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Ayla was looking at him with a puzzled expression, and it htly and looked away, and saw his brother co a heavy load of stones He went to help him

“What are you doing here?” Jondalar said

“Zelandoni wants to talk to Ayla, and Willamar would like to talk to both of you,” Joharran said

“What does Zelandoni want? Can’t it wait?” Jondalar said

“She didn’t see down my brother and his Promised is not the way I planned to spend the day, either Don’t worry, Jondalar,” Joharran said with a conspiratorial grin “You’ll just have to wait a while And she’s worth waiting for, isn’t she?”

Jondalar started to make protests and denials of his innuendos, then he relaxed and s time to find her,” he said “Well, now that you’re here, you can help me carry these stones back I did want to take a swim and clean up a little”

“Why don’t you leave the stones here for now They won’t go away, then you’ll have an excuse to come back later,” Joharran said, “and I’m sure you’ll have rime for a swim … if that’s all you do”

It was near midday by the time Ayla and Jondalar, and Wolf, found their way to the main camp area, and from their air of relaxed contentment, Joharran suspected they had found time for more than a quick swim after he left He’d told Zelandoni he had found theed his brother to hurry It wasn’t his fault if Jondalar dallied, not that he could blame him

Several people fro hearth near

the zelandonia lodge, and just as Ayla was approaching the entrance to let the donier know she was there, the large woman as First came out, followed by several others with the distinctive tattoos on their foreheads of Those Who Served The Mother

“There you are, Ayla,” Zelandoni said when she saw her “I’ve been expecting you all ”

“We were upstrea-fed pond there I wanted to give the horses a run and brush their coats They get nervous around socalms them, and I wanted to take a swi she said was entirely true, though it may not have included all of her activities

The donier regarded her, clean and dressed in the Zelandonii clothing that Marthona had given to her; then she saw Jondalar, also looking fresh and clean, and raised her eyebrows in a knowing look Joharran atching the One Who Was First and the woht hoood idea what had delayed them, and that Ayla didn’t seee wo and he knew she intier

“We were just stopping for ahearth, coanized the preparation and just inforive me a chance to talk to you Do you have one of your firestones?”

“Yes I always keep a fire- kit with me,” Ayla said