. "These three, yes," Grov cautioned.

"And they will not hurt anyone?"

"Not on purpose, Brun," Ayla said. "But they are still wild animals and could hurt without meaning to."

Brun frowned as he worried about his Clan. "How?"

"Because they are big, they are heavy. I would not want to be stepped on."

Brun nodded. He knew what she said was true; they had recently lost a member of their Clan to a trampling.

"I would suggest that no one get too close, until they are properly introduced and understand them better," Grov put in.

Brun frowned. "You plan on keeping them here?"

Ayla swallowed. "If the leader will allow," she said, her eyes pleading with the man. "I will take care of them. They will not, in any way, take my time away from my duties."

"And they can help us," Grov added.

Brun looked at the horses disbelievingly. "How is that?"

"They can carry very heavy loads. We have used them many times to carry things we otherwise could not have."

Brun cocked his head and looked curiously at the animals, suddenly seeing all that was packed on their backs.

"And they have carried us all over the place...from the valley where we found them to Ayla's people's Clan gathering, to the home of Ayla's people, and now home to our cave. They make traveling much quicker, and our burdens less."

"I will have to discuss this with the men."

Both Grov and Ayla nodded; they had figured on that. Nothing in the Clan was decided without proper discussion.

"Much has happened since you left," Brun said. Then deciding to lay it all out, he continued. "Aba has died and Aga hardly gets out of her furs. Zoug is nearly completely blind and can no longer contribute even with his sling. Vorn broke his leg on a hunt, and Norv was killed in the same hunt, leaving Oda without a mate."

Grov frowned. "What happened?"

Brun glanced at the horses, then back at the future leader. "Horses. They were trampled."

Ayla gasped.

"Now you can see my concern."

Both Grov and Ayla nodded.

"Yes. May this woman ask what happened with Aba?"

Brun could only shrug. "She got a strange sickness shortly after you left and never recovered. It was something Uba had no memories for."

Grov shook his head. "There is much sadness here. I am sorry we were not here to help."

Brun nodded. It was good to see that matters of the cave weighed heavily on the future leader's mind. To Brun that showed the man was worthy of such a prestigious position. He secretly wondered if they would come back at all, and was pleased they'd returned when they did, which was much earlier than he thought they would. The younger man had told him they be gone for the summer, possibly into the fall, but no later than the end of fall; Brun was thankful the summer was only just ending.

"We do have other things to discuss, Brun," Grov gestured, deciding he too better get it all overwith. Glancing at his mate, he nodded and she seemed to understand. Quickly, she went to her son's pack and reached inside.

At first, Brun didn't know what it was, then he paled; the woman held a live fox pup. Tiny, but alive. "You cannot keep that in the cave," he gestured in near panic. "It's a meat-eater!"

Ayla frowned, then nodded. "Yes, he does eat meat, but he is harmless."

"Only right now."

"But he can be helpful," the woman argued. "He'll keep rodents away." She watched Brun mull it over. He seemed to be considering. "This woman promises to keep him from harming anyone...just like I did with Shriek. I...," she began, but was cut off by her son.

"No!" the boy said. "Fox is mine. I promise he will hurt no one!"

Brun looked at Durc. The boy's shoulders were set, his jaw tight—his entire body showing that he would not back down. At just five Durc seemed to be a confidant youngster; he knew his own mind—already! The leader would never have guessed the child would be so strong-willed. But then, when he considered the boy's mother, and the man whose spirit had created him, Brun thought with a glance at Broud, he really was not at all surprised.

Leveling a look at Ayla's son, he said, "We will discuss it."

Durc simply nodded. He knew it not wise to push any further. Brun was a reasonable man, but did not appreciate being forced into anything. And, sensing he'd get what he wanted, the boy hid a smile.

Brun watched the boy until he felt something tugging at his wrap—it was Ayla's young daughter, standing there looking up at him, arms raised to be picked up.

Blushing, Ayla moved to pick up her child and looked at the leader apologetically.

"Want Brun," Annaliza said with words as well as signs as she reached for the older man.

For a moment the older man hesitated, but when the child reach for him again, he took her, his features immediately softening as she leaned her small blonde head on his chest and popped her middle fingers into her mouth. "She no longer looks so deformed," he said with Creb's one-handed signs.

Ayla tried to suppress a smile, but it was clearly visible. Most ignored the look that appeared to be a grimace to them. "No, she is not deformed," she said with a shake of her head.

"And her head...she holds it up on her own?"

Ayla nodded. Her daughter had been holding up her head since long before their departure, but she didn't point out that fact.

It was then that Ora wrapped her arms around Broud's leg. "Broud! Up!" she demanded.

Broud grimaced down at the child, but reluctantly reached for her. He had hoped that she would have grown out of her fascination for him, but apparently not. For a moment he wished they'd stayed away longer—at least long enough for the child to forget him.

Ayla had hoped that her daughter might have forgotten the man altogether, but not so on that count either. Blushing, she held out her arms to take Ora from Broud. Broud hesitated a moment, then shook his head, possibly hoping that the child would get her fill of him and leave him be later. Brun chose that moment to start back toward the cave. Grov gestured that Ayla should get the horses, then turned to catch up with their leader.

~oxoxo~

Once at the cave's northern entrance, Grov glanced at Ayla apologetically. It wasn't what he'd prefer to do, but he was leaving his mate outside to unpack the horses by herself. Frowning, he sought out Durc. The boy was still sitting on Nicuria's back. "Help your mother."

Durc nodded and hopped down to assist Ayla.

Ayla watched the men go, wishing she could go with them, but smiled at her son as they went to work. She didn't really mind. Working with the horses seemed to relax her, and helped to keep her mind away from the fact that no one, other than the leader, had greeted her. A few women were still working outside, but none had approached her and most were avoiding even a glance in her direction. They were clearly terrified of the horses.

Slowly, Ayla and her son unpacked Nicuria's heavy panniers, and then the other two horses. When they finished, Ayla smiled at her son, then at his milk brother. "Would you like to touch a horse, Grev?" she finally asked.

The boy nodded. He'd been the one and only brave enough to approach. It wasn't as if he was really brave though, he just wanted to see his best friend.

Durc gave Grev a wide grin, then realizing the other boy was frightened, he went to him instead. Ayla too saw the fear and went to the boy as well. "This woman would hold you, if you would like, so Nicuria cannot step on you," she offered.

Grev looked at the horse, which was closer than any other living horse he'd ever seen, and then at the two that had moved off a bit. It was clear to Ayla that the boy was thinking about the two trampled men of the cave, one who'd suffered a broken leg, but would live, the other one dead. Then he looked up at Ayla and nodded. He desperately wanted to pet the horse. If Durc could ride it, then he could surely touch it. Reaching up, he allowed Ayla to lift him up.

~oxoxo~

"See?" the woman said as she gave the horse a pat, then set the boy down. "Nicuria is a good boy. But, remember to always use caution when you go near them."

Grev nodded as he watched the horse trot away. "Where did you get them?"

"In a valley northwest of here. There were many, many horses there."

"Can this boy ride one sometime?" the boy asked.

Ayla nodded. "Of course...as long as your mother says it's okay." Ayla hadn't missed Oga's nervousness at seeing her young son so near the large horse.

"Mama?" Durc interrupted. "Can I go play with Grev?"

Ayla smiled. "Go on...I can finish up here."

~oxoxo~

Grov had followed Brun into the cave. They'd gone straight to the leader's hearth. Both Goov and Broud followed, and they'd picked up Grod and Dorg on the way in. Once there, Ebra had given them each a cup of tea and took Ayla's daughters so the men could converse without distraction. Ebra had been inside caring for Aga when Grov and Ayla had entered the meadow, but had heard about the horses from children who'd run in to inform those inside. Though frightened, she was also curious.

Quickly checking on Aga on more time, the leader's mate scooped up her baby and, signaling Ora to take her sister's hand and follow, they headed for the cave entrance.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

"Are you sure you're all right, Danie?" Ivanolia asked as he watched his mate finally sit down and rest. It was late afternoon and they'd spent a long day traveling, and he was worried about her. She looked exhausted.

"I'm fine, Ivanolia, just tired," she replied.

"I'll make the meal, Mother," Braydalana offered, scurrying to the pack that was filled with food.

Ivanolia gave the girl a grateful smile then sat down next to his mate. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. If we'd gone with Grov and Ayla, you could have ridden one of the horses."

"They wanted to arrive ahead of us...to prepare their people. Remember?"

Ivanolia nodded. That worried him too. What if the Clan wanted him punished for what he'd done to Oda? He shook his head. Right now he needed to think about Danie, not himself. "We'll take more breaks tomorrow."

Danie sighed, then reached for the man's hand and squeezed it. "Relax Ivanolia. I'm pregnant, not incapacitated. I'm tired, but I'll recover. I just need rest."

The man frowned. "Maybe tomorrow we shouldn't travel at all. Let's just spend the entire day resting." He smiled at the idea. "I'll do some fishing."

Danie rolled her eyes. "I'll rest while we sleep. Tomorrow we travel."

"But—" Ivanolia started, but was cut off.

"No buts. I can rest more once we arrive at the Clan's cave."

Ivanolia glanced over at Braydalana for support, but the girl just shrugged her shoulders. His brows still knotted, the man stood to set up their tent. Fine then, his woman could have her evening meal, then he was putting her to bed—and that was final!

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

Brun allowed Grov to talk at length, telling of their journey to visit Ayla's people. He told them how wonderful her particular camp was, but also of the troubles at the Others' gathering of camps, including the violence that had occurred and what the Others were doing about it. Then he went into details that connected their Clan to Ayla's camp of people.

Brun and the other men watched and took comfort in the fact that the Others were doing something about the bad men, if only by banning them, but the Clan leader, as well as the others listening, frowned at the last bit of news about Ayla's cousin Ivanolia. They did not understand the term cousin, but they knew it was some kind of relation, like mother or child, or sibling. They did remember meeting the man, if only briefly and, though the man seemed hostile at the time, because of his lost sibling, he hadn't really seemed bad. Now they weren't so sure and, though always calm man, Brun was angry about the injustice of it all, and he was quite disturbed by the fact that this Ivanolia was coming to their cave. He appeared to be just another one of the Others who believed he could hurt the Clan and get away with it.

"And you say that this man is coming here again?" Brun questioned.

Grov nodded. "Yes...he should arrive with his mate and the girl, Braydalana, in several days. I asked them to give me some time to discuss the matter with our leader."

Brun frowned. "The man is bringing his woman and child with him." He'd been much impressed with the child, Ayda, when she stayed with the Clan before; she learned fast, just like Ayla had. But such close contact with the Others was difficult, to say the least—especially now, with the news Grov had brought to him.

"Yes...they were hoping to remain with the Clan for the winter. His mate is carrying a child and she wanted Ayla to help her with the birthing." Grov paused, knowing the leader was being pushed to his limit—first their strange new four-legged friends, and now visitors for the season. Grov knew Brun didn't like it.

"He has seen the wrongness of his actions and wants to make amends for his treatment of Oda. And, we do not believe he was the one who killed her baby. That man has been...cursed," Grov said, for lack of a better word. He didn't know how else to make them understand what had happened to Zadneetsia, but they did understand a death curse.

Brun grunted. As the man should be, he thought. "With Norv dead we will have to discuss this with Corg. The man is Oda's only living relation, her sibling; he should be the one to say what should be done."

Grov nodded again.

~oxoxo~

As the men's meeting broke up, Grov quickly went to find his mate. Knowing she'd probably have everything unpacked and put away, and a meal started, if not already waiting, he hurried back to the hearth to help with whatever else there was to do.

AtDC

Brun's Clan – hearth listings (49 people in all)

Brun (35) – Leader (Bison totem)
Ebra (33) – Brun's mate, Broud's mother
~ Eda (8 months)

Grod (31) – Brun's second in command (Brown Bear totem), son of the mate of Zoug
Uka (29) – Ebra's sister, Grod's mate, Ovra's mother
~~ Zoug (45) – second in command to the leader before Brun, Grod's mother's mate (is nearly blind now)

Goov (22) – Mog-ur (Aurochs totem/Ursus totem)
Ovra (20) – Goov's mate (Beaver totem), Uka's daughter
~ Droov (1) – Ovra's first twin son, probably of Daub's spirit
~ Creb (1) – Ovra's second twin son, probably of Daub's spirit

Grov (18) – mixed man, master hunter (Leopard totem), first mated to Nora (quake death)
Ayla (16) – Clan's first ranked medicine woman (Cave Lion totem), given the name "Woman Who Hunts", Grov's mate
~ Durc (5) – Ayla's son, Grev's milk brother, of Broud's spirit (Gray Wolf totem)
~ Ora (3) – Nora's daughter (Alpine Marmot)
~ Annaliza (1)

Vorn (15) – Aga's son
Uba (10) – second medicine woman, Vorn's mate, Iza's true daughter
~ Brev (1) – Uba's first twin son
~ Berc (1) – Uba's second twin son

Droog (33) – toolmaker, mated to Goov's mother before Aga
Aga (26) – Droog's second mate, Vorn and Ona's mother
~ Groob (8) – Aga's son born to Droog's hearth
~~ Aba (would be 37, but she's dead) – Aga's mother

Crug (24)
Ika (22) – Crug's mate, Borg's mother
~ Dorv (3) – Ika's son

Broud (23) – former leader (Wooly Rhinoceros totem), living in hearth that joins with Grov's hearth
Oga (19) – Broud's mate
~ Brac (9) – Oga's first son
~ Grev (6) – Oga's second son
~ Agra (9 months) – Oga's mixed daughter, of Grov's spirit

Dorg (22) – toolmaker (Red Tailed Hawk totem), first mated to the mixed woman Ala (quake death)
Uga (18) – first mated to Dreg (quake death), was mother to Ega (quake death), now Dorg's mate (Lark totem), PG
~ Vorg (9) – mixed child, Ala's son
~ Breg (7) – Uga's son

Corg (19) – takes on leadership role after cave's collapse, takes on an advisory role to Brun, sibling to Oda
Aza (17) – Corg's mate
~ Orga (7) – Aza's first daughter
~ Egra (4) – Aza's second daughter

Daub (19) – Dorg brother, Dreg's twin (deceased)
Eka (17) – Daub's mate
~ Ada (5) – Eka's daughter
~ Aka (5) – Eka's daughter

Norv (would be 19, if not dead – killed in hunting accident) (Moose totem)
Oda (14) – Corg's sibling, now unmated because of Norv's death (Hamster totem)
~ Nala (6) – daughter of Norv's deceased mate
~ Ura (4) – mixed child, created by the totem of a man of the others, probably Ivanolia (Red Wolf totem)

Borg (11) – (Boar totem), Ika's son
Ona (11) – Borg's mate (Owl totem), Aga's daughter

Nouz (10) – son of Norv's deceased first mate, mated to Igra
Igra (8) – Nouz's mate, Ika's daughter

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

Adjusting back into Clan life was not as difficult as Ayla had surmised. She found that the things that used to make her balk, no longer did. On the first morning after their return, when Broud awoke to find her daydreaming and then later rebuked her for idle verbal chatter with her children, she simply nodded and hurried to the man's feet to do his bidding. Broud, however, didn't really want anything and found her instant compliance comforting; he'd truly believed the two of them were going to have trouble and was pleased that it wasn't so.

Confused for just a moment, he'd waved her off—and hoped everything else would go as well. He was disappointed though when, later in the day, Grov came into the hearth with Ora in his arms and the child erupted with sound. As soon as the man of her hearth put her down, she squealed and came running at him.

"Broud!" she said excitedly, then continued on out loud. "This girl missed you!" she babbled as she plopped down in the man's lap and reached her small arms out to give him a loving hug. "Did you miss me?

Broud scowled. He wanted to ignore her as any other adult would ignore a naughty child, but he did understand her words; he'd heard enough of the Others' words to get the gist of what she'd said. "No," he signed with an vigorous shake of his head; a man would not stoop to miss a mere girl, he thought, forcing an appalled look onto his face.

Ora pouted, but only for a moment. His rebuffs were rarely as long-lasting as her adoration, which seemed endless. "Well, I missed you," she said emphatically, squeezing him, then settling in his lap.

Ayla watched the scene as she and Oga made their evening meal. She knew Broud would prefer that they kept their Others talk to a minimum, but he hadn't actually said so and that was big to her. After his initial scolding—if you could even call it that—he seemed to back off. He was treating her differently than he ever had and she'd sensed that it was more than something Brun had ordered. Ebra was referring to her as daughter, so Broud...must be thinking…sibling? Was she a sister now? The thought made her smile, which surprised her too. Suddenly she realized that she felt no animosity whatsoever toward the man.

But it was more than the way he was treating her really, and it was confirmed when he'd asked her to bring out his spears after their afternoon meal that day. A man would never ask that of a sibling, because sibling meant sister, in this case, and a man would never permit his female to touch his weapons. It was truly more than she could handle, but she only stared at him for a moment before rushing to do as he'd asked. They'd always thought her totem too man-like for her, but she wondered at the change. Even Crug and Grod hadn't instantly abandoned the practice field when she'd approached. It was all just too strange.

"Ayla sit!" Broud commanded. "This man wants to discuss the Others' spears."

Ayla had only glanced over her shoulder to see what the man had to say, thinking he just wanted a fresh cup of tea, but was stunned to see his words. Her eyes went to Grov, who nodded, then she felt a gentle shove from Oga. "I'll finish. You go!"

Flustered, she wiped her hands on a cloth, then she approached the men and lowered herself to sit with them.

"I have made my own," Broud said as he extended to the woman the one he'd made while they were gone. "What do you think?"

For a split second, Ayla could only stare at the man, then she reached out and took the weapon. It was long and narrow, quite unlike the thicker, shorter Clan spear, but definitely well made. She was impressed, and it showed in her eyes. She nodded, not knowing what the man really wanted, and Broud grunted.

"Would you make any changes?" he asked.

Ayla looked at the spear again, then pointed at its only visible flaw. "If it's to fly straight, it needs to be straight," she said as she held it out to the man, apprehensive about giving him pointers.

Broud took the proffered spear and frowned. "How do you mean?"

"Well look," she said as she got up and retrieved one of her mate's spears, then held it next to the one Broud was holding. "See? Yours is not straight here...or here."

Broud studied the imperfections and nodded. "It is difficult to make it straight," he confessed with a slightly embarrassed look. Men didn't like to admit to their shortcomings and Broud was no different.

Ayla nodded. "Yes...very. The man of my hearth has a tool for doing it." She frowned. "But I don't have one."

Broud frowned as well. "Could you make one?"

Ayla thought for a moment, then nodded. "I think that I could. Maybe."

"Then you will make one tomorrow."

It was not the type of command a man would make toward a woman, but more of a request that he would ask a peer. Ayla was quite stunned, but she nodded agreement.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

Ivanolia quickly set up camp while Danie rested. She'd been pushing herself, he knew that without a doubt, and now she was sleeping. He'd called a halt and spread out a hide for her to sit upon while he worked. Only a few moments later when he looked over at her, he realized that she'd slumped over and was now asleep. Worriedly, he rushed to her and gently helped her to a reclining position.

"Relax Ivanolia," Braydalana said. "We'll arrive at the Clan's cave early tomorrow. Mother can rest all she wants there."

Ivanolia frowned his worry. "You do remember being there, Bray...right?"

The girl nodded.

"The Clan isn't much for allowing women to rest."

"We'll be visitors, Ivan, they won't expect the same of us," she said. "Besides, Ayla won't let her work too hard."

Ivanolia went back to his work. He quickly built a fire, then set up their tent while Braydalana pulled out cooking implements and went to work on an evening meal. The two ate in silence after Ivanolia put his mate in their sleeping furs.

"She's fine, Ivan," the girl said, hoping to reassure the man of her hearth. "Trust me. She just needs sleep."

The blond man ran a hand through his longish hair and shook his head, completely unsure of what she said, "I don't know, Bray."

With a roll of her eyes, the girl sighed, disgusted by the man's constant worry. "Really, Ivan, this is getting ridiculous!" she snapped at the man of her hearth. "Traveling is difficult on anyone...a pregnant woman just needs a little more consideration. But she's not dying. Relax!"

He glanced at the tent where Danie slept and frowned.

"Ivan! we'll be there tomorrow."

Finally, he nodded. What else could he do?

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

Several days before, the men sat in a circle in the men's ceremonial room. They'd come together at dusk, to discuss a few things. Brun, of course, wanted opinions about matters, but he would make the final decisions—as always.

"I would like to start with Oda and her children," their leader said. "Someone has to take them."

The men nodded, but several glanced away, making it clear that they didn't want the woman in question. They all already had mates and most had no desire to take in the mixed child—though some would.

"I would take them, but..." Droog said with a shake of his head. "It may not be best for Aga."

Brun nodded. "We understand, Droog." He could not expect the man to take in a second mate and children when he was struggling with the mate he had. Brun secretly wondered why the man continued to allow his woman her depression. After all, everyone lost loved ones during his or her lifetime; he believed Aga had the right to grieve, but that it was time to get over it. But then, he figured he might do the same for Ebra, if she'd been the one to lose someone so close to her. So, who was he to say how another should act or feel.

"Some of us are just too old to take on more," Grod threw out there. And it was true, though that wasn't truly Grod's reason for not taking the woman of concern. At the moment, he was coping with Zoug and his blindness, but he had absolutely no interest in having the mixed child at his hearth. He'd never been comfortable with Ayla or her mixed son, and the thought of dealing with the mixed girl, Ura? The thought made him shudder.

Vorn frowned. Though he'd initially followed Broud and taken in Durc when the man had cursed the boy's mother, that was before his own mate produced two fine sons. Their hearth was small, and busy with his mate's duties and her children; he had no wish to add more people to it. Nothing was wrong with Oda, or Nala, or even Ura, but he didn't want them. He kept his mouth shut.

"I don't want her," Crug gestured as eyes went to him. "I don't need a second mate." He paused, then continued. "One mate is more than enough."

Several men nodded. It was true. Plus, sometimes having two women caused unnecessary tension in the hearth.

