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“But by then he was a full-grown lion, wasn’t he? Living with a et him away from Jondalar?” Marthona asked She was incredulous

“We hunted together When he was little, I shared er, I made him share his with me He always did what I asked I was his , their mothers,” Ayla said

“I don’t understand it, either,” Jondalar said, seeing his est lion I have ever seen, but Ayla stopped hi me a second time I saw her ride on his back,saw her ride that lion I’ve seen it, and I still have trouble believing it”

“I am only sorry that I wasn’t able to save Thonolan,” Ayla said “I heard a ot there, Thonolan was already dead”

Ayla’s words rerief, and they were all wrapped in their own feelings for a while, but Marthona wanted to know lad to know he found someone to love,” she said

Jondalar picked up the first package he had taken fro pack “On the day that Thonolan and Jetamio were mated, he told me you kneould never return, but he made me promise hi you so beautiful, the way Willamar always does When Ayla and I stopped to visit the Sharaave this to me for you—Roshario was the woman who raised Jetamio, after her mother died She said it was Jetae to his mother

Jondalar cut the cord that tied the leather-wrapped package At first, Marthona thought the gift was the soft chamois skin itself, it was so beautiful, but when she opened it, she caught her breath at the sight of a beautiful necklace It wasaniraduated in size and sy, iridescentfrom the middle

“It represents the people that Thonolan chose to join, the Sharamudoi, both sides of theeon of the river for the Ramudoi, and the shell boat for both of theed to Thonolan's chosen woman,” Jondalar said

Tears traced their way down Marthona’s face as she looked at the beautiful gift “Jondalar, whatback?” she asked

“He said you told him ‘Good Journey’ when he left, not ‘Until you return,’ ” he said

A new freshet of tears welled up and overflowed “He was right I didn’t think he’d be back As much as I denied it to ain And when I learned that you had gone with hiht I had lost two sons Jondalar, I wish Thonolan had come home with you, but I’ for him

Ayla couldn’t help shedding her own tears watching Jondalar and his an to understand nohy Jondalar couldn’t stay with the Sharamudoi when Tholie and Markeno had wanted them to She kne it felt to lose a son She knew that she would never see her son again, but she wished she kneas, what happened to him, what kind of life he lived

The drape at the entrancein She was followed more calmly by Willamar

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Marthona hurried to greet the man who had just returned, and they embraced warmly