The shelters of stone - Jean M. Auel [139]
Joharran turned to face the hunters that were still standing around the wounded man, most of them from the Ninth Cave. “Rushemar, the sun is high and getting hotter. We have paid dearly for this day’s kill, let’s not waste it. The bison need to be gutted and skinned. Kareja and the Eleventh Cave have started, but I’m sure she could use some help. Solaban, maybe you could take a few people and help Brameval get wood and water, and whatever else Ayla needs, and when Kimeran and Thefona find a place, you can help move Shevonar.”
“Someone should go to the other Caves and let them know we need help,” Brameval said.
“Jondalar, can you stop on your way back and let them know what happened?” Joharran asked.
“When you get to Two Rivers Rock, tell them to light the signal fire,” Manvelar said.
“Good idea,” Joharran said. “Then the Caves will know something is wrong and will be expecting a messenger.” He went to the woman, the foreigner, who would likely be a member of his Cave one day, and probably a Zelandoni, and was already contributing every way she could. “Do what you can for him, Ayla. We’ll get his mate and Zelandoni here as soon as we can. If there is anything you need, ask Solaban. He will get it for you.”
“Thank you, Joharran,” she said, then turned to Jondalar. “If you tell her what happened, I’m sure Zelandoni will know what to bring, but let me check my bag. There are a couple of herbs I’d like if she has them. And take Whinney with you. Then you can use the pole drag to bring things here, she’s more used to it than Racer. Zelandoni could even ride here on it, and Shevonar’s mate on Whinney’s back, if they’re willing.”
“I don’t know, Ayla. Zelandoni’s pretty heavy,” Jondalar said.
“I’m sure Whinney can handle it. You just have to come up with a comfortable seat.” Then she looked at Jondalar with a wry expression. “But you’re right, most people aren’t used to using horses for traveling. I’m sure the women would rather walk, but they will need tents and supplies. The pole drag will be good for that.”
Ayla removed the carrying baskets before she put the halter on Whinney and gave the rope attached to it to Jondalar. He fastened the other end of it to the back of Racer’s halter with enough lead so she could follow, and started out. But the mare was not accustomed to trailing behind the stallion she had borne. He had always followed her. Even though Jondalar was sitting on Racer’s back, guiding him with a rein attached to his halter, Whinney stayed slightly ahead of them, yet she seemed to sense which way the man wanted to go.
Horses were willing to do the bidding of their human friends, Ayla thought, smiling to herself as she watched them leave, so long as it didn’t upset their own sense of the proper order of things. She saw Wolf was observing her when she turned around. She had signaled him to stay when the horses left, now he was waiting patiently.
Her ironic inner smile at the behavior of the horses was quickly dispelled when she looked at the man lying where he fell. “He’ll need to be carried, Joharran,” she said.
The leader nodded, then called on some people to help. They improvised a carrying device by first binding together a couple of spears to make a sturdy pole, then fastening pieces of clothing across two of them. By the time Thefona and Kimeran returned with news of a small shelter nearby, the man had been carefully moved to the stretcher and was ready to be carried. Ayla called Wolf to her as four men each lifted one end of a pole.
When they arrived, Ayla helped several people who had begun cleaning out the hollowed-out space at ground level in the nearby limestone wall, protected by a small overhanging ledge. The dirt floor was littered with dried leaves and debris blown in by the wind, and dried hyena droppings left sometime before by the scavenging carnivores