"But," Crug continued, "if Ika would like the girl, Nala, then...this man would not object to that."

A few stared at the man, but it was Corg who glared. "Only Nala?"

Reluctantly, Crug nodded. "I know my mate misses having a daughter at the hearth. I would agree to take Nala...but only Nala."

Corg sat back, but continued to glare at the man. He knew his sibling's mixed child would cause some of the men to reject her, but he'd hoped it wouldn't be this difficult. Oda was a good woman, despite the things that had happened to her, and he wanted the best for her.

"Broud?" Brun said.

Broud frowned. "This man might consider it, if his hearth wasn't already very full."

Brun nodded and looked at Goov.

"I too would take them, but...with my duties as mog-ur..." He shook his head. "I think it best that I do not."

"I could take her," Dorg said with a frown. "I do not mind the mixed girl. My only concern is that Uga's totem has been defeated and, adding several mouths to feed, on top of the ones I already have." He shrugged. "I would rather not if it can avoided."

"The problem is that no one really has the space for three more people," Brun put in.

The men were all frowning. They knew that someone had to take her. But who?

Corg glanced around. He was next. "Well, I cannot take my own sibling as second woman."

"She could be taken into your hearth, as Creb took Iza," Grod pointed out.

Corg frowned. He remembered that the now dead medicine woman had lived in the hearth of the venerable old Mog-ur, and that no one had questioned it then. Creb, as only few had called him, had taken Iza to his hearth, though not his furs. They were siblings, but the arrangement had worked for them. And, just like Iza, the first ranked medicine woman, Oda had no sons to train. Corg would not be forced to train a boy who was not the son of his mate. If anything, all he'd have to do was feed them. Of course, that task could be difficult at times, but he was young and more than capable. And she was his sibling. He could not abandon her. And his mate liked her; they worked well together.

Finally, knowing that Oda would be an asset to his hearth, Corg nodded and said, "I could take her...if there is no alternative."

"Maybe Nouz's mate would like to adopt his sibling."

Nouz's eyes widened. He had nothing against Nala, but he didn't want the girl in his hearth. He still hoped his mate would soon produce a child for him—a boy child. "Crug said he'd take her," he protested.

All eyes went to Crug. "Is this your wish?" Brun asked.

Crug frowned as he mulled it over. He'd made the offered spontaneously, but now that he was faced with actually following through, he had to think about it. Finally, he nodded. "This man will take Nala. It will please Ika to have the child."

The men nodded their approval.

"And Oda?" Brun asked, his eyes going to Corg. "You will take her to your hearth?"

Corg frowned. They had not finished asking the other men, but it was clear to him that Brun liked this solution the best. Though somewhat unconventional, the arrangement was not unknown to this Clan.

Finally, he nodded. "Yes, until another solution is found, she may stay at my hearth. My sibling is a good woman and will always be welcome at my fire," he said, his frustration with the other men evident. He could not really blame them. If Oda had been some other man's sibling with a mixed child, he too might have been reluctant. But, as it was, she was his sibling, and he would not turn her out.

But he wanted it known that he hoped it would not be a permanent arrangement; a man should not be expected to provide for his sibling—a man could not provide like a mate, and everyone knew it.

Brun nodded his relief. He didn't want to force the woman on any of his men; that was always an unpleasant task.

"And now," he went on, "I'd like to discuss Ayla's friends. What are your thoughts on this?" His eyes went first to Grod.

"No! I do not like the idea of animals in the cave."

Brun nodded. He knew his friend's feeling before even asking, but wondered if his opinion was skewed because he wasn't comfortable with the woman who'd brought the animals.

"Goov?"

Goov frowned. "This man must admit that the animals make him nervous." He paused, hoping the others didn't think him weak for openly showing fear. Then he continued. "But...this man must also confess that the animals do fascinate me. To think that we could use the horses to assist us." He shrugged. "The idea is foreign, but it is appealing. I would say yes."

"What about the fox?" Brun asked.

"In the past, the medicine woman has shown that she has the power to control the hawk...why not a fox? It seems harmless."

"But the fox belongs to the boy!" Nouz burst out of turn.

All eyes went to the youngest man.

"And it won't be small for long," he went on. He'd been watching the boy and his fox—everyone had. He wasn't satisfied that it could be controlled. He'd seen it skulking about, pouncing on things, and the boy chasing it around. He was quite unhappy that they were even discussing the matter. The man of his hearth had just been killed by a horse, trampled to a bloody pulp, and now they were talking about letting three of the beasts live with them, and a meat-eating fox as well. Animals did not belong in caves that were occupied by people! No, he wasn't happy about this at all.

"They are dangerous!" he went on. "All of them are!"

Brun frowned. "Nouz! You will be given a chance to speak."

Nouz's face reddened. As the youngest adult male, his turn would come last.

"Grov?" the leader said, his eyes going to Ayla's mate.

"Obviously my answer is yes to all animals. I am confident that my mate and her son can control the horses and the fox."

Brun nodded. He'd have been surprised if the man hadn't said yes. "Droog?"

"This man could accept the animals. Ayla has shown over and over that she puts the Clan above all; if she thinks they are harmless, then it must be so."

"Crug?"

"This man agrees with Grod. Animals do not belong with people."

"Broud?"

Frowning, the man glanced at Grov, then shook his head. He didn't like going against the man whose hearth he practically shared, but the animals made him more than nervous. True, Ayla's hawk hadn't hurt anyone, but the fox was constantly crawling over his mate's daughter, Agra, and that terrified him. And the horses—he couldn't get Norv's lifeless form out of his head.

"No," he said, his eyes going to his hands in his lap, worried that Grov would be angry with him.

Brun nodded. Though the change in the son of his mate seemed to be phenomenal, there was no telling what the man was thinking. "Dorg?" the leader verbalized.

The man moved his fist up, and then down, indicating that he believed Ayla should be allowed to keep her friends.

"Dorg says, yes. Corg?"

Corg, his mind still on their previous conversation, frowned. All he'd wanted to do after that exchange was go back to his hearth for a hot meal. By nature a pleasant men, he was feeling quite disgruntled at he moment and it affected his decision. "No," he indicated, moving his fist across his chest.

"Daub?"

"Our medicine woman was right about the hawk and she believes the others will cause no problems. This man does not see why she'd be wrong." He paused. "I will not object to sharing the cave with her new friends."

Brun nodded, then looked at the next man. "Vorn?"

Vorn frowned. The fox sure seemed harmless, but it would grow to be quite large. Not large enough to hurt a man, and possibly not a woman either, but he worried for his mate's little ones; they were still quite small.

But then, Ayla seemed to think there was nothing to worry about. He'd even seen Uba cuddling the ball of fur. She'd remarked several times about how soft its fur was, and he had to admit the little critter's antics were amusing. He wasn't laughing like most of Grov's hearth, but he did enjoy watching all of them. Even Broud, whose opinion had been negative, appeared entertained, as long as the creature kept its distance from Oga's daughter.

Vorn's frown deepened. After all this time, he still worried about going against Broud. He'd always followed the man. Then he thought about how he'd followed the man blindly in the past, and how both men had lost status because of their choices.

Slowly, but with a steady hand, he moved his fist up and then down, indicating that he would accept the animals.

"Vorn says yes. Borg?"

Without comment, Borg moved his fist across his chest.

"No. Nouz?"

All eyes went to Nouz.

"This man has already spoken out against allowing the animals to stay. I do not want them here!"

Brun sighed. Nearly every man had answered the same as they had for the hawk, with only Broud and Vorn flipping their opinions. But once again it was a tied vote, making his decision all the more difficult. Frowning, he waved the men off, so that he could sit and think about it.

Later, when he left the men's ceremonial cave, his mind set on having a talk with Ayla, one he knew would be unpleasant, he was surprised to find her leading Zoug to the main center fire. And she was talking to him with Creb's one-handed signs and making unnecessary mouth sounds as they went. For a moment, he thought the woman had finally lost it.

Moving slowly, the leader headed for Grod's hearth, to find out what was going on, but he never took his eyes off the conversation in the middle of the cave.

~oxoxo~

"Zoug," Brun heard Ayla say aloud.

The old man cocked his head and signed, "Ayla, I cannot talk to you. I cannot see what you're saying."

The young medicine woman frowned, then reached out and took one of the old man's hands and, holding it, made several hands signs into the man's hand.

"See...with...hands."

Zoug frowned and Ayla watched him. He seemed about to pull his hand away, but Ayla held fast and made the signs again.

"See...with...hands," she signed again.

Her signs, not exactly the same as they would be if made in the air, were still understandable, and being a smart man, his frown slowly eased. Then she did something unexpected. Bringing his hand to her mouth, she spoke aloud.

"You can see with your hands," she said, then made the sign, "See...with...hands," into his hand again. "And hear my words like the Others do," she said aloud, then signed, "Hear...Others...words."

Zoug frowned again as she repeated over and over what she wanted, shortening her verbal words to just the necessary. "See...with...hands," she repeated aloud, signing into the old man's hand as she spoke each word. And then she gently touched his ears and spoke, "Hear...Others...words."

After several repetitions of hearing and feeling the woman in front of him, Zoug nodded. Pulling his hand out of hers, he said, "You want to teach me to talk into your hands?"

Ayla shook her head, then blushed as she realized he couldn't see her. Taking his hand, she signed no. "I see signs; you sign as always do," she said with shortened signs. "I sign in hand...or speak out loud. I teach you Others' language."

Zoug frowned yet again. "Ayla, this man cannot speak as the others do," he gestured, obviously not understanding her meaning completely.

"No...but this woman can," she signed slowly into his hand. "You gesture thoughts and I sign and speak. You are smart man; you can learn to understand Others' words."

Ayla watched as the old man mulled it over. His forehead was deeply creased and she wondered if she'd angered him by telling him what to do. But the expression on his face soon told her she had not.

"You want this old man to learn to hear the Others' words...but speak with Clan signs?"

Ayla grinned, then made the sign for yes in Zoug's hand while saying the word out loud.

Slowly, Zoug copied the sound she made. He was capable of at least that much.

Ayla nodded vigorously, said the word again, then signed it in his hand. Afterward she taught him the Sungaean word for no. He was also capable of that one.

After spending quite some time with the older man, the young woman led him back to Grod's hearth. And Zoug, though exhausted from his efforts, was excited about the prospect of being able to communicate again.

Glancing at Grod nervously, she said, "This woman is going now." Then she turned and left, not noticing the crowd that had gathered to watch her conversation with their oldest member, or their leader who'd gone back to his own hearth to consider what he'd seen.

She sure doesn't make anything easy for me, Brun thought as he stared into his hearth fire.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

As Ayla walked back to her hearth she noticed the few that hadn't been at the cave's main center fire. Crug was standing at the opening of what used to be Norv's hearth waiting while his mate, Ika, helped six year old Nala to gather her belongings. The little girl looked somewhat frightened to be going to the hearth of a family she didn't know well, but she did what she was told; she had no choice and she knew it.

Standing there with the man was Corg, supervising his mate, Aza, as she assisted Oda with bringing hers and Ura's things across the passageway and into his hearth. Ura didn't look nearly as unhappy as Nala; the four year old was moving with her mother to the hearth of kin, instead of to a near-stranger's hearth. Busily, she moved from one hearth to the other, working with Aza's daughters to make room for all their extras.

Frowning as he watched his hearth fill to overflowing, Corg stepped slightly to the side to let Ayla pass. Still wishing another solution had been found to the problem of his sibling and her mixed daughter, he found himself scowling as the blonde woman retreated; after all, it was her kin who'd forced himself on Oda—kin who was, at this very moment, traveling to winter with the Clan. He wished that Brun had denied her request to allow the man and his family to stay with them; the thought of living in the same cave with the man who'd hurt his sibling was nauseating. But figured he'd have to live with it—that was what one did when the leader made a decision.

But while more than a little frustrated about the situation, Corg quickly came to the conclusion that it wasn't the blonde woman's doing; none of this was Ayla's fault. She'd been nothing but good to Oda and her daughter. In fact, the strange woman treated everyone well, even when they did not deserve it. Corg could find no reason to fault her actions and so he let it go.

~oxoxo~

Grov waited patiently while Ayla cleaned up from their evening meal. She'd made something he hadn't recognized, something she said she'd learned from Oak Camp, and he'd liked it very much. Even Broud had commented on its unique flavor, making her blush and mumble something about praises being unnecessary.

Saying something like that was just like his mate, Grov thought as he watched her. But he also knew that she was still just flustered about Broud bringing back a kill for her. The proud man hadn't said why he'd given her the deer—most men wouldn't. But Grov knew it was Broud's way of saying thank you for making him a spear shaft-straightener.

Grov had almost chuckled as she'd accepted the dead animal from the man. Ayla had been confused; she hadn't an understanding of why the man had given her his kill. After all, Broud had told her to make the implement, so she'd done it. It was as simple as that; Broud made a command and she'd obeyed. Only now she was confused. To Grov, it was amusing. Ayla was the smartest person he knew, yet she seemed completely baffled by the simplest things. She was very much Clan, though she'd been born to the Others.

But only part of Grov's amusement stemmed from his mate's confusion. Another part was that she and Broud were becoming almost friendly, and they didn't even realize it. And the fact that his mate had acquiesced to the overbearing man, without any kind of fight, amused him further. Obviously their relationship had changed—the entire dynamic of the hearth had changed.

It'd now been several days since Broud and Ayla had spent the day outside together making the shaft-straightener. The normally imposing man sat back while she'd worked, never interrupting, then waited patiently while she examined her work and tested the implement. Then, after she'd looked it over several more times, she'd handed it to him.

Observing from a distance, Grov had watched and knew that, though she was obviously pleased with her work, she was quite nervous about the other man's reaction. He also saw how eager Broud was to get his hands on the implement. When he finally did, he'd sighed with pleasure.

"Is it okay?" Ayla had asked him.

Broud only nodded, a pleased expression on his face. Then he picked up the spear that was the cause of the project and began working it.

Grov had smiled as he'd watched them quietly sitting there, Broud working on his weapon while Ayla silently observed.

Who would have ever thought this might happen?

And then tonight, before he'd been able to get back to their hearth this evening, he'd been headed off by Brun. Brun had asked him one thing: Based on our meeting, and not on your mate, would you allow Ayla to keep her animals?

He'd frowned, his mind going to the concerns of the men—all of them. Opinions were divided equally—except for Brun that is. Just like always, Brun had only asked what the men thought, but hadn't told them what he was thinking. Grov wondered how the man decided when half the men wanted one thing and the other half something else.

But Brun now wanted more than just his opinion. Brun wanted him thinking like a leader, not just like one of the men, or the mate of the woman who'd brought four more animals to the cave.

Slowly, he nodded. And that was when Brun told him the animals could stay. Brun didn't question him, nor did he ask for any kind of explanation, he just said that he wanted Ayla informed, as well as the men, and that he and his mate would be responsible for the animals in every way. Grov suspected that Brun's decision was spur of the moment; he'd truly believed the leader's mind was set the other way. But he'd been thrilled that he could bring such happy news to his mate; she'd been overjoyed.

"I am finished," Ayla said happily, breaking into his thoughts. "I am ready for bed...if you are."

Grov nodded and got to his feet. "Do you want to check on the horses first?"

"If you do not mind."

Grov shook his head. "Come," he said, holding out his hand.

Ayla grinned and took it, and let him pull her down the passageway toward the hearth that had once housed Igra when she'd bled for the first time.

"I still cannot believe Brun's allowing them to stay," Ayla said as she hugged Nicuria. They'd come into the horse area to find only Whinney and Stomp there. Ayla, of course, had quickly gone to the entrance to look for the colt. But it wasn't necessary, Nicuria was standing just outside and had been moving toward the cave at the sound of their voices.

Grov smiled as he watched her. "Neither can I," he said honestly as he fed Stomp a small tart apple, then rubbed her neck. "The men were divided again," he revealed. "Half for them staying...half against. More are afraid of Fox though."

Ayla frowned. "Even with Norv's death being so recent?"

He shrugged. "The horses are not meat-eaters. Plus, Norv was always a little careless. The men knew that."

"But Fox is so tiny...and he's not really a meat-eater."

"You know what I mean, Ayla...Fox eats meat. And he will not be small for long," Grov said.

She shrugged. "We eat meat too; you don't see us going around hurting people."

Grov raised a brow. "Not within the Clan anyway."

Ayla frowned. Her mate was right; humans could be just as dangerous at any animal. "They will see," she said with a shake of her head. "Fox won't be any trouble."

Grov looked at her skeptically. The little fox was already getting into things. It was true that he was harmless—now; Fox was very loving, but the little thing was into everything—and not just in their hearth. And the little thing didn't seem to be adapting to their sleeping schedule either.

"Well, I promised Brun that we would take full responsibility for the animals. That means we have to keep Fox out of the other hearths."

Ayla nodded. "I know."

Grov smiled. "So then, you know what Fox got into today?"

Ayla frowned and shook her head. She'd wondered why Fox was restrained in a corner of their hearth, but she hadn't asked.

"He sneaked over to Daub's hearth and got into Eka's store of berries."

Ayla's eyes widened. "Oh no!"

Grov nodded. "Oh yes," he replied. "And I promised her you would replace them."

Ayla nodded. "Of course. I will do it tomorrow."

"And we will need to make sure we take him out at the beginning and end of each day, to relieve himself."

Ayla frowned again.

"He left...a gift, in the entrance to the hearth and Broud stepped in it," Grov explained.

Ayla giggled.

"This really isn't funny, Ayla," he admonished. But even as he said it, he was chuckling; he'd hardly been able to restrain his laughter when Broud had stepped in Fox's mess. Fortunately, Fox seemed just as disgusted as Broud was.

Though still giggling, Ayla nodded. "I will take care of it."

Grov shook his head. "No, Durc can do it. Fox is, after all, his animal."

Ayla nodded again. "All right." Then she frowned. "But we will have to teach him the best way to clean up after Fox; fox droppings are very dirty."

Grov frowned. "Aren't all droppings dirty?"

Ayla shrugged. "Some more so than others. Take the horses, for instance...theirs isn't so bad."

Grov's brow smoothed as he nodded his understanding, then his nose wrinkled. "Fox sure smells bad."

Ayla smiled. "He does have a musky scent."

"I don't like it, and neither do some others."

Ayla was frowning again. "Well, that can't really be helped...aside from releasing him. Fox might not survive that...and I'd hate to make Durc sad."

"I know, Ayla. I didn't say I wanted to get rid of Fox. I know he probably isn't capable of surviving out there yet. But he...smells bad."

Ayla sighed, then changed the subject. "Maybe we should come up with a better way to keep him in the hearth too," she said as she turned away to pet Whinney again. "I'm not sure I like seeing him tied up."

"I think that...for right now, it is best," Grov said. "Though, I don't much like having him in our hearth at all. Maybe when he's a bit older, he can go outside at night and be in the cave during the day when we're all busy; he sleeps a lot during the day and seems to be most active in the evenings."

Ayla nodded. "I have noticed that. And in the mornings too. But mostly at dusk," she agreed. "You don't see many foxes around during the day."

Grov shook his head. "No...and you won't see me much tomorrow either, if I don't get some sleep," he said as he gave Stomp a final pat. "Are you finished here?"

Ayla grinned. She'd checked their feed and the baskets of water she painstakingly carried into the horse's hearth area. "Yes, I am done now."

Smiling, Grov took her hand. "Good then, let's go back and...get into our furs," he said as he used his other hand to show her he was interested in more than sleeping.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

A thumping on her belly woke Danie up. She immediately drew her hand to her stomach and smiled; the baby's kicks were much more than just flutters now. Yawning, she sat up and shivered as her fur fell off of her. The weather, though they were still in summer, had definitely taken a turn toward winter. Reaching for her parka, she struggled herself into it and crawled out of the tent. A snapping noise, as her knee crunched on a twig, quickly alerted Ivanolia and Braydalana to her presence.

"Danie, you should have asked for help," Ivanolia scolded, as he rushed to assist her to her feet.

Flustered a bit, because her mate had completely lifted her off the ground before setting her back down, Danie tried to smile. "I'm fine, Ivan."

Ivanolia immediately felt rebuked; Danie hardly ever called him Ivan unless she was reprimanding him in some way. His hands instantly dropped to his sides. "But Danie...," he began, but her look stopped him. Her eyes then went to the sky.

"It's late. Why didn't you wake me?"

"I figured that if you were still sleeping, then you must need it." He shrugged. "And we aren't really in hurry."

She nodded, her hand absently going to her belly.

"How are you feeling, Danie?" he asked with worry.

"Great, actually," she said with a grin. Then she reached out and took his hand, settling it quickly over her active unborn baby. "Feel that?"

Nodding, Ivanolia couldn't help the wonder that crossed his face. He then raised his other hand to her stomach and smiled as it too got thumped by the child growing within her. "Amazing, Danie."

Danie nodded and lovingly smiled up at him. She loved this man so much, and now they were having a baby; it almost brought her to tears. When she was younger, when all the other girls were talking about the boys they liked, she'd never really been able to choose, because she hadn't been interested in any of them. It was all so frustrating. She'd always thought that possibly something was wrong with her. And then Vilognia had come, bringing news to his brother, Vincenzia, and bringing her a man she could love. She remembered feeling an instant attraction to the tall blond man. And they'd gone through so much, with their amazingly short courtship, then her moving to a completely foreign place to be with him. And not long afterward she'd learned of his unreasonable prejudice where the Clan was concerned, and then later, when he'd admitted to being party to forcing Clan women, she'd almost left him. She shuddered at memory. At the time she didn't think she'd be able to forgive him. But she had, and now things were better. At least she hoped they were better. She still had no idea what would happen once they actually arrived at the Clan's cave and faced Ayla's people—and the woman Ivanolia had forced.

As if sensing her worry, Ivanolia pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "It's going to be all right, Danie," he whispered. "I promise. Whatever I have to do to make you happy, will be done."

Danie nodded. She knew that he would refuse her nothing. Then smiling, she looked up at him. "So...what are we waiting for? Let's get moving."

Ivanolia stood back slightly, his fingers still laced at the small of his back. "All right. But first, you eat."

