Radec smiled as he was approached by what looked like their healer; she had a very wise look, as well as a knowledgeable one.

She extended her arms to him. “I greet you in the name of the Mother, Radec of the Mamutoi. I am S’Armuna of the S’Armunai,” she said in perfect Zelandonii.

Radec nodded and introduced her to all of the members of his group. "In the name of Mut, I greet you S'Armuna. These are my friends and family whom with I am traveling," he pointed to each in turn, "Danug of the Mamutoi, Lareno of the Sharamudoi, Panec of the Mamutoi, Amara of the America, Latie of the Mamutoi, Healie of the Mamutoi, and Callie of the Mamutoi, my mate." Danug translated back to Zelandonii and S'Armuna then stood back and smiled at them all.

“Well, I’m sure we are all looking forward to a night of storytelling, but let us help you get settled first.”

S’Armuna called several others over and thus their camp was set up quickly.

Radec asked Danug to ask S’Armuna to please look at Callie. "S'Armuna, you are a healer, Radec and Callie would like very much for you to check how she is coming along," he nodded toward he swollen abdomen. S'Armuna nodded and smiled and gestured to Callie to follow who quickly obliged her and waved to Latie to accompany her. She then laid Callie down on a fur on the side of the camp and proceeded to examine her while everyone was helping.

She examined Callie thoroughly and was pleased with her progress. “You look wonderful, Callie,” S’Armuna said. Latie translated quickly for her. “You should give birth to a healthy baby in a few short moons, probably in the middle of the winter season.”

Callie smiled gratefully and with Latie’s help, thanked S’Armuna profusely. There was always a twinge of worry in the back of her mind, but she felt so much better after S’Armuna’s positive diagnosis. When she returned to the camp Callie, along with Latie, Healie, and Amara set to work helping the S’Armunai women with an impromptu feast. It was unexpected, but welcome, and the timing couldn’t have been better. A dispatch of Hadumai people had just met up with the S’Armunai the day before, and now there was the addition of a few Mamutoi, which provided an excellent opportunity for such a feast.

Conversation idled between the Mamutoi and the others, mostly because only Latie, Danug, and Lareno could speak Zelandonii very well. Everyone was more looking forward to that evening, when there would undoubtedly be rounds of stories and information shared.

Although they didn’t have much to spare, the Mamutoi did what little they could to add to the feast. Callie used the last of some berries and almost all of what was left of their honey to make the small cakes that everyone was so fond of. She hoped that they would go over well; a delicious dish was always welcome, and it would serve to up the status of the Mamutoi in the eyes of these peoples.

Meanwhile Radec, Panec, and Lareno busily explained to the other men the merits of their little cart invention and how to go about making one. Everyone was thoroughly impressed by the ingenuity of the contraption.

"How did you come up with the idea Radec?" one man asked, while Lareno quickly translated. Radec smiled and gestured towards the small group of women that travelled with him.

"It was actually Amara's idea. Now that I think about it, I don't remember what spurred the idea, but it certainly has been helpful," Radec replied genially, and visibly proud of his friend Amara. She was special and he wanted to make sure everyone knew it.

The other men nodded appreciatively, and there were rounds of comments which followed, "Amazing woman," "Quite beautiful," and "Where is she from?"

At that Panec interjected, with just a twinge of protectiveness in his voice. "Yes, Amara is quite amazing. I loved her from the first time we met, now we're Promised," he added with a tone that defied any challenge that might be made. The men gathered around nodded and returned to the subject of the cart, the horses and spear throwers and hunting.

Danug walked around the camp for a few minutes looking for Caloa, the woman who had brought them here and then so convienently disappeared. When he finally spotted her, he smiled. She was sitting off by herself, apparently looking at the horses who were off in the distance looking for something to graze on. Danug walked up slowly and then cleared his throat to announce his presence.

Caloa turned abrubtly and then smiled when she saw who it was. "I look horses, they beautiful, tame."

Danug nodded and smiled, "Yes, they are beautiful, but I'll have to give my sister credit for their gentle nature. Latie trained them from when they were babies. She learned how from Ayla."

The mention of Ayla's name quickly brought Caloa to attention again. "You know Ayla? How?"

Danug nodded and took Caloa's hand in his. "Yes, we know Ayla, she stayed in my camp for a winter. She was adopted by my people and then left with her mate, Jondalar. She came here didn't she?" he asked curiously.

Caloa took his hand gratefully and stood, a long black braid tumbling down her back as she stood. Danug eyed her and then smiled. "Yes, Ayla come here, has horses, teach to find food. She help my people much," she said, somewhat elusively.

Danug leaned in closer. "She helped your people. Of that I am sure, she is an amazing woman, one of the Mother's blessed. Would you like to see the horses up close Caloa?"

Caloa's eyes widened and she sucked in her breath, in surprise, but also in delight. "Yes, I meet horses. Danug," she said his name, slowly, almost sensually as she turned her eyes toward the ground demurely.

Danug squeezed her hand tighter and led her towards the horses through the snow making her a path with his own footsteps. She followed quite willingly, and when they approached Ranug and Jolie the excitement in her eyes grew. "So beautiful…" she said softly.

Danug smiled and laid his hand easily on Jolie's flank. "Here, giver her a scratch, she likes that." As Caloa did so, Danug put his arm around her shoulder. Caloa leaned into him slightly.

"I like horses Danug," she turned to him then and put her arms around his waist, "I like Danug."

At that Danug was slightly taken aback. He'd never met a woman who was so vocal about her preferences. Usually it took some work on his part. But he was thrilled. Caloa was a beautiful and mysterious woman, and Danug was nearly aching with stifled desire. He had been so caught up in Amara's arrival, education and then his reoccurring visions that he just hadn't had time to think about women in months. He smiled warmly at her, and leaned in for a small kiss. Caloa returned the kiss softly and Danug found his hands enclosing and fondling the long braid that hung behind her. "I like you too, Caloa," he whispered huskily.

The smell of food had everyone’s stomachs growling quickly, and they were all thrilled when the preparations were ready. The S’Armunai men had built a large fire in the middle of the encampment; large enough to keep everyone warm during the cold evening, but not so large that it drowned out all sounds and conversation. When the preparations were through, everyone gathered with their dishes near the fire.

S’Armuna stood and raised her hands, and conversation stopped. “We are grateful to not only have the company of our Hadumai friends, but we now have the pleasure of the presence of our new Mamutoi friends as well. Please, let us eat, and then we shall share our tales.”

Everyone seemed to be perfectly happy with that idea, and plates were hurriedly filled. The food dwindled quickly, and the quality was amazing. Callie was looking forward to sharing recipes with the other women around. There was one dish that consisted of several layers of a dough-like substance and some sort of meat, and another that had berries mixed with tree sap to make a delicious syrup, which could be eaten alone or poured over something. Latie found that the syrup mixture poured over Callie’s cakes made a delectable treat, and she ate several helpings of it. Callie was sure that she tasted salt and was anxious to see if they might be able to trade; she had run out of salt a while ago and was missing it badly.

Soon everyone was full, relaxing on their makeshift chairs and benches. Mothers nursed babies and conversed, while others rocked small children, with their little tummies full, to sleep. Although the stories would be interesting and the smaller children might listen, most mothers opted to put the younger children to sleep so that they wouldn’t have to miss out on the stories themselves.

Radec caught S’Armuna’s eye and stood when she nodded. Conversation quieted, and soon everyone was silent. “I am Radec of the Mamutoi,” he said, motioning for Danug, seated next to Caloa, to translate to Zelandonii. Then S’Armuna translated that into S’Armunai, while yet someone else translated into Hadumai, which made for a slow but educational process. “We have been Journeying since winter ended last cycle of the seasons,” he began. He first told of why they had decided on the Journey, and how meeting Jondalar and Ayla during the summer meeting a few years ago had been the catalyst. He introduced everyone in his small band, and told of their expertise and talents. He told of their adventures and mishaps along the way, and then paused before mentioning how they came to know Amara. He wanted to make it an exciting story, and thus wanted to think quickly before he told. He motioned to Danug, who explained how they found Amara, and what happened when they brought her back to their camp. Amara blushed at the memories, remembering how alone and scared she felt. Radec then took over the story again which continued through the many experiences they had along the way. He surprised himself at how much they had actually done, and what all had happened to them along the way. He did not, however, mention Amara’s miscarriage. The pain was still fairly fresh, and he didn’t want to upset her on a night like this. He did tell of their lightning encounter and bragged about how Amara had saved Latie’s life, having barely escaped death herself. That was definitely the highlight of their part of the evening; no one there had ever known anyone struck by lightning before, and most people were in awe, and very scared, of the phenomenon, preferring to stay away from thunderstorms. Their respect for the young Mamutoi women increased exponentially, and Radec was pleased that the story would surely be told over and over again.

When he finished, he sat, and S’Armuna wisely let his story sink in. People oohed and aahed and talked amongst themselves about the adventures, and misadventures, that the Mamutoi had experienced. After several minutes, S’Armuna motioned to the man who was leading the Hadumai. He was anxious because of his lack of knowledge of the language, but confident in the young man in his group that knew S’Armunai. He took a deep breath and began, “I am Tamen of the Hadumai. We have met the S’Armunai here in order to allow Nalen, the son of the mate of the son of my mate, to join them. He and Cavoa are to mate, but since we do not share Summer Meetings, we felt that now would be the best time to meet. Of course, we had not expected the abrupt change in the weather.” He smiled and then motioned to a lovely young woman sitting next to his grandson. Callie had noticed that the young woman had two toddlers around her most of the night, obviously twins, which would undoubtedly bless their joining.

Now that the reason why they had met the S’Armunai here was stated, Tamen went on to tell about how he and some other hunters had encountered Jondalar and Thonolan on their Journey east, and how Jaren, another of their hunters, had met Jondalar and Ayla as they traveled west. He grinned and spoke to the Mamutoi. “Please tell Jondalar that Jondal has the blue eyes of his spirit, as Haduma predicted,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. Radec nodded and promised to pass the message along, although he wasn’t quite sure what Tamen was talking about. But Danug smiled to himself, he had overheard Jondalar tell that story to some of the other men over the winter he stayed with them. He was sure that Jondalar would be pleased to hear it. Tamen then sat down; he was finished.

Now it was S’Armuna’s turn. She knew that she had quite a story to tell, and she cleared her throat. She had decided to tell the story in S’Armunai, and to allow Cavoa to translate into Zelandonii. After Jondalar and Ayla had left, the young woman often spoke of them had was determined to learn their language, and she was absolutely thrilled that she was going to translate for S’Armuna.

S’Armuna began with Attaroa’s story, as it was essential to understanding the entire tale. She told them almost exactly what she had told Ayla and Jondalar, and many of the Mamutoi had the same reaction as they had had. Radec was almost seething with anger as S’Armuna went on to tell how Attaroa had treated the men, and he gave a couple of menacing looks to the women of the S’Armunai group. The Mamutoi were all shocked to hear about Epadoa; after their warm greeting from her earlier that day, no one had expected that they would hear something this horrible about her past. But Epadoa held her head high, and Radec noticed that Doban looked up to her with pride, even though she had caused him great pain. Danug looked shocked and turned to Caloa questioningly, she nodded grimly and Danug swollowed hard. That was something he had never imagined could happen. But nothing came as as much of a shock as the part about when Ayla and Jondalar entered the mix. None of the Mamutoi were surprised at Ayla’s reaction, and Latie was even more proud of her heroine when S’Armuna finished that part of the story. S’Armuna stopped when the story reached where Ayla and Jondalar left them, so that everyone could once again digest things. The Hadumai had heard most of the story, but this version was so detailed that even they were surprised, and the S’Armunai were glad to have the time to sit and remember their awful past.

“We were all a little afraid to continue after Ayla and Jondalar left,” S’Armuna began again. “We had no leader, and there was little trust, and a lot of hatred. It was difficult to get things going again, but thanks to S’Amodun, we became whole again. He was the glue, the one who kept us all together.” There were nods of agreement, and a couple of sniffles. “We were so sad when the Mother called him to Her, but we have no control over what She wants, as that is the way of the Mother.” She paused and glanced up at the sky with a smile. “He coordinated everything. Epadoa and what used to be the Wolf Women worked together with the men to hunt. Other women gathered, as Ayla showed, since many of them had forgotten. It was amazing, beautiful, and wonderful, how our entire camp banded together after such a horrible tragedy, and how we stored for the winter, and we all survived.” She smiled proudly to her camp. “And we still survive. Women are having children again, and although it is difficult, we are once again becoming a camp to be proud of.” She looked down at her hands clasped in front of her. “We only lack a leader, a position I am holding until someone more suitable can be decided upon. It will take time but we will soon recover from the years of hatred, and the Mother will guide us along the way.”

Danug nodded as S'Armuna mentioned the Mother and her ways, and felt a twinge of guilt. He knew he had been called by Her, but he had tried to ignore it, for years, and then he'd been neglecting his training since he left home. He looked at Caloa, and decided that for one night he could put it off, and enjoy being a man, a normal man, with very real desires. He smiled warmly to Caloa and squeezed her hand gently. She smiled back and leaned over and kissed his cheek softly and whispered to him, "Danug, do not worry. Mother has ways, we do not understand all ways, but we follow."

Danug blinked, even with her limited use of Zelandonii, Caloa was an expert at double meanings. He wondered if she served the Mother too.

As people started to wander away from the fire, Danug nodded meaningfully to Panec. Panec quickly came over to Danug, with Amara at his side. "That was quite a story, don't you think Danug?" he said.

Danug nodded, "Yes, quite…amazing, but Ayla and Jondalar preformed with their normal amazing qualities. They didn't surprise me in the least."

At that Panec nodded and added, "Yes, I wish I had known them better, but that is soon to come. Well, we're off to bed, it's cold and late and the warm furs call," he said with a mischevious glint in his eyes.

Danug smiled, "Yes, I agree. If anyone asks, I'll be around tomorrow morning," he said with a grin and a squeeze of Caloa's shoulders underneath his arm. She smiled warmly, sensuously and stood, taking Danug's hand.

"Come. Panec right. Is very cold outside," she said with a wink to Danug as she led him quickly away towards her tent.

“How far is it from here to the Losadunai?” Radec asked.

Ardemun paused and thought. He had always been so sure that he would die in the Holding that he tried not to ever think about his home. After they had survived, he felt it was in his camp’s best interests that he stay, and it was not often that he thought of who he used to be and where he had come from. “It has been a long time, and I was a young man then, alone, and could travel quickly. But from what I can remember, it didn’t quite take a moon. I didn’t know where I was headed when I left. I was Menardi then; perhaps when you get there you can tell my family where I am, and that I am happy here, and needed.”

Radec nodded in understanding. “I will do this, although I’m sure Ayla and Jondalar shared your story with them, provided that they stopped there on the way back.” He stopped and thought. “Less than a moon, you say?” Ardemun nodded. “Well, then, I think we’ll be just fine for the winter. We should be able to find them before the worst of the season sets in, and hopefully we can stay until Callie gives birth and recovers.”

Ardemun nodded. “They would be most happy to help you out, especially with a little one along the way. Children, no matter who bears them, are always seen as a blessing.” He snickered momentarily. “Well, almost always.” He was sorry after he had said it, but everyone in the S’Armunai was bitter about their embarrassing and tragic past every now and then.

Radec let the comment pass. He did not want to irritate old wounds; he was sure the recollection last night had already done that enough. He nodded to Ardemun. “Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll set out tomorrow, or the next day, depending on how everyone feels, and hopefully we can make it to the Losadunai before too long.

Healie looked on in awe as S'Armuna showed her her mud figures. Latie fingered the beautiful Muta/Muna that S'Armuna held. "It's so beautiful," she said softly.

Healie nodded and added, looking to Latie for translation, "How do you do it?"

S'Armuna smiled, "Well, that is the Mother's secret. I was blessed by the Mother with this knowledge, and it is very sacred to my people. Recently, though, we have begun using the practice to make this.” She held out a small leather pouch. She opened it slowly and poured out several small beads, clearly made of the same substance as the Muta, but dyed a deep blue.

Latie and Healie both gasped. "How…oh, it is so beautiful," Healie said softly.

Latie clapped her hands together. "Healie...they're perfect…they'd go perfect with the beads on Amara's tunic…as accents. Don't you think?"

Healie smiled and nodded, "They certainly would, but it depends on S'Armuna, if she is willing to trade them."

Latie looked crestfallen for a moment, then looked back at the beads in S'Armuna's hand. "Do you think…could we possibly, trade, for a few of those beads?" she said slowly, uncertainly in Zelandonii.

S'Armuna smiled, it was just what she had in mind. "Most certainly."

Latie sat back on her knees and turned to Healie, "What could we trade for them? They are so beautiful, so unique…how did they get so blue?" she added in Zelandonii.

S'Armuna smiled, "Well, I'm not exactly sure. I think it is probably because of the mud that was used. It came from a different place than we usually get it. Usually it turns this gray color," she held out the Muta, "sometimes it is a bit reddish. It all depends, only the Mother knows the real reason."

Healie nodded understanding, and then added to Latie, "What about some of the beads that we made, in place of those we would get the new beads, so we wouldn't miss them. Do you think?"

Latie smiled with pleasure. "It would be perfect! S'Armuna, I'm going to go get Callie, and what we'd like to trade for your beads. We have our own beads that are very unique as well, but my brother, Danug, he found them…after the lightning strike. Wait one moment.” She jumped up eagerly and half skipped- half ran across the camp.

Healie watched her go and sighed. S'Armuna took her hand in hers, "Is hard to watch young ones, for me too. You like something for hands?" she asked slowly, in broken Mamutoi, while she rubbed Healie's swollen joints.

Healie started, she hadn't known S'Armuna could speak Mamutoi, rudimentary though it was. Then she smiled and nodded agreement. "Yes it is hard, but Latie is like family, she reminds me of being young…I would greatly appreciate something for my hands. They give me so much trouble, now that it is cold."

S'Armuna smiled and nodded and pointed to Latie who was followed a bit more slowly by a waddling Callie.
Callie came with a bright smile on her face and a rather large bundle wrapped in leather. She sat herself down with Latie's help with a big grin on her face. "Latie says that we are making some trades? That's wonderful, I'd like to make some trades for some other things as well. If that is possible," she said a bit over-excitedly. She was feeling quite good after the positive diagnosis that S'Armuna had given her yesterday, and the sharing and visiting with other women and mothers at the feast. It was now mid-morning and they were starting to pack, but it didn't look like they were getting anywhere soon.

Callie made herself comfortable and opened her bundle. First she picked up the pouch with the glass beads in it, and poured them out to show S'Armuna.

S'Armuna was stunned; how could they make something like that? It was similar to her own beads, but clear and crystalline. "How you do?" she asked.

Callie looked at her startled; she spoke in Mamutoi. She looked at Healie who just smiled. Callie cleared her throat and decided to proceed, "Well, we didn't make the material. Danug found it, where the lightning struck. Somehow the lightning changed the sand into pieces of this. We worked out with Radec a way to smooth them out and bore holes through. It took a lot of work, but they are so beautiful you see. They are very rare and special. There is no other place to find this material. Amara calls it 'glass.'” She was quickly moving into her bargaining mode. She knew that her glass beads were very special…and once they were gone, they were not likely to find more. She wanted to make sure they got the full value of the trade.

S'Armuna nodded in agreement, they were rare, and most beautiful. She knew that they were worth more than her pretty blue beads. However special they were, they could always make more, Callie's beads were the only ones like it, anywhere. "How many of the blue beads would you like to trade for?" she asked in Zelandonii again, as she knew it better, looking to Latie, as she was the one who had wanted them, even though Callie had taken the lead in bargaining.

Latie looked at Callie and Healie, and then suggested, "Perhaps ten and five?" and she motioned with her fingers. Callie nodded and counted out her glass beads. There were three tens of beads left, but she wasn't sure she was ready to give up half of them, just yet.

"Ten and five, I'll trade the ten and five glass beads, for ten and five blue beads, but perhaps you have some salt. You see these beads are very rare, and we are making a special gift for Amara, her Matrimonial tunic is being decorated with them. They are worth so much, and they were so difficult to make," Callie said craftily. It was clear that she had done this many times.

Latie leaned forward in eager anticipation as she translated back. "Salt…why, I haven't had…" She quickly shut her mouth when Healie gave her a look. It wasn't fitting to give away the advantage by letting your desires be so plainly known. Then the bargainer knows that they can get more from you because you want their item so much.

S'Armuna sighed, had the salt in the meat been so obvious? Perhaps tongues which hadn't tasted salt in months were more sensitive. But S'Armuna couldn't deny the obvious value of the glass beads, and she had a regular trade partner for salt. She wouldn't miss just a little. "Okay, yes, I have some salt, you would like perhaps a pouch full?" she said as she held out a small pouch for sizing and waited for Latie to translate.

Callie nodded in agreement. S'Armuna quickly ran to her bag and filled the pouch with salt, and then handed both the pouch and the beads to Callie. Callie smiled appreciatively to her and handed her the fifteen glass beads.

Suddenly Amara walked up. "There you are; I wondered where you had all gone to. What are you doing?" she asked curiously as she set her basket down and sat next to Latie.

"We're trading," Latie whispered loudly.

Amara gave her a knowing look, but really she didn't know what exactly that meant. She watched as S'Armuna prepared a packet full of leaves and gestured to Healie. Amara quickly supposed that they were making a trade and wanted to join in. "What are the leaves for?"

Healie smiled to Amara and Latie said softly, "It is medicine, for her hands."

Amara made an oh with her mouth, and then smiled. She had a great idea. She gestured to S'Armuna with her basket, sort of showing an exchange of the packet of medicine for the basket. Healie looked at her stunned, not sure what to think. Callie nearly blushed with embarrassment, that wasn't how trades were made. But S'Armuna was wise and realized that Amara was showing a gesture of caring and affection for Healie, by offering to trade for her medicine. It was an honorable gesture, if not custom. She smiled graciously to Amara, and said, "I accept, that is most kind of you to respect your elders so, young woman. This is a fine basket, a worthy trade."

Amara beamed when Latie translated for her and smiled to the shocked women. She leaned over and hugged Healie with pride. Callie nodded in agreement and accepted the older woman's knowledge and sensitivity.

Latie whispered to Amara, "When did you do that basket?"

Amara grinned and said, "I made it this morning while I waited for all of you, not knowing where you were."

Latie nodded and then said, "Well, that is that! I think we should finish packing Amara.” She stood and Amara smiled and waved to the three older women and walked back towards their camp with Latie.

"That one is different," S'Armuna said softly. She looked meaningfully at Callie and Healie. "She wise, but strange. Not know ways," she said in Mamutoi again, since Latie had gone and no one could translate.

Callie nodded, "Yes, she is different, she comes from very far away. She lost her family and was lost herself. She was lucky that we found her. She is very wise, but very different. But she is learning, very quickly."

Healie nodded in agreement. "Yes, she is learning, and she seems very happy. She is like a daughter to me. I was so touched by her gesture. Thank you," Healie said softly with a tear in the corner of her eye.

S'Armuna held Healie's hand. "I understand. I would give medicine, no trade. But she learn, she care. I see."

