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??It’s just down the other side of that slope at the back of the main camp,” Ayla explained
“That’s where we go to gather blackberries in late summer,” Proleva said “There is no cave there” Several other people had heard Ayla and had gathered around, Jondalar and Joharran a them
“She’s right,” Joharran said “I never heard of a cave there”
“It was hidden by the canebrake, and a big pile of rubble in front of it,” Ayla said “Wolf actually found it He was sniffing around under the brambles and disappeared When I whistled for hiet back, so I wondered where he went I hacked h and found a cave”
“It can’t be very big, can it?” Jondalar asked
“It’s inside that hill, and it’s a big cave, Jondalar, and very unusual”
“Can you show us?” he said
“Of course That’s what I came here to do, but now I think I should help prepare the food for the ,” Ayla said
“We’ve just lit the fire in the pit oven,” Proleva said, “and piled a lot of wood in it It’ll take a while for it to burn down and heat the rocks that line it We were just going to put the food up on the high rack until ere ready for it, so there’s no reason we can’t go now”
“I invite people here to share a meal, and everyone else has done all the work I should at least have helped dig the roasting pit,” Ayla said, feeling embarrassed It seemed to her that she had shirked the hard work
“Don’t worry about it, Ayla We were going to dig one anyway,” Proleva said “And a lot of people were still here Most of theone to the main caether This just gave us a reason”
“Let’s go see your cave,” Jondalar said
“You know, if we all go there together, the whole camp will follow us,” Willamar said
“We could all go up separately, and ,” Rushe pit and aiting for Salova to finish feeding Marsola before going to the main camp Salova, as nearby, smiled at him Her mate was not one to say ence, she thought She looked around for Marsola, as sitting on the ground nearby She’d have to get the baby’s carrying cloak if they were going to go hiking around, but it did sound exciting