Danie rolled her eyes. "I will eat...but only because we are hungry," she said teasingly. "And don't you start exercising a Clan man's dominance, because it's not going to get you very far with me."

Ivanolia chuckled, then bowed to her slightly. "I'll try to remember that."

"You better remember that!" she said as she slapped at his arm.

~oxoxo~

It did not take long for the three travelers to be on their way. While Danie ate, Ivanolia and Braydalana packed; and then they were off. The sun was directly overhead when they crossed the final river, which was shallow at this time of year, though still quite wide. They all got rather wet, making it necessary to stop and change their leggings, if not their tunics.

"I hate wet leggings," Danie remarked as Braydalana helped her peel them off her legs.

The girl grinned. Ivanolia had carried her across the river so she was completely dry. "Maybe Ivan should have carried you," the girl said.

"Humph! With this belly?" she said as she struggled into the dry pair.

Braydalana giggled. "You are not so big, Mother...not yet anyway."

Danie stopped tying her waist thong and glanced at the girl. "Yet?"

Braydalana giggled again.

"You call this not big," Danie said as she lifted her tunic to reveal her bulging middle.

Braydalana frowned, then nodded. "That does seem pretty big, Mother. Maybe you're having two babies."

Danie bit her lip, then glanced over at Ivanolia to see if he was listening to them; fortunately he was not. She quickly looked back at the girl and whispered, "Actually Bray, that's already occurred to me."

Braydalana grinned. "Oh, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"What'll be wonderful," Ivanolia asked, suddenly appearing next to them.

Danie frowned. "Um."

"Oh. Isn't having a baby in the hearth going to be wonderful?" the girl asked. "I can hardly wait." And with that, she scurried away to pull her rucksack back on.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

As they crossed the meadow, Ivanolia tried to remember every last detail he knew about the Clan, so that he and Danie, and Braydalana, wouldn't do anything wrong. He knew many customs, but not everything, and he was nervous. He was most worried about his mate. It terrified him that some Clan man might try to use her, to relieve his needs, as Ayla put it, if he wasn't with her at all times to prevent it.

"I won't leave your side," he said adamantly, his fist bunching the leather at the side of her tunic. "I promise."

Danie stopped walking then and frowned up at him. "Ivan! why are you bringing me here if you think it's so dangerous for me?"

"Because...because you wanted to come here, Danie," he said, his brow knotted. "To have Ayla deliver your baby."

"Exactly," she said with a smile. "Now please relax. We will face, whatever we have to. If some man..." She swallowed nervously. "Signals me...then...I will do what's expected of me." She frowned.

Ivanolia's face reddened. He didn't like, not for a moment, what she'd just said. What he'd once done to Oda was bad. It had taken him a long time to be able to admit that, but now he could and the admission had lifted a darkness from him that he hadn't even known was there. But what she now suggested was considered an abomination by most. Even to him, still, he realized, a sadness filling him. And he could tell that she didn't like the prospect of sharing herself with a man of the Clan any more than he liked the idea of his mate having to submit to one of them. Right then, at that moment, he realized it was going to take more than what they'd already gone through to get over a lifetime of prejudice. She had it too, though she hadn't been able to admit it before.

Grinding his teeth, he tried to gain some semblance of calm. "I will not leave your side," he repeated, his hand squeezing hers.

Danie shivered. She too suddenly grasped what was going through her mate's mind, but she shook her head. "You won't be able to do that, Ivanolia. The men will expect you to be with them and they will expect me to be with the women. We can't afford to break their customs. We're already walking in there with something hanging over us; we must make a good impression." Her eyes went to Braydalana. "Bray's told me they are good people. We have to trust them. They will know if we do not."

Ivanolia stared at her for several moments, then he glanced at the daughter of his hearth. The girl was nodding.

"Mother is right. You know that she is."

Looking skyward, Ivanolia sighed. "All right...but..." His voice trailed. The idea of Danie on all fours, kneeling and presenting for some Clan man, as he'd seen the Clan women do, was revolting. "Danie, I—"

"Shhhh," she said as she reached up and placed a finger on his lips. "We will do whatever we have to...and we will be fine." She smiled, then replaced her finger with her lips. "We will be fine."

Ivanolia let her kiss him again. Then after a look at Braydalana, who smiled reassuringly at him, he nodded. "All right, Danie. I don't like it, but...you're right, we'll be fine."

Danie smiled up at him, then kissed him again, this time longer and with more passion.

"Oh Mother!" Braydalana groaned with a roll of her eyes. "Do you two know how awful it is to have to watch this all the time? I swear, it's like living in the hearth where a Mother festival is continually happening."

Both Ivanolia and Danie laughed as the girl stomped away. "Come on," Ivanolia said to his mate. "Let's get this overwith."

Danie grinned as she took his outstretched hand. "All right...let's go."

~oxoxo~

Ayla'd been out all morning, gathering her necessary herbs and more. She'd found and collected many to add to her already vast variety of pharmacopeia, as well as ones she liked for seasoning her cooking, and she also picked a large basket of berries, to be given to Eka to replace what Fox had eaten.

Upon entering the cave, through the western entrance, she headed straight for the hearth to put things away. Once there she unloaded. Setting the basket of berries down, she put the herbs in their respective places, then picked up another basket to sort the berries. Quickly dividing them in half, she placed her own on the shelf at the back of the hearth, then turned to go to Daub's hearth. As she neared, Daub entered the cave and went into his hearth just ahead of her. Halting just outside of it, Ayla quickly lowered herself in front of the man and waited. She immediately felt a tap on her shoulder.

"This woman has brought berries for Daub's mate, since Fox took what was not his."

"Stand up, Ayla," Daub gestured. "You know that the Clan this man came from was not so formal. Relax."

Ayla nodded, her smile not quite hidden as she got to her feet. "This woman feels bad that she did not keep Fox from coming into your hearth, Daub. I promise to do better next time."

Daub grunted. He could see the smile she thought she was hiding. He was more than used to it; a nearly identical one often crossed the face of his best friend. Close in age, he and Grov had been friends since childhood. And now, though circumstances separated them, they were still close. He'd missed his friend while they'd been away, but he was thrilled to have him back. And Ayla, though relatively new in his friend's life and hearth, was a decent woman. He'd liked her from the beginning. From the moment he found out she'd jumped into the river to save Ebra, risking her own life, then immediately coming forward and admitting she had a death curse on her, Daub had liked her. She could have omitted that part, but she did not try. Though he came from a people who did not lie—could not lie—he'd seen many others try to. He'd never tell Grov this unless the man asked him about it directly, but the other man's first mate, Nora, had once lied to him. He'd pretended that he didn't know, because he'd been so confused by it at the time, but it was something he'd never forget. And for this, he actually liked Ayla better than his friend's first mate. In appearance, the two women were almost identical, both tall and blonde and flat-faced—strange-looking. But there was something about Ayla, aside from her odd features and straightforward behavior, that Nora hadn't had. It might have been Nora's lack of push, when it came to getting what she wanted, Daub wasn't sure. Of course he'd never admit that to anyone—not even to Grov—one wasn't supposed to like a woman who seemed to have the spirit of a man. But Daub did like her, strong spirit and all. Had he been thinking clearly, he'd have realized that Grov was the one man he could tell.

"Durc has already been here, Ayla."

Ayla frowned, clearly confused. Why has Durc been to see Daub? she wondered.

"He replaced Eka's berries," the man gestured, then pointed at a decent-sized basket sitting on the shelf beside him.

Ayla glanced at the basket; it was nearly overflowing with berries. Now, more confused than she had been, she looked back at the man. "My son brought berries?"

Daub nodded. "He said that he regretted the loss of Eka's stores and wanted to replace what Fox had taken."

"Where did he get them?"

Daub shrugged. "This man does not know, but they look good." He then lifted the basket and handed it to her so she could inspect them. Then he plucked one off the top and held it out to her. "Eat one."

Without thinking, Ayla leaned forward and accepted the berry into her mouth, then nodded. "They are fine. Ripe, but not overly so." Then she glanced at her basket. "This woman now has more berries than she knows what to do with. Would Daub's mate like more of them?" she asked as she held out her full basket.

Daub looked at the berries, then gave a clipped nod. "You may leave some of them," he said. "But this man understands kin of yours is expected to arrive soon, today; perhaps you should give the extra berries to them."

Ayla nodded. "This woman will do that." She had, in fact, been stocking the visiting hearth, for Ivanolia and Danie's arrival, but the gesture by Daub was appreciated. She wished then that the Clan had a more defined way of thanking someone for such generosities, and decided she have to come up with something. Maybe she'd even make something for the man. Verbally however, she whispered thank you to him. Though she knew he didn't know what it meant, it somehow made her feel better to say it.

"Mama!" a voice sounded from behind her.

Ayla turned around to see Durc and Grev stumbling down the cave corridor toward her. "What is it, my son?" she signed as she dropped to knees to be at their eye-level.

"They're here, Mama!" the boy exclaimed aloud, then blushed and whispered. "Ivan and Danie and Bray. They are here," he finished with signs.

It was obvious to Ayla her son was more than a little excited to see the girl again. "And where is Grov?"

"He is outside with them. He sent me for you." The boy paused, a slight frown on his face as he glanced up at the man standing with his mother. "The men are gathering. Corg does not look pleased."

Ayla nodded. She figured he would not be.

"Why is Corg angry with Ivan, Mama?"

Ayla glanced up at Daub, then sighed as her eyes went back to her son. "It is a long story, Durc. You will understand better when you are a man."

Durc frowned, but nodded.

"All right then," Ayla said, giving her son a loving swat on the behind. "You get back out there. Tell Grov I will be there shortly." Ayla watched the two boys scurry away, then she looked back at Daub. "This woman is going now...if there is nothing else that you need?"

Daub shook his head and waved her off, then turned to join the men outside; another level head could always be used.

~oxoxo~

"Ayla!" Danie whispered in relief, her hand clutching fearfully at Ivanolia's tunic sleeve. She'd never seen so many Clan people. In fact, she never seen any Clan people—other than Rydag and Ayla's family, and none of them were full Clan.

Ivanolia glanced over the shoulders of the men facing him; Grov was the only one standing there without open hostility his eyes. He too was relieved to see his cousin approaching.

And as if sensing his mate, Grov glanced back toward the cave, then sighed. Then he frowned as he watched her wade her way through the men to get to his side.

"What are you doing?" Grov whispered.

Ayla was silent for a moment, then she went to Corg, of all people, and knelt at his feet.

Grov watched, silently wondering if his mate had chosen the correct path. He decided she had, based on Corg's diverted attention, which was now focused on her, and not the man of his frustration. He tapped her shoulder.

"This woman would like to...to introduce her..." She paused. "Her cousin," she said aloud, then frowned. There was no equivalent Clan word to describe a cousin, so she explained. "This man," she said as she held out her hand, palm up, in Ivanolia's direction, "is my mother's mate's brother's mate's son. My people would say, cousin." She said the last word out loud, and then gestured, finishing again with a spoken word. "This man is called, Ivan." Then she gave the Clan man a pleading look as she paused again. Then, still kneeling at Corg's feet, she looked at Ivanolia.

"Ivan. This is Corg...Oda's brother."

Ivanolia blanched. He'd been hoping he wouldn't have to face this the second he entered their territory, but apparently there was no getting around it. Silently, he moved forward, to stand facing the man he least wanted to meet. And it was obvious that Corg felt the same; the Clan man's scowl had not lessened with the introduction.

But neither was he intimidated. Corg, who was quite a bit shorter, nearly an entire head shorter, glared up at him with what Ivanolia could only describe as fury. Though not afraid of the man, Ivanolia shivered slightly; the fact that if he'd been facing a man who'd forced one of his sisters not lost on him—he'd have been glaring too.

But what to do? He didn't know. Frowning, he looked at Ayla, hoping she would know.

"They all know, don't they?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Brun is allowing you to stay, but some are not happy about it."

Ivanolia looked around at those watching them. Well, that's obvious! his mind screamed. But to Ayla he said, "What do I do?"

Ayla frowned, then turned and spoke to Corg. "This man regrets what he did, but knows he cannot take it back. He would like to know how he can make restitution for his actions."

Corg looked the blond man up and down, then stared down at Ayla. "He was not the one who killed Oda's first daughter?" he questioned.

"I do not believe so. The man who took her first killed her baby. Ivan did not take her first. This woman knows this for sure."

Corg's eyes went back to the taller man. Finally he grunted. "This man," he gestured with disgust, "can take responsibility for his actions. Oda is now without a mate and my hearth is too full. If our leader will allow, then Oda should be given to this man of the Others."

Ayla stared for a moment, worried about translating Corg's words so that Ivanolia would understand. Biting her lip, she glanced over at her cousin's mate. Not able to comprehend anything that was said, Danie watched with intrigue. It was Braydalana however, who stood there wide-eyed, her jaw dropped open in shock; she'd understood the entire conversation.

Her eyes going back to Corg, she frowned. "But...Ivan is already mated...to Danie."

Corg looked over at the dark-haired woman Ayla had referred to, then shrugged. "That is not my concern. The man, Ivan, will take my sibling and her daughter," he gestured firmly. "If Brun will allow it."

Ayla turned her head toward Brun, who'd been watching without comment. The man nodded. Then, after taking a deep breath, she faced Ivanolia.

"It is Corg's wish that...you be given Oda."

Ivanolia stared down at her. "What?!"

"Corg is insisting that you mate his sister."

"Mate her?" he exclaimed. "What brother would want his sister to mate the man who'd forced her?"

Ayla frowned. "I don't know, Ivan...but it's what he wants. He wants you to be responsible for her and her daughter...your daughter."

"But what about Oda? She can't possibly want to mate a man who hurt her."

Ayla shrugged. "Oda will not be given a choice in the matter, Ivan. Among the Clan, only men make decisions."

Ivanolia knew this to be true, but he looked over at Grov anyway. Grov confirmed it with a nod. Slowly, Ivanolia's eyes went to the woman to whom he was already mated. Danie looked confused, but not angry. It was a good sign, he supposed, because it didn't look like he had a choice in the matter either.

"Ayla, is there any other way to solve this?" he asked.

Ayla questioned Grov with a look, but only got a shrug. "If you can think of something else," Ayla said to Ivanolia, "then I'd suggest you do it quickly. Corg is waiting for your answer, and I don't think he will wait much longer."

Ivanolia frowned, then went to his mate. "Danie?" he questioned, his eyes searching her face. "Tell me what to do."

Danie's eyes filled with tears, but she nodded. "It is an odd solution...certainly not one I'd have considered. But, if this is how the Clan solves such things, then who are we to argue?" She sniffled.

"We could leave," he suggested.

Danie immediately shook her head and swiped at the tears slipping down her face. "No. We should stay. It is the right thing to do. You know that it is. I can accept this if you can."

"I'm sorry, Danie," he whispered, pulling her into his arms.

She smiled through her tears, then gently pushed him back. "Do not be. I'm not. Go."

Ivanolia stood there another moment, then went back to where Corg waited. "You can tell Corg that I will take care of his sister."

Ayla let out her breath and turned toward Corg. "Ivanolia will take Oda."

Corg nodded, then gave Ivanolia one last glowering look before turning on his heel and leaving.

~oxoxo~

"Well, that was unexpected," Ivanolia said as they carried their belongings into the Clan's cave. They'd gone to the visitor's hearth, where he'd stayed once before, but he wondered if it was going to be large enough for his rapidly growing family.

Danie giggled.

Ivanolia glanced up at her sharply, her ability to find humor in the situation confusing to him. "Can I ask why you're laughing?"

She bit her lip. "I'm sorry. It's just that...it was just you and Bray for so long, and then I came along and we're having a baby." She patted her swelling belly and grinned. Very little could dampen her joy right now, not even her mate taking a second woman. "And now this. Braydalana will have another mother...and a sister. I can't help but think this is a good thing. Will it not help in bringing our two peoples together?"

Ivanolia sighed, then ran his hands through his long hair. "I suppose it could."

"Good then. I'm glad we can agree on something."

"We agree on lots of things, Danie," Ivanolia said with a frown.

Danie's eyes widened. "We do?"

Ivanolia chuckled. "I guess we don't, do we? But we do love each other, right?"

"Well, only the Mother knows why I love you, but I guess I do."

The man grinned. "And I love you too, Danie," he said, kissing her forehead, then training kisses down her face to her lips. When he took them, he deepened the kiss, plundering her mouth as if he'd never tasted it before, his hands groping.

"Argh!" Not again!" Braydalana exclaimed from the hearth's entrance. "You two never quit, do you?" The girl dropped her pack in the space that would be hers, then looked up at them. "Maybe there should be a special hearth for pleasures, so a girl can come and go without having to see it."

Both Ivanolia and Danie laughed. They knew Braydalana was only teasing—that she, in light of all that they'd been through, was more than thrilled to see them getting along. For the girl, the prospect of having another mother, and a sister, was almost too much to contain her joy.

"That's not such a bad idea, Bray," Ivanolia said thoughtfully; the constant interruptions were a little annoying. "It's something worth discussing anyway."

"Especially now that you're going to have two mates to bed," Danie added as she knelt and began unpacking.

Ivanolia frowned. He'd agreed to mate Oda, and take her and Ura to his hearth, but he'd said nothing about sharing his furs with her, let alone sharing pleasures with the woman.

"Don't you think it's a bit soon to be taking about...that?" he asked.

Danie stopped and looked up at his concerned face, then shrugged. "If you're going to take her, then you might as well benefit from her presence." She paused. "It's not like it'll be the first time with her."

Ivanolia could only stare. He couldn't believe she'd said that—that she'd referred to the incident that was the cause of their current situation.

"Oh, come on, Ivan!" she snapped. "Why not call a digging stick what it is?

He continued to frown. Sometimes her references went over his head, but this one didn't; she wanted him to just be real. How very Mamutoi of her, he thought. "All right," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Just remember that though it was me who got us into this, it's you who wanted to stay here."

She nodded. "I will not forget." Then she shrugged. "And speaking of advantages to having two women in a hearth," she said, "you will not be the only one to benefit."

He frowned, confused by his mate's words.

"I will have more help around here," she said as she tossed his bag of clothing across the hearth at him.

"Yeah, and I'll have two more mouths to feed and a second mate who can't hunt."

Danie giggled. "Well, I'll help with the hunting, as soon as I can again. We'll have two hunters then, and two women to cook and maintain the hearth and children...and service you." She giggled again, then dodge the camp shoe that flew across the hearth at her.

~oxoxo~

Oda stared across the fire at her sibling. He'd just come in and delivered the news about her being given to the Others man who'd forced her all those years ago. She hardly ever thought about it anymore, but with Norv's death only so recent, and all the discussions about where she would live, it'd been on her mind. Being tossed from hearth to hearth wasn't something she enjoyed, and being given to the man who'd created her problem certainly didn't make her happy. She didn't understand why here sibling had decided on this, except that, perhaps he too thought her a bad luck woman and didn't want her around. Frowning, she dropped her eyes to her lap and stared at her hands.

Corg watched her. He knew he was hurting her, but truly believed this to be the best solution, for his hearth, if not his sibling.

"Oda. I have asked Brun for a few days, so you will not have to move there immediately."

Oda had looked up at the sound of her name, and nodded, relieved by his words.

"But you will be given to Ivan." Corg ground his teeth as he voiced the man's name—he didn't like him and he was questioning his decision. After all, it was a selfish one; he didn't want to be responsible for her, so he was giving her to another—the man who'd forced her. "You will be a good mate to him. I know that you will. You are a good woman."

Oda nodded. "I will, Corg," she agreed.

"And..." Corg paused. The thought going through his head was very un-Clan, but as it fully formed there, he went on. "I promise he will be a good mate to you too."

Oda frowned at him, wondering how he could know such a thing. Then it dawned on her. Corg intended to make sure Ivan was good to her. She didn't know he wouldn't have to, that Ivanolia would treat her well on his own, but it was reassuring to know Corg would step in, should the Others man choose to hurt her. It was something that would never have occurred in generations past, but things were so different now. Oda wasn't all that surprised, but she was relieved to know that her sibling did care for her; he cared enough to break tradition and that meant a lot to her.

Nodding, she asked if she could leave the hearth and, knowing his sibling needed time to think, Corg waved her off.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

Though relieved to know her sibling thought well enough of her to promise her she'd be treated well, Oda was still confused by his decision to give her to a man who'd been part of the group of Others who'd hurt her, and killed her baby. To her it mattered not that Ivan was not the man who'd roughly pushed her down, causing her to drop her daughter to her death. He was there. He had participated. And she did not like him.

But she also knew she had no choice in the matter; matings were always decided by the men. And it wasn't as if this would be her first bad match. Her first mate hadn't been a bad man, but he'd never gotten over his anger about her wishing for a girl when she was pregnant with Ura. Back then she'd often wondered why he didn't just throw her away. But then, no one else would have taken her and they couldn't have an unmated woman living among them—so maybe he'd really had no choice either, she decided.

And then, after the earthquake and joining Brun's Clan, she had been given to Norv. He too wasn't so bad. They'd gotten along fine, except where Ura was concerned. Not that the child did anything to cause trouble, it was just that the man hadn't liked having a deformed child in his hearth. So really, Norv hadn't had a choice either. She'd been given to him, and he'd taken her. End of topic.

And now, it was happening all over again. She had no mate and there were no unmated men to take her, not that they'd want her if there were, so she was being given to the man who'd wronged her, in hopes that he could correct that wrong. She didn't like it, or Ivan.

Absently, she walked through the cave toward the northern entrance, feeling sad and, for the first time since the earthquake that forced them to move, wishing she still lived with their original Clan far to the east. She'd even be more happy living with her first mate, she mused, than being given to this man of the Others. But of course, that wasn't an option; all from that cave where dead and the cave was destroyed.

