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As they neared the abri of the Ninth Cave, the faer to reach the shelter under the overhanging ledge of stone, and they pushed theht outside The first evening stars inking on in the sky as the fa Stone ca-stones with soht with their cumbersome loads, then followed the path up to the front porch of their abri When they finally reached the stone porch in front of the opening under the protecting shelf, it was nearly dark

It was Joharran’s job to ht a torch to carry into the abri, and he was glad for the firestones The fire was quickly started and the torch lit, then people waited iurine that had been set in front of their shelter to protect it After they thanked the Great Mother for watching over their home in their absence, several more torches were lit The Cave fore woe hearth at the rear of the protected space, then everyone scattered to their oellings to gratefully drop off their loads

The inevitable first chore was to inspect any da creatures while they were gone There were a few anis, some hearthstones had been disturbed, a basket or two had been knocked over, but the dahted in the hearths inside, and provisions and stores were brought in Sleeping furs were spread out on fa benches The Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii had returned home

Ayla started toward Marthona’s home, but Jondalar led her off in a different direction Wolf followed Holding a torch in one hand and her hand with the other, he guided her farther back into the abri toward another structure, one she didn’t re there Jondalar stopped in front of it, pulled aside the flap that covered the entrance, and o inside “

You sleep in your oelling tonight, Ayla,” he said

“My oelling?” she said, so overwhelmed that she could hardly speak As she entered the dark interior, the wolf slipped in with her Jondalar followed, holding up a torch so she could see

“Do you like it?” he asked

Ayla looked around The inside was essentially bare, but there were shelves against one wall adjacent to the entrance and a platfor furs The floor was paved with smooth, flat sections of limestone from the nearby cliff, with hardened river clay between the spaces A hearth was set up, and the niche directly opposite the entrance held a sure

“My own home” She twirled around in thejust for the two of us?” The wolf sat on his haunches and looked at her This was a new place, but wherever Ayla as home to him

Jondalar’s face was split by a ridiculous grin Orher belly “This place is still sort of empty”

“I love it I just love it It’s beautiful, Jondalar”

He was so pleased by her delight, he felt tears welling up and had to do so to fend them off He handed her the torch he still held “Then you have to light the lamp, Ayla It means you accept it I have some rendered fat here I carried it all the way from our last camp”

He reached under his tunic and withdrew a small pouch, warmed by his body heat, htly larger pouch made of its hide, with the fur side in The bladder was nearly waterproof, although it did seep slightly over time, especially are, the fur adding an extra layer to soak up any grease that ht permeate The top of the bladder had been tied with sinew fro tendon around a vertebra from the spine of the deer, shaved of extraneous bone to a circular shape The natural hole, which had once held a spinal cord, served as a pouring hole It was stoppered by a leather thong tied several times into a knot that fit the hole

Jondalar pulled the end of the thong to release the knot and poured some of the liquefied fat into a new stone lamp He dipped one end of an absorbent wick made of lichen taken fro camp and placed it into the oil, then held a torch to it It flared up instandy When the fat was fully e of wicks that caus that had been cut into strips and dried He liked using fungus wicks, with their capacity to burn longer and warmer illumination He laid the wick from the middle of the shallol to the rie Then he added a second and a third wick to the saht of three

Then he filled a second laave the torch to Ayla She held the fire to the wick It caught, sputtered, then settled down into a glowing light He carried the lamp to the niche that held the donii and placed it in front of the feure Ayla followed him When he turned around, she looked up at the tall man