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Winter was also the time to practice talents and to play Musical instru percussion instruments and melodic flutes, were crafted and played Dances were practiced, songs sung, stories told Certain et practice of various kinds were enjoyed by soed by many

The young were taught certain necessary basic skills, and for those who had an inclination or showed an aptitude for so to show them There was a orn path between the Ninth Cave and Down River, and many of the craftspeople who made the trek from their own hohts at the Ninth Cave

Zelandoni taught counting words to those ished to know theends of the people, but she was seldoht colds, had headaches, earaches, bellyaches, and toothaches; the aches and pains of arthritis and rheu the cold season; and there were other serious diseases Some people died, and their bodies were placed in cold front passages of certain caves in the winter, where they would keep until spring, since snow and frozen ground prevented burial in the outdoor graveyards Soh rarely, they were left there

And some were born The winter solstice had passed Zelandoni had explained to Ayla the position where the sun set over the horizon was at its farthest left and stayed there for several days before the position of its setting ht It had been the occasion for a feast, cere point and to add some excitement to the quiet days

The sun’s setting fro day until the suht position and seemed to stay there for some days The placeof spring, and, on its way back, the beginning of autumn Zelandoni pointed to a dip in the hills on the horizon that s words and e on a flat piece of ander, and Ayla found the infors

In the deep of winter, the coldest, bitterest, harshest tier attracted playful excursions Even short trips outside to get frozenin wood could be an ordeal The cairn of rocks on top of caches and ice cellars often froze together, etables and fruits in root cellars had long since been transferred to stone-lined pits at the back of the abri, but it took a watchful eye andtoo large a share Small rodents in particular survived quite well froed to share their cave

One of the games children played was to throw stones at the swift little creatures It was encouraged by the adults A hard-flung stone could kill one Not only did it provide one ainst the voracious pests, but it gave the children so the accuracy they would need to becosters developed quite an ai was teaching the children how to use her favorite weapon Wolf also proved to be a valuable asset in keeping down the rodent population

The outside root cellars seemed to be freer of such ver as possible But when the deep freeze of winter threatened to destroy the fresh quality, they were brought in Once frozen, , as were most dried foods

Ayla had experienced a sudden surge of energy the past few days She had becoer and was occasionally given to fits of crying and other emotional outbursts that disht, and she found it difficult to get up gracefully fro position, and she had always been able to get up froracefully As she neared her tietting so anxious to have the baby, she was even willing to face the delivery

Zelandoni felt sure her time would be soon She had told Ayla, “The Great Earth Mother, in Her wisdonancy uncomfortable on purpose, so that woet it over with”

Ayla had finished straightening and rearranging everything for the baby, and then everything else in her hoain, and had decided to cook a special dinner for Jondalar when he caetables she wanted froe place at the back of the abri, and what , she hadn’t e expression on her face: a combination of joy and dread

“What is it, Ayla?” he said, dropping his basket of vegetables

“I think the baby is getting ready to be born,” she said

“Right now? Ayla, you better lie down I’ll get Zelandoni Maybe I better get et Zelandoni,” Jondalar said, suddenly nervous

“Not right now Relax, Jondalar It will be a while yet Let’s wait before you get Zelandoni, to be sure,” she said, picking up the basket of vegetables She went to her cooking area and started to take them out of the basket