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"I have my own," Ayla said. "I've always liked to hunt."
"Why didn't you go with them today?" the girl asked.
"Because I wanted to learn how to make that cleansing material. And I have some clothes I want to clean and mend," Ayla said, getting up and heading toward the ceremonial tent. Then she stopped. "I have something I'd like to show everyone, too," she said. "Has anyone ever seen a thread-puller?" She saw puzzled looks and shaking heads. "If you wait here a moment, I'll get mine and show you."
Ayla returned from the dwelling space with her sewing kit and some clothing she wanted to repair. With everyone crowded around to see yet another amazing thing brought by the travelers, she took a small cylinder out of her kit—it had come from the lightweight, hollow leg of a bird—and shook two ivory needles out of it. She handed one to Solandia.
The woman examined the highly polished miniature shaft closely. It was brought to a sharp point at one end, somewhat like an awl. The other end was a bit thicker and, surprisingly, had a very small hole that went all the way through. She thought about it, and suddenly got an inkling of what it was for. "Did you say this was a thread-puller?" she said, handing it to Laronia.
"Yes. I'll show you how I use it," Ayla said, separating a thin piece of sinew from a fibrous thicker strand. She wet the end and smoothed it to a point, then waited for it to dry. The thread of tendon hardened slightly and held its shape. She threaded it through the hole at the back end of the tiny ivory shaft, then put it aside for the moment. Next she picked up a small flint tool with a sharp point and used it to poke holes near the edges of a garment whose stitches along a side seam had pulled out, a few of them tearing through the leather in the process. The new holes were back slightly from the previous ones.
Once she had made the holes for a new seam, Ayla settled down to demonstrate the new implement. She put the point of the ivory needle through the holes in the leather and, grasping the small shaft, pulled the thread through, ending with a flourish.
"Oooh!" The people seated nearby, especially the women, breathed out a collective sigh. "Look at that!" "She didn't have to pick the thread out, she pulled it right through." "Can I try that?"
Ayla passed the garment around and let them experiment, explaining and showing, and telling them how the idea had come to her, and how everyone at Lion Camp had helped her to develop and make it.
"This is a very well-made awl," Solandia commented, examining it closely.
"Wymez, of the Lion Camp, made it. He also made the borer that was used to make the hole that the thread goes through," Ayla said.
"That would be a very difficult tool to make," Losaduna said.
"Jondalar says Wymez is the only flint knapper he's ever met who is as good as Dalanar, and, possibly, a little better."
"That's high praise from him," Losaduna said. "Everyone acknowledges Dalanar as the master stoneworker. His skill is known even on this side of the glacier, among the Losadunai."
"But Wymez is also a master."
They all turned in surprise at the sound of the voice that had just spoken, and saw Jondalar, Laduni, and several others coming into the cave, bringing with them an ibex they had killed.
"You had luck!" Verdegia said. "And if no one minds, I'd like to have the skin. I've been wanting some ibex wool to make bedding for Madenia's Matrimonial." She wanted to get her bid in before anyone else.
"Mother!" Madenia said, embarrassed. "How can you talk about a Matrimonial?"
"Madenia must have First Rites before any Matrimonial can be considered," Losaduna said.
"As far as I'm concerned, she can have the hide," Laronia said, "whatever she wants to use it for." She knew there was a touch of avarice in Verdegia's request. They didn't often hunt the elusive wild goat, and its wool was rare and therefore valuable, particularly in late winter after a whole season of growing thick and dense, but before the shedding of spring gave it a tattered look.
"I don't care either. Verdegia can have it," Solandia said. "Fresh ibex meat will be a welcome change no matter who gets the hide, and especially nice for the Mother Festival."
Several others acquiesced, and no one objected. Verdegia smiled and tried not to look smug. By laying claim first, she had secured the valuable hide, just as she had hoped.
"Fresh ibex will be good with the dried onion I brought, and I have blueberries, too."
Again everyone looked toward the mouth of the cave. Ayla saw a young woman she hadn't met before, carrying a baby and leading a little girl by the hand, followed by a young man.
"Filonia!" several people chorused.
Laronia and Laduni rushed toward her, joined by all the rest of the Cave. The young woman was obviously not a stranger here. After happy hugs of greeting, Laronia took the baby, and Laduni picked up the little girl, who had run toward him, and put her up on his shoulders. She looked down at everyone with a pleased grin.
Jondalar was standing beside Ayla, smiling at the happy scene. "That girl could be my sister!" he said.
"Filonia, look who's here," Laduni said, leading the young woman toward them.
"Jondalar? Is it you?" she said, looking at him with shocked surprise. "I didn't think you'd ever come back. Where's Thonolan? There is someone I want him to meet!"
"I'm sorry, Filonia. He walks the next world now," Jondalar said.
