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“You were attacked by a lynx?” Brun pressed

“Yes,” Ayla nodded, and told of her close call with the large cat

“What is your range?” Brun asked “No, don’t tell ?”

Ayla nodded and got up They allwhere a small brook trickled over a rocky bed She selected a few pebbles of the right size and shape Round ones were best for accuracy and distance, but jagged, sharp-edged broken pieces would work

“The se boulder at the other end,” she motioned

Brun nodded It was easily half again as far as any of thehted carefully, inserted a stone in her sling, and had a second one in the sling and on its way the next instant Zoug jogged over to confirm her accuracy

“There are two fresh chips knocked out of the white stone She hit the mark both times,” he announced on his return, with a trace of wonder and the barest hint of pride

She was fe—Clan tradition was absolutely clear on that—but she was good She gave hi her, whether he knew it or not That double-stone technique, he thought, that’s a trick I’d like to learn Zoug’s pride was the pride of a true teacher for a pupil who excelled; a student who paid attention, learned well, and then did the ht

Brun’s eye caught a

“Ayla!” he cried “That rabbit Get him!”

She glanced in the direction he was pointing, saw the s across the field, and dropped him There was no need to check her accuracy Brun looked at the girl appreciatively She’s quick, he thought The idea of a wo offended the leader’s sense of propriety, but with Brun, the clan always came first; their safety, their security, their prosperity were foremost In a corner of his mind, he knehat an asset she could be to the clan No, it’s iainst the traditions, it’s not the Clan way

Creb didn’t have the same appreciation for her skill If he had any doubts left, her exhibition convinced hi

“Why did you ever pick up a sling in the first place?” Mog-ur gestured with a bleak, dark look

“I don’t know,” she shook her head and looked down More than anything, she hated the thought of the ician’s displeasure

“You did more than touch it You hunted with it, killed with it, when you knerong”

“My toten” She was undoing the knots in her amulet “After I decided to hunt, I found this” She handed the fossil cast to Mog-ur

A sign? Her tote the men Ayla’s revelation put a neist on the situation, but why did she decide to hunt?

The ician examined it closely It was a very unusual stone, shaped like a sea anin, but that didn’t prove anything Signs were between a person and his toteave it back to the girl

“Creb,” she said pleadingly “I thought ht the way Broud treated ht if I could learn to accept it, lances were cast in the young man’s direction to see his reaction Did she really think Broud was used by her toteht when the lynx attackedafter that, I was too afraid Then I got the idea to try two stones, so I would have soht ave me the idea”

“I see,” the holy man said “I’d like some time to meditate on this, Brun”

“Maybe we should all think about it We’ll irl”

“What is there to think about?” Broud objected “We all know the punishment she deserves”

“Her punisherous to the whole clan, Broud I need to be absolutely sure there isn’t soain tomorrow”