The Plains of Passage - Jean M. Auel [200]
It was unusual, Ayla thought. The decorative patterns, as well as the longer style and looser cut were not at all like the Mamutoi clothing she was used to. One thing surprised her more than anything else. It was decorated with black-tipped white ermine tails.
It even looked strange to Jondalar. So much had happened since he had last worn that shirt, it seemed almost quaint, old-fashioned. He hadn’t worn it much in the years he lived with the Sharamudoi, preferring to dress like the others, and though it was only a few moons longer than a year since he had given it to Darvo, it felt like ages since he had seen clothing from his homeland.
“It’s supposed to fit loose, Darvo. You wear it belted. Go ahead and put it on. I’ll show you. Do you have something to tie around you?” Jondalar said.
The young man pulled the highly decorated and patterned tunic-style leather shirt over his head, then handed Jondalar a long leather thong. The man told Darvo to stretch up, then belted it fairly low, almost at the hips, so that it bloused in a way that made the ermine tails hang free.
“See? It’s not so big on you, Darvo,” Jondalar said. “What do you think, Ayla?”
“It’s unusual, I’ve never seen a shirt like that. But I think it looks fine, Darvalo,” she said.
“I like it,” the young man said, holding out his arms and looking down, trying to see how it looked. Maybe he’d wear it the next time they went to visit the Sharamudoi downriver. She might like it, that girl he’d noticed.
“I’m glad I had a chance to show you how to wear it…” Jondalar said, “before we left.”
“When are you leaving?” Darvalo asked, looking startled.
“Tomorrow, or the day after at the latest,” Jondalar said, looking straight at Ayla. “As soon as we can get ready.”
“The rains may have started on that side of the mountains,” Dolando said, “and you remember what the Sister is like when she’s flooding.”
“I hope it won’t be as bad as that,” Jondalar said. “We’d need one of your big boats to cross.”
“If you want to go by boat, we would take you to the Sister,” Carlono said.
“We need to get more bog myrtle, anyway,” Carolio added, “and that’s where we go for it.”
“I would be happy to go up the river in your boat, but I don’t think the horses can ride in one,” Jondalar said.
“Didn’t you say they can swim across rivers? Maybe they could swim behind the boat,” Carlono suggested. “And the wolf could ride.”
“Yes, horses can swim across a river, but it’s a long way to the Sister, several days as I recall,” Jondalar said, “and I don’t think they could swim upriver for such a long distance.”
“There is a way over the mountains,” Dolando said. “You’ll have to do a little backtracking, then go up and around one of the lower peaks, but the trail is marked and it will, eventually, take you close to where the Sister joins the Mother. There is a high ridge just to the south that makes it easy to see even from a distance, once you reach the lowland to the west.”
“But would that be the best place to cross the Sister?” Jondalar asked, remembering the wide swirling waters from the last time.
“Perhaps not, but from there you can follow the Sister north until you find a better place, although she’s not an easy river. Her feeders come down out of the mountains hard and fast, her current is much swifter than the Mother’s, and she’s more treacherous,” Carlono said. “A few of us once went upstream on her for almost a moon. She stayed swift and difficult the whole time.”
“It’s the Mother I need to follow to get back, and that means crossing the Sister,” Jondalar said.
“Then I’ll wish you well.”
“You’ll need food,” Roshario said, “and I have something I’d like to give you, Jondalar.”
“We don’t have much room to take anything extra,” Jondalar said.
“It is for your mother,” Roshario said, “Jetamio’s favorite necklace. I saved it to give to Thonolan, if he came back. It won’t take much