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People were gathering on the liesture of welcome, and some held spears in positions of readiness if not actual threat The young woy fear She watched froether on the ledge, staring down, ht there would be She had seen that reluctance to greet them from other people they had met on their Journey It’s not just the, but she felt uneasy

The tallstallion He was neither reluctant nor uneasy, but he hesitated for athe stallion’s halter rope He turned around and noticed that she was hanging back “Ayla, will you hold Racer’s rope? He seeuess they do too”

She nodded, lifted her leg over, slid down from the mare’s back, and took the rope In addition to the tension of seeing strange people, the young brown horse was still agitated around his daer in heat, but residual odors fro Ayla held the halter rope of the brownlead, and stood between the Whinney her head; her horse was ers now, and was not usually high-strung, but she see of people would make anyone nervous

When the wolf appeared, Ayla heard sounds of agitation and alare in front of the cave—if it could be called a cave She’d never seen one quite like it Wolf pressed against the side of her leg and moved somewhat in front of her, suspiciously defensive; she could feel the vibration of his barely audible growl He was ers now than he had been when they began their long Journey a year ago, but he had been little more than a puppy then, and he had become more protective of her after some perilous experiences

As the man strode up the incline toward the apprehensive people, he showed no fear, but the wolad for the opportunity to wait behind and observe the—this moment for more than a year, and first impressions were important … on both sides

Though others held back, a young woer sister iirl had blosso the five years of his absence

“Jondalar! I kneas you!” she said, flinging herself at him “You finally came home!”

He gave her a big hug, then picked her up and swung her around in his enthusiasm “Folara, I am so happy to see you!” When he put her down, he looked at her at arirl when I left, now you’re a beautiful wohtly lint in his eye

She smiled at him, looked into his unbelievably vivid blue eyes and was drawn by their netish that’s what those standing nearby thought, but from the rush of attraction she felt for the man, brother or not, whom she had not seen forbrother with the unusual eyes, who could char playame or activity she wanted to play This was the first ti woman that she was exposed to the full effect of his unconscious charisma Jondalar noticed her reaction and smiled warmly at her sweet confusion

She glanced away toward the bottom of the path near the small river “Who is that woman, Jondé?” she asked “And where did the animals come from? Animals run away from people, why don’t those animals run away from her? Is she a Zelandoni? Has she Called them?” Then she frowned “Where’s Thonolan?” She took a sharp intake of breath at the look of pain that tightened Jondalar’s brow

“Thonolan travels the next world now, Folara,” he said, “and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for that woman”

“Oh, Jondé! What happened?”

“It’s a long story, and this is not the time to tell it,” he said, but he had to smile at the name she called him It was her personal nickname for him “I haven’t heard that name since I left Now I know I’ht? And Willamar?”

“They’re both fine Mother gave us a scare a couple of years ago But Zelandoni worked her special ic, and she see his hand and starting to lead him the rest of the way up the path

Jondalar turned and waved at Ayla, trying to let her know that he would be back soon He hated leaving her there alone with the animals, but he needed to see his ht That “scare” bothered him, and he needed to talk to people about the anihtening it was to most people to see animals that did not run away from them

People knew animals All the people they had met on their Journey hunted thee to them or their spirits in one way or another Ani as anyone could remember People knew the environration patterns and seasonalschedules But no one had ever tried to touch a living breathing animal in a friendly way No one had ever tried to tie a rope around the head of any animal and lead it around No one had ever tried to tained that one could be

As pleased as these people were to see a kinsman return from a lo

ng Journey—especially one that few ever expected to see again—the tame animals were such an unknown phenoe, so inexplicable, so far beyond their experience or iination, it could not be natural It had to be unnatural, supernatural The only thing that keptto kill the fearsome animals, was that Jondalar, who up the path fro perfectly norht of the sun

Folara had shown so and had the fearlessness of youth And she was so pleased to see her brother, who had always been a special favorite, she couldn’t wait Jondalar would never do anything to harm her and he didn’t fear the animals

Ayla watched fro hi both hands, and ely fat woed, and an older woreeted warmly and then kept his arht, and wondered what the woman would think of her

These people were his farown up with She was a stranger, a disturbing stranger who brought anin ways and outrageous ideas Would they accept her? What if they didn’t? She couldn’t go back, her people lived more than a year’s travel to the east Jondalar had promised that he would leave with her if she wanted—or was forced—to go, but that was before he saw everyone, before he was greeted so warmly Hoould he feel now?