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“Yes, I do I think she will be a good Lanzadoni for you She is very dedicated, and a good healer, I’m told,” Jondalar said

As the evening grew late, the newly mated couples spoke the last words they would say to friends and relatives for fourteen counted days To so Smaller feasts would be held by the individual Caves when the couples returned to the fold after the trial period of exclusion Then they would be given gifts to start out their new lives together The nized until after the trial period, since they would be free to separate then, if they wished Though the couples usually left early, for others the festivities would continue until the first streaks of dawn

As Ayla and Jondalar left, they were hazed with crude coeneral banter by several hecklers who followed for a ways,in Laramar’s barma But many of theone when they were growing up Most of the friends his age were past the stage of harassing couples who had just made a commitment They were already mated, with a child or more at their own hearths

Jondalar got one of the torches that had been used to light the area of the cereht a fire when they arrived They walked up the slope beside the s for a drink Ayla didn’t knohere they were going, but she knehen they arrived The tent she saas the sa Journey, and she felt a pang of nostalgia at seeing it set up again She was glad their long trip was over, but she would never forget it, either She heard a nicker of welcome and smiled at Jondalar

“You brought the horses!” she said, sht

“I thought weup the torch so she could see them

The fireplace had been set and ready, and he lit the fire with the torch, then walked with her to greet the ether, with each doing separate tasks Having their hands tied together made it more difficult even to handle the horses, and they found themselves in each other’s way

“Let’s go get these thongs off,” Jondalar said “I was glad enough to have thelad to remove them”

“Yes, but they are a good reminder to pay attention to each other,” she said

“I don’t need a reht,” Jondalar said

Ayla crawled inside the fa her hand up and back so Jondalar could follow behind He lighted a stone lamp with the torch, then tossed it into the fireplace outside When he looked back in, Ayla was sitting on the sleeping furs that had been spread out on the ground over a leather padding that he had carefully stuffed with dry grass He stopped for a moment and looked at the woman who had just become his mate

The soft light of the laleahts from the small flame He saw the yellowish tunic, open in front to reveal her full, taut breasts, with the beautiful amber pendant of the necklace nestled between the Then he realized what it was

“Where is your a closer to her

“I took it off,” she said “I wanted to wear this outfit that Nezzie gave ht with theave me a small packet made out of rawhide with no decoration for the ae with her She suggested that toht, rather than carry them around with us She did ask if I would mind if she showed my outfit to some people I told her I wouldn’t mind at all, probably Nezzie would be pleased that she wanted to I’ll get my amulet then I have never been without it since I was first adopted into the Clan, and it does feel strange not to have it”

“But you don’t belong to the Clan anymore,” Jondalar said