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“I need a backup,” Morizan said He was the son of Manvelar’s ood I a at it”

“I can be your partner I’ve been practicing with the spear-thrower”

Ayla turned at the sound of the feminine voice and saw that it was Folara’s red-haired friend, Galeya, who had spoken

Jondalar turned to look, too That’s one way to get close to the son of a leader’sif she had caught the implication

“I can partner with Thefona, if she would like,” Solaban said, “since I’ll be using a spear like her, not a spear-thrower”

The young wolad to have a more mature and experienced hunter close by

“I’ve been practicing with a spear-thrower,” Palidar said He was a friend of Tivonan, the apprentice of Willamar, the Trade Master

“We can be partners, Palidar,” Tivonan said, “but I can only use a spear”

“I haven’t really practiced much with that thrower either,” Palidar said

Ayla s men As Willamar’s apprentice trader, Tivonan would no doubt become the Ninth Cave’s next Trade Master His friend, Palidar, had come back with Tivonan when he went to visit his Cave on a short trading mission, and Palidar was the one who had found the place where Wolf had gotten into the terrible fight with the other wolves, and took her to it She thought of hiood friend

“I haven’t done much with that thrower, but I can handle a spear”

It’s Mejera, the acolyte of Zelandoni of the Third, Ayla said to herself, re woman ith them the first time Ayla went into the Deep of Fountain Rocks to look for the life force of Jondalar’s younger brother when they tried to help his elan find its way to the spirit world

“Everyone has already picked a partner, so I guess we’re left Not only have I not practiced with the spear-thrower, I have hardly ever seen it used,” said Jalodan, Morizan’s cousin, the son of Manvelar’s sister, as visiting the Third Cave He was planning to travel with the to meet up with his Cave

That was it The twelveto hunt a sith, and ferocity that lived by hunting weaker prey Ayla began having feelings of doubt and a shiver of fear gave her a chill She rubbed her arms and felt an eruption of bu a pride of lions? She caught sight of the other carnivore, the one she knew, and signaled the ani, twelve people—and Wolf

“All right, let’s go,” Joharran said, “but keep together”

The twelve hunters from the Third Cave and the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii started out together walking directly toward the pride of massive felines They were armed with spears, tipped with sharpened flint, or bone or ivory sanded to a smooth, round sharp point Some had spear-throwers that could propel a spear much farther and with more power and speed than one thrown by hand, but lions had been killed with just spears before This ht be a test of Jondalar’s weapon, but it would test the courage of the ones ere hunting even more

“Go away!” Ayla shouted as they started out “We don’t want you here!”

Several others picked up the refrain, with variations, shouting and yelling at the anio away

At first the cats, young and old, just watched therass that hid theh they weren’t sure what to do The ones who retreated with cubs returned without them