After a major heart attack in , Dr. Robert ceased his business activities and began his current career as a novelist, he also began his Doctorate in Philosophy, which he graduated in , at sixty years of age. Having started out writing a post-apocalyptic situation comedy series for television, during his recuperation, he is now well past his millionth words of fiction.
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Not Enabled Word Wise: Enabled Amazon Best Sellers Rank: Amazon Music Stream millions of songs. Amazon Advertising Find, attract, and engage customers. Amazon Drive Cloud storage from Amazon. Alexa Actionable Analytics for the Web. There had been reports of deaths on both sides.
The First Zelandoni should have been the one to investigate the trouble and to work out a solution, but as she had become weaker, the journey was put off, full moon after full moon had passed. It was finally decided that she would travel north in the summer, only by then she was too weak to make the journey. The trouble was real, Ayla knew that. Even when she tried to ignore the implication, and constant pressure coming from her friend and leader, Ayla knew deep down inside that she must accept a more direct role in events.
She had found that now, after the last time she used the Sacred Clan root, she could enter the Spirit World by drinking a mild absinthe tea. She now called it her Dreaming Tea as the tea often took her on 'Dream Journeys'. These 'Dream Journeys' seemed to show her images of future events. At first she didn't know what the images meant, but when something would happen later that she had dreamed about, she understood that her dream image had predicted the event.
In the beginning, almost ten summers before, the First Zelandoni had tried to follow Ayla on a trance journey and had taken the Clan root too, but beyond a mild stimulation and heightened awareness, the effects on the older woman were unremarkable. Finally she had realized that this was a unique condition that only her young colleague could could experience to its fullest, so she encouraged the younger woman to continue the practice and share the dream images with her. Over the past winter Ayla had seen more and more violence in her Dream Tea-induced dreams. The images indicated that if nothing was done, more lives would be lost and the violence would escalate.
She knew the truth of it, but knowing the truth didn't make her feel confident in her ability to convince the other Doniers that she should serve her people as the First Zelandoni. I know you're sad, but lately it seems that your mind has been in the Spirit World and not with us. I wish you had let Wolf come with us, you know how he always lifts your spirits. He was born more than eighteen summers ago, that's quite an exceptional age for a wolf. Besides, Jondalar and your brother need Wolf to look after them while we're gone, don't you think.
I also know if he were here, he would make you happier," said Jonayla, who was Acolyte of the Zelandoni of the Ninth Cave and Ayla's self-assured daughter. Wolf is almost considered Zelandoni. I don't even see how I can convince the others that I should be their leader. I wasn't born to the Zelandonii people and that will be a big impediment that I can't really see a way around. I want to do what First Zelandoni urged me to do, I just worry. No reason to frighten Jonayla more than she already had. Isn't that what Durcan and I have heard from the day we were born?
I have complete confidence in you, I know you'll come up with a way to make the others see what's needed and I'm not just saying that because you're my mother, I'm saying it because I know it's the truth. Ayla hugged her earnest young daughter. What was she worrying about? Jonayla was as fierce an advocate as anyone in the Donier procession.
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She didn't have to worry about frightening her or making her feel insecure. Ayla felt a little ashamed; she didn't need to worry about letting her deceased mentor down. The only thing she needed to worry about was not letting her people down. She would find a way. Then we can organize some food. Several Acolytes were bringing stones to form a hearth circle and several others were foraging for firewood while the Donier of the Third Cave oversaw the effort. It was a very domestic scene and it surprised Ayla at first. Domesticity wasn't something she was used to when it came to her fellow spiritual leaders; although since the First Zelandoni's passing her fellow Doniers had been quite subdued and had tried to be helpful to each other.
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Now as the sole Donier of the Ninth Cave, Ayla was responsible for planning the procession to Sacred Mountain, situated at the eastern edge of Old Valley. She had been surprised when she had received runners from all the close caves that their Doniers wanted to join her. As this procession was the sole concern of the Zelandoni, and since the First Zelandoni had been their leader too, they felt they should join in and help.
And besides, they said, there would be meetings to choose a new leader in a few days and the passing spirit ceremony anyway, so why not travel together.
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The journey had started at dawn three days before. A trip that would normally be completed overnight on horseback, was slowed by necessity.
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Travois slowed the horses and although the Doniers from Two Rivers, Little Valley and River Place had joined the procession from the start, other Doniers had traveled west and south to meet them on the trail so that as many of them as could, would arrive together. These meetings on the trail had slowed the procession further but had built solidarity of purpose.