In the back open area, near the inside bathing pond, Oda veered over to the fresh water stream and dipped the small cup she'd brought with her. Drinking her fill, she tucked the cup back into a fold of her wrap, then turned, intent on going outside for some fresh air. Once outside, she found a place to rest in the sun, to enjoy the last of the season's warm rays. A short distance away, a group of boys practiced their toy weapons, their dedication to their work faltering as they began to play. Oda watched with amusement, remembering the days when she too had been young enough to play. Then her eyes went to the small circle of women who'd brought their work outside, and suddenly she felt guilty for just sitting there when there was work to do. Frowning, she stood to go back inside; there was always work to do.

Hurrying back to Corg's hearth, she picked up the water bags and headed back to the stream to bring water back to the hearth. On most days she and Aza, Corg's mate, did this task together, but the other woman wasn't in the hearth, so Oda decided to do it herself. At the stream, she knelt down and filled a bag, then moved to fill the other.

"Here, let me help you."

Startled, Oda jumped to her feet, spilling the water to the ground. Staring in fear, she watched as the tall blond man approached, his lips pulled back in what she'd learned from Ayla and Durc, and her own daughter, was a look of happiness, though to her, it looked like a scowl. It didn't help that she didn't understand his words, or that he stood a good head and shoulders over her, maybe even more.

"Oh! I'm sorry," Ivanolia said as he bent down to retrieve her now empty water bags. Standing up again, he realized he'd frightened her and tried to curb his smile. To him it was friendly, but she obviously didn't take it that way. Or maybe it was the past that kept her from accepting his smile, or trusting him. He understood completely.

Frowning, he wished he could talk to her, and wondered how they'd live together as a mated couple when neither understood the other's language. It certainly wasn't going to be easy, he realized.

"Ivan, help?" he asked, saying only his own name while he made one of the few gestures he remembered. Then he remembered the sign for water and added it.

Oda frowned. "This woman does not need help."

Ivanolia only looked confused. He'd only understood one word of what she'd said. So, rather than trying to figure it out, he turned and filled her bags, then stood and grinned at her, forgetting once again that his smile was a grimace to her. Too late, he realized, when she dropped to the ground, cowering at his feet. Sighing, he knelt down too and tapped her shoulder in the way he'd seen other men do it. He wanted to tell her she didn't have to do that, that she didn't have to be afraid, but he didn't know enough words to tell her these things.

Gently, he reached out and grasped her upper arm and pulled her so that she was standing again. He wanted to apologize, but remembered the Clan didn't have a sign for that at all. Frowning, he didn't know what to do.

"Help...water...hearth," he gestured slowly. So slowly in fact that if he'd been speaking, it might have come out in a stutter.

Oda watched his signs, which were worse than baby talk, and frowned. But she was amused; men simply did not offer to do women's work—except for Grov, who she'd often seen helping his mate, and even other women at times. Still frowning, Oda nodded. It wasn't in her to tell him no. And then there was more confusion when he gestured for her to go, but she was waiting for him to go so she could follow.

"He wants you go first, Oda," Braydalana said, her signs not perfect, but better than the man of her hearth.

Oda looked at the Others girl with a bewildered expression. "But...he is a man."

Braydalana tried to restrain her smile, then made an attempt of explaining. "It makes Others men happy for woman to be first."

Oda gave the girl a skeptical look, then glanced up at the tall man; he hadn't moved, hadn't said a word. He just stood there watching them.

"He wants to help you, Oda," Braydalana said.

"But why?"

Braydalana shrugged. "Why not?"

Oda was still confused, but she finally nodded, and this time when he gestured for her to go, she went.

~oxoxo~

Corg had been sitting in his hearth agonizing over what he was doing to his sibling, thinking that maybe he'd made a mistake, when he saw her coming. Then his jaw dropped open when he saw who followed her. He quickly snapped it shut as they came into the hearth. Oda glanced down at him, then turned to take the water bags from the Others man. Ivan relinquished them, then nodded at Corg before turning quickly to leave. Corg watched him, then turned his eyes on Oda.

"Sit, Oda," he commanded.

Oda quickly knelt and waited.

"Is everything all right?"

She nodded.

Corg studied her. She looked neither happy, nor unhappy. "Ivan did not...hurt you?"

Oda shook her head.

And then the hearth filled as Aza appeared with Orga, Egra, and Ura.

"Mama," Ura said, using the word Ayla's children used. "When are we going over to Grov's hearth?"

Oda frowned, then looked at her sibling. "Grov's hearth?"

Corg nodded. "Grov has invited our hearth over to his to share an evening meal." When the man had come to him, he'd reluctantly agreed. He knew Ivan would probably be there, that they were attempting to make the upcoming mating a smoother transition, and he had no wish to spend time with the man. But then he decided that, if he was going to force Oda to mate the man, then he ought to be able to stomach a meal with him.

"Oh," Oda said nervously, wishing she'd known earlier. "This woman should make something to bring." But when she moved to stand, Corg stopped her.

"No, that is not necessary. Grov said that Ayla and Oga would take care of the food."

Oda nodded, then jumped up. "Then this woman will make her sibling some tea."

Corg meant to stop her, but somehow he understood that she needed to be doing something, so he kept silent.

~oxoxo~

That night the evening started at Grov's fire, but soon the hearth was over crowded and the group moved out to the central fire of the west side of the cave. Soon the four families who'd started the meal were joined by Daub's hearth and then Dorg's, bringing a variety of people and dishes to the gathering.

Oda, sitting near Aza, held her daughter on her lap as she watched everyone conversing. With Norv as her mate, she'd rarely been invited over to this side of the cave; she'd always known he wasn't well thought of over here and, if she really thought about it, and was pressed to admit it, she'd have to say that she'd not thought much of the man herself. But that wasn't the way of a Clan woman, to form opinions about things she had no control over, so most did not bother.

For most of the evening, she kept to herself, sitting silently next to Aza. There'd only been the one time where she'd been forced to get up; that was when the food had come out and Corg had given her a look that told her he expected her to bring Ivan his meal. She'd immediately jumped up, of course, so as not to embarrass her sibling, but she was so nervous she'd actually spilled her mate-to-be's tea. Thankfully, he'd not made a fuss over it.

Then later, some of the women—Ayla included—left to put children to bed, but Aza hadn't moved, so neither had she. The men discussed their favorite topic, hunting, and the older boys were avidly listening in on the conversation that, for all intents and purposes, would govern most of their adult lives.

Suddenly the girl Bray was beside her smiling. "Can this girl hold Ura?"

Oda instinctively held her daughter tight, but when she glanced at Aza, and saw the woman's nod, she forced herself to relax. Sighing, she handed her daughter to the girl.

Braydalana grinned. "She is so adorable!" she said as she lovingly stroked the smaller girl's hair, which was lighter than any other Clan person present. "I'm going to love having a sister, Oda," Braydalana said, tears suddenly filling her eyes.

Oda watched curiously, wondering at the obvious adoration she saw shining in the girl's eyes, mixed with something else. She'd always thought tears meant injury, but she'd learned that sometimes they meant sadness; Ura, and then later Ayla, had taught her that much. But now, with Bray, it seemed that maybe they could mean happiness as well. Clearly the girl was happy about the prospect of having a sister.

"Oh Mother," Braydalana said. "Isn't she adorable?"

Danie, who'd just appeared, carefully lowered herself to sit with them, then smiled at Oda and Aza before looking at the sleeping child. "May I?" she asked, holding her hands out to take Ura from Braydalana.

Braydalana quickly translated and Oda nodded.

Danie, an Others' grin on her face, lifted the limp child in her arms and cuddled her close. "I can't wait to be holding my own."

Oda nodded as Braydalana translated again.

"Baby...soon," Danie gestured. "Maybe...two."

Oda's eyes widened. Twins were rare and there were already three sets of them in their cave. She wondered if that was different among the Others.

"We'll have a large hearth," Danie went on, giving Braydalana time to interpret for her. "One man, two women and many children."

Oda watched Bray's words, then frowned.

And Danie watched the younger Clan woman. "Ivan," she said. "He is a good mate. I know what he did to you, but you will see."

Oda looked doubtful, but she turned and looked over at the man. Something amusing must have been said because he and Grov were laughing and the other men, including Corg, all looked entertained by them. Then she caught Ivan's eye and turned away. He immediately excused himself and approached the three woman.

"Hello, Oda," he said as he sat down beside her, then leaned to kiss Danie's cheek.

Oda blushed, then looked down, but Danie frowned at him. "Are you drinking?" she asked, leaning over to look into his cup.

"I might have brought a little bouza with me," Ivanolia answered. "What? I was a little nervous."

Danie rolled her eyes.

"I only drank one cup...maybe two...just to relax."

Danie sighed. "Fine. But Ayla tells me the Clan doesn't consume fermented drinks, so let's not overdo it."

Ivanolia smiled. "All right, Mother."

Braydalana giggled, then quickly stifled it when she received strange looks from those sitting around, as well as a scowl from Ivanolia before he looked at Oda.

"May I?" he asked.

Oda waited for Braydalana's words of translation, but there was no question in her mind what the Others man wanted; he wanted to hold her daughter. She nodded; she could not tell a man no. She wanted to remain immune to the man, but he was having an affect on her.

Ivanolia then scooped her daughter away from Danie and planted a kiss on her blonde head. "Her eyes are light, I'm told. Like mine...but different."

Oda frowned, but leaned forward to look into the man's eyes, then nodded. She wanted to grab her daughter and run away from this man, but she didn't dare. Her eyes quickly went to her sibling. He'd not missed the attention Ivan was paying her, or her nervous worry as she politely conversed with him, but he made no attempt to intervene.

"And her hair is light too," he went on. "But not as light as Bray's."

Oda looked at Braydalana's blonde hair, then at Ivan's mate; she'd never seen hair so dark. "Danie's hair is black. This woman has not ever seen black hair."

Ivanolia looked at his mate and smiled, then leaned over kissed her dark head. Then he did something unexpected; he leaned forward and kissed Oda'd forehead.

Frowning again, Oda pulled away. Her eyes went to Aza, begging for an intervention. Much to her relief, Aza moved to get up. Then Oda realized that was only because Corg was standing there. Was he ready to leave? she hoped.

"Oda, come!" Corg snapped. Obviously he was talking to his sibling, but his eyes never left Ivanolia's face. "It is late. We are leaving."

Oda nodded, her relief great as she stood up. Ivanolia rose with her and held her daughter out to her. Silently, she took the child, then sent a glance at Danie before turning and following Corg out of the area.

~oxoxo~

"She hates me," Ivanolia said as he stripped down to crawl into their furs. The evening had been enjoyable enough, but he feared he'd committed a huge blunder when he'd gone to sit with Oda. Maybe the kiss was too much, he thought. He hadn't planned on kissing the Clan woman; it'd just happened. He wasn't even attracted to her.

Danie smiled. "Did you expect her to jump into your arms?"

"Well no," he said. Folding his leggings and tunic neatly and setting them on his pile of things, he turned to put another log in their hearth-fire, then faced his mate. "But I was under the impression that Clan women didn't resist men."

Danie giggled. "And that's what you thought you were getting...a woman who'd do anything you told her to do? Maybe you can have her do all the chores you hate," she said sarcastically. "Like clean the night baskets."

Ivanolia frowned. "I didn't tell her what to do. Besides, she'd probably do those things if I told her to."

Danie rolled her eyes. "Of course she would, she's a Clan woman, Ivan. But she's not stupid."

"I didn't say that she was, Danie. I wouldn't ask her to do those things." He paused. "I was just trying to be nice to her. I didn't mean to scare her."

Danie didn't respond, and Ivanolia watched as she straightened up the hearth. They'd unpacked, but hadn't decided how it would be set up, and everything was just sort of scattered around.

"If we're going to be here, we need to make sleeping platforms," she finally said. "I'm not going to be able to sleep in a trench filled with grass."

Ivanolia shrugged. "Sure." He didn't remember sleeping poorly when he'd stayed here before, but if she wanted a sleeping platform, then he'd make her one. "Fine. I'll make three of them."

"Three?"

He nodded. "Yeah. One for Bray, one for us, and one for Oda and Ura."

She shook her head. "Don't you think Oda should sleep with us?"

He frowned. "I'm mating her because she needs a man to take care of her, not because I want to share my furs with her."

Danie raised a brow. "Then why'd you kiss her?"

Ivanolia sighed. "Like I said, I was trying to be nice. But I think that was a mistake...kissing her, I mean. Did you see how fast Corg came over and took her away?"

Danie nodded. "I saw." She glanced around the hearth. Satisfied for the moment that everything was where she wanted it, she kicked off her camp shoes and started to undress. "It's going to take time, Ivan," she went on, "to make up for what you did to her. You can't just jump right in with affection...especially to a Clan woman who's never been shown any kind of affection." She paused. "Maybe you're right; Oda should have her own bed...at least for now."

Ivanolia nodded with relief. "How about permanently?"

Danie frowned. "Why are you doing this...mating her, I mean, if you don't want to? We could just leave."

Ivanolia sighed. "I don't know Danie...I thought this was what you wanted."

"I do...but not if it's going to cause more trouble for us. I want you to do what's right by Oda and Ura...but I want you to take it seriously. This isn't a joke to me, and certainly not to Oda."

"I know."

"Then, in Mut's name, Ivan, act like you're serious. The last thing Oda needs right now is confusion." Danie watched as he nodded. She knew this was difficult on him. But he wasn't the only one struggling here. "I don't expect you to fall in love with Oda overnight," she went on. "But you can't treat her affectionately one moment, then wish she'd disappear the next."

"Why not?"

"Because," Danie said with a laugh—one that held no humor. "It's not fair to her."

"Do you really think she knows the difference?" he asked, then immediately flinched as she scooped up her camp shoe and threw it at him.

"Oh Ivan! sometimes you can be so thick."

"Yeah...sometimes I can be," he said, gesturing at the part of him that was.

Danie's eyes went to his extended manhood. Shaking her head, she started laughing. "I'm sure glad Bray's not at the hearth right now. Can you imagine what she'd say if she had to look at that?"

"I wouldn't be lying here on top of the furs naked if she were here," Ivanoila said as he sat up and pulled her down on top of him. "Now would I?"

Danie shook her head, then giggled when his lips found her earlobe. "Probably not."

"And I would not be undressing you," he said, his hands grabbing at the bottom edge of her tunic and pulling it up.

Danie raised her arms so that her tunic came off easily, then wrapped them around his neck. "I love you, Ivanolia," she said. "Even if you are a very stupid man sometimes."

He chuckled, then rolled her to her back so he could pleasure them both.

AtDC

New Chapter

Jondaria looked out over the landscape and sighed. They'd skirted the highest peaks, sticking instead to well-known passes, but most of their journey was through rugged land and he was pushing hard. He knew it was harder on the women, but he believe he had no choice in the matter.

Initially, he alone was supposed to take the woman, Hetara, and her daughter to Pine Camp where they'd be escorted by someone there, probably Zackodia, to Oak Camp. But that plan had long since been abandoned. It had been decided that the trip was too long for the woman, who complained continually as it was, and probably dangerous. With the three renegade camps out there roaming about causing destruction, they'd agreed that the shortest route would not only be most wise, but also best for the struggling woman. They'd also decided that Jondaria shouldn't take on the task alone, that others should go with him.

Glancing at the man standing beside him, Jondaria pushed his hood back. "What do you think?" He had to yell to be heard above the wind.

Jeeteria pulled the fur mask from his face and frowned. "We're well clear of Sumac territory. Oak Camp should be just down there." He pointed. They were too high up the mountain to see Oak Camp's settlement, but Jeeteria knew his geography fairly well; it was something that came natural to him. When he was young, he'd been their camp's best runner. Now, most of the time that job fell to the son of his mate.

Jondaria nodded. "Then let's get off this mountain," he yelled. "I hate this wind!"

Jeeteria didn't say anything. Instead he pulled his fur mask back on and turned around to wave the others forward. For a moment he watched as Janika and Dakara helped Hetara to her feet. The woman wasn't old; she was nearly the same age as Jeeteria was himself, but she'd lived a hard life and wasn't in good shape. Watching the woman as she was helped to her feet, he wondered what they could have been thinking; sending her off with only her daughter and Jondaria might have been a death sentence for her, if not all of them. When he'd joined the group, he'd asked for someone else to go along as well. He'd hoped a few would offer to go, but everyone was tired and homesick, and didn't want to have to turn around and make another journey when they were so close to home.

Then Janika came to him, her dark eyes pleading. He knew she only wanted to go so that she could see Davaria, and he didn't like bringing them together so soon after the summer meeting. He'd said they had to wait a year and he'd meant it, but he also needed another helping body. He'd reasoned that, though young, her strength could be a benefit. He also thought the trip would be a good test for her, to see if she was up to the task of taking care of someone other than herself, which, if he was honest with himself, he'd have to admit that she wasn't really very good at that either. The job of a mate was more than just sharing pleasures; that part was easy, and she was piss poor at doing any of the other things required of a mated woman.

With a sigh, he'd gone to speak to Sardovia, his headman. After Janika's antics over the summer, Sardovia was very concerned about the girl's ability to help. Finally, they'd agreed, if reluctantly, to allowing her to accompany the travelers. Jeeteria was further pleased that Spruce Camp's leader had changed his mind and wanted to travel with them as well. It would be good having the other man with them; he was quite friendly with many members of Oak Camp, and having a third man along could prove helpful. And they'd also picked up Vardasia, the headman of Willow Camp, who'd been traveling home with his camp. They'd met him and his camp while rounding a particularly impassable mountain and Vardasia had jumped at the chance to visit his Oak Camp cousins, though he'd just seen them.

It was nice to have a decent-sized traveling party, four men, Hetara and the two younger women. And Janika was doing well. So far, she'd done more than well, Jeeteria had to admit. She traveled without complaint, was always helpful, got along with everyone, including himself, and she hadn't argued with one decision he'd made. She seemed to be a completely different woman.

"How much farther is it?" Jeeteria heard Hetara scream.

"Not far," Sardovia shouted. "Just over that rise, and then down."

Jeeteria watched as the woman nodded. He knew she must be hoping the wind would be less once they got down out of the mountains; he did too.

It was approaching evening by the time they were making their final descent.

~oxoxo~

Gredenzia was sitting in the private ceremonial hearth in a cross-legged position thinking on matters of the cave. He'd been there for a long time, through the morning and now into the afternoon. There were always things to consider, and he was doing just that. For several days now, he'd been agitated by the feelings of upset among his people; the happenings of the summer greatly disturbed his sense of calm, and now he worried that it wasn't over.

Then a sudden chill ran up his spine. Opening his eyes, he glanced upward, thinking that perhaps the smoke-hole covering had blown off—but it hadn't. Frowning, he stood up and wrapped his arms around himself. His fire burned hot in front of him, but he felt chilled. Shivering, he headed for the cooking hearth.

"Would you like some tea, Gredenzia?" Danta asked the man. "You look cold."

Gredenzia frowned at her, then shook his head. "No thank you, child."

Danta watched the Shogur for a moment. He just stood there looking worried, his arms still wrapped about his middle and shivering slightly. The day had been cold; no one had been out—except for those who'd gone hunting. Gredenzia had not been one of them. But, despite the fact that he'd been in the earthlodge all day, he looked as if he'd been out in the cold pre-winter wind that had been coming down off the mountains all day.

Then, with a frown, Danta decided he looked more than cold. "Is something wrong?" she finally asked.

Gredenzia glanced at her, then slowly shrugged. "I'm not sure. Where is your brother?"

She returned his shrug. "He was helping to put away the meat from the hunt. Do you want me to go find him?"

For a moment the man just stared at her, then he nodded. "Yes...send him out front. Then go tell either Wäglodia or Zarina that hot soup will be necessary as soon as possible."

Frowning, Danta nodded. "All right. I think the soup's already warming," she added in hopes that the information would settle him some. "Anything else?"

The man thought for a moment. "Tea. Lots of hot tea."

Danta nodded again.

"And wine," the man added with a smile. "Have Serana open a new container."

"Okay," she said as the man walked away. Quickly, she did as he'd instructed. Davaria, of course, wanted to ask a hundred questions, but she didn't give him a chance; there were too many things to do. She found Zarina and Serana together and was able to pass on Gredenzia's instructions to the both of them at once, then she hurriedly put on her parka and went outside to see what was going on. By the time she got there, several others had joined them.

"What are we looking at?" she asked after pushing her way to the man's side.

Gredenzia smiled down at Oak Camp's newest member, then pointed. "Look...there. We have visitors."

Danta peered into the distance. She saw movement, but couldn't tell who was approaching. Gripping Gredenzia's parka, she inched her way slightly behind the man who was now the man of her hearth, though she did not actually live within his hearth. Growing up with Sumac Camp taught her to be leery of all; those she knew often proved very dangerous, and strangers could sometimes be worse. Being nervous about visitors came naturally to her, and she didn't want to take any chances.

Then she heard a gasp.

"Janika!" Davaria suddenly burst.

Danta frowned as she watched her brother break into a run, then smiled when Janika threw back her hood and jumped into his arms, her body hitting him with an impact hard enough to knock him to the ground.

"Janika," he whispered from his back as her kisses rained down on his face.

Davaria," she said between kisses. "I missed you."

Jeeteria, who'd seen the daughter of his hearth show little restraint on many occasions, rolled his eyes and blushed with embarrassment as he caught the smiles of the men traveling with him. He was pleased to see no censure in their looks. Sighing as he approached Janika on top of Davaria, he signaled to Jondaria. The two men then grabbed Janika's parka, pulling the young woman to her feet and off Davaria as they passed.

"Hey!" she squealed as she was lifted and herded away. Then she glared back and forth between the two men.

"We didn't come here for that, Janika," Jeeteria snapped as he released her.

"I know!"

"Then behave yourself!" the man scolded.

"Humph!" Janika crossed her arms over her chest, then turned to see Davaria being helped to his feet by Sardovia, who'd obviously said something humorous; Davaria was chuckling as he slowly approached, joined them, and threaded him fingers into hers.

"So, why are you here?" asked Tagnolia the group of travelers. Late summer, early fall journeys were not entirely unusual; people liked visiting, especially when they knew they'd be lodge-bound for the duration of the winter. But this visit was unexpected. Oak Camp had only just seen them; the moon had gone through just over a half a cycle since they'd separated at Pine Camp. No one had expected to see anyone else until the following summer.

