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“Yes I would!” Jondalar said with a big smile
“I asked Mamut to feel the weather and Search for the herd He says the signs are good, and the herd hasn’t wandered far He said so else, too, which I don’t understand He said, ‘The way out is also the way in’ Can youof that?”
“No, but that’s not unusual Those Who Serve the Mother often say things I don’t understand” Jondalar sues”
“Sometimes I wonder if they knohat they mean,” Talut said
“If we are going to hunt, I’d like to show you so that could be helpful” Jondalar led the platforht spears and an implement that was unfamiliar to Talut “I worked this out in Ayla’s valley, and we’ve been hunting with it ever since”
Ayla stood back, watching, feeling an awful tension building up inside She wanted desperately to be included, but she was not sure how these people felt about wouish for her in the past Women of the Clan were forbidden to hunt or even to touch hunting weapons, but she had taught herself to use a sling in spite of the taboo and the punishment had been severe when she was found out After she had lived through it, she had even been allowed to hunt on a limited basis to appease her powerful tote had been just one more reason for Broud to hate her and, ultimately, it contributed to her banishment
Yet, hunting with her sling had increased her chances when she lived alone in the valley, and gave her the incentive and encouragement to expand on her ability Ayla had survived because the skills she had learned as a woave her the ability to take care of herself But hunting had co on and being responsible for herself; it stood for the independence and freedoive it up
“Ayla, why don’t you get your spear-thrower, too,” Jondalar said, then turned back to Talut “I’ve got more power, but Ayla is more accurate than I am, she can show you what this can do better than I can In fact, if you want to see a de I think her skill with it gives her an advantage with these”
Ayla let out her breath—she didn’t know she had been holding it—and went to get her spear-thrower and spears while Jondal
ar was talking to Talut It was still hard to believe how easily this man of the Others had accepted her desire and ability to hunt, and how naturally he spoke in praise of her skill He seemed to assu, too She glanced at Deegie, wondering hooman would feel
“You ought to let Mother know if you are going to try a neeapon on the hunt, Talut You know she’ll want to see it, too,” Deegie said “I et my spears and packboards out now And a tent, we’ll probably be gone overnight”
After breakfast, Talut motioned to Wymez and squatted down by an area of soft dirt near one of the sht coround near the edge was an i bone of a deer It was shaped like a knife or a tapered dagger, with a straight dull edge leading fro it by the knob of the joint, Talut san to draw marks and lines on the level surface with the point Several people gathered around
“Wye outcrops to the northeast, near the tributary of the san, explaining as he drew a roughknife
Talut’s map wasn’t soIt wasn’t necessary to accurately depict the location The people of the Lion Ca was no more than a mnemonic aid to remind them of a place they knew It consisted of conventionalized marks and lines that represented landmarks or ideas that were understood
His map did not show the route which the water took across the land; their perspective was not fro lines to indicate the river, and attached theht line, to show a tributary At the ground level of their open flat landscape, rivers were bodies of water, which sometimes joined