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“How far could he be, Nezzie? Walking? I can walk fast, maybe I

can catch up with hio after him and see what he wanted to talk to me about Oh, Nezzie, I should be with him I love him”

“Then, go after hio after hiive him the chance to tell you what he wanted to say”

“You’re right!” Ayla wiped away tears with the back of her hand and tried to think “That’s what I should do I’ down the path, even before Nezzie could say another word She raced across the stepping-stones of the river, and into the field Then she stopped She didn’t knohich way to go, she’d have to track him, and it would take forever to catch up with him this way

Suddenly, Nezzie heard two piercing whistles She smiled as the wolf zipped past her, and Whinney perked her ears and followed him Racer trailed after She watched down the slope as the wolf loped toward the young woman

When he got closer, Ayla signaled, and spoke “Find Jondalar, Wolf Find Jondalar!”

The wolf started sniffing the ground and the air currents, and when he started off, Ayla noticed the slight traces of tras She leaped on Whinney’s back, and followed

It was only after she started riding that the questions ca to say to him? How can I tell him that he promised to take me with him? What if he won’t listen? What if he doesn’t want me?

Rain had washed the coating of volcanic ash froh the meadows and woodlands of the floodplain oblivious to the beauty of a rare su, he just followed the river, but with each step that took hihed heavier

Why a alone? Maybe I should go back, ask her to come with me? But she doesn’t want to come with you She’s a Mamutoi These are her people She chose Ranec, not you, Jondalar, he said to hiive her any choice? Then he stopped What was it Ma about choice? “A choice cannot be made if there is none to make” What did he mean?

Jondalar shook his head in exasperation, and then, he realized, he knew I never gave her a choice Ayla didn’t choose Ranec, at least not at first Maybe the night of the adoption she had a choice … or did she? She was raised by the Clan No one ever told her she had a choice And then I pushed her away Why didn’t I give her a choice before I left? Because she wouldn’t talk to you

No, because you were afraid she wouldn’t choose you Stop lying to yourself After all that time, she finally decided not to talk to you, and you were afraid she wouldn’t choose you, that’s why, Jondalar So you didn’t give her the chance Are you any better off now?

Why don’t you go back and give her a choice? At leastready for the big ceremony What will you offer? What can you offer?

You could offer to stay You could even offer to co-mate with Ranec Could you stand that? Could you share her with Ranec? If the only other choice is not having her at all, could you stay here and share her?

Jondalar stood still, closed his eyes, and frowned Only if he had no other choice What he wanted most was to take her home, and make it her home The Ma? Some of them, maybe not all of them, but he couldn’t promise