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“It’s time to turn back, Jondalar”
“I suppose you’re right,” he said, watching his breath rise in a slight puff of steam “It’s still early in the season We shouldn’t run into any bad storms”
“You never know; the weather can surprise you”
They finally got up and started breaking ca from its subterranean nest in rapid bipedal ju as its body, and slung it over her back by hooflike hind claws At the campsite, she quickly skinned and spitted it
“I’ back,” Ayla said, while Jondalar built up the fire “It has been … fun Just traveling, stopping where anted Not worrying about bringing anything back Making camp at noon just because anted to swiht of it”
“I’ood trip”
He got up to getdoard the river Ayla helped him They rounded a bend and found a pile of rotted deadfall Suddenly, Ayla heard a sound She looked up and reached for Jondalar
“Heyooo!” a voice called
A s Ayla clung to Jondalar; his ar
“It’s all right, Ayla They’re Mamutoi Did I ever tell you they call themselves the mammoth hunters? They think we are Mamutoi, too,” Jondalar said
As the group neared, Ayla turned to Jondalar, her face full of surprise and wonder “Those people, Jondalar, they are s at me”
Turn the page to read an exciting preview
from Jean M Auel’s latest novel—
The Land of Painted Caves
Available spring 2011 from Crown Publishers
1
The band of travelers walked along the path between the clear sparkling water of Grass River and the black-streaked white liht bank They went single file around the bend where the stone wall jutted out closer to the water’s edge Ahead a s place, where the floater spread out and beca around exposed rocks
Before they reached the fork in the trail, a young wo wide as she stood perfectly still, staring ahead She pointed with her chin, not wanting towhisper of fear “Lions!”
Joharran, the leader, lifted his ar the band to a halt Just beyond the place where the trail diverged, they no pale-tawny cave lions rass was such effective caht not have noticed them until they were much closer, if it hadn’t been for the sharp eyes of Thefona The young woood vision, and though she was quite young, she was noted for her ability to see far and well Her innate talent had been recognized early and they had begun training her when she was a sirl; she was their best lookout
Near the back of the group, walking in front of three horses, Ayla and Jondalar looked up to see as causing the delay “I wonder e’ve stopped,” Jondalar said, a fa his forehead
Ayla observed the leader and the people around him closely, and instinctively moved her hand to shield the warm bundle that she carried in the soft leather blanket tied to her chest Jonayla had recently nursed and was sleeping, but htly at her mother’s touch Ayla had an uncanny ability to interpretwhen she lived with the Clan She knew Joharran was alarhtened
Ayla, too, had extraordinarily sharp vision She could also pick up sounds above the range of nor and feel the deep tones of those that were below Her sense of smell and taste were also keen, but she had never compared herself with anyone, and didn’t realize how extraordinary her perceptions were She was born with heightened acuity in all her senses, which no doubt contributed to her survival after losing her parents and everything she knew at five years Her only training had come fro the years she studied ani herself to hunt
In the stillness, she discerned the faint but fas of lions, detected their distinctive scent on a slight breeze, and noticed that several people in front of the group were gazing ahead When she looked, she saw sorass see and three or four adult cave lions As she startedforward, she reached with one hand for her spear-thrower, fastened to a carrying loop on her belt, and with the other for a spear fro on her back
“Where are you going?” Jondalar asked