Callie smiled at her, “You are very wise S'Armuna. The Mother has blessed you in many ways. Though Her tests were difficult, you have all my respect. Thank you for trading with us, for sharing your camp with us. It has made me very happy. Traveling is so hard, on all of us," she looked meaningfully at Healie. "The rests and visits make it worthwhile though."

S'Armuna nodded and smiled. "Is pleasure. My debt to people, I must serve well."

Healie nodded understanding and smiled at the older woman, "Thank you."

Callie nodded and then said, "Well, as much as I hate it, we must depart. Radec, I fear, wants to leave, and is getting impatient.” She rolled her eyes towards the encampment where Radec was rounding up all the belongings they had and was putting them on the cart with Panec and Lareno.

S'Armuna nodded and stood. Callie stood and helped Healie up and waved to S'Armuna as they made their way down to the encampment.

"Now where is Danug?" Callie said, just a bit crossly.

Lareno and Panec snickered and pointed across the camp, where Danug and Caloa were standing, embracing, and kissing. Callie's eyes widened, "Well, I never…! I hope he realizes we're leaving!"

Panec nodded, "He knows, he said he'd be back this morning. He had a nice time though, he deserved it."

Callie harrumphed and then waddled around the cart to find Radec, "So, are we ready?"

Radec smirked, "Why yes, we would have been ready hours ago, but people kept finding better things to do."

Callie raised her eyebrow, "Well you won't be complaining when you taste the salt on your meat tonight."
Radec raised his eyebrows then, and grinned, picked Callie up and swept her off her feet. He kissed her then set her down in the full cart. He then proceeded to pick Healie up in the same way, and twirled her around before he set her down.
Healie flushed and giggled as she settled herself, cuddling Bird next to her. Radec sure was a character.

Latie loaded her pack up and then leaned against Jolie while she waited for her brother who was idly strolling back. "And where have you been big brother?"

Danug smiled contentedly at her, "Just enjoying the visit. It isn't every day we get to visit such friendly folks," he said with a gleam in his eyes.

Latie snorted and laughed, "I'll bet!"

Amara stood looking at the group of friends, playfully teasing each other and smiled. Then she looked at the camp and was sad. They had been through so much pain, but they were still family. She felt a pang of guilt, she hadn't thought of her family in a long time. And she was sad to be leaving, yet again. She didn't get as close to people, because she hadn't understood most of the languages spoken, but just visiting, being around other people was nice. But her lack of understanding spurred her to learn Zelandonii now more than ever. "Danug, Latie, can you teach me Zelandonii? Can we start today? I hate not understanding people around me. I could barely communicate with anyone."

Danug put his arm around her affectionately and said, "Of course Amara, in fact, it would be best if you knew Zelandonii by the time we get there, that will speed things up once you meet the Zelandonii. Of course Ayla knows Mamutoi, and Zelandonii! So you'll be able to talk all you want. I'm sure you'll have a lot to talk about with Ayla."

Amara looked up at her friends; they all practically worshipped Ayla. Who was this Ayla, and why was she so important?

"So let's get this thing moving!" Radec hollered. He gave the cart a shove as Latie slapped the horses’ rumps to get them moving. The group turned and waved at the S'Armunai and Hadumai that had gathered to see them off.

The weary band of travelers trudged on through the frozen steppes, frozen icicles of grasses snapped and cracked beneath their feet and the wheels of the cart. It had been nearly a moon since they had left the S'Armunai. Callie, large with pregnancy, and Healie, shivering in the frigid air, were sitting atop the cart. Radec and Latie were walking on either side of the cart guiding the horses on their unmarked path.

“I know we must be close. Ardemun said it would be about a moon to the Losadunai. I keep thinking I’ll see a camp or a cave just around the bend.” Radec sighed. He was feeling more and more tense with each passing day. Callie looked extremely tired and worn. He was becoming worried about her. Everyone was feeling listless. Healie didn’t look so well either. Radec frowned at Latie. Latie shrugged and trudged on next to Ranug.

Amara brought up the rear of the group. She was thinking painfully of her home. Right about now her family would be building fires in the fire place, drinking hot sweet spiced cider, and sledding, or making candied apples. She was missing them increasingly lately. She was happy here, she had Panec, whom she loved dearly, but the excitement of being in the Ice Age had worn off. Now it was just cold, freezing…and she was always hungry. It had quickly become difficult to find food from foraging once the snow had begun to fall. They had their traveling food. But Amara was tired of it, and it was quickly dwindling, and she was hungry. She looked at her wrist, it was noticeably thinner. She looked ahead at her friends. Even Panec was looking gaunt. Suddenly she began to dread the long years ahead of life like this. She noticed a frozen stream bed off to her left. She looked at the group ahead of her, perhaps she could just stop for a moment, have a drink of water. She would catch up to them quick enough. So Amara trotted over to the stream and looked for an object to break the ice up with. There were rocks frozen into the stream, even a stick or two, but none free. She looked downstream and up and noticed a rocky beach upstream a bit. She looked again at the group moving quickly away from her. She trotted over to the beach and took a good sized stone in her hands. She threw it at the frozen stream. The ice cracked and water splashed to the surface.

“Good, it’s not frozen through,” she said to herself, in English. She hadn’t spoken in her Mother Tongue for quite some time. It felt almost foreign to her. She shook her head and kneeled on the snowy bank. She reached for her water bag and unstopped the top. She dipped it in the cold water and watched it fill. Once it filled she sat back on her haunches and looked up to the clear blue sky. There were wispy cirrus clouds high above. Suddenly she was overcome with a strange feeling.

She lay on the ground, laughing, snow all around her. Jacob was running to her, “You all right Amara? I saw you fall.”

“I’m fine silly, you should try this. I jumped off the hill into the bank here. It’s like a pillow.”

“Amara, you’re a crazy girl!” Jacob laughed as he held a hand out to his sister lying in the snow. She took his hand with a grin and got to her knees. She dropped his hand and started to stand. She watched him turn his back and start to walk away. She knelt back down and quickly made large, juicy snowball. “Take this!” she cried as she hurled the snowy missile toward Jacob. Thwack! It landed square in the middle of his back. She heard him holler and turn around while making his own snowball. He threw his weapon towards her and before it could reach her, their golden retriever Julie ran toward it and jumped up in the air, catching the ball in her mouth. She landed and looked surprised as the snowball fell apart in her grip. She then dove headfirst into the snow and Amara howled with laughter. Jacob soon joined in.

“Not fair! Julie…you’re supposed to be on my side!” Jacob said as he roughed and scratched Julie behind the ears. She moaned in pleasure.

“Jacob, Amara, come in, I’ve got a treat for you both,” they heard their mother call from the house. They grinned to each other and Jacob said, “Race ya!”

Amara took off before he even took a step and said, “Last one there is a rotten egg!”

Jacob ran after her at full speed and nearly collided with her as they reached the back porch door. They stomped off the snow from their boots still grinning and breathing hard. When they stepped in the house their nostrils were filled with the smell of fresh apple pie.

“Oh Mom, apple pie!!” Amara cried, “My favorite!” Her mother smiled to her and handed both Jacob and her a plate of steaming pie and a mug of cider.

“I know. Enjoy!” Carol said sitting down at the table with a plate and mug of her own.

Amara opened her eyes and felt warm tears streak down her cheeks. “Oh…mom, Jacob, I never got to say goodbye,” she cried and began to sob on her knees

Healie called softly to Radec, “Look, over to the west. Do you see, there is smoke…”

The entire group turned and stared.

“Smoke! Smoke means fire, and fire means people!” Latie cried.

Sure enough there was a clear thread of smoke rising in the air. They all picked up the pace, jostling Callie and Healie in the cart as they went, but they didn’t mind. They were eager to find the Losadunai, or whoever these people were.

As they approached Lareno noticed the cave. To the left of the cave was a large structure that was smoking. “Look, that building is burning!!” he cried.

Radec turned and looked at Callie and Healie, “Wait here, we’ll go see what is going on.” He was surprised that no one from the camp seemed to care. The men trotted over to the cave, “Helloooo!”

An old man emerged from the structure that had seemed to be burning. Lareno and Panec looked at each other confused. The old man smiled broadly. He held out his hands in welcome, “In the name of Dunai, welcome visitors. I am Losaduna of the Hot Well cave.”

Radec stepped forward, he hadn’t understood the man’s language but he knew he was being welcomed and he made the appropriate gestures, “Thank you, in the name of Mut, I am Radec of the Mamutoi,” he paused and looked at the tent with concern. “Is something burning?”

Losadunai looked at Radec with curiosity, and then amusement as he realized what Radec thought. “Welcome to the Mother’s waters…it is not fire, but hot water, a gift from the Mother.” He gently pulled the flap of the structure back and Radec peered in. He gasped in surprise. There was a pool of steaming water, and that steam is what they had seen in the distance. The chill in the air had condensed it and made it look like smoke. Lareno moved next to Radec and peered in, “Wow! Look at this. Amazing!” The rest of the party moved closer and observed the hot water steaming. Radec began to laugh.

“Ha! We thought it was smoke…” He held his hand out to Losaduna, not knowing what to say, but looking askance. Losaduna knew immediately what was needed. “Come,” he beckoned to the group. He led them into the cave entrance and everyone stopped what they were doing and watched the visitors. Losaduna said some words to the astonished crowd and the four men stood uncomfortably in the entrance. Obviously no one here spoke Mamutoi. Panec tapped Radec on the shoulder.

“Radec, I think we should bring the women, it is cold outside. I don’t know if we have been invited to stay, but surely they will let the women come warm themselves,” he said quietly in Mamutoi.

“Of course. You and Lareno go back. Danug and I will stay and see if someone here speaks something other than their own language,” Radec said with a twinkle in his eyes. He was so pleased to have finally arrived, he didn’t bother to think about anything else.

Panec nodded and nodded to Lareno. They exited the cave and began running back to the cart. When they arrived Lareno immediately began relaying the information to the three women. “It isn’t a fire, but a hot spring of water. It is steaming in the cold air. But there is a cave, full of people. And it’s warm and there is sure to be food,” he said putting his arm affectionately around Latie’s shoulders. He turned to Panec who looked stricken. “Panec?”

Panec looked at Lareno, Latie, Callie and Healie pointedly, each in turn. His face went white and his throat dry. “Amara,” he whispered. “Where’s Amara?” he said painfully. Suddenly everyone’s faces went white. Callie started looking around frantically, and Latie began to run back from where they came from. Panec quickly followed and shouted back to Lareno. “Take them back to the cave, bring more people to find Amara. We have to find Amara!” he said, fear gripping his belly. “Latie? When was the last time you saw her?” he cried, near tears, and nearly paralyzed with worry.

Latie thought for a moment and looked puzzled. I know I saw her when we stopped to eat, and then, I remember she was behind us, a little ways back. But not too far. I could still hear her walking. I…where could she have gone???” she said, just as afraid and worried for her friend as Panec was.

The two of them kept running, calling Amara’s name and looking wide and far for any sign of her. They saw their own tracks, and the horses tracks, and the cart. But it was impossible to distinguish one person’s print from another.
“AMARA!!!!” Panec shouted, his heart pounding and a tear rolling down his face.

Back at the cave Lareno, the women, the horses and the cart arrived. Radec took one look at them and blanched. “What’s wrong?”

Callie wailed, “Amara is gone! Panec and Latie have gone back to look for her. We need to find her. We have to find her!!”

Danug looked quickly to Radec and then turned to the crowd, he started speaking in Zelandonii, hoping that someone their spoke, or was even remotely familiar with the language. “One of our women is missing. We must find her, we would ask assistance. Anyone who can track, or is familiar with the area, please help us find her.” Most of the people looked at him with concern. It was obvious that something was wrong, but they didn’t know. Suddenly one man stood up.

“Young man, we will help you find your lost woman. Give me a few moments and I will gather some more men to look with you,” he said in Zelandonii. Danug breathed a sigh of relief, at least someone spoke Zelandonii, and they were going to help find Amara. Danug couldn’t figure out what had happened to her. She had been there all along. Surely if there had been trouble she would have yelled or cried out.

Almost as soon as he helped Callie and Healie down from the cart a group of men gathered around Danug and Radec. Danug told the one man who spoke Zelandonii from which way they had come and he signaled to the rest. The search party was off in a flash.

Healie looked with wide eyes at Callie. Callie pressed her lips together and moved to comfort Healie and herself with a hug. “I can’t imagine where she would have gone…” she whispered.

Suddenly an older woman approached them and smiled, offering mugs of a steaming drink. Callie smiled gratefully and Healie sighed in pleasure. The older woman gestured for them to sit on a log near the fire.

Amara shivered and sniffed quietly. She looked up at her surroundings, the clear sky, the frozen river, now burbling to the surface where she had broken through the ice. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked to the distance where she had last seen her Mamutoi friends. She jerked to consciousness, how long had she been here? Had they left her behind? No, they wouldn’t have done that. It couldn’t have been that long, but she started to feel panic well up inside her to replace her overwhelming sorrow. She shouldn’t have stopped. What had she been thinking? She quickly stood and threw her pack back on her back. She started walking, following her footprints back to where she had left the group.

Panec struggled to control his panic. He had slowed to a fast walk, to allow Latie to keep up, but he was becoming more and more worried. They were now quickly approaching nightfall. He called again, “Amara!!”

Latie looked at him a little helplessly. She didn’t have any advice for him, but she was just as worried for Amara. She knew that Amara wouldn’t do something foolish, but she swore that she hadn’t heard her in trouble either. She couldn’t figure it out.

Amara quickened her pace as she noticed the eastern sky darkening. The sun was starting to sink in the west. She shivered again. Why had she wandered off? Hadn’t she been thinking clearly? At least it wasn’t snowing and she could follow the tracks, until it got dark. She suddenly felt a pang of fear, what if she didn’t find them before dark? That was impossible…they were probably looking for her too. She stopped, she thought she had heard something. She turned in her tracks and squinted into the distance. She saw a dark smudge on the horizon. Could it be? Her heart leapt. She started walking again, faster and kept her eyes toward the dark smudge.

Panec called yet again, hoping he would hear a reply, “Amara, oh Amara, where are you?” He looked around him, to the left and to the right. He noticed that it was getting dark faster than he had thought. It really was winter now. The sun was setting earlier in the day. He kept walking looking around frantically.

Latie whispered, “Stop, wait Panec. I thought I heard something…”

Panec stopped and sure enough he heard the crunch of something walking through the snow. “AMARA!” they both yelled at the same time. They heard a faint reply.

“Hellooo!”

Panec began to run, “Amara, where are you?”

Latie’s heart soared. “I see her!” she said as she pointed. Panec looked where she gestured and cried with relief. He ran to Amara and nearly crushed her in his arms when they met.

“Amara,” he said, his voice breaking. “Where were you, what happened to you???”

Amara shook, and looked into his eyes and then turned to face Latie. “I…I…I’m sort of embarrassed. I stopped to get some water. And I, I remembered my family, in the winter. I, I miss them so much.” She began to sob all over again, now with relief that she had found Panec which warmed her and she let the emotions run free.

Panec held her with understanding, and didn’t question anymore. He couldn’t fathom why she would stop without saying so, she was smarter than that, wasn’t she? He felt her shiver violently in his arms. “Amara! You’re freezing! No wonder, not all your senses are with you. Come on, we must get back. We found the Losadunai, the cave is not too far, but it is getting dark and fast, we have to hurry.”

“Amara, why didn’t you say where you were going? I would have stayed, we could have all stopped…” Latie began, but then stopped as she looked at Amara, she thought she looked blue with cold, and her eyes, they were red and swollen. Latie put her hand on Amara’s back. “Never mind, let’s get going.”

Amara nodded and walked between Panec and Latie as they hurried her on. Panec was beginning to worry about finding his way back to the cave. It was dark now, and their path was becoming difficult to see. Suddenly Amara saw a light. “Is that the cave?” she whispered.

Latie grinned, “No, but we’re close. They came with torches to look for you. Come on!” she exclaimed, starting to run ahead to let the search party know that Amara was safe.

Panec looked down at Amara and smiled gently. “Amara, I love you, I couldn’t bear to lose you. Please don’t wander off like that. I was so afraid.”

Amara nodded, “I’m sorry, it was foolish. I don’t know what got into me, and then time sort of slipped away without me knowing. I’m sorry.”

Panec smiled again and directed her towards the growing light of the torches. He waved his arms and Danug rushed up to them with a grin.

“Had yourself an adventure there Amara?”

Amara looked at Danug and smiled, “Well, sort of.” Danug took her free arm and they began walking back to the camp, listening to the unfamiliar chatter of the men speaking in Losadunai.

Nearly as soon as the group arrived at the cave, they were surrounded by curious faces and, obviously relieved, Callie and Healie. Amara saw them, and despite all the questions being fired at her by unfamiliar people, she ran to Healie and threw her arms around her. It was an unrestrained gesture of affection that surprised almost everyone. Healie was not Amara’s mother, but she had become the motherly figure in Amara’s life since she arrived. And Amara was so relieved to be back with her adopted family, she didn’t hold back. She felt the lump in her throat rise again as tears threatened to overflow. Healie patted Amara’s head and held her close with the other hand. She looked questioningly at Panec, as if to ask what had happened. He shrugged and made for the entrance to the cave.

As soon as everyone had filtered in, Laduni, the man who had responded to Danug’s plea stood up and spoke again, in Zelandonii, while Losaduna translated to Losadunai for those who didn’t speak Zelandonii. “We, the Losadunai, welcome you, travelers from far away, to our home. I am Laduni, leader of the Hot Well Losadunai Cave. We are relieved that your young woman friend has been found, and safe and sound. Now let us eat and warm our bellies with hot drinks. Had we known about visitors we would have been able to provide an appropriate feast, but thanks to the efforts of Solandia and the other women, we have a decent meal that should satisfy one and all.”

Amara turned to Danug, asking for translation. She was getting annoyed with not being able to understand other people. Danug smiled at her and told her what Laduni had said, for her benefit, as well as the others in the group who only knew Mamutoi.

Before she had even thought to look, Latie was handed a platter of steaming meat in a thick broth. She smiled broadly at the woman who handed it to her. Latie passed it around the group of Mamutoi travelers and then on to their neighbors. She then took a small bird from her inner tunic and placed him on her lap. She offered him a small pile of the soft grains that had been passed around. He cheeped happily and Latie and Amara both giggled. Callie scowled at the girls. Now wasn’t the time, but she supposed that Bird did have to eat sometime.

Amara’s eyes widened at all the food. Laduni had said it wasn’t a feast, but if this wasn’t, what was she wondered. There was so much food, so much variety. Amara tasted each dish with pleasure as she snuggled close to Panec for comfort.
“I wish I could understand Zelandonii!” she said quietly to him.

“I know, I know only a very little, and it has been so helpful, not to mention we are going to be with the Zelandonii shortly. I want to learn now, more than ever. Maybe, if they let us stay for the winter, we’ll get a good opportunity to learn and practice with those who do speak it,” Panec said reasonably.

Amara nodded and agreed. “Yeah, it is so easy to rely on Mamutoi when it is just us…” she paused, with a pensive look.

“What is it Amara?” Panec questioned with a touch of concern.

“I was remembering my family while I was out there. I spoke in my language, for the first time in months. I, was thinking, I hope I don’t forget it. I know that I’ll, I’ll never use it for anything, but…it reminds me of…who I am, or was. I wish I had someone to talk to in my language.” Amara sighed and looked down at her plate, nearly empty now.

Panec reached for her chin and frowned when he noticed the tear in her eye. He wiped it away with his finger. “Amara, don’t be sad. I know it is hard, you shouldn’t forget where you came from. Maybe one day you can teach me your language,” he suggested with a smile.

Amara jerked in surprise and looked at Panec. “You’d…learn my language?” she asked uncertainly. It seemed a little strange to her, but she was pleasantly surprised.

Panec smiled and nodded to her. “Of course, anything for you.”

Amara shook her head and smiled. She then leaned over Healie to address Danug. “Psst, hey Danug.”

Danug looked up from his food, his plate piled high again. Amara grinned; he was enjoying himself. He smiled genially at her, a dribble of juice coming out the side of his mouth. He quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand and flushed. “Yeah, Amara?”

Amara giggled at him, “I need to learn Zelandonii! And soon!”

Danug nodded as he scooped another spoonful of mushrooms and greens to his mouth. “You will Amara, now that we can settle down for the winter, we’ll start everyone learning. It will make traveling and staying with the Zelandonii so much easier.”

Amara nodded and pulled back and concentrated on her food again. She sighed. She was trying so hard to be in a good mood. But her experience today had made her so sad, and she couldn’t quite shake it. She looked up when she noticed when an older man stood and began to speak.

“I wish to give another warm welcome to our Mamutoi friends,” he said in Zelandonii. Amara sighed audibly, Zelandonii, again!

“You have traveled very far from your home and I, Losaduna, speak for all the Losadunai, when I ask what spurred you all, such a large group to undertake such a long and perilous Journey.” Laduni translated into Losadunai, and Danug into Mamutoi.

Radec stood and smiled at the crowd. He usually made the introductions and told the story of how they arrived, but he spoke in Mamutoi and gestured to Danug. Danug stood and repeated Radec’s words in Zelandonii for the rest. “I am Radec, and on behalf of my family and friends of the Mamutoi, I am grateful for the warm hospitality and kindness. I will let Danug, my young friend, tell the story of our Journey tonight.” Danug nodded to Radec, who sat down and put his arm protectively around Callie.

Danug began. “My name is Danug, son of Nezzie, mate of Talut, headman of the Lion Camp of the Mamutoi. I am honored to be present at the Hot Well cave of the Losadunai. Let me begin by introducing my companions. Radec, Talut’s brother, and his mate, Callie.” He pointed to each in turn. “My sister Latie, and Lareno of the Sharamudoi. Healie and Panec of the Mamutoi and finally Amara of the America.”

Danug waited appropriately as exclamations of wonder rushed around the room. Not only was Danug of extremely high status, as was his family, they brought with them foreigners. Sharamudoi, and America…a people that they had never heard of. After the exclamations died down he continued.

“It is a long story of how we came to take a journey. But it started with some dear friends of ours, Jondalar of the Zelandonii and Ayla of the Mamutoi. Ayla was adopted into my camp and she became like family. She left to mate Jondalar and move to his homeland…”

“We know Ayla and Jondalar,” Laduni interrupted. “They stayed with us on their way home. They stopped here just before they crossed the glacier. What a fortunate coincidence!”

