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The group that had started out froed considerably, but the ones who had joined the for friends and relatives and a place to establish their camp Zelandoni headed for the main cae in the center of everything They always played aAyla hoped that the Ninth Cave would find a place somewhat away from the major activities It would be easier to take the anih crowds of curious people

Jondalar had already spoken to his brother about the needs of the animals and their nervousness around so many people Joharran had nodded and said he would keep it in mind, but privately he felt that the needs of the people of the Ninth Cave were more important than those of the animals He wanted to be close to the centers of activity, and he hoped to find a spot near a river so it would not be such a burden to carry water, perhaps close to a tree or two for shade, and not too far from the wooded area that would supply firewood He kneever, that the large woods near the encampment would be denuded before the end of the season Everybody needed firewood

But when he, Solaban, and Rusheood, close-in spots near the woods and water were already taken The Ninth was a sizable Cave with more people than other Caves, they needed more space for their caot too dark It forced Joharran to inspect the periphery of the Sue ay had narrowed around the turn of the last bend, and he’d noticed that the banks were steeper on the downriver side of the ca it harder to reach the water

The threeupstream After a short distance, they saw a srassy meadow and emptied into the main river, and they turned to follow it Somewhat back from The River, they noticed an open stand of trees As they neared they saw that the woodland was a gallery forest lining both sides of the s the little strea around the base of a hill, and the wooded area was growing thicker, becoer and went deeper than it seemed at first

After so that bubbled up fro branches ofthat were framed by birch, spruce, and a few larch A deep pool fed by the sa The entire countryside was full of natural springs, and like many others, this one created a small tributary to The River Behind the trees on the other side of the pool was a fairly steep, rock-strewn slope Uttered with stones of all sizes, from tiny pebbles to len that led to a small open beach of soil, fine sand, and smooth, water-rounded stones, with a screen of dense brush along the near side of the pool

It was an agreeable place, and Joharran thought that if he were by hiht there, but with the whole Cave, they not only needed more room, they needed to be closer to thethe creek, and when they reached the meadow beside The River, Joharran stopped

“What do you think?” he asked “It’s a little farther away fro”

Rushemar dipped his hand in the creek and took a taste of the water It was cool and fresh “This will have good water all summer You know that by the end of the season both the streah the main campsite and The River in front of the camp and downstream will not be fresh and clean anymore”

“And everyone else will be using the big woods for firewood,” Solaban said “This area won’t get as much use, and there’s more here than it seems”

The Ninth Cave set up their carassy level meadoeen the woods and The River close to the sh caes upstream from them and muddy their water, it was too far from the center of activities Their water would stay clean for their oi-fed strea water no ht become after hundreds of people used it for their needs

The woods offered shade and firewood, and it appeared sh that it would not draw too many people in search of the same resources, at least not for a while Most would head for the larger grove of trees farther downstreaetables—berries, nuts, roots, leaves—and same Fish were plentiful in The River, as were freshwater es

Its e was the distance people would have to walk to reach the area where most of the activities would take place Some people did think it was too far, primarily those who had family or close friends in other Caves that had already ht were more desirable Several of those decided to calad It would make room for Dalanar and the Lanzadonii when they arrived, if they wouldn’tsomewhat out of the way

To Ayla, it was perfect The ani raze in The animals were already the objects of increased attention, which meant, of course, that Ayla was, too She remembered how skittish Whinney, Racer, and Wolf had been when they had first arrived at the Mae numbers of people more easily now, perhaps even better than she did People spoke out openly, and Ayla couldn’t help hearing The)’ seemed to be especially astonished at hoell the horses and the wolf tolerated each other—they actually appeared to be friends—and hoell they all responded to the foreign woman and Marthona’s son

She and Jondalar rode up the strealen with its pond It was exactly the sort of place they loved It was so perfect for theh of course anyone could use it, but Jondalar doubted that it would be used roup activities and had less need for moments of solitude than Ayla, or the anihted to discover that the dense brush was mostly hazelnut shrubs, one of her most favorite foods The nuts were not ripe yet, but it looked as if it would be a good crop, and Jondalar was already planning to come back to see if any of the rocks and stones on the slope on the far side of the pond were flint

After the people settled in and began surveying their location, ht it was a choice spot Joharran was pleased to have arrived soon enough to lay claim to it He felt it would have been chosen sooner had there not been a second and soh theMost of the earner-arriving Caves had arranged the the waters of The River would soon become polluted from overuse It was the area Joharran first tried, but he was pleased now that he had looked farther afield