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“Whatto re and meditate a little,” he said sheepishly

“What do you need to re-ur for years, Creb There can’t be a single ceremony you couldn’t do in your sleep And I’ve never seen youup and down Why don’t you let me fix you a little tea?”

“No No I don’t need any tea Where’s Ayla?”

“She’s over there, just beyond the last hearth looking for yams Why?”

“I just wanted to know,” Creb replied as he settled back down Not long afterward, Brun walked by and signaled Mog-ur The ain and bothwith those two? Iza shook her head in wonder

“Isn’t it nearly time?” the leader asked when they reached the place he had cleared out “Is everything ready?”

“All the preparations are made, but the sun should be lower, I think”

“You think! Don’t you know? I thought you said you knehat to do I thought you said youht How can you say ‘you think’?” Brun snapped

“I did o, a different place There wasn’t any snow I don’t think there was snow even in winter It’s not easy to get the tiht I just know the sun was low”

“You didn’t tell ht? Maybe we’d better forget it It’s a ridiculous idea anyway”

“I’ve already talked to the spirits; the stones are in place They’re expecting us”

“I don’t like the idea ofthe stones, either Maybe we should’ve decided to have it in the place of the spirits Are you sure they won’t be upset because we -ur?”

“We already discussed that, Brun We decided it was better tothe Ancient Ones to the Toteht not want to leave again if they see it”

“How do you know they’ll go back once ake the-ur We’d better call it off”

“Theyis put back and they see there is no place for theo But it’s up to you If you want to change your mind, I’ll try to placate the spirits Just because they’re expecting a ceremony doesn’t mean we have to have one”

“No You’re right We’d better go ahead with it now They’re expecting soh”

“Who is leader, Brun? Besides, they’ll get used to it once they understand it’s all right”