The Plains of Passage - Jean M. Auel [209]
“Ayla, do you think the horses can climb that? I don’t think there’s any other way, except going down and trying to find some way around,” Jondalar said.
“You said you didn’t want to go back,” she said, “especially for an animal.”
“I don’t, but if we have to, we have to. If you think it’s too dangerous for the horses, we won’t try it.”
“What if I thought it was too dangerous for Wolf? Would we leave him behind then?” Ayla said.
To Jondalar, the horses were useful, and though he liked the wolf, the man simply did not think it was necessary to delay their passage for him. But it was obvious that Ayla did not agree, and he had sensed an undercurrent of division between them, a feeling of strain probably because she wanted to stay with the Sharamudoi. He thought that once they put some distance between them, she would look forward to reaching their destination, but he didn’t want to make her more unhappy than she was.
“It’s not that I wanted to leave Wolf behind. I just thought he would catch up with us, like he has before,” Jondalar said, although he had been nearly ready to leave him.
She sensed there was something more to it than he said, but she didn’t like to have the distance of disagreement between them, and now that Wolf had come back, she was relieved. With her anxiety gone, her anger dissipated. She dismounted and started climbing up the slope to test it. She wasn’t altogether certain the horses could make it, but he’d said they would look for another way if they couldn’t.
“I’m not sure, but I think we should try it, Jondalar. I don’t think it’s quite as bad as it seems. If they can’t make it, then we can go back and see if we can find some other way,” she said.
It actually wasn’t quite as unstable as it appeared. Although there were a few bad moments, they were both surprised at how well the horses negotiated the slope. They were glad to put it behind them, but as they continued to climb, they encountered other difficult areas. In their mutual concern for each other and the horses, they were talking comfortably again.
The slope was easy for Wolf. He had run up to the top and back down again while they were carefully leading the horses up. When they reached the top, Ayla whistled for him and waited. Jondalar watched her and it occurred to him that she seemed much more protective toward the animal. He wondered why, thought about asking her, changed his mind afraid she would get angry, then decided to bring it up anyway.
“Ayla, am I wrong, or are you more concerned about Wolf than you were? You used to let him come and go. I wish you’d tell me what’s troubling you. You were the one who said we shouldn’t keep things from each other.”
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her forehead wrinkled in a frown. Then she looked up at him. “You’re right. It’s not that I was keeping it from you. I’ve been trying to keep it from myself. Remember those deer down there, that were rubbing the velvet off their antlers?”
“Yes.” Jondalar nodded.
“I’m not sure, but it might be the season of Pleasures for wolves, too. I don’t even want to think about it, for fear that would make it happen, but Tholie brought it up when I was talking about Baby leaving to find his own mate. She asked me if I thought Wolf would leave someday, like Baby did. I don’t want Wolf to leave, Jondalar. He’s almost like a child to me, like a son.”
“What makes you think he will?”
“Before Baby left, he would go off for longer and longer times. First a day, then several days, and sometimes, when he came back, I could see he had been fighting. I knew he was looking for a mate. And he found one. Now, every time Wolf goes, I’m afraid he’s looking for a mate,” Ayla said.
“So that’s it. I’m not sure we can do anything about it, but is it likely?” Jondalar asked. Unbidden came the thought that he wished it was. He didn’t want her to be unhappy, but more than once the wolf had delayed them or caused tension between them. He had to