Ayla let out a deep breath and looked around. She wasn't alone in being caught up in the story. Everyone's rapt attention was focused on the large woman.

"The Great Mother lived with the pain in Her heart, That She and Her son were forever apart.

She ached for the child that had been denied, So She quickened once more from the life-force inside."

"She was not reconciled. To the loss of Her child."

Tears were running down Ayla's face, and she felt a sudden clenching ache for her own son that she had been forced to leave behind with the Clan, and a deep empathic sorrow for the Mother.

"When She was ready, Her waters of birth,"With a thunderous roar Her stones split asunder, And from the great cave that opened deep under, She birthed once again from Her cavernous room, And brought forth the Children of Earth from Her womb."

"From the Mother forlorn, more children were born."

The next part was not so sad, but it was interesting. It explained how things were now, and why.

"They all were Her children, they filled Her with pride, But they used up the life-force She carried inside.

She had enough left for a last innovation, A child who'd remember Who made the creation."

"A child who'd respect. And learn to protect."

"First Woman was born full-grown and alive, And given the Gifts she would need to survive.

Life was the First Gift, and like Mother Earth, She woke to herself knowing life had great worth."

"First Woman defined. The first of her kind."To share life with Woman, She created First Man."

"Again She was giving. One more was living."

"To Woman and Man the Mother gave birth, And then for their home, She gave them the Earth, The water, the land, and all Her creation.

To use them with care was their obligation."

"It was their home to use. But not to abuse."

"For the Children of Earth the Mother provided, The Gifts to survive, and then She decided, To give them a Gift of Pleasure and sharing, That honors the Mother with the joy of their pairing."

"The Gifts are well-earned. When honor's returned."

"The Mother was pleased with the pair She created, She taught them to love and to care when they mated.

She made them desire to join with each other, The Gift of their Pleasures came from the Mother."

"Before She was through. Her children loved too.

Earth's Children were blessed. The Mother could rest."to go to the camp of the Ninth Cave, do you mind if I walk with you?" she said.

"No, of course not," Ayla said.

They walked in companionable silence at first. Ayla was still feeling overwhelmed by the legend, and Zelandoni was waiting to see what she would say.

"That was beautiful, Zelandoni," Ayla finally said. "When I lived at the Lion Camp, sometimes everyone would make music and sing, or dance, together, and some of them had beautiful voices, but none as beautiful as yours."

"It is a Gift of the Mother. I didn't do anything to make it happen, I was born with it. The Legend of the Mother is called the Mother's Song, be- cause some people like to sing it," Zelandoni said.

"Jondalar told me a little of the Mother's Song while we were on our Journey. He said he couldn't remember it all, but some of his words were not exactly the same as yours," Ayla said."I think most people sing the same song as you do, but what do the words 'rhythm and rhyme' mean? I don't think Jondalar ever explained them to me," Ayla said.

"I don't suppose he Would. Singing and Story-Telling are not his great- est skills, though he has become much better at telling about his adven- tures."

"They are not mine, either. I can remember a story, but I don't know how to sing. I love to listen to it, though," Ayla said.

"Rhythm and rhyme help people to remember. Rhythm is the sense of movement. It carries you along as though you are walking at a steady pace. Rhymes are words that sound similar. They add to the rhythm, but they also help you remember the next words."

"The Losadunai have a similar Legend of the Mother, but it didn't make me feel the same way, when I memorized it," Ayla said.

Zelandoni stopped and looked at Ayla. "You memorized it? Losadunai is a different language."warm wind came on the last day, and we did have some trouble," Ayla ex- plained.

"You learned their language in less than a moon?"

"Not perfectly. I still made a lot of mistakes, but I did memorize some of Losaduna's legends. I've been trying to learn the Legend of the Mother as the Mother's Song and say it the way you sing it."

Zelandoni looked at her a moment longer, then started walking back to- ward the campsite again. "I'll be happy to help you with it," she said.

