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“That is a little more difficult to explain,” Zelandoni said “A person is born with a kinship sign In a way, it’s part of one’s elan, one’s life-force People know their kinship signs almost from the time they are born, just as they know their elandon Remember, ail animals are children of the Mother She birthed the:

With a thunderous roar Her stones split asunder,

And froreat cave that opened deep u

nder

She birthed once again from Her cavernous room,

And brought forth the Children of Earth from Her womb

‘From the Mother forlorn, more children were born

‘Each child was different, soe and some small,

Some could walk and some fly some could swim and some

crawl

But each form was perfect, each spirit complete,

Each one was a model whose shape could repeat

‘The Mother illing The green earth was filling’

“The kinship sign is symbolized by an animal, by the spirit of an animal,” Zelandoni said

“You mean like a totem?” Ayla interjected “My totem is the Cave Lion Everyone in the Clan has a totem”