Danug nodded and smiled, holding his surprise in. But Latie could not. She squealed and then clapped her hand over her mouth. “Anyway, after they left, Latie and I decided we wanted to make a Journey to visit them. Naturally our mother and Talut were not pleased; as siblings, we are to inherit the headmanship of the Lion Camp. So they insisted that we go with others, partly to protect us. So Talut’s brother, Radec, and his mate Callie offered to come. As did Panec who had met the two at the summer meeting. Healie came with Panec, they are from the same camp, and as close as family. So we started out to find our way to the Zelandonii.” He stopped to let it sink in. He then continued telling of their travels around the Beran sea and then the unseasonable snowstorm that brought Amara. “It was a strange storm, came up out of nowhere, and I had the oddest feeling. I couldn’t shake it. I went for a walk during a break in the storm, and found Amara, nearly frozen to death. We brought her back to the cave we were staying in for the time being until she healed. Her family died in a great sickness and we quickly became fond of her, so she decided to join us in our travels. Along the way we met the Sharamudoi. There Latie met Lareno, and they couldn’t be parted, and so he came as well. We are all very happy to have both of them with us.” People shook their heads in agreement and smiled as Solandia passed around a skin of a lightly fermented dandelion wine. Danug continued the story, up to the point where they arrived at the Losadunai.

The Losadunai clapped and shouted approval and Danug smiled his thanks. He liked telling the story of their Journey. It was something he didn’t get to do often. He sat down again and waited for the next event of the evening as he sipped the dandelion wine that Healie had poured him.

“How are you feeling, Callie?” Solandia said in Zelandonii. All of the Losadunai had had lessons in the language after Ayla and Jondalar had left, just in case the occasion came up where they might need it.

Latie translated while Amara watched, listening closely to the translations between Mamutoi and Solandia’s Zelandonii. Amara was becoming more confident in her comprehension of Zelandonii, but speaking it was a slightly different story. Healie listened in as she worked on some mending.

Callie smiled bravely and nodded. “I’m feeling pretty well. My back is hurting more as the baby grows, but I haven’t had the morning sickness in several moons and other than the kicks at night, I am able to sleep well.” Latie translated again.

Solandia nodded. “Well, we’ll watch you closely. It won’t be long until the baby comes.” She grinned as Latie once again translated the words. “Are you excited?” she asked with a giggle.

Callie beamed. “I am! I can’t wait to meet this little person!” She patted her large stomach and smiled.

“I know the feeling,” came a voice from behind them. The Mamutoi women turned to see who had spoken. A young woman, about the same age as Latie and Amara, with honey-colored hair stood there holding a toddler.

Solandia smiled. “Madenia, I would like for you to meet our guests,” she said. “This is Callie, Latie, and Healie of the Mamutoi, and Amara of the A…America,” she said, struggling with the strange word. She then turned to the Mamutoi women. “This is Madenia of the Losadunai, and her daughter is Aylia.”

Madenia beamed and put the little girl down. Aylia was about two years old and looked very much like her mother with her honey-colored hair. It had been tied on both sides with thongs, and it fell in two ringlets, one from each thong. The child plopped down on her rear and stuck the thumb of one hand in her mouth and then wrapped her other arm around her mother’s leg. Madenia pried her loose and then sat down. Immediately the child clambered into her lap, staring at the strangers with large brown eyes, her thumb still in her mouth.

“Oh, she’s beautiful, Madenia,” Latie said with a sigh. Madenia beamed again as she played with Aylia’s ringlets. “You named her after Ayla?” she asked. She knew that the question was direct, but the Mamutoi were known for that trait, and Ayla was a common topic of conversation.

Madenia nodded. “Yes. Had it not been for Ayla, I would have never had Aylia. She taught me…she taught me,” Madenia paused and a tear glistened, “that the Gift could be wonderful. Had it not been for her, I would have never had my First Rites.” She paused again, and, as if to assure herself that it was so, “The Mother would not have blessed me if I had not been opened properly.”

Latie raised an eyebrow and glanced quickly at Amara as she translated for her. But Amara didn’t need the translation to hear the emotion in Madenia’s voice. Latie couldn’t quite place it…was it fear? Happiness? She made a note to herself to maybe ask about this young woman later.

Madenia smiled again. “Being pregnant was the most wonderful experience, and I hope you’re enjoying it just as much, Callie,” she said.

Callie smiled and then shrugged slightly after Latie translated. “Yes, but it has been difficult to travel. I am very glad that we have stopped here for the winter; we were so worried that we wouldn’t find you before it came time for me to give birth.” The relief in her voice was evident.

Solandia smiled and patted Callie’s leg. “I understand, honey. Anything you need, you just let us know.”

“Madenia,” a girl, almost a woman, interrupted.

“Yes, Dosalia?” Madenia replied to Solandia’s oldest daughter.

“May I please take Aylia? Neladia and I want to play with her hair.”

Madenia laughed and nodded. Aylia was slightly inclined to stay with her mother, but her mother was also with strangers, so when Dosalia reached down for her, Aylia allowed herself to be picked up, but stared at the strangers as she left in Dosalia’s arms.

“Callie, would you like for me to look at you quickly?” Solandia asked, returning to the original topic.

Callie glanced at Latie as she translated, then replied, “S’Armuna looked at me right before we left their camp, but I don’t see why another glance would hurt.” She beckoned to Healie and then slowly stood to follow Solandia. She thought about asking Latie to go with them, but she knew that Latie was anxious to meet people, and she felt that she and Solandia would be able to communicate well enough. The three older women disappeared into Solandia’s hearth.

“You’ve done well with that, Laduni!” Danug commented of Laduni’s work with a spear-thrower he had fashioned after Jondalar’s.

“Thank you,” Laduni replied. “Most everyone in our cave has one now, and a few are very proficient at it.”

“I would say you are one of the few,” Radec said with a smile after Danug translated.

Laduni returned his smile. “Ayla did quite a demonstration with her sling; have any of the Mamutoi been able to reproduce her accuracy?”

Danug shook his head. “No. A few have tried, and Latie is good at it, and so are a few others, but no one even comes close to what Ayla could do.”

“Do you suppose Latie, or any of you, could show us how to make one properly? Several have tried, and perhaps they have gotten the design right, but since we never spoke to Ayla about it, we were never sure exactly how to make one. We had to go with what people remembered of it, which wasn’t much. People remembered more about her accuracy than about the design of the sling itself,” Laduni said.

Radec nodded when the translation was complete. Much like Callie, his understanding of Zelandonii was quite sufficient to carry on a conversation, but for now he preferred to let Danug translate so that he could pick up more of the language. “That wouldn’t be a problem. Ayla and Jondalar were with the Lion Camp for most of a winter and even into the summer meeting. She showed Latie how to make a sling, and Latie should be able to show you as well.”

Laduni nodded. “Is there anything we can do for you in return?” he asked.

Danug looked at him, shocked. “In return? Laduni, by letting us stay here with you for the winter, you are doing more than your share! It is we who should do something else for you!”

Laduni shook his head. “No, like when Ayla and Jondalar stopped by; your arrival has brought an excitement to the cave that we just cannot reproduce during the winter. Everyone’s spirits are always low during the winter, and you have well alleviated that.”

Radec laughed. “Yes, I know that feeling! Winter, especially late winter, can be awful, and melancholy. But still, you are providing us with shelter, food, and your people are helping with the birth of my mate’s child…”

“Listen,” Losaduna said, interrupting. “There’s really no point in going on about this. It’s obvious that both of you are too stubborn to budge.” His eyes twinkled with laughter. “Yes, Laduni, their arrival sparked excitement and interest anew. Yes, Radec, we are going to help your mate, and we will shelter you for the winter.” He grinned. “So why don’t we just combine forces? Let’s have even more excitement with a Mother Festival, and Radec, to repay us, if you insist, you can aid us in hunting for the festival.” He glanced at the two men. “Will that work?”

Radec and Laduni both grinned, and Radec’s huge laughter boomed out across the snow. “We will be happy to!” he cried. “These strong young men are anxiously awaiting your command,” he said, gesturing to Danug, Panec, and Lareno.

“I believe that Radec is awaiting your command, too,” Panec said, his voice full of sarcasm and laughter.

“Do we need to get anything?” Lareno asked. “I have everything that I would need with me.”

Radec shrugged. “We can go in and ask the women if they are interested in going on a hunt,” he suggested.

Danug shook his head. “No, let’s let them rest. Of all of us, only the women have had any problems on this journey, so let’s let them share stories and ideas with the other Losadunai women, and we males can go hunting, and we can bring back a feast that our women will be proud of!” He cocked his head. “After all, it is a Mother Festival; let us honor those who bring forth life!”

Panec clapped Danug on the back. “Danug, sometimes you surprise me with your sincerity,” he teased. He watched as the other men began to gather anything that they would need. Then he commented with a wink, “But, personally, I would rather honor the women with Gifts other than food.”

“Are you mated, Madenia?” Latie asked.

Madenia shook her head. “No. I had my First Rites the summer after Ayla and Jondalar left, and a few seasons after that, after a Mother Festival, I discovered I was blessed. Once everyone else found out, there were plenty of offers, but I haven’t found the right one yet. Ayla said that I would someday find the right person, and I’m just waiting for him to come along.”

Latie and Amara both smiled, thinking of their respective “right ones”. Amara then frowned with a memory. “It would be so nice to have a baby,” she commented.

Latie translated quickly for Madenia, who squinted her eyes. Something in Amara’s voice told her more than Amara had actually said. She sighed with realization, then reached over and squeezed Amara’s hand. “I’m so sorry,” she said, with genuine feeling.

Amara’s eyes opened wide. “How…how did you know?” she asked.

Madenia smiled tenderly. They were all the same age, and she felt that she could trust these two young women. “When something bad happens, even a long time after it, you can still hear the pain in a person’s voice. I know you heard it in mine; I heard it in yours, and I am very sorry about your pregnancy.”

Latie was hard-pressed to keep up in her translations, and she almost smiled to herself in satisfaction since she had noticed what Madenia had just mentioned.

Amara frowned. “It was awful; but the worst part was that I was afraid that I had caused it myself.” She sighed and looked down. “I know I didn’t, but when I see Callie pregnant, and then Aylia…I…I wish I had a baby of my own…I was so close, and then…I don’t know what happened. Panec and I were so happy.” Madenia nodded in sympathy. “But,” Amara said with determination, “I’m sure I can have children later. It just wasn’t the right time.”

Madenia nodded again and looked away, and then she looked down at her lap as Amara had done. “I said that Ayla taught me that there was a right one for me…I didn’t want to believe it because of what happened.”

“What happened?” Latie asked gently, not wanting to pry, but sensing that Madenia would not have said anything in the first place had she not wanted to talk with someone about it.

“The summer that I started my moon time, I…” she took a deep breath. “I was forced while getting water, several times, by several different men.” She wrinkled her nose to keep from crying at the memory. “It was awful…it hurt so much, and no matter how much I begged, they wouldn’t stop. I didn’t want to have anything to do with men ever again. For months I stayed in bed, I didn’t want to come out, I didn’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone, even my mother. But then Ayla came.” She paused again and smiled. “Ayla helped Losaduna purify me, and I…” she blushed and stammered, “I…well, I saw how wonderful Jondalar was, how caring, and how much he loved her, and…and I knew that I could never be a mother if I didn’t have my First Rites. Ayla promised that I would find someone like Jondalar, someone who cared about me and wouldn’t cause me pain, and that it would be wonderful, and that I could be a mother.” Madenia let out a breath and smiled. “First Rites weren’t painful. They were wonderful, and although I knew that the man who participated in them wasn’t the right one, it was still the most amazing experience. And then the Mother blessed me.” She beamed with pride. “Ayla was right! And now I have Aylia. I am plenty content for now with just her; my mother lavishes all of her attention on that child, and I know that someday I will find the perfect mate, as Ayla did.”

Latie translated as quickly as she could, but by the time Madenia finished, Amara was understanding her words. Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked at Latie, whose eyes were similarly moistened. “Madenia, that is beautiful,” Latie whispered. “And Aylia is beautiful.”

Madenia glanced over at her daughter and nodded. “She is.”

Amara furrowed her brow, then asked, “Madenia, if you don’t mind me asking…what happened to the men who…” she let the sentence trail off.

“After Ayla and Jondalar left, I didn’t care about them any more. They were beneath me, and they weren’t deserving of my anger and pain. However, they were found; none of them really talked much about what happened, but I know something happened to them, and I know that Ayla and Jondalar had something to do with it. Each of the men was sent back to his own camp. My mother, Verdegia, wanted them all dead.” Madenia shook her head. “Of course, they weren’t killed, but they were chastised, and their families hardly even acknowledge them any more. They were all marked in front of everyone at the summer meeting. The mothers of all the men in Charoli’s band had to take a flint knife and use it to mark a large sign on their chests that look like this,” she reached down and crossed two small sticks in an X, “so that everyone would know the evil that they had done. Then they were made to swear an oath in their blood that they would never mate, so that they would never know the joys of living at a hearth and watching the children of their mates grow. They had to swear that they would never approach a woman unless she first approached them – men are not to refuse a woman the Gift, ever – and that if these oaths were broken, that they risk having to pay for that with their lives. They also were made to work, hard, to pay restitution to the people they had hurt, in whatever manner that person wished to be repaid, save requesting that the men be killed.” Madenia shrugged. “I don’t care any more. Like I said, they are not worth my time, for the most part. But I didn’t ask for anything from them, because I didn’t want anything that they had touched. Instead, I allowed my mother, Laduni, and Losaduna to ask for anything they would like.”

When she stopped, Latie and Amara exchanged glances. “What did they request?” Latie asked.

“Did you see the burning stone?” Madenia asked. The other two young women nodded. “They had to get it…a lot of it, enough to last our entire cave through an entire winter. That was just one of the things they asked for; I didn’t bother to find out what other requests were made, although knowing my mother, she had to have made several very large ones.” She sighed and smiled. “But again, they are beneath me, not worth my time. I have a beautiful daughter now; she is my joy, my restitution. I need nothing from them,” she said in satisfaction.

Amara shook her head. “You are an amazingly strong person, Madenia,” she commented.

Madenia smiled her thanks, and then she clapped her hands together, shaking the melancholy mood. “Well, Neladia and Dosalia have Aylia; would you like for me to show you our Hot Wells?”

Latie and Amara followed Madenia out of the cave across the entrance to the small enclosure with steam emerging from all sides. Latie’s eyes were wide in wonder, and Amara’s in excitement, it was like a hot tub or Jacuzzi! She was thrilled. It had been too long since she had bathed with warm water. And it was especially nice since it was the dead of winter and bitter cold.

“I haven’t seen a hot spring in ages!” Amara exclaimed, Latie and Madenia both turned to her surprised.

“You know of our hot well?” Madenia questioned, raising one eyebrow in doubt. These were special places, not common. How did Amara know about them?

“Well, I’ve never been to this one, in particular, but I’ve been to some near my home,” she said, a little wistfully as her eyes clouded over with memory.

Latie shrugged to Madenia and then put her arm around Amara, “You have hot wells near your home in America, Amara?”

Amara nodded silently then added, “Well let’s go inside! I’m dying to get inside the warm water!” she said with an eager grin, her wave of sadness quickly forgotten. Healie and Callie watched from the cave mouth as the girls entered the structure. They were sitting with some of the other women, Solandia and the children. Some were weaving, others sewing and others pounding some nuts and fruits to make into dried traveling cakes or emergency food.

Healie smiled to Callie and Solandia, “It looks as if they’re getting along just wonderfully. I’m glad to see Amara making friends.”

Callie nodded in agreement and put her hand on her swollen belly.

Solandia noticed Callie’s reflex and said, “Soon Callie, very soon I think, the babe is sitting lower it looks like. Won’t that be wonderful to have another little one around?”

Callie smiled and corrected her, “This is my first Solandia; the Mother had never blessed me before now. I was worried for a long time that she never would. But I have been especially careful, and eager. I give my thanks every day for the Mother’s blessing.”

Solandia nodded, “As it should be.” Suddenly they were interrupted by a sweet childish giggle.

The three women turned and saw little Micheri, Solandia’s youngest crouched on the ground with his hand out, full of seeds.

“Micheri? What are you doing?” Solandia said, stopping the grinding of her seeds. Micheri had obviously taken the seeds from her basket at her side, but she couldn’t figure why, he didn’t usually like them. “Micheri?” she said again.

He turned to his mother slowly with a huge grin, “Look!” he exclaimed. Upon his open hand rested little Bird, pecking away at the seeds. He giggled again. “I’m feeding the birdy mother! You see, he likes me!”

Solandia’s mouth opened wide in surprise. Where had he found that bird, and what spurred it to come to him?
Callie clapped her hands together in delight, “Oh look Healie! He’s playing with Bird! I had wondered where Bird had gone. It’s easy to lose him here. Though I think I hear him now and again, I think he has taken a liking to the trees here.”

Healie nodded, “Yes, Solandia, that is Bird. We found him on our way here with a broken wing. We wrapped his wing for him and have been feeding him. He comes and goes, but he’s entertaining. The girls especially dote on him.”

Solandia smiled at the two women, would she never cease to learn of new wonders? It seemed that she learned something new from everyone she met, Ayla and Jondalar, Amara and now Callie and Healie. She placed her hands on her thighs, her feet tucked under her. “Well that is quite a treat Micheri, do you think he would come to me too?” she asked of Healie and Callie.

“I can’t imagine why not, if you offer him some food. Micheri, when Amara comes back you should ask her to sing with Bird. It is quite amazing; she sounds just like a bird.”

Micheri nodded and smiled at the little creature, trying to pet the little head, which kept bobbing up and down as he pecked at seeds in Micheri’s hand.

Latie’s jaw dropped in amazement as she entered the structure. Amara squealed in delight, and in her eagerness to get to the water she nearly pushed Madenia in.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” she cried as she held on to Madenia to prevent her from falling.

“Well, I’ve never seen someone so excited about the hot well.” She laughed and hung her fur on a peg. It was hot inside and the girls had begun to sweat in the warm, humid environment. “Would you like to get in the water?” she said, asking both women, but looking pointed at Amara, who was obviously dying to get in.

Amara nodded and was taking off her clothes before Madenia could direct her. Latie and Madenia giggled at Amara’s antics again. “Now be careful Amara, it is very hot at first! And it can tire you out, it drains you. Over there in the corner is the cleaning tallow,” she said pointing to a small pot of yellowish goo on the pool rim.

Latie curled up her nose, “What is that?”

Madenia stopped as she was undressing. “Well, Solandia discovered it. It is made from wood ashes and tallow, she’s started adding sweet smelling herbs to it too, to make it smell nice. But it cleans better than water, or a sand scrub. Try it out, you’ll like it,” she suggested to Latie who peered into the pot and dipped her finger in skeptically.

They turned when they heard Amara hiss. “That is hot!” she said as she sunk into the pool. She came up smiling though, obviously enjoying the rare treat of hot water. “This is SO nice Latie, come in! Can I see that stuff?” she pointed to the pot that Latie was holding. Latie handed it to her carefully.

Amara sniffed it, dipped her finger in and rubbed her hands together. Her face cracked into a wide grin. “Soap!” she said, her voice breaking in joy. She hadn’t used soap since…her First Rites. She blushed with the memory.

“What was that Amara?” Latie asked. Amara had obviously known what the stuff was, and had used her own word for it. Much like she had done with Ayla’s thread puller, and horse riding and everything else. Amara would never cease to be a mystery to her, but perhaps Ayla would understand her, she hoped that the three of them would become good friends.

Amara blushed then and turned to the other two women, who were slowly slipping into the water. “‘Soap’ is the word my people use. I haven’t seen this since I left home. I brought some with me, do you remember Latie? At my First Rites. I washed with it?”

Latie nodded, still wondering, but Madenia looked shocked. “You mean your people know about this too? I thought Solandia was the only one.”

Amara nodded thoughtfully, if only she knew. “Yes, my people make this, too. It is wonderful isn’t it?” she said trying to turn the conversation away from her knowledge and more towards the moment. “May I wash with it?” she asked.

“Of course! That is what it is there for!” Madenia giggled.

Amara nodded and stood upon the ledge and smeared herself with the tallow/soap, luxuriating in its softness and sweet smell. She lathered herself up rather vigorously and passed the pot to Latie, who did the same. Both girls dipped into the water and came up.

“That IS wonderful Madenia? Do you think Solandia would show us how to make it too? It makes my skin so soft.” Latie said awestruck.

“And cleeaaaan!” Amara exclaimed, delighting in her long denied cleanliness and warm water bath. She was almost ready to stay here at this cave forever. They were on the right track!

Madenia and Latie giggled. Suddenly Latie turned to Madenia, “Madenia?”

“Yes?” she replied as she soaped herself up.

“Could we bring the others in our group here? Would that be allowed?” Latie asked unsure. It was clearly a privilege to be able to use the spring, but she wasn’t sure if it was restricted in any way.

“Of course, in fact, I’m sure that they’ll insist that all of you visit it at least once. It is the pride of our cave. A very special gift from the Mother you know. We use this place for ceremonies as well. But it is open to use to anyone who respects it. It is a sacred spot.”

Latie nodded solemnly in acknowledgement. “Of course. I think Lareno will love this!” She sighed thinking of her love.

Amara nodded, “Yes, I should bring Panec as well.”

Madenia looked at both of them seriously, “But you know what they say?”

Latie and Amara looked at her with surprise, “What?”

“That the warm waters drain a man’s manhood,” she said with sincere seriousness. Suddenly she broke out into a snort and a full on laugh. “But that isn’t always true. Sometimes it enhances it. I guess it just depends on the man, and the Mother,” she said smiling.

The two women laughed in relief. “I think it is getting hot. I’m going to get out,” Amara added as she stepped out. She was starting to feel lightheaded from the heat.

Latie nodded and followed her out and Madenia nodded. She floated to the other side of the pool and pulled the wood stopper out of a hole to drain out the soapy water. When it had drained she plugged it back in and stepped out. “There,” she reached around a corner and pulled out three soft leather skins, handing one to Latie and one to Amara. Then she began to dry herself off. “Doesn’t it feel nice now?”

Amara nodded in agreement. “It will feel good to go outside and get some fresh air too!” she said. She had been so grateful for the clean warm bath, but would have preferred the pool in the open, so she could still breathe fresh cool air. She stepped outside slowly, her head was spinning. She took a step and collapsed.

“AMARA!” Both girls screamed as they ran outside and saw their friend fall. Solandia quickly stood and directed the two women.

“She had too much of the heat I fear. Come on, help me carry her inside. She needs to rest, and she’ll need a restorative tea.” They picked Amara up and carried her to the hearth where she and Panec had been staying. Solandia undressed Amara again and arranged the furs around her. “Quick, Madenia, bring me some of the stew from the morning, and I’ll start the tea.”

Solandia worked quickly with the tea and when Amara came to, Solandia was offering it to her. “Here, drink this. You fainted, I think from the heat in the pools. You have to be careful there. The Mother’s blessing is strong.”

Amara nodded and grimaced. How embarrassing. She took the tea and soup gratefully and ate. She sat up and her head swam and throbbed. “Ow…wow. I didn’t realize it had been that long.”

Latie smiled to Amara, “Be more careful, we all worry about you so much!”

Amara nodded and laid back down. “I will.”

Just as Amara had laid down, Healie with Micheri and Bird on her hip and Callie came into the hearth to check on Amara. “Are you better now?” Callie asked her critically.

‘Yes, I’m fine…and I’m so clean!” Amara exclaimed holding out her arm for Callie to observe and smell.

“Why, you certainly are. You smell beautiful. What is it?” Callie asked.

