Part 27 (1/2)
”Why are you sneaking around listening to private conversations?” Laramar countered, still defensive.
”Walking up to you in full daylight is hardly sneaking, Laramar. I came here to tell you that Proleva and some of the others have prepared some food for everyone, so you could share it,” Joharran answered. ”What I heard was said out loud. I couldn't exactly close my ears.” Then he directed his comments to the others. ”Zelandoni is convinced that Ayla is a good healer, why not give her a chance? We should be glad to welcome a person with such good skills, you never know when you might need them yourselves. Now, why don't you all come and eat?” The leader looked at each man directly, let ting them know that he recognized and would remember each one, then he walked away.
The tight little group broke up and followed him toward the other end of the ledge. Some of them agreed with Joharran, at least as far as giving Ayla a chance to prove herself, but a few didn't want to or could not overcome their prejudice. Laramar, though he had been agreeable with the man who had been talking loudly against her, really didn't care one way or the other. He tended to go along with whatever way was easiest.
As Ayla walked with the group from Down River toward the work area, staying under the protective overhanging shelf when it started raining harder again, she thought about all the different talents and abilities that people enjoyed exercising to occupy themselves. Many people liked to make things, although the choice of materials they worked with were quite varied. Some, like Jondalar, liked to work with flint to craft tools and hunting weapons, some liked working with wood, or ivory, or bone, some liked working with fibers, or hides. It came to her that some, like Joharran, enjoyed working with people.
As they got closer and her nose detected wonderful cooking odors, Ayla realized that cooking and working with food was also a task some people enjoyed. Proleva's penchant for organizing community gatherings was obviously something she enjoyed, which was probably the reason for this impromptu feast. Ayla thought about herself and what she liked to do best. She was interested in many things and enjoyed learning how to do things she had never done before, but more than anything else, she loved being a medicine woman, a healer.
The meal was being served near the large area where people were working on their projects, but as they approached, Ayla noticed that an adjacent area was being set up for a task that may not have been quite as enjoyable but needed to be done. Several nets for drying the meat they had hunted had been stretched out a couple of feet above the ground between upright posts. There was a layer of soil on the stone surface of the abri and its front porch, shallow in some areas, but deep enough to support posts in others. Some uprights were permanently wedged into cracks in the stone or supported by post holes dug into the soil. Piles of rocks were often added for additional bracing.
Other similar constructions, obviously made for the same purpose, were simply pegged and lashed together, making them essentially portable food drying racks. They could be lifted up and leaned against the back wall to get them out of the way when not in use. But when meat or vegetables needed to be dried, the portable frames could be placed anywhere on the floor they wanted. Occasionally meat was dried for preservation near the place it was killed, or on the gra.s.sy floodplain below, but when it rained, or just because people wanted to work closer to their homes, they developed ways to support drying cords or netting.
A few small tongue-shaped pieces of meat were already hanging on the drying racks, and small, rather smoky fires were burning nearby, to keep away insects and incidentally to add a flavor to the meat. Ayla thought that after they ate she would offer her help to cut up the meat to dry. She and Jondalar had just selected their food and were deciding where to eat when she saw Joharran stalking toward them with a rapid stride and a grim expression.
”Jondalar, does Joharran seem angry to you?” she asked.
The tall man turned to look at his approaching brother. ”I think so,” he said. ”I wonder what happened?” He would ask later, he thought.
They glanced at each other, then strolled over to join Joharran, Proleva, her son, Jaradal, Marthona, and Willamar. They were greeted warmly, and a place was made for them. It did seem obvious that the leader was not happy about something, but he did not seem to want to talk about it, at least not with them. They all smiled in welcome when Zelandoni decided to join them, too. She had spent the morning in her dwelling, but came out when people gathered to eat.
”Can I get you something?” Proleva asked.
”I have been fasting and meditating today, preparing myself to search, and still limiting my food,” Zelandoni said, and looked at Jondalar in a way that made him very uncomfortable. He was suddenly afraid that his a.s.sociation with other worlds was not over yet. ”Mejera is getting something for me. I asked Folara to help her. Mejera is an acolyte of Zelandoni of the Fourteenth Cave, but she is not happy with her and wants to come here with me, to be my acolyte. I have to consider it, and of course, ask if you would be willing to accept her into the Ninth Cave, Joharran. She's quite shy and diffident, but definitely has some ability. I wouldn't mind training her, but you know I have to be particularly careful with the Fourteenth,” Zelandoni said, then she looked at Ayla.
”She was expecting to be selected the First,” the donier explained, ”but the zelandonia chose me instead. She tried to stand up to me and force me to step down. It was my first real challenge, and even though she was the one who backed down, I don't think she has ever really accepted their choice, or forgiven me.”
She addressed everyone again. ”I know she will accuse me of luring her best acolyte away if I accept Mejera, but I have to consider what is right for everybody. If Mejera isn't getting the training she should have to develop her talents, I can't worry about someone's hurt feelings. On the other hand, if one of the other Zelandonia would be willing to train her and can form a bond with her, perhaps I can avoid another confrontation with the Fourteenth. I'd like to wait until after the Summer Meeting before making a decision.”
”That seems wise,” Marthona said just as Mejera and Folara joined them. The young acolyte was holding two bowls, and Jondalar's younger sister carried her bowl plus a waterbag. She had put some eating implements in her carrying pouch. Mejera gave a bowl of clear broth to the First, glanced gratefully at Folara, smiled timidly at Ayla and Jondalar, and then looked down at her food.
There was a moment of uneasy silence, then Zelandoni spoke. ”I don't know how many of you know Mejera.”
”I know your mother, and the man of your hearth,” Willamar said. ”You have some siblings, don't you?”
