The Mammoth Hunters ec-3 Page 73

  "Help me, Ayla!" Deegie said, as she descended on the two children rolling on the ground. She wasn't quite as strong as her mother, but she was a tall and strong young woman, and when she grabbed the boy, who happened to be on top of his sister at that moment, there was no resisting her. Ayla held on to the girl, who was struggling to get back at the boy again.

  "What do you think you're doing?" Deegie said sternly. "How can you bring this shame upon yourselves? Hitting, striking each other, and brother and sister besides. Well, you two are coming with me. We'll get this taken care of right now!" she said, as she dragged the reluctant boy by the arm. Ayla followed behind with the girl, who was now struggling to get away.

  People stared as they walked past, firmly leading the blood-spattered children, and then followed behind. By the time Deegie and Ayla had brought the children to the lodges in the center of the Camp, word had gone on ahead, and a group of women were waiting. Tulie was among them, Ayla noticed, and Marlie, and Brecie, headwomen, she realized, who made up the Council of Sisters.

  "She started it…" the boy shouted.

  "He took my…" the girl started to yell back.

  "Quiet!" Tulie said, firmly and loudly, her eyes blazing fury.

  "There are no excuses for hitting, for striking another person," Marlie said, as hard and angry as Tulie. "You are both old enough to know that, and if you don't, you will now. Bring the leather thongs," she commanded.

  A young man ran into one of the lodges, and soon Valez emerged, holding several straps of leather. The girl looked horror stricken, and the boy's eye widened. He struggled to get away, broke free, and started to run, but Talut, who was just coming from Cattail Camp, caught him in a quick dash, and brought him back.

  Ayla was concerned. Both children needed their hurts attended to, but more than that, what were they going to do to them? After all, they were just children.

  While Talut held the boy, another man took one of the long leather thongs and began to wrap it around him, tying his right arm down to his side. It was not tight enough to cut off circulation, but it held the arm immobile. Then someone brought the girl up, who began to cry when her right arm was tied down to her side.

  "But… but he took my…"

  "It doesn't matter what he took," Tulie said.

  "There are other ways of getting it back," Brecie said. "You could have come to the Council of Sisters. That's why we have Councils."

  "What do you think would happen if everyone was allowed to strike each other just because someone disagreed, or teased, or took something?" another woman said.

  "You both must learn," Marlie said, as the boy's left ankle was tied to the girl's right ankle, "there is no bond as strong as the bond between brother and sister. It is the bond of birth. So that you will remember you will be bound to each other for two days, and the hands that hit each other held down so they cannot rise in anger. You must help each other now. One cannot go where the other cannot go. One cannot sleep unless the other lies down. One cannot eat, or drink, or wash, or do any personal act without the other. You will learn to depend on each other, as you must do all your lives."

  "And all who see you will know the abomination you have committed upon each other," Talut announced loudly, so that all heard.

  "Deegie," Ayla said in a quiet voice, "they do need help, the girl's nose is still bleeding, and the boy's mouth is swollen."

  Deegie went to Tulie and whispered in her ear. The woman nodded, then stepped forward. "Before you return to your Camp, go with Ayla to the Mammoth Hearth, where she will look to the hurts you inflicted upon each other."

  The first lesson in cooperation they had to learn was how to match their steps, so they could walk with their ankles tied together. Deegie went with Ayla and the youngsters to the Mammoth Hearth, and after they were cleaned up and treated, both young women watched them hobble away together.

  "They were really fighting," Ayla said as they walked back to Cattail Camp, "but the boy did take something from the girl."

  "It doesn't matter," Deegie said. "Hitting is not the way to get it back. They must learn fighting is unacceptable. It's obvious they didn't learn that at their own Camp, so they must learn it here. It makes you understand why Crozie was so reluctant to have Fralie join with Frebec."

  "No, why?"

  "Didn't you know? Frebec came from one of those Camps. All three are closely related. Chaleg is Frebec's cousin."

