The Land of Painted Caves - Jean M. Auel [317]
The leather entrance cover was moved aside. Danug and Ayla looked up and saw Dalanar looking in. “If I’d known you wanted to keep her to yourself, I might have thought again before taking you along with us to this Summer Meeting, young man,” Dalanar said sternly, then smiled. “Can’t say that I blame you. I know you haven’t seen her in a long time, but there are many other people who want to talk to this young woman.”
“Dalanar!” Ayla said, getting up and going outside the small tent to hug him. He’d aged, but he still looked so much like Jondalar, she felt a warm glow at the sight of him. “Did Danug and the other two come with you? How did they find you?”
“By accident—or it was meant to be—depending on who you ask. Some of us were out hunting. There’s a river valley nearby that attracts a lot of passing herds. They saw us and indicated that they wanted to join in the hunt. We were more than happy to have three healthy young men help out. I had already been thinking that if we made some really successful hunts, enough to put some meat down for next winter and take some with us, we might go to the Zelandonii Meeting this year.
“Their help made a difference. We counted six bison kills. It wasn’t until later that evening that this young man started asking about you and Jondalar, and how to find the Zelandonii,” Dalanar said, indicating the huge red-haired man just emerging from the tent.
“Language was a bit of a problem. The only thing Danug could say was ‘Jondalar of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii.’ I tried to tell him Jondalar was the son of my hearth, but didn’t have much luck,” the older man continued. “Then Echozar returned from the flint mine, and Danug started talking to him in signs. He was surprised to find out Echozar could talk, but not nearly as surprised as Echozar was to see Danug and Druwez talk to him in signs. When Echozar asked where they learned it, he told us about his brother, a boy he said his mother adopted, who died. He said you were the one who taught everyone the hand signs so he could talk and be understood, Ayla.
“That’s how we managed to communicate at first. Danug and Druwez talked to Echozar in signs, and he translated. I made up my mind then and told Danug we were going to the Zelandonii Summer Meeting and would take them with us. The next day Willamar and his party happened to arrive. It’s amazing how good he is at communicating with people even if he doesn’t know the language.”
“Is Willamar here, too?” Ayla asked.
“Yes, I’m here.”
Ayla spun around and smiled with delight to see the old Trade Master. They hugged with warmth and affection. “Did you come with the Lanzadonii, too?”
“No, we didn’t arrive with them,” Willamar said. “We still had a few other stops to make to finish out the round. We got here a few days ago. I was just getting ready to leave for the Ninth Cave.”
“We actually came a little early this year,” Dalanar said. “I knew where the Ninth would probably set up camp, so we’re close by.”
“I happened to be one of the people who saw the Ninth Cave coming,” Danug said. “When I saw the horses from a distance, I knew it had to be your people, Ayla. I was really disappointed when you were not with them, though I was glad to see Jondalar. At least he could speak Mamutoi. I recognized Jonayla as your daughter right away, especially when I saw her sitting on the back of that gray horse. If you hadn’t come, I was going to go back with the Ninth Cave and surprise you, but you surprised us instead,” Danug said.
“You are a surprise, Danug, a welcome one. And you can still come and visit the Ninth Cave, you know,” Ayla said, then turned to Dalanar. “I am glad you decided to come with the Lanzadonii. Is Jerika with you? Marthona will be so disappointed not to see all of you.”