| As the story opens, Ayla, Jondalar, and their infant daughter, Jonayla, are living with the Zelandonii in the Ninth Cave, a shelter of stone. Ayla has been chosen as an acolyte and has embarked on the arduous task of training to become a spiritual leader. The wisdom that Ayla gained from her struggles as an orphaned child, alone in a hostile environment, strengthen her as she moves closer to leadership of the Zelandonia. Whatever the obstacles, Ayla’s inventive spirit produces new ways to lessen the difficulties of daily life, searching for wild edibles to make delicious meals, experimenting with techniques to ease the long journeys the Zelandoni must take, honing her skills as a healer and a leader. And then, there are the Sacred Caves, the caves that Ayla’s mentor, the Donier, the First of the Zelandonia, takes her to see. These caves are filled with remarkable art, paintings of mammoths, lions, aurochs, rhinoceros, reindeer, bison, bear. |