  "Well, Frebec has certainly changed a lot."

  "That's true, but I'll be honest with you. I'm still not sure about him. I think I'll hold judgment until he's really put to the test."

  Ayla couldn't keep her mind off the children, or the thought that there was something for her to learn from this experience. Judgment had been swift and absolutely without recourse. They hadn't even been given a chance to explain, and no one considered looking at their injuries first – she still didn't even know their names. But they weren't seriously hurt, and there was no doubt they had been fighting. While the punishment was swift, and they were not likely to forget it, it was not painful, though they might feel the hurt of humiliation and ridicule for many years.

  "Deegie," Ayla said, "about those children, their left arms are free. What will keep them from untying those bonds?"

  "Everyone will know it. As humiliating as it may be to have to walk around the encampment tied together with their arms held down, it would be far worse if they took the bindings off. It would be said that they were controlled by the evil spirits of anger, that they couldn't even control themselves enough to learn the value of each other's help. They'd be shunned, and shamed even worse."

  "I don't think they will ever forget this," Ayla said.

  "And neither will a lot of other youngsters. Even the arguing will be less for a while, though it doesn't hurt them to yell at each other a little," Deegie said.

  Ayla was eager to get back to the familiarity of Cattail Camp. She had met so many people and seen so many things her mind was in a whirl. It would take awhile to absorb it all, but she couldn't help but look when they passed by the flint-working area again. This time, she saw Jondalar, but she also saw someone else whom she had not expected to see. Mygie was there, looking adoringly up into his startling blue eyes, and Ayla thought the way she was standing was particularly exaggerated. Jondalar was smiling at Mygie, an easy, comfortable smile that she hadn't seen for a long time, and he had that look in his eyes that she hadn't seen for a long time, either.

  "I thought those red-footed women were supposed to be concerned with teaching young men," Ayla said, thinking that nobody needed to teach Jondalar anything.

  Deegie noticed Ayla's expression, and quickly saw the reason for her frown. She could understand it, but on the other hand, it had been a long and difficult winter for him, too.

  "He does have physical needs, Ayla, just like you do."

  Suddenly Ayla blushed. She was the one, after all, who had been sharing Ranec's bed, while Jondalar slept alone. Why should she be upset if he found a woman to make Pleasures with here at the Summer Meeting? She should have expected it, but she knew why. She wanted him to make Pleasures with her. It wasn't so much the idea of his choosing Mygie; it was that he hadn't chosen her.

  "If he's going to look for a woman, it's best if he can find an agreeable red-foot," Deegie continued. "They can't make commitments. By the time the season is over, unless the feeling is very strong, it won't last through a long winter. I don't think his feeling for Mygie will be very strong, Ayla, and she might help him to relax and think more clearly."

  "You're right, Deegie. What difference does it make? He's leaving after the mammoth hunt, he says… and I have Promised to join with Ranec," Ayla said.

  Then, she thought, as they walked through the crowds of people, I will go back to the Clan, and find Durc, and bring him here. He can become a Mamutoi, and share our hearth, and be a friend to Rydag. And he can bring Ura, too, so he will have a mate… and I will live here, with all my new friends, and Ranec
, who loves me, and Durc, my son… my only child… and Rydag, and the horses, and Wolf… And I'll never see Jondalar again, Ayla thought, as a cold bleakness filled her.

  33

  Rugie and Tusie came running into the main section of the tent, giggling and smiling.

  "There's another one outside," Rugie announced.

  Ayla quickly looked down, Nezzie and Tulie gave each other a knowing glance, Fralie smiled, and Frebec grinned.

  "Another what?" Nezzie asked, to make sure, though she knew.

  "Another 'legation,'" Tusie said, with the self-important tone of being tired of all this nonsense.

  "Between the delegations and your duties as a guardian, you're having a busy summer, Tulie," Fralie said, cutting up some meat for Tasher, but she knew the headwoman was in her glory to be the focal point of all the interest shown in the Lion Camp and its members.

