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“His death would have been a loss to the whole clan, Brun, not just to Broud and you If he had died, ouldn’t be sitting here trying to decide what to do about the girl who saved his life, we’d be grieving for the boy ill one day be leader I think the girl should be punished, but how can she be condemned to die? I am finished”
“Zoug would speak, Brun”
“Zoug may speak”
“What Droog says is true; how can you condeirl when she saved Brac’s life? She is different, she wasn’t born Clan, and maybe she doesn’t think like a wo, she behaves like a good Clan woman She had been a model woman, obedient, respectful …”
“That’s not true! She is rebellious, insolent,” Broud interrupted
“I arily Brun shot hilance and Broud curbed his outburst
“It’s true,” Zoug continued, “when the girl was younger, she was insolent to you, Broud But you brought it on yourself, you’re the one who let it bother you If you act like a child, is it so strange that the girl does not treat you like abut dutiful and obedient to me Nor has she ever been insolent to any other man”
Broud glowered at the old hunter but held himself in check
“Even if it were not true,” Zoug continued, “I have never seen anyone as good with the sling as she is She says she learned from me I never knew it, but I will say openly I wish I had so apt a pupil to teach, and I must admit, I could learn from her now She wanted to hunt for the clan, and when she couldn’t, she tried to find another way to help the clan She may have been born to the Others, but in her heart she is Clan She has always put the interests of the clan before herself She didn’t think of the danger when she went after Ona She may be able to ht Ona back The sea could have taken her, too She knerong for her to hunt, kept her secret hidden for three years, but she didn’t hesitate when Brac’s life was in danger
“She is skilled with that weapon, more skilled than anyone I’ve ever seen It would be a shao to waste I say let her be a benefit to the clan, let her hunt …”
“No! No! No!” Broud juer “She is female Females cannot be allowed to hunt …”
“Broud,” the proud old hunter said “I ah You may ask to speak when I am done”
“Let Zoug finish, Broud!” the leader cautioned “If you do not kno to conduct yourself at a for to control himself
“The sling is not an iot too old to hunt with a spear It’s the other weapons that are the realLet the sling be the weapon of old men and women, or at least this one I am finished now”
“Zoug, you knoell as I that it isthan a spear, and many times you have provided meat when the hunt was a failure Don’t belittle yourself for the girl’s sake With a spear, you only need a strong arm,” Brun said
“And strong legs and heart, and good lungs, and a great deal of courage,” Zoug replied
“I wonder howattacked by one, alone, with only a sling?” Droog coestion, if she hunts only with a sling The spirits don’t see us luck What about our mammoth hunt?”
“I’m not sure that’s a decision we can make,” Brun said “I don’t see any e can even allow her to live,It’s never been done before; would the spirits really approve? What made you think of it, anyway? Clan women don’t hunt”
“Yes, Clan women don’t hunt, but this one has I probably wouldn’t have thought of it if I didn’t know she could, if I hadn’t already seen her All I’ is let her continue to do what she has already done”
“What do you say, Mog-ur?” Brun asked