Solandia smiled and turned to the two women, offering each a cup of warming tea. “It is my special cleaning tallow. You’ll have to try it in the pool. Or when we clean up the platters sometime. I use it to clean anything, even clothes. It works wonders.”

Danug emerged from the hearth where Amara was resting with Madenia, her daughter Aylia and Latie. They were comparing notes on their own sewing projects. They were showing Amara new decorating designs and she showed them new styles of tunic. He smiled to himself. Amara certainly was fitting in quite well. It almost seemed as if she’d always been there. He smiled at Solandia as he passed.

“Danug, wait. I think Losaduna was looking for you. He wanted to talk with you,” she mentioned as Danug passed.

Danug stopped and turned. “Sure, where is he?” he asked amicably.

“I think he’s in the hearth,” she said and pointed to a far corner of the cave.

Danug smiled at her again, “Thank you Solandia. You have all been so hospitable. We are so grateful.”

Solandia nodded and smiled at the young man. “You’re quite welcome here Danug, all of you. It has made winter much more bearable. Here, could you take this platter back with you? It’s lunch for Losaduna, and help yourself as well. There should be plenty.”

Danug smiled appreciatively at the platter full of slices of the roast duck that the men had managed to hunt yesterday. Some starchy tubers and several sweet grain cakes drizzled with the sweet birch sap that the Losadunai had harvested the spring before. He waved as he made his way over and around the multiple fire pits in the cave. “Losaduna!” he called when he approached.

The short animated man smiled broadly at him, “You’re just the person I was looking for…oh...and lunch?”

Danug nodded, “Yes, Solandia told me you were looking for me, and she gave me this to bring back for our lunch. What is it that you wanted to talk about?”

Losaduna nodded and sat upon an upturned log and gestured to another where he could set the food.
Danug sat himself down and looked up at the older man and helped himself to the roast duck.

Losaduna moved to serve himself food, took a bite and moaned appreciatively. “I do so like duck, especially the way Solandia prepares it.”

Danug nodded and chewed his food. He thought it was quite good, but he was really looking forward to the grain cake.

“Now Danug, you know that I am One who Serves the Mother. I understand that you were once training with your Mamut?” he said, broaching the subject finally.

Danug nearly choked on his duck. He wasn’t expecting this at all. Who had told him? “Um, yes I did.” He stopped, not volunteering any other information.

Losaduna looked at him pointedly, “It isn’t about who told me Danug. It is clear to me that you have been called by the Mother. You have special talents, you have dreams don’t you?” he questioned firmly.

Danug swallowed his food; Losaduna certainly wasn’t beating around the bush. “Well, um, yes I’ve had dreams. Strange dreams. Mamut was helping me to control the dreams. Sometimes it was hard to sleep.”

Losaduna nodded and continued, “Did he train you in any of the other holy arts? Ceremonies? Healing?”

Danug looked at his hands. Mamut had been teaching him the esoteric symbols that made up the spiritual life of his people. He had said something about leading a ceremony sometime. But Danug had left before that could happen. “Well, he had begun to teach me the symbolism of the Mother. But I never did anything else. That was just to help me understand my dreams. To control them,” he said quickly justifying his training. Danug had left, partly to escape the inevitable. But it was becoming clear to him, that the more he evaded it, the more it haunted him. Now Losaduna knew, and probably wanted to continue his training. He sighed.

Losaduna looked at Danug, “Why don’t you want to accept this Danug? You have a gift for dreaming, for helping others. It isn’t something bad, or scary.”

Danug sighed and tried to explain. “I’m just, not ready to give up everything else to serve the Mother. I want a mate, a family. I want to hunt Mammoth at the summer meetings. I’m supposed to be the future headman of the Lion Camp…if I return, and if Latie returns…”

“Have you noticed Danug, I have a mate and children as well. It takes work to balance that with my duties as One who Serves. But I have not given up my entire life. You may be able to do the same. But I don’t think it is wise to let the Mother’s gifts run wild. You need training Danug, you need to respect and honor the gift and duty the Mother has bestowed upon you. Will you let me help you, at least while you are here? I know that the Losadunai beliefs are not the same as the Mamutoi. I can’t provide the finer details, but I can help you harness and direct your gifts to good use,” Losaduna said, offering his hand to Danug in friendship and ultimatum.

Danug looked at Losaduna. Deep inside he knew that he was right. But he just wasn’t sure he was ready for it all. But what harm could a little training do? He half smiled to Losaduna and took his hand. “Okay, Losaduna, we can train this winter, while I’m here. I know that I can’t deny the Mother’s gifts, but I’m not ready to take on full responsibilities, yet.”

Losaduna nodded in agreement. “Yes, Danug, you are probably not ready to take on too much now. You have much to learn. But I am glad you will let me assist you. Seconds?” he said as he offered the plate of sweet grain cakes to Danug.

Danug smiled and took a second cake. They were sticky sweet. Not the same as at home, but still delicious nonetheless.

Callie was lying on the furs in Solandia’s hearth. Healie kneeled over her and brought her a platter of food. “Here you are, Callie. Some lunch.” Solandia nodded her assent at Healie and Callie gratefully took the platter. She was ravenous. It seemed lately that the baby was being even more demanding. Callie had taken to resting inside most of the day, her back hurt if she tried to walk around too much. Though she felt strange having others wait on her hand and foot, she knew that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to relax this way again once the baby was born.

“After you finish eating, I’d like to check the baby once again Callie. Everything seems just fine, just waiting for the little one to poke his head out. I wonder what is taking him or her so long?” Solandia said while she ate from her own platter of food. It was now mid-winter, deep, cold and hard. They were eating mostly preserved foods, dried meat and fruits, along with some starchy roots and grains collected in the warm summer. Solandia was accustomed to spicing up the winter stews with special herbs to stimulate people’s minds and bodies and enhance the nutritional value. But Callie and Healie had been teaching her new combinations of herbs which not only did that, but lent a new, exotic sort of flavor to the food. Exotic to the Losadunai, she qualified her thought. That is the way the Mamutoi cook. One thing that Solandia was eternally grateful for was Callie’s extra store of salt. Callie had been more than generous, perhaps to show her gratitude and appreciation of the Losadunai hospitality during the long, hard winter and her fully progressed pregnancy.

Suddenly the three women heard giggles and exclamations of delight, child and adult alike. The three women looked at each other, and then Solandia rushed out to see what was the matter. There was a mixed crowd with children and older people alike, all standing with mugs in their hands. Solandia pushed through the crowd, “What is going on in here? What is all the racket about?” she said as the crowd parted for her.

From the hearth Amara and Latie grinned at her. “We’re making fruit ice!”

“What??” Solandia said, crunching her eyebrows in confusion.

Amara held a mug up and Latie ran outside to fill it with snow. When she came back she grinned at Solandia. “It is really delicious. Amara taught me how to make it. Here, look. You take snow in a mug.” Solandia nodded and smiled skeptically. She looked around at the bright faces; some of the children were smeared with red juice. She looked quickly back at Latie and Amara. She watched as Amara ladled some red liquid over her mug of snow. The snow turned bright pink colored and Latie handed it to her with a small bone spoon stuck in it. “And here you are! Fruit Ice! We made it with some dried berries and apples. We boiled them in water for a long time, to make the water taste like the fruits. Then we cooled it and we pour it over snow. Taste it Solandia, you’ll like it!” Latie exclaimed, taking a mug up off the floor and eating her own Fruit Ice.

Solandia took a small bite of the pink colored snow. It tasted…just…like…berries. She smiled. “This is…wonderful! It is delicious! How ever did you think of this?”

Amara stood from the hearth where she was serving the juice over the mugs of snow. “In my home, people made this a lot. Mostly in the summer, to cool you off. But since there is snow now, I thought it would be a good idea. Everyone seems to like it a lot. It is a nice sweet treat.”

Solandia nodded, looking completely awed. She had never heard of anything like it. “Where did you get snow in the summer Amara?” she asked, finally, looking perplexed.

Amara’s eyes grew wide. How was she going to explain that one? “Um, well, we crush ice into small pieces, like snow.”

Latie and Solandia and the rest of the crowd were now looking expectantly at her. “But where do you get ice in the summer?” Latie pondered, just as confused.

Amara swallowed hard. “Well, we take water and put it in a cooling box. Then it freezes, just like water in the stream.” She shook her head, how were they going to fathom this…did she want them to?

“A cooling box?” someone questioned, “How do you make the box cold? Freezing water is very cold!”

Amara gulped, she was digging herself into a hole she wasn’t sure she could get out of. “Well, we take it to a cold place, like the big ice. It is cold there, so the water freezes,” she said quickly. The fib was transparent to her, but she saw the looks of understanding erupt onto the faces of the people surrounding her. At least they understand glaciers, and it was believable. Glaciers didn’t melt in the summer, so it seemed reasonable, if not entirely true. She couldn’t explain electricity to them; she didn’t even know how to try.

Solandia smiled again at Amara and Latie, “Well why don’t you make two more, so I can bring one to Healie and Callie. I’m sure that they would both like one.”

Amara nodded with relief and knelt on the floor again, scooping juice over two more mugs of snow. She handed them to Solandia who skipped off and presented one to Healie and Callie each.

Both women exclaimed in delight, and Solandia smiled at the continued melee outside in the main cooking hearth.

Callie lay in the dark of the cave. She could see the dim coals of the fire, but no one else was awake. She turned to her side, to relieve the stress from her back. Radec stirred at her side, but did not wake. She was dreadfully uncomfortable. Her back hurt, her feet ached and were swollen. Even her head was pounding. She suddenly had the urge to drink water. She sat up in the dark and squinted. The water skin was usually full, resting by the hearth. She reached her hand out of the furs and struggled to stand on her own. She usually had help from someone. Once she successfully righted her awkward body she waddled over to the main hearth in the dark. Her eyes were well adjusted to the dark, having been awake for hours. She wondered why she couldn’t sleep. She spotted the water skin hanging on a peg. She reached for it slowly, took a hold and pulled it to her, resting the bottom on her enlarged abdomen. She opened the stopper and lifted the skin to her lips. The cool water came quickly and she drank greedily. She rested the skin again on her belly and sighed. She was so happy that she was finally going to have a baby, but she was tired of being pregnant. She rapidly quelled the thought that something might be wrong, but why hadn’t the baby come yet? She was due at any time.

She felt a stirring inside of her.

“Well, when are you coming out to say hello? You know that we’re all waiting. I know it is warm and dark and cozy in there, but we’re all waiting lovey. Come out and say hello,” Callie whispered to her belly and to herself.

She felt another stir, and watched as the muscles in her abdomen rippled. “Oh,” she cried out.

Radec rolled over, laying his arm over to his side, where Callie should be. But her side was cold. Instinctively Radec awoke. He looked around in the dark, looking for his mate. Perhaps she had just gone to pass her water. He lay down, fully alert, to wait for her. Suddenly he heard her cry out.

He was up out of the furs in an instant.

“Callie? Are you all right? Where are you? Callie?” He said as he wandered into the dark cave from their corner hearth.

“Here, Radec. I’m fine…I just felt the baby kick, really hard,” she said reaching out for her mate in the darkness.

“Is it time?” Radec asked anxiously.

Callie looked up at him in surprise just as he reached her side. “Oh, I didn’t even think of that…I don’t kn…oh, there he goes again,” she said whispering and placing her hand on her belly.

Radec grinned at her and then looked concerned, “Should I wake Solandia? Healie?”

“Oh no! Not yet. It can wait till morning. I just got up for some water. I haven’t been able to sleep very well,” Callie said, slowly hanging the skin back on the peg and leading Radec back to their furs. “I’m so tired, but my mind keeps thinking. I don’t know what is wrong,” she added as they moved the curtain back from their corner.

“I think it must be that the baby is coming. Come lay down love, are you sure you don’t need Solandia?” He added as they lay down in the furs, wrapping her up tightly to keep her warm.

‘Yes, I’m sure. I’ll tell you when I do,” she said.

Radec nodded and stroked her forehead and her hair, “All right love. I’m so happy we’re finally going to have a little one at our hearth.”

Callie smiled up at him, her lips curling gently and her eyes glowing in the dark. “Yes, me too. I’m so glad the Mother finally blessed me…”

“We’ve certainly honored her enough!” Radec said, laughing.

“SHHHHH! Radec! Be quiet. You might wake the rest of the cave, and then what would we do???” Callie hissed at him, which quickly turned into a hiss of pain as another contraction coursed her body. “Oh…” she moaned.

Radec sat up immediately again, “Callie, calm down. Don’t work yourself up right now. I’m going to get Solandia. You need someone, another woman, to help you,” Radec said as he began to stand.

“No, Radec, I don’t want to wake them so early, I’m fine yet, just contractions. And they aren’t that bad,” she said relaxing upon the furs again.

Radec shook his head and left the hearth in search of Solandia.

Callie shook her head in exasperation; it was not even near dawn. She felt bad for waking Solandia, but secretly she was glad that Radec had insisted. She had never had a baby before. She wasn’t sure what to expect, how to do it. She would be glad for Solandia’s guidance. She lay back and tried to relax her muscles, which were tense all over her body. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes as she waited.

Radec scratched on the leather covering of Solandia’s hearth. He waited impatiently, listening for the sounds of stirring. He heard none and scratched again. He also felt bad waking her so early, but Callie needed her. The baby needed her. He heard a soft moan and then silence. Maybe they just couldn’t hear him. Finally he decided to try something else. He scratched and hissed Solandia’s name. “Solandia? Solandia, wake up. It’s Radec.” He waited.

Losaduna turned and listened. He thought he heard a scratching at the curtain. Who could it be? He listened and heard nothing. Then another scratching sound and he heard someone calling for Solandia. Radec. Radec! Losaduna turned and shook Solandia. “Solandia, Radec is here. It must be Callie. Solandia, wake up dear,” he said gently, and then stood. He pulled back the curtain, and smiled at a groggy but concerned looking Radec. “Good Morning Radec!” he said with a sly smile.

Radec smiled to the man, and began to apologize. “I’m sorry it is so early. It’s Callie. I think the baby is coming. I didn’t know what to do. We need Solandia’s help,” he said, and entered the hearth as Losaduna pulled the curtain back further. He saw Solandia up, rubbing her eyes and gathering her things as quickly as she could in the dark.

She turned to Radec and smiled, “It is quite all right Radec. Please don’t ever hesitate to get me. I’m here to help. Especially with Callie’s birth. I know we are all looking forward to it. Nobody could choose the hour except maybe the baby. I have a few more things to find, Radec. Why don’t you go back to your hearth and get a fire started? It is going to be a long morning I think.”

Radec nodded obediently and smiled gratefully at the two. Their children slept soundly, Micheri rolled over in his sleep, and Radec noticed the small pile of furs at the head of the child’s bed. Inside was the tiny bird that Panec had rescued. Micheri had taken quite a liking to the creature, doting on him and feeding him whenever he got the chance. The little bird twittered softly at the humans talking in the dark. Radec smiled and then waved to the two adults as he pulled the curtain back, and struggled to hold himself back from running back to Callie. When he arrived he heard Callie sucking in her breath in response to another contraction. He quickly opened the curtain and strode to her side, taking a firm hold of her hand. “Are you all right? Callie? Solandia’s coming.”

Callie had her eyes closed and she nodded. “Good. I’m okay. Can I have something to drink?”

Radec shot up, “Of course. Be right back.” He hopped out of the hearth back to the main area and grabbed the water skin. They would probably need lots of water throughout the night. He brought the skin in and looked for a cup. He smiled at Callie as she watched him with wide eyes. He found one and held it up, “Cup,” he said, justifying his frantic search.

Callie chuckled. “Relax Radec. I’m fine.”

Radec nodded to her and quickly poured the liquid, handing her the cup. He helped her lean up against the wall and watched her take a deep drink. “Solandia asked me to start a fire. Where is the firestone?”

Callie pointed, “It’s there, next to the hearth, in the bowl. You see? There is wood in the corner.”

Radec nodded and stood. He started to the corner to pick up some kindling and wood, and stopped. He turned to Callie and smiled. “I love you Callie.”

“I love you too.”

Radec then returned to his job of starting the fire. He arranged the kindling and struck the firestone and flint together. Just as the flames were licking the first small pieces of wood Solandia came in.

‘Hello, Callie, how are you feeling?” she asked quickly making her way to the woman, nodding approval to Radec as she did so.

Callie smiled at the woman. “I feel fine, except the contractions. They hurt. I’m glad you’re here Solandia. I’m sorry about the hour. I didn’t mean…”

“No, no! No apologizing. You didn’t choose to have the baby now. But with any luck you’ll be holding your little one by evening. Radec,” she turned to the man, “once that fire is going strong, would you please start some water boiling. I’ve brought something to make a tea, for all of us.”

Radec nodded and complied.

Solandia did indeed have tea for all of them, but each person’s tea was a bit different. For Callie she had a strengthening, energizing tea, with herbs to help a woman with her birth. For herself she had the energizing tea. It was going to be a long night and following day, and she would need the energy. For Radec on the other hand, she had a calming tea. She needed him to be as calm as possible, for her sake and for Callie’s. Frantic men were always the worst problem during a birth. They just didn’t seem to be able to take it well. Solandia checked Callie, looking at her eyes, and probing her abdomen and between her legs. “Well, Callie, everything seems fine, progressing quite normally in fact. As soon as the water boils I’m going to give you something to drink. It will help you.”

Callie nodded and lay back. “I’m glad the baby is finally coming. I was starting to worry, to wonder. I’m tired of being pregnant. It is heavy. I was taking a drink of water, and talking to the baby, telling it to come say hello, when I felt the first contraction. Do you think the baby heard?”

“Perhaps, but maybe you just knew it was time, here,” she pointed to her heart. “You look tired Callie.”

“I know, I haven’t been able to sleep at all tonight. Perhaps I did know…I’m…I’m nervous Solandia. I’ve never had a baby. I’ve only heard other women’s stories, although I’ve watched others have their babies. It hurts them so much.”

Solandia nodded. “Yes, well. It does hurt, but you will forget the pain, the baby you hold in your arms will make you forget. You should try to get some rest Callie. It is going to be a long night.” Mentally Solandia made note to make Callie’s tea with a mild sedative. She needed her rest. At least for a while.

Rather quickly, Solandia thought, Radec brought the three cups full of steaming water. Solandia quickly looked in her leather herb pouch for the herbs she was planning on using in their tea. She quickly divided the herbs between the cups appropriately and handed each person a cup. Radec sat beside Callie, holding her hand as they sipped their drinks. Solandia talked softly with both of them, about what to expect.

Suddenly there was a scratch at the door. Solandia stood and went to pull the curtain back. She smiled, “Healie! How nice to see you. Callie’s started her labor.”

Healie smiled to the woman and nodded, “Yes, so I thought. I heard you talking in here. I figured that is what was going on. Can I do anything to help?” she said as she entered the fire-lit hearth.

Solandia smiled, “Well, they’re both resting, as much as they can now. But we could use some more light in here. You know where the lamps are? I have some extras in the main hearth as well.”

Healie nodded and smiled to Callie, “How are you?”

Callie smiled at her friend, “Well. I’m tired though. I can’t wait for the baby to arrive!” she said, almost over eagerly, because just at that moment another contraction came and she scrunched her face up in pain.

Healie sighed, remembering her own labors. It was hard, but it was worth it. She quickly set to work setting lamps and lighting the small hearth.

Amara opened her eyes, startled. She was sure she had heard something. She looked over at Panec. He was sleeping peacefully. She then looked over at Latie and Lareno, both were breathing softly. Yet she still heard a heavy panting. She sat up in the furs and looked around the dark hearth where she was staying. Suddenly she saw a flicker of light against the cave wall.

Soft steps padded out to the main hearth. Amara squinted in the dark. It was Healie. What was she doing awake at this hour??? And then she heard the moan, which someone had attempted to muffle. Callie! She nearly jumped out of her furs and threw a tunic on over her head. She winced and looked back at Panec. He seemed to be sleeping soundly, just as before. She smiled and shook her head; he was such a heavy sleeper. She turned to walk out, to Healie. Then she turned back and looked at Latie. She would want to be there too. She quietly stepped over the belongings strewn about the floor and squatted down next to Latie, matted hair falling to one side. “Latie!” she whispered loudly as she put her hand on Latie’s shoulder, rocking her gently. “Latie, wake up. Latie…” she said insistently.

Latie groaned and an eye cracked open, “What is it Amara? It’s early...what do you want?”

Amara grinned at her groggy friend. “It’s Callie. I think she’s having the baby!” Amara exclaimed, trying not to shout in her excitement.

Latie was up and dressed before Amara had the chance to stand up. “Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go!” Latie whispered loudly, as she looked back at Lareno.

“They’ll figure it out soon enough, let them sleep. Soon everyone will know,” Amara offered reasonably.

Latie nodded and headed out of their hearth. “Where is she?”

Amara pointed, “I think she is in her own hearth, I saw firelight there. And Healie came out a few moments ago.”

Latie nodded and took Amara’s hand, walking quickly towards her friend’s hearth. She could hear the hurried movements and straining sounds inside the hearth. She scratched on the hide curtain loudly. “It’s Latie and Amara, can we come in?”

Amara grinned to Latie, who still looked a little groggy, but she grinned back in excitement.

Healie heard the scratch at the curtain. Solandia looked a little annoyed. She didn’t need to be bothered with everyone else’s concern about Callie right now. Callie needed peace and quiet and her full attention. But Healie smiled when she heard Latie call out. “It’s all right Solandia, they are here to help.” Solandia sniffed and looked towards Callie, who was relaxing between contractions and the worried face of Radec.

Callie smiled warmly, “Of course, let them in. I’d like to see them.”

Healie nodded and rose from the ground where she was lighting another lamp. She pulled aside the curtain and ushered the two young women in.

“Healie! Is it true? Is Callie having her baby?” Latie cried.

Healie nodded, “Yes, it is time. It may be some hours yet before the baby comes, but it is time.”

Amara smiled and clapped her hands, “Can we do anything to help? Does anyone need anything? How are you feeling Callie? When did you start?” She fired the questions rapidly, not waiting for any answers.

Callie chuckled at Amara’s enthusiasm. “Only a few hours, I feel fine, a bit tired. I didn’t sleep tonight at all.”

Latie smiled and nodded. “That is wonderful! I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see the baby.”

Solandia smiled too. “Yes, it certainly will be a blessing, for us all. Latie, Amara, do you think you could make a bit of food for us? I know that I am hungry, and soon everyone will be up. They’ll appreciate a bit of hot stew very much.”

Amara nodded and broke herself free of Latie, and began gathering up cooking pot, stirrer and the basket of dried meat. “Latie, can you get some of the roots and anything else you want to put in this? I’ll start the water.”

Latie nodded and hopped up, out of the hearth and towards the back of the cave where their fall harvest was stored in wooden and woven baskets. She withdrew several long tuberous roots, some dried greens with a salty sort of flavor and a handful of dried apples. She saw a basket with only a few handfuls of grain left in it, and she grabbed that as well. Perhaps they could use it too.

