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Mog-ur never spoke of Ayla’s clandestine visit to the s, getting ready to depart the next , when Creb shuffled into the second cave He had been avoiding her, and it hurt the young woman who loved him He stopped short when he saw her, and turned to leave, but she cut off his departure by rushing up and sitting at his feet He looked down at her bowed head, heaved a sigh, and tapped her shoulder

She looked up, shocked to see howscar and flap of skin that covered his empty eye socket were shriveled and sunk deeper into the shadow of his overhanging brow ridges His gray beard hung linathous jaw, and his low, back-slanted forehead was e hairline; but it was the dark sorrow in his one, liquid, deep brown eye that overwhelmed her What had she done to him? She wished fervently she could take back her trip into the cave that night The hurt she felt for Creb when she saw his body racked with pain was nothing to the anguish she felt for the pain in Mog-ur’s soul

“What is it, Ayla?” he motioned

“Mog-ur, I … I …” she fumbled, then rushed on “Oh, Creb I can’t stand to see you hurting so What can I do? I’ll go to Brun, if you want, I’ll do anything you ask Just tell me what to do”

What can you do, Ayla, he thought Can you change who you are? Can you take back the dae you did? The Clan will die, only you and your kind will be left We are an ancient people We have kept our traditions, honored the spirits and Great Ursus, but it is over for us, finished Maybe it was meant to be Maybe it wasn’t you, Ayla, but your kind Is that why you were brought to us? To tell ave us all we needed for all the generations we have lived Hoill you leave it when it is your turn? What can you do?

“There is one thing you can do, Ayla,” The Mog-ur gestured slowly, e every ain”

He stood as tall as his one good leg would allow, trying not to lean too much on his staff Then, with all the pride in hinity and walked out of the cave

“Broud!”

The young reeted hi to finish themeal, they planned to leave as soon as they ate, and theone last opportunity to talk to people they would not see again for seven years So over the details of the exciting er

“You did well this ti, you will be leader”

“Next ti up with pride “We were just lucky”

“You are lucky Your clan is first, your -ur is first, even your medicine woman is first You know, Broud, you’re lucky to have Ayla Not many medicine women would brave a cave bear to save a hunter”

Broud scowled slightly, then saw Voord and walked over to him

“Voord!” he hailed, lad when they chose you over Nouz He was all right, but you were definitely better”

“But you deserved to be first choice, Broud You ran a good race, too Your whole clan deserves its place; even your h I had ood medicine woman to have around when you are leader I only hope she doesn’t get any taller Between you andto look up at a woman”

“Yes, the woestures

“But what does it ht?”

Broud barely nodded, then waved aside further discussion and walked away Ayla, Ayla, I’ across the cleared space

“Broud, I wanted to see you before you left,” aover to meet hihter deformed like the son of your reed to accept her, but he wanted me to talk to you You’ll most likely be leader by then The ood woman, worthy of the first clan and the son of the first medicine woical match”

“No,” Broud gestured curtly and turned on his heel If he hadn’t been so angry, heinto a discussion about Ayla