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The field between the stone shelter of the First Cave of the Zelandonii Watchers and the river had a circular shape enclosed by the cliff walls of the deep gorge Many eons before, it had been the loop of an oxbow that was the forrasses, aroreen leaves reseated the river waters in suoosefoot—and which bore round between stones, then cooked and eaten

An area toward the back of the field had a shallow talus slope, whose sharp-edged stones werepine, birch, and juniper trees, often dwarfed into brush Above the field, the dark evergreen of trees and brush growing on the slopes and plateaus of the cliffcontrast with the white limestone of the cliff It also formed hillocks and terraces that provided a place for the people to gather when soroup

The First Cave of the Zelandonii That Watches Over the Most Ancient Sacred Site lived under a sheltering lie on a terrace above the floodplain The zelandonia had gathered in the field below to hold their

The arrival of the visitors and the members of the Third Cave of Sacred Site Watchers created quite a stir The zelandonia had set up a pavilion of sorts, a tent-like structure with a roof but only partial sides; the roof offered shade fro down the gorge One of the acolytes had seen the approaching procession and rushed in, interrupting theZelandonia were annoyed for a moment, until they turned to look; then they felt a frisson of fear, which they tried not to show

Ayla riding Whinney was in the lead The First told her to ride up to theover and slid down and went to assist the First to step off the pole-drag The First had a way of walking that was neither fast nor slow, but carried great authority The two southern leaders inized the sy, and necklaces, and could hardly believe that the First A Those Who Served The Great Earth Mother had co They had seen her so seldoave lip service to her existence, but thought the of the zelandonia, and they had selected a First of their own To actually see her was a little overwhel, but to see the manner of her arrival was even more so The control of horses was unprecedented She had to be extraordinarily powerful

They approached with deference, greeted her with both hands extended, and welcos, and then proceeded to introduce several of her traveling companions: Ayla and Jonokol, Willamar and Jondalar, and then the rest of the travelers, with Willareeted the two most important of their zelandonia, the man as the Zelandoni of his Cave, and the woman as the Zelandoni of the First Cave of Sacred Site Watchers Ayla had told Jonayla to keep Wolf out of sight, but after all the forht him out, and she saw another look of shock and fear After persuading them to let her introduce them to the wolf, there was a little less fear, but soered By this time the people fro site on the side of the cliff, but Ayla was glad that formal introductions were held off until later

The fourfor the zelandonia to deal with had been held back with the people from the Third Cave of Watchers until after all the forht them forward He approached his Zelandoni

“You know theand forcing wo people?’ he asked

“Yes,” theabout them”

“Well, we have thenated to watch theht forward The wo her came with them “This one’s name is Balderan He’s their leader”

All the zelandonia looked at the four ether They noted the unkempt look of the men, but the wo e them

“How do you know they are the ones?” the woman Zelandoni asked

“Because I was one as forced, after they killed my mate,” the woman said

“And you are?”

“I am Aremina, of the Third Cave of the Zelandonii That Watches Over the Most Ancient Sacred Site,” she said