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Ayla gazed at the stern-faced leader with astonished disbelief The woman’s curse! Not the death curse! Not utter and complete ostracism, but nominal isolation confined to Creb’s hearth What did it e her existence for an entire moon, she would still have Iza and Uba and Creb And afterward, she could rejoin the clan just like any other woh
“As further punish, until the clan returns fro Until the leaves have dropped froo anywhere that is not essential When you look for plants of healingand you will return promptly You will always ask my permission before you leave the area of the cave And you will show me the location of the cave where you hid”
“Yes, yes, of course, anything,” Ayla was nodding in agree in a warm cloud of euphoria, but the next words of the leader pierced herher elation in a deluge of despair
“There is still the problem of your deformed son as the cause of your disobedience You ainst his will No woave a signal Ayla clutched her infant desperately and looked in the sa She couldn’t let the out of the cave When she saw hi a red-stained wicker bowl held firmly between the stump of his arm and his waist, incredulous joy flushed her face She turned back to Brun hesitantly, unsure if what she thought could possibly be true
“But a wo, Ayla Your son must have a name if he is to be a member of the clan”
Ayla scra her baby fro the naked infant up to hi taken from his reeted by the first rays of the sun breaking over the top of the ridge, burning through the misty haze
A naht about a name, she hadn’t even wondered what na-ur called the spirits of the clan’s totems to attend, then reached into the bowl and scooped out a dab of red paste
“Durc,” he said loudly above the lusty cries of the cold and angry baby “The boy’s name is Durc” Then he drew a red line froes to the tip of his smallish nose
“Durc,” Ayla repeated, holding her son close to warend Creb knows that’s always been my favorite It was not a common Clan naed froht with dubious connotations, was appropriate for a boy whose life had hung in the balance of such uncertain beginnings
“Durc,” Brun said He was the first to file past Ayla thought she saw a glimmer of tenderness froratitude Most of the faces were a blur seen through tear-filled eyes As hard as she tried, she could not control them, and kept her head down in an effort to conceal her wet eyes I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it, she thought Is it really true? You have a na? She re nodules of iron pyrite she had found and put in her an Of all the artifacts in her amulet, she treasured that one the most
“Durc,” she heard Iza say and looked up The joy on the woman’s face was no less than Ayla’s for all that her eyes were dry
“Durc,” Uba said, and added with a quick gesture, “I’lad”
“Durc” It was said with a sneer Ayla glanced up in tie idea about the wayin the sht that somehow Broud was responsible for the conception of her son She had been too busy to notice the battle of wills between Brun and Broud The young e the newest member of the clan, and only a direct order from the leader finally forced the issue Ayla watched hiroup with clenched fists and tense shoulders
How could he? Broud walked into the woods to get away fro in vain atte down a slope How could he? He picked up a stout branch and sent it crashing into a tree How could he? How could he? Broud’s ain and again into a moss-covered bank How could he let her live and accept her baby both? How could he do it?
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“Iza! Iza! Corabbed the ed her toward the entrance to the cave
“What’s wrong?” the woain? Is he hurt?”
“No, he’s not hurt Look!” Ayla gestured proudly when they reached Creb’s hearth “He’s holding his head up!”
The infant was lying on his stoe sole the dark, indistinct color of newborns and beco the deep brown shade of people of the Clan His head bobbed with the effort, then dropped back down on the fur blanket He shoved his fist in hisnoisily, oblivious of the stir his efforts had caused
“If he can do it this young, he’ll be able to support it when he grows up, won’t he?” Ayla pleaded
“Don’t build your hopes up yet,” Iza replied, “but it is a good sign”
Creb shuffled into the cave, staring into space with the unfocused, faraway look characteristic of hiht
“Creb!” Ayla called, running up to him Jolted back to reality, he looked up “Durc held his head up, didn’t he, Iza?” The reement
“Hh, I think it’s time”
“Time for what?”
“I’ve been thinking I should have a tote, but I’ve had so himself known to etting ready to leave, and I should do it before the Clan Gathering It ht be unlucky for hi theelse “Iza, do you have enough roots for the ceremony? I don’t kno many clans will be there Last time one of the clans thatto a Clan Gathering south of the mountains It would be a little farther away for theainst it, but his acolyte wanted to go Make sure you bring plenty”
“I won’t be going to the Clan Gathering, Creb” Her disappointment was obvious “I can’t travel that far, I’ll have to stay behind”
Of course, what’s wrong withat the thin, nearly white-haired o Why didn’t I think of that before? She’s too sick I thought she was going to leave us last fall; I don’t kno Ayla pulled her through But what about the ceremony? Only the women of Iza’s line know the secret of the special drink Uba’s too young; it has to be a woman Ayla! What about Ayla? Iza could teach her before we leave It’s time she was made a medicine woman anyway
Creb watched the young woman as she stooped to pick up her son and suddenly saw her more critically than he had for years But will they accept her? He tried to see her as the people of other clans would see her Her golden hair hung loose around her flat face, tucked behind her ears and parted haphazardly at the center, exposing her bulging forehead Her body was definitely a wohtly flaccid stos we