The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel [127]
Talut shook the Speaking Staff, and struck the ground three times with the thick end. “Now does anyone have any more objections to Ayla becoming a Mamutoi, and a member of the Lion Camp?” he asked.
“Will she show us how to do that magic?” Frebec said.
“She will not only show us, she has promised to give one of her firestones to each hearth in this Camp,” Talut replied.
“I have no more objections,” Frebec said.
Ayla and Jondalar sorted through their traveling packs to gather together all the iron pyrite nodules they had with them and selected six of the best. She had relit the fires of each hearth the night before, showing them the process, but she was tired and it was too late to look through their packs for firestones before they went to bed.
The six stones, grayish yellow with a metallic sheen, made a small, insignificant pile on the bed platform, yet one like them had made the difference between her acceptance and her rejection. Seeing them, no one would ever guess what magic lay hidden in the soul of those rocks.
Ayla picked them up and, holding them in her hands, looked up at Jondalar.
“If everyone else wanted me, why would they let one person keep me out?” she asked.
“I’m not sure,” he said, “but everyone in a group like this has to live with everyone else. It can cause a lot of bad feeling if one person really doesn’t like another person, especially when the weather keeps everyone inside for a long time. People end up taking sides, arguments can lead to fights, and someone may get hurt, or worse. That leads to anger, and then someone wants revenge. Sometimes the only way to avert more tragedy is to break up the group … or to pay a high penalty and send the troublemaker away.…”
His forehead knotted in pain as he closed his eyes for a moment, and Ayla wondered what caused his grief.
“But Frebec and Crozie fight all the time, and people don’t like that,” she said.
“The rest of the Camp knew about that before they agreed, or at least they had some idea. Everyone had a chance to say no, so no one can blame anyone else. Once you’ve agreed to something, you tend to feel it’s up to you to work it out, and you know it’s only for the winter. Changes are easier to make in summer.”
Ayla nodded. She still wasn’t entirely certain that he wanted her to become one of these people, but showing the firestone had been his idea, and it worked. They both walked to the Lion Hearth to deliver the stones. Talut and Tulie were deep in conversation. Nezzie and Mamut were occasionally drawn in, but they listened more than talked.
“Here are firestones I promised,” Ayla said when they acknowledged her approach. “You can give them today.”
“Oh, no,” Tulie said. “Not today. Save them for the ceremony. We were just talking about that. They will be part of the gifts. We have to decide on a value for them so we can plan what else will be necessary to give. They should have a very high value, not only for themselves but for trading, and for the status they will give you.”
“What gifts?” Ayla said.
“It is customary, when someone is adopted,” Mamut explained, “for gifts to be exchanged. The person who is adopted receives gifts from everyone, and in the name of the hearth that is adopting, gifts are distributed to the rest of the hearths in the Camp. They can be small, just a token exchange, or they can be quite valuable. It depends on the circumstances.”
“I think the firestones are valuable enough to be a sufficient gift for each hearth,” Talut said.
“Talut, I would agree with you if Ayla were Mamutoi already and her value was established,” Tulie said, “but in this case, we are trying to set her Bride Price. The entire Camp will benefit if we can justify a high value for her. Since Jondalar has declined