Disclaiamer: I do not own the characters, names or anything connected to Jean M Auel's Earth's Children series in this story. I'm just having some fun.
WARNING: This chap contains things that may offend some readers.
Chapter Five First Snow
Sammi woke again the next morning. She sat up quickly and looked over to the fire. Zelandonii was sitting on her leather cushion. She had a hot bowl of meat broth next to Sammi's bed, but she was not eating any herself.
Sammi smiled at Zelandonii before eating the chunky soup. When she was finished she gave the bowl to the huge woman.
"Storm go away, I go out?" Sammi asked. She was tired of being coped up in this small dwelling. She had always been a very active person and being confined to a bed was boring and uncomfortable to her.
"Let me check you head," Zelandonii said. She had watched that the wound did not swell, and it hadn't too much. The wound was not completely healed but enough for Sammi to get up.
Zelandonii helped the young woman up and before she grabbed her crutches Zelandonii gave her a parka.
Sammi put on the deliciously soft and warm piece of clothing. She then took her crutches and told Zelandonii she was only going to go to the front of the overhang.
It was still early as she pushed aside the leather drape. Not many people were up and those who where stared at her.
Sammi ignored them and made her way to the front of the shelter. When she got there she was breathless. Not from limping all the way there but from the view.
Sammi had never seen snow before she arrived in this strange land and here the whole world was covered in a blanket of white.
The sky was still the rosy pink of pre-dawn. Sammi stood there and watched the sky turn to a darker pink with shots of gold through it, then to a pale lavender and finally a light blue which would darken as the day progressed. The birds were singing their morning songs, waking up the world with sweet melodies.
Sammi could have stood their all day looking at the white stuff wishing she could play in it if it wasn't for the damn cast on her leg, when she heard a very familiar sound.
It was the snort of a horse. Her head snapped up in the direction and she saw Ayla in a small dwelling of sorts with two sturdy, but somewhat compact horses, as well as a young grey horse who could of only been a year old.
She smiled and made her way over to them. Ayla turned as she hobbled in. Sammi smiled at her and the turned her gaze back to the horses. She loved horses, and had several of her own.
Her first horse, a chestnut quarter horse gelding, was her life. She had named him William, after her father, and she cared for him like he was her child. He was, at many times, her best friend.
Seeing these three horses, although completely different from hers, caused a lump to form in her throat. She fought to swallow it, struggling to conceal tears. Ayla was watching her, confused.
She was used to people reaching to the horses, but she had expected the stranger to gasp with wonder and a little fear. Instead she looked as if she was about to break down.
Sammi turned to Ayla "Horse yours?" she asked.
Ayla nodded. "This is Whinney and her son Racer. The young horse is Whinney's too but we have not named her yet"
"I touch?"
Again Ayla nodded and watched as Sammi reached out to Whinney and patted her long nose and cheek. Her hand went down the horse's neck and she began talking to them in English.
Ayla watched fascinated. Sammi touched the horses, in a way most people didn't, it was almost as if she had done it before. And with her talking to them in her strange language, Ayla was reminded of her self.
For the first time she saw the horses like someone else would have, with his woman scratching at rubbing them in all the right places, talking to them in an unknown language. Ayla felt a chill run down her back, and not from the cold.
"You are not scared of the horses" Ayla stated, unsure of what to say.
Sammi looked up at her. She had almost forgotten this beautiful woman was there and suddenly remembered these where her horses. She backed off.
"No I have horse, long time" Sammi said.
Sammi had no way to know how such a comment would affect Ayla. Her mouth dropped. In all of her existence, she was the only on to have ever tamed a wild horse.
"You have a horse? Where?"
"He is home…far away," Sammi replied. Her smile had left her face. She looked up at the dun mare "Miss him…he like son"
Ayla nodded. She understood how a relationship could from between animal and human. She wanted to ask more, but Sammi was clearly upset. She did not push the subject. She was still looking at the young woman when she saw her eyes widen in fear. She gasped.
Ayla turned around. Wolf, who had gotten used to Sammi's scent in Zelandonii's dwelling, only reacted to the fear he sensed from the woman. He growled softly.
"Sammi, this is Wolf. He is mine like Whinney and Racer are" Ayla explained "He knows your scent from Zelandonii's dwelling, but you should let him get to know you better, give me you hand"
"What? That…that wolf?" Ayla nodded to indicate she had the right word "No hurt?"
Ayla took her hand and showed it to the wolf who was quite calm. This woman was not unfamiliar, and didn't much pay attention to the hand it his face, until it was placed on his head and begun scratching behind his ears.
Sammi couldn't believe she was petting a wolf. She had seen them at zoos before but she had never touched one. Her fear had edged away now that the beast hadn't ripped her hand off. She noticed the horses were not scared and when she asked Ayla explained they had known each other all their lives.
Ayla took Sammi back to Zelandonii's dwelling, lost in though on the way. She was confused. This woman had gone to the horses fearless, but the wolf had scared her to the point of shaking. It didn't make sense, and she resolved to talk to Zelandonii about it later.
