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I’ about the attention and affection she lavished on hi his needs In all ways but one, she was hisone Ayla was a constant joy The inherent differences he discovered kept hie like that which any natural teacher felt with a bright and willing but unusual pupil The new baby intrigued hiot over his nervousness when Iza laid the infant in his lap, and watched her random handin wonder how sorow into an adult woman

She assures the continuation of Iza’s line, he thought, and it is a line worthy of its rank Their mother had been one of the most renowned medicine women of the Clan People fro their sick if possible or taking back hter had every possibility of attaining the sa with her ancient and distinguished heritage

Creb thought about Iza’s line and remembered the woman who had been their entle with him, took care of him more than his mother after Brun was born She, too, was fa skill, she had even healed that man born to the Others, just as Iza healed Ayla It’s a shame Iza never knew her, Creb mused Then he stopped

That’s it! I’ll give the baby her naht, pleased with his inspiration

With a name for the infant decided, he turned his attention to theman as his devoted acolyte Goov was quiet, serious, and Creb liked hih for Ovra’s Beaver totem Ovra worked hard and seldoood mate There’s no reason that she shouldn’t produce children for hiood hunter, he will provide for her well When he beco-ur, his share will compensate when his duties don’t allow him to hunt

Will he ever be a powerful -ur? Creb wondered He shook his head Much as he liked his acolyte, he realized Goov would never have the skill Creb knew he himself possessed The crippled body that prevented nor had allowed him time to concentrate all his aweso his renowned power That hy he was The Mog-ur He was the one that directed thein the cereh he achieved a symbiosis of minds with theof souls that happened with the trained ht about the next Clan Gathering, even though it was s were held once every seven years, and the last one was the summer before the cave-in If I live to the next, it will be my last, he suddenly realized

Creb brought his attention back to thewas an experienced hunter who had long since proven his skill His skill at toolreater He was as quiet and serious as his dead mate’s son, and he and Goov shared the same totem They were much alike in other ways, and Creb was sure it was the spirit of Droog’s tote’s ht There had been a fondness between the couple that would probably never develop with Aga But both needed new ’s first ical match

Creb and Ayla were startled out of their thoughts by a rabbit that dashed across their path It irl think about the rabbit in the cave and turned her , Iza’s baby

“Creb, how did the baby get inside Iza?” the girl asked

“A woman ss the spirit of a man’s totehts “It fights with the spirit of her totem If the man’s overcomes the woman’s, it leaves a part of itself to start a new life”

Ayla looked around her, wondering at the omnipresence of spirits She could not see any, but if Creb said they were there, she believed it

“Can any et inside the woman?” she asked next

“Yes, but only a stronger spirit can defeat hers Often the totem of a woman’s mate asks another spirit to help Then the other spirit may be allowed to leave its essence It’s usually the spirit of a woman’s mate that tries most; it’s the closest one, but it often needs help If a boy has the same totem as his mother’s mate, it means he will be lucky,” Creb explained carefully

“Can only wo to her subject

“Yes,” he nodded

“Does a woman have to be mated to have a baby?”

“No, sometimes she ss a spirit before she is mated But if she doesn’t have a mate by the time the baby is born, the baby may be unlucky”

“Could I have a baby?” was her next hopeful query