While Amara set up a tripod for the cooking skin, Callie began another contraction. Amara’s eyes widened considerably as she turned to look at the laboring woman. She watched as Callie gritted her teeth and moaned, while Solandia massaged her abdomen. Radec looked hopelessly on, while Callie gripped his hand, so tight that the circulation of blood was waning. Amara turned to Healie, who was pouring a cup of water. “Healie?” Amara asked, barely squeaking out her voice. Her heart ached for her own child that she had lost…this might have been her going through this. But it looked so painful…

“She is fine Amara. This is how birth is. It is hard work for a woman. You too one day will have a child. But she is fine. It hurts, but we are helping her,” she said softly, obviously calm, well experienced in the trials of birth. Healie smiled at Amara again, and stood. She walked over to Callie, lying prostrate on the furs, panting. She wiped the younger woman’s brow of sweat, and offered her the cup of cool water. Callie took it gratefully with one hand, Solandia helping her to sit up.

Callie took a long, cold drink of the water, felt it running down her insides, cooling her off. Considering how cold it was outside in mid-winter, she felt extremely warm. It was the combination of a fire, steaming hot water, and curtains enclosing her, in addition to her own exertions that made her feel warm. Callie turned to Amara who was watching awestruck. “Amara, it’s fine. I hope I didn’t wake you?” she asked, suddenly concerned for the young woman who looked very sleepy.

Amara shook her head, “No, no, I woke up, and then I heard you. I thought we should come over to help though. So I woke Latie up. I don’t think anyone else is awake.”

Callie nodded, “Good,” and then lay back down to rest again before the next contraction.

Latie popped back through the curtain with the basket piled high with food. Amara smiled at her as she sat down. Amara finished the tripod quickly and hung the skin pot from it. She poured water in it quickly and watched as the flames licking the sides soon sizzled from the moisture. Amara then began ripping up the dried meat into smaller pieces.

“Here, Amara. Pound it like this, on the rock. It comes apart much easier then,” Healie offered the young woman.

Amara nodded and blushed. Still she didn’t do things perfectly, though she rather thought she was blending in quite well. Only when she brought up her home, whether it was with the snow cones she had made or explaining the cart, people always looked at her differently then. But when she did normal, everyday tasks, she was just another one of the women in the camp. She began pounding a pile of the dried meat into smaller strings. She then sprinkled the stringy meat into the warming water while Latie was cutting up the tubers and the small apples.

“I brought these grains too, Amara. Do you think we can do something with them?” Latie queried.

Amara nodded, “Yeah, why don’t we just put them in the stew. It will make it thicker and heartier.”

Latie nodded and poured the parched and broken grains into the now boiling water. She watched as the water foamed up and then returned to a rolling boil.

Callie cried out again. “Oh, another one, already?”

Latie and Amara turned quickly, backs to the fire, eyes fixed on Callie as she struggled through another contraction.

Solandia nodded. “Yes, they are coming faster. That means you’re getting closer. Come on Callie, breathe deep,” she counseled.

Healie smiled to the girls. “It could be anytime now. How is the stew?”

Latie looked wide-eyed at Healie, then back to Callie and Solandia. “It looks…so…hard…” she whispered. She had never been so close to a birthing. Usually, when someone was in labor, they made all the children go outside or to another hearth to play. Latie had usually taken care of the other younger children when another baby was on its way. She had a vague knowledge of what happened, and that it was painful and exhausting, but to see it up close and personal was another matter all together. Amara on the other hand had never been even remotely close to an actual birth, save what she had seen on television. After she was born her mother had no more children, and she lived with no one but her family. When a new cousin or anyone was born she had always been either at home or doing something else. Only when the baby and mother were home from the hospital had she seen the baby. And by then, mother and child both looked content and rosy. This was frightening, almost. But Callie seemed to be taking it well.

“How is the stew coming?” Healie asked again softly. Amara turned and smiled, Latie as well, a bit flustered.

“Oh, I think fine. Just going to add the greens and let it sit for a while,” Latie murmured.

Danug opened his eyes. He looked past his curtain and saw the sky beginning to turn pink with the dawn. Suddenly he felt an overwhelming hunger. Did he smell food? It was awfully early for food to be ready. But he was sure of it; it smelled distinctly of a savory stew. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and reached for his water skin. He took a long sip, to wet his dry throat, and rid himself of the sticky smelly morning flavor in his mouth. He took another sip and swished the water around his mouth. He spit it out in the corner, and threw his furs off. He shivered in the chill morning and quickly put on his leggings and warm winter tunic made of a fine brushed bison fur. He went to the cave entrance and passed his water. The sky was clear, the horizon pink and purple fading into a periwinkle blue. It wouldn’t be long before the sun rose. And it looked to be a beautiful day.

As he passed back into the cave interior he heard a muffled cry. He started, what was that? He didn’t see anyone else awake outside their hearths. Suddenly he saw a curtain move and watched as his sister stepped out. “Latie! What’s going on?” Danug demanded.

“It’s Callie, she’s about to have the baby Danug!” She grinned at him, “Are you hungry? We made some stew.” She looked at him, raising an eyebrow with her hand on her hip.

Danug chuckled at his younger sister. “I knew I smelled food! I’m starving! How is Callie doing?” he asked seriously.

“Oh, I think she is fine. She is very tired though. Solandia says the baby will be here very soon. She’s been in labor all night long,” Latie said, excited and bit worried herself. “Come, sit here by the hearth. I’ll bring you some stew and we can start a fire. I’m sure people will be up soon,” Latie added as she walked back to the hearth, picking up a soft hide from Losaduna, who was standing quietly at his hearth.

Danug started, he hadn’t seen him before. He smiled at the older man and waved him over. “Come, sit. Latie is bringing food.”

“I know; I’ve eaten. I’ve been awake since late last night. Radec came to our hearth when Callie started.” The man sat down slowly next to Danug. “I tried to go back to sleep, but after a while Solandia kept asking for things. I figured I might as well stay awake,” Losaduna said with a sly smile on his face.

Danug nodded and smiled as Latie emerged with a bowl of steaming stew. “Here,” she said, sticking her arm out to him, offering him the bowl, with no formalities.

“Thanks Latie,” he said quietly. Latie smiled at him, waved to Losaduna and then kneeled in front of the main hearth. She quickly gathered up kindling and tinder and struck a firestone, starting a fire to warm the cave.

Rather quickly, Danug thought, the rest of the cave was up. Most were tired; it was early. But they were grateful that the stew was ready, and they were excited for Callie. Latie and Amara had quickly become occupied with serving people stew as they emerged from their hearths. Latie was starting to get annoyed with being the runner and Solandia was clearly unhappy with the in and out nature of their task. Latie was serving up another two bowls and headed out of the hearth when Callie cried out in pain. She was in the full force of her labor, contractions coming very quickly now.

“It’s time Callie. On the next contraction, I want you to push. Come on now, you have to get up,” Solandia said helping Callie up to her knees. “Amara, come and help me please?” she demanded. Callie was weak and very heavy, and she couldn’t lift her alone. They had sent Radec out some time ago; he was starting to get too worried and in the way for Callie’s good.

Amara jumped up obediently and Latie scowled into the bowl of stew. How come Amara got to help?? She checked her momentary jealousy, though…Amara had been so close herself, perhaps this would help. Nevertheless, she wanted to stay as well, and was upset that someone else couldn’t take over these serving tasks and leave her to help Amara with Callie. She walked out of the hearth looking at her feet and feeling sorry for herself and nearly bumped into someone.

Madenia and Aylia had just woken up and heard the news. Madenia was thrilled and was looking for her friends Latie and Amara, when suddenly Latie walked right into her. The stew splashed up out of the bowl and Latie had a terrified look on her face, Madenia with a surprised look and Aylia completely unaware.

Latie watched in slow motion as the stew came out of the bowl and flew through the air, landing in the soft dirt floor with a splash. Seconds later the bowl crashed to the ground with a crack. Several people looked up in surprise, and little Aylia danced around. “Ooohhhhh, it splashed on me! Momma…now I need a bath!” Aylia wailed. She wasn’t hurt, but little pieces of grain were stuck to her legs.

“Oh, Madenia…Aylia. I’m so, so sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going…are you both okay? I’m so sorry,” Latie said apologetically, quickly picking up the overturned bowl and wiping Aylia’s legs with the sleeve of her tunic.

“Oh Latie, don’t worry. It is all right. No, not with your tunic. Oh, Latie, we can go wash up. There is no problem. Can I help you? You look a little stressed out. And I see a lot of hungry looking people,” Madenia said, smiling to the flustered Latie.

Latie nodded gratefully. She was tired, and grumpy. “Yes, the stew is in the hearth…oh.”

Madenia smiled and then added, “Well that is your problem right there. Let’s go bring the stew out here to the main hearth, and everyone can serve themselves! That should take care of that problem right away!” Madenia said laughing.

Latie smiled out of the side of her mouth. Of course…why hadn’t she thought of that? “Okay,” she said, a little embarrassed by all of that. People were now talking amongst themselves, some were starting on some projects. Another young woman was entertaining small children with a small bird bone pipe.

“Momma, I’m hungry! When can we eat?” Aylia started to whine.

“Aylia, go over with Karalia and the other children. See, Micheri is there with Bird. I’ll bring you some food as soon as I can. I need to help Latie now. She been very busy all night, as is very tired,” Madenia said patiently to her daughter, gently nudging her towards the group of children with the pipe and the little bird.

Latie looked at the little girl, a little enviously, as they began to walk towards Callie’s hearth. “Was she hard? The birth I mean?” she asked Madenia.

“Well, yes, I guess it was. But it was worth it. She’s such a dear. How is Callie coming along?”

“Well, I think. I’ve been serving up this dumb stew forever now. Amara is inside helping,” Latie said, not able to help glowering a bit.

“Latie, it isn’t all fun to help at a birthing. Lots of things can go wrong. And it is so tiring. Come on, let’s get that stew!” Madenia said, trying to make Latie feel a little less left out.

Latie nodded and pulled aside the curtain. Madenia smiled to Callie, who was now squatting, sweat pouring down her forehead and chest. “How are you doing Callie?” Madenia asked as she and Latie picked up the tripod and stew.

Callie nodded noncomittally with a half way smile. Madenia knew that she was tired. “You’re doing great Callie. You’re almost through. Once you’re rested up, maybe you’d like a soak in the hot waters? I did that when I was done with Aylia. It helps with the soreness.”

Callie nodded and tried smiling, until another contraction came on and she grunted. Healie stuck a twig in her mouth and Callie bit down hard. Amara looked, seemingly lost, at Latie and Madenia. Callie gripped Amara and Healie’s hands hard while Solandia started ordering her to push.

“Push Callie, you have to push. I can almost see the head. Come, push hard!” she said, trying to encourage the young woman.

Callie moaned and strained, her knuckles white. Madenia smiled encouragement to Amara and then gestured to Latie. “Come on, let’s get this out there so people don’t come scratching looking for food.”

Latie nodded and smiled to the women. She picked up the skin of stew and walked out of the hearth while Madenia held the curtain open. As soon as they set down the pot and the tripod, Radec came over to them.

“How is she? Latie? Is she okay? I heard her scream. Do they know when the baby will come?” he asked.

Latie and Madenia smiled and backed away from the stew as people began to hover, as much for the food as to hear the news. “Well, I think she is almost done. She’s pushing now. The baby should be here very soon, don’t worry Radec. She is doing just fine, everything is normal,” Madenia chimed, smiling at him with a warmth and knowledge that comforted him and assuaged his burning desire to run to Callie. She was in so much pain, but he knew that was the way it was for women.

Latie smiled sympathetically to Radec. “I know how you feel.”

Radec smiled and nodded. “Shall we go sit down and wait?”

Latie nodded agreement and headed towards the log in the corner where her brother was still seated with Losaduna and Laduni. Madenia moved in through the crowd around the pot of stew, talking eagerly about Callie and the impending birth of her child. She smiled warmly to her friends and members of her cave. She looked for her mother amongst the crowd. “Verdegia! Mother, bring three bowls from the hearth! There is stew!” she shouted over the crowded hearth. She saw Verdegia nod and turn back toward the hearth.

Just as quickly she saw her mother return with three wooden bowls. Madenia smiled, “Good morning Mother.”

“Good morning Madenia. So I hear that Callie’s baby is on its way?” Verdegia asked while handing two of the three bowls to Madenia. Verdegia took the large bone ladle and poured stew in the two bowls that Madenia held, and then filled the small one in her own hands.

“Yes, she is almost done I think,” Madenia said, smiling. “Come on, let’s get out of this crowd, and bring that to Aylia,” Madenia said pointing to the small bowl that Verdegia had in her hands.

Verdegia nodded, and started towards the small gathering of children. She approached slowly, watching the little ones smile and play with the small bird. Micheri had claimed him as his own and was showing him off proudly. Each of the children tried to whistle like Amara had done, while Karalia, one of the older girls, blew on the little bone flute. Bird was singing a song that Karalia was trying desperately to imitate, but somehow Bird kept changing. Verdegia smiled, she was so pleased that her daughter, her Madenia, finally had her own child. “Aylia, here is your breakfast. Would you like to come eat with your mother and I?”

Aylia turned with a smile on her face. “Food. Good, I’m starving,” she said matter-of-factly while grabbing for the bowl impatiently. “I want to stay and play with the bird, Verdegia. Is it okay?” she asked, smiling sweetly.

Verdegia frowned. She wasn’t sure that Aylia should eat and play at the same time, but she noticed the other children were doing the same so she consented. “All right Aylia, but when you’re done, come find us so we can take a bath.”

Aylia smiled gratefully and went back to her playing while eating bites of the stew with her small spoon.

Verdegia sighed and walked back towards her own daughter who was sitting quietly with Latie, Danug, Radec, Losaduna, and Laduni.

“Have you fed the horses yet Danug?” Latie inquired.

Danug shook his head. “No, not yet Latie. I just woke up when you found me. Since then there has been too much going on. Is it almost time Madenia?” he said, smiling to Verdegia and making room for her to sit as well.

Madenia and Verdegia ate their stew slowly, and Madenia put her spoon down in the bowl to answer. “Yes. She’s almost th…” she was interrupted by a piercing cry, and then a lusty wail of a newborn baby.

Danug smiled at Madenia and each of the others in turn. “Well I guess that answers our question.”

The cave hushed almost instantaneously when they heard the new baby cry. The expectancy hung thick over the crowded hearth. Even little Bird stopped his chirruping to wait. Radec stood, stiffly, with a small goofy smile on his face. He wasn’t sure whether or not to go into the hearth, or wait. But before he had a chance to decide, the curtain on the hearth moved and an elated looking Amara stepped out.

“It’s a boy!” she cried. “Callie had a boy, and she’s doing wonderfully. Radec,” she gestured to him when she noticed him standing uncomfortably. “Radec, you can come in now. She’s asking for you.” She grinned to the man whom she had come to love as almost a father. Radec hopped on one foot as he made for the hearth, his face broken by the biggest grin she had ever seen on anyone’s face.

“Thank you Amara,” Radec said as he walked past her into the hearth.

Amara smiled and walked out of the hearth, leaving the new father and mother as much to themselves as possible, but with Healie and Solandia helping Callie with the afterbirth. She glanced back quickly and saw the most amazing look on Radec’s face when Callie handed him their son so that she could push the afterbirth out. Amara smiled and then joined her friends and took Radec’s spot on the log, still warm from where he had sat. Healie walked out of the hearth followed shortly after by an exhausted-looking Solandia. The two older women walked towards the crowd, awaiting the eager questions that were sure to come.

Amara turned to Madenia and Latie and grinned. “I’m glad that is over!”

Callie leaned against the smoothed stone wall of the pool of steaming water. She was tired and sore, but the hot water seemed to help.

“Now Callie, why don’t you give the baby to me and wash yourself up with the cleaning foam. You will really enjoy it. I tried adding some pleasant smelling herbs to it this time. It is quite nice, fresh smelling,” Solandia murmured softly to the woman relaxing with her new baby, finally. She really looked quite content but she couldn’t hide her exhaustion. Solandia wasn’t sure she would be up to the feast that was being planned in her honor. They didn’t usually feast after a birth. But Callie was a guest, and Amara had suggested it. She had said her people always celebrated a birth. Not that the Losadunai didn’t celebrate new lives, just wasn’t cause for a feast, usually. But Solandia was pleased. It was keeping most of the other women at bay, and the men were busy rustling up any fresh meat that they could. Callie needed peace and quiet now.

Callie opened her eyes slowly and smiled at Solandia. “Yes, I suppose I should. I haven’t been able to bathe since we arrived. The baby just kept me inside and lying down so much. I feel so much lighter now! It is almost like a new me. I can walk, skip, run…I could even hunt!”

Solandia raised her eyebrow skeptically at Callie as she handed the baby to her. “Now, I don’t think you should up and go hunting so soon. I know you feel like you can, without all the extra weight. But you are tired. I can see it in your face. You had a very long night!”

Callie chuckled softly and dipped her hand into the lemony smelling cleaning foam. “Oh, this is nice. What did you put in it?”

“I added some lemon balm and rosemary in the water before I added the ashes. What do you think?” Solandia asked as she splashed warm water gently onto the baby.

Callie rubbed it on herself and sighed gratefully. “It really smells nice. And it feels so good to get clean.” She quickly dunked herself under the water and blew some bubbles. When she emerged she reached for more of the soft soap and rubbed it into her hair and scalp. She lathered herself up thoroughly and dunked her head beneath the surface again. She reached for her baby when she came up and began cooing at him softly. “He is so beautiful, Solandia. But he looks just like Radec! Even a bit a Talut in him I’d say. Maybe…” she paused, thinking silently.

Solandia climbed out of the pool of water and grabbed one of the soft skins. She dried off and held one out to Callie, “I think it is time to get out, I don’t want you getting light headed. You’re weak enough as it is. Come come, now what is that you were saying?” she asked curiously as Callie stepped out of the pool holding on to her child. Callie wrapped the baby in the hide and held him out to Solandia. Solandia took the child as Callie dried and wrapped herself in the skin.

“Oh, I was thinking of names. What to call the little dear? I had talked to Amara about this a while ago, and had considered her brother’s name, Jacob, but I was just thinking,” she paused to take her child from Solandia. “He looks so much like Radec and Talut, maybe some way of mixing their names, could be a name for him. Amara will have children of her own someday, and I think it would be more appropriate to name my first after Radec, somehow.”

Solandia nodded, “Yes, but who is Talut?”

“Talut is his sibling, Radec’s sibling. But what do you think about, perhaps, Ralut, or Tadec, Talec, Tulec, Rulec. I’m not sure. I think I’ll ask Radec what he thinks. Oh, he is so happy Solandia. I love seeing that smile on his face. And it will be nice now that he doesn’t have to worry so about me being blessed.”

“Well, Callie, he may get worried more now that the baby is here!” Solandia warned as she parted the hides of the shelter.

Callie laughed, “Well, I guess that is true. But I feel better anyway not being blessed, but having the blessing in my arms! Oh look, there are the men, and Radec too! And look! They have something…Radec!! HO! Come here!” she shouted and waved as she left the hide shelter enclosing the hot pool of water.

Radec’s face was immediately broken by a wide grin. He gestured to one of the other men and trotted over to Callie. “Callie, beautiful mother. How are you feeling? How is the little one?”

Solandia herded the couple towards the cave, “Now you can chat all you want, but inside. I don’t want Callie or the baby catching a chill.”

Radec and Callie, thoroughly engaged in conversation, did not respond, but heeded Solandia’s command and entered the cave, warm from the several fires lit around the hearths. They walked back to their own hearth, Radec holding the hide curtain aside for his mate and her child. He grinned back at Solandia as she passed. “Thank you for everything Solandia. I’m so happy. Thank you!”

Solandia smiled at the man. It truly was a miracle for a man to see his mate blessed and with child for the first time. Hopefully it wouldn’t be the last for Radec. Callie was still young enough to have more children, but Solandia worried that she hadn’t had any children before now. But Duna chose to bless women in her own time. Maybe there was reason she had waited to bless Callie.

Radec turned to Callie who had set the baby down on the furs momentarily and unwrapped herself from the drying skin. Radec flushed at the site of her. It had been so long since he had seen her that way, and now she was even more beautiful than ever, as a mother. Callie smiled at Radec as she dressed. “Would you like to hold him while I dress?”

“Of course!” Radec said, jumping to her aid. Callie picked up the small person and gently laid him in Radec’s arms. Radec beamed at mother and child and cooed in turn to the child.

“Radec, love. I think the child is of your spirit. Look, he looks like you. And he looks like Talut. You see. It must be, the mother finally blessed us, twice…” she said quietly as she approached her mate and placed a soft hand on his arm. He smiled to her, eyes brimming with tears and then they both looked down at the child, whose blue eyes were wide open, looking around the dark shelter, and whose legs were kicking.

‘He is so small…you really think he is of my spirit?” he asked, sighing as the baby grabbed on to his finger with his little fist.

“Yes, Radec. I do…look at him. I was thinking, about names…what do you think about Rulec?” she said quietly, stroking her baby’s soft fuzzy head and leaning against Radec.

“Yes, I think it is a fine name. Rulec, Rulec…it sounds good. It is a good Mamutoi name,” Radec said, beaming again at his mate. “Callie, I love you. I’m so glad that we made it here safely, and that the birth went well. It made all the difference to have Solandia here. I’m so glad we were here.”

“Me too, Radec. I can’t imagine having done that on my own, out in the cold. No, I don’t even want to think about it really. But traveling with a baby will be difficult too.”

Radec looked up from his reverie, surprised. As if he had forgotten about traveling. “Travel? With the baby? Oh dear, that might even be more dangerous. I don’t know if…oh,” he said, suddenly frowning, his brow furrowed with worry.

“Well, don’t worry too much yet Radec. It is still deep winter; Rulec will grow much between now and then. I noticed you and the men had caught something; fresh meat?” Callie said eagerly, her tone revealing her hunger and craving for a large hearty meal.

‘Yes, we caught ourselves quite a slew of winter rabbits. The pelts are just beautiful, white. I was thinking we could use them, to make the bab...Rulec something to wear. What do you think?”

“Oh Radec, that is perfect! Rabbit fur is so soft, and the meat will be so delicious,” she said smiling and slowly lowering herself to the earth bench where their furs were laid out. “Oh, I am tired. I think I’ll sit for a while. Rulec must be hungry too, see, he’s searching for milk,” she pointed out to Radec, who was oblivious to the sucking motions the child was making on his finger.

“Oh, he must be…” Radec said, quickly bringing Rulec back to Callie. He watched as she lifted her tunic above her breast and placed the baby to it. Rulec of course knew just what to do, and began suckling nosily at Callie’s milk swollen breasts.

‘Hmmm, he even takes after you in eating habits! Listen to that!” Callie said dubiously with a sly smile.

Radec grinned and blushed. “Well, like you said, he’s of my spirit. Any child of my spirit is sure to be a big eater, that way he’ll grow big and strong like me!” Radec challenged playfully, flexing his arm muscles.

Callie giggled and snorted. “Very funny! Now why don’t you go collect those rabbit pelts before they disappear?”

“Good idea!” Radec said as he grinned and sort of hop skipped out of the hearth.

“Can I help?” Amara asked as she peered over Laduni’s shoulder.

