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“That’s as close as I can say the naiven the mare When she says it, you’d think she was a horse The colt is Racer I named him—she asked me to That’s Zelandonii for someone who runs fast It also means someone who tries hard to be best The first ti the mare deliver the colt”
“That ht! I wouldn’t think a et close to her at that time,” one of the other men said
The riding demonstration had the effect Jondalar had hoped for, and he thought the ti up Ayla’s concern “I think she’d like to come and visit your Camp, Talut, but she’s afraid you may think the horses are just any horses to be hunted, and since they are not afraid of people, they would be too easy to kill”
“They would at that You , but who could help it?”
Talut watched Ayla riding back into view, looking like solad he had not co He wondered for a moment what it would be like to ride on the back of a horse, and if it wouldhih sturdy, steppe horses like Whinney, he laughed out loud
“I could carry that horse easier than she could carry me!” he said
Jondalar chuckled It hadn’t been hard to follow Talut’s line of thought Several people smiled, or chuckled, and Jondalar realized theya horse It was not so strange It had occurred to him when he first saw Ayla on Whinney’s back
Ayla had seen the shocked surprise on the faces of the s for her, she would have kept on going right back to her valley She’d had enough of disapproval during her younger years for actions that were not acceptable And enough freedo alone, not to want to subject herself to criticis her own inclinations She was ready to tell Jondalar he could visit these people if he wanted; she was going back
But when she returned, and saw Talut still chuckling over histhe horse, she reconsidered Laughter had becoh when she lived with the Clan; it made them nervous and uncohed out loud It was Baby, and Whinney, who had taught her to enjoy the feeling of laughter, but Jondalar was the first person to share it openly with her
She watched theeasily with Talut He looked up and sic of his impossibly vivid blue eyes touched a place deep inside that resonated with a war up of love for hio back to the valley, not without hi constriction to her throat, and the burning ache of tears held back
As she rode toward the as the red-haired er than the other three irl with theroup of people surreptitiously, not wanting to stare
Her bodyover, she slid off Both horses seemed nervous as Talut approached, and she stroked Whinney and put an arm around Racer’s neck She was as much in need of the familiar reassurance of their presence as they were of hers
“Ayla, of No People,” he said, not sure if it was a proper way to address her, though for this woht be, “Jondalar says you fear harm will co as Talut is headman of the Lion Ca one I would like you to visit, and bring the horses” His smile broadened with a chuckle “No one will believe us otherwise!”
She was feeling more relaxed about it now, and she knew Jondalar wanted to visit She had no real reason to refuse, and she was drawn to the easy, friendly laughter of the huge red-haired man
“Yes, I co, and wondered about her, her intriguing accent, her awesome ith horses Who was Ayla of No People?