THE SHELTERS OF STONE

Ayla told how she had absentmindedly picked up a stone that was on the rocky beach of the valley where she lived, rather than the hammerstone she had been using to make a new tool to replace one that had broken. Since her fire had gone out, the hot spark and bit of smoke gave her the idea to try to relight her fire that way. To her surprise, it worked.

"And is it true there are some of those firestones around here?" the donier asked.

"Yes," Jondalar answered, full of excitement. "We collected all that we could find from her valley, and hoped to find more on our Journey. We never did, but Ayla stopped to get a drink at that small stream in Wood Valley and found some there. Not many, but where there are some, there must be more."

"That seems logical. I hope you are right," Zelandoni said.

"They would be exceptional for trading," Willamar said.

Zelandoni frowned slightly. She had been thinking more of the dramatic aspects for ceremonies, but that would require that they remain inaccessible to everyone except the zelandonia, and it was already too late for that. "You are probably right, Trade Master, but perhaps not right away," she said. "I would rather the knowledge of these stones be kept secret, for the time being."

"Why?"Ayla said.

"They could be useful for certain ceremonies," Zelandoni said.

Suddenly Ayla remembered the time Talut held a meeting to present the idea of the Mamutoi adopting her. To the surprise of both Talut and Tulie, the brother-sister headman and headwoman of the Lion Camp, since they had both sponsored her, one man had objected. It was only when they had made an impromptu, but dramatic, demonstration of fire-making with a firestone, and had promised to give him one, that Frebec relented.

"I suppose they could," she said.

"But when can I show my friends?" Folara implored. "Mother made me promise not to tell anyone yet, but I've been yearning to show them."

"Your mother was wise," Zelandoni said. "I promise you'll have a chance to show them, but not yet. This is too important and needs to be presented properly. It really would be better if you wait. Will you?"

"Of course, if you want me to, Zelandoni," Folara said.

"It seems like there have been more feasts and ceremonies and gathers in the few days since they came than in all of last winter," Solaban said.

"Proleva asked me to help, and you know I won't refuse her," Ramara said, "any more than you'd refuse Joharran. Jaradal always plays with Robenan anyway, I don't mind watching him."

"We'll be leaving for the Summer Meeting in a day or so, why can't it wait until we get there?" her mate complained. He had an array of objects spread out on the floor of their dwelling and was trying to decide what to take with him. He did not relish the job. It was the part of going to the Summer Meeting that he always put off until the last moment, and now that he'd finally gotten into it, he wanted to finish without children playing around and disturbing things.

"I think it has to do with their mating," Ramara said.

She thought about her own Matrimonial and glanced at her dark-haired mate. His hair was probably the darkest of anyone of the Ninth Cave, and when she met him, she liked the contrast he made with her own pale blond coloring. Solaban's hair was almost black, though his eyes were blue, and his skin was so pale that he often sunburned, especially early in the summer season. She also thought he was the most handsome of all the men of the Cave, even compared to Jondalar. She understood the appeal of the tall blond man with the extraordinary blue eyes, and when she was younger, like most women, she had been infatuated with him. But she learned what love was when she met Solaban. Jondalar didn't seem quite so attractive since his return, perhaps because he gave all his attention to Ayla. Besides, she rather liked the woman.

"Why can't they get mated just like everyone else?" Solaban said, obviously feeling grouchy.

"Well, they aren't just like everyone else. Jondalar just returned from a Journey that was so long, no one expected him to come back, and Ayla isn't even Zelandonii. But she really wants to be. At least that's what I heard," Ramara said.

"When she mates him, she'll be the same as Zelandonii anyway," Solaban said. "Why do they need to bother with an acceptance ceremony for her?"

"It's not the same. She wouldn't be Zelandonii. She'd be Ayla of the Mamutoi, mated to Jondalar of the Zelandonii.' Whenever she was introduced, everyone would know she was a foreigner," she said.

"She just has to open her mouth and everyone knows it anyway," he said. "Making her Zelandonii isn't going to change that."

"Yes, it will. She might talk like a stranger, but when people meet her, they would know that she isn't a foreigner anymore," Ramara said.