Laduni jumped quickly, not having realized that he was being watched. He turned quickly and smiled at the young woman. “No, there’s nothing I need, but if you’d like to watch while I finish this, you can.”

She grinned and nodded. The process of making fermented beverages was quite intriguing. Unfortunately, this was one area where she couldn’t offer any advice; she knew the chemical process that she had learned in her biology classes, but actually making it was a different story. The only thing she added to the process was a short new word for the Losadunai – beer. The children had found the word quite funny indeed and had been running around all afternoon yelling the word to each other.

“I’m almost done,” Laduni commented.

Amara was sorry that she hadn’t thought to watch him earlier. She watched him as he stirred the drink in the large wooden container, and grinned when bubbles rose to the top. Something about the bubbles nagged at the back of her mind, but she couldn’t quite place it. She frowned as she concentrated. Oxidation…hmm. She furrowed her brow and cocked her head. Her eyes glanced over to where Solandia and a few of the other women were pounding grain, and then it hit her. “Laduni!” she exclaimed.

“What?” he asked, startled again.

Amara reached for a small container and held it out to him. “Can I have bubbles?”

Laduni frowned in confusion. “The bubbles?” She nodded. “Whatever for?”

Amara grinned. “Something I want try…want see if it would work…I think it might,” she stammered excitedly in broken Losadunai. It was frustrating, but she was slowly grasping the language.

Laduni shrugged. “Sure,” he replied as he spooned the bubbles into the container Amara was holding.

As soon as he finished, she jumped up and ran over to where Solandia and the other women were pounding grain. “Solandia,” she began, “you make small cakes?”

Solandia nodded at the young woman. “Yes, Amara, we’re going to make cakes out of this grain. I’m going to mix mine with some water and what’s left of the honey we gathered this past summer and then bake it on hot rocks.” She glanced at the container Amara was holding. “Is there something you need?”

Amara beamed. “You make cakes, I make bread!”

“‘Bread’?” Solandia asked, repeating the strange word. “What is that?”

Amara smiled in her excitement. “Bread is cakes, but bigger. I have some grain?”

Solandia smiled at her eagerness. “Here, go ahead and take mine…I’m almost finished with it. But if you take my grain, I get to watch you make this ‘bread,’ okay?”

Amara nodded and winked. As Solandia watched, Amara mixed the grain that Solandia had pounded with a little water in another container – enough to liquefy it, but not enough to drown it. She glanced at the bubbles from Laduni’s drink; she knew there was yeast in there, but she wasn’t sure how much. She frowned, and then shrugged to herself. She dipped some of the bubbles out with her hand and mixed it with the grain and water. She knew that she would mess it up the first time – that was inevitable – but she could at least try. “See, Solandia, ‘yeast’ is in bubbles, make cakes get bigger, make cakes rise,” she tried to explain. Leavened bread was a difficult concept for someone who had never seen anything but the small hard cakes. She just wished she had a cake pan or something to bake it in; she sorely missed metal. “You have ground oven?” she asked, but she didn’t know the Losadunai words for it, so she had to ask in Mamutoi.

Solandia frowned and shook her head. Amara glanced around and scratched the back of her neck in frustration. “Hole, in ground, bake cakes in, hot…”

“Oh, a ground oven! Yes, we do have one of those,” Solandia replied as soon as she figured out what Amara was meaning. She stood and motioned for Amara to follow her. They walked just a few steps and then Solandia squatted and motioned to the pit that had been dug in the ground. “Here you go.”

Amara smiled. “Okay, now I need coals on bottom, then layer to protect container, and another layer to keep heat in.”

Solandia nodded and called for her oldest child, Larogi, to bring some coals from the large fire. He did so, and then Solandia covered the coals with a thin layer of dirt; enough to protect the container, but not so much to put the fire out. She then put the low flat container that Amara had mixed the ingredients in onto the dirt, and then covered the whole thing with a thick old hide. “There. Now, how long does it need to stay there?”

Amara shrugged. “I don’t know…will check often to see.” She was enthusiastic about the possibilities, and she hoped that she hadn’t messed anything up, especially after Solandia had worked so hard to pound the grain. What she really needed was some milk, and perhaps some baking soda and salt. Salt she might be able to get, but there weren’t exactly any domesticated cows around, so water would have to do, and the baking soda would be impossible. She smiled as Solandia returned to where the other women were, and then she turned to see Panec walking towards her.

“What have you been up to, my beautiful woman?” he asked, giving her a hug.

“Making bread,” she replied. Before she had to explain it again, she quickly hushed his question, “You’ll see, just wait until we eat, and then I’ll show you.”

Panec nodded and hugged her again. “You know,” he said, clearing his throat, “I’ve heard a lot about these Hot Wells that they have here.”

She grinned at him mischievously. “Are you implying something?”

He nuzzled her neck in response. “Yes. Would you care to join me? After we eat, that is.”

She sighed and let him wrap his strong arms around her. “I would love to, my beautiful man.” She giggled quietly, and he slapped her on her rear. “Now go and let me keep an eye on this…you’re too much of a distraction!”

He feigned a painful look, kissed her quickly, and then returned to where he had been in conversation with some of the Losadunai men. He glanced over at her once again with a look that held a promise. She blushed and smiled at him, and then turned to check on her bread.

Amara was happy to see that the bread was indeed rising, even in the short time it had been baking. Unfortunately, because it had been such a short time, she was now worried that it would rise too quickly and would be ruined. She looked around for a small stick, and she wiped it off the best she could. She then stuck the stick into the middle of the bread to check its doneness. Much to her surprise, there was only a little bit of the uncooked batter on the stick. She smiled and put the hide back down, then sat to watch it again.

“It’s done!” Madenia called out. They had considered just eating the rabbit meat, but as cold as it was outside, it was decided that a stew would be the best to have, and it would be more nourishing. The only disadvantage was that this meal, along with the celebration they had when the Mamutoi first arrived, had seriously dwindled their supply of food. Madenia put that out of her mind; it would be easy enough to gather as soon as the snow started melting, even though they were currently in the dead of winter.

People began gathering around with their plates and platters, and women and men alike set the food that they had prepared by the large hide containing the thick stew. Amara heard Madenia call, and she checked the bread one last time. She frowned when she saw that it had risen too much, and large holes had formed in the bread where the gas had been expelled. She just hoped that no one would get sick from this; she wasn’t sure what kind of effect too much yeast might have on these people, especially when the only form of yeast they had ever had was in the fermented drinks. She wrapped a small scrap of hide around her hand so that she could pick up the wooden container. She pulled off a corner of the bread and tasted it quickly. She smiled at the taste. As good as it tasted here, where bread did not exist, she knew it paled in comparison to some of the breads she could have eaten at home. But it was certainly good enough, and so she took the bread over to where the other entrees and appetizers were beside the stew. Then she fetched her plate, found Panec, and stood beside him in the line that was forming, her stomach grumbling in harmony with everyone else’s, waiting for the food.

Radec held the tiny child in his arms, watching as Callie slept. It had been a glorious feast, and everyone had been in such a good mood. Amara’s bread had been a success; such a novelty, and every woman found an excuse to go sit by Amara so that they could all hear the recipe. Rulec had hardly cried at all; only once when he was hungry, and Callie had quickly solved that problem. He had giggled and made his little baby noises all night, happy the entire time. Everyone commented on how much he smiled, and how happy a baby he seemed to be. Now after the excitement of the night, Callie was asleep in their furs, and Rulec was yawning in Radec’s arms.

He had never been so close to a baby before. It was amazing; Rulec looked just like Radec himself, but a much smaller version. Radec put his large finger in Rulec’s hand, and the baby grasped his tiny fingers around Radec’s larger one. The fingernails were so tiny, the fingers so fragile. Gently he felt the soft spot at the top of the baby’s head. Solandia and Callie had both warned him not to press on it, but he couldn’t help but wonder what its purpose was. He grinned and made a mental note to ask Amara; she seemed to know the answers to most questions he had.

Rulec opened his eyes when he felt Radec’s hand on his head. He squealed in delight and squirmed, kicking. Radec brushed the child’s cheek with his hand, and instinctively Rulec grabbed for the hand. Radec put his finger in Rulec’s mouth and smiled tenderly when the baby suckled. Although Rulec didn’t seem hungry, Radec figured it might be best to let him eat. However, figuring out how to do that was a problem. He glanced at Callie and frowned; she’d had such a long night, and a long day, and he hated to awaken her. Then an idea struck him. Gently, he moved Rulec around and held him in one arm. With the other, he slowly pulled Callie’s tunic up to expose a breast. He felt a tightening in his throat and chest, and in a few other places elsewhere in his body, but he calmed himself as he knew that now was definitely not the time for Pleasures. In her sleep, Callie rolled onto her side, as Radec had hoped she would do. He placed Rulec on the furs facing Callie, and then adjusted the baby so that he could easily suckle when hungry. Rulec latched onto a breast right away, and Radec saw Callie smile in her sleep. Radec reached down and with his finger he wiped across her breast where the milk had found its way out of Rulec’s tiny mouth. Radec smiled and then slowly got into their bed. He faced Callie so that Rulec was securely between them, slid his arm underneath her neck, kissed her forehead, and closed his eyes with a sigh. It had been an amazing day.

Latie grinned as Amara and Panec emerged from the tent that enclosed the largest of the Hot Wells, and ran quickly through the snow. They were both pink from the heat, and, she was sure, Pleasures. The two of them giggled as they dove into the area that enclosed their small hearth, and Latie could hear low voices and a few giggles. She glanced up at Lareno, who was talking with some of the Losaduna men. She stood and as she walked by where Amara and Panec were, she heard the unmistakable sounds of their love. She blushed and looked at Lareno again.

Lareno had seen the two of them run in and hadn’t really thought anything about it. One of the young men he was standing with made a comment about the unmatched beauty of the young women travelers, and Lareno glanced over in Latie’s direction, beaming with pride. He saw a seductive twinkle in her eye, and a flush on her face. Lareno swallowed hard and took a deep breath to control himself. He knew he would get teased about it later, but he simply could not resist her right now. He made some quick excuses under his breath and walked over to her, seeing no one but his Latie. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck with need.

“Would you like to make a trip out to the water?” she whispered, kissing his ear gently.

Lareno shivered and tried to speak, but a nod was all he was able to produce. He put his arm around her and they walked outside. The snow was halfway up to their knees and helped to calm his desire somewhat, but the thought of Latie in the warm water kept creeping into his mind. After what seemed like an eternity, he pushed aside the opening and they ducked into the tent where the Hot Well was. He swung her around and kissed her deeply, and then held her at arm’s length to drink in her beauty. “I love you, Latie, more than anything,” he whispered with feeling.

She smiled at him. “I love you, Lareno.” She leaned up and kissed him ever so tenderly on his lips. Then she ran her hands down his arms, to the bottom of his tunic, and she slowly lifted it off of him. She could easily see the gooseflesh rise on his body in response to her touch, and she smiled with satisfaction. She then untied his leggings and dropped them down his legs, grinning as she did so. Lareno leaned down to remove his foot coverings and his leggings. The thong that tied one of his foot coverings on had knotted, and he grimaced as he tugged on it. Annoyed, he pulled on the thong enough to stretch it so that he could remove the covering. When he was done, he stood to see Latie completely undressed, grinning at his antics. He smiled in response, still annoyed, but that faded and he could feel the blood pump in the veins of his neck as she approached him. She wrapped her arms around him and they kissed, sinking to the floor as they did so.

“Do you want to soak in the water?” she asked as he began exploring her body.

“Maybe later,” he murmured.

“Okay,” she responded, giving in to his loving touch.

“What do you see, Danug?” Losaduna asked calmly. He was trying to get the young man to meditate, but for some reason, Danug kept pushing the visions away. He had finally resorted to making a soothing drink for him, so that he could relax and let the Mother show him what She wanted to reveal.

Danug’s face was twisted in a frown. “I’m not sure,” he replied, trying to concentrate, and then he opened his eyes. He sighed loudly and threw a handful of dust towards the fire in frustration. Bird chirped angrily at him, and Danug smiled apologetically to the small animal. “I just don’t understand, Losaduna! Why can’t I do it? What’s wrong with me?”

Losaduna smiled gently at the young man. “It just takes time and patience, my friend.” He paused and glanced into the fire. He kept receiving these images of…something…but he couldn’t figure out what it was. It was as if he was being told something, but that he couldn’t understand the language. He felt that whatever it was, it was urgent, and he had hoped that Danug could maybe see something that he himself couldn’t. “Would you like to try again?” he asked.

Danug looked into the fire as Losaduna had done. He, too, felt something gnawing at the back of his mind, but like Losaduna, he couldn’t quite reach it…although he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to reach it. What was it? Curiosity began to overcome his fear. He took a deep breath and stared into the fire as he began to concentrate on the vision that was just beyond his grasp. He could hear whispers deep inside himself, and as it had done countless times before, a vision started to form behind his eyes. He concentrated with all his might, but he could not bring the picture into focus. He could only hear an unfamiliar male voice calling out to someone.

“I miss you, my love. It’s been too long.”

Lareno rolled over with a contented sigh and reached for Latie. He opened an eye when he couldn’t feel her body beside him. He grumbled to himself about sleeping in so late, but the hot water from the wells had been so relaxing, and they had both been worn out after the Pleasures they had shared. He grinned, thinking about how much he loved her. He was anxious to reach the Zelandonii so that they could have their Matrimonial. The thought of spending the rest of his life sharing a hearth with Latie was amazing. He sighed again to himself and sat up, stretched, and then scratched his head. In the distance he heard Rulec cry, and he grinned with satisfaction thinking about how beautiful Latie would be with children. He quickly slipped on his tunic and leggings and left the hearth they were sharing.

“Good morning, Lareno,” Amara said. She was sitting near the large cooking fire, holding Rulec and making baby sounds to him. “Did you sleep well?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

He wrinkled his nose at her and grinned. “Did you?” he replied teasingly.

They laughed together and he sat down beside her. “Solandia has some food warming in a basket over there,” Amara said, gesturing at a basket beside the fire. “Most of us have eaten, but you and Panec were still asleep and she wanted to keep it warm for you.”

Lareno stood and went over to the basket, shaking his head. “You know, that woman does too much. She has helped us so much already, and all these little things she keeps doing…we really need to do something for her in return.” He lifted the lid of the basket and smelled the delicious foods inside. He reached for a small plate and served himself a rather large helping.

“What did you have in mind?” Amara asked, watching Rulec suckle her finger. She smiled at the infant, then leaned down to blow on his belly, above where the umbilical cord had been cut. Rulec squealed with laughter and wiggled his fingers in response.

Lareno smiled at her. She would make a good mother, too, he thought. He wasn’t about to say anything though, after what she had been through with her miscarriage. “Could we make something for her?” he asked.

Amara cocked her head, thinking. “You know what might be better,” she suggested, “perhaps we can take her children somewhere, let them play outside or something, to allow her and Losaduna to enjoy the wells, too.” She winked at him. “They haven’t had much time alone lately and I’m sure they would both appreciate it.”

“Oh, there you are!” Latie exclaimed to Lareno as she walked in from the snowy outside, Aylia following right behind her. “Did you sleep well?”

Lareno smiled and nodded. “Yes, I did, as a matter of fact. Where have you been all morning?”

“Outside,” she replied. “Madenia and Solandia wanted to examine Callie again to make sure everything was healing correctly, so I agreed to take Aylia outside to play while Amara took Rulec.”

“Is everything all right?” Lareno asked worriedly.

Latie and Amara both nodded. “Oh, yes, but after a baby is born, they need to make sure everything is healing, and since Callie is still in pain from the delivery, she’s a little slow moving around and getting undressed. So we agreed to take the children,” Latie explained.

Lareno nodded as he began eating. “I see.”

As if on cue, Healie ducked out of the hearth Radec and Callie were sharing, with a beam on her face. “Everything is fine,” she announced to the younger members of their group, all eager to hear the news. “She is healing as expected.”

“That’s good to hear,” Amara commented, smiling.

“Not to imply that I don’t like it here, but is there any word on when we’ll be heading out?” Lareno asked.

Healie shrugged. “I understand your meaning. I think Radec wants to stay here until Callie and the baby are both ready to travel, and it’s just too cold for now. But you’d better ask him for any other specifics…I’m not sure exactly what he’s thinking.”

Lareno nodded in agreement. “That’s fine with me, I just wanted to see if there were any updates.”

Healie smiled to them and watched for a few more seconds as the young adults engrossed themselves in conversation again. She shook her head, remembering when she was their age, and how much fun it was. She sighed to herself, smiled again, and then ducked into her own little hearth.

“Radec, I know you’re concerned,” Callie stated, “but the whole point of this Journey was to reach the Zelandonii. We can stay here for the winter, but please don’t worry about me or Rulec. We’ll be fine. The baby naturally won’t have to walk at all, and when I get tired, I can ride in the cart. There’s really no reason to stay here any longer than just for the winter.”

Radec, who had been pacing the floor, sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes, but Callie, I’m worried. Healie isn’t doing well, and with the baby and everything…I just don’t know if more traveling is a good idea.”

Callie shook her head. “It’s the winter that’s causing Healie’s problems. The cold and her joints just don’t get along well. You know that…over the summer she was fine for the most part. She had these same problems last winter and when we left in the spring, she was just fine.” She sighed and continued, “Besides, Ayla will be able to help her. As good as Solandia is with medicines, you know that Ayla has to be much better! You remember what Talut said she had done for Mamut’s arthritis, don’t you?”

Radec brightened a bit. “That’s true, I didn’t think about that. But Callie, are you sure you’d be okay with traveling again? With Rulec so small…if something happened, I could never live with myself!”

Callie leaned over and embraced her mate. “Radec, I know you’re worried, and I understand that. But we could make something to hold Rulec next to my chest. If he gets hungry, he can eat whenever, and my body heat will keep him warm if it gets cold. He’ll be close to me; I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Radec paced again and thought. The last thing he wanted to do was endanger anyone, and although Callie was convincing, he was still concerned. “Okay, for now we’ll stick to the original plan, but I would like to discuss things with Laduni and Losaduna as well.”

Callie almost scowled, slightly miffed that her opinion wasn’t good enough, but she calmed herself, realizing that he was stressed. More opinions would probably do him good, she thought. “Okay, you go on. I’m getting hungry, and I’m sure Rulec is, too, so I’m going to go out with the others.” She embraced him and kissed him quickly, then used his sturdy body to support herself as she stood. He helped her out to where Amara, Latie, and Panec were sitting by the fire, and as soon as she was settled, Radec went to find Laduni and Losaduna.

Almost immediately after she sat down, Amara felt a slight wetting on her tunic. “Whoops!” she exclaimed, dashed to the little basket that she fondly thought of as a potty-training toilet, and held him out over it while he did his business. Amara couldn’t help but laugh at the faces he made, and he giggled in response. She realized then how useful diapers were. Solandia had explained the diapers that they used; much like what women used during their moon times. However, Amara missed the conveniences of home and wished for some plastic, although she knew she was out of luck. She reached for the soft rabbit skin and wiped Rulec off, then wrapped him in a fresh hide. She returned to the fire and handed Callie her son, then sat down while mother and baby both ate.

“Do you see what I mean?” Radec asked.

Laduni nodded and glanced at Losaduna. “Radec, you know we would all be more than happy to have you stay here, but the decision is yours. I know Solandia would be happy to give you something to help with Healie, and like Callie said, Ayla will be very able to help you, I’m sure. It’s not far, from what I gather, from here to the Zelandonii, and I know the Lanzadonii are between here and there. If there is a problem, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you stayed with them for a while, especially since you know Jondalar and Ayla. The mate of Jondalar’s mother, the man of his spirit, Dalanar, founded the Lanzadonii, so that wouldn’t be a problem in the least.”

Radec scowled. “Do you think it would be a problem for Callie and Rulec to travel?” he asked.

“Oh, no,” Losaduna interjected. “That shouldn’t be a problem at all. And you do have the cart; from what I understand, Healie and Callie traveled in it a lot on the way here. It would be the same situation, and it would be good for Callie to get plenty of exercise after having the baby.”

Radec nodded. “I suppose that’s true, but that doesn’t alleviate the concern.”

“Radec, we completely understand. However, as much as we would like for you to stay,” Losaduna smiled at Laduni, “and as attached as Solandia is to Rulec, it would probably be best if you continued on your Journey. That was your original plan, and you might as well go ahead and finish it. If by chance you do not like it there, you may always return and stay with us, if you don’t return to the Mamutoi.”

Radec sighed again. “That’s another issue. I’ve thought long and hard about that, about returning to the Mamutoi. When we left, there was a part of all of us that knew we would never return, as much as we might miss our kin.”

“That, my friend,” Losaduna commented, “will be up to you. The Mother will guide you however She deems necessary. She knows what is best.”

Radec frowned and shuddered slightly as a chill overtook him. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding, but he couldn’t place it. Perhaps he and Danug and Losaduna could talk about it in the future.

“Madenia, it’s beautiful!” Latie exclaimed.

Madenia beamed with pride. “It is, isn’t it? I can’t tell you how honored I was that she gave this to me. It’s so beautiful, so soft, and I just can’t believe she parted with it,” she said as she folded the yellow chamois skin Matrimonial outfit that Ayla had given her.

“Well, but if they cross glacier, she couldn’t carry much, could she?” Amara asked. She and Latie both were pleased with the proficiency they had acquired with the Losadunai language, and she was thrilled that she could actually carry on a somewhat decent conversation with someone.

Madenia shook her head. “No, they couldn’t have, and my mother said that was why Ayla gave it to me. I hate it that she had to part with it; I can’t believe how beautiful it is, even now.” She sighed and smiled wistfully at the outfit. “I am looking forward to mating someone someday; I just hope that the outfit still fits.” She grinned at the two other young women. “But as you can imagine, Aylia doesn’t leave me much time to wonder about things like that. And, too, I’m really very happy now with her. Maybe someday, but not right now.”

Amara and Latie both nodded in understanding. “Latie let me borrow beautiful dress for First Rites,” Amara said, smiling at the memory.

Latie smiled. “Yes, I did.” She grinned to herself then, thinking about the tunic that she and the others were working on. “But you will need one of your own someday.”

Amara sighed. “Yes, I will, but no time now. I will work on one later.” They were quiet for a moment, and then they heard Panec calling Amara’s name. She turned to the other two quickly, they exchanged smiles, and then she left.

Latie giggled. “Madenia, come, let me show you Matrimonial outfit for Amara!”

Madenia opened her eyes wide in surprise. “You mean she has one?”

“Well, not yet. We make, but not yet finished.” She beckoned to Madenia to follow her. She first looked to make sure that Amara was not in sight, and then she led the other young woman to where Healie was staying. She scratched at the hide.

“Yes?” Healie asked from inside.

“Healie,” Latie whispered in Mamutoi, “can I show Madenia Amara’s Matrimonial dress?”

“Of course you can,” Healie said, moving the hide aside. She smiled warmly to the two young women. “How everything today?” she asked in Losadunai.

Madenia returned the smiled and nodded. “Very well. Aylia has been playing with Solandia’s children all day and I have been able to get quite a bit done around the hearth that I normally wouldn’t have.”