Other Caves to the far north and far south were to meet them within a hand of time. Runners had been sent from Elder Hearth to all the outlying caves - as was their responsibility when an important meeting of the Zelandonia was to take place. It had always been tradition that Elder Hearth should send runners to inform the people of any meeting held on Sacred Mountain. When it came to guiding a First Zelandoni's spirit to the Spirit World and choosing a new First, the runners were especially important. Ayla noticed that the procession had not run across any fresh human tracks to indicate that any group of people had traveled the river trail recently, so she was pretty sure that they would be the first group to reach Old Valley from the southern route.
Ayla was especially relieved that there was no indication of other travelers; she wanted to arrive before the others if possible. She wasn't looking forward to the confrontations that would be sure to arise as she made her claim to the position of First Zelandoni; being first to arrive, would give her a small advantage. Ayla was finishing up Summer Child's curry as the aroma of meat grilling on the cooking fire reached her. She'd been fasting all day and the enticing aromas made her mouth water. Over the next few days she would not eat much and knew that she shouldn't miss a meal now if she wanted to be in shape for the approaching rigors.
As she found a place beside the elderly man she was handed a bone platter with succulent pieces of Roe Deer cut into chunks cooked with greens and a baked tuber. Lately I seem to forget that I'm hungry until I smell food cooking," Ayla said, grateful for the food. I'm counting on you to convince the others that you're the right choice for our new First Zelandoni. It's so important that we have a resourceful leader in these times.
And if you don't eat and pay attention to your health you won't be strong enough to endure all the arguing and bickering that will go on at the gathering. Ayla looked into the eyes of the man sitting next to her, "Why are you supporting me? I wasn't even born to the Zelandonii people. Besides, you're the right choice.
I know that the Donier of Horsehead Rock as well as Elder Hearth have put themselves forward, but you're the obvious choice. You know the Clan better than anyone else, while at the same time, you're one of us. Who better to lead us? Who better to sort out this trouble in the north between the Clan and our Zelandonii brethren?
I don't like the violence and I want it to stop. Ayla noticed that the Third used the term Clan, rather than the more derogatory "flathead" when describing the people in the north. I can't help but feel hesitant; it's all a bit overwhelming to me. And frankly, who you are is pretty impressive. How old are you now Zelandoni? And I will try to be circumspect with my innermost feelings around the others, but I would like to consider you a friend and advisor that I can trust and confide in.
I know that if I am chosen I will have to make decisions and do things that I haven't had to do before and it would be very helpful to have someone to talk to. I've lived almost sixty summers now and I don't expect to go on forever, but I'll help you any way I can, especially through this," the Third offered.
Even when I first arrived with Jondalar as a stranger, you were kind to me and you've been a great help to me since the First Zelandoni died. I very much appreciate your help, I think your sixty summers of experience are just what I need now. The elderly Zelandoni of the Third Cave had helped Ayla with the cremation, as was required by tradition when a First Zelandoni passed to the Spirit World.
It had been done this way for as long as anyone could remember. Since the ceremonies for the passing of a First Zelandoni took more than a full moon phase, cremation was the only practical way to handle the remains. Also, those who were First among the Zelandonia were not actually buried like everyone else, but rested for all time in a special place of veneration, adding their accumulated power to the sacred Zelandonia gathering area.
And when you gave me a colt to train," the Third said, with a smile of remembrance.
That reason alone should be enough to make you our new First Zelandoni. You have brought more to the Zelandonii people than anyone I can think of in my sixty summers on this earth. I mean this from my heart," said the Third. At that moment Jonayla walked over. It's good to have you with me now and it would not have been possible if you hadn't made that decision. That's what the Donier of the Third Cave and I were just discussing. Support; something I will need now more than ever. Jonayla looked at the Donier of the Third Cave questioningly.
And further, I will support her vocally with the others. I can't imagine what would happen to the Zelandonii if we didn't make this wise woman the leader of the spiritual aspect of our lives. Bless her, but the First Zelandoni was ill for too long. Things have gone wrong in that time, things that should have been attended to. I think your mother is the only one with the wisdom and ability to put things right.
With her guidance, everything will be resolved for the best. The Donier of the Third Cave turned to Ayla, "I just hope we don't have too many candidates from the southern caves. I don't know what they will do. They might form a conclave of all six southern caves to support their own candidate. I think they were satisfied with our past spiritual leader, but I also think they would be happy to have someone from their area as First Zelandoni for a change.
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All I can say is that I'll do my best to convince our fellow Doniers that I feel the calling to be the one to represent them. Even if I don't become First Zelandoni, maybe I can influence the person who does. The Donier of the Third Cave again turned to Ayla, "No matter what happens, I think you should be the one to mediate between the Clan and the affected caves in the north. Jonayla bedded down next to her mother, fervently wishing that she could do more to help, but as a new Acolyte, all she really could do was to offer loving support to her mother.
To Jonayla, her mother was all that was good and strong and just in a person. There had never been a time in her life that she hadn't worshiped her mother for the exceptional human being that she was. Just In All Stories: