The Land of Painted Caves

by Jean M. Auel

  “Do you really think that would work? How are we going to get them going?”

  “With the horses and Wolf, we can drive them,” Jondalar said. “Soon as they start into the narrow place, someone can start a fire at the end to slow them down. Others can wait on the high banks—probably best if you lie down on the ground—and when they’re in front of you, jump up and use your spear-throwers. We should all gather some wood and pile it up at the end. Then get some tinder and other quick-burning fire-starting material.”

  “Sounds like you have it all worked out,” Tivonan said.

  “I’ve been thinking about it, and talking over some possibilities with Kimeran and Jondecam,” Jondalar said. “On our Journey, with the horses and Wolf, we used to single out one or two animals from a herd. They’re used to helping us hunt.”

  “That is how I learned to use the spear-thrower from horseback,” Ayla said. “We even got a mammoth once.”

  “It sounds like a good plan to me,” Willamar said.

  “And to me, but I’m not a good hunter,” Jonokol said. “I haven’t done much hunting, at least not until I came on this Donier Tour.”

  “Maybe you haven’t done much before, but I think you are a more than adequate hunter now,” Palidar said.

  The rest of them agreed.

  “Then I’ve gotten an extra benefit from this trip. Not only am I getting to see some fascinating Sacred Sites, I’m learning to be a better hunter,” Jonokol said, grinning.

  “Well, let’s start collecting dry grass and wood to burn,” Willamar said.

  Ayla and Jondalar helped the group as they ranged out gathering wood and other burnable materials, and spread them across the end of the dry creek bed. At Willamar’s suggestion they added a row of tinder and kindling at the front edge to help carry the fire along the extended pile. Then they mounted their horses, signaled Wolf, and started circling the herd. Willamar then assigned his apprentices, Palidar and Tivonan, to start a fire at both sides when he gave the word.

  “As soon as the fire is well established, you can get into position to use your spear-throwers,” Willamar said. The two young men nodded in agreement, and all of the group found places to wait.

  And then they waited.

  Each hunter was in his own silent space and listened in his own way. The two young men were excited, anticipating the hunt, and strained to hear Ayla and Jondalar rounding up the herd. Jonokol settled into a meditative state, which he had learned long ago kept him most alert and aware of what was going on around him. He heard Ayla and Jondalar shouting in the distance, but he also heard the loud ringing notes in slowing tempo and falling cadence of a kingfisher. He let his eyes search for the sound and caught a glimpse of the vibrant blue and chestnut-orange underparts of the fishing bird. Later, he heard the distinctive harsh call of a crow.

  Kimeran let his mind wander back to the Second Cave of the Zelandonii and hoped everyone was doing well in his absence … but perhaps not too well. He wouldn’t want them to do better without his leadership. That could imply that he wasn’t a very good leader. Jondecam was thinking about his sister, Camora, and wishing she lived closer. Levela, his mate, had said as much the night before.

  The sounds of hooves pounding toward them caught everyone’s attention. The two young men on either side of the long pile of wood looked at Willamar. He was holding up his hand but looking the other way, getting ready to signal. They both had a piece of flint in one hand and iron pyrite in the other, getting ready to strike them together, hoping they wouldn’t fumble. They were all adept at making fire that way, but excitement could delay the procedure. The rest all had spear-throwers armed and ready.

  As they started down the dry streambed, one wily old cow tried to turn aside but Wolf anticipated the move. He raced toward the bovine and, with a frightening show of teeth, snarled at the huge bison. It took the apparent path of least resistance and headed down the streambed.

  Just then, Willamar gave the signal. Palidar struck first and his spark caught. He bent lower to blow it up into flame. It took Tivonan a second try, but he soon had a fire blazing toward the middle of the streambed. As the two fires joined, the larger dry wood flared up in back of the tinder. As soon as they were sure the fire was well established, they raced toward the higher ground, arming their throwing weapons on the way.

  The other hunters were ready. The fire had already caused the bison to slow down in bawling confusion. They didn’t want to run into the fire, but the ones at the rear of the stampeding herd were pushing them on.