As they continued, Ayla thought about the legend, especially the part that reminded her of Durc and herself. She was sure she understood how the Great Mother felt when She had to accept that Her son was gone from Her forever. She, too, ached to have her son at her side sometimes, and looked forward to the birth of her new child, Jondalar's child. She recalled some of the verses she had just heard and began to walk in time to the rhythm as she recited them to herself.The woman studied her for a moment before answering. "It's a question that comes up now and then," she said. "I don't know the answer. That's the way it's always been. Most people think it's meant to give the legend a definite ending, once for the verse and once for the entire story."

Ayla nodded. Zelandoni wasn't sure if her nod meant acceptance of the explanation or simply comprehension of the statement. Most acolytes don't even discuss the finer points of the Mother's Song, she thought. This one definitely belongs in the zelandonia.

They walked a little farther. Ayla noticed the sun was lowering toward the western horizon. It would be getting dark soon.

"I thought the gather went well," Zelandoni said. "The zelandonia were impressed with your fire-making, and I do appreciate your willingness to show everyone. If we can find enough firestones, everyone will be making fire like that soon. If we can't find very many... I don't know. It will probably be best if they are used only to light special ceremonial fires."

Ayla frowned. "What about people who already have a firestone, or those who may find one? Can you tell them they can't use it?" she asked.what I think most of us wished, and I have to include myself. It would be an impressive tool for us, but we can't keep it from the people." She started walking again.

"We won't be planning the Matrimonial until after the first hunt. All the Caves will participate in that," Zelandoni said. "People get very anxious about it. They believe that if the first hunt is successful, it bodes well for the whole year, but if it's not, it portends bad luck. The zelandonia will be doing a Search for game. Sometimes that helps. If there are herds around, a good Searcher can help to locate them, but not even the best Searcher can find game if there are none to be found."

"I assisted Mamut on a Search. It was a surprise to me the first time, but we seemed to have an affinity, and I was caught up in his Search," Ayla said.

"You Searched with your Mamut?" Zelandoni said with surprise. "What was it like?"

"It's hard to explain, but something like a bird flying over the land, but there was no wind," Ayla said, "and the land didn't look the same, exactly.""If you don't want to, you don't have to. No one can force you, Ayla, but if a Search leads to a successful hunt, then the Matrimonial will be lucky, or so it is believed, and will produce long matings and successful hearths- families," the First said.

"Yes, well, I suppose I could try to help, but I don't know if I can," Ayla said.

"Don't worry. No one is ever sure. All anyone can do is try." Zelandoni felt pleased with herself. It was obvious that Ayla was reluctant and would try to resist becoming zelandonia, and this would be a way to get her started. She needs to be a part of the zelandonia, the First thought. She has too much talent, too many skills, and she asks questions that are too intelligent. She has to be brought into the fold or she might create dissen- sion outside of it.

When they neared the camp, Wolf raced out to greet her. She saw him coming and braced herself, just in case he jumped up on her in his enthu- siasm, but signaled him to stay down. He stopped, though it seemed it was all he could do to control himself. She hunkered down to his level and al-"I love you, too, Wolf, but sometimes I wonder why you love me so much. Is it just that I have become the leader of your pack, or is it some- thing more?" Ayla said, touching her forehead to his, then signaled him down.

"You command love, Ayla," the First said, "and the love you invoke can- not be denied."

Ayla looked at her, thinking it was a strange comment. "I don't command anything," she said.

"You command that wolf. He is motivated to please you by the love he feels for you. It's not that you try to beguile or entice, but you draw it to you.

And those who love you, love you profoundly. I see it in your animals. I see it in Jondalar. I know him. He has never loved anyone the way he loves you, and he never will. Perhaps it is because you give of yourself so fully and so openly, or perhaps it is a Gift from the Mother, to inspire love. You will always be loved with great fervor, but one must be wary of the Mother's Gifts.""Iza taught me that a gift creates an obligation. You must give some- thing of equal value back," Ayla said.

"The more I learn about the people who raised you, the more I grow to respect them," said the One Who Was First. "When the Great Earth Mother bestows a Gift, She may expect something in return, something of equal value. When much is given, much may be expected, but how can one know what that is until the time comes? So people are leery. Sometimes Her Gifts are too much, more than one wants, but they can't be given back. Too much doesn't necessarily bring any more happiness than not enough."

"Even too much love?" Ayla asked.