“That is good,” Healie replied.

“Here is the dress, Madenia,” Latie said as she pulled out a package from among Healie’s belongings. “Callie and Healie did most of the work on dress.” She untied the thongs that enclosed the package, unwrapped the hide, and lifted out a dress. “Healie did most of sewing, and Callie made colors.”

Madenia gasped at what she saw. There were two parts to the “tunic”; almost like a short tunic and then something that wrapped around the legs. She frowned and looked at Latie inquisitively.

“When we find Amara, she wear short tunic, to her waist, and leggings. They were strange, but she said that was what they wear from her home. So, we want make her Matrimonial dress like her home clothes. We make tunic like the one she had, and then we make a ‘skirt.’” Madenia frowned at the new word. “Amara describe skirt to me once, and she seemed to really like them, so we make one for her.”

Madenia nodded in understanding and appraised the outfit. The short tunic they had made, which reached just below the hips, was pale yellow; it reminded her of the sun. The sleeves that had been sewn onto the tunic were basically just fringes. The fringes had been sewn so that when the tunic was on, all the fringes reached the same point, about halfway down on the arm. They were a lavender color, as well as the skirt, which reached mid-thigh on one side, and then sloped down to a point just below the knees on the other side. It was plain, but it was beautiful.

“Healie, it’s absolutely beautiful,” Madenia commented.

Healie smiled. “It is not finished…still must decorate. We tried to make many colors, colors like water and trees, but those would not work. We make red, too, but decide not to use it for dress. We use it for decoration.”

Madenia frowned again. “What kind of decoration?” she asked.

Latie squealed again. “I’ll get them!” she cried and ran out of the area. Madenia cocked her head and grinned at Latie’s enthusiasm. Only moments later, Latie returned with a basket. “Look!” she exclaimed, lifting the lid.

Madenia’s shock was just what Latie had hoped for. “What are those??” she asked.

“Glass beads!” Latie replied.

“What is ‘glass?’” Madenia reached into the basket to touch one of the fragile beads.

Latie shrugged slightly. “I am not sure; Amara say ‘glass.’ This came from when lightning hit sand near us.”

“Lightning made this?” Madenia asked, still unsure.

Latie nodded and grinned again. She set the basket down and pulled out a string of beads, strung on a tiny long piece of red sinew. Strung on the red sinew were several small glass beads, bluish in tint. Madenia was in complete awe.

“Isn’t it pretty?” Latie asked.

Madenia nodded. “And so fitting of Amara,” she commented, running her fingers along the string of delicate beads. “Are these the only color?” she asked.

Latie shook her head enthusiastically. “See these colors!” she exclaimed, pulling out small pouches. “These were the only ones we strung, but we have more to put on dress later.” She opened one of the pouches and inside Madenia saw several beads that were a red/brown color. In another pouch there were grayish beads; yet another smaller pouch had just a couple of beads that were a green/yellow shade. The last pouch had a pile of beads inside that had no color at all, and Madenia couldn’t help but think about the possibilities of trading them.

“Have you thought about trading some?” Madenia asked, not wanting to be nosy, but curious nonetheless.

“Callie trade a few with S’Armunai, but we want to finish Amara’s outfit before we trade any more,” Healie responded.

“What kind of decorations do you want to do with the beads?” Madenia asked.

Healie perked again. “Well, the beads are more Callie’s work than mine, but we want make circles on tunic. We want circle stomach and breasts, like Latie’s tunic.” While Healie described it, Latie made circling gestures spiraling around her abdomen and breasts. Madenia nodded in understanding. “We want make other small circles,” Healie continued, “on skirt. Different colors, but circles to match.” Again, Latie gestured with spiral circles. “We use colored beads on sinew to make circles.”

Madenia nodded and sighed, smiling. “Healie, it will be a beautiful outfit, well suited for Amara.” She lowered her voice a little, “Does Amara know anything about it?”

Latie shook her head. “Callie mention it first to her soon after First Rites, but not talk much since. So she does not know as far as we can tell; Panec I think has seen beads, but I don’t think he knows what they are for, and I don’t think he even realized what they were. Amara know nothing about it.”

Madenia nodded again. “Very appropriate.” She rocked on her heels a little bit, then bit her lip. “Healie,” she asked timidly, “may I help with the dress?”

Healie brightened. “Yes, Madenia, we love to have your help. Callie has not worked on it for a while because of baby, but she will work again soon, I am sure. She and I both be very glad to have your help.”

Madenia smiled and nodded once again. “Good! I can’t wait!” She turned to Latie. “Can I see your dress that Amara was talking about?”

“Sure,” Latie replied. The two young women hugged Healie quickly, and Madenia followed Latie to her hearth. Latie rummaged through her packages and pulled out one that had been wrapped especially carefully. The dress was of a creamy white leather with black beads sewn around in a spiral around her abdomen that spiraled out and enclosed her breasts and womb.

“The beads look like what will be on Amara’s dress,” Madenia commented, touching the soft leather. “Latie, this is just beautiful!”

Latie smiled and nodded. She peeped outside quickly and then looked back at Madenia. “My mother made me a Matrimonial tunic. Lareno does not know. My mother not want give to me when I leave, but she know I might not come back, so she give me anyway. Would you like to see it?” she asked enthusiastically.

Madenia nodded fervently. Latie carefully wrapped up her First Rites tunic and replaced the package. Then she dug deeper into her belongings and pulled out another package. Madenia squealed when she saw its contents. The dress was a bright, yet deep, red. She had never seen such a red! It was sleeveless and reached down mid-calf. Like the other dress and Amara’s tunic, white spirals of beads enclosed her breasts. Madenia figured that the spirals must be a common Mamutoi tradition, although everyone knew what it symbolized. Between the breasts was a slit in the leather that tied all the way down to the navel with small white thongs. The bottom of the dress was scalloped, each scallop about half the length of her hand. There was a thick strip of hide, white of all colors, to serve as a belt, and all the other decorations on it were white as well. There were strips of white beads, the beads spaced about six inches apart from each other, that ran from the waist of the dress to the bottom. The strips were straight and each strip ended at the top of the scallops, where one scallop ended and the other began. The white of the beads and leather belt reminded her of the white tunic Ayla had made for Jondalar, for their Matrimonial. Madenia still felt honored that Ayla had shared it with her.

“Where did you get white?” Madenia asked.

Latie shrugged. “I believe my mother got it from Crozie of the Crane Hearth. Crozie make white leather, teach Ayla, but did not teach anyone else. My mother ask for white belt and white strips for beads, Crozie make and give to her.”

Madenia nodded, then shook her head in awe. “Latie, these dresses are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.” She then gestured to the slit in the leather that was tied. “What is that for?”

Latie smiled. “That is Mamutoi tradition. At Mamutoi Matrimonial, woman open the top of her tunic to display her breasts. Mothers are very proud of daughters with good breasts, and daughters display them with pride, honoring motherhood.”

Madenia nodded and smiled. “I see. But Amara’s dress didn’t have that…”

Latie shook her head. “No, it doesn’t. Since Amara not Mamutoi, Callie and Healie decided not to make dress that way. It might make Amara uncomfortable. When we first find her, she was very uncomfortable being seen without clothes on. She is better now, but still is uncomfortable, especially around new people.”

“I can understand that,” Madenia replied, nodding.

Just then, there was a loud scratching of the hide. “Yes?” Latie asked.

Amara burst in, her face red from the cold. “Come see what I teach Micheri to do!” she cried.

Latie and Madenia grinned at each other, and Latie carefully folded the dress. Amara watched, remembering how beautiful Latie’s Matrimonial dress was, and the thought crossed her mind again that she needed to start on her own outfit. But, now was not the time; there were many other more pressing things to take care of.

Amara led Latie and Madenia outside where they saw Micheri and several of the other children laying in the snow, spreading their arms and legs across it. “What are they doing?” Latie asked.

“Making snow ‘angels!’” Amara cried.

Latie furrowed her brow. “They are very pretty, Amara, but what are ‘angels?’”

“‘Angels’ are pretty people with long dresses and tunics. They are good people, always take care of you, but they are only in your mind,” she said, tapping her head. It was difficult to explain the concept of angels to them.

Madenia nodded. “In your imagination,” she replied, filling in the word Amara had wanted.

Amara nodded and grinned, then without a word or hesitation she fell straight back into the snow. She moved her arms and legs up and down and apart like wipers, making her own snow angel. Latie and Madenia laughed at her and at the antics of the children as well.

“You’ve definitely taught them a new activity, Amara,” Madenia said, laughing. “It’s going to be difficult to get them to come inside now!”

“Unless they get hungry…” Latie started, but was interrupted when Solandia called at them all, announcing the evening meal. The children immediately all ran inside to their mothers, stomping snow everywhere. “Just like that,” Latie finished.

Amara and Madenia laughed, and the three young women followed the children into the warmth.

“He’s just beautiful,” Amara commented, holding the infant in her arms. “He grows more beautiful every day.” She sighed, thinking about what it would be like to hold her own child. Tears threatened, but she held them back and smiled at Rulec. He giggled and cooed, making his little baby noises.

Healie smiled at the young woman. “Yes, I agree.” She could see the longing in Amara’s face, wishing for a child of her own. Healie smiled to herself, remembering what it had been like to give birth. But that was long ago, she thought, sighing.

“Do you want to hold him, Panec?” Amara asked her future mate who was sitting beside her.

Panec frowned. Since Rulec’s birth, he had been too afraid to hold the baby. He was slowly gathering his courage up, but he still wasn’t sure if he was ready. He didn’t remember ever holding a baby, although he was sure that he had done so at some point. He shook his head slightly. “No, I don’t think so…”

“Nonsense,” Amara interjected, smiling at him. She held the infant out and placed him in Panec’s arms. “Careful of his head,” she cautioned before she let go.

Panec nodded and adjusted his elbow so that the child’s head rested on his arm. Rulec squealed and bounced a little, bringing a grin to Panec’s face. He reached his finger out, and Rulec grabbed it with his tiny hands. Panec shook his head; children seemed like a magical creation to him. He glanced up at Amara and smiled. He knew how much she wanted a baby, and he wished that there was something he could do. He looked back down at the child and smiled again, wiggling his finger in Rulec’s hands. The baby squealed again and kicked his legs. “Do you like that?” Panec asked, wiggling his finger again. The child’s response was the same, and the happy baby smile was enough to make everyone sitting there beside them smile as well.

Just then, Radec and Laduni both came in. They had been outside studying the sky and the clouds, and they both had frowns and looks of consternation. Radec plopped down beside Panec and smiled at Rulec, tickling his tiny little feet. Then he sighed.

“Is something wrong?” Panec asked.

Radec ran his fingers through his hair. “We really need to get going. But I’m still not sure how to handle Rulec. He’s so small…I wouldn’t want anything to happen to him.” He held his hands out and Panec nodded, handing Rulec to him. Radec cradled the baby gently, and kissed his tiny nose.

“We do have the cart, you know,” Healie offered.

Radec nodded. “Yes, that’s what Laduni and Losaduna said. But would it be too bumpy? I don’t know how babies work.”

“Well, we could also ask Solandia if any of the women here have a baby carrier. Some Mamutoi women made strong baskets to hold the baby in, and tied it to their torso, so that their arms were free. The baby could nurse when he wanted to, and he was also close to her heartbeat,” Healie said.

Radec frowned again and glanced down at Rulec. “I didn’t really think of that. Do you suppose that that might work?”

Healie shrugged. “I don’t see why not. That would be something nice for our young men to do, since they don’t seem to keen on watching the baby themselves. They could try to fashion something like that.”

Panec nodded. “Yeah, Radec, that would be fine. Lareno and Danug and I could work on something…we might even be able to get something made up tonight, or tomorrow anyway.”

Radec rubbed his chin with his free hand for a moment. The stress of making these difficult decisions was making him lose sleep at night, and the circles under his eyes showed it. Of course, the frequency of Rulec’s waking up in the middle of the night didn’t help. “Yes, let’s do that then. If we can make something like that, then maybe that will help.”

“Or,” Healie said, cocking her head, “you know, we could stay.”

Radec glanced at Amara, and then at Danug, who had been sitting quietly the whole time. Danug slowly shook his head. “No,” Danug said, “we need to continue on this Journey.”

Radec shivered slightly. He wasn’t sure if he liked all these premonitions that he kept feeling from Danug. He felt uneasy about continuing anyway, but Danug’s insistence they leave only heightened Radec’s unpleasant feelings. He looked down at the child again, who was naturally completely unaware of his surroundings. Radec didn’t really think that anything bad could or would happen to Callie’s son, but the fatherly instinct in him, which he had yet to completely identify, made him worry nonetheless. He nodded and sighed. “Yes, I agree, but I am still uncomfortable, just a little.” He leaned down and kissed Rulec’s forehead. “I’d like everyone to think it over tonight, maybe talk to each other, even some of the Losadunai if you feel it’s necessary. Then we can try to make a final decision tomorrow.”

The Mamutoi who were gathered around him nodded in agreement.

“Amara, could you hold him for a second? It’s getting warm in here,” Radec said.

“Well, no wonder,” Amara replied as she took the baby, “you still have your fur parka on, I wouldn’t doubt that you’re hot.”

Radec grinned at her as he removed his parka and tunic, leaving him bare-chested. He reached again and Amara returned who she knew was his own son, not just Callie’s, to him. Radec cuddled Rulec and kissed him again. It was a tender moment that made Amara smile, wishing again for her own baby.

Lost in her momentary thoughts, she jumped when Radec cried out in shock and then held Rulec out. “Callie!” Radec yelled.

It took only seconds for Callie to appear with a worried look on her face. “What?” she asked as she reached for Rulec.

“I think he’s hungry,” Radec admitted, turning red. “He tried to nurse,” he continued softly.

Callie rolled her eyes and chuckled at her mate while lifting her tunic with her free hand. She put Rulec to her breast, who in turn happily started nursing. “Men…” she commented, then sat down beside Radec.

Amara glanced at Panec and smiled. She closed her eyes and dreamily thought about what Panec would be like as a father.

“How do you feel, Latie?” Lareno asked as he undressed. He, Panec, Danug, and Radec had discussed all of the options that evening after the meal, and Lareno was torn. He honestly had no opinion one way or the other; he had remembered Ayla and Jondalar, but hadn’t spent enough time with them to be compelled to continue on the Journey. Similarly, he barely knew the Losadunai, and therefore he hadn’t offered any opinions. He did, however, want to discuss it with Latie, just the two of them, so that he knew that she could be honest about her feelings without feeling badly about them.

Latie frowned and looked down, twisting her hands in her lap. “Lareno, honestly, I want to go. I like the Losadunai, and Solandia is an amazing woman, and I love Madenia dearly…but…” she paused.

“But?” Lareno nodded, “Go on…”

“Lareno, I came on this Journey to see Ayla again. For years I have been aching to see her and Jondalar both. You know how I feel about her, and to give up now and stay here, or even to turn back now, when we’re so close…” she shook her head. “It would be like giving up a part of me.” She looked up at him quickly. “I love you and I will be happy anywhere, as long as I’m with you. If you want to stay, or turn back, please let me know.”

Lareno chuckled, shook his head, and took her hands in his as he sat down beside her. “Latie, all I want is for you to be happy. If you want to go to the Zelandonii, then that’s my opinion, too. I have no strong feelings either way, and if you want to continue, then that’s what I want.”

Latie smiled, relieved. “Besides, although I’m not quite sure what exactly Danug means all the time, I do agree with him in that Amara needs to meet Ayla. There’s just something there…I don’t quite understand it, but I feel the need to at least get Amara to the Zelandonii, even if the rest of us don’t go.”

Lareno furrowed his brow. “You feel that strongly about it?”

Latie nodded. “Yes, I do, but don’t ask me why, because I honestly don’t know why.”

Lareno relaxed and put his arm around her. “That’s fine. I will go with you wherever you want to go, and for whatever reason. I just want to be with you forever.”

Latie kissed him gently on the cheek. “We will be,” she said softly.

“Danug,” Panec said intensely as he burst into Danug’s hearth area.

Danug jerked quickly, then fell over; he had been removing his leggings in preparation for bed just when Panec came in. “What?” he asked, slightly annoyed.

“Danug, I want an answer. You know about Amara. Why do you feel it’s so important for her to meet Ayla?”

Danug frowned. “What do you mean?”

Panec sighed dramatically and balled his fists in anxiety. “Danug, I’ve been thinking. You know how people felt about Ayla. You know as well as I do that there were many, many people who felt that Ayla was the Mother incarnate. I never really met her – just an introduction at the summer meeting.”

“What are you getting at?”

Panec sat down on a bench and ran his hands through his hair. He looked stressed, Danug noted. “I don’t want to lose her, Danug,” Panec admitted.

“Lose her? Why would you lose her?” Danug asked.

Panec looked pained. “Danug…what if…what if Ayla is the Mother?”

Danug shrugged. “So what if she is?”

“Danug…the Mother has so much power…whether you admit it or not, it’s hard to believe that Ayla is just a normal person. There’s something else about her. The Mother…Ayla is…well, it’s hard to believe that she’s not the Mother.”

“And?”

“Danug, think about it. How in the world did Amara get here? There’s no explanation. I absolutely believe her when she says where she’s from, and when she talks about her mother and her brother, and her…what did she call it? Father? That’s her word for her mother’s mate…” he paused.

“I believe her too, Panec. What are you getting at?”

“Danug, I need to know the truth. Why do you think Amara needs to meet Ayla?” Panec paused and sighed painfully. “Do you think that maybe it’s because…because…because Ayla may have the power, or the ability, to send Amara home?”

Danug rested his chin on his fist in thought. “Panec, truth to tell, I don’t have any inclination as to why it’s so important that we get Amara to Ayla. I really don’t. The thought has never, never crossed my mind that it might be because Ayla could send her back.” He paused and thought for a minute, completely aware of Panec’s every move. “Do you think Amara would want to go back?” he asked.

Panec looked down at his hands clasped between his knees. “I…I don’t know. I hope…I mean…I don’t want her to…but I want what’s best for her…I want Amara to be happy…” his voice trailed off.

Danug nodded. “Have you talked this over with Amara?”

Panec shook his head. “Amara is…I don’t know the word to describe it. When someone mentions that Ayla may be the Mother, Amara just passes it off. She used the word “pragmatic.” Apparently that’s a word she knew from before in her language and I don’t know what it means.” He shook his head again. “If I told her that I think Ayla might have the power to get her back…I don’t know how she’d react. I think she’d probably say that it isn’t possible.”

“But the impossible happened to get her here in the first place,” Danug pointed out.

“That’s very true,” Panec agreed.

“You’ve got to remember what Amara’s been through. Something happened…to think of how incredible and unbelievable that is…it’s hard to fathom.”

“But do you think that that may be why we have to get to the Zelandonii?” Panec asked.

Danug shrugged. “Panec, I don’t have an answer for you. The only inclination I had was that perhaps Ayla might be able to explain what’s already happened. I don’t know if Ayla could make it happen again. I don’t know if Amara would want it to. She’s made peace with what happened to her, and although it’s obvious she thinks about her family, her brother especially, I think she knows that this is where she belongs. Why…now that’s what we don’t know. That may be the question Ayla can answer. Honestly, I think that’s why we have to get to the Zelandonii.”

Panec sighed in relief. “I guess I worry too much,” he commented.

“Amara loves you very, very much, Panec. The last thing she wants to do is hurt you, especially all you’ve been through. I think you belong together, and I think Ayla will agree. But there’s something that Ayla can answer that you and I cannot. I think Ayla will be able to help Amara make peace with what’s happened. I think Ayla will help Amara, and you and I for that matter, to understand what happened, and why it happened. Amara feels that there must be a reason; she’s made comments to me before about how she feels there’s a reason for everything. Panec, you and I cannot give her that reason.” Danug paused for a moment, then looked Panec in the eye. “Even if I get killed doing it, I will go to any measure to get Amara to Ayla. Mamut felt that his life was long for a reason; that reason was to meet Ayla and to help her understand her gifts. Of all the reasons I ever had before, I feel that the true reason that Latie and I first decided to make this Journey was to find Amara. There’s something there, Panec. That’s something that I can’t explain, and I highly doubt that Losaduna could explain it either. For now, my purpose in life is to get Amara to Ayla. Anything else along the way is purely incidental. After we get her there, I feel that everything will be explained.”

Panec shivered. Danug’s discourses usually bothered him in a supernatural way, and this monologue was no different. But Danug was right; there was obviously a bigger picture than what they were able to see at this time. He nodded, finally, in agreement. “Then we tell Radec tomorrow that we must leave soon. I doubt that Amara and Latie would disagree, and I’m sure the others feel the same way.”

Danug returned the nod, then reached out and put his hand on Panec’s shoulder. “Everything will be all right, Panec. Just wait and see. I think that Amara is meant to be with you, and I think that Amara is meant to be here. Please trust that those are the only thoughts I have ever had on the subject,” he said reassuringly to his friend.

Panec smiled, relieved. “Do you think I need to talk all this over with Amara?” he asked.

Danug shook his head. “Unless you feel the absolute need to, I wouldn’t worry her with it just now. Let her be happy helping Callie take care of Rulec, to fill that part that she lost. We can discuss these matters when we reach the Zelandonii.”

“Okay then,” Panec said, standing. “Thank you.”

Danug smiled. “No need for thanks. This is just how I feel, and all I have been led to feel.”

They exchanged hugs quickly, and Panec left to return to his hearth. Danug sat on the bench where Panec had been sitting, and frowned. What he had said was honestly how he felt. But something in the back of his mind made him wary. All of a sudden, he wanted to take back his comment about anything else along the way being purely incidental.

“Are you sure?” Laduni asked. He had done everything possible to convince their Mamutoi guests to stay with them, and he was almost heartbroken that they had to go. He had grown very fond of them all, especially the baby, and he felt that several of the Losadunai had developed bonds with their visitors. Solandia, he knew, would be saddened by their departure, but he had to keep reminding himself that that’s all they were: visitors.

Radec sighed and nodded. “Yes, we’ve discussed it and we came to the decision last night that we really need to go. There won’t be a better time to leave, and the longer we stay, the harder it will be to leave; you know that as well as I do.”

Laduni nodded and glanced at Losaduna who was sitting with them. “Yes, it was difficult for everyone when Ayla and Jondalar left,” Losaduna commented, “especially Madenia.”

Radec nodded. “It’s worse every day. It was the same way with the Sharamudoi.” He chucked slightly. “As convinced as Latie is that we need to get going, it’s almost funny how willing she was to stay with the Sharamudoi had Lareno not decided to join us.”

“When will you leave?” Laduni asked.

“We’re going to try to leave the day after tomorrow. That will give everyone two full days to say good-bye and get everything together. Plus, Callie and Healie want some time to make clothes for Rulec. Two days should be enough, they said.” Radec looked at Laduni squarely. “You have done so much for us…is there anything, anything at all that we can do to make it up to you?”

Laduni smiled warmly. “Radec, your company and your stories have been more than enough. Besides, Ayla and Jondalar gave us more than we gave them in return; allow us to provide you with anything you need as a favor to them.”