  Tulie and Ayla went out, then Nezzie did, too, to lend support, since almost everyone else seemed to be gone already. Fralie and Frebec walked to the tent opening to see who had come. Frebec followed the three women out, but Fralie stayed back to keep the children out of the way. A group of people was standing outside of the territory which Wolf had determined belonged to the Lion Camp. He had marked the invisible boundaries with his scent, and patrolled them regularly. Anyone could come up to them, but no one could step one foot within them without clear indication of welcome from someone he knew.

  The animal was between the people and the tent, in a defensive pose, which included bared teeth and a low growl, and none of the visitors was willing to test his intentions. Ayla signaled him to her side, and gave him the "friend" sign, which she had spent all of one morning teaching him to accept, from her and everyone else in Lion Camp. Against his better instincts, it meant that he must allow outsiders within the boundaries of the territory of his pack. Though repeat visitors were more easily tolerated than complete strangers, he made it known that he didn't like company, and was always relieved when they left.

  Occasionally, just to get him used to large numbers of people, Ayla took him through the encampment, keeping him close to her. It always brought stares and gapes to see the woman walking confidently with a wolf at her heel, and that made Ayla uncomfortable, but she felt it was necessary. As similar as wolf ways and people ways were, if people were going to be his pack, there were some things about them Wolf was going to have to get used to. People liked each other's company, even that of strangers, and they liked to gather in large groups.

  But Wolf did not spend all his time within Cattail Camp. He often went down to the meadow with the horses, and off on forays by himself, or with individual people, Ayla mostly, but sometimes with Jondalar, or Danug or, strangely enough to many people, with Frebec.

  Frebec called the animal to him, and walked him toward the horse lean-to, to keep him out of the way. Wolf did make people nervous, and that could have a less than positive effect upon the delegations that came to court Ayla on behalf of some man. The men were not interested in joining with Ayla to form a union, they knew she was Promised to Ranec. They weren't looking for a mate, they were looking for a sister. The delegations were coming with offers to adopt her.

  As astute and knowledgeable as she was about the nature and customs of her people, not even Tulie had considered the scope of that possibility. But the first time she was approached by a woman of her acquaintance, who had only sons, asking if she would entertain an offer from her hearth and Camp for Ayla's adoption, Tulie immediately understood the implications.

  "I should have realized from the beginning," Tulie explained to the Camp later, "that a single woman of high status, beauty, and talents would make an extremely desirable sister, particularly since she was adopted by the Mammoth Hearth. That is not usually considered a family hearth. We, or rather, Ayla does not have to accept any of them, unless, of course, she wants to, but the offers alone increase her value."

  Tulie's eyes had been full of glee when she considered how much Ayla was contributing to the status and worth of the Lion Camp. In her heart, she almost wished Ayla had not Promised to Ranec. Her Bride Price could be astounding if she were available. On the other hand, that would mean the Lion Camp would lose her, and keeping the treasure was perhaps better than losing it even for a good price. As long as no set value was placed, speculation would always make it greater. But the offers they were getting for her adoption opened up a whole new realm of possibilities. She could be adopted in name, without leaving the Lion Camp. She could even become a headwoman, if her potential brother had the right connections, and ambition. And if Ayla and Deegie were both headwomen, with direct ties back to Lion Camp, it could bring tremendous influence. All these thoughts were going through Tulie's mind as they approached this new delegation.

  Ayla had begun to understand that variations in the pattern of designs used to decorate clothing and footwear were a means of defining group identity. Though they all used the same basic geometric shapes, a preponderance of one over the other – chevrons over diamond shapes, for example – and the way they were combined, were significant indicators of Camp affiliation and ties to other Camps. Unlike Tulie, however, she did not yet recognize instantly from those patterns, and from personal acquaintance of the people, exactly where to place them within the overall fabric of hierarchy and relationships within the group.