"The best example to answer that is Jondalar. He was definitely favored by the Mother," said the woman once known as Zolena, "too favored, he was given too much. He is so remarkably handsome and well made, he can't help but draw attention. Even his eyes are such an exceptional color, one can hardly keep from staring at him. He has a natural charm, people are drawn to him, but women in particular-I don't think there is a woman alive who could refuse him whatever he asked, not the Mother Herself- and he delights in pleasing women. He's intelligent, and exceptionally skilled at flint-knapping, and with it all he was given a caring heart, but hehappy, at least not until now, they have often aroused more envy than love."

Ayla nodded with a thoughtful frown. "I have heard several people say Jondalar's brother Thonolan was a favorite of the Mother and that's why he was taken so young," Ayla said. "Was he exceptionally handsome, and given many Gifts?"

"He was a favorite of everyone, not only the Mother. Thonolan was a fine-looking man, but he didn't have the overwhelming... I'm tempted to say beauty-masculine beauty, to be sure-of Jondalar, but he had such a warm and open nature that wherever he went, people loved him, men and women alike. He made friends, easily and naturally, and no one resented him, or was envious of him," the woman said.

They had been standing and talking, with the wolf crouched at Ayla's feet. As they started walking again toward the campfire, Ayla still frowned, thinking about the donier's words.

"Now that Jondalar has brought you home, many men are even more envious, and many women are jealous of you, because he loves you,"They walked together a few steps, then Ayla stopped and turned toward the woman. "I haven't seen Marona lately, not for several days before we left and not on the trek here."

"She went back to the Fifth Cave with her friend and came here with them. She is staying at their camp," the donier said.

"I don't like Marona, but I am sorry for her if she can't have children. Iza knew some things that could be done to make a woman more receptive to the impregnating spirit," Ayla said.

"I know of a few, too, but she hasn't asked for help, and if she is really unable to conceive, nothing will help," the woman said.

Ayla heard the tone of sorrow in her voice. She would be sorry, too, if she couldn't have children. Then her frown was replaced by a radiant smile.

"Did you know I am going to have a child?" she said. Zelandoni smiled back. Her speculation about Ayla was confirmed. "I'm very happy for you, Ayla. Does Jondalar know your mating has been blessed?"special words that can be part of the ceremony if the woman is already Blessed."

"I think I would like that," Ayla said. "I've stopped marking my moon times, since my bleeding has stopped, but I'm wondering if I should start marking days again, to keep track of them until my baby is born. Jondalar taught me how to use the counting words, but I don't know how to count that far."

"Do you find the counting words difficult, Ayla?"

"Oh, no. I like using counting words," she said. "Jondalar surprised me the first time he used them, though. Just from the marks I made on my sticks every night, he knew how long I lived in the valley. He said it was easier because I cut an extra line above the marks on the days when my moon time started, so I would be prepared for it. I seemed to have more trouble hunting when I was bleeding. I think animals could smell me. After a while I noticed that my bleeding always came when the waning moon reached the same shape, so I didn't have to make the marks, but I made them anyway. You can't always see the moon if it's stormy or cloudy."count the days until your baby is born."

"Yes, I would," Ayla said, smiling broadly. "I learned how to make marks from Creb, although I think it made him nervous when I did it. Most women of the Clan, or men, for that matter, couldn't count much past three. Creb could make counting marks because he was The Mog-ur, but he didn't have words for counting."

"I'll show you how to count larger numbers," the First said. "I think it's best that you are having your children now, when you are young. You may not want to worry about taking care of young children when you are older.

There is no telling what you may decide to do."

"I'm not so young, Zelandoni. I can count nineteen years, if Iza was right about how many years I was when she found me," Ayla said.

"You certainly look younger than you are." A fleeting frown crossed Zelandoni's face. "But it shouldn't matter. You have a head start," she said almost to herself, and finished in her thoughts, She is already a skilled healer, she won't have to learn that before becoming a Zelandoni.wanted to keep from telling her. It was her right, Ayla thought. She could refrain from mentioning what she was thinking if she chose, but it did make her wonder.

