Ayla looked at Ranec with a peculiar smile on her face, and noticed his color deepen. He's blushing, she thought, but you have to know him well to notice. I'm sure he remembers Tricie.
"I think we'd better go, Ayla," Ranec said, putting his arm around her waist as though to urge her back across the clearing. But she resisted a moment.
"It's been very interesting to talk to you, Mygie. I hope we talk again," Ayla said, then turned to Nezzie's son. "I'm pleased you asked me to come and meet your friends, Danug." She smiled one of her beautiful, breathtaking smiles at him and Druwez. "And I am happy to have met all of you," she added, looking at each one of the young men in turn; Then she left with Ranec.
Danug watched her walking away, then heaved a big sigh. "I wish Ayla was wearing red feet," he said. He heard several comments of agreement.
When Ranec and Ayla passed the large lodge, which was surrounded by the clearing on three sides, she heard the sound of drums coming from it, and some other interesting sounds which she had not heard before. She glanced toward the entrance, but it was closed. Just as they were turning into another Camp on the edge of the clearing, someone stepped in their path.
"Ranec," a woman said. She was shorter than average, with creamy white skin spattered with freckles. Her eyes, brown flecked with gold and green, sparked with anger. "So you did arrive with the Lion Camp. When you didn't stop by our lodge to say hello, I thought maybe you had fallen in the river, or got caught in a stampede." Her tone was venomous.
"Tricie! I… uh… I was going to… um… we had to set up Camp," Ranec said. Ayla had never seen the glib, smooth-talking man so tongue-tied, and his face would have been as red as Mygie's feet, if his brown skin hadn't hidden it.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Ranec?" Tricie said sarcastically. It was obvious she was upset.
"Yes," Ranec said, "I'd like you to meet her. Ayla, this is Tricie, a… a… friend of mine."
"I had something to show you, Ranec," Tricie said, rudely ignoring the introduction, "but I don't suppose it matters now. Hinted Promises don't mean much. I suppose this is the woman you will be joined with in the Matrimonial this season." There was hurt as well as anger in her voice.
Ayla guessed what the problem was, and sympathized, but was not quite sure how to handle this difficult situation. Then, she stepped forward, and held out both her hands.
"Tricie, I am Ayla, of the Mamutoi, daughter of the Mammoth Hearth of the Lion Camp, protected by the Cave Lion."
The formality of the greeting reminded Tricie that she was the daughter of a headwoman, and Wolf Camp was hosting the Summer Meeting. She did have a responsibility. "In the name of Mut, the Great Mother, Wolf Camp welcomes you, Ayla of the Mamutoi," she said. "I was told your mother is Marlie." "Yes, I am Marlie's daughter." "I met her earlier. She is a remarkable woman. I am pleased to meet you."
Ayla heard Ranec breathe a sigh of relief. She glanced at him, and over his shoulder, noticed Deegie heading toward the lodge from which she had heard the drumming. On impulse, she decided Ranec should work out his relationship with Tricie alone.
"Ranec, I see Deegie over there, and there are some things I want to talk to her about. I will come and meet the carvers later," Ayla said, and quickly left.
Ranec was stunned by her hurried departure, and suddenly realized he was going to have to face Tricie and make some explanations, whether he wanted to or not. He looked at the pretty young woman standing there waiting, angry and vulnerable. Her red hair, a particularly vibrant shade like none he had ever seen, along with her red feet, had made her doubly appealing last season, and she was an artist, too. He was impressed with the quality of her work. Her baskets were exquisite, and the exceptional mat on his floor came from her hands. But she took her offering to the Mother so seriously she would not even consider an experienced man at first. Her resistance only inflamed his desire for her.
He hadn't actually Promised, though. True, he had seriously considered it, and would have if she hadn't been dedicated. She was the one who had refused a formal Promise, fearing it would anger Mut and cause Her to withdraw Her blessing. Well, Ranec thought, the Mother could not have been too angry if She had drawn from his essence to make Tricie's baby. He guessed that was what she wanted to show him, that she already had a child to bring to his hearth, and one of his spirit, besides. It would have made her irresistible under other circumstances, but he loved Ayla. If he'd had enough to offer, he might have considered asking for them both, but since a choice had to be made, there was no question. Just the thought of living without Ayla put a knot of panic in the pit of his stomach. He wanted her more than any woman he'd ever wanted in his life.
Ayla called out to Deegie, and when she caught up with her, they walked together.
"I see you've met Tricie," Deegie said.
"Yes, but she seemed to need to talk to Ranec, so I was glad I saw you. It gave me the chance to get away and let them be alone," Ayla said.
"I don't doubt she wanted to talk to him. It was all over the Camp last season that they were planning to Promise."
"She has a child, you know. A son."
"No, I didn't! I've hardly had the chance to say more than hello to people, and no one told me. That's going to make her worth more and raise her Bride Price. Who told you?"
"Mygie did, one of the red-foots. She says the boy is of Ranec's spirit."
"That spirit moves around! There are a couple of young ones with his essence. You can't always tell for sure with the other men whose spirit it is, but you can with him. His coloring comes through," Deegie said.
"Mygie said this boy is very light, and red-haired, but looks like Ranec, in the face."
"That would be interesting! I think I may have to go to see Tricie later," Deegie said with a smile. "The daughter of one headwoman ought to pay a visit to the daughter of another headwoman, especially of the host Camp. Do you want to come with me when I go?"
"I'm not sure… yes, I think I would," Ayla said.
They had reached the curved arch entrance of the lodge from which the unusual sounds were coming. "I was going to stop here, at the Music Lodge. I think you might enjoy it," Deegie said, then scratched on the leather door covering. While they waited for someone to untie it from inside, Ayla glanced around.
Southeast of the entrance was a fence made of seven skulls of mammoths plus other bones, filled in with hard-packed clay to make it solid. Probably a windbreak, Ayla thought. In the hollow where the settlement was located, the only wind would come from the river valley. On the northeast she counted four huge outdoor hearths and two distinct work areas. One appeared to be for making tools and implements out of ivory and bone, the others must have been primarily concerned with working the flint which was found nearby. Ayla saw Jondalar and Wymez, and several other men and women who were also flint workers, she guessed. She should have known that would be where to find him.
The drape was pulled back, and Deegie beckoned Ayla to follow her in, but someone at the entrance stopped her.
"Deegie, you know we don't let visitors in here," she said. "We're practicing."
"But, Kylie, she is a daughter of the Mammoth Hearth," Deegie said, surprised.
"I don't see any tattoo. How can she be Mamut without a tattoo?"
"This is Ayla, daughter of old Mamut. He adopted her to the Mammoth Hearth."
"Oh. Just a moment, let me ask."
Deegie was impatient while they waited again, but Ayla looked more closely at the lodge, and got the impression that it had slumped, or fallen in somewhat.