The Land of Painted Caves - Jean M. Auel [251]
“You don’t have to. We all know what has to be done. He needs to be killed. If he isn’t, he will kill more people. The question is, who will do it and how? Deliberately killing someone is not easy for most people. It’s not supposed to be. It’s not right for people to kill people. That’s why we know he’s not right inside. He doesn’t know that, and that’s why I’m glad all these Caves are coming together. It needs to be something they all participate in. I don’t mean everyone has to kill him, but they all have to take responsibility for it. And they all have to know that it’s the right thing to do in this particular case. A person shouldn’t be killed out of anger, or for revenge. There are other ways to deal with those things. There is no other way where he’s concerned,” the First said, “but what is the best way to do it?”
They were both silent, then Ayla said, “There are plants …”
“I was going to say mushrooms,” the First said. “They could be fed a meal with certain mushrooms.”
“But what if they guess and decide not to eat them? Everyone knows there are poisonous mushrooms. They are easy to pick out and avoid,” Ayla said.
“That’s true, and while Balderan is not right, he’s not stupid. What plants were you thinking of?”
“There are two plants that I know grow around here because I’ve seen them. One is called water parsnip. It grows in water,” Ayla said.
“They are edible, especially the roots, when they are young and tender,” the First said.
“Yes, but there is another plant that looks very similar and it’s deadly poisonous,” Ayla said. “I know the word in Mamutoi. I don’t know what you call it, but I know it.”
“I know the plant. It’s poison hemlock,” the First said. “That’s our name for it. It also grows in water. So the same meal can be cooked for the whole Camp, everyone else will get water parsnip, but Balderan and his men will get hemlock.” She paused, then said, “I was thinking, they could be served mushrooms, too, edible mushrooms. They may think they are poison and avoid them, and perhaps won’t pay attention to the root vegetables, because it will look as though everybody is eating them.”
“That’s what I was thinking, unless someone can think of a better way,” Ayla said.
The woman stopped to think again, then nodded. “Good, we have a plan. It’s always good to have a plan, to anticipate, if you can,” said the Zelandoni Who Was First.
When the two women left the tent, no one was outside. The rest of their group of travelers had gone to see what was happening with the impromptu Summer Meeting, and to offer to help with the cooking or whatever needed doing. Except this wasn’t a happy coming together of relatives, friends, and neighbors; this was a gathering to pass judgment for serious crimes.
More people were arriving and the field below the cliff was filling up. But the biggest surprise was late in the afternoon. Ayla and the First were in the zelandonia dwelling when Jonayla came running in interrupting the meeting.
“Mother, mother,” she said. “Kimeran told me to come and tell you.”
“Tell me what, Jonayla?” Ayla said with a stern tone to her voice.
“Beladora’s family is here. And there is a strange person with them.”
“Beladora’s family? They aren’t even Zelandonii; they’re Giornadonii. They live far away, how could they have gotten here in just a day or so?” Ayla said. She turned to the others. “I think I have to go.”
“I should go with you,” the First said. “Please excuse us.”
“They don’t live that far,” Zelandoni First said, walking them out, “and they often come to visit. At least every couple of years. I think they are as much Zelandonii as they are Giornadonii, but I doubt if they came because of the runners that were sent out. They were probably planning to visit anyway. They were likely as surprised to see their relative as she was to see them.”
Kimeran was just outside and had heard Zelandoni First. “That’s not entirely true,” he said. “They went to the Giornadonii Summer Meeting, then decided to go to your Summer Meeting, and were planning on coming here later. They were at the Meeting