Radec frowned, but understood how Laduni felt. “All right then. If that’s what you want to do, then we can go with that.”

“That’s exactly what we want,” Losaduna said. “You have no idea how much Ayla helped with Madenia. If aiding you helps to repay them in some way, then we will all feel much better.”

Radec nodded. Future claims could sometimes make people feel uneasy, and if the Losadunai felt that they owed Ayla and Jondalar for anything, then it was only proper for him to accept their offer. “All right,” he repeated. “Let me go tell the others.”

“He smells!” Aylia said pointedly, holding her nose.

Madenia laughed. “You smelled like that once! You still do, every once in a while.”

Aylia shook her head furiously in response, but was old enough to know not to argue with her mother. Instead, she watched and continued holding her nose as Madenia cleaned Rulec’s behind. She frowned and then cocked her head. “I want one,” she stated.

“One what?” Madenia asked.

“Baby,” Aylia replied.

Madenia laughed again and glanced up at Amara, who was watching the exchange in amusement. “Not for a long time, I’m afraid.”

“Can you have one then?” she asked. For just over two years old, and especially after Callie gave birth, Aylia understood the process fairly well.

Madenia reached out and patted Rulec’s head, then kissed his little hand. “Maybe sometime, when the Mother decides to bless me again.” She picked the baby up, then glanced at her daughter. “Would you like to hold him, Aylia?” The child squealed and held out her arms enthusiastically. “No, you have to sit down first,” Madenia instructed. Aylia did as told, and Madenia carefully placed Rulec in Aylia’s arms, but did not let go of his head.

“He is pretty,” Aylia said. “Was I pretty?”

“Yes, you were very pretty…you are pretty!” Madenia was thrilled that her daughter had taken an interest in Rulec, and she was even more thrilled about Aylia’s questions.

They sat still for a moment, and then Aylia tired of the game. “Take him back, I want to go play now,” she said, matter-of-factly.

“Okay,” Madenia replied, and took Rulec from her. Aylia hopped up and ran out of the small hearth and to the main area, where other children could be heard playing.

“She is so funny, Madenia,” Amara said, laughing finally. She hadn’t wanted to hurt Aylia’s feelings by laughing earlier, but the exchange she had just witnessed was too funny to pass up.

Madenia grinned and nodded. “She is that,” she said. She paused for a moment. “I’m glad Aylia said that she wanted a baby,” she said, hesitantly. She wasn’t sure if now was a good time to bring this up, but she didn’t want the Mamutoi to leave without knowing. “I think I’m blessed again,” she admitted.

Amara opened her eyes wide. “You’re not!”

Madenia nodded. “I haven’t had my moon time, and I’m starting to get nauseous in the morning.”

“Your mother will be thrilled!” Amara exclaimed. “When do you think…?” she began.

“Well, we did have that Mother ceremony not long after you all arrived, and I honored Her as usual.” She paused for a minute and opened her mouth as if to say something, but changed her mind at the last minute.

They were interrupted at that moment by a chirping at the drape that acted as a door. Bird managed to find his way to the corner, and was able to squeeze in.

“Bird!” Amara exclaimed, reaching down for the little fellow. “What have you been up to?” she asked. He chirped a happy response. “You run around this place as if it was your own home,” she commented, giggling.

“You scared him away!” a child screamed outside in the large open area. Madenia and Amara looked at each other, and then both went to investigate, Madenia scooping up Rulec as they did.

“I did not!” Aylia screamed in reply.

“Yes you did!” Micheri shouted back.

“Children!” Madenia said. They both looked guiltily at her. “What happened?”

“He scared Bird away,” Aylia said, pointing sharply at Micheri.

“No, she scared the birdie away!” Micheri retorted.

“How about we stop playing with Bird now,” Madenia suggested. “Micheri, why don’t you return to Solandia, and Aylia, I want you to go sit by Verdegia and stay there.”

The children scowled and gave each other dirty looks. Micheri turned to walk away, and Aylia looked smugly around the area. She then walked up to Amara, who was holding Bird protectively. “May I play with him?” she asked sweetly.

“Aylia!” Madenia exclaimed. “What did I just tell you?” Aylia looked down at her hands. “I told you that that was enough playing with Bird, and yet you come over here and ask Amara to play with him!” Aylia was quiet. “Now go over to Verdegia. Look, she has your food ready,” Madenia said, pointing towards her mother. Aylia scowled again and frowned, then reluctantly dawdled over to Verdegia.

Madenia chuckled as Aylia left. “I can’t believe she thought she could get away with that!” she said, shaking her head, but unable to keep from giggling.

Amara grinned too. “I guess knowing the guests has its advantages,” she commented.

“Yeah, but I don’t want my child taking advantage of that.” She grinned again. “Well, not yet anyway.” She smiled at Amara. “I should probably go over there too and eat, and I need to return Rulec to Callie.”

Amara smiled and petted Bird. “Yeah, I’m getting pretty hungry too.” On an impulse, she reached out and hugged Madenia. “Congratulations, I’m so happy for you!”

Madenia thanked her and left, and Amara walked slowly with Bird back into the hearth she and Panec were sharing. She hadn’t expected Panec to be in there, but was happy that he was.

“Is anything wrong?” Panec asked.

Amara sighed and sat down, still petting Bird. “Madenia is blessed, she thinks,” Amara said with a sigh. She was quiet for a minute, thinking.

“Amara, please don’t worry. You will have children, I promise you,” Panec said reassuringly. He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

“A little. But I think Bird is pretty worn out. I want to make sure he gets to bed, then I’ll be right out.”

Panec nodded, kissed her, then ducked out of their hearth. Amara stroked Bird’s feathers with the back of her hand. She knew what the process was, and she knew exactly how to get pregnant, and when the best times were. But she had yet to see any results, which upset her, although before she had worked for the opposite. She feared that her miscarriage had left more permanent problems in her reproductive system, and she again wondered if she was just too young. Did having the miscarriage at the age she had it have any repercussions? There really wasn’t any way to know, and especially not here.

She sighed and put Bird in the little soft nest she had made for him. She found comfort in his presence, but suddenly she felt homesick. For some reason, she suddenly thought of the dog she and Jacob had had as children who had died just before they moved abroad. As a child, whenever she was upset, their golden retriever had always been a comfort. Now, far away, both in time and space, she longed for the simple comforting presence of a dog.

She laid back on the furs and looked over at Bird who was watching her. She smiled at him. “Not that I don’t think you’re good enough, Bird,” she said. He chirped back quietly. She reached over and put her hand on him and closed her eyes. She was tired, and suddenly she forgot about her hunger; a good night’s sleep would probably do her good. She felt Bird settle down under her hand, and it wasn’t long before they were both fast asleep.

“So, I’d like to leave the day after tomorrow,” Radec concluded. He had gathered all the Mamutoi while they were eating to discuss their plans. They had missed Amara, and Panec had gone to check on her, but had said that she was asleep and didn’t want to wake her.

Callie nodded. “That sounds good. I’m anxious to get started on this Journey again.”

“I’m anxious to finish it!” Lareno said with a grin.

“Oh, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Callie said with a tease, waving his comment away. “You’ve only been here for half of it, if that long.”

“Is that okay with everyone else?” Radec said. He was anxious, too, but not for the same reasons, and he couldn’t be comedic right now, although he wished he could.

Nods of agreement went through the group. “Radec, is there anything we need to do for the Losadunai?” Danug asked.

Radec shook his head. “I talked to Losaduna and Laduni about everything earlier today. Apparently Ayla and Jondalar did a lot for them while they were here, and Losaduna and Laduni both agree that helping us with what we need would repay them for their kindness.”

“All right,” Danug replied with a nod. “What do you need us to do?”

“Well, the main thing is to get everything packed up again. We need to get that carrier made for Callie and Rulec, and I need to go over with Laduni the route we want to take on the way to the Zelandonii. He said that going over the ice would be much faster, but there is no way that I’m going to take everyone, especially Callie and Rulec and Healie, across ice.” He paused and ran his fingers through his hair. “Unfortunately, Laduni brought up a very good point that for some reason, I hadn’t considered before. We had originally planned to go south of the ice. However, winter is almost ended, and by the time we get there, it is sure to be melting somewhat. Going that way might be just as dangerous.”

“So we go north,” Lareno said.

“Yes, but that’s flathead…er…Clan territory. Clan, isn’t that what Ayla called them?” Radec asked, and received a nod from Danug. “I still can’t get used to that…I guess they are humans, but it’s hard to change your feelings.” He paused and thought for a second, scolding himself for saying something like that with Danug and Latie here; Rydag had been a brother to them. “Anyway, Laduni said that a few years back, there were some problems started by a couple of young Losadunai men…he wouldn’t say what exactly, but he did say that that might present some problems for us.”

“Madenia told Amara and I that it was a group of men who were using Clan women for sport,” Latie interjected. The others shuddered. “In fact, it was the same group of young men that forced Madenia.”

Radec scowled; Laduni had mentioned what had happened there, but he had not gone into details. But the little bit he did tell was enough to fuel Radec’s anger. “At least those men were taken care of,” he grumbled.

“So do you think the Clan will be a problem?” Panec said, continuing the conversation. He knew Radec well enough to know that if Radec was allowed to think on the subject too long, his temper would overcome him. It was best to return to the original conversation.

Radec shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know, but I don’t think so, as long as we don’t bother them.”

“How much longer will that take, going north?” Healie asked, somewhat concerned. She was tired of traveling and wasn’t happy to hear this news.

“It depends on how fast we can travel. If we can avoid problems, I’m sure it wouldn’t take more than half a moon cycle. But we’ve had so many problems along this Journey; we’re bound to have more,” Radec said with a sigh.

Callie nodded. “I hope not. But we need to do what’s best as far as everyone’s safety is concerned. I for one would not be comfortable crossing the ice; Ayla and Jondalar may have been fine, but they didn’t have a group of people, and they didn’t have a newborn. If you think that melt water from the ice will be a problem if we go south, then the only other option we have is to go north.”

Radec nodded in return. “Yes, I think that’s what we’ll have to do.”

“Okay then,” Panec said. “Danug and I will work with Latie and Amara tomorrow to get a carrier made for Callie and Rulec, and we’ll talk over our route with Laduni, and we’ll get as much packed as possible.”

“That sounds good to me,” Radec said, glad that they had finally reached a definite decision regarding when to leave. He stood and stretched. “I’m pretty tired,” he commented. He reached down and took a sleeping Rulec from Callie’s arms, then helped her to stand. “Good night, everyone. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“I want to go, but then again I don’t,” Danug admitted. “I was very much enjoying the time I was spending with Losaduna. I cannot wait to see Ayla and Jondalar again…and also…I don’t know…I think part of me is afraid to work with Losaduna any longer.” He also thought to himself that it didn’t matter what his personal reasons were; he had to get Amara to Ayla – there was no other option.

“Why?” Healie asked. He had offered to help her pack her things and they were in her little area, slowly organizing her belongings.

Danug put the basket he had just picked up back on the floor again. “Well…I don’t know…when we go Searching, I see things, and I don’t think I want to see them.”

“What things?”

Danug shrugged and made an uncomfortable face. “Just things…some of the scenes…I don’t really know where or when we are, but sometimes I see things that make me wonder if we won’t have some…problems…as we continue our Journey.”

“Oh?” Healie was curious. “What kind of problems?”

Danug shrugged again. “Just problems…I don’t really know what exactly they are, but sometimes I get this odd foreboding feeling and I can’t shake it.” He shuddered quickly then continued, “But there’s no use worrying about it, there’s nothing I can do to change it.”

“Hmm, that’s true,” Healie agreed. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable so she decided not to push the issue, although she did have an inkling of what that problem might be. But, for him, she decided to change the subject.

“You know, Madenia really is a lovely girl,” she said.

“She is,” Danug replied, completely missing the hint as he rearranged some of the items he was packing.

“Have you talked to her much?” Healie asked, prodding a little deeper.

“Oh, some, but not a lot.” He blushed and added, “Although I did honor the Mother with her at the Mother Festival after we arrived. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I had just been wondering if she was going to join us.”

Danug looked up and furrowed his brows. “Join us? Why would she join us?”

“Well, Amara joined us, and Panec joined us…I was hoping that perhaps Madenia would join us as well.”

Danug squinted at her and shook his head. “Don’t you get any ideas now, Healie,” he said with a grin. He laughed, then continued, “I didn’t really have time to get to know her. Besides, she has her family here, her life, Aylia, even if I had an interest, I don’t know if she would go. I would probably have to stay here instead.”

Healie shrugged. “I just want you to be happy, Danug,” she said in a sweet voice.

He chuckled at her. “Oh, I know you do! But don’t worry, Healie, I’m sure to find someone eventually. There’s no hurry, and I have a couple of years left before I would be expected to settle down.”

“I know,” Healie replied. She grinned at him. “I just love having children around, and I can’t wait to see Amara’s and Latie’s children, and the children of your mate someday.”

“Well, Amara and Latie can have children all they want! I have to find a mate first!” he grinned at her.

“That’s exactly what I was trying to do, but to no avail,” Healie retorted dramatically. “Oh, well, though. At least when we get to the Zelandoni we can start working on Amara and Latie. I guess I’ll just have to be patient with you.”

“I know how hard it is sometimes,” Danug said, rolling his eyes. “Latie complains about having to be patient with me all the time!”

Healie laughed and nodded. “I don’t blame her!” She glanced around her area quickly, examining it. “Is that all of my stuff?” she asked.

Danug looked around as well. “I think so. I think you’re all packed up, Healie.”

“I guess we’d better get these baskets to Radec, and then you can start packing up your belongings,” she commented.

Danug chuckled. “That won’t take long, which is good…I’m getting hungry!” He lifted the drape so that Healie could duck out, then he hefted up her baskets on his back and made his way toward Radec.

“Please, Latie?” Micheri asked, cuddling Bird against his chest. “He loves me,” the little boy cried.

Latie knelt down beside him. “I don’t know Micheri…I don’t know if Bird would be happy away from us. He has his little nest in the cart, and I don’t know if he’d like leaving his home.”

“But can’t you leave the nest here?” Micheri pleaded, tears filling his eyes. “I have to have him, I don’t think I can live if Bird doesn’t stay with us.”

Latie was amused at his drama, but she was very uncomfortable that Micheri had asked to keep the bird. Bird had such meaning to them ever since they had found the injured creature. She didn’t know if she could part with him. But how was she supposed to explain that to a child? “Micheri…um…why don’t you go ask your mother about it?”

Micheri looked down. “Will you come with me?” he asked.

Latie sighed. “I will come, but if she says no, then she means no. But you have to understand, even if she is okay with it, we have to ask everyone how they feel, and it may be that someone else doesn’t want him, or that someone in my family would refuse to give him up.”

Micheri frowned and heaved a sigh. “Okay,” he reluctantly agreed. Latie followed the little boy to his hearth, where Solandia was combining some herbs for Callie to take on the trip in case she or the baby became ill. “Mother,” he said quietly.

Solandia turned and smiled at her son quickly. “Just a second, Micheri, let me finish this,” she said.

“But it’s important!” Micheri insisted.

Solandia held up her finger for just a moment, giving him a stern look. He quieted and waited, albeit impatiently, for her to finish. When she sealed the little leather pouch and tied the thong, she looked over at him. “What do you need?”

“Can I keep Bird?” he asked.

“Micheri!” Solandia exclaimed.

“I would even let Aylia play with him some,” the child offered to make his original request more appealing.

Solandia shook her head and glanced at Latie, who was standing behind Micheri, blushing. “Micheri, Bird is not ours. Bird belongs to Latie and her family. We can’t take him from them, that wouldn’t be very nice.”

“But Latie said I could if you said it was okay!” he exclaimed.

Solandia looked at him sternly after seeing the frown on Latie’s face. “Micheri, is that really what she said?” Micheri looked down. “I can see she’s right behind you; I can ask her what she really said.”

“All right, she said that we would have to talk to everyone and that everyone would have to agree. But she said you would have to agree first,” he admitted.

Solandia sighed. “Micheri, I do not agree. I don’t feel that you can take care of a bird. Bird was sick when they found him, and needed help. He thinks of them as his family, not us. I don’t think that Bird would be as happy with us as he would be with him, don’t you agree?”

Micheri’s face fell and he petted the little creature in his arms. Then he frowned in consternation. “You wouldn’t let me keep Wolf either,” he reminded her.

Solandia sat back on her haunches and squinted her eyes at him. “Micheri, Wolf belonged to Ayla. You know very well that she could not have given him up. Besides, you were way too young then, and no one here knows how to care for an animal.” She reached out and took his chin in her hands, forcing him to look at her. She smiled gently, but said sternly, “I’m sorry, but you cannot have Bird. Maybe someday when you’re older you can find a bird of your own and keep it, but not this bird. He belongs to them.”

Micheri sniffled and turned slowly back to Latie. “Can I play with him some more, before you leave?”

“Yes, Micheri, you can play with him as long as he’ll let you,” she replied. She smiled at Solandia. “I’m sorry for all this.”

Solandia shook her head as Micheri left the hearth, obviously upset. “It’s not your fault. He just doesn’t realize how young he is, and if someone has something he doesn’t have, he wants it. We really need to get him to realize that if it’s not his, then he can’t have it, but sometimes he can’t seem to understand that…he thinks he should be able to have it if someone else does.”

Latie nodded. “Yeah, a couple of children at home did the same thing. I wonder where it stems from.”

Solandia sighed and shook her head again. “I wish I knew, then I could at least fix the problem.” She turned around and picked up the little pouch that she had just filled before they walked in. “Could you please give this to Callie?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“It’s a mixture of ingredients that Callie can use in her tea if she gets sick. It also helps the baby, too…I don’t know how exactly, but I think it has something to do with the tea putting something extra in her breast milk for the baby. It’s still very cold out there and I don’t want either of them getting sick; it’s the last thing a new mother needs.”

Latie nodded and smiled at her. “Okay, I’ll give it to her.” She turned to go, but then stopped and turned around quickly. “Solandia, thank you, for everything.”

Solandia smiled at the young woman, nodded, and waved her on. She was sad to see them go, but she knew that coming and going was a part of life. She just hoped that someday their paths would cross again.

“That’s everything,” Amara said as she fastened her last basket. She looked around and smiled to herself; had she been packing up everything she owned to leave a year ago there would have been suitcases, clothes galore, toiletries, books, electronics, so many things. Here she had a total of four baskets, although one of the baskets did have items from her previous life, such as her backpack, the box with the roll of paper, and other mementos that she knew she could never part with.

Panec saw her staring at the one basket, and knowing what that basket held made him uneasy. He knew it was a part of her, and he accepted everything about her, but it was beyond his understanding and seeing those items challenged almost everything he could believe in. “Are you all right?” he asked.

Amara nodded. “Yes, yes, I’m fine. Do you have all of your stuff?”

He grinned and held up two baskets, each about half the size of each of Amara’s. “Yes, this is everything I have,” he said with a chuckle.

She rolled her eyes at him, then put her arms out to him. He put the baskets down and embraced her, kissing her hair. “It won’t be much longer,” he promised. “Then we’ll be with the Zelandonii, and we can be joined, and you will have children.”

“Our children,” she mumbled. Then she looked up at him. “But what about the Mamutoi?”

“What about them?”

“Don’t you ever plan on returning?” she asked.

Panec shrugged. “Not really. I didn’t figure that I would ever return once I left, and I think the others felt the same way. I don’t think anyone ever expects us to return, although I’m sure Jondalar’s mother felt the same way.” He sat on a bench and ran his fingers through his hair. “Amara, I’ve found you, I love you; I do not want to risk a Journey all the way back to the Mamutoi. I’m ready for us to begin our life together, and returning would delay everything. And it’s so dangerous, you’ve seen yourself what can happen. I don’t want to take that risk, and especially if you have children.”

She sat on the floor facing him. “What about Radec and Callie? Aren’t they taking a risk by taking Rulec?”

Panec nodded. “Yes, but there’s really not that much of the Journey left, from what Radec said. Once we get there, they can settle down too. Latie and Lareno can begin their lives, and Danug will have the Zelandonia to work with. From what I have heard, especially around here, the Zelandonia are very prestigious and I’m sure they can guide Danug on the right track.”

“What about what Danug keeps saying, that he doesn’t feel right about something?” Amara asked. She looked down at her hands. “I thought the bad thing that was going to happen was when I lost the baby, but apparently not.” She sighed. “I don’t want to go through anything else like that. But what could be worse? If there’s still something ahead on this Journey that will be bad, how bad will it be?”

Panec shook his head. “Amara, I’m not sure what Danug is talking about. He’s not fully trained, though, and what he might be seeing might be years and years into the future. There’s no guarantee that what he’s talking about, whatever that is, will happen on this Journey, there’s no guarantee that it will happen at all.” He shrugged. “It may even be that it’s something good and he’s just misinterpreting it. There’s no way to tell for sure.”

She felt better that he at least was confident, or he was doing a very good job of pretending to be. She sighed and glanced around at their baskets. “Well, I guess we should get these to Radec so that he can pack them and we can be ready to go tomorrow.”

Panec nodded. “Yeah, and I’m getting pretty hungry.”

He stood and picked up his two baskets and two of Amara’s. She hefted her other two up and followed him past the drape. She felt miserable knowing that all the Losadunai were watching them as they made their way to the main drape that kept the winter out. Just inside, Radec had brought the cart in, and Jolie and Ranug stood munching on some dried grass.

“We have really neglected you two, haven’t we?” Amara said, putting the baskets down and nuzzling Jolie’s nose. She reached over and patted Ranug’s flank. “I know Latie has been taking care of both of you, and I’m sorry I haven’t helped much. Ranug neighed at her. “Will you forgive me if I give you…” she reached into one of her baskets, “…an apple?” She handed one to each of the horses, who delightfully ate the dried fruits. She smiled and hugged them both as Radec and Panec looked on. “Okay, here are my things,” she said, turning to Radec with her baskets.

Radec nodded and studied the cart. He wanted to leave room for Callie and Healie both in the cart for now. He nodded to himself, adjusted some of the baskets and packs that were already in the cart, then hefted the new ones into it, situating them as best he could for now. “I’ll secure them in the morning, when we have everyone’s stuff,” he commented. He leaned back and stretched, then looked at Amara and Panec. “I don’t know about you two, but I am starving. I smell that food cooking and my stomach is giving me pains.” He grinned at Amara. “Apparently Laduni has set up a small feast for us. I told him not to since it’s still winter, but he insisted and said they had plenty.” He took the lid off a sturdy, low basked and showed Amara and Panec. “He also gave me some of his burning stones, and I traded them some of my firestones that Talut and the Lion Camp found the summer before last. I figured that since they only had one, they could use a couple more.”

Panec nodded in agreement. “That sounds like a good trade to me.” He turned to Amara and hugged her tightly. “How about we go eat our last hot meal in a warm shelter? For a while at least, anyway.”

Amara nodded and kissed him quickly. “That sounds pretty good to me. The meal part, though, not the last hot one part.”

Radec smiled and the three of them made sure the horses were sound, then they returned to the main area, where Solandia and the other women had gathered their entrees for the feast.