"Well...," Jeeteria began. He stopped and shifted on his feet. "It's a long story."

"Wonderful!" Tagnolia burst. "Please, do tell. We love long—"

A throat cleared and Zarina cut in with, "Do you think we could get in out of this cold before hearing their tale? They look to be freezing, and I have no wish to stand out in this dreadful wind, freezing all my parts off."

Several nodded, and Tagnolia blushed.

Zarina grinned. "Plus, I have soup warming."

"And wine," Serana added.

"Yes...come!" Tagnolia boomed. "I don't know what I was thinking. Let's get inside."

~oxoxo~

Inside, everyone settled in, ready to listen to why seven people, from three different camps, had traveled out into the cold and windy weather to reach Oak Camp. Someone stoked the fire, while soup and wine, and hot tea, was passed around, then everyone waited.

"So...tell us," Tagnolia prompted.

Jeeteria first glanced at the son of his mate and frowned, hoping that Jondaria would tell them to the story, and all eyes went to the younger man. But someone else spoke out.

"Cedar Camp has been destroyed!" Hetara burst. Then, with all eyes on her, her face screwed up and she crumpled against her daughter. Janika instantly jumped up and went to assist Dakara with her mother.

Silence met the scene, then everyone turned to Jondaria. Nodding confirmation, Jondaria spoke. "It is true. We can only surmise that it was Sumac, Ash, or Dogwood...or all of them, but it was horrible. I would prefer not to go into detail, but their cave." He shook his head. "It is completely unlivable. Cedar is likely disbanding." He paused before continuing and took a deep breath. "And we were hoping Oak Camp has room for two more," he said, nodding toward Hetara and her daughter.

All eyes went to the woman and her daughter, then back to the man who was speaking.

"We are seeking winter homes for each hearth of Cedar Camp. Some have family in others camps and chose to go to them, but Hetara said they have no one."

Many of Oak Camp's members were frowning. They'd just taken on three new people.

"Hetara's a healer," Janika put in. After receiving a frown from the man of her hearth, she went on. "I remember Davaria saying Oak Camp was searching for one."

"You are Cedar Camp's healer?" Tiflona asked, obviously interested.

Hetara, tears streaked down her face, nodded.

"She was," her daughter added. "But now she wants to join Oak Camp...we both do. We know that we are not much, but..." She glanced at Danta and Davaria. "We could be more." Her eyes, though dry, begged for understanding.

Tiflona studied the girl; she'd been hurt by Zadneetsia, but she remained strong. Tiflona's eyes went back to the girl's mother. "And if you come here, who then serves for Cedar Camp?"

Hetara frowned. "If they disband," she said, "I suppose no one does. If they do not disband...it will be Lada. She is young, but more than sufficient...good actually. Her brother and sister have agreed to it."

Several eyes looked to Jondaria; he nodded. "Levaria and Lariska have agreed. Initially they didn't like it, but Lada believed she could do it, so they changed their minds.

"Well I don't have to think about this," Travie cut in. "I reside in the healer's hearth and am no healer. Oak Camp needs a real healer! My vote is yes!"

There were smiles all around and most were nodding; it seemed no one could resist the domineering Mamutoi woman, or that fact that right should always prevail; they couldn't very well turn out a woman and her daughter with winter so near.

Tiflona hid a smile. "Well...we could hold an official meeting to discuss this, but I already know the outcome. It seems like such a waste of time, and there's no reason to put the two of you through such a thing." She paused. "Let's just go around the room to get everyone's opinion...if that's all right with everyone."

The group nodded, almost in unison.

"By a show of hands, is there anyone who does not want to accept Hetara, a skilled and greatly needed healer, and her beautiful daughter, Dakara, as members of Oak Camp?"

For several moments the headwoman waited, giving any dissenters a chance to think on it and respond. No one did.

"Well then," Tiflona said. "Let us officially welcome you to Oak Camp."

~oxoxo~

After all was decided, and Oak Camp's new members and visitors had been filled with food and drink, Travie marched Hetara and Dakara out of the cooking hearth toward the center aisle and the healer's hearth, which was the second hearth on the left side of the passageway.

"Here it is," Travie said pleasantly. "I'll just gather my belongings and move back in with my daughter."

Hetara froze as panic seized her. "You live here?"

Travie nodded, then smiled. "I did...but now we have a real healer. I was just an inexperienced fill in. I'm very relieved that you're here."

Hetara clutched at her rucksack and shook her head as she took several steps backward. "I...I can't live here."

Travie frowned. "Why not?" Glancing around the hearth, then back at the woman, she said, "I know it's not very large, but as soon as I get my things out of it, it should appear a little larger."

Hetara's eyes filled with tears. "But...we can't take your hearth."

Travie waved a hand to dismiss the comment. "I've only just moved into it, Hetara. It is not a problem."

Hetara shook her head. "I won't be the cause of you moving out. I can't. Maybe we could stay in the visitor's hearth until something else can be worked out."

"Nonsense!" Travie burst. Then realizing the other woman was ready to bolt back through the cooking hearth toward the visitor's hearth, Travie reached out and gently held her tunic sleeve. "Besides, the visitor's hearth is pretty full at the moment...with Vardasia, Sardovia, Jeeteria, Jondaria, and Janika staying in it." Travie grinned. "Well, probably not Janika," she said, her gaze going to the young woman and Davaria, as he led her down the passageway toward Red Fox hearth. "I suspect we'll not see them for some time." She grinned again, then looked back at Hetara and frowned. "You don't really want to stay in the visitor's hearth with those four men, do you?"

Hetara looked at the four men she'd traveled with, then shifted on her feet. They'd been decent to her, but, not being from any of their camps, she didn't really know them. She had to admit that, though they hadn't meant to, they'd made her uncomfortable. Travie was right, she didn't want to stay with them in the visitor's hearth, but she could think of no other solution. She shrugged. "We didn't come here to push Oak members out of their hearths."

Travie smiled. "You two are just as much Oak Camp members now, Hetara. More so than I. At least you were born Sungaean. I cannot claim such a thing; I am Mamutoi," she said proudly. "I am only here because my daughters chose Sungaean men."

"But you have been adopted...accepted."

"And what do you call your presence here? Did you see one person raise a hand against you?"

Hetara frowned. "Well, no. But...we will stay at the visitor's hearth."

"But you're not a visitor," Travie argued with a frown. "You are Oak Camp's healer. You deserve the hearth of your standing."

Hetara only shook her head. And frustrated, Travie pursed her lips and shook her head. "Fine then...no one will stay here. I can't stay here, knowing that you're the healer."

Hetara watched as the woman, a few years her elder, stepped into the hearth and started packing her things. Then frowning, she made a suggestion. "What if...what if we share the hearth?" she asked hopefully.

Travie straightened and faced the woman. "Share the healing hearth?"

Hetara nodded.

"But...you're the healer."

"If you were filling in as healer until another could be found, then you must have some skill."

Travie shrugged. "Yes, I have some."

Hetara grinned. "Then it's settled! We'll both live here. I healer can always use assistance."

Travie frowned, but she had to admit she liked the idea. She didn't relish going back to her daughter's hearth now that she finally had her own again. It'd been nice there. Vincenzia was a wonderful man and she adored her daughter's children, but having space away from them taught her to really appreciate them. She didn't really want to go back. And she liked the new Oak woman; she was a very similar type to herself.

"All right. I accept! But let me shift things around, so that you and Dakara have space. I don't know how, in such a short time, I've managed to clutter this place up so much!"

Nodding, Hetara set her bag down and moved to help her new hearth mate. Dakara followed suit, shyly helping with whatever was handed to her. Soon they had everything moved and sorted. There was just the issue of sleeping platforms, which was solved quickly when Vincenzia and Vilognia came in bearing beds from the visitor's hearth.

"We thought these might be needed," Vincenzia said.

Travie looked up at her daughter's mate and grinned. "How did you know?"

"Gredenzia said you wouldn't be returning to Snow Leopard hearth," the man said.

"And some of the women thought the three of you would need more sleeping places," Vilognia finished.

The two women nodded. "We do indeed. Put them there," she directed. "What do you think, Hetara?"

Hetara smiled and nodded. "I'd say that's perfect!"

AtDC

I'm going to go count my characters right now...

Okay...here's the best I can do right now:

51 Clan

39 Oak Camp

18 Beech Camp (those I named in story)

24 Lion Camp (Mamutoi)

3 Maple Camp (at least that many named...may be more)

3 Birch Camp (named for sure in story)

5 Pine Camp (at least this many when Ivan visited there...those all created by Panther)

30 Cedar Camp (hearth listing was posted at some point

34 Spruce Camp (hearth listing posted with Cedar)

2 Willow Camp (headman and headwoman named)

And other's I'm sure...I just can't remember.

And...

91 Khazaria...whom you haven't met yet, but will soon.

That puts me at approximately 300 characters to think about.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

With sleepy abandon, Janika rolled over and opened her eyes. For a moment she frowned, confused by her surroundings; for some reason she'd expected to look up at the small, semi-clear traveling tent ceiling she'd been looking at for days and was surprised to see dirt overhead instead. Then focusing in the dimly lit earthlodge, her eyes went to the woman across the hearth staring back at her.

Offering a shy smile, she said, "Morning."

Responding the same, Danta smiled back at the dark-eyed girl in her brother's bed, then slowly dragged herself to a sitting position. She was tired; Davaria's mate-to-be was not a quiet one by any means. Neither of them had been, Danta realized with a blush. Not that they'd been overly rude either, but they'd definitely gotten into it and Danta'd had some trouble sleeping through the sounds of their pleasures. She'd finally fallen asleep, but it was much later than she would have preferred.

A glance at Danara's bed let her know her daughter hadn't wasted time getting herself up and out, and the silence of the hearth told her the child had taken Kit with her. Thank the Mother, Danta thought as her eyes went back to the very young woman in Davaria's bed. Janika was still lying there staring back at her. Sighing, Danta got up.

"He'll sleep all morning," she informed the young woman. "Maybe even until the midday meal." Danta frowned at her words. She didn't know why she'd said that, Davaria hadn't slept that late since they'd been adopted.

Janika turned her head to look at the man beside her. Davaria lay on his stomach, completely stretched out, one arm extended over his head, the other down along his side, and his legs sprawled, one sticking out from under the furs. His head, which was facing her, was half buried by the bedding, but she could see that he was open-mouthed and drooling slightly, and that he snored quietly. He was still sound asleep and perfectly content.

Slowly, she sat up. Clutching the furs to her bareness as she searched for her discarded clothing, she found her tunic at the far end of the bed, nestled in the crevice against the wall. With a blush, she reached for it and pulled it on, then began looking for her footwear.

"Have you seen my shoes?" she finally had to ask, embarrassed that she had no clue where she'd removed them.

Danta chuckled, then pointed. "There...and there." One, most likely kicked off by the young woman herself, was just under Davaria's sleeping platform, the other had been tossed, probably by Davaria, onto the shelf in the back corner of the hearth.

Janika's cheeks turned an even brighter pink as she retrieved her shoes, but she didn't put them on; she still needed to find her leggings. Then she spotted them, in a rumpled pile on the ground. Frowning, she quickly dressed, then just sat there, not knowing what to do or say next.

Deciding it was time to get up, Danta pulled herself out of bed as well and threw on her comfortable inside clothes, then smiled at the other woman again. "We should go eat," she pronounced.

Janika sighed, relieved that Davaria's sister was being so kind to her. Most women weren't very nice to her. Most people weren't, she thought, so she didn't really expect Danta to be either, especially after all the trouble she'd caused over the summer. She forgot, of course, how supportive all of Oak Camp seemed to be after her ordeal with Zadneetsia, and after Davaria had made a claim for her. Danta however, though she had appeared pleasant enough at the summer meeting, hadn't really seemed as happy about her being with Davaria as others had. Somehow, Janika got the impression the woman didn't approve—and she didn't blame her; she'd been a troublemaker for too long not to understand why someone wouldn't like her.

But part of it was something else. Danta didn't seem like a person who judged others without knowing them first. And Danta didn't really know her. So, what else was there? Janika wondered as she watched Davaria's sister straighten her furs, then turn and face her. "I need to go outside to pass my water and dump the night basket...did you want to come with me?" Danta asked stiffly.

Janika nodded, but she didn't get up. She really had to go too, but she wanted to talk to Danta and she didn't know what to say. "Have I done something wrong, Danta?" she finally asked. "If I have...please tell me what it is, so I don't do it again."

Danta frowned. She'd been trying to straighten out her thoughts as well as her bed and was surprised by Janika's direct question. "W-what?"

Janika frowned, then spoke. "You smile at me, but...I get the impression that you don't like me." Her nearly black eyes instantly teared.

Danta's much lighter eyes widened, surprised she'd expressed so much without meaning to. "I don't know you, Janika."

Janika wiped at her tears. "And you don't want to, do you?"

"I didn't say that."

"But you think I'm not good enough for your brother," she whispered. Never, in all her short years, had she considered that she might be beneath someone like Davaria, but now she did. And it was clear to her that Danta wasn't too happy about her presence.

Danta shrugged. "I'm just concerned that you and Davaria might be moving too quickly."

Janika glanced over her shoulder at Davaria; he still appeared to be out. "Jeeteria is also troubled by that," her eyes meeting Danta's light brown ones.

"And yet he let you travel here with him, and he let you spend the night in Davaria's bed."

Janika just stared at Danta for a moment, trying to figure out what she was saying. Her tone was even, but she instinctively knew there was more to the woman's words. "You do not think the man of my hearth is so anxious anymore?"

Danta shrugged again. "He allowed you to come along, didn't he?"

Janika just stared at her.

"I would never have allowed that if the idea of you two being together disturbed me so," Danta pointed out.

Janika frowned. "You wouldn't have let me come if you were Jeeteria?"

Danta sighed. "I didn't say that."

Janika sat quietly, her hands twisting in her lap as she watched Davaria's twin sister watching her.

"I do love him," she blurted.

Danta nodded. "I believe that you do. And...he loves you, I can tell."

Janika let out her breath and smiled slightly, then frowned again. "But?"

"But what?"

"You don't want me here." Her voice, though barely above a whisper, was strangled. "I can see it."

Danta frowned. "I...I don't mean to..." She paused. "I'm just a little tired, I think."

Janika frowned, then blushed crimson. "I...I'm sorry," she said, realizing they'd probably kept the woman up most of the night. "I didn't think." She jumped to her feet and turned her back on Danta; her face burned with embarrassment.

Danta couldn't help but smile at the young woman's discomfiture. But she also felt bad. This had nothing to do with her being tired or the reasons for it. She knew she was just being selfish about this. The truth was that she wanted to keep Davaria for herself and herself alone. Not that she wanted to mate the man herself; just the thought of that turned her stomach. After all, he was her brother. She just wanted to keep him by her side—always. But that wasn't very fair to him. How could she prevent her brother's happiness? If Janika was what made him happy, then who was she to object. But the thought of how lonely she was going to be once he left her, was almost suffocating.

"I'm...I'm afraid of being left alone," she finally revealed, tears now filling her eyes. "When you and Davaria mate...I will be without him. I have always had Davaria." She shrugged, pushed at her tears, then looked away. "And he will no longer be mine."

Janika had turned while Danta spoke and was now frowning as she considered the other woman's words. She'd never considered that she would be taking Davaria away from someone; he was a single man, attached to no one, why would she worry about this? But now that she looked at Danta, the woman who'd shared her life with Davaria since before they'd been born, she could see how distraught she really was over this. Shaking her head, she quickly crossed the hearth and sat down next to Davaria's twin sister.

"I...I didn't realize, Danta." She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I would never want to take him from you. I won't, I promise." She glanced then at the hearth, then back at Danta. "We don't even have to leave your hearth. Red Fox hearth is fine with me. We can stay here, if you'd have us?"

Danta smiled through her tears. "Davaria said the same thing, but I didn't think you'd agree to that. And I figured that, if forced to choose, he'd choose you."

"Because...you're so unlovable?"

Danta shrugged. "I couldn't even get my own mother to love me."

Janika rolled her eyes. "Well that's not a good example, something's wrong with Trata...everyone knows it's true. Besides, have you seen the looks of contempt I receive from Jeeteria? I am no better off."

"Jeeteria loves you Janika," Danta said. "It's not the same."

"No...maybe it's not exactly the same," Janika admitted. "But that doesn't make you any less loved. Davaria adores you. And your daughter...I bet there's no end to her love. And Oak Camp...they must love you to have adopted you."

Danta smiled. She had felt the love of Oak Camp. It was an odd feeling, one she wasn't used to, but she did know love now. Not like Davaria did, but like he'd said, maybe someday.

"You know...we have much in common," Janika went on nervously. "With Zadneetsia and...everything." Blushing, her eyes dropped to her lap.

Danta immediately reached out and took up the younger woman's hand. "And I'm really sorry about that, Janika," she said. "What he did to you, and Dakara too...we never meant for anyone else to suffer because of us."

Janika shrugged. "It wasn't your fault that I had another tantrum and ran off alone." She shook her head. "That was only further proof that Jeeteria is right about me."

"No, Janika, he wasn't right about you. You're just young and impetuous. But...you're learning. It a horrible way to learn something, but, if I had to bet on it, I'd wager that you wouldn't do something like that again."

Janika shook her head. "Definitely not."

Danta grinned. "Well then...you learned something. And so have I; I'm going to have a new sister next summer."

Janika's eyes sparkled as she fell into Danta's arms. "Oh thank you, Danta. You'll never know how much this means to me."

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

East of Oak Camp, there were problems within another—four others to be specific. Formerly known as part of the Sungaea; Ash Camp, Sumac Camp, and Dogwood Camp had tossed away those names and now called themselves by another. With Hemlock Camp, one of the Sungaean Camps who'd not been at the summer meeting, they'd moved much further to the east, to a location where all would live as one larger group—the Khazaria.

But though they'd agreed to come together as one, things weren't going as smoothly as they'd expected—there was dissension among them. Of the four camps, three of the headmen believed himself the rightful leader of their new people. Only after several heated arguments, which contained threats of violence, did two of them back down. It was Kazaskia, the former headman of Ash Camp, and a huge man, who'd won the psychological battle, claiming leadership and naming their new people after himself. The others would assist him in his leadership, of course, but all final decisions would be made by him, the oldest, and largest, of the four former leaders. And, somewhere along the way, the headwomen's roles of leadership had been severely reduced as well. Kazaskia had insisted that too many leaders made things difficult. He did, however, keep his sister on as his closest advisor; even he had to admit that someone of Kazara's size needed to keep her place at his side.

After gaining control of the people, Kazaskia decided they needed a group of young men who would take care of them. That decision make, he named all the men between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four, and demanded their service. Kazaskia immediately sent them out hunting for whatever they could find. There were eighteen men in all, and he appointed Kazmiria, the eldest son of his mate and the oldest of the young men, in charge of them.

"Do whatever you have to to get what we need," he'd said to the man as they'd left. Kazmiria had nodded, then silently marched his men out.

Kazaskia then put the rest of the people to work. They had a lot of work ahead of them. Lodges must be built, and in a hurry, for winter would come far more quickly than anyone realized and they couldn't afford to be stuck out in the cold if they were to survive their first winter on their own. And knowing this, he ordered the woman out to gather any and all things edible to stock their soon-to-be lodge. He even instructed children to make small animal traps. He expected all to contribute.

And then his mind went to other things; the lack of enough grown women to be given to their large population of young men, for one. There were only a few who were physically ready and one of them, Laska, had long since been with Igorvia, though nothing formal was between them. He'd long wondered why the young men of their camps hadn't tried harder to entice women away from some of the other camps, but it hadn't really worried him until now. Now they'd have to make due with what they had, and it wasn't much. Frowning, he remembered Kazmiria's words about being too young to go without pleasures for so long, and the conversation that had followed.

"I have needs!" the younger man ground out in frustration. It'd already been too long. "I don't care what you have to do...do whatever you have to, but find me someone!" he snapped.

Kazaskia scowled. It angered him that the son of his mate was getting so agitated. They

all had needs, but some things took time; finding a mate was one of them. "What do you think of Laska?" He could think of no alternative, the other three women were related to them, though one only distantly.

Kazmiria grimaced. "That woman's a waste. I wouldn't touch her with my longest spear. And besides, I don't want what belongs to another." Igorvia wasn't what he'd call friend, but he didn't want to share the man's woman, it would complicate matters.

Kazaskia sighed. "Well, the others aren't available to you."

Kazmiria frowned. "What other women are there?"

"Your sister."

Kazmiria shuddered. Katinka looked decent enough, but it was forbidden; they'd always been told that it was. "And?"

"Your cousin, Zarka."

Of the several different types of cousins, Zarka was the most distant; she was his mother's mate's brother's mate's daughter. But she was not attractive in the least, she'd gotten her mother's girth, but none of her height, and she was dumpy looking. Shuddering again, he shook his head. "Who else?"

"Kalina is the only other available woman at this time."

Kazmiria glanced over the encampment at the girl who'd only just turned into a woman and studied her. She was short, but thin and she had her mother's mousey brown hair and light blue eyes. Her mother was cousin to the man of his hearth, the man he now spoke to, so that made her a distant cousin, not a close cousin. She wasn't half bad. "That might work," he said. "Let me think on it."

~oxoxo~

After that conversation, Kazaskia thought on it for a few days, then went to his cousin and her mate to discuss the matter; it didn't go well.

"Absolutely not!" Doventia exclaimed.

Kazaskia, angry but not wanting to have another argument, shook his head and held up a hand to prevent further discussion. "There is no other alternative; the son of my mate needs a woman and Kalina happens to be one."

"She's too young!" Doventia protested.

Kazaskia shook his head. "Many women are mated and already have children by fourteen. She is not too young!"

"But...we're cousins," Zakena burst. "It is not right."

"Yes, we are cousins, Zakena," Kazaskia said with a thump of his fist on his chest. "But Kalina is only a distant cousin to Kazmiria."

Frowning, she continued to protest. "No," she whined. "Kalina isn't ready...choose someone else."

