The clan of the cave bear_ a novel - Jean M. Auel [163]
“What does any man do when he retires? I’m getting too old to sit for long times in that cold cave. My rheumatism is getting worse.”
“Don’t be hasty, Creb,” the leader motioned gently. “Think about it for a while.”
Creb thought about it and had just about decided to announce it that day.
“I think I’ll let Goov become the mog-ur, Iza,” Creb motioned to the woman sitting beside him.
“That can only be your decision, Creb,” she replied. She didn’t try to talk him out of it. She knew he had no heart for it anymore, since the day he laid the death curse on Ayla, though it had been his entire life.
“It’s past the time, isn’t it, Creb?” Iza asked.
“Yes, it’s past the time, Iza.”
“How would she know it’s past the time? No one could see the moon with that storm.”
Creb thought about the time he showed a small girl how to count the years until she could have a baby, and about the older one who counted the days of the moon’s cycle herself. “If she were alive, she’d know, Iza.”
“But the storm was so bad. No one could go out in it.”
“Don’t think about it. Ayla is dead.”
“I know it, Creb,” Iza said with hopeless gestures. Creb looked at his sibling, thought about her grief, and wanted to give her something, some gesture of understanding.
“I shouldn’t say this, Iza, but it’s past the time; her spirit has left this world and the evil ones, too. There’s no harm anymore. Her spirit talked to me before it left, Iza. It said she loved me. It was so real, I almost gave in to it. But the spirit of a cursed one is the most dangerous. It always tries to trick you into believing it is real so it can take you with it. I almost wish I had gone.”
“I know, Creb. When her spirit called me mother, I … I …” Iza flung up her hands, she couldn’t go on.
“Her spirit pleaded with me not to burn the medicine bag, Iza. Water came to its eyes, just like when she was alive. That was the worst. I think if I hadn’t already thrown it in the fire, I would have given it to her. It was the last trick, though. That’s when it finally left.”
Creb got up, wrapped himself in his fur, and reached for his staff. Iza watched him; he seldom left the hearth anymore. He walked to the cave entrance and stood for a long time, staring out at the glistening snow. He didn’t return until Iza sent Uba to tell him to come and eat. He returned to his post shortly afterward. Iza joined him later.
“It’s cold here, Creb. You shouldn’t stand in the wind like that,” she motioned.
“It’s the first time there’s been a clear sky for days. It’s a relief to see something besides a howling blizzard.”
“Yes, but come to the fire and get warm once in a while.”
Creb hobbled back and forth from his hearth to the entrance several times, standing for long periods looking out at the winter scene. But as the day wore on, he went there less and less. At the evening meal, when twilight was fading into darkness, he motioned to Iza. “I’m going over to Brun’s hearth after we finish eating. I’m going to tell him that Goov will be mog-ur from now on.”
“Yes, Creb,” she said with bowed head. It was hopeless. Now she was sure it was hopeless.
Creb stood up while Iza was putting the food away. Suddenly a frightened scream came from Brun’s hearth. Iza looked up. A strange apparition stood at the entrance to the cave, completely covered with snow and stamping its feet.
“Creb,” Iza cried. “What is it?”
Creb stared hard for a moment, on guard against strange spirits. Then his eye opened wide.
“It’s Ayla!” he shouted and hobbled toward her; forgetting his staff, forgetting his dignity, and forgetting every custom against showing emotions outside one’s hearth, he threw his arm around the girl and hugged her to his breast.
17
“Ayla? Is it really Ayla, Creb? It’s not her spirit?” Iza motioned as the old man led the snow-covered girl back to his hearth. She was afraid to believe it, afraid the very real-looking girl would turn out to be a mirage.
“It’s Ayla,” Creb gestured. “It’s past the time. She has overcome the evil spirits; she has returned to us.”
“Ayla!” Iza ran