The Plains of Passage - Jean M. Auel [341]
Suddenly Ayla said, “You don’t need to cut down trees. Jondalar can make wood-cutting tools to cut up the wood of the Holding.”
They all saw the fence in a new way, but S’Armuna saw even more. She began to see the outlines of her new ceremony. “That’s perfect!” she said. “The destruction of that place to create a new and healing ceremony! Everyone can take part, and everyone will be glad to see it go. It will mark the new beginning for us, and you’ll be here, too.”
“I’m not sure about that,” Jondalar said. “How long will it take?”
“It’s not something that can be hurried. It’s too important.”
“That’s what I thought. We have to be leaving soon,” he said.
“But it will soon be the coldest part of winter,” S’Armuna objected.
“And not long after that, the spring melt. You’ve crossed that glacier, S’Armuna. You know it can only be crossed in winter. And I promised some Losadunai that I would visit their Cave on the way back and spend a little time with them. Though we couldn’t stay long, it would be a good place to stop and prepare for the crossing.”
S’Armuna nodded. “Then I will use the Firing Ceremony to ease your leaving as well. There are many of us who had hoped you would stay, and all will feel your absence.”
“I had hoped to see a firing,” Ayla said, “and Cavoa’s baby, but Jondalar is right. It’s time for us to leave.”
Jondalar decided to make the tools for S’Armuna immediately. He had located a supply of good flint nearby, and, with a couple of others, he went to get some that could be made into axes and wood-cutting implements. Ayla went into the small lodge to gather together their belongings and see what else they might need. She had spread everything out when she heard a noise at the entrance. She looked up to see Cavoa.
“Am I bothering you, Ayla?” she asked.
“No, come in.”
The young, very pregnant woman entered and eased herself down on the edge of a sleeping platform, across from Ayla. “S’Armuna told me you are leaving.”
“Yes, in a day or so.”
“I thought you were going to stay for the firing.”
“I wanted to, but Jondalar is anxious to go. He says we must cross a glacier before spring.”
“I made something that I was going to give you after the firing,” Cavoa said, taking a small leather package out of her shirt. “I’d still like to give it to you, but if it gets wet, it won’t last.” She handed the package to Ayla.
Inside the package was a small head of a lioness powerfully modeled out of clay. “Cavoa! This is beautiful. More than beautiful. It is the essence of a cave lioness. I didn’t know you were so skilled.”
The young woman smiled. “You like it?”
“I knew a man, a Mamutoi man, who was a carver of ivory, a very fine artist. He showed me how to see things that are carved and painted, and I know he would love this,” Ayla said.
“I have carved figures out of wood, ivory, antler. I’ve been doing it as long as I can remember. That’s why S’Armuna asked me to train with her. She has been so wonderful to me. She tried to help us … She was good to Omel, too. She let Omel keep the secret and never made demands, the way some would have. Many people were so curious.” Cavoa looked down and seemed to be struggling to hold back tears.
“I think you miss your friends,” Ayla said gently. “It must have been difficult for Omel to keep a secret like that.”
“Omel had to keep that secret.”
“Because of Brugar? S’Armuna said she thought he might have threatened great harm.”
“No, not because of Brugar, or Attaroa. I didn’t like Brugar, and I remember how he blamed her for Omel, even though I was little, but I think he feared Omel more than Omel feared him, and Attaroa knew why.”
Ayla sensed what was bothering Cavoa. “And you knew, too, didn’t you?”
The young woman frowned. “Yes,” she whispered; then she looked into Ayla’s eyes. “I was hoping you would be here when the time comes. I want everything to be right with my baby, not like…”
It wasn’t necessary to say more,