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Ayla looked down at herself, then stood up straight “This was given to erence, “and I intend to wear it Besides,” she added with a smile, “I don’t have many clothes, and this is easy to move in If I de a cloak or a fur around , but later, when it gets hot, it will be cool and comfortable It really is a very practical outfit”
There was a moment of aard silence, then Willaht of wearing winter underwear as su clothes, but why not?”
Marthona studied Ayla carefully, then gave her a shrewd smile “If Ayla wears that outfit,” she said, “people will talk Older women will disapprove, but under the circumstances, some will feel she’s justified, and by this ti the sa”
Jondalar visibly relaxed “Do you really think so, mother?”
He hadn’t knohat to say when he saw Ayla putting on the clothes Marona had given the her embarrassht—and Marthona was seldos—it would be Marona ould be not only eet it Every time she saw someone wear such an outfit, it would remind her that her spiteful trick had not pleased anyone
Folara was looking du froain
“You’d better hurry if you’re coht soon”
Willa room while they waited It was one of several they had prepared after they had walked into a dark dwelling, the night Ayla taught them how to make fire with flint and iron pyrite When Folara ca to tie her hair back with a strip of leather, they moved the leather drape aside and slipped out quietly Ayla bent down to touch Wolf’s head, a signal in the dark for hihts in the direction of the stone front porch
Quite a nue when the residents of Marthona’s dwelling, including the wolf, appeared Soht in the dark for them to find their way but burned for soht but burned out faster
They waited a while longer until a few roup started toward the south end of the abri It was difficult to distinguish individuals or even see where they were going when they started out The torches carried by so beyond the glow of the light seem blacker
Ayla kept her hand on Jondalar’s are, past the uninhabited section of the Ninth Cave’s cliff overhang to the gully that separated the Ninth Cave froh the trench—the runoff of the fresh spring welling up out of the back as a handy source of water for the craftspeople when they orking, and during bad weather an extra source for the Ninth Cave as well
The torchbearers stood at either end of the bridge that led up to the stone shelters of Down River In the flickering light, each person walked carefully on the logs that were lashed together and laid across the s to turn froht blue of predawn, the first sign that the sun would soon be breaking But stars still filled the night sky
There were no fires burning in the two large shelters of Down River The last of the crafters had long since retired to the sleeping lodges The hunting party passed by the lodges, then continued down the steep path to the Gather Field between High Rock and The River Froe balefire in the middle of the field and people around it When they drew near, Ayla noted that, like the torches, the fire lighted the space around it, but made it difficult to see beyond Fire onderful to have at night, but there were limitations
They werethe One Who Was First A Those Who Served The Mother, the Zelandoni of the Ninth Cave The large woreeted them and told them where they would stand for the ceremony As she walked away, her broad silhouette alht from the fire, but only for a moment
More people were arriving Ayla recognized Braroup frolanced up and are that the sky had definitely beco torches appeared, Kareja and Manvelar a them The Eleventh and Third Caves had arrived Manvelar motioned to Joharran, then approached him