pregnant. Finally, in the sixth book, Ayla realizes that she has been given the "Gift of Knowledge" and shares with other zelandonia the insight that men and "sharing Pleasures" is what causes the conception of a baby. Jondalar has one child, Jonayla, his daughter with Ayla born at the end of The Shelters of Stone. Jondalar at first does not entirely believe that Jonayla is truly as much a daughter of his as she is to Ayla; the idea that men have children like women do is (according to the book) foreign to the Zelandonii and most other early inhabitants of the world. There is a possibility that he has fathered two other children: a child with the Hadumai woman Noria, to whom he gave First Rites during the journey with his brother which is recounted in The Valley of Horses. No details about this child are known, save that Haduma, leader of the Hadumai, believed that the child would have Jondalar's blue eyes. The other child would be that of a Shamadoi woman called Serenio with whom he lived while he was staying with the Sharamadoi people. Before he left she told him that she believed she was pregnant. When Jondalar returned with Ayla, he discovered that Serenio had left with a Mamutoi man with whom she fell in love, and though Roshario, a friend of Jondalar and Serenio, believed Serenio was pregnant, it was unconfirmed. Jondalar's family is considered to hold high status among the Zelandonii: his mother is the former leader of the Ninth Cave, as well as being the widow of a former leader (Joconan); his elder brother, Joharran, became leader of the Ninth Cave when Marthona stepped down; his 'father', Dalanar, went on to found the First Cave of the Lanzadonii with Jerika and a group of Zelandonii settlers; his 'stepfather', Willomar, is Trade Master for the Ