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“No,” Jondalar said “Only to Ayla, and so particularly happy, and only if we allow it He’s we

ll behaved, he won’t harm anyone … unless Ayla is threatened”

“What about children?” Folara asked “Wolves often go after the weak and the young”

At the mention of children, looks of concern appeared on the faces of the people standing nearby

“Wolf loves children,” Ayla quickly explained, “and he is very protective toward the or weak ones He was raised with the children of the Lion Camp”

“There was a very weak and sickly boy, who belonged to the Lion Hearth,” Jondalar contributed “You should have seen theether Wolf was always careful around him”

“That’s a very unusual animal,” another man said “It’s hard to believe a wolf could behave so … unwolflike”

“You’re right, Solaban,” Jondalar said “He does behave in ways that seem very unwolflike to people, but if olves ouldn’t think so He was raised with people and Ayla says he thinks of people as his pack He treats people as though they olves”

“Does he hunt?” the man Jondalar had called Solaban wanted to know

“Yes,” Ayla said “Sometimes he hunts alone, for himself, and sometimes he helps us hunt”

“How does he knohat he should hunt and what he shouldn’t?” Folara asked “Like those horses”

Ayla smiled “The horses are part of his pack, too You notice they are not afraid of him And he never hunts people Otherwise, he can hunt any animal he wants, unless I tell him not to”

“And if you say no, he doesn’t?” another man asked

“That’s right, Rushemar,” Jondalar affirmed

The man shook his head in wonder It was hard to believe anyone could have such control over a powerful hunting animal

“Well, Joharran,” Jondalar said “Do you think it’s safe enough to bring Ayla and Wolf up?”

The ht for a moment, then nodded “However, if there is any trouble …”

“There won’t be, Joharran,” Jondalar stated, then turned to Ayla “My mother has invited us to stay with her Folara still lives with her, but she has her own roospace to us Of course, we could stay with Zelandoni at the visitors hearth, if you’d rather”