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“I will have to think about it, Iza,” Creb said

The child was rocking and crooning to the rabbit She saw Iza and Creb talking and re on the spirits to help Iza’s healing ician

“Creb, will you ask the spirits toit down at his feet

Mog-ur looked into her earnest face He had never asked for help from spirits to heal an animal, and he felt a little foolish about it, but he didn’t have the heart to refuse her He glanced around, then estures

“Now it’s sure to get well,” Ayla gestured decisively, then seeing that Iza was through nursing, she asked, “Can I hold the baby, mother?” The rabbit was a warm and cuddly substitute, but not when she could hold the real thing

“All right,” Iza said “Be careful with her, the way I showed you”

Ayla rocked and crooned to the tiny girl as she had done with the rabbit “What will you name her, Creb?” she asked

Iza was curious, too, but she would never have asked him They lived at Creb’s fire, were supported by hiht to name the children born to his hearth

“I haven’t decided, yet And you must learn not to ask so many questions, Ayla,” Creb chided, but he was pleased at her trust in his ical skill, even with a rabbit He turned to Iza and added, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if the ani is mended, it’s a harmless creature”

Iza esture of acquiescence and felt a warm flush of pleasure She was sure Creb wouldn’t object if she began training Ayla, even if he never gave his explicit consent All Iza really needed to knoas that he wouldn’t stop her

“How does she e the subject, listening to Ayla’s hu “It’s not unpleasant, but it is unusual”

“It’s another difference between Clan and Others,” Creb reat wisdo the e sounds she used to make She doesn’t make them much anymore since she has learned to talk properly”

Ovra arrived at Creb’s hearth with their eveningthe rabbit It increased when Iza let the young woman hold her baby and she saw Ayla pick up the rabbit and rock it as if it were a baby, too Ovra gave Creb a sidewise glance to check his reaction, but he seemed not to have noticed it She could hardly wait to tell her irl wasn’t right in the head Did she think the animal was human?

Not long afterward, Brun strolled over and signaled Creb that he wanted to talk to hiether toward the entrance fire, away from both hearths

“Mog-ur,” the leader started hesitantly

“Yes”

“I’ve been thinking, Mog-ur It’s tiive Ovra to Goov, and Droog has agreed to take Aga and her children and will allow Aba to live with hi up the subject of the rabbit at Creb’s fire

“I ondering when you were going to decide toany comment on the subject he knew Brun wanted to discuss

“I wanted to wait I couldn’t afford to have two hunters restricted while hunting was good When do you think will be the best ti not to stare into Creb’s rock-outlined territory, and Creb was rather enjoying the leader’s discomfiture