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Jondalar same they had obviously played with her before Her tribe not only revered their ancient ancestress, they loved her, and she see Jondalar, pointed at him The men waved him over, and he noticed the care hich they helped her onto his back He stood up carefully She weighed alrip The fragile old wohness

He started walking, but the rest were racing ahead, and she pounded his shoulder, urging him on They ran up and down the beach until they were all out of breath, and then Jondalar got down to let her off She straightened herself, found her staff, and, with great dignity, headed toward the tents

“Can you believe that old woman?” Jondalar said to Thonolan with adenerations, and she’s still going strong I don’t doubt that she will live to see her sixth generation”

“She live see six generation, then she die”

Jondalar turned at the voice He hadn’t seen Tamen approach “What do you mean, then she die?”

“Haduma say, Noria make blue-eye son, Zelandonii spirit, then Haduo See baby, then die Baby naeneration Haduood ood man”

Jondalar was filled with o, she will, but it makes me sad,” he said

“Yes, all Hadumai much sad,” Tamen said

“Can I see Noria again, so soon after First Rites? Just for a while? I don’t know your customs”

“Custoo soon?”

“If Jeren says the sturgeon pays our obligation for chasing off the horses, I think we should How did you know?”

“Haduma say”

The ca, andearlier in the afternoon Jondalar glimpsed Noria once from a distance as she was escorted by several women to some place farther upstream It was after dark before she was led to see hiether toward the river, with toh for her to see him immediately after First Rites; alone would be too much

They stood by a tree not saying anything, her head bowed He moved aside a tendril of hair and lifted her chin to look at hi drop froht it to his lips

“Oh … Jondalar,” she cried, reaching for him

He held her, kissed her gently, then more passionately

“Noria,” he said “Noria woman, beautiful woman”