Kazaskia frowned. Unfortunately there was no one else. Squaring his shoulders, he said, "It has been decided. When the hunters return, Kalina will be given to Kazmiria! End of discussion!"

Doventia's face reddened with rage. The thought of giving the daughter of his mate to the erogant young man who seemed to take pleasure in taunting others turned him cold inside. He'd seen the man picking on the younger children, boys and girls alike, and harassing the older boys, those not quite old enough to be included on the hunts, but not really children any longer. It disgusted him, but he'd said nothing. No one had.

Since the days of their first outing, when the young men had ventured off to hunt, many members of the four joining camps were feeling very unsettled. Things were changing faster than they'd expected and many quietly wondered what was happening to their people. They were frightened, but too frightened to speak up. They weren't with the Sungaea anymore, where they had a voice and where violence was prohibited. There'd be no Sisters stepping in to put an end to the many unpleasantries that existed among them. Now they had to be more careful about what they said and did, or suffer the consequences.

Now, his eyes went over to where Kazmiria sat drinking bouza with his friends; they were all belligerently drunk. He shuddered at the thought of him touching Kalina. He couldn't allow this to happen. I won't allow this to happen, he promised silently as he looked back at Kazaskia.

"When are the hunters leaving again?" Doventia asked dryly, knowing full well that the men did little hunting. They'd brought back plenty of meat, but he suspected that they found it, and the other things they'd been bringing back, rather than actually spending time hunting.

"They're leaving tomorrow morning," Kazaskia said. "That gives you about a half a cycle of the moon." Then he looked at his tearful cousin. "I have no choice, Zakena. Prepare your daughter!" And with that, the man spun around and left them staring after him.

~oxoxo~

"He has a choice," Zakena said angrily through gritted teeth as she paced inside their small personal earthlodge. It'd been decided that each family would build their own; most had opted for separate lodges.

Doventia nodded. "Yes...and so do we."

Zakena stopped pacing and stared at him. "What in the Mother's name are you talking about? Kazaskia said—"

"I don't care what he said. I don't know how yet, but I'm taking you and your children away from here. Coming here," he gestured about, "was a mistake! Leaving with them," he pointed toward the unseen encampment of Khazaria outside the lodge, "was a mistake! Cedar Camp had the right idea when they remained at the summer meeting. We will go back and beg our people to take us back."

Zakena frowned and started to back away from her mate. "But...these people are our people."

Doventia grabbed Zakena's tunic and shook her, almost violently. "Do you want to see Kalina forced to submit to that man?" he demanded, his voice barely restrained.

Zakena's eyes widened at his vehemence, then she shook her head. "No, Doventia, of course not."

He nodded. "Then we have to find a way to run away."

"But how? I'm scared." She shook with fear.

Doventia nodded. "So am I, but what else can we do? We can't allow Kazaskia to give Kalina to Kazmiria. You know well how the man treats women."

Zakena nodded. She'd seen the young man use women. "You are right, of course," she agreed as she sat down heavily on their sleeping place. "But...where do we go? We can't live alone. Soon it'll be winter. We'll die without shelter."

Her mate sighed and began pacing. Zakena was right, of course, they couldn't live alone. It took many people to survive a long winter. Then he stopped and faced her. "Pine Camp! We'll go to Pine Camp. They have the highest status and they usually make these decisions. We could go there and they'll help us...at least through the winter."

"Willow Camp is much closer," Zakena reminded him, obviously worried about traveling the distance to Pine Camp in unpredictable weather.

Doventia frowned. "They will expect us to go there, to Willow...so...we can't. It wouldn't be fair to them. We shouldn't get them involved."

Zakena frowned. "But we should involve Pine Camp?"

"What choice do we have, Zakena? Besides, as the highest ranked camp, it is Pine Camp's duty to help us."

The woman shrugged. "I just think Pine Camp is too far. We've only just arrived here. We've been hunting and gathering and building." She had tears in her eyes. "The children are exhausted. I'm so tired, Doventia."

Doventia went to her then. Kneeling in front of her, he used his thumbs to wipe her tears away. "All right, not Pine Camp...but not Willow either."

"But where then?"

Doventia frowned. "How about Oak Camp?"

Zakena grimaced. "But...they have those flatheads there," she said fearfully.

"Yes...but they've probably gone by now. At the summer meeting I heard they weren't staying...that they were only visiting."

Zakena shook her head. "I don't know." She shuddered. "What if they come back? What if that man's spirit gets inside me and I give birth to an abomination. I don't want that."

"I don't want that either, Zakena," Doventia said, his hands gently stroking her arms up and down. "But our choices are limited. Despite the problems they caused at the summer meeting, Oak Camp has always treated everyone well."

The woman nodded. It was true. "They did take in Danta and Davaria," she said, her brow smoothing from fear to hope. "They might take us. They're not much closer than Pine Camp though."

Doventia sighed. "That's true...but it's all low ground if we go that way, no mountains to cross."

"Some rivers though," she pointed out.

He scratched his head. "They shouldn't be too bad. It's been really cold. I bet they're freezing over nicely."

She nodded.

"And we can stop and rest at Ash Camp awhile, then move on. What do you think?"

Zakena nodded again. "There are a few things I'd like to get from our old lodge." She scowled. "Hundaria said Kazmiria refused to allow him to take unnecessary things when they were there. Damn that man!" she cursed. "Who is he to say what's necessary!" Then her anger turned to worry. "What about Hundaria? He's thrilled to be one of the hunters. My son isn't going to want to leave."

Doventia frowned at this. He'd been thinking much the same and hadn't come up with anything. Then he smiled. "Do you still have your mother's herbs?"

Zakena looked at him suspiciously, but nodded slowly. "Yes?"

"I want you to put something in his soup tonight...to make him mildly sick."

"You want me to poison my own son?" she burst. "I won't do it!"

"Shhh," he said, slapping his hand down over her mouth. "I'm not asking you to kill him. I would never do that. You know how much I love your son. I just want you to give him an upset stomach or...make him too sleepy to go on the hunt. That's all. Then, once the hunters are gone, we'll explain it to him. Then we'll leave."

Zakena stared up at her mate. She didn't like his idea, but it was by far the best they had. She knew her son well enough to know that, if they just told him when the hunters were still in camp, he'd march right up to Kazmiria and confront him, and probably get them all into trouble. That just wouldn't help them. Nodding, she decided that she could do it.

~oxoxo~

Hundaria stared up at his mother's mate and glared angrily. He couldn't believe what they'd planned, what they'd done to him. He'd been sick for the last two days, it started with an upset stomach, and then a whole night of vomiting, until there was nothing coming out of him. He'd then taken to his furs, his stomach muscles protesting any and all movement. And now the man of his hearth and his very own mother were telling him that they'd caused it. And why? they hadn't explained that part yet, but he was furious.

Now, after resting for half the day, he was packing a bag to go out and track the hunters. He'd find them, he told himself, and then he'd join them.

"This is unbelievable!" he ground out as he threw some food into his pack. His mother grabbed his arm, but he shook her off violently, then turned to glare at her. Instead he was pushed backward and to the ground of their earthlodge by his mother's mate.

"You will not, ever again, touch your mother in such a way," Doventia snarled. "Sit down!"

Hundaria frowned, but did as the man of his hearth bid. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet, then sat on his bed.

"You do not know the whole story," Doventia said. He turned then to his mate and signaled that he wanted her to leave the lodge. A frown of nervousness on her face, her light blue eyes filled with worry, Zakena picked up her water bags and did as she was asked. Only then did Doventia look back at his mate's nearly grown son. "How much to you like Kalina?"

Hundaria continued to frown. His confusion was great. "I like my sister...you know that."

"And how about Kazmiria...you like him too?"

"Not especially," Hundaria admitted. He didn't much like the hunts they went on; he'd prefer that they actually went hunting, but it seemed better than being harassed by Kazmiria and Zadneetsia about still being a boy; nothing was worse than that.

"How would you feel then if Kalina was forced to mate him?"

"Mate Kazmiria?" he asked in shock, his face screwed up into a grimace. "What in the Mother's name are you talking about?"

"This is why we have to leave here, Hundaria. When the hunters return, Kazaskia is giving your sister to the son of his mate."

"Kalina wishes this?" Hundaria asked hopefully. He didn't care for Kazmiria himself, but if Kalina did...who was he to argue.

Doventia shook his head. "No, she doesn't. She is not being given a choice. Kazaskia is insisting."

Stunned, Hundaria sat there, dumbly staring at the man of his hearth. "But...what about a woman's right to choose?"

Doventia shrugged. "It seems we don't have many rights anymore, do we? Do you see now why we have to leave? We're leaving for Kalina...and for our future."

Finally, Hundaria nodded. "I will be ready."

Doventia smiled and hugged the son of his mate. "Thank you, son. And...," he began nervously, "please don't blame your mother for causing you pain. It was my idea; she didn't want to do it. We just couldn't think of another way to keep you here when the hunters left."

Hundaria absently rubbed his stomach, clearly remembering the churning within, but nodded. "When will we leave?"

"Tonight...after everyone's gone to bed," Doventia said, then went on quickly when it looked as if Hundaria was going to protest. "That way we get a good distance between us and Kazaskia...just in case they decide to come after us."

"All right. What can I do to help?"

Doventia let out his breath and explained his plan.

AtDC

As if you can't guess...things aren't good among the Khazaria.

Family who's running away:

Doventia (37)

Zakena (35) - cousin of Khazaria leader (former Ash Camp headman and headwoman)

~ Hundaria (16)

~ Kalina (14) - was to be given to Kazmiria (son of Kazaskia's mate)

~ Benaria (11)

~ Danya (8)

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

The sun had long since dropped below the horizon and still they had waited. Just as they'd been when they'd been numbered among the Sungaea, the Khazaria were night people, drinking and carrying on by a blazing central fire long past the time when most others saw fit to seek the warmth of their beds. Instead they warmed themselves by wasting resources and with their drink.

And then the feeling of the night shifted and the people started disappearing. It was only shortly after the last person abandoned the now low-burning fire that Doventia slowly emerged from his small earthlodge, circled the fire and made his way over to where the men liked to relieve themselves. He did this to verify that all had gone, that no one was out to see or prevent their escape.

On his way back to his own earthlodge, he glanced toward Kazaskia's; small wisps of smoke wafted from the smoke hole, but otherwise there was no movement there. His eyes quickly scanned their camp, then he hurried to where Hundaria stood waiting, just inside their lodge. Giving the son of his mate a signal, they took their family and sneaked to the place where, through several trips during the day, they'd secretly stashed many of their belongings. It had been a difficult task, getting their things out of the earthlodge without someone noticing what they were up to, but, as far as Doventia could tell, they'd been able to do it and he was feeling some relief.

But the relief he felt was still quite minicule when compared to the task they had to accomplish. He would not feel safe until he got his family far away. At least a few days away, he told himself as they fled. Silently, they'd started out, heading northwest until they came to river that ran along the north side of their encampment.

Though quite wide, the river was shallow—shallow enough to walk through—and they planned on using it to aid in their escape. Doventia and Hundaria had discussed it at length while the others had gotten some sleep before leaving; it would slow them down considerably and it would be cold and uncomfortable, but it would also hide the path they took. Both agreed it was for the best. And both hoped the waterproofing of their winter boots held for their journey.

The sun was just coming up when the man finally called a halt. They'd been walking all night with only short breaks, and he'd been carrying Danya, his mate's youngest, for most of the night. He was exhausted; they all were.

"Come, let's rest," he said as he led them from the river's edge and into the trees. Setting Danya on her feet, he shrugged off his overloaded pack, then helped his mate remove her own.

"Can we have a fire?" Zakena asked hopefully.

Frowning, Doventia worried about any who might be following. It wasn't likely that anyone from their camp was even awake yet, but it was still a possibility. Or, what if someone had, for some reason, gone into their lodge during the night and saw that they weren't there? What if they were only a short distance in front of any pursuers? About to shake his head, he looked closely at Zakena; she was shivering, and so were the others. He couldn't tell her no; he nodded.

"But let's move further into the trees, so anyone looking for us would have to actually search to find its remnants. "Benaria," he said, kneeling down in front of his mate's younger son, "it's going to be your job to put out our fire before we leave and hide it, so no one knows anyone's been here. Do you know how to do that?"

The eleven year old boy nodded.

"And Danya, we'll need you to hide our tracks every time we leave the water. Can you do that?" the man asked.

Her eyes round, the girl nodded. "Yes, Doventia, I can."

He smiled. "Good then, let's warm up and rest a bit. Then we have to head out again. Hundaria...I don't know when we'll be able to stop long enough to sleep, so you should get some now."

Hundaria nodded. "We're close to Big Water."

Doventia sighed. "Yes...and that's where we have to at least make an attempt to make them think we went north toward the northern camps."

Hundaria frowned. "But, I thought you didn't want that. You said you didn't want to get them involved."

"I don't really think they'll go north. It wouldn't make sense for us to go north because we'd have to travel a long distance northeast and out of our way to make it around to Willow Camp and the others up there...but I am hoping to confuse them, maybe slow them down some."

Hundaria nodded. "Do you think they'll follow?"

His brow furrowed, the older man nodded. "I do. But it's when that I don't know. Maybe they'll wait for the young men to return. That is what I'm hoping for; it will give us more time. In the meantime, we need to help the others. I gave jobs to Benaria and Danya to distract them, but your mother and Kalina will need help. I hope that I can count on you."

Hundaria nodded. "Of course, Doventia...I may not have wanted to leave, in the beginning, but I would not have come if I didn't intend on giving all that I have."

Doventia lay a hand on the younger man's arm and smiled wearily. "Thank you. Now, go rest."

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

Ivanolia stood rigidly in front of Ayla. Today was the day he'd take Oda as mate and his cousin was straightening the tunic she had made for him while Grov threw on his own clothing.

"Relax, Ivan!" Danie said from behind. She was leaning against the hearth wall sipping a cup of hot tea.

"Easy for you to say...you're not mating a woman you hardly know."

Danie giggled. "You know her better most of us do."

"Very funny," Ivanolia said with a glare over his shoulder at Danie. Then he looked at Ayla again. "How do I look?"

"Fine."

"Fine?"

Ayla shrugged. "Is good better?"

Ivanolia didn't answer. Instead he tugged at his tunic collar and rolled his head from side to side. "Is it warm in here to any of you?"

Grov and Ayla glanced at one another, then at Danie, who was biting her lip to prevent the laughter that wanted to bubble forth.

"A little?" Grov lied—which drew a curious look from his mate. He shrugged at her and smiled, then fanned himself. Their hearth fire was blazing.

Ivanolia sighed, relieved that it wasn't just him, then looked at Ayla with more seriousness. "So...what do I do?"

"Nothing," she replied. "Just stand in front of Goov and do as he tells you."

Ivanolia frowned. "But...how will I know what Goov's saying.

"Oh, come on, Ivan!" Danie burst. "Grov and Ayla have gone over the signs so many times I think I could perform the ceremony myself...if I were the mog-ur, that is." She blushed, glad that no Clan man other than Grov was close enough to hear her—not that any one of them would have understood her.

"It is a simple ceremony, Ivanolia," Ayla went on. "Goov will draw Oda's totem on your scar and your totem over hers."

His fingers going to the cut he'd received the morning before, Ivanolia frowned. He'd been helping Durc to feed Fox and the little vixon had gouged him good. It was a cut now, but it would definitely be a scar when it healed.

"And then?"

"And then Goov says a few words and you take her inside," Danie answered, then quickly grabbed his tunic and gave him a little push toward the hearth entrance. "Ready?"

The man frowned, but finally nodded.

~oxoxo~

Outside the cave's main entrance, in the small southern valley they hardly ever used, Ivanolia stood in front of Goov, nervously fingering the bottom fringe of his tunic. At first he'd been too worried to see those around him, but as they assembled, he took in the group. There were so many of them. Other than a summer meeting, he'd never seen so many people congregated in one place. And all were staring at him.

That wasn't completely true, of course, he thought as he looked at them. He'd spent time here with this Clan before, though it had felt different at the time; for the most part, all the people didn't gather in one place, except for ceremonies—like this one. And now, though they were all standing there for the purpose of his mating, the women, at least, stood with their eyes cast at the ground, trying not to make direct eye contact with him, or any other man for that matter.

Sighing, he turned his head and, letting his eyes fall to the bowl in Goov's hand, he frowned at the yellow paste it contained. For this ceremony, and this one alone, yellow ochre was used in the sared ointment. Or so he had been told.

His head was just coming up when he noticed Corg approaching, his face drawn into a feral scowl. The man definitely didn't like him, Ivanolia thought. He didn't blame him, but he still lacked understanding. The Clan man was allowing his sister, who also didn't like him, to mate him anyway. Was forcing it on her, really. What brother would do that? he wondered. It was all too confusing. Ivanolia decided then and there that he'd never understand these people, and he hoped he could do right by Oda; she didn't deserve the stones that were cast, but she rolled with them anyway, accepting her lot in life.

For a moment, the two dissimilar men locked eyes in a silent battle of wills; neither wanted to be the first to turn away. Corg's eyes were dark, smoldering with anger, while Ivanolia's, light and cystaline, sparked with defiance. Ivanolia knew that he'd done wrong, but he was trying to make up for it. He only asked that he be given a chance.

Then a slight movement behind Corg drew his attention, making him forgot the silent clash with the man. It was Oda and she stood waiting for him, dressed in a new wrap, one that only Ayla could have given her, shaking slightly as she stared demurely at her feet.

Pleased that he wouldn't lose face by looking away first, Corg stepped to the side, thus allowing Oda to drop to the ground.

Ivanolia glanced down at the woman kneeling before him. Dressed with care, her hair combed, she looked nice. And she was tiny, appearing more child than woman. Ayla told him she was only fourteen years. So young. He shuddered at the thought that she'd only been nine when he'd taken her. But Ayla said nine wasn't so young among the Clan. That made him feel better, though only slightly.

He watched her carefully. He could tell that she didn't want to be here. She was frightened of him. Again, he didn't blame her. Who would like being forced to mate such a man. And her positioning, always subservient; he didn't like that either. He didn't think she should be made to sit there like she was worth less than he, like she was a mere possession; a bowl or a tunic or a spear, or anything else one owned. He wanted to reach down and guide her to her feet. But he didn't. He'd been told that this was part of the ceremony; this wasn't the time to defy tradition. But he planned to, if only within the hearth. He would not allow his woman—even a second woman he'd not wanted to take—to not have a mind of her own. That was what he liked about Danie, though it caused trouble sometimes.

Thoughts of the woman he was already mated to made him shift his eyes to her. She stood among the crowd as well, with Braydalana by her side. Both smiled encouragement, making him thankful he had these two particular females in his life. Smiling back, he looked back at Goov and noticed the hand motions that holy man was making. Grov and Ayla had explained this too. The Clan's mog-ur was addressing the spirits. Suddenly Ivanolia worried about the signs; he didn't remember them. What if he did something wrong?

Then, signaling that he wanted the Other's man to extend his arm, Goov dipped his middle finger into the bowl of yellow paste and drew Oda's hamster totem over Ivanolia's recent fox totem scar. Ivanolia flinched slightly; the ointment burned his open wound. Next Goov dipped and painted Ivanolia's fox totem mark over Oda's. He then blurred Oda's mark to show Ivanolia's dominance. This too had been explained to the man; he didn't like this part either.

"Spirit of Fox, Totem of Ivan, your sign has overcome Spirit of Hamster, Totem of Oda," Goov signed with a flourish. "May Ursus allow that it will always be so."

Goov then looked at Ivanolia and went on. "Ivan, do you accept this woman?"

Ivanolia frowned. He wanted to do what was right, but how could it be right to force a woman to mate him. With troubled eyes, he looked from the woman at his feet over to Grov. Grov, standing with Ayla and Danie, nodded encouragement. It was a nod he returned. It was the Clan's way and he would do what was expected. Reaching out, he tapped Oda's shoulder, then signaled that she should follow him. For a moment, he thought she wouldn't obey. Then she jumped up and did as she was told.

Fourteen days, he thought as he walked back up the hill toward Brun's cave—for that time period they were to remain isolated from all others. It was done!

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

When they started out once again, Doventia chose to stay to the trees. He'd only considered continuing on the way they'd been going for a moment before changing the plan; he didn't think they could take walking through the frigid water much longer. And if he was honest with himself, he'd admit that he couldn't either. Plus, staying to the woodland now would help to hide them. It was the best course of action, he decided.

Before joining the others, he crossed the river they'd been walking in since they'd started out and built a fire on the other side. He made it close to the tree line, but clearly visible, then he banked it so it would burn low and long. Then he walked up and down river bank creating footprints—lots of them. He then broke a branch from one of the trees and swept at his prints, hoping to make it look like they'd tried to cover their tracks. Finally satisfied, he went back to his family.

By the time he returned to the side where they lay sleeping, he was wet and cold again, and in need of warmth and sleep. It was risky, of course, leaving no one awake to keep watch, but he was exhausted and knew he couldn't serve them well if he was dead on his feet. He also knew they all needed sleep if they were to cover any distance. Quickly, he changed his clothing and crawled in beside his mate. He was sleeping as soon as his eyes closed.

Later, after what seemed like only a short nap, Doventia woke to the midday sun peeking through the leaves above. In a panic, he jumped up and woke the others; they'd slept far longer than he'd wanted. Rising quietly, they all started packing, and fell in behind him. This time they started out in a generally southwestern direction, following the shoreline of Big Water, but keeping to the trees. Doventia hoped to find a decent place to stop for the night, but first they needed to put distance between themselves and the Khazaria. It was late afternoon when they came to the next waterway. This one was not quite as wide as the last, but it was deeper, and a bit more treacherous, since they had to actually cross it.

During a short break, Doventia and Hundaria discussed the crossing. They decided to carry the others across, then change into their spare shoes so that their traveling ones could dry out by the fire over night.

"I will take your mother and then return for Kalina. You take Benaria and Danya. Then we'll both return for out packs. It's important that nothing gets wet."