  The spears started to fly!

  The air was full of wooden shafts with sharp flint points. Each hunter had selected a different animal to aim for and carefully watched it through the smoke and dust. When they cast a second spear, most were aimed at the same bison as the first. They had been hunting all summer along the way and all of their skills had improved.

  Jondalar sighted a bull with a high humped back covered with shaggy wool, and long sharp black horns. His first spear brought it down and a second kept it there. He quickly rearmed his spear-thrower and aimed for a cow but just wounded it.

  Ayla’s first spear found a young bull, not quite full grown. She watched it drop, then saw Jondalar’s spear hit the cow. It staggered but didn’t fall. She flung another spear at the wounded one, and saw it stumble. The first of the herd were breaking through the firewall. The rest were following, leaving behind their fallen brethren.

  It was over.

  It had happened so quickly, it was hard to believe. The hunters went to check the kills; nine bleeding bison littered the streambed. When they examined their spears, Willamar, Palidar, Tivonan, Jonokol, Kimeran, and Jondecam had each killed one animal. Jondalar and Ayla together had killed three.

  “I didn’t expect us to be quite so successful,” Jonokol said, checking the marks on the spear to make sure the animal was his. “Maybe we should have coordinated our hunt beforehand. This is too much of a good thing.”

  “It’s true, we didn’t need so many,” Willamar said, “but it means we have more to share. It won’t go to waste.” He always liked to bring something when he arrived at a new Cave.

  “But how are we going to haul them all? Three horses can’t pull nine huge bison on pole-drags,” Palidar said. The young man’s spear had hit a huge bull and he wasn’t even sure how to begin to move the beast, much less the rest of them.

  “I think someone is going to have to go ahead to the next Cave and bring some people back to help. I don’t think they’ll mind. They won’t even have to hunt them,” Jondalar said. He had been thinking along the same lines as Palidar, but he had more experience with such enormous beasts and knew that many hands made it easier.

  “You’re right,” Jondecam said, “but I think we are going to have to move our camp here to butcher them.” He wasn’t really looking forward to moving.

  “That might upset Beladora. She is working on several weaving projects that she won’t want to relocate,” Kimeran said. “Although she could come here to help with the skinning and butchering, I suppose.”

  “I think we can skin them here,” Ayla said, “then cut them into large pieces, and make several trips to get them back to our camp, and start drying some of the meat. Then we can take some of the fresh meat to the next Cave and ask for help to move the rest of it.”

  “That would work,” Willamar said. “I am going to use the horns to make a couple of drinking cups.”

  “I wouldn’t mind keeping some of the hooves to boil into glue to attach spear points to shafts,” Jondalar said. “Pitch is all right, but hooves and bones make a better glue.”

  “And we can make new waterbags out of the stomachs, and use the intestines to save the fat,” Ayla added.

  “Levela sometimes keeps chopped-up meat in cleaned-out intestines, too,” Jondecam said, “and waterproof coverings for hats and footwear can be made from them.”

  Suddenly, Ayla realized how near they were to their destination. They would soon de
liver Amelana to her Cave. Then they would go to see the very ancient Sacred Site that the First especially wanted Ayla to see; it wasn’t far away. After that, it was only a couple of days farther to Beladora’s people, according to Willamar. Then they would retrace their steps and return home.

  It would be just as long a trek back as it was to get here, but as Ayla looked around, it seemed as though the Mother had provided them with the means to resupply all their needs for the return Journey. They had the materials they needed to replace their worn equipment, weapons, and clothing. There was more than enough meat to dry, and to make traveling cakes, which were essential for covering long distances in a hurry, by grinding up the dehydrated meat and adding fat and the dried berries. They had also dried roots and stems of certain vegetation, and common varieties of mushrooms that everyone knew.

  “I’ve been here! I know this place!” Amelana said. She was so excited to see one familiar place, and then another, she couldn’t erase her excited smile. There was no stopping to rest now; pregnant or not, she could hardly wait to get home.

