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“Of course! I told you We are related” He grasped the hands that Jondalar had extended in friendship, which he had rejected before “I am Talut, headman of the Lion Camp”

Everyone was srin at her, then eyed her appreciatively “I see you are not traveling with a brother now,” he said to Jondalar

Jondalar put his ar look of pain wrinkle his brow before he spoke “This is Ayla”

“It’s an unusual name Is she of the river people?”

Jondalar was taken aback by the abruptness of his questioning, then, re Tholie, he smiled inwardly The short, stocky woreat hulk of athere on the riverbank, but they were chipped from the same flint They both had the saenuous—candor He didn’t knohat to say Ayla was not going to be easy to explain

“No, she has been living in a valley some days’ journey from here”

Talut looked puzzled “I have not heard of a wo nearby Are you sure she is Mamutoi?”

“I’m sure she is not”

“Then who are her people? Only ho hunt ion”

“I have no people,” Ayla said, lifting her chin with a touch of defiance