- - - - -
Later that evening Jondalar, Ayla and Jonayla were all eating around a very hot fire, which was only just starting to die down a bit. Jonayla had proceeded to get as much food on her face and little pot tummy then in her small pink mouth. Ayla was stopping between bites to clean up her daughter, and after Jonayla had finished she picked her up and took her into her sleeping place.
She helped her get undressed and tucked her into the warm bed that was built to match her size. She had the doll Proleva had made for her next to her and she hugged it.
"Mama do I have to go to bed? I'm not tired" Jonayla asked, her eyes drooping even as she said it. Ayla smiled.
"Yes but I'll stay here with you until you go to sleep"
"Can I have Wolfie with me?" she asked, pouting her lips. Ayla whistled and the wolf came racing into the room. His paw had almost completely healed and barley slowed him anymore. He went to his corner of the room, licking Jonayla's face on the way, and settled down in his basket, which was so close to the child's bed she could reach out and feel his fur.
Ayla hummed softly and watched her daughters eyes fall heavily.
"I love you mama" she muttered softly before falling asleep. She kissed her fore head, and left her daughter with the wolf knowing no harm would come to her while the animal was there.
She walked through the cooking area, which Jondalar had cleaned up, and into their sleeping place. Jondalar had already stripped off and had climbed into their furs. Ayla followed him, and snuggled up to the man she love, placing her head on his shoulder.
"Jondalar, I was talking to Sammi today and she said something strange"
"What was it?" he asked, kissing her forehead lovingly.
"She had come into the horse's place and she wasn't afraid of them at all. When I asked her why she said she had a horse of her own, at her home. She said he was like a son to her."
Jondalar looked down at Ayla. The familiar worry lines across his forehead had appeared. "She said she had a horse of her own?"
"Yes I was as surprised as you are. I wish it were spring and she did not have a broken leg. I could tell she wanted to ride the horses. I will let her when the weather warms" Ayla decided.
Jondalar was frowning. He wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing. In all his travels only Ayla had the magic to make horses, cave lions and wolves trust her and become her friends. Now there was someone else who could do it too? His head was swimming of indistinct thoughts and he only just realized Ayla was still talking.
"…she was very scared when she met wolf though"
Jondalar chuckled at this familiar reaction "Most people are, but not you woman, you are fearless" he said and kissed her. Ayla kissed him back but the reply she got from Jondalar was surprisingly rough. It wasn't roughness from need for release; it was roughness, for the need of the woman he loved.
He crushed her to him, kissing her harder, and his hand was fondling a breast. Ayla could sense his urgent, demanding need for her and opened her legs to him. He was on top of her in an instant, still groping her full breasts and pushed into her depths.
He gasped as he entered her, and pulled back filling her with himself again. Ayla's face was flushed and she met every thrust, pushing herself toward him. The tempo increased, and the heat and desire heightened. Almost as quickly as it started, Jondalar felt his hot seed release into Ayla's mysterious depths.
Breathing hard, they lay together; the only light in the small room was from the lamp which lit up the small doni. Jondalar pulled himself out of her and lay next to the blonde woman. He felt relaxed and good. Ayla was happy to be lying in this man's arms.
She had often thanked her totem, the Great Cave Lion, for bringing Jondalar to her. She remembered all those lonely nights in her valley and the happiness she felt at having found someone bubbled up inside her. She felt Jondalar's lips on her neck and she knew this time would be slower, more careful, and wonderfully pleasurable.
- - - - -
Winter continued with is gales and snows. It got colder and Sammi, used to a tropical climate, was finding the increasing cold difficult to bare.
She had been among these strange people for two weeks now, and though her language was better she was beginning to miss home more.
She was still not sure if her presence her would affect anything, so she was still hiding things and opting to wear these peoples choice in clothing.
The clothes were amazingly warm and comfortable and she had liked the parka Zelandonii had let her wear so much it became her own.
Ayla had taken off her cast and although she still needed crutches to get about, Sammi was fast on them. They hardly slowed her down at all.
It was on one night when for once there was no blizzard howling outside that there was a flurry of activity.
A heavily pregnant Folara was brought into Zelandonii's dwelling. Her labor had started earlier this morning and now her contractions were coming faster and harder.
Zelandonii and Ayla helped Folara into a squatting position to make the delivery easier.
Sammi had come round onto Folara's left hand side and Marthona on the right, holding the young woman's hands as she strained to bring forth the new life inside her.
Folara left lose a scream of pain as she pushed down hard, the babes head crowning.
"That's it push hard again like that," Ayla said ready to support the baby as it made its way through the narrow birth canal. Folara strained again, harder and longer forcing the baby out of her body.
Once the head was out the rest of the birth was fairly easy, only one hard push to get out the afterbirth, which was wrapped up and put aside.
Wrapped in a soft hide, Ayla smiled at the new mother and placed the child in her arms.
"It's a beautiful baby boy,"
"A boy!" Folara laughed holding her child close to her. She placed the babes head near her breast and he instinctively turned toward the nipple, seeking the life giving nourishment.
Boladar had come through and was sitting next to his mate, watching the child suckle.
They both smiled at each other with love and happiness.