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“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”

“I would be pleased to stay with your mother, Jondalar,” Ayla said

“Good! Mother also suggested that ith et settled in It isn’t as though I need to be introduced, and there’s no point in repeating everything to each one e can do it all at once”

“We’re already planning a welcoht,” Folara said “And probably another one later, for all the nearby Caves”

“Í appreciate your htfulness, Jondalar It would be easier to ht introducewoman,” Ayla said

Folara smiled

“Of course, I was planning to,” Jondalar said “Ayla, this is my sister, Folara, Blessed of Doni, of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii; Daughter of Marthona, former Leader of the Ninth Cave; born to the hearth of Willamar, Traveler and Trade Master; Sister of Joharran, Leader of the Ninth Cave; Sister of Jondalar…”

“She knows about you, Jondalar, and I’ve already heard her names and ties,” Folara said, impatient with the formalities, then held out both hands toward Ayla “In the name of Doni, the Great Earth Mother, I welcome you, Ayla of the Mamutoi, Friend of horses and wolves”

The crowd of people standing on the sunny stone porch quickly moved back when they saw the wo with Jondalar and the s them One or two took a step closer while others craned their necks around theot her first view of the living space of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii The sight surprised her

Though she knew the word “Cave” in the naroup of people who lived there, the forht of one A cave was, a dark charound with an opening to the outside The living space of these people was the area beneath a huge overhanging shelf jutting out of the limestone cliff, an abri, that provided protection froht

The high cliffs of the region were once the floor beneath the surface of an ancient sea As the calcareous shells of crustaceans who lived in the sea were discarded, they built up on the floor and eventually beca certain periods of time, for a variety of reasons, some of the deposited shells created thick layers of limestone that were harder than others When the earth shifted and exposed the sea floor to eventually beco processes of wind and water cut into the relatively softer stone es of the harder stone between

Although the cliffs were also riddled with caves, which was common for limestone, these unusual shelflike forood living sites and had been used as such for a great many thousands of years

Jondalar led Ayla toward the older woman she had seen fronified in her bearing as she waited patiently for theht broas pulled back fro braid, which was coiled at the back of her head Her clear direct appraising eyes were also gray

When they reached her, Jondalar began the formal introduction “Ayla, this is Marthona, forhter of Jemara; born to the hearth of Rabanar; mated to Willamar, Trade Master of the Ninth Cave; Mother of Joharran, Leader of the Ninth Cave; Mother of Folara, Blessed of Doni; Mother of…” He started to say “Thonolan,” hesitated, then quickly filled in, “Jondalar, Returned Traveler” Then he turned to his mother

“Marthona, this is Ayla of the Lion Cahter of the Mammoth Hearth, Chosen by the Spirit of the Cave Lion, Protected by the Spirit of the Cave Bear”