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He setting to that part I was on land, but I was soaked and shivering with cold I didn’t have a knife to cut wood, I didn’t have anything to round et, and I was really getting chilled Suddenly, standing in front of me was this flathead He had just the start of a beard, so he couldn’t have been very old He beckoned h I wasn’t sure what he oing, so I followed him and he led me to a fire,” Jondalar said

“Weren’t you afraid to go with hiht do,” another voice called out More people were joining the crowd, too

“By then, I was so cold, I didn’t care All I wanted was that fire I squatted down, getting as close as I could to it, then I felt a fur being laid across my shoulders I looked up and saoman When she saw h I tried, I couldn’t see her Froot of her, I think she was older,man’s mother

“When I finally warmed up,” Jondalar continued, “he led me back to the boat and the fish, belly up n

ear the bank It wasn’t the biggest sturgeon I ever saw, but it wasn’t s Clan thwise He made some motions to me, which I didn’t understand at the ri it over his shoulder, and carried it off Just about then, Thonolan and so upstrea pulled upriver and ca flathead, just like you, Zelandoni of the Fourteenth, they didn’t want to believe me, but then they saw the half fish that was left Thoseonly half a fish, but it took three of the flathead picked it up and carried it away alone”

“Well, that’s a good fish story, Jondalar,” Zelandoni of the Fourteenth said

Jondalar looked at her directly, with the full intensity of his a blue eyes “I know it sounds like a fish story, but I promise you it is true Every word,” he said with earnest sincerity, then he shrugged and s

“I got a bad cold after that dunking,” he continued, “and while I was in bed staying war man probably saved my life At least he kneas cold and needed warmth He ave e, took half my fish The first time I saw flatheads, I was surprised that they carried spears and wore clothes Afterman, and his mother, I knew they used fire and had sharp knives—and were very strong—but more than that, he was smart He understood I was cold and he helped ht to a share of , and I think he could have hauled it off, too, but he didn’t take it all, he shared it”

“That is interesting,” the wo at Jondalar

The unintentional char to make an impression on the older woman, which was not lost on the One Who Was First She would remember it for the future If she could use Jondalar to ease her relationship with Zelandoni of the Fourteenth, she wouldn’t hesitate The woman had been like a canebrake of sharp thorns ever since she was selected to be First, i every policy she tried to make

“I could tell you about the boy of mixed spirits that was adopted by the mate of the Mamutoi headman of the Lion Cans,” Jondalar continued,”but I think telling about the lacier would be nificant, because they live close…”

“I think you should ith that story, Jondalar,” said Marthona, who had joined the is to make decisions about the Matri directly at Zelandoni of the Fourteenth Cave and s son had on the older woman, and she was iven the First She had been a leader herself and understood

“Unless you are really interested in hearing all the discussion and details,” Joharran said to Jondalar and Ayla1, “this ood time to look for a place to demonstrate your spear-thrower I’d like you to do it before the first hunt”

Ayla wouldn’t haveShe wanted to learn as much as she could about Jondalar’s—and now her—people, but he was eager to follow up on the suggestion He wanted to share his new hunting weapon with all the Zelandonii They explored the ca friends and introducing Ayla They found themselves the object of attention because of Wolf, but they expected it Ayla wanted to get the initial disturbance over with as soon as possible The sooner people started getting used to seeing the aniranted

They decided on an area that they thought would work for the spear-thrower de men who had helped hold up the travois when they crossed rivers to keep the goods they were transporting dry He was fro of the Twenty-ninth Cave, also known as Summer Camp, and had traveled with them the rest of the way They chatted a while, then hisand invited theh, and they hadn’t eaten since early in the day, and gratefully accepted Even Wolf was given a bone with some meat on it They were extended a special invitation to help with the pine-nut harvest in the fall