The Land of Painted Caves - Jean M. Auel [12]
“Hunting cave lions is dangerous. What are you going to do with them?”
“I think the hides, teeth, and claws have all been claimed, and some say they want to taste the meat,” Joharran said.
“It’s strong,” Manvelar said, wrinkling his nose. “We’ll help you with the skinning, but it will take some time. I think you should plan on spending the night with us. We can send a runner ahead and tell the Seventh that you’ve been delayed, and why.”
“Good. We will stay. Thank you, Manvelar,” Joharran said.
The Third Cave served a meal to the visitors from the Ninth before they set out the next morning. Joharran, Proleva, Proleva’s son, Jaradal, and new baby daughter, Sethona, were seated together with Jondalar, Ayla, and her daughter, Jonayla, out on the sunny stone front porch, enjoying the view along with their food.
“It would seem that Morizan is taking quite an interest in Folara’s friend, Galeya,” Proleva said. They were watching the group of not-yet-mated young people with the indulgent eye of older siblings with families.
“Yes,” Jondalar said, with a grin. “She was his backup yesterday during the lion hunt. Hunting together and depending on each other like that can create a special bond quickly, even if they didn’t land a spear so they could lay claim to a lion. But they helped Ayla skin out her lioness, and she gave each of them a claw. They were done so fast, they came over and helped me, and I gave each of them a small claw, too, so they all have mementos of the hunt.”
“That’s what they were showing off last night over that cooking basket,” Proleva said.
“Can I have a claw for a memento, Ayla?” Jaradal asked. The youngster had obviously been listening closely.
“Jaradal, those are mementos of a hunt,” his mother said. “When you get old enough to go on hunts, you’ll get your own mementos.”
“That’s all right, Proleva. I’ll give him one,” Joharran said, smiling gently at the son of his mate. “I got a lion, too.”
“You did!” the six-year boy said excitedly, “and I can have a claw? Wait until I show Robenan!”
“Make sure you cook it before you give it to him,” Ayla said.
“That’s what Galeya and the rest were cooking last night,” Jondalar said. “Ayla insisted that everyone cook the claws and fangs before they handled them. She says a scratch from a lion claw can be dangerous unless it’s cooked.”
“Why should cooking make a difference?” Proleva asked.
“When I was little, before I was found by the Clan, I was scratched by a cave lion. That’s how I got the scars on my leg. I don’t recall much about getting scratched, but I do remember how much my leg hurt until it healed. The Clan liked to keep the teeth and claws of animals, too,” Ayla said. “When she was teaching me to be a medicine woman, one of the first things Iza told me was to cook them before they were handled. She said they were full of evil spirits, and the heat of cooking them drove the foulness out.”
“When you think of what those animals do with their claws, they must be full of evil spirits,” Proleva said. “I’ll make sure Jaradal’s claw gets cooked.”
“That lion hunt did prove out your weapon, Jondalar,” Joharran said. “Those who just had spears probably would have been good protection, if the lions had gotten closer, but the only kills were made with spear-throwers. I think it’s going to encourage more people to practice.”
They saw Manvelar approach, and greeted him cordially.
“You can leave your lion skins here and pick them up on your way back,” he said. “We can store them in the back of the lower abri. It’s cool enough down there that they should keep for a few days; then you can process them when you get home.”
The tall limestone cliff they had passed just before the hunt, called Two Rivers Rock because Grass River joined The River there, had three deeply indented ledges, one above the other, that created protective overhangs for the spaces below them. The Third Cave used all of the stone shelters, but they lived mainly in the large middle one, which enjoyed