The Plains of Passage - Jean M. Auel [359]
“We need to unpack the horses and get them settled first,” Jondalar said. “This field right outside your cave seems to have some good winter graze. Will anyone mind if we leave them here?”
“You are welcome to use the field,” Laduni said. “I think everyone will be intrigued to see horses so close.” He couldn’t help glancing at Ayla, wondering what she had done to the animals. It seemed obvious that she commanded very powerful spirits.
“I must ask something else,” Ayla said. “Wolf is accustomed to sleeping near us. He would be quite unhappy anywhere else. If having the wolf inside would make your Losaduna, or your Cave, uncomfortable, we will set up our tent and sleep outside.”
Laduni spoke again to the people, and after some conversation he turned back to the visitors. “They want you to come in, but some of the mothers fear for their children,” he said.
“I understand their fear. I can promise that Wolf will not harm anyone, but if that is not enough, we will stay outside.”
There was more conversation, then Laduni said, “They say you should come in.”
Laduni went with them when Ayla and Jondalar went to unpack the horses, and he was just as thrilled to meet Whinney and Racer as he had been to meet Wolf. He had done his share of horse hunting, but he had never touched one, except by chance when he managed to get close enough during the chase. Ayla recognized his enjoyment, and she thought that later she might offer him a ride on Whinney’s back.
As they walked back toward the cave, dragging their things in the bowl boat, Laduni asked Jondalar about his brother. When he saw pain flash across the tall man’s face, he knew there had been a tragedy before Jondalar answered.
“Thonolan died. He was killed by a cave lion.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I liked him,” Laduni said.
“Everyone liked him.”
“He was so eager to follow the Great Mother River all the way to the end. Did he get there?”
“Yes, he did reach the end of Donau before he died, but he had no heart for it by then. He had fallen in love with a woman, and mated her, but she died in childbirth,” Jondalar said. “It changed him, took the heart out of him. He didn’t want to live after that.”
Laduni shook his head. “What a shame. He was so full of life. Filonia thought about him for a long time after you left. She kept hoping he would come back.”
“How is Filonia?” Jondalar asked, remembering the pretty young daughter of Laduni’s hearth.
The older man grinned. “She’s mated now, and Duna smiles on her. She has two children. Shortly after you and Thonolan left, she discovered she had been blessed. When the word got around that she was pregnant, I think every eligible Losadunai man found a reason to visit our Cave.”
“I can imagine. As I recall, she was a lovely young woman. She made a Journey, didn’t she?”
“Yes, with an older cousin.”
“And she has two children?” Jondalar said.
Laduni’s eyes sparkled with pleasure. “A daughter from the first blessing, Thonolia—Filonia was sure she was a child of your brother’s spirit—and not long ago, she had a son. She is living with her mate’s Cave. They had more room, but it’s not too far away and we see her, and the children, regularly.” There was satisfaction and joy in Laduni’s voice.
“I hope Thonolia is a child of Thonolan’s spirit. I’d like to think that there is still a piece of his spirit in this world,” Jondalar said.
Could it happen so fast? Jondalar wondered. He only spent one night with her. Was his spirit so potent? Or, if Ayla is right, could Thonolan have started a baby growing inside Filonia with the essence of his manhood that night we stayed with them? He remembered the woman he had been with.
“How is Lanalia?” he asked.
“She is fine. She is visiting kin at another Cave. They are trying to arrange a mating for her. A man lost his mate and is left with three young children at his hearth. Lanalia never had any children, though she always wanted some. If she finds him compatible, they will mate, and she will adopt the