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“Yes, I can I took a trip north once or twice Not far from the source of The River, there are pools of hot water in the ground,” Marthona said

“I think I know the place, or one like it We stopped there on our way here,” Ayla said “There is one thing I wanted to ask I meant to ask earlier, and I don’t know if it’s too late, but I was hoping to get iven to me by Tulie, the head-woman of the Lion Ca them from my ears That’s how she said I should wear them”

?

?I think that can be arranged,” the woman said “I’m sure one of the zelandonia will be happy to do it for you”

“What do you think, Folara, this way? Or this way?” Mejera said as she held a section of Ayla’s hair in her hand and showed the young woman two alternatives Folara had joined thee, after their cleansing rituals Though many lamps had been lit, it was still ht sun, and Ayla wished she were out rather than sitting there while sos with her hair

“I like the first way better,” Folara said

“Mejera, why don’t you finish telling us where you finally found them,” Marthona said It was obvious that Ayla was unco her hair, and the young acolyte see Marthona thought it ht distract her

“Well, as I was saying, I asked everyone No one seemed to knohere either one of them was Finally someone at your camp, I think it was the mate of one of Joharran’s close friends, Solaban or Rushe a basket…”

“That’s Rushemar’s mate, Salova,” Marthona said

“She said that one or the other ht be with the horses, so I followed the creek upstream and that’s where I found both of them Lanidar said his mother told him that you would be with the women all day, Ayla, so he decided he should check on the horses, like you asked And Jondalar said the sa, more or less He knew you’d be with the women in seclusion all day and decided to see how the horses were doing He found Lanidar there and was showing hi,” Mejera explained

“It turned out that I wasn’t the only one as looking for Jondalar Joharran cary, orall over for Jondalar, to tell hio to The River for his ritual purification with the rest of the men Jondalar told ht, Wolf ether”

“Thank you, Mejera, it relieves ht I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all your time and effort to find Lanidar and Jondalar,” Ayla said

She was glad to know that the horses were fine, and pleased that Lanidar had seen to them on his own She nor to be mated, too, after all, and she had just wanted to make sure that he hadn’t been distracted, or prevented, fro on them But she was a little worried about Wolf Part of her wanted him to find a ht of losing him, and she was concerned for him

Wolf never lived with other wolves, she had probably spentherself to hunt than he ever did She knew that while wolves were extreainst other wolves fiercely If Wolf had found a female lone wolf, or a low-ranked female from a nearby pack, and decided to live like a wolf, he would have to fight to , healthy anier than most wolves, he hadn’t been raised in a pack where he play-fought with siblings fro wolves

“Thank you, Mejera Ayla looks very nice I didn’t know you were so skilled at arranging hair,” Marthona said