Hundaria nodded. He agreed with the man of his hearth, but they ran into trouble when Kalina heard of their plan.

"No!" she protested. "I will help. I'll carry Danya and help with our packs. That way you two don't have to make so many trips."

Doventia frowned. They were likely to have drenched leggings, as well as footwear, by the time the crossing was completed, and night was coming fast; he didn't like the idea of Kalina getting wet and cold, and perhaps succumbing to illness because of it. He shook his head. "No...not a good idea."

"We're leaving because of me, Doventia," she said, her eyes pleading for understanding. "The least I can do is contribute." She paused when his look turned stern, then continued. "I am strong, Doventia. We all must work together. What if you get hurt doing too much? Where will we be then? I need to help."

Still frowning, the man considered. It worried him, but perhaps his mate's daughter was right. He could do nothing to help them if he overworked himself, and she was strong. With a sigh, he nodded, then turned and picked up his mate. Zakena didn't argue; she'd been pushed past exhaustion and she had no desire for cold wet feet. Hundaria then picked up Benaria and Kalina reached for Danya. They crossed quickly, then went back for their packs. The crossing was quick and uneventful. They all silently thanked the Mother that they'd made it across safely.

"Are you all right, Kalina?" Hundaria finally asked his sister. She'd changed out of her wet clothes and shoes, but had plopped down on her furs and was huddled inside them. She hadn't budged.

"The river was colder than I'd imagined," she replied with a frown.

Hundaria frowned. "Here, let me rub feeling back into your feet," he offered.

"No!" she said. "I can do it."

But when she struggled with her footwear, he grabbed her foot. She gave a little protest, but relented as her foot slipped from her shoe. Hundaria worked fast, rubbing one foot and then the other, then moving onto her hands. His minstrations had warmed his own hands as well.

"Better?" he finally asked as he slipped her shoe on again.

She nodded. "Much. Thank you."

"Good then, you should get some rest."

Kalina nodded, then curled her body around her sleeping sister and drifted off herself.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

The sun was gone for the day and Doventia's family was sound asleep. But the Khazaria were nowhere near ready for bed. As always, they'd slept late, past the time when the sun was at its highest point in the sky, and now was their time to eat, drink and be obnoxious. Most sat around their raging fire, consuming inordinate amounts of bouza, arguing about nothing, making bets they couldn't afford to make, and harassing the weaker ones while the others laughed.

Then a scuffle broke out between two boys and all turned to watch the entertainment with smiles of amusement. Fighting hadn't been allowed among the Sungaea, but Kazaskia was encouraging it; he wanted the boys to grow up into strong men. It really wasn't much different from when their four camps had been Sungaean, because they'd always accepted that fighting was something that boys did. It was just that, back then, they'd hidden it from the rest of their people, and now they didn't have to.

"Take it back!" Drukaria yelled as he balled his hand and struck the other boy in the face.

Haidaria glared up at Drukaria, then stood up and threw a punch of his own before wiping the blood off his lip. "I will not, because it's true. My brother told me so."

Drukaria frowned, then seemed to become aware of their audience. Glancing around, his eyes found Kazaskia. "Is it true that you're giving Kalina to Kazmiria?" he asked, obviously distraught. Most were aware of the older boy's infatuation with the young woman, and some knew she shared it with him.

Kazaskia shrugged. "Yes, Kazmiria needs a mate and Kalina has recently become mateable."

Drukaria frowned. "But...Kalina and I have been getting to know each other. I want her."

"Sorry son...you'll have to find another, it's time for Kazmiria to take a woman and Kalina's the only one available."

Drukaria's eyes filled with tears, tears he blinked back because he'd only be teased for them. "Does she know about this mating?" he croaked, wondering how this could be happening, and why, when just the day before they'd been sitting together by the river making promises to one another, she hadn't told him.

Kazaskia shrugged again. "I'd assume that she does by now, but you'd have to ask Doventia about that to be sure. Or perhaps Kalina herself," the man said with a yawn of boredom.

Drukaria glanced around and, not seeing Kalina or the man of her hearth, he frowned. He'd not see Kalina all day, he realized. He hadn't looked for her because his mother had kept him busy all day, but now he wished he had.

It was then that, realizing he'd not seen Doventia or anyone from the man's family all day or evening, Kazaskia slowly began to rise.

"Is there anyone who's seen Doventia today?" he asked the silent group.

"Last night he told me he and Hundaria were going to hunt today," a man said.

Kazaskia frowned. "And they're not back."

"Haven't seen them."

"And the others?"

People shrugged. Most of the time the people didn't pay much attention to what others were doing; they just didn't care.

Kazaskia turned on his heel and walked toward Doventia's earthlodge. Once he'd entered, it only took a moment to figure out that no one was inside; there was no fire burning—no light, no heat, and no sound. He quickly walked back out, pulled a stick from the center fire, then went back into the cold lodge. But he need'nt have bothered, he knew what he'd find—nothing! Their earthlodge was nearly empty, it had been picked clean.

"They are gone," he said once he was outside again.

The people frowned. "Gone? All of them?"

Their leader nodded. "But we'll find them. They couldn't have gone far." And they will pay for thinking they can run away from the Khazaria, he promised silently.

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

"Ready?"

"Oh no," Zakena said. "Can't we just rest?"

Doventia shook his head. "No! We have to keep moving. We must put distance between us and the people." He was relieved to see Hundaria nodding. He knew he'd been pushing, but he was absolutely terrified about what would happen if they were caught. Deep down, though he'd not admit it to his family because he didn't want them to panic, he believed their new people capable of unspeakable horrors. And so he pushed—because he did not intend to allow anything to happen to those he loved.

Zakena's eyes filled with tears, but she nodded and mumbled, "All right," as she turned herself toward her pack so that her mate would not see her face. They'd been traveling nearly non-stop for several days, but it seemed like forever and she was exhausted.

"I am ready," she announced, her back still to Doventia.

Doventia frowned, then went to his woman. Gently, he turned her. Then, when she still would not look up at him, he put his hand on her chin and lifted. Guilt filled him when he saw the dark circles under her eyes. "Oh Kena," he said as he pulled her into his arms. "Why didn't you tell me you didn't feel well?" Squeezing her, he felt her heave a sob, then shudder against him. Over her shoulder his eyes connected with his mate's two oldest children; both Hundaria and Kalina looked seriously worried. Neither of them had noticed their mother's sickness; they had had their own worries and hadn't been paying attention to her. Now both felt awful about it.

"We will rest here a day," the man finally said with a pointed look at Hundaria.

"No!" Zakena burst. Pushing herself away from her mate, she frowned up at him. "You said we're only a day's journey from our old camp. We should keep moving." Turning, she picked up a few more things, then faced her mate again. "It would be foolish to rest here today, when we could have a roof over our heads tonight."

Doventia's brow was bunched with worry. "But Kena, you are ill."

She shrugged. "I have been ill in the past. It is not that bad. Mostly, I am just tired."

"I don't know, Zakena. You look...more than just tired," Doventia said as he caressed her pale face."

"I will be fine. I promise. I just need a warm place to sleep tonight, not our blasted traveling tent." She sighed. "Besides, moving will keep my mind off of it all." Then, side-stepping her mate, she took up Danya's hand and started off.

"Wait!" Doventia said. "At least let us help you." Before she could protest, he removed her pack and redistributed everything so that he, Hundaria and Kalina were carrying it all. Then he repacked it with the things she carried in her arms and helped to put it on her back once again.

"There...that's much better, isn't it?"

Zakena smiled up at the man with gratitude, then reached up to caress his rough cheek. "Thank you," she whispered. Then she took her youngest's hand again and turned to go.

~oxoxo~

It was nearly sunset by the time they reached the old earthlodge Ash Camp had occupied until just recently. They'd had to cross a frozen river, which wasn't easy because it was quite large and very slippery; and they'd feared breaking through. But they'd thanked the Mother that it was indeed frozen solid; this early in the season, it could have still been flowing with only a thin layer of ice on top. If that had been the case, they'd never have reached their old camp that day at all, but would instead be stuck somewhere out in the cold, and forced to find a way across the next day.

Thankfully, they filed inside and, without thinking, went directly to their former hearth, which, because it was empty, seemed larger than they remembered it to be. Doventia slipped his pack off, then helped Kalina with hers, then immediately went to find fire wood. When he came back his mate was already lying down.

"Are you cold, Kena?" he asked, his eyes going to his mate's youngest son who was bundled in a blanket beside his mother. "I'll have a fire going shortly."

"I'm fine," she responded. "Just tired."

The man glanced at Hundaria, who shrugged, then at Kalina who was already unpacking.

"I'll make you some tea, Mother...as soon as the fire it going," the girl said.

"Thank you," the woman said, but she didn't open her eyes. And soon she was fast asleep.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

Ivanolia sat in front of the fire of the visitor's hearth staring dejectedly into the flames while Oda rubbed the knots out of his shoulders. In the last few days he'd done nothing for himself because the moment he needed or wanted something, it was anticipated by Oda and she jumped up and did it for him. One would think it nice to have such personal service, but it was not. When he got up in the morning and needed to pass his water, she handed him the container they were using during their isolation, then stood there waiting for him to finish so that she could put it aside to be emptied later. Then afterward, no matter what time he rose, she had a cup of steaming tea and a hot meal waiting for him, and she sat there silently waiting while he ate so that she could either take his plate or bring him more if and when he wanted it. And she always seemed to know before he did when he wanted more and when he did not. She made their beds, built the fires, took care of the children, conversed with Braydalana when the girl was there, shook out his clothes—everyone's clothes, actually—and generally kept the hearth spotless. She even tried to take care of Danie, who, when she couldn't take it anymore, just left the hearth, which wasn't an option for him. Even now, Danie was gone; she'd told him just after their evening meal that she was staying at Ayla's hearth so that he and Oda could have some time alone. Time he didn't want. Not that he was still upset about being forced into mating the woman, because he was not. Oda was great. She took care of everything. But it was driving him crazy.

"Stop it!" he finally ordered with a shrug of his shoulders. "That's enough!" he snapped.

Oda quickly snatched her hands off her mate and dropped to the floor at his feet. She didn't understand his words, but his body language told her that he wasn't happy with her. She had no idea what she'd done wrong, but she wanted to please him. She had promised Corg that she would be a good mate to the Others man and she would be, even though she didn't like him—or thought she didn't. She had to admit that he was easy live with; he'd not once demanded anything of her, hadn't used her in any way, hadn't cuffed her, and, until just now, hadn't scolded her either. Shaking fearfully, and wondering if the man was going to punish her for something, she stayed curled in a ball at his feet.

Ivanolia, seeing her cowering in fear, immediately felt bad. Obviously, though he believed he'd given her no reason to be, she was still afraid of him. He knew he should expect this; what he'd done to her five years prior was horrifying and unforgettable. Now he just hoped they could work together as a mated couple and live peacefully—that someday she could forgive him, if not forget what he'd done.

"Oda," he began. Then he stopped and tapped her shoulder so that she would look at him. "No do that," he signed as he shook his head.

She cocked her head as if trying to figure out what he meant. No do...what? she wondered as she stared into his pale blue eyes.

Knowing she was confused, he tried to explain, but didn't know the words that he wanted. "Not want...," he began with a frown, then stopped and abruptly dropped his hands. Then, getting another idea, gestured, "No want...," then he crouched at her feet in the same fashion she was always doing to him. He stayed there for only a moment, then glanced up at her. She looked more than confused so he tried again.

"Ivan not want Oda...," then he bent down again. After another moment, he looked up at her. She was frowning, and she looked a bit upset. Then she let her head drop so that he could no longer see her face.

He does not want me, she thought, embarrassment pinking her cheeks. If she was capable of tears, she would have been crying, but as it was, she could not. She wanted to jump up and run out of the hearth, but she knew she couldn't do that. And she wouldn't shame her sibling further than being an unwanted woman with a deformed child. She would not be rude on top of that.

Ivanolia watched her, then seemed to figure out what she'd heard. Though technically true, he did not mean it as she'd heard it. "No. Oda, no," he said. When she didn't look at him, he reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder until her eyes met his. "Ivan say...wrong," he said after searching his mind for the right sign. "Not mean not want. I mean..." He stopped again and balled his fist in frustration. He wished someone was there to translate for them and swore that he'd do a better job at memorizing the Clan's signs from now on.

Oda stared at him. There was something about his words that felt not right, but he seemed to honestly want to explain something to her. She waited.

Sighing, Ivanolia tried again. "No want...kneel." He said the last word aloud, then frowned. "How say?" he gestured, then knelt at her feet once again. Sitting up, he repeated his question several times.

Oda watched him, then nodded slowly and made a gesture.

Ivanolia's eyes brightened. "This," he copied her gesture, "mean...?" He knelt again.

Oda nodded and made the sign again, then made a verbal attempt at the word. "Neeeeeellll." She too wanted to understand, and decided that she'd listen harder to at least know their words, if not be able to pronounce them.

Ivanolia grinned and let out his breath. "Ivan no want Oda kneel."

Oda frowned again. "But it is expected," she signed so quickly that he didn't even understand one word. "Clan woman must kneel for a man. It is...the Clan way."

Frowning, he grabbed her hands to still them, then repeated himself. "Ivan no want Oda kneel," he said firmly.

Confused, but not wanting to be disobedient, she nodded slowly. "This woman will not kneel if her mate does not wish it."

Ivanolia understood her meaning, if not every word. Grinning again, he gave her a spontaneous hug. "Good. Oda good woman." Then he looked around the hearth. He liked that she wasn't a lazy woman, but he didn't like that she was always up and moving. There was no reason for her to do everything. Looking back at her, he went on. "Oda need...," he said, gently pushing her into a sitting position. He looked at her expectantly, then frowned when she said nothing. Standing, he tried again. "How say?" he gestured, then sat down in front of her.

With a frown, she watched him do the same thing three times. Then she made a sign. "Sit?"

He grinned again. "Oda need sit." He pointed at her sitting there in front of him. "Let Ivan...do." Then he scurried to the fire and put water over it to boil. When she saw what he was doing, she popped up and tried to do it for him.

"No!" he said. "Ivan do. Oda sit."

A look of confusion on her face, she slowly lowered herself and waited, watching her mate as he worked.

"Ivan make...for Oda," he finally said as he handed her a cup.

"Man make tea?" she asked, suspiciously sniffing what he'd handed her.

He smiled and nodded. "Oda do too much."

She frowned. "This woman wants to be a good woman," she said. "To do more so that Day-nee can do less. So she can rest for baby inside her."

Ivanolia shook his head. Again he'd only gotten some of what she'd said, but he thought he knew what she meant. "Danie not need Oda help. Danie strong Mamutoi woman."

"Mamu?" Oda verbalized. "What means Mamu?"

Ivanolia frowned, then smiled. "Oda...Clan," he said as he pointed at her. Then he turned his finger back on himself. "Ivan...Sungaea. And Danie...Mamutoi."

"Day-nee no Sa-ga?" she asked curiously.

Ivanolia shook his head. "No."

"Day-nee...Ma-moot?"

"Ma-mu-toi," he enunciated.

"Ivan is of different Others than Day-nee?"

He smiled again, pleased that they were communicating. "Yes. You should have seen the troubles we had with language before she learned Sungaea. It was horrible." He rolled his eyes. "She still reverts back to Mamutoi when she gets mad at me. It drives me crazy." He stopped. "Oops...sorry." Then he remembered the Clan had no sign for sorry. Then he laughed. "I wish you could understand me."

Oda watched him speak his language and wished she were capable of speech. "What does Sa-ga mean?" she asked.

He frowned. "Sung-gay-ya mean...bison hunters." Then he frowned, wondering how to explain. Then it came to him. Using his hand to flatten the dirt on the ground between them, he picked up a twig and drew a bison for her to see. He was, by no means, an artist, but his crude representation was not so bad that she couldn't see and understand.

She looked at his drawing curiously, then odded. "Bison," she gestured. Then watched as he drew a spear through it.

"Hunter."

She nodded again. "The Sa-ga-ya Others are bison hunters. Sa-ga-ya honor bison as the Clan honors the cave bear."

Ivanolia watched her gestures, trying to get every nuance. Then, thinking he understood, he nodded. "And you will meet them, when we go home," he said aloud. Then he laughed when he realized, once again, that she couldn't understand his verbal words. "Oda see. Ivan take Oda there."

Oda froze. Had he just said he was taking her to his people? She hadn't considered what mating him would mean—leaving her people and living with his. Had her sibling considered this? she wondered. "This woman is...Clan." She shook her head. "I do not want to live with Others."

"Yes. Oda Clan," he said with choppy gestures. "But Ivan Others. Oda stay with Ivan."

Oda's eyes widened. And again, if she could have, she would have cried. Ivanolia immediately saw her fear and reached to comfort her. Holding her gently, he realized things weren't going to be as easy as he'd imagined. He hadn't even thought about what it would be like for her to leave her people. For several moments, she quaked in his arms. But slowly she stilled. When she finally stopped shivering, he set her from him.

"Oda Ivan's mate. Ivan promise take care Oda."

She looked skeptical. She was terrified. Her experience told her that the Others were bad. Even Ivan had been bad to her.

Ivanolia saw her fear, saw her doubt, and didn't blame her one bit. He would not trust him either, if he were her.

"Ivan not hurt Oda." He stopped, then added, "Not hurt again. Ivan promise." He could tell that she was struggling with this. He wanted her to believe him, and didn't understand that she did believe him; she would have seen if his words were untrue. But she was still frightened. Leaving the Clan was not something she'd ever considered.

"My mother...will like Oda," he tried to reassure his new mate. "All people will."

Oda frowned. She couldn't imagine living with a people with whom she couldn't communicate. Names, she thought. I must know names. "What called Others' leader?" she asked, deciding to begin at the top.

Ivanolia sighed. "Tagnolia."

She continued to frown. The sounds that rolled out of his mouth would be nearly impossible for her to reproduce. "Taag?" she tried, slowly drawing it out. Only capable of the first syllable, she bit her lip in frustration.

He nodded. "Close enough. And Tiflona."

Oda frowned. "Others have more than one leader?"

Ivanolia nodded again. "Yes, man leader, woman leader."

Oda stared in disbelief, studying him to see if he said words that were untrue. "Woman leader?"

"Yes. We say head-woman." He made the sign for leader and then the one for woman as he said headwoman, then did the same for headman. "And head-man. Always two." He held up two fingers. "Brother and sister."

Oda watched his words and wished she could talk to Ayla about the Others. But that was impossible until their isolation was over. For now, she would have to be satified with what her mate told her. She was still frightened by what he told her, but she was curious too. The Others had female leaders. It was hard to believe, but she did believe her mate.

"Tif-lo?" she tried.

Ivanolia nodded. "Close. Tif-lo-na."

Oda shook her head; it was too much and he understood.

"Taag...is the man leader and Tif-lo...is the woman leader."

Ivanolia grinned and nodded. "Good."

"What named Ivan mother?" she went on.

He grinned, pleased that she was showing interest. "Serana."

"Ser-ah," she copied as best that she could. "Mother's mate?"

He nodded. "Vilognia," he supplied.

She frowned, then made an effort. "Ee-log."

He shrugged, then nodded. Also good enough. "My sisters will love you," he went on. "Jenadoza and Laurana love everyone." He stopped and rolled his eyes. "Sisters will like too." Then he smiled, thinking that his brother was only two years younger than his new mate.

"Man have sister?" she asked.

He nodded and held up three fingers. "Jenadoza, Laurana, and Serlona," he said, pointing to a finger as he said each name.

Oda frowned. "Doza?"

He nodded.

"Doza was here."

He nodded again.

"Lor-an."

Ivanolia nodded.

"Lona."

He grinned encouragingly.

"Man have sisters?" she questioned again.

He nodded yet again. "And brother too. Vegodia."

Oda was on overload. "Veeg."

"Yes. Oda meet."

Knowing she didn't have a choice, she nodded. But she was terrified.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

Jeeteria sat in the main hearth with several others. They'd long since finished their evening meal and were now sipping some of Serlona's delicious wine. And he was mentally planning their journey back to their home camps. It had been nine days since their arrival and it was time.

Glancing over at the younger adults, he saw his mate's son laughing at something that had been said, and his mate's daughter blushing furiously. For a moment he held his breath. He expected the young woman to explode with anger, but he was surprised to see her erupt with giggles. Smiling, he got up to get a refill, then made his way over to the younger ones; he needed to tell Janika that they were leaving the next day and his heart was heavy.

~oxoxo~

"Janika," Jeeteria interrupted quietly. "May I have a word?"

Janika looked up at the man of her hearth and slowly nodded. "Sure." Standing, she handed her cup to Davaria, then followed her mother's mate back to the visitor's hearth.

"Sit."

Janika frowned, but did as she was told, folding her hands in her lap and wringing them. Here it comes, she thought. "We are leaving," she said flatly.

Still facing away from her, Jeeteria sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "It is time. We have to get home before the weather turns."

Janika's eyes filled with tears. She'd been expecting it and didn't want to go. But she was also grateful the man of her hearth had allowed her to come along in the first place, that she'd been given this extra time with Davaria.

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Blinking, she let her tears fall, but she nodded and stood up. "I will go pack," she said, then started for the hearth's entrance.

"Wait!" Jeeteria said before she could slip through the closed curtain. "No argument?"

Janika shrugged. "Why should I? It does no good."

"Hmm." Jeeteria reached up and scratched his stubbly chin to hide the smile creeping across his face. "Interesting."

Janika frowned. "What's interesting?"

"Well, I always thought it would be nice if you wouldn't fight me so much. I didn't think I'd ever see the day that you stopped disagreeing with everything I say, but..." He shrugged again. "It seems today is the day. I didn't think that I would miss it, but...it seems I do. That is what I find so interesting."

Janika stared at him. "You enjoy quarreling with me?"

Jeeteria shook his head. "Not exactly." Then he laughed. "But...I will miss having you around to keep me on my toes."

It took Janika several moments to go over his words before she thought she understood them. And even then she wanted to hear them again. "Excuse me? Not have me around?"

