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When they went back to the serving tables, everyone wanted to give Ayla and Jondalar samples of special treats, which she noticed had a different variety of tastes fro she had learned on her travels, however, was that whatever foods the people of a region liked best, while they ood

A roup that surrounded Ayla Though Ayla thought he appeared rather slovenly—his unwashed blond hair was dark with grease, and his clothing was grimy and needed repair— , over his shoulder It had been made from the nearly waterproof stomach of an animal and was full of liquid, which distended its shape

By the size of it, Ayla guessed the container had probably come from the stomach of a horse; it did not appear to have the distinctive contours of a waterbag made from a ruminant with a multiple-chambered stomach And by the smell, she knew it did not contain water Rather, the odor reminded her of Talut’s bouza, the fermented drink that the headredients—which he liked to keep secret but usually included grains of some kind

A youngnear Ayla looked up and sht some of your barma?”

Jondalar was glad to see him distracted He didn’t know him, but had learned the man’s name was Charezal He was a new roup of Zelandonii, and quite young He probably hadn’t even ht, but he had been fluttering around Ayla like a gnat

“Yes I thought I wouldwo at Ayla

His smile seemed insincere, which aroused her Clan sensitivity She paid closer attention to the language his body spoke and quickly decided this was not a man to be trusted

“A contribution?” one of the woht it was Salova, the arded as Joharran’s seconds in command, as Grod had been Brim’s in the Clan Leaders needed someone they could rely on, she had decided

“I thought it was the least I could do,” Laramar said “It isn’t often that a Cave can welcome someone from so far away”

As he lifted the heavy bag from his shoulder and turned to put it down on a nearby stone table, Ayla overheard the woman mutter under her breath, “And even less often that Lara I wonder what he wants”

It see the man Others did not trust him, either It made her curious about hi around hi out Ayla and Jondalar

“I think the returned traveler and the woet the first drinks,” Laramar said

“They can hardly refuse such a great honor,” Salova murmured

Ayla barely heard the scornful coht They could not refuse Ayla looked at Jondalar, who pointedly emptied the water from his cup and nodded toward the man She emptied her cup as they walked up to Laramar

“Thank you,” Jondalar said, sht his shtful of you Everyone knows your barma is the best, Laramar Have you met Ayla yet?”