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Broud did start Durc, though I wonder if nal that first time? It ful, but it could have been another test, and maybe there was no other way My totem must have known, must have planned it He kne n that Durc would live Wouldn’t it infuriate Broud if he knew? He hatedI wanted most

“Ayla,” Uba said, interrupting her train of thought, “I just saw Creb and Brun go into the cave It’s getting late, we should start preparing sory”

Durc had fallen asleep He hen Ayla picked hiled in the cloak next to his mother’s breast I’ht as they walked back to the cave of the host clan They are ht for each other than Oda realizes But what about ht for me?

23

When the last two clans arrived, Ayla went through a sireeted her entrance The tall blonde wo the nearly two hundred and fifty Clan people froether She was noticed wherever she went, and her every action scrutinized As abnormal as she appeared, no one could detect any deviation in her behavior Ayla was extremely careful to make sure no one would

She displayed none of the peculiar characteristics that still slipped out in the h, or even s arm on of Clan virtue, an exe matron—and no one noticed No one, outside her clan, ever kneoman who acted any other way But it ot used to her There were tooof the clans for the novelty of one strange wo

It wasn’t easy to ation within the close confines of the cave environment for an extended period of tie dose of courtesy The leaders of the ten clans were far busier than they ever ith only their own ether multiplied the problems

Feeding the horde anized While established patterns and ranks within any one clan made disposition of the hunters easy, when two or ether, probleroup, but which third-ranked ee positions so no one would be offended After the co party went out without first deciding the relative positions of the men

The wo forays had their proble to select the choicest produce An area could be depleted quickly with no one getting quite enough Preserved food brought with them supplemented the diet of every clan, but fresh foods were always ed far away fro, but even that courtesy was inadequate to satisfy the needs of all Though no long journey limited their ti still had to build up an extra reserve By the time it was over, edible food plants in their vicinity would be exhausted

There was an adequate supply of water fro nearby, but fireas at a pre was done outside the cave, unless it rained, and clans prepared their food as a unit, rather than at separate hearths Even so,trees, which would take more than a season or two to replenish themselves, were used up The environ would never be the same

Supply was not the only problem, disposal was an issue of equal importance Human waste and other refuse had to be acco space within the shelter of the cave, but space to cook, space to asse, and space tothe activities was no small feat in itself All of it involved intered with intense coe role in s out many of the bumps, but it was in this arena that Brun’s administrative mind came to the fore

Creb was not the only one whose enjoyely because of association with his peers Brun enjoyed the challenge of pitting hiainst men whose authority equaled his own That was his contest: to vie for domination of the other leaders Interpretation of ancient ways so, the ability to th of character to hold to it, yet to knohen to yield Brun was not first leader without reason He knehen to be forceful, when to be conciliatory, when to call for a consensus, and when to stand alone Whenever the clans gathered, one strong e the authoritarian leaders into a cohesive, workable entity, at least for the duration of theBrun was that man He had been since he first became leader of his own clan

Had he lost face, his own self-doubt would have lost himent, his diffidence would have cast doubt over his decisions He could not face a Gathering, and the other leaders, under those circuth and co framework of Clan tradition, that had allowed him to make the concessions he had toward Ayla And once the threat to hian to view her differently

Ayla had tried to force a decision, but it ithin the structure of Clan custom, as she interpreted it, and it wasn’t in a wholly unworthy cause True, she was a woman and must understand her place, but she had come to her senses and seen the error of her ways in time When she showed him the location of her small cave, he was privately amazed that she had reached it in her weak condition He wondered if a man could have done it, and masculinity was e, deterth of character In spite of the fact that Ayla was a worit

“If Zoug were here, ould have won the sling co motioned “No one could have beaten him”

“Except Ayla,” Goov coestures “Too bad she couldn’t compete”

“We don’t need a wo contest doesn’t count for that , he always has And there’s still the spear-and-running contest”

“But Voord already won the running co-and-spear-stabbing, too,” Droog said “And Gorn did ith the club”

“Just wait until we show them our mammoth hunt Our clan is bound to win,” Broud answered Hunt reenactments were a part of many ceremonies; occasionally they happened spontaneously after an especially exciting hunt Broud enjoyed acting the the sense of excite the center of attention

But hunt reenact off They were instructive With expressive panto techniques and tactics to youngsters and other clans It was a way of developing and sharing skills Had they been asked, everyone would have agreed that the prize awarded to the clan that came out best in the coed first ah it was not acknowledged The competitions sharpened skills necessary for survival

“We’ll win if you lead the hunt dance, Broud,” Vorn said The ten-year-old boy, fast approaching manhood, still idolized the future leader Broud courted his adoration by ad him into the men’s discussions whenever he could

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“Too bad your race doesn’t count, Vorn I atching; it wasn’t even close You ay out in front But it’s good practice for next tilowed under the praise

“We’ve still got a good chance,” Droog ave you a good fight in the wrestling ’s second rown since the last Gathering I think he’s the biggest man here”

“He’s got the strength, all right,” Goov said “It shohen he ith the club, but Broud is quicker, and al Gorn came in a close second”

“And Nouz is good with that sling I think helast time and decided to work on it; he just didn’t want to let an olderadded “If he’s practiced as ood contest Voord is a fast runner, but I thought you were going to catch him, Broud That one was close, too, you were just a step behind him”

“Droog estured The laconic man seldom volunteered comment

“Selecting the best and bringing the, Grod, but it will take luck toreplied

“That’s one contest where you’ll have the advantage just because he is younger, Droog He’ll beYou’ll be able to concentrate better,” Goov encouraged

“But it still takes luck”

“They all take luck,” Crug said “I still think old Dorv tells a better story than anyone”

“You’re just used to hie Even soood story”