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She set the eggs down near the strea near the water’s edge The loosely woven basket she made took only a few s and then be throay She used ether the feathered feet of the brace of ptar in

Winter Ayla shivered She didn’t want to think about winter, cold and bleak But winter was never entirely out of et ready for winter

Jondalar was going to leave! She knew it It was silly to think he would stay with her in the valley Why should he? Would she stay if she had people? It was going to be worse after he left … even if he did look at her like that

“Why did he have to come?”

She startled herself with her voice She wasn’t used to hearing herself talk when she was alone “But I can talk That much Jondalar did At least, if I see people, I can talk to theht, there must be many people, many Others”

She draped the ptar on either side, and held the basket of eggs between her legs I was born to the Others … Find a ht Jondalar was sent for me by my totem, but would one my totem sent look at me like that?

“How could he look at me like that?” she cried with a convulsive sob “O Cave Lion, I don’t want to be alone anyain Whinney noticed the lack of direction, but it didn’t matter She knew the way After a while Ayla sat up No one isbefore this I can talk now …

“ … and I can tell them Whinney is not a horse to hunt,” she continued out loud after re I will leave” She knew she would not put it off again

Jondalar won’t leave right away He will need clothes and weapons Maybe my Cave Lion sent hioes I atch him, and ask him questions, no matter how he looks at me Broud hated me all the years I lived with the Clan I can stand it if Jondalar … if he … hates me She closed her eyes to squeeze back tears

She reached for her ao: When you find a sign your tote you luck Ayla had put the, put luck in my amulet

The sun had fallen behind the upstreae wall by the time she rode doard the strea and ran down to the beach Ayla had urged Whinney to a gallop, and, as she rounded the jutting wall, she al the wo hand, but when he felt bare flesh, he jerked his hand away, sure she must despise him

He hates ht He can’t stand to touch naled Whinney forward The horse crossed the rocky beach and clattered up the path with Ayla on her back She dis she had so basket beside the hearth, scooped up an are area She du rack, amidst unused baskets, mats, and bowls, then jumped into them and pulled them over her head

Ayla heard Whinney’s hooves aback tears, acutely conscious of the movements of the man in the cave She wished he would leave so at least she could cry

She didn’t hear his bare feet on the dirt floor as he approached, but she kneas there and tried to stop her shaking

“Ayla?” he said She didn’t answer “Ayla, I brought you some tea” She held herself stiff “Ayla, you don’t have to stay back here I’ll o to the other side of the fireplace”

He hatesa sob I wish he’d go away, I wish he’d just go away

“I know it doesn’t do any good, but I have to say it I’m sorry, Ayla I’m more sorry than I can say You didn’t deserve what I did You don’t have to answer me, but I have to talk to you You have always been honest with e

“I’ve been thinking about it since you rode off I don’t knohy I did … what I did, but I want to try to explain After that lion attacked and I woke up here, I didn’t knohere I was, and I couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t talk to an to i yourself, a sacred wo a call to Serve the Mother When you didn’t respond to ht you were forgoing theroup of zelandonii you lived with”

Ayla had stopped shaking and was listening, but not

“I was only thinking of myself, Ayla” He hunkered down “I’m not sure if you’ll believe this, but I, ahhh … I’ve been considered a … an attractive man Most woht you were rejecting me I’m not used to it, and it hurt my pride, but I wouldn’t admit it I think that’s why I ive myself a reason why you didn’t seem to want me

“If I’d been paying attention, I would have known you weren’t an experienced wo woman before her First Rites—unsure, and a little scared, and wanting to please If anyone ought to recognize that, I should—I’ve had … never mind That doesn’t matter”

Ayla had let the covers fall back, listening so intensely that she could hear her heart pounding in her ears

“All I could see was Ayla the woht you were teasing ly You weren’t, were you? You really think you are Maybe to fl … the people who raised you, you were too tall, and different, but Ayla, you need to know, you are not big and ugly You are beautiful You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen”