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“We’ve been using the spear-throwers for a few years now, but by the end of the first su with theot good at hunting froh Wolf can be a help, too”

“It’s still hard to get used to the idea of using ani besides meat or fur,” Joharran said “I wouldn’t have believed you could if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes But it’s that spear-thrower I want to know more about We’ll talk tomorrow”

The brothers bade a good night to each other, then Jondalar went to where Ayla was sleeping and joined her Wolf looked up He watched her breathing quietly in the glow frolad he’s always there watching out for her, he thought, and stroked his head, then he slipped in beside her He was sorry Shevonar had died, not only because he was a member of the Ninth Cave, but because he kne hard it was on Ayla when so she could do She was a healer, but there were some wounds no one could heal

Zelandoni had been busy allthe body of Shevonar to be carried back to the Ninth Cave Being near so for most people, and his burial would involve more than the usual ritual It was considered very bad luck if so If they were alone, the bad luck was obvious, the misfortune had been acco ritual to ward off any possible future effects If two or three hunters went out and one of them died, it was still considered a personal matter, and a ceremony with the survivors and family members was adequate But when someone died on a hunt that involved not just one Cave but the whole co on a community level had to be done

The One Who Was First was thinking about whatof bison for the rest of the season to assuage the ill fortunewith a cup of tea near the fire, sitting on a stack of several thickly stuffed pads that had been brought for her on Whinney’s pole drag She seldo it rew more corpulent with each year

Ayla approached the donier “Zelandoni, can I talk to you?”

“Yes, of course”

“If you’re too busy, it can wait I just wanted to ask you so,” Ayla said

“I can spare a little time now,” Zelandoni said “Get a cup for tea and join round

“I just wanted to ask you if you know of anything more that I could have done for Shevonar Is there any way to heal internal wounds? When I lived with the Clan, there was a man who had been accidentally stabbed with a knife A piece broke off inside and Iza cut in and removed it, but I don’t think there was a way to cut in and fix Shevonar’s wounds,” Ayla said

It was obvious how n woman that she had been able to do so little for the man, and Zelandoni was ood acolyte ht feel

“There is not much that can be done to help anyone who has been stepped on by a full-grown bison, Ayla,” Zelandoni said “Sos can be lanced to drain, or small objects cut out, slivers or that broken piece of the knife that your Clan wo for her to do It is dangerous to cut into the body You are creating an injury that often is bigger than the one you are trying to fix I have cut in a few times, but only when I was sure it would help and there was no other way”

“That’s how I feel,” Ayla said

“It’s also necessary to know so about what the inside of the body is like There are many similarities between the inside of a human body and the inside of an animal’s body, and I have often butchered an animal very carefully to see what it looks like and how they are connected It’s easy to see the tubes that carry blood fros are very sis are different, an aurochs’s stos are arranged differently It can be useful and quite interesting”

“I have found that to be true,” Ayla said “I’ve hunted and butchered many animals, and it does help to understand about people I am sure Shevonar’s ribs were broken, and splinters had penetrated his … breathing sacs”