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As both pairs of hands rubbed the slippery liquid with bits of root on the baby, she sat still, but with a little frown on her face It was a new but not totally unpleasant sensation “Noe need to wash her hair,” Ayla said, thinking thissome soaproot on the back of her head You can wash her ears and neck, too”
She watched the girl and noticed that she handled the baby with calher Ayla stopped for a moa when I had Durc! Perhaps I could count a year or two more, that’s all Of course, I had Iza to teach me how to take care of him, but I learned
“Next, lay her on her back, support her with one hand, don’t let her face get in the water, and wash the top of her hair with your other hand,” Ayla told her She helped Lanoga ease the baby back Lorala resisted soirl’s hands were sure now, and the child didn’t object to the warmish water once she was in it, secure in her sister’s arms Ayla helped wash her hair, and then with her hands still soapy, she washed the baby’s legs and bottoetting a bit slick
“Noash her face, very carefully, just using your hands and the water Don’t let anything get in her eyes It won’t hurt, but it may make her uncomfortable,” Ayla said
When they were through, they sat the baby up again The woman pulled a very soft, pliable yellowish hide out of her pack, laid it out, lifted the baby out of the water, and wrapped her in it She gave the baby to Lanoga “Here she is, all clean and fresh” She noticed the girl rubbing the soft suede-leather of the drying blanket “It is nice and soft, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Lanoga said, looking up at the woman
“That was given to ift by some people I met on our Journey They were called Shara the skins of chamois soft like that Chamois are animals that live in the oats, but they are smaller than ibex Do you know if there are chaa?”
“Yes,” the girl said Ayla waited, sa responded to questions or direct coe in conversation She didn’t kno to talk to people Ayla kept sa frowned, then finally said, “Soht one”
She can talk! She volunteered a state pleased She just needed soement “You can keep that hide, if you want,” she said
Lanoga’s face showed a range of expressions the woman didn’t expect First her eyes lit up, then showed
doubt, and then fear Then she frowned and shook her head “No Can’t”
“Do you want the hide?”
The girl looked down “Yes”
“Then why can’t you keep it?”
“Can’t keep it,” the girl said, then hesitated “Won’t let me Someone will take it”