  The small group of travelers approached a well-marked trail that wound around a sharp U-shaped bend in the river. An old floodplain had left a broad, level grassy field somewhat above the swiftly flowing water that ended abruptly at the base of a steep cliff. A nice place for horses to graze, Ayla thought.

  The wide trail gradually traversed up the side of the cliff around brush and small trees, some of whose roots were used as steps. It was not easy going for the horses, especially pulling the pole-drags, but Ayla remembered how sure-footed Whinney was when she had climbed up to her cave in the valley where Ayla had found her.

  The trail leveled out, perhaps assisted by people, Ayla thought, as the travelers came to a sheltering overhanging shelf in an area that was obviously well inhabited. Many people, who had been engaged in various activities, all stopped and stared at the strange procession that was advancing toward them, which included people and surprisingly docile horses. Whinney was wearing the halter that Jondalar had made for her. Ayla liked to use it when they were heading into unknown and possibly unsettling situations, but she was leading both Whinney and Gray, who were both hauling pole-drags. Whinney was pulling the First; Gray’s travois had a large load of bison meat. Willamar, his two assistants, and Amelana also accompanied them.

  When the young woman among them who was obviously pregnant broke away from the visitors, it aroused attention. “Mother! Mother! It’s me!” she called out as she ran toward a woman of substantial proportions.

  “Amelana? Amelana, is that you? What are you doing here?” the woman said.

  “I came home, mother, and I’m so glad to see you,” Amelana cried.

  She threw her arms around the woman, but her pregnant stomach made it difficult to stand close. The woman returned the embrace, then, holding her shoulders, pushed her back to look at the daughter she thought she would never see again.

  “You’re pregnant! Where’s your mate? Why are you back? Did you do something wrong?” her mother said. She couldn’t imagine why a woman would travel what she knew was a long distance—though she didn’t know how long—when she was pregnant. She knew how impetuous her daughter could be and hoped she hadn’t broken any social custom or taboo seriously enough that they would send her home.

  “No, of course I didn’t do anything wrong. If I had, the First Among Those Who Serve The Great Mother would not have brought me home. My mate walks the next world now, and I was pregnant and wanted to come home and have my baby near you,” Amelana said.

  “The First is here? The First brought you home?” the woman said.

  She turned to look at the visitors. A woman was stepping down from some kind of contrivance that was pulled by a horse. She was a large woman, of a size greater than herself, and from the tattoo on the left side of her forehead, she knew the woman was a Zelandoni. The woman walked toward her with great dignity and a certain presence that conveyed authority. A closer look at her tattoo, plus the designs on her outfit and the chest plaque and other necklaces that she wore, made Amelana’s mother understand that the woman was indeed the First.

  “Why don’t you introduce me to your mother, Amelana?” the First said.

  “Mother, please greet the One Who Is First Among Those Who Serve The Great Earth Mother,” Amelana began. “Zelandoni, this is Syralana of the Third Cave of the Zelandonii That Watches Over the Most Ancient Sacred Site, mated to Demoryn, leader of the Third Cave of the Zelandonii That Watches Over the Most Ancient Sacred Site, mother of Amelana and Alyshana.” It gave her a certain sense of satisfaction to show her mother and those who were watching how well she knew the acknowledged leader of the zelandonia.

  “I welcome you, First Among Those Who Serve The Great Mother,” Syralana said, holding out both hands and walking toward her. “We are greatly honored that you have come.”

  The First grasped both hands and replied, “In the name of the Great Earth Mother, I greet you, Syralana of the Third Cave of the Zelandonii That Watches Over the Most Ancient Sacred Site.”

  “Did you travel this far just to bring my daughter home?” Syralana couldn’t resist asking.

  “I am taking my acolyte on her Donier Tour. She is the one with the horses. We have come to see your Most Ancient Sacred Site. It is known even to us, though we live far to the north.”

  25

  Syralana looked at the tall woman, who was holding ropes that were attached to the two horses, with a bit of apprehension, which the First noticed.

