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“That’s good! That’s very good,” he said

Ayla srin “Dzhon-da-larr ob da Zel-ann-do-nee” He had said the name of his people more often than he said his own na in private

“That’s right!” Jondalar was genuinely surprised She hadn’t said it quite right, but only a Zelandonii would know the difference His pleased approval made all her effort worth it, and Ayla’s smile of success was beautiful

“What means ‘Zelandonee’?”

“It means my people Children of the Mother who live in the southwest Doni uess that’s the easiest way to say it But all people call thee It just means the people”

They were facing each other, leaning against opposite boles of a birch clurown into several sturdy trunks of a tree with a coh he used a staff and still had a pronounced lireen meadow of the valley From his first tentative steps, he had pushed himself each day His initial trip down the steep path had been an ordeal—and a triu down

He still didn’t kno she had gotten hi, without help But if others had helped her, where were they? It was a question he had long wanted to ask, but first she would not have understood him, and then it seemed inappropriate to blurt it out just to satisfy his curiosity He had been waiting for the right moment, and this seemed to be it,

“Who are your people, Ayla? Where are they?”

The s silence, he began to think she had not understood him

“No people Ayla of no people,” she answered finally, pushing herself away frorabbed his staff and hobbled after her

“But you had to have some people You were born to a ? Where are your people now, Ayla? Why are you alone?”

Ayla walked ahead slowly, staring at the ground She was not trying to avoid replying—she had to answer him No woman of the Clan could refuse to answer a direct question asked by a man In fact, all members of the Clan, male and female, responded to direct questions It was si personal questions, and men seldom posed them to each other Woht up many memories, but she did not know the answer to some and did not kno to answer others

“If you don’t want to tell me …”

“No” She looked at him and shook her head “Ayla say” Her eyes were troubled “Not knoords”

Jondalar wondered again if he should have brought it up, but he

was curious and she seeed chunk of rock that had knocked out part of the wall before coe where the stone had been cleaved to for back rest

“What do your people call themselves?” he asked

Ayla thought for a moain, not knowing how to explain “The Clan” She esture for the concept at the same time

“Like fa at the same hearth… Usually”