”Yes, a sister and a brother,” Mejera said.
”How old are they?”
”My sister is a little younger than me, and my brother is about his age,” Mejera said, indicating Proleva's son.
”My name is Jaradal. I am Jaradal of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii. Who are you?”
He said it with such careful precision, as he had obviously been taught, everyone had to smile, including the young woman. ”I am Mejera of the Fourteenth Cave of the Zelandonii. I greet you, Jaradal of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii.”
Jaradal smiled with self-importance. She obviously understands boys his age, Ayla thought.
”We are remiss. I think we should all make proper introductions,” Willamar said. The introductions were made, and everyone greeted the shy young woman warmly.
”Did you know the mate of your mother wanted to be a trader before he met her, Mejera?” Willamar said. ”He went on a few trips with me, then he decided he didn't want to spend so much time away from her, or you, after you were born.”
”No, I didn't know that,” she said, pleased to learn something about her mother and her mother's mate.
No wonder he's a good trader, Ayla thought. He has a way with people. He can make anyone feel comfortable. Mejera seemed a little more relaxed, but still a bit overwhelmed by all the attention. Ayla understood how she felt.
”Proleva, I saw some people starting to dry meat from the hunt,” Ayla said. ”I'm not sure how meat is divided, or who is supposed to preserve it, but I'd like to help if it's appropriate.”
The woman smiled. ”Of course you can help, if you want. It's a lot of work, we'd welcome your help.”
”I know I would,” Folara said. ”It can be a long, tedious job, unless there are a lot of people working on it. Then it can be fun.”
”The meat itself and half the fat is for everyone to use as they need,” Proleva continued, ”but the rest of the animal, the hide, horns, antlers, and all, belongs to the person who killed it. I think you and Jondalar each have a megaceros and a bison, Ayla. Jondalar killed the bison who sacrificed Shevonar, but that one was given back to the Mother. We buried it near his grave. The leaders decided to give both Jondalar and you another one. Animals are marked when they're butchered, usually with charcoal. By the way, they didn't know your abelan, and you were busy with Shevonar, so someone asked Zelandoni of the Third. He made a temporary one for you so your hides and other parts could be marked.”
Jondalar smiled. ”What does it look like?” He was always conscious of his own enigmatic abelan and curious about the name marks of others.
”I think he saw you as protective or sheltering, Ayla,” Proleva said. ”Here, I'll show you.” She took a stick, smoothed the dirt, and drew a line straight down. Then she added a line starting near the top and slanting down somewhat on one side, and a third line matching it on the other side. ”It reminds me of a tent or shelter of some kind, something to get under if it was raining.”
”I think you're right,” Jondalar said. ”It's not a bad abelan for you, Ayla. You do tend to be protective and helpful, especially if someone is sick or hurt.”
”I can draw my abelan,” Jaradal said. Everyone smiled indulgently. The stick was given to him, and he was allowed to make the drawing. ”Do you have one?” he said to Mejera.
”I'm sure she does, Jaradal, and she will probably be happy to show you. Later,” Proleva said, gently reprimanding her son. A little attention was all right, but she didn't want him to get in the habit of demanding attention from the adults around him.
”What do you think of your abelan, Ayla?” Jondalar said. He wondered about her reaction to being a.s.signed a Zelandonii symbol.
”Since I didn't get an elandon with an abelan marked on it when I was born, at least not that I can remember,” Ayla said, ”it's as good a mark as any. I don't mind using it as my abelan.”
”Did you ever get any kind of mark from the Mamutoi?” Proleva asked, wondering if Ayla already had an abelan. It was always interesting to learn how other people did things.
”When I was adopted by the Mamutoi, Talut cut a mark on my arm to draw blood so he could make a mark with it on the plaque he wore on his chest during ceremonies,” Ayla said.
”But it wasn't a special mark?” Joharran said.
”It was special to me. I still have the scar,” she said, showing the mark on her arm. Then she added a thought that occurred to her: ”It's interesting how people use different ways of showing who they are, and who they belong to. When I was adopted by the Clan, I was given my amulet bag with a piece of red ochre in it, and when they name a person, the mog-ur makes a line in red from the forehead to the end of the nose. That's when he tells everyone, especially the mother, what the baby's totem is, by making the totem mark with salve on the infant.”
”Are you saying your people of the Clan have marks showing who they are?” Zelandoni said. ”Like abelans?”
”I guess they are like abelans. When a boy becomes a man, the mog-ur cuts the mark of his totem on him, then rubs in a special ash to make it a tattoo. Girls are not usually cut on the skin, because when they grow up, they will bleed from the inside, but I was marked by the cave lion when he chose me. I have four marks from his claws on my leg. That's the Clan mark for a cave lion, and that's how Mog-ur knew he was my totem, even though it's not usually a female totem mark. It is a man's, given to a boy who is destined to be a strong hunter. When I was accepted as the Woman Who Hunts, Mog-ur made a cut here,” she put her finger on her throat, just above the breastbone, ”to draw blood and used it to mark over the scars on my leg.” She showed the scars on her left thigh.
”Then you already have an abelan. That's your mark, those four lines,” Willamar said.
”I think you are right,” Ayla said. ”I don't feel anything about the other mark, maybe because it's just a mark of convenience, so that people will know who to give some hides to. Even though my Clan totem mark is not a Zelandonii sign, it is a mark that is special to me. It meant that I was adopted, that I belonged. I would like to use it as my abelan.”
Jondalar thought about what Ayla said about belonging. She had lost everything, she didn't know to whom she was born, or who her people were. Then she had lost the people who raised her. She had referred to herself as ”Ayla of No People” when she'd met the Mamutoi. It made him realize how important belonging was to her.
17.