"Janika," the man of her hearth said as he took her hands in his. "I cannot, with peace in my heart, force you to return to Spruce Camp when your heart is here."

Janika's eyes filled and overflowed once again. "You are allowing me to stay at Oak Camp?"

The man nodded. "It has been arranged. Tagnolia and Zarina have agreed to be responsible for you until the next summer meeting. And then, if you and Davaria still wish it, you can mate and move in with him.

"Does Davaria know about this?" she asked.

Jeeteria nodded. "I spoke to him this morning. Told him I was considering it. I asked him to keep it to himself until I had decided for sure. You have done a lot of growing, Janika; I think you deserve this chance."

Janika grinned through her tears, then threw her arms around the man. "Oh! I love you, Jeeteria!" she squealed.

He chuckled and squeezed her firmly. "I don't know why I think you'll stay put in Antelope Hearth though," he said with a shake of his head. "I'd be willing to wager that they'll never see you...that you'll be staying at Red Fox Hearth. But your mother would never cook me another meal if I allowed you to mate without her present...so you must wait." He sighed.

She grinned. "Thank you, Jeeteria," she whispered. "You will not regret this. I promise you."

"I already do, Janika," he said sadly. "I already do...because I'm going to miss you so much."

AtDC

NEW CHAPTER

Buried in a fierce bear hug, Janika desperately clung to the man of her hearth as sobs wracked through her. She hadn't thought it possible to be so upset over such a parting. After all, she'd been battling Jeeteria her entire life and had often wished he'd just leave her alone. But now that she was faced with his departure, and the fact that she'd not see him until the next summer, she was devastated. And that she hadn't been able to tell her mother goodbye before leaving made her feel even worse; her mother would be equally distraught over the loss.

"You will tell mother goodbye for me?"

"This is not goodbye," the man of her hearth said vehemently.

Janika shook her head. "No, of course it isn't. But you will tell her that I love her...and that I'll miss her desperately...won't you?" she asked, her lower lip trembling. She had to bite it to stop it.

"Of course," Jeeteria said with an amused chuckle. Then suddenly, he pulled back. "This is what you want?"

The young woman grinned through her flood of tears. "More than anything," she said fervently.

Jeeteria glanced at the other man. "And you as well? This is your last chance to say no."

Davaria's grin matched that of the young woman standing next to him. "I have not wanted anything more." He paused. "I will take good care of her, Jeeteria. You do not have to worry. Next summer, you will find a well and happy woman on my arm."

Jeeteria sighed. "I believe you," he said as he turned to stare into Janika's black eyes and caress her cheek lovingly. "I'm not worried...not in the least. I have never seen this one so happy. I think she's been displeased since birth; this is a much better look for her." He leaned then and kissed Janika's forehead.

"All right, old man," another cut in. "Enough of your coddling." Jondaria grinned at the man of their hearth and gently pushed him out of the way. "My turn," he said as he pulled his sister into his arms and lifted her off her feet. "I never imagined, but I think I'm actually going to miss you too, Janika," he said, clearly showing all there the affection he had for his sister.

"Oh, thanks a lot!" came Janika's muffled response.

Jondaria chucked as he loosened his grip on his sister while still keeping her in his arms. "And you," he went on, his eyes going to Davaria over his sister's head, "better take care of her...and make sure she behaves."

Davaria grinned as Janika struggled herself free of her brother, then smacked him playfully.

"I have been good...haven't I?" She was confused and she looked it.

Both Jeeteria and Jondaria nodded. "You have," they agreed in unison.

"I didn't even get mad when I was led to believe I was returning to Spruce Camp with you."

The men smiled. "No, you did not," Jeeteria agreed. "Surprisingly enough, you behaved rather well."

Everyone laughed and Janika pouted—until Davaria slipped an arm around her waist. His touch immediately warmed her.

"And I will," Davaria promised, then grinned. "Make sure she behaves, that is." Quickly, he grabbed Janika's hand before she could smack him too, and pulled her into his arms. "We will both behave," he said as he kissed the young woman's forehead. "My sister will keep an eye on that, I'm sure."

Several laughed, including Danta, who was nodding. "I will indeed."

"And we will make sure of it as well," Oak Camp's headman put in. "So don't you worry, Jeeteria. And, should you or any others from Spruce Camp wish to visit Oak Camp, we will always be welcoming.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

It was long after the morning meal when Zakena finally woke. She'd passed out from sheer exhaustion and, though she didn't feel perfect now, she felt much better. Still groggy though, she sat up slowly and pushed at the furs someone had carefully tucked around her. Seeing her eldest daughter on a nearby bench, apparently fast asleep in an odd-looking upright position, she smiled and slowly got to her feet.

"Mother?" Kalina came awake as a blanket was dropped over her. "Are you all right?" she asked. She'd stayed inside when the others went out because she was worried about her mother. She couldn't remember a time where her mother slept when the rest did not; that was not how Zakena was. And now she was upset with herself for drifting off, for missing that her mother was not sleeping, for not being by her side to insist that she stay in her furs.

"Yes dear," Zakena said. "I was just so tired."

Kalina frowned. "Just tired?" the youth questioned with worry lining her face. "You should lie down and rest," she said as she made an attempt to lead her mother back to her sleeping place. "Doventia is worried...we all are."

"Like I said, I am fine." Zakena gave a weak smile, then swooned slightly.

"Kena?" Doventia said from the hearth entrance. Dropping an armload of wood, he rushed to his mate. "What's happening in here, Kalina? I thought I told you to keep her in bed."

Her light blue eyes wide, Kalina watched as the man gently helped her mother back into her furs. "I'm sorry, Doventia," she whispered tearfully. "I tried...but I fell asleep."

Seeing her welling tears, the man sighed. "That's all right, Kalina," he said with a pat on her hand. "Would you please go get your mother some broth?"

Kalina nodded, then quickly went to the mostly empty cooking hearth to get her mother some sustenance.

"How is mother?" her younger brother asked the moment she appeared.

"She'll be fine, Benaria." She gave her brother a brief hug, then ladled soup into a bowl. "Here, bring this to Doventia. I need some air. Is Hundaria outside?"

The boy nodded. "Yes. With Danya."

Sighing, Kalina headed outside.

~oxoxo~

Hearing a peal of childish laughter, Kalina halted in the earthlodge entrance and watched her brother and sister. Hundaria had obviously been chasing Danya around the open area, but now had her slung over his shoulder and was tickling her with a playfulness she wasn't used to with him. He was usually much too concerned about what the other young men thought of him to give his time to his siblings. This was a side of him she did not know.

Smiling at their antics, fun which was never really permitted while living within their Khazaria camp, she watched a few moments longer before stepping out into their view; she was reluctant to interrupt them.

"Kalina," Hundaria said immediately upon sighting her. His face turned slightly pink, as if embarrassed that he'd been caught having a good time when their situation was so dire. Quickly, he set their little sister down and, without releasing the child fully, turned his attention toward her. "How is mother?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

Kalina shrugged. "She seems fine. Doventia is worried, but she's up and about...much to his displeasure," she added, still upset with herself for falling asleep.

Hundaria frowned. "I'm worried too."

"As am I," she said with a frown. "This is all my fault."

"How do you figure that?"

"Because we're leaving for me."

Hundaria chuckled slightly. "Don't be so full of yourself, little sister," he said as knelt down to pick up a small basket. "You might be the initial cause of our flight, but we left for all of us."

Kalina's brow pinched in confusion. "But...you didn't want to leave."

Hundaria shrugged, then turned his attention to Danya. "Would you give this to Doventia and check on mother?" he said to the child.

The girl grinned and nodded, obviously glad to have something useful to do, then turned to run inside. But just before entering, she swung back around to face them. "Zakena will be fine. You'll see."

Hundaria and Kalina glanced at one another, then back at their sister. "How do you know?"

"Because," said the girl with an innocent shrug, "I have asked the Mother to watch over her. And the Mother always listens, doesn't She?"

Smiling indulgently at their younger sibling's trusting nature, Hundaria and Kalina nodded hopefully, their eyes meeting again once Danya had gone inside. "Would you want to see Danya forced into mating someone she didn't love?"

Kalina shook her head vigorously. "Of course not!"

"See then, it was not just for you. And, as for me wanting to remain with our people...that was foolish."

Kalina bit her lip with worry. "But now we have no people, and..." She glanced at the sky. "Winter is upon us."

Hundaria's eyes followed hers. It was true, the skies did not look good; they were gray with storm. He hoped the weather would hold a while longer.

"Do you really think Oak Camp will take us in?"

He shrugged. "If not, then another camp will. After all, we are Sungaean too."

"No we're not! Not anymore. Now we're Khazarian!" she said with disgust. "No one has to take us."

Hundaria sighed. She was right that no one had to take them, but he felt sure someone would. Doventia had promised him they would find a home, and he wanted desperately to trust the man of his hearth; he needed something to believe in and, right now, Doventia was it. "We are Sungaean, Kalina. We did not know what we were getting into when we left the summer meeting. Our people will not blame us for that."

"But how can you be so sure?"

He shrugged again. "Because, people are generally good," he answered. "They will take us back because they will not want to leave us without a home." He watched his sister process the information, then added, "This is not your fault, Kalina."

Sighing, the young woman finally nodded. "I guess I know that, I just...feel bad." Frowning, her eyes filled with tears.

Hundaria watched her for only a second before going to her. "What makes you cry?"

"I..." She hesitated. "I didn't tell Drukaria that we were leaving." Her tears spilled. "The day before we left, I sat with him, talking about the future...as if there'd be one, and I didn't tell him. I feel so bad." She sniffled, then burst into tears.

Hundaria pulled his sister into his arms and held her while she shook with sobs. He didn't know what to say to ease her mind. She'd done the right thing for their family, if not for her heart, by not revealing their intent, but he knew that telling her so wouldn't take away the pain she was feeling now. He'd suspected Drukaria's feelings for his sister; he'd seen the boy staring at her on several occasions. But he hadn't noticed that his sister returned the feelings.

"Shhh," he whispered as she clung to him. Stroking her light brown hair somewhat awkwardly at first, Hundaria rocked her gently, the way he'd once soothed their younger siblings to sleep when their mother had needed the help. "We'll be fine, Kalina."

"It's just not fair," she whined.

And it wasn't fair. But then, life rarely was.

~oxoxo~oxoxo~oxoxo~

"Oh Mother!" Ivanolia exclaimed. "I've got to get out of this hearth!"

Danie watched her mate halt abruptly at the hearth's entrance as if he'd suddenly remembered that he couldn't leave their space, then turn and pace back and forth, and she wanted to laugh at his agitation. She didn't blame him; she too would be bouncing off the cave walls if she was being forced to stare at them day in and day out. And that was fairly close to what he'd been doing; he alternated between pacing and lying motionless. On this day he'd not moved from his sleeping furs since relieving himself that morning, not even for food. And he'd been mumbling to himself about... Well, actually she didn't really know what, as his voice had barely been above a whisper all day, and she hadn't bothered to question him about his grumblings because she'd assumed it was about the differences between the two peoples, and how this confinement was going to be the death of him. That last part she had heard.

The isolation period for a Sungaean mating was so much shorter, two days compared to the fourteen the Clan required, and not considered a punishment in the eyes of most. A mated couple wanted to be alone together. But this was different. Neither had any desire to spend time together and both were upset. They were both trying, Ivanolia with his attempts to learn the Clan signs so that they could, at the very least, communicate with one another, and Oda by doing her very best at the duties expected of a mated woman. But it really wasn't enough. They really were communicating well, but neither wanted this and it showed on both sides. It was all so strange—and unexpected. But what could they do?

Letting out her breath as silently as possible so that her mate would not hear, Danie watched him pass by yet again and continued to think about her mate's restlessness. It was not unlike how one felt after a long winter inside an earthlodge. True, this time period was significantly shorter than the cold season, but the confinement was also to a smaller area, a tiny enclosed hearth, with little to no contact with others. She knew it must be difficult for him.

For both of them, she amended after glancing over at Oda; the woman looked both frightened and confused by their mate's erratic behavior. Clan men just did not act in such an unmanlike manner. Little did the young Clan woman know, her new mate's actions were often this odd.

Silently, Danie thanked Mut that Braydalana was there to comfort the woman. She was still the only one who could communicate with complete fluency and she seemed more than happy to do so. And what was more, Oda seemed to have accepted the child as well. Even now, as Oda stared up at her strange new mate, the two held hands, Braydalana patting her new mother's hand reassuringly.

At least the forced isolation was more than half over, Danie thought as Ivanolia passed by her once again. It had been a several days since Ivanolia had made it clear to his new mate that he'd be taking her back to Oak Camp with them come spring. Danie knew that it had been a shock to the woman. She'd known it was coming because it was an obvious decision; they could not remain here indefinitely. But obviously Oda hadn't considered it. And she wasn't happy about it. But despite her unhappiness, she'd been working quite diligently on communicating with them and understanding their spoken words, and she was doing quite well. But she didn't seem able to grasp their ways. She had a hard time not popping up to retrieve some item she'd anticipated he had need for and was shocked, embarrassed even, when he did something for her. A few times it had brought a smile to his face, especially when he managed to make her sit still for an extended period of time. The day before he'd forced her to sit for the entire second half of the day and, though he seemed to feel better with the absence of her constant scurrying around, she was now on edge. When they'd woken up on this morning, Oda had already gotten up, made their meal and tea, cleaned what little there was to clean, and sat at the edge of their bed waiting. And Ivanolia, who'd groaned immediately upon seeing her there, pulled the furs over his head and grumbled something about Clan women being more stubborn than any woman he'd ever met. And there, on his furs, he'd stayed all day.

"Oh Mother! I'm going to be crazy after this." He raked his fingers though his hair almost violently and spun on his heal to start another length across the hearth. "OUCH!" he bellowed, which sent Braydalana into giggles.

"What in the Mother's name is so funny?" he yelled as he hopped around on one foot, the injured one grasped in his hand as he did so.

Braydalana's giggles ceased, but she didn't back down. "You are funny, Ivan," she said seriously. "But, for the love of the Mother, calm down...you're frightening Oda!"

The man's eyes immediately went to his second woman. She did look terrified. "Oh Mother," he groaned, this time more quietly. Dropping down in front of her, he said, "I'm so sorry, Oda."

Oda stared at him for a moment, studying his face. Tiny worry lines grooved his forehead and crinkled around his blue eyes. She did not see any deception and gave him a nod of understanding; she now knew the meaning of the word sorry, though the Clan did not use that expression. It was something the Others said when they did not think before they spoke. They did that a lot.

"Tell her I didn't mean to scare her," Ivanolia begged the daughter of his hearth.

Braydalana nodded and turned toward Oda, but the woman surprised them. "This woman understands," she signed. And she had, almost every word.

Ivanolia grinned. "You understand me?"

Oda nodded. "This woman understands much, if not all."

And Ivanolia understood his mate's signs and that made him happy. He grinned again.

"Why do you do that?" Oda signed, then reached a tentative hand up to his face. Then, pulling back her lips into what she would call a grimace, she made a look similar to his—but it was awkward and strange-looking on her Clan face, and caused him to burst out laughing. Quickly snatching her hand from his face, hers turning crimson, she turned away from him. Somehow she knew he was laughing at her.

Ivanolia's laughter stopped when he saw the glares he received from both Danie and Braydalana, but he couldn't seem to stop smiling—until Danie stood up and held out a hand to Braydalana.

"Where are you going?" he asked, suddenly on his feet.

"We're going to take a walk. And you," she said as she gabbed a finger into his chest, "can talk to Oda."

"And no laughing," Braydalana scolded.

Sighing, Ivanolia nodded. He watched them go, but once they had, he didn't know what to say or do. Turning, the man watched his woman. She busied herself by dropping hot stones into a pot of water, then fishing them out and putting in more; she was heating water for tea, he was sure. Slowly, he crossed their hearth and sat down. As she worked, she kept her face averted, her dark hair hanging down over her eyes so that he could not see the emotions swirling around in them. He knew he'd never see tears in those eyes; he'd learned that from Ayla. But he was also sure the feelings behind them were not less. She was hurting and it was his fault. And hadn't he just promised never to hurt her again? He felt awful.

And then it got worse—she picked up his usual cup and he realized she was making the tea for him. Shaking his head, he wondered why she did for him when he kept making such stupid mistakes and hurting her feelings. And then, when the cup of tea was prepared, she carefully carried it over to him and, setting it on the ground in front of him, knelt at his feet and waited patiently for him to tap her shoulder. He didn't hesitate because he felt bad enough already. But when she tried to move quickly away, he reached for her.

"Oda, please stay." He hurriedly grabbed her cup and poured half the tea in it, then handed it to her. She took it, then gave a clipped nod as sat again, her eyes downcast.

Frowning, Ivanolia reached out and took her chin. "Look at me," he said as he tilted her face up. It was not a command, in the usual sense. He did want her to look at him, but he wouldn't have forced it on her. They'd talked enough since their mating that he thought she understood this. But still, he watched her eyes as they roamed to other things in the hearth, then finally give up and settle on his.

"Again, I am sorry. Sometimes I laugh at inopportune moments," he said after dropping his hand from her face.

She frowned. Most of his words made sense, but not all of them. He seemed to understand her look.

"I laugh at wrong things. I do not mean to."

"You do not want this woman," she gestured flatly, with no emotion.

"You do not want this man," he said back.

She frowned again. "It does not matter what this woman wants. Her sibling has decided that this is the best."

Ivanolia shook his head vehemently. "It does matter," he signed, frustrated that she had not been given any choice in this; she'd been given to a man who'd forced her. How much worse could it be for a woman? he wondered.

"My people believe that a woman has a right to choose who she wants...and you did not choose me. I feel bad about this." He paused to let her process his words. "And you are wrong, Oda. I do want you," he said. "I want to do right by you. We just have to get to know one another."

Oda searched his face again. She was clearly afraid that he'd start laughing again. He knew his laughter disturbed her. But he also figured she'd have to get used to it; he laughed all the time. All the Sungaea did.

"Are you afraid of me, Oda?" he asked.

She frowned and thought about it. Then she shook her head.

He grinned. "Good!" he said, a bit too loudly. Then he slapped a hand over his mouth. "Sorry. I know I'm loud."

She shrugged. She was learning that people with a spoken language were often loud.

He continued to smile.

Again fascinated by it, she reached for his face and asked, "Why do you do that?"

"Smile?"

She nodded. "Yes, smy-all."

He shrugged. "I cannot help it. When I feel happy, I smile."

"It looks like you are angry."

He shook his head. "No, not angry. Happy." Or, I would be, if we could get out of this hearth, he thought. But he smiled again, then chuckled when she tried to make the same face again. On her it was so forced that it was humorous. But his laugh made her face fall and she tried to turn away again.

"Oda no. I'm not laughing at you," he said as his hands closed over her face, cradling it in his palms. "I'm just laughing." When she made an attempt to pull away, the man leaned forward and took her mouth. She froze.

"Close your eyes," he said when he opened his and saw her staring back at him. She immediately obeyed, causing him to grin as he continued his assault, nibbling on her lips and trying to seek entrance to her mouth.

"Kiss me back, Oda," he mumbled between kisses. She stiffened then and pulled back.

"Keess?"

Ivanolia nodded. "Yes, kiss." He leaned in and kissed her again, slowly and gently. Then he backed away. "Kiss me back."

Oda frowned.

Ivanolia didn't wait for her to return his kisses. He could see that she was interested now and took advantage of it. Weaving his fingers into her soft dark brown hair, he pulled her gently into his arms and kissed her again. She made small attempts to return his advances and he thought that was good. At least she wasn't pushing him away. He left her breathless when he finally ended the kiss.

"What do you think?" he asked her.

Flustered, Oda blushed. She didn't understand the feelings stirring within her, but she felt the urge to kneel and present so that he could relieve himself; she hadn't missed that he was full with need. But she was deeply confused. She'd often seen her mate relieve himself with Day-nee, but never in the fashion with which she was accustomed. She didn't know what to do—or what was expected. He made no signal, but clearly he had need.

"Ivan?"

Smiling slightly, he pushed at the few strands of hair that hung over her face and stared into her eyes; they were deep and expressive, and so obviously full of uncertainty. He guessed where her mind had gone and refused to take her there. He'd seen the way a Clan man treated a woman in the furs, or outside of them, and he simply would not allow their first time to be like that. He fought a frown as he thought about their first time and mentally promised to make it up to her.

"I want you, Oda," he said.

It took a moment for Oda to understand his words, but when she did, she got up, kneeled and presented, as was Clan custom.

Ivanolia stared for a moment at her exposed femininity and gulped; it had all happened so quickly. Then he reached out and forcibly turned her to her back. "Not like that," he said with a shake of his head. "Not the Clan way."

To stop her frowning, the man leaned down and began kissing her again. She quickly relaxed and accepted his mouth on hers, but stiffened again when his hands began to roam.

"Relax," he said.

She nodded and did what her mate told her to do.

And she wasn't sorry.

AtDC

End of Part NINE!

Post Script

As stated at the top of this page (part nine)—and every other part—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 "in progress" story...which has very little hope of ever being completed. Continue at your own risk!

Okay. Not much left to this. I'll work on part ten tomorrow (4/21/2015)...getting it transferred into a Word doc, I mean. Then I'll reread it and post...but it'll probably be a few days before I upload it. Part ten isn't very long though (I think), because I had lost my desire to write this. *sigh* Also remember, the transferring part takes me some time (copy/paste, copy/paste, copy/paste, copy/paste, copy/paste...and so on) and, because I've decided to reread it all, that's MORE time needed...mostly because I'm TRYING to fix some of the mistakes. Some of them, mind you!

Then, after all of that... ^^ ...I might think about writing some more. MIGHT being the operative word here. Like I've said from the beginning, this was written a VERY long time ago and I'm not sure I'm in the right frame of mind to continue it. In saying that, I'm rereading the books...out of order. Lol. Started with MH...then PoP. Got Though half of PoP, then decided to reread VoH. Finished that and started SoS. Lol.

Anyway, I do NOT promise to finish the story—sorry—but I will think about adding. Maybe.

Thanks for reading and for your patience!