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a has been taking care of her, but she only kne to feed her mashed-up cooked roots I think you all know that no baby can Uve or grow if all she has to eat is cooked roots” Ayla noticed that the woed their infants to them more closely It was a reaction alet an idea of what Ayla was leading up to

“I come from a place far from the land of the Zelandonii, but noall people know: a baby needs reith, when a woman lost her milk, the other wo about the ones that they called flatheads, considered to be animals by most Zelandonii “Even those with older children, who didn’t have much extra, would offer her breast to the baby now and then Once, when a young woh for her own baby, treated the other baby alether,” Ayla said

“What about a woh nant wo, and it was likely her first

Ayla smiled at her, then looked at the other women and included them “Isn’t it wonderful how a mother’s milk will increase with her need? The more she nurses, the more milk she makes”

“That’s entirely correct, especially in the beginning,” said a voice fronized She turned and s in “I’et here sooner, Proleva Lara hiet Joharran, but between the man about what happened”

The wo themselves They were very curious and hoped Zelandoni would say ood to ask She would tell them only as much as she wished theht basket, half-full of tea, from a stone block off to the side and put a stuffed pad on it; it was Zelandoni’s per, put to other uses when she wasn’t there When the donier sat down, she was handed a cup of the beverage She took it and smiled at everyone

If the space had seemed crowded before, it felt absolutely cra wo with both theThose Who Served The Mother ot a sense of their feeling, but she hadn’t lived ah to understand the full sense of the occasion for the woht of Proleva and Zelandoni as a relative and a friend of Jondalar The donier looked at Ayla, encouraging her to continue

“Proleva toldthe Zelandonii, all food is shared I asked her if Zelandonii wo to share their milk She told me they often do with relatives and close friends, but Tremeda has no kin that anyone knows of, and definitely not a sister or cousin who is nursing,” Ayla said, not even ot up and ca the baby

“Though a ten-year may be able to care for a baby, she can’t nurse her I have started to show Lanoga how to make other foods that a baby can eat besides mashed roots She is quite capable, she just needs soh” Ayla stopped and looked at each one of the women

“Are you the one who cleaned them up, too?” Stelona, the older woman, asked

“Yes We went tó The River and bathed, just as you do,” Ayla said, then she added, “I have come to know that Tremeda is not always looked upon with favor, and perhaps with reason, but this baby is not Tremeda She is just an infant who needs milk, at least some milk”

“I will tell you frankly,” Stelona said She had becoroup “I wouldn’t o into that dwelling, and I’ with Tremeda”

Proleva turned aside to hide a sot one coh, or at least most of them

“You won’t have to go to extra effort I have already talked to Lanoga She will carry her sister to you, we can work out a routine With many to help, it won’t be much drain on any one woman,” Ayla said

“Well, bring her here,” the wo has it been?”