The clan of the cave bear_ a novel - Jean M. Auel [202]
Should he bother? Brun wondered. Why not just curse her now and dispose of the baby? Ayla’s early return and penitent groveling eased Brun’s wounded pride, but he was far from mollified. He had come too close to losing face because of her, and it wasn’t the first problem she had caused him. She had returned, but what would she do next? And then there was the Clan Gathering, as Broud had reminded him so many times.
It was one thing to let Iza pick up a strange child and take her into his clan. But Brun had cause to reflect often lately on the impression it would make on the other clans to arrive at the meeting with a woman born to the Others. He wondered, looking back, how he had made so many decisions that were so unorthodox. Each one, at the time, didn’t seem too unreasonable. Even allowing the woman to hunt was logical then. But, added together, and seeing them from an outsider’s point of view, the effect was an overwhelming breach of custom. Ayla had been disobedient, she deserved to be punished, and cursing her would eliminate all his worries.
But a death curse was a serious threat to the clan, and he had already exposed them once to evil spirits because of her. Her voluntary return had prevented his disgrace—Iza was probably right, she had lost her mind temporarily from the shock and the pain. He did tell Iza he would have considered a request to let the baby live, if he had been asked. Well, she did ask. She came back knowing the full extent of her offense, knowing it and willing to face it, begging for the life of her child. He could at least examine the baby. Brun did not like making hasty decisions. He gave Ayla an abrupt signal, motioning toward Creb’s hearth, then strode away.
Ayla ran into Iza’s waiting arms. If nothing else, at least she would see the woman who was the only mother she knew, one last time.
“You’ve all had a chance to examine him,” Brun said. “Under normal circumstances, I would not bother you; it would be a simple decision. But I want to know your opinions; a death curse is a strong possibility, and I don’t like exposing the clan to evil spirits again. If you find the boy is acceptable, I can hardly curse the mother. Without her, another woman would have to take him, he’d have to live with one of you whose mate has a nursing child. If the baby is allowed to live, the punishment for Ayla should be less severe. Tomorrow is the naming day; I need to make the decision soon, and Mog-ur will need some time to prepare for a curse, if that is to be her punishment. It must be done before the sun rises in the morning.”
“It’s not only his head, Brun,” Crug started. Ika was still nursing her youngest and Crug had no desire to have Ayla’s infant added to his hearth, farfetched though the possibility was. “That’s bad enough, but he can’t even hold it up. It has to be supported. What will he be like when he’s a man? How will he hunt? He’ll never be able to provide for himself; he’d only be a burden on the whole clan.”
“Do you think there’s any chance his neck will get stronger?” Droog asked. “If Ayla dies, she will take part of Ona’s spirit with her. Aga would take her son—she feels she owes Ayla that much—though I don’t think she really wants a deformed baby. If she’s willing, I suppose I would be, too, but not if he will burden the whole clan.”
“His neck is so long and scrawny and his head is so big, I don’t think it will ever be strong enough,” Crug commented.
“I won’t have him at my hearth for any reason; I wouldn’t even bother to ask Oga how she feels about it. He’s not fit to be a sibling to her sons; it would make him a brother to Brac and Grev—I won’t allow that. Brac will survive even if she does take a little piece of his spirit with her. I don’t know why you’re even considering it, Brun. You were ready to curse her. Just because she came running back a little early, you’re ready to take her back, and talking about taking her defective son