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“This problem has never come up before,” Zelandoni of the Fourteenth said “You are supposed to be in seclusion before the cere The Histories tell of a time omen had to be in seclusion for an entire moon!”

“That was long ago, when ether in one Matrimonial,” the First said “There were fewer Zelandonii then, and they didn’t have gathers the e do now For a single Cave to have one or to, but to haveand harvesting season during a Su to get the aurochs stored if the wo had not helped”

“Well, that may be,” the older Zelandoni said, “but one day shouldn’t be too much”

“And normally it isn’t, but the animals make it an exceptional situation,” the First donier said “I’ out”

“Do you object to the wolf co as he chooses?” Marthona said “The women don’t seem to mind him We only need to allow the lower part of the entrance drape to stay unfastened”

“I don’t suppose that would be a problem,” the Fourteenth said

The Fourteenth had been pleasantly surprised when she ed hunter He had licked her hand and see the fur of the living animal After soht the baby wolf cub home and rescued the little filly froh when you found them, many animals could probably become friendly with people The Fourteenth had noticed how n woman and wondered how difficult it would be to befriend an animal, but perhaps a smaller one The size didn’t matter, any animal that would voluntarily stay in close contact with a person would bring attention

“Then, it’s just a matter of the horses Can’t Jondalar attend to them?” Marthona asked

Of course he can, but I need to tell hi it since we arrived at the Su because h

e’s been busy with other things,” Ayla said

“She’s not allowed to communicate with hi!”

“But someone else can,” Marthona said

“Not someone involved with the ceremony, I’m afraid Not anyone who is related,” the Zelandoni of the Nineteenth said “The Fourteenth is right, of course, and because wo, it is even more important that we adhere to the day of seclusion strictly” The white-haired woman may have been nearly crippled froth of character Ayla had seen that before

Marthona was glad she hadn’t e from Ayla The zelandonia would have been quite annoyed with her They could get very ada ienerally went along with them, privately she felt that exceptions could always be made Leaders had to learn when to stand fast and when to bend a little

“Can someone who is not involved with the ceremony be told?” Ayla asked