The Land of Painted Caves - Jean M. Auel [205]
She did, however, like the attention she was getting from all the young men, both the young hunters and Willamar’s apprentices, though the traders did back off when she was surrounded by all of the rather bumptious youths. They didn’t need to vie for her attention. They knew the youngsters would be with them only a few days, and they had the rest of the trip. While Jondalar with the help of Jonokol and Willamar was hitching the First’s special riding travois to Whinney, Ayla and the Donier were watching the byplay of Amelana and the young men.
“They remind me of a litter of wolf cubs,” Ayla said.
“When did you see wolf cubs?” Zelandoni said.
“When I was young and still living with the Clan,” Ayla said. “Before I started hunting meat-eaters, I used to watch them, sometimes for a long time, all morning, or all day, if I could stay away that long. I watched all kinds of four-legged hunters, not just wolves. That was how I learned to track very silently. Watching the young of any animal was always fascinating, but I particularly liked wolf cubs. They liked to play, just like those boys—I suppose I should call them young men, but they still act like boys. Look how they wrestle and punch and bump each other out of the way, all trying to get Amelana’s attention.”
“I notice Tivonan and Palidar are not with them,” the Donier said. “I think they know they’ll have plenty of time to pay attention to her after we reach the next Sacred Site and the youngsters go away, and when we start traveling again.”
“You think those young men will go off someplace when we get to the next Cave? She’s a very attractive young woman,” Ayla said.
“She’s also their only audience right now. They will be the center of attention of admiring friends and relatives when they arrive at their Camp with us, and bringing deer meat to share. Everyone will be asking them questions and be eager to hear the stories they have to tell. They won’t have time for Amelana.”
“Won’t that make her sad or upset?” Ayla said.
“She’ll have new admirers by then, and they won’t all be boys. An attractive young, pregnant widow will not lack for attention, and neither will those young traders. I’m glad neither one of them seems overly infatuated with Amelana,” the older woman said. “She’s not the kind of woman who would make a good mate for either one of them. A woman mated to a traveler has to have strong interests of her own and not depend on her man to keep her occupied.”
Ayla thought that she was glad Jondalar was not a trader, or involved in some other craft that would require him to travel long distances. It wasn’t that she didn’t have interests of her own or that she needed him to keep her occupied; it was that she would worry if he were gone for a long time. He occasionally took his apprentices to search out new sources of flint, and often examined likely sources when he was out with hunting parties, but traveling alone could be dangerous, and if he got hurt, or worse, how would she know? She would have to wait and wait, wondering if he would ever return. Traveling with a group or even two is better. Then one at least can come back and tell you.
It occurred to her that perhaps Willamar wouldn’t choose just one of his apprentices to be the next Master Trader. He might choose both, and suggest that they travel together for company and to help each other. Of course, a trader’s mate could travel with him, too, but once children came along she might not want to travel away from other women much anymore. It would have been much more difficult,