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“I would like you to de technique to the zelandonia I think it should be introduced to the people, but it is iht ith appropriate ritual”

“I didn’t need a ritual to show it to Marthona, or you It’s not that difficult once you see how it’s done,” Ayla said

“No, it’s not difficult, but it is a new and powerful technique, and that can be disturbing, especially for those people who don’t accept change easily and resist it,” the donier said “You must know people like that”

Ayla thought of the Clan, with their lives based on tradition, their reluctance to change, and their inability to cope with new ideas “Yes, I know people like that,” she said “But the people I’ve s”

All the Others she had es in their lives, to thrive on innovation She hadn’t realized that there ht be so things, who actually resisted it It gave her a sudden insight, and she frowned at the thought That could explain certain attitudes and incidents that had puzzled her, such as why so to accept the idea that the Clan were people Like that Zelandoni, the one fro them animals Even after Jondalar explained, she acted as if she didn’t believe hie her opinion

“It is true Most people do like to learn a better or quicker way of doing so, but sometimes it depends upon how it is presented,” the First said “For exa tis, but the people he knoeren’t there to see it, so some of them still think of him the way he hen he left Now he has returned and he’s eager to share what he’s learned and discovered, which is co all at once Even his neeapon, which is a valuable tool for hunting, takes practice to use Those who have been successful and are co to put forth the effort it will take to learn the new one, though I have no doubt it will be used by all hunters one day”

“Yes, the spear-thrower does take practice,” Ayla said “We know it now, but in the beginning, orked at it”

“And that is only one thing,” the donier continued, while she picked up a plate made from the shoulder bone of a deer and put some slices of meat on it “What kind ofnearby

“That’s mammoth So trek and got a ot a woolly rhinoceros, too”

“I haven’t hadto relish this”

“Have you tasted mammoth?” the woman asked Ayla

“Yes,” she said “The Mamutoi, the people I lived with before, are known as h they hunted other animals, too But it’s been some time since I’ve had any I, too, will enjoy this”

Zelandoni thought about introducing Ayla to the woman, but once she started, there would be no end, and she still wanted to talk to her about a cere the firestone She turned back to Ayla while she added soreens, nettles, she thought, y, boletus mushroom

“Jondalar also brought you, and your ani that is People have hunted horses, and observed them with other horses, but they have never seen horses behave as yours do It is frightening, at first, to see those horses go where you want theh a camp full of people and do what you tell hi Wolf for the first tih she had certainly seen him He yipped a small bark when she looked at him

It was a custom the wolf and the woman had developed that rather surprised Ayla Zelandoni didn’t always acknowledge Wolf when she saw hinored her until she did, but when she did, he responded with a short yip She seldom touched him, except for a pat on the head now and then, but on rare occasions, Wolf would take her hand in his teeth, never leaving any tooth only that they understood each other It seemed to Ayla that they did, in their oay