The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel [336]
“Deegie,” Ayla said in a quiet voice, “they do need help, the girl’s nose is still bleeding, and the boy’s mouth is swollen.”
Deegie went to Tulie and whispered in her ear. The woman nodded, then stepped forward. “Before you return to your Camp, go with Ayla to the Mammoth Hearth, where she will look to the hurts you inflicted upon each other.”
The first lesson in cooperation they had to learn was how to match their steps, so they could walk with their ankles tied together. Deegie went with Ayla and the youngsters to the Mammoth Hearth, and after they were cleaned up and treated, both young women watched them hobble away together.
“They were really fighting,” Ayla said as they walked back to Cattail Camp, “but the boy did take something from the girl.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Deegie said. “Hitting is not the way to get it back. They must learn fighting is unacceptable. It’s obvious they didn’t learn that at their own Camp, so they must learn it here. It makes you understand why Crozie was so reluctant to have Fralie join with Frebec.”
“No, why?”
“Didn’t you know? Frebec came from one of those Camps. All three are closely related. Chaleg is Frebec’s cousin.”
“Well, Frebec has certainly changed a lot.”
“That’s true, but I’ll be honest with you. I’m still not sure about him. I think I’ll hold judgment until he’s really put to the test.”
Ayla couldn’t keep her mind off the children, or the thought that there was something for her to learn from this experience. Judgment had been swift and absolutely without recourse. They hadn’t even been given a chance to explain, and no one considered looking at their injuries first—she still didn’t even know their names. But they weren’t seriously hurt, and there was no doubt they had been fighting. While the punishment was swift, and they were not likely to forget it, it was not painful, though they might feel the hurt of humiliation and ridicule for many years.
“Deegie,” Ayla said, “about those children, their left arms are free. What will keep them from untying those bonds?”
“Everyone will know it. As humiliating as it may be to have to walk around the encampment tied together with their arms held down, it would be far worse if they took the bindings off. It would be said that they were controlled by the evil spirits of anger, that they couldn’t even control themselves enough to learn the value of each other’s help. They’d be shunned, and shamed even worse.”
“I don’t think they will ever forget this,” Ayla said.
“And neither will a lot of other youngsters. Even the arguing will be less for a while, though it doesn’t hurt them to yell at each other a little,” Deegie said.
Ayla was eager to get back to the familiarity of Cattail Camp. She had met so many people and seen so many things her mind was in a whirl. It would take awhile to absorb it all, but she couldn’t help but look when they passed by the flint-working area again. This time, she saw Jondalar, but she also saw someone else whom she had not expected to see. Mygie was there, looking adoringly up into his startling blue eyes, and Ayla thought the way she was standing was particularly exaggerated. Jondalar was smiling at Mygie, an easy, comfortable smile that she hadn’t seen for a long time, and he had that look in his eyes that she hadn’t seen for a long time, either.
“I thought those red-footed women were supposed to be concerned with teaching young men,” Ayla said, thinking that nobody needed to teach Jondalar anything.
Deegie noticed Ayla’s expression, and quickly saw the reason for her frown. She could understand it, but on the other hand, it had been a long and difficult winter for him, too.
“He does have physical needs, Ayla, just like you do.”
Suddenly Ayla blushed. She was the one, after all, who had been sharing Ranec’s bed, while Jondalar slept alone. Why should she be upset if he found a woman to make Pleasures with here at the Summer Meeting? She should have expected it, but she knew why. She wanted him to make