The Land of Painted Caves - Jean M. Auel [257]
“Have you met the young man?” Zelandoni First asked.
“No, not yet.”
“Nor have I,” the First said.
“Then let’s do it now.”
The three women and the man walked toward the Giornadonii campsite. They stopped off at the Ninth Cave’s camp and picked up Jondalar and Jonayla, and Willamar, the only ones who happened to be there. Beladora and Kimeran were at the camp with their children. Ayla wondered if Beladora’s mother would succeed in persuading them to return with her and stay for a year. She couldn’t blame her for trying, as she wanted to get to know her grandchildren, but Kimeran was the leader of the Second Cave.
The friends greeted each other with cheek rubs and then they went through a series of formal introductions to Beladora’s mother, the leader of the Cave, and a few others. Then the young man came forward.
“I wanted to meet you,” he said to Ayla. “I liked what you said about the snake and some of the people you know.”
“I’m pleased that you did,” Ayla said, then bent down and took both of his small, oddly shaped hands in hers. His arms were also too short. His head seemed almost too big for him. “I am Ayla of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, Mated to Jondalar, Master Flint-Knapper of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, and Mother of Jonayla, Blessed of Doni, and I am Acolyte to the First Among Those Who Serve The Great Earth Mother. I was formerly of the Lion Camp of the Mamutoi, who live far to the east. I was adopted by the Mamut to be Daughter of the Mammoth Hearth, Chosen by the spirit of the Cave Lion, Protected by the Cave Bear, Friend of the Horses; Whinney, Racer, and Gray, and the four-legged hunter, Wolf.”
“I am Romitolo of the Sixth Cave of the Giornadonii,” he said in slightly accented Zelandonii. He was fluent in both languages. “I greet you, Ayla of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii. You have a lot of unusual ties. Perhaps you could explain them to me sometime,” he said. “But first, I would like to ask you a question.”
“By all means,” Ayla said, noticing that he seemed to feel no need to recite all his names and ties. Well, he was unique enough, she thought. He seems young, yet ageless.
“What are you going to do with the little snake?” Romitolo asked. “Are you going to send him back to the Mother?”
“I don’t think so. I think the Mother will take him when she’s ready for him.”
“You have horses and a wolf—would you let me have the little snake? I will take care of him.”
Ayla paused for a while, then said, “I wasn’t sure what to do with him, but I think that’s a good idea, if it’s all right with your leader. Some people fear snakes, even those that are not poisonous. You will have to learn what to feed him. I may be able to help you.” She reached into her carrying sack and pulled out the woven bowl with the lid tied on and gave it to Romitolo. Wolf was leaning against her leg and whining slightly. “Would you like to meet the wolf? He won’t hurt you. When he was growing up, he grew to love a boy who had some problems. I think you remind Wolf of him.”
“Where is the boy now?” Romitolo asked.
“Rydag was very weak. He walks the next world now,” Ayla said.
“I am getting weaker. I think I will walk the next world soon,” Romitolo said. “Now I will think of it as returning to the Mother.”
She didn’t deny his assertion. He probably knew himself and his body better than anyone. “I am a medicine woman and was able to help Rydag be more comfortable. Can you tell me where you feel bad? I may be able to help you,” Ayla said.
“We have a good healer and he has probably done everything that can be done. He gives me medicine to help the pain when I need it. I think I’ll be ready to go back to the Great Mother when the time comes,” Romitolo said, then changed the subject. “How can I meet your wolf? What do I have to do?”
“Just let him sniff you, and maybe lick your hand. You can pat him, if you like, and feel his fur. He’s very gentle when I ask him to be. He adores babies,” Ayla said. Then she added, “Have