The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel [341]
“We do something similar with mammoth tusk,” Tarneg said. “As a first step we wrap the tusk in damp skins and bury it with hot ashes. The ivory changes, becomes denser but easier to work, and easier to bend. It’s the best way to straighten a whole tusk.”
“I wondered how you did that,” Jondalar said, then he paused, obviously thinking. “My brother would have wanted to learn about it. He was a spear maker. He could make a good straight shaft, but he understood the properties of wood, how to bend and shape it. I think he would have understood your process, too. Perhaps knowledge of your methods is one reason Wymez was so quick to grasp the idea of heating flint to make it more workable. He is one of the best workers of flint I’ve ever known.”
“You’re a good flint man, too, Jondalar,” Tarneg said. “Even Wymez speaks highly of you, and he doesn’t praise easily. You know, I’ve been thinking. I’m going to need a good flint worker for Aurochs Camp. I know you’ve been saying you are going back to your home, but it sounds like a long trip. Would you consider staying if you had a place to stay? What I mean is, how would you like to join my Camp?”
Jondalar’s forehead furrowed as he tried to think of a way to refuse Tarneg’s offer without offending. “I’m not sure. I’d have to think about it.”
“I know Deegie likes you, I’m sure she’d agree. And you wouldn’t have any trouble finding someone to make a hearth with,” Tarneg encouraged. “I’ve been noticing the women around you, even the red-foots. First it was Mygie, now all the rest of them find reasons to visit the flint-workers’ area. It must be because you are new around here. Women are always curious about men they don’t know.” He smiled. “I’ve heard more than one man wishing he was a tall, blond stranger. They’d all like to get a red-foot interested again, but it’s Danug’s turn, this time.” Tarneg smirked knowingly at his young cousin.
Jondalar and Danug both looked uncomfortable. Jondalar stood up, and looked away to shift attention elsewhere, and in an incidental way, he noticed that around these two men, he was not exceptionally tall. The three of them were near the same size, and Danug still had some growing in him. He was going to be a second Talut. But there were all sizes of men at the Meeting, just as there were at Zelandonii Summer Meetings.
“Well, I wish you would think about Aurochs Camp, Jondalar. Now that Deegie and Branag are finally going to be joined, we’ll be building this fall, though I haven’t decided yet whether to make a single lodge, like Lion Camp, or the smaller individual ones for each family. I tend to be old-fashioned. I like the big ones best, but a lot of the younger people want a place with just their own relations, and I admit, when people start arguing, it could be nice to have your own place to go.”
“I appreciate the offer, Tarneg,” Jondalar said. “I mean that, but I don’t want to give you a false impression. I am going home. I have to go back. I could give you a lot of reasons, that I need to bring back word of my brother’s death, for example. But the truth is, I don’t know why I have to go. I just do.”
“Is it because of Ayla?” Danug asked with a worried frown.
“That’s part of it. I admit, I don’t look forward to seeing her sharing a hearth with Ranec, but I was trying to convince her to come back with me when we met you. Now it looks like I’ll be going back alone anyway … I’m not looking forward to that either, but that doesn’t change anything. I still have to go.”
“I’m not sure I understand, but I wish you good fortune, and may the Mother smile on your Journey. When do you think you’ll leave?” Tarneg said.
“Soon after the mammoth hunt.”
“Speaking of the mammoth hunt, we should be getting back. They are planning it this afternoon,” Tarneg said.
They started walking along the river