The Land of Painted Caves - Jean M. Auel [36]
There was a murmuring from the gathered assembly, but before anyone could speak out, Joharran continued. “I know you like to have a few days’ warning before we leave, and I usually try to do that, but I’m sure most of you are nearly ready to go. If you can pack and be ready by morning, we can travel with the Third Cave and get there much faster. The sooner we get there, the better our chances will be of finding a good place to set up our camp.”
The crowd broke out in conversation and Joharran heard various comments and questions. “I don’t know if we can be ready by then.” “I need to talk to my mate.” “We aren’t packed yet.” “Won’t he wait another day or so?” The leader let it go on for a few moments; then he spoke again.
“I don’t think it’s fair to ask the Third Cave to wait for us. They want to find a good place, too. I need an answer now so I can send a runner back to him,” he said. “One person from each hearth must make the decision. If most of you think you can be ready, we’ll leave in the morning. Those who want to go then, come and stand to my right.”
There was an initial hesitation, then Solaban and Rushamar walked up and stood on Joharran’s right. Jondalar looked at Ayla, who smiled and nodded; then he moved to stand beside them on his brother’s right. Marthona did the same. Then a few more came up and joined them. No one moved to his left side, which would have indicated an unwillingness to leave so soon, but several were hanging back.
Ayla was using the counting words as each person joined the group, saying the word under her breath and tapping a finger on her thigh at the same time. “Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one—how many hearths are there?” she wondered. When she reached thirty, it was obvious that most of the people had decided they could be ready by the following morning. The idea of getting there faster and finding a more desirable location was a powerful incentive. After five more people joined them, she tried to count the hearths left. There were quite a few still undecided people milling around, but she thought they represented only seven or eight hearths.
“What about those who are not ready by then?” a voice from the undecideds spoke out.
“They can come along later, on their own,” Joharran said.
“But we always go as a Cave. I don’t want to go alone,” a person said.
Joharran smiled. “Then make sure you are ready by morning. As you can see, most people have decided they can leave then. I’m sending a runner to Manvelar to tell him we’ll be ready to join the Third Cave tomorrow morning.”
With a Cave the size of the Ninth, there were always a few who couldn’t make the trip, at least not then—people who were sick or injured, for example. Joharran assigned a few people to stay with them to hunt and help take care of those left behind. The helpers would be replaced after about a half a Moon, so they wouldn’t miss out on the entire Summer Meeting.
The people of the Ninth Cave were up much later than usual, and in the morning when everyone started gathering, a few were obviously tired, and grumpy. Manvelar and the Third Cave had arrived fairly early and were waiting in the open area that was just beyond the dwellings, toward Down River, not far from the place where Ayla and Jondalar lived. Marthona, Willamar, and Folara were ready early and had come to their dwelling, so some of their things could be packed on the horses or the travoises.
They also brought some food for a morning meal to share with Manvelar and a few others. The evening before, Marthona had suggested to her sons that it might be appropriate for her and Jondalar to entertain Manvelar and his family at Ayla’s dwelling—so called since Jondalar had made it for her—and therefore allow Joharran and Proleva to get the rest of the Cave organized for the trek across country to Sun View, the home of the Twenty-sixth Cave of the Zelandonii, the place of the Summer Meeting.
5
It was a large group—nearly two hundred fifty people—that started out later that