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Jondalar listened, still frowning with worry; then he relaxed and put his arms around her. "I worry too much. Thonolan used to tell me that. I just started thinking about what would happen if we were downstream of that valley, and remembering last night. And then I thought about losing you, and..." He tightened his arms around her. "Ayla, I don’t know what I would do if I ever lost you," he said, with sudden ferver, holding her to him. "I’m not sure I’d want to go on living." She felt a tinge of worry at his strong reaction. "I hope you would go on living, Jondalar, and find someone else to love. If anything ever happened to you, a piece of me, of my spirit, would be gone with you, because I love you, but I would go on living, and a piece of your spirit would always be living with me." "It wouldn’t be easy to find someone else to live. I didn’t think I’d ever find you. I don’t know if I’d even want to look," Jondalar said. The Plains of Passage, Chap 8 "You just did show me, Ayla, in much more than words. You show me every day, in so many ways." Suddenly he pulled her to him and held her close, feeling his throaat constrict. "My woman, my Ayla. If I ever lost you..." Ayla felt a quiver of fear at his words, but she only held him tighter. The Plains of Passage, Chap 12 Ayla didn’t even ask herself why she was doing it when she picked up the broken branch and used it for a digging stick to carefully extract several of the plants without damaging the roots. She was one of the few people on earth who knew their properties and how to prepare them. It wasn’t that she had any particular intention of using them, which in itself was not unusual. She had many preparations of plants that might never be used, but this was different. The others had potential medicinal uses. The Plains of Passage, Chap 18 Darvalo took down a carefully wrapped package. He untied the cord, opened the soft leather wrapping, and held up the shirt. It was unusual, Ayla thought. The decorative patterns, as well as the longer style and looser cut were not at all like the Mamutoi clothing she was used to. One thing surprised her more than anything else. It was decorated with black-tipped white ermine tails. The Plains of Passage, Chap 19 "But I almost lost you," he said, burying his head in her neck and clutching her so hard that it hurt, though she did not stop him. "I can’t tell you how much I love you...." He held her close as if he thought by holding her tight enough, he could somehow make her part of him, and would therefore never lose her. The Plains of Passage, Chap 22 "...but I can talk about being a medicine woman of the Clan, because it’s true. I still am. I still own the spirit pieces." She frowned then, with worry. "But someday I will really die, Jondalar. If I go to the next world with the spirit pieces of everyone in the Clan, what will happen to them?" The Plains of Passage, Chap 41 "When we get home, I’m going to talk to Joharran about the Clan people, Ayla. If other people can trade with them, we could too, and he should know that they are meeting with distant clans to discuss the troubles they are having with us," Jondalar said. "It could mean trouble and I would not want to fight the likes of Guban." The Plains of Passage, Chap 41 "Joplaya, I’m so glad you’ll be celebrating your Matrimonial with us," Jondalar said, giving her a hug. She clung to him. He was surprised at the intensity of her embrace. He had the disconcerting feeling she was saying goodbye, as though she would never see him again. The Plains of Passage, Chap 44 She was afraid. It was snowing outside the cave, blocking the entrance, but when she pushed the brush aside and stepped out, it was spring. Flowers were blooming and birds singing. New life was everywhere. The lusty cry of a newborn came from the cave. She was following someone down the mountain, carrying a baby on her hip with the help of a carrying clock. He limped and walked with the help of a staff and carried something in a cloak on his back that bulged out. It was Creb, and he was protecting her newborn. The Plains of Passage, Chap 44
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