THE SHELTERS OF STONE

"I dug some roots that I saw on the way here. I think you call it anemone," Ayla said. "The wound was bleeding while I was handling it, and a person's own blood is sometimes the best thing to clean out a wound, but now that the blood is drying, I was going to mash the root and boil it to make a wash to clean the wound, and then add some fresh to the mash and use it with some other roots in a poultice. In my medicine bag, I have some powdered geranium root, to clot the blood, and spores of club moss to absorb fluid, and then I was going to ask if you had certain things or knew where they grow."

"All right, ask me."

"There is a root, when I described it to Jondalar he thought you might call it comfrey. It is very good for healing, inside and out. It's good for bruises, in a salve made with fat, but it's very good on fresh wounds and cuts. A fresh poultice can keep the swelling down when a bone is broken, and it helps broken bones to grow back together," Ayla said.

"Yes, I have some powdered, and I know a place nearby where it grows, and I would describe its properties the same way," the First said.

"I would also use the bright pretty flowers that I think are calledm arigolds. They are especially good for open wounds, also for wounds and sores that won't heal. I like to squeeze the juice out of fresh flowers, or boil the dried petals to put on open wounds, then keep it wet. It helps prevent the smelly bad festering, and I'm afraid this boy will need that. I'm sorry, I don't know his name," Ayla said.

"Matagan," Jondalar said. "His cousin told me he is Matagan of the Fifth Cave."

"What else would you use if you had it?" Zelandoni asked.

For an instant, Ayla had a fleeting image of Iza testing her knowledge. "Crushed juniper berries for a bleeding wound, or the mushroom that is round, puffball. That can stop bleeding of wounds. A dry powder of goldenseal is also good, and…"

"That's enough. I'm convinced that you know what to do. The treatment you suggest is very appropriate," the First said, "but right now, Jondalar, I want you to take her someplace where she can clean up, both of you, in fact. That boy's blood is all over you, and that will upset his mother more than anything. Leave the anemone roots with me, I will send someone to get fresh comfrey. We'll take care of him for now. You can come back when you are clean and rested. Why don't you go to your camp the back way, so you don't have to walk through the whole Summer Meeting camp again. I'm sure there is a crowd waiting outside. Use the other entrance, it'll be faster, and you may avoid those who'll want to detain you. Before you go, though, I think you need to be released from your ban against talking. It seems your isolation ended a day early."

"Oh! I forgot," Ayla said. "I didn't even think about that!"

"I did," Jondalar put in, "but didn't have time to worry about it."

"You were right. This was certainly emergency enough," Zelandoni said, "but I must ask you formally. You have completed your trial period, Jondalar and Ayla, have you decided that you want to stay mated, or would you rather end this now and try to find someone else with whom you would be more compatible?"

The two looked at her, then looked at each other, and then a grin stole over Jondalar's face that transferred to a smile from Ayla.

"If I'm not compatible with Ayla, who on earth would I ever be compatible with?" Jondalar said. "This may have been our Matrimonial, but in my heart, we have been mated for a long time."

"That is true. We even said words like that before we crossed the glacier, right after we left Cuban and Yorga. We knew we were mated then, but Jondalar wanted you to tie the knot for us, Zelandoni."

"Do you want to become unmated, Ayla? Jondalar?" she asked.

"No, I don't," Ayla said, smiling at Jondalar. "Do you?"

"Not for a heartbeat, woman," he said. "I waited long enough, I'm not about to end it now."

"Then you are released from the prohibition against talking to others and you can declare to all that Jondalar and Ayla of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii are mated. Ayla, any children born to you are born to the hearth of Jondalar. It will be the responsibility of both of you to care for them until they are grown. Do you have your leather thong?" While they retrieved the long strip of leather, Zelandoni got two necklaces from a nearby table. She took back the thong and tied a simple necklace around each of their necks. "I wish you both a long and happy life together," the One Who Was First Among Those Who Served The Great Earth Mother concluded.