  “We can introduce you later, if you don’t mind,” she said. “You did say your mate is the leader of this Cave?”

  “Yes, that is true,” Syralana said. “Demoryn is the leader here.”

  “We have also come to ask your assistance, though it may also be a boon for you,” the One Who Was First said.

  A man stepped to the woman’s side. “Here is my mate,” Syralana said. “Demoryn, leader of the Third Cave of the Zelandonii That Watches Over the Most Ancient Sacred Site, please welcome the First Among Those Who Serve The Great Mother.”

  “Zelandoni the First, our Cave is pleased to welcome you and your friends,” he said.

  “Allow me to introduce our Trade Master. Willamar, please greet Demoryn, leader of the Third Cave of the Zelandonii That Watches Over the Most Ancient Sacred Site.”

  “I greet you, Demoryn,” Willamar began, holding out both his hands, and continued with the formal greetings. Then he explained, “We stopped for a while just before we came here to hunt and replenish supplies, and to bring you a gift of some meat.” He watched the leader and some others nod knowingly. It was the kind of thing they would have done. “We seem to have acquired an embarrassment of riches. We found a herd of bison and our hunters were exceptionally lucky. We counted nine bison killed when we were done, and our entire group only numbers sixteen, which includes four children. That is too much for us and in any case, even with the help of the horses, we cannot transport so much, but we don’t want to waste the Gifts of the Mother. If you can send some people to help transport the meat here, we would like to share it with you. We brought some with us, but left some people behind to guard the rest.”

  “Yes, of course we’ll help you, and will be pleased to share your good fortune,” Demoryn said, then looked closely at Willamar and saw the tattoo in the middle of his forehead. “Master Trader, you have been here before, I think.”

  Willamar smiled. “Not to your particular Cave, but I have been in this region before. The First is taking her acolyte, the woman who controls the horses, on a Donier Tour. She is mated to the son of my mate. He is back at our campsite guarding the meat, along with my assistants, two young traders who will be following in my footsteps, and some others. I think Amelana was fortunate that we had planned this trek before she asked to come with us. She was eager to return to her home and have her baby here, near her mother.”

  “We are pleased to have her back with us. Her mother was very sad when she left, but s
he was so determined to go with the young man who came to visit, we couldn’t refuse her. I am sorry that her mate now walks the next world. It must have been hard for his mother and family, but I’m not sorry to see Amelana. I didn’t think I would ever see her again after she left,” Demoryn said, “and she may not be so eager to leave home next time.”

  “I think you are right,” Willamar said, with a knowing smile.

  “I presume you will be going on to the First Cave to the meeting with all the other Zelandonia,” the leader said.

  “I haven’t heard about any meeting,” Willamar said.

  “I thought that’s why the First was here,” Demoryn said.

  “I don’t know anything about it, but I don’t know everything that the First knows.” They both turned to look at the large woman. “Did you know there was a meeting of the zelandonia?” Willamar said.

  “I certainly look forward to attending it,” she said with an enigmatic smile.

  Willamar just shook his head. Who could really know a Zelandoni? “Well, Demoryn, if you can get some people to help us unload the meat we brought, and go back with us to get what’s left, then the rest of our travelers can come and visit, too.”

  As she helped Zelandoni unload her personal travel things, Ayla asked, “Did you know there was going to be a gathering of the zelandonia near here?”

  “I wasn’t certain, but meetings do tend to take place in a sequence of a certain number of years, and I thought this might be the right year for one in this region. I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want to create any expectations in case I was mistaken, or missed the timing.”

  “It looks like you were right,” Ayla said.

  “Amelana’s mother seemed nervous about the horses, so I didn’t rush to introduce you yet,” the First said.

  “If she’s nervous about the horses, what is she going to think about Wolf?” Ayla said. “We can deal with formal introductions later. I’ll take your pole-drag off Whinney and go back with her and Gray. We can make a new pole-drag for her to help bring the meat here. There’s still so much left. I’d forgotten how big a bison was. Maybe we can bring some of it to the zelandonia gathering.”