Twilight had settled by the time they approached the campfire, and it was already getting hard to see. When they arrived at the fire trench, peo- ple greeted them and offered them food. Ayla realized she was hungry; it had been a full and busy afternoon. Zelandoni ate with them and planned to sleep at the camp of the Ninth Cave that night, then immediately got into a discussion with Marthona and Joharran about the upcoming hunt and the Search the zelandonia would make. She mentioned that Ayla would be joining them, which they seemed to think was entirely appropriate, but it made Ayla feel uneasy. She did not want to become one of Those Who Served The Mother, but circumstances seemed to be pulling her in that direction and she wasn't happy about it.

"We should get there early. I need to arrange to set up some targets and step off the distances," Jondalar said as they walked out of the lodge the next morning. He was holding the cup of mint tea Ayla had made for him and began chewing on the end of the wintergreen twig she had re- cently peeled, to prepare it for him to clean his teeth.fling a spear farther than any of the men, that will make them interested,"

Jondalar said. v "I'll be there as soon as I can, but I want to brush them down, and check Racer's eye. It seemed red, like he got something in it. I may want to treat it," Ayla said.

"Do you think he's all right? Should I come with you?" he said, full of concern.

"It didn't look that bad. I'm sure he's fine. I just want to check it. You go on, I won't be long," she said.

Jondalar nodded as he scrubbed at his teeth, then swished out his mouth with the mint tea. He drank down the balance and smiled. "That always makes me feel better," he said.

"It does make your mouth feel clean, and wakes you up," Ayla said. She had made his tea and prepared his twig nearly every morning since shortly after she met him, and had begun to follow his morning ritual. "I noticed it especially when I was sick in the morning."cially like what's in it."

She smiled back. "I do, too," she said.

He kissed her with warmth and feeling. "The thing I miss most about traveling is that we could stop and share Pleasures whenever we felt like it.

Now, it seems there is always something to do and it's not as easy to stop and do what we want whenever we want." He nuzzled her neck, felt the fullness of her breasts, and kissed her again. "Maybe I don't have to get to the spear-throwing range so early," he added with a huskiness in his voice.

"Yes, you do," she said with a laugh. "But if you want to stay..."

"No, you are right, but I'm going to look for you later."

Jondalar headed for the main camp and Ayla went back into the lodge.

When she came out, she was carrying her backpack, the one with the holders for spears and spear-thrower, into which she had packed a few things. She whistled for Wolf and headed upstream along the small creek.

Both horses knew she was coming and had strained to come toward her as far as their lead ropes would allow. Ayla noticed that the ropes had gottenrope, Racer began running in a large circle, and Wolf chased after him.

Ayla started brushing Whinney, and when she looked up, Racer was chas- ing Wolf. The next time she looked, Wolf was chasing Racer again. She stopped brushing for a while to watch them. As Wolf got close to Racer, the young stallion actually slowed down a bit until the wolf passed him and raced ahead. When they came full circle, Wolf slowed down and let Racer pass him.

At first, Ayla thought she was imagining that they were doing it on pur- pose, but as she continued to watch them, it soon became obvious that they were playing a game with each other, and enjoying it. Both young male animals, so full of life and energy, had discovered a way to run some of it off and have fun doing it. Ayla smiled and shook her head, wishing Jondalar were there to enjoy their antics with her, then went back to brushing the mare. Whinney, too, was beginning to show her pregnancy, but she appeared to be in good health.

When Ayla finished with her horse, she saw that Racer was grazing qui- etly and Wolf was nowhere in sight. Off exploring, she thought. She whis- tled the particular tones that Jondalar had developed to call his horse. He looked up and started toward her. He had nearly reached her when anotherwardly, as though he didn't have full control of it. The boy reminded her of Creb, whose arm had been amputated at the elbow when he was a boy, and she warmed to him immediately.

"Are you the one who whistled?"

"Yes."

"Why did you whistle like I did?" Ayla said.

"I never heard a whistle like that. I wanted to see if I could do it," he said.

"You did," she said. "Are you looking for someone?"

"No," he said.

"What are you doing here?" ,"Oh, then you are of the Nineteenth Cave."

"Yes. Why do you talk funny?"

"I was not born here. I come from far away. I used to be Ayla of the Lion Camp of the Mamutoi, now I am Ayla of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii,"