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“They do resemble ibex, don’t they, Thonolan? They’re smaller—horns, too But from a distance …”

“How do the Zelandonii hunt ibex, Jondalar?” a young wo with curiosity, excitement, and love

She was only a few years older than Darvo and had developed an adolescent infatuation with the tall blond rown up on the river when her mother mated a second time to a Ramudoi, and had moved back up when the relationship carown accustosters did and hadn’t shown an inclination to hunt cha feeling of approval for wo

“I don’t know ently He had seen the signs in young woh he couldn’t help but respond to her attention, he didn’t want to encourage her “There were ibex in the es, but we didn’t hunt the et together at the Su party But I just went along for the fun, and I followed the directions of the hunters who kne I’, Rakario Dolando is the expert hunter of mountain animals”

The chamois leaped from the precipice to a pinnacle, then cale

“How do you hunt an animal that can jump like that?” Rakario breathed with hushed wonder at the effortless grace of the sure-footed creature “How can they hold on to such a small place?”

“When we get one, Rakario, take a look at the hooves,” Dolando said “Only the outer edge is hard The inner part is flexible, like the palm of your hand That’s why they don’t slide or lose their footing The soft part grips, the outer edge holds To hunt them, it’s most important to remember that they always look down They alatch where they’re going, and they knohat is below them Their eyes are far back on the sides of their head, so they can see around to the side, but they can’t see up behind thee If you et close enough to touch them, if you’re careful and don’t lose patience”

“What if they et there?” she asked

“Look up there See the tinge of green on the pastures? That spring grass is a real treat after winter forage The one up there is a lookout The rest of the rocks and bushes staying out of sight If the grazing is good, they won’tas they feel safe”

“Why are we standing around here talking? Let’s go,” Darvo said

He was annoyed at Rakario for hanging around Jondalar all the tiin th

e hunt He’d acco when he started hunting with the Shah only to track, watch, and learn This tiiven permission to try for the kill If he succeeded, it would be a first kill for him, and he would be the recipient of special attention But no extraordinary pressures were imposed on him He did not have to make the kill this tiile prey, in an environment to which they were uniquely adapted, was difficult at best Whoever got close enough to try made the attempt, and that required stealth and care No one could follow the cha to outcrop, across deep chashtened and started to run

Dolando started up around a rock forle Softer layers of the sedi convenient steplike footholds The steep hike to get up behind and around the herd of chamois would be arduous, but not perilous No realwould be required

The rest of the hunting party fell in behind the leader Jondalar aiting to bring up the rear Nearly everyone had started up the stepped rock when he heard Serenio call out to him He turned around in surprise Serenio was not a wo, and she seldom went ine what she was doing so far away, but the look on her face when she caught up to hi and had to catch her breath before she could talk “Glad … reached you Need Thonolan … Jetaet out after a moment

He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted: “Thonolan! Thonolan!”

One of the figureson ahead turned around, and Jondalar waved him back

The silence as they waited was uncoht, but so held him back

“When did labor start?” he finally asked

“She was having back pains last night but didn’t say anything to Thonolan He’d been looking forward to the chao if she told him She said she wasn’t sure it was labor, and I think she had soot back,” Serenio said “She didn’t want hi, while she labored”

That was like Jetaht She would want to spare him Thonolan doted on her so ht If it was Jetamio’s wish to surprise Thonolan, why had Serenio rushed up the et him?

“There’s a problem, isn’t there?”

Serenio looked at the ground, closed her eyes, and breathed deep before she answered “The baby is breech; she’s too narrow and won’t give Shamud thinks it’s the fault of the paralysis she had, and told et Thonolan… You, too … for his sake”

“Oh, no! Good Doni, oh, no!”