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On a cold, dishter and made a decision

“Uba,” she called softly The young woed with dark circles that es “It’s tiet the contractions started There’s nothing that can save your baby, Uba If it doesn’t co, you can have another baby,” Ayla motioned

Uba looked at Ayla, then Ovra, then back to Ayla again

“All right,” she nodded “You’re right, there’s no hope My baby is dead”

Uba’s labor was difficult It was hard to get the contractions started and itfor pain for fear they would stop Though the other women of the clan stopped by for short visits to offer their encourage They all knew her pain and effort would be in vain Only Ovra stayed to help Ayla

When the stillborn was delivered, Ayla quickly wrapped it with the placental tissue in the leather birthing blanket

“It was a boy,” she told Uba

“Can I see it?” the exhausted young woman asked

“I think it’s best that you don’t, Uba It will only make you feel worse You rest, I’ll dispose of it for you You’re too weak to get up”

Ayla told Brun that Uba was too weak, she would dispose of the baby, but she refrained fro else It wasn’t a son that Uba had delivered, it o sons that had never separated properly Only Ovra had seen the pitiful, sickening thing barely recognizable as hurotesque features on a head too large Ovra had to fight to keep fro the contents of her stomach, and Ayla sed hard herself

This was not Durc’s modification of Clan characteristics with hers, this was a defor had not survived long enough for Uba to have had to deliver it live She knew Ovra would never tell anyone It was best to let the clan believe Uba had given birth to a normal stillborn son, for Uba’s sake

Ayla put on her outdoor clothes and plowed through deep snow until she was far fros and left them exposed It’s better to ht Even as she turned to go back, she caught a slinking movement out of the corner of her eye The sht the means

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“Would you like to sleep with Uba tonight, Durc?” Ayla asked

“No!” the boy shook his head emphatically “Durc sleep with Mama”

“That’s all right, Ayla I didn’t think he would He’s been with et that name he calls you, Ayla?”

“It’s just a na her head aside The Clan stricture against unnecessary words or sounds has been so firrained in Ayla froah she knew there was so

“Soether,” Ayla admitted “He just picked those sounds for me He can make a lot of sounds”

“You can make sounds, too Mother said you used to make all kinds of sounds and words when you were little, especially before you learned to talk,” she gestured “I still remember when I was a baby, I used to love that sound you made when you rocked me”

“I guess I did when I was little, I don’t really reame we play”

“I don’t think there’s anything so wrong with that,” Uba said “It’s not like he can’t talk I wish these roots weren’t so rotten,” Uba added, throwing a large one away “It’s not going to be much of a feast toetables If Brun would only wait a little longer, there would at least be soreens and shoots”