The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel [311]
“Another name might be appropriate, Vincavec, but it is not my gift. The animals answer to Ayla.”
“Ayla? It seems the old Mamut has found himself a worthy daughter.” Vincavec looked her over again, with obvious interest. He didn’t notice Ranec glower, but Jondalar did. He understood the feeling, and for the first time, felt a strange sort of kinship with the carver.
“Enough standing here talking,” Avarie said. “We have plenty of time for that. The travelers must be tired, and hungry. You must let me arrange a meal for you, and a place to rest.”
“We can see that you are making a new lodge, Avarie. You don’t need to go to trouble for us. A place to set up tents will be enough,” Tulie said. “Later, we would be pleased to share a meal with you, and perhaps show you some fine reindeer skins and furs we happen to have with us.”
“I have a better idea!” Talut boomed, shrugging off his packframe where he stood. “Why don’t we help you? You may have to tell me where to put it, but I have back enough to carry a mammoth bone or two.”
“Yes, I’d like to help,” Jondalar volunteered, leading Racer forward and helping Rydag off. “That’s an unusual lodge. I have never seen anything quite like it.”
“By all means. We welcome your help. Some of us are in a hurry to get to the Summer Meeting, but a lodge needs a summer to set up properly, so we needed to build it before we left. The Lion Camp is most generous,” Vincavec said, wondering how many pieces of amber their generosity was going to cost when the trading started. Then he decided it would be worth it to get his lodge finished, and quiet some of the complainers.
Vincavec hadn’t noticed the tall blond man in the crowd of people at first, but he looked twice, then glanced back at Ayla, who was unharnessing Whinney from the travois. He was a stranger, as Ayla was, and he seemed as comfortable with the horses as she did. But then the little flathead seemed familiar with the wolf, and he was no stranger any more. It must have something to do with the woman. The Mamut-headman of the Mammoth Camp turned his attention back to Ayla. He noticed the brown-skinned carver was hovering around her; Ranec always did have an eye for the beautiful and the exceptional, he thought. In fact, he was acting possessive, but then who was the stranger? Wasn’t he associated with the woman? Vincavec glanced at Jondalar, and noted that he was watching Ayla and Ranec.
Something was going on here, Vincavec decided, then smiled. Whatever the relationships, if they were both so interested, it was likely the woman was not formally joined, yet. He looked her over once again. She was a striking woman, and a daughter of the Mammoth Hearth, a Healer, or so they claimed, and she certainly had some unique talent with animals. A woman of high status, no doubt, but where had she come from? And why was it always the Lion Camp that turned up with someone unusual?
The two headwomen were standing inside an almost complete, but empty new earthlodge. Although the outside was covered, the zigzag pattern of the walls was subtly apparent on the inside.
“Are you sure you won’t travel with us, Avarie?” Tulie said. A new string of large amber beads graced her neck. “We’d be happy to wait a few more days, until you are ready.”
“No, you go ahead. I know everyone is anxious to get to the Meeting, and you have already done too much. The lodge is nearly finished, and without you, we would never have been so far along.”
“It was our pleasure to work with you. I must admit, the new lodge is quite impressive. It is an honor to the Mother. Your brother is truly remarkable. One can almost feel the Mother’s presence inside.” She was sincere, and Avarie knew it.
“Thank you, Tulie, and we will not forget your help. That’s why we don’t want to keep you any longer. You are already late because you stayed to help us. All the best places will be taken.”
“It won’t take us long to get there now. Our load is considerably lighter. Mammoth Camp strikes a hard bargain.”
Avarie’s eyes glanced at the