The clan of the cave bear_ a novel - Jean M. Auel [214]
They stopped in front of a huge cage of stout poles sunk deep in the ground, lashed firmly together. Inside was another of the massive bears they had seen on their way, this one even bigger. Hand-fed for three years with a superabundance that kept him placid and tame, the gigantic cave bear lolled in lazy indolence within the fenced enclosure, almost too fat to stand up. It had been a labor of devotion and reverence for the small clan to maintain the huge bear for so long, and even the many gifts of food, implements, and furs brought by the visiting clans could not make up for the effort it took. But there wasn’t a single person who didn’t envy the members of the host clan, and every clan eagerly awaited its turn to take on the same task and reap the spiritual benefits and status of the great honor.
The cave bear waddled over to see what was causing the commotion, hoping for more handouts, and Uba crowded in closer to Ayla, as much overwhelmed by the crush of people as by the bear. The leader and the magician of the host clan approached them and made gestures of greeting, quickly followed by an angry question.
“Why have you brought one of the Others to our Clan Gathering, Brun?” the leader of the host clan motioned.
“She is a woman of the Clan, Norg, and a medicine woman of Iza’s line,” Brun returned, more calmly than he felt. A murmur rose from the watching people and a flash of excited hand signals.
“That’s impossible!” the mog-ur gestured. “How can she be a woman of the Clan? She was born to the Others.”
“She is a woman of the Clan,” The Mog-ur repeated, just as adamantly as Brun. He fixed the host clan leader with a baleful glare. “Do you doubt me, Norg?”
Norg looked at his mog-ur uncomfortably, but got no satisfaction from the magician’s confused expression.
“Norg, we have traveled far and we are tired,” Brun said. “This is hardly the time to discuss it. Do you deny us the hospitality of your cave?”
It was a tense moment. If Norg refused them, they would have no choice but to return the long distance back to their cave. It would be a grave breach of propriety, but to allow Ayla entrance would be tantamount to accepting her as a woman of the Clan; at least it would give Brun a clear edge. Norg looked again at his mog-ur, then at the powerful one-eyed man who was The Mog-ur, then back at the man who was leader of the clan ranked first of all the clans. If The Mog-ur said so, what could he do?
Norg signaled his mate to show Brun’s clan to the place reserved for them, but he marched in beside Brun and The Mog-ur. As soon as they were settled, he was going to find out how a woman obviously born to the Others had become a woman of the Clan.
The entrance to the cave of the host clan was smaller than the entrance to the cave of Brun’s clan, and the cave itself seemed smaller when they first walked in. But rather than one large room with a small adjunct for ceremonies, this cave was a series of rooms and tunnels that honeycombed their way far into the mountain, most of them unexplored. There was more than enough room to house all the visiting clans, though they might not have the advantage of light from the mouth. Brun’s clan was led to the room second from the front and filled one whole side of it. It was a favorable location befitting their top-ranked status. Though several clans were already settled farther back, the place would have been held for them until the beginning of the actual Bear Festival. Only then, when it was certain they weren’t coming, would it be given to the next-highest-ranked clan.
The Clan as a whole had no leader,