  The status of some Camps was so high Tulie would have accepted less in material goods because of the affiliations and value they brought. Others might be good possibilities if they were willing to pay enough. Based on the offers already received, Tulie dismissed this group at one glance. They were hardly worth talking to. They simply didn't have enough to bring to the relationship to make the association worthwhile. As a result, Tulie was extremely pleasant to them, but did not invite them in, and they understood they had come with too little, too late. Simply making the offer had its compensations, however. It was a way of allying themselves with Lion Camp, which increased its influence, and that would be remembered favorably.

  While they were standing outside the tent, making pleasantries, Frebec noticed Wolf striking a defensive posture, and growling toward the river. Suddenly he was off.

  "Ayla!" Frebec called out. "Wolf is after something!"

  She whistled, loud, piercing, and urgent, then hurried to look down on the path leading to the river. She watched Wolf return, followed by a new group of people. But these were not strangers.

  "It's Mammoth Camp," Ayla said. "I see Vincavec."

  Tulie turned to Frebec. "Will you see if you can find Talut? We should greet them properly, and you might tell Marlie or Valez they have finally arrived."

  Frebec nodded and left.

  The delegation that had come to make an offer were too curious to leave now. Vincavec was the first to reach them, saw the delegation, Ayla, and Tulie, and quickly understood the gist of the circumstances. He let his backframe drop, and came forward with a smile.

  "Tulie, it must be auspicious that you are the first person we see, since you are the first person I wanted to see," Vincavec said, reaching for both her hands and rubbing her cheek with his cheek like a dear old friend.

  "Why should I be the first person you want to see?" Tulie said, smiling in spite of herself. He was a charmer.

  He ignored the question. "Tell me, why are your guests dressed in their finest? A delegation, perhaps?"

  A woman spoke up. "We have made an offer to adopt Ayla," she said with dignity, as though the offer had not been effectively turned down. "My son has no sister."

  Even Ayla could almost see Vincavec's mind working, but it took only a moment for him to understand the entire situation, and a moment more to make a decision and act on it.

  "Well, I am going to make an offer, too, more formally later, but to give you something to think about, Tulie, I want to propose a joining." He turned to Ayla and took both of her hands. "I want to join with you, Ayla. I want you to come and make my Mammoth Hearth something more than a name. Only you can g
ive me that, Ayla. It is your hearth to bring, but in return, I can give you Mammoth Camp."

  Ayla was startled, and overwhelmed. Vincavec knew she had already made a commitment. Why would he ask for her? Even if she wanted to, could she suddenly change her mind and join with him? Was it so easy to break a Promise?

  "She is already Promised to Ranec," Tulie said.

  Vincavec looked directly at the big headwoman, and smiled knowingly, then reached into a pouch and pulled out his closed hand. He opened it and held in his palm two beautiful, polished, matched pieces of amber. "I hope he has a good Bride Price, Tulie."

  Tulie's eyes opened wide. His offer was enough to take her breath away. He had effectively told her to name her price, and name it in amber if she wanted to, though of course, she wouldn't, not entirely. Her eyes narrowed then. "It is not for me to decide, Vincavec. Ayla makes her own choices."

  "I know, but take these as my gift to you, Tulie, for all your help in building my lodge," he said, and pressed them on her.

  Tulie was torn. She should refuse. To accept them would give him an advantage over her, but it was Ayla's decision, and Promised or not, she was free to make that choice. Why should she object? As she closed her hand over the amber, she saw Vincavec's expression of triumph, and Tulie felt as though she had been bought for two pieces of amber. He knew she would consider no other offer. If he could convince Ayla, she was his. But Vincavec doesn't know Ayla, Tulie thought. No one does. She might call herself Mamutoi, but she was a stranger still, and who could tell what would move her. She watched as the man with the startling tattooed face turned his full attention on the young woman, and she saw Ayla's reaction. Without question, there was interest.

  "Tulie! How nice to see you again!" Avarie was approaching, holding out her hands. "We're so late, all the best places are taken. Do you know a good place to set up Camp? Where are you set up?"