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Ayla had originally learned healing—at least herbal medicine and treatments, if not matters of the spirit world—fronized as a worthy descendant of the foremost line of medicine women She had learned additional details fro to which she had gone with Brun’s clan Later, at the Su of the Mamutoi, she had spent a considerable amount of time with the mamutii

She discovered that all Those Who Served The Mother were conversant with both medicines and spirits, but not equally skilled It often depended on an individual’s own interests Soeable aboutpractices, soenerally and why certain ones would recover from the same illness or injury and others would not And sos of the spirit world and theat all

Ayla wanted to know everything She tried to absorb it all—ideas about the spirit world, knowledge and uses of counting words, ends and histories—but she was particularly and endlessly fascinated with anything related to healing: medicines, practices, treatments, and causes She had experimented with different plants and herbs on herself the way Iza had taught her, using knowledge and care, and learned whatever she could froht of herself as so She didn’t fully realize howshe hadsoue

Folara helped her s were They both carried stea cups out for everyone Willa Jondalar the details of Thonolan’s death He had just begun to retell the circumstances of the cave lion attack when they all looked up at the tapping sound from the entrance

“Come in,” Marthona called

Joharran moved aside the drape and looked a little surprised to see everyone gathered together inside, including Zelandoni “I ca went I saw Tivonan and you drop a big pack, but with all the exciteht we should wait until to as he approached Then he noticed that so He looked from one to the other, and finally to Zelandoni

“Jondalar was just telling us about the cave lion that … attacked Thonolan,” she said, and, seeing his horrified look, realized that he didn’t know about the death of his youngest brother It wasn’t going to be easy on him, either Thonolan had been well loved “Sit down, Joharran I think everyone should hear about it all together Shared grief is easier to bear, and I doubt that Jondalar wants to repeat this too many times”

Ayla caught Zelandoni’s eye, tilted her head toward the first cal drink that the woman had prepared, then toward the second tea that she had made Zelandoni nodded at the second, then watched as Ayla silently poured a cup and unobtrusively handed it to Joharran He took it without even noticing as he listened to Jondalar su up to Thonolan’s death Zelandoni was beco, perhaps soe of herbs

“What happened after the lion attacked him, Jondalar?” Joharran asked

“He attacked me”

“How did you get away?”

“That’s Ayla’s story to tell,” Jondalar said All eyes suddenl

y turned to her

The first time Jondalar had done that, told a story up to a point and then turned it over to her without warning, she had been very disconcerted She was more used to it now, but these people were his kin, his fa to have to talk about the death of one of their own, a man she never kneho obviously had been very dear to them She felt her nervousness in the pit of her stomach

“I was riding on Whinney’s back,” she began “Her belly was full with Racer, but she needed exercise, so I rode her a little every day We usually went east, because it was easier, but I was tired of going the sao west We went to the far end of the valley where the cliff wall began to level out We crossed the little river, and I al in that direction Whinney was pulling the pole drag and it was a steep slope, but she’s surefooted and climbed up without too much trouble”