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“We’ll be leaving for the Suet there?” her mate complained He had an array of objects spread out on the floor of their dwelling and was trying to decide what to take with hi to the Su that he always put off until the last otten into it, he wanted to finish without children playing around and disturbing things

“I think it has to do with their ,” Ramara said

She thought about her own Matrilanced at her dark-haired mate His hair was probably the darkest of anyone of the Ninth Cave, and when she met him, she liked the contrast heSolaban’s hair was alh his eyes were blue, and his skin was so pale that he often sunburned, especially early in the suht he was the most handsome of all the men of the Cave, even compared to Jondalar She understood the appeal of the tall blond er, like most women, she had been infatuated with him But she learned what love hen she met Solaban Jondalar didn’t seeave all his attention to Ayla Besides, she rather liked the woman

“Why can’t they get mated just like everyone else?” Solaban said, obviously feeling grouchy

“Well, they aren’t just like everyone else Jondalar just returned fro, no one expected him to come back, and Ayla isn’t even Zelandonii But she really wants to be At least that’s what I heard,” Ramara said

“When she mates him, she’ll be the same as Zelandonii anyway,” Solaban said “Why do they need to bother with an acceptance ceremony for her?”

“It’s not the same She wouldn’t be Zelandonii She’d be ‘Ayla of the Mamutoi, mated to Jondalar of the Zelandonii’ Whenever she was introduced, everyone would know she was a foreigner,” she said

“She just has to open herher Zelandonii isn’t going to change that”

“Yes, it will She er, but when people ner anymore,” Ramara said

Ra every flat surface She knew her mate and understood the real reason for his irritability, and it had nothing to do with Ayla or Jondalar She s out, I’d take the boys to Wood River Valley to watch the horses All the children like to do that They don’t usually get a chance to see animals up close”

Solaban’s frown deepened “That means they’ll have to stay here, I suppose”

Raht I’d go to the other end of the shelter where everyone is cooking and getting things prepared, and help the wo the children so their mothers can work The boys can play with the others who are their age When Proleva asked me to watch Jaradal, she meant she wanted me to be particularly aware of him All the mothers do that The watchers have to knoho they are responsible for, especially when children get to be about Robenan’s age They get o off on their own,” Raet done before the cere the boys here afterward”

Solaban looked around at the neatly organized assorts, and the rows of ander, bone, and ivory trimmed to about the same size, then shook his head He still didn’t know precisely what to take with him, but it was this way every year “I will,” he said, “as soon as I get everything set out so I can

see what I want to take to the Su forone of Joharran’s close aides, Solaban was a maker of handles, especially knife handles

“I think most everyone is here,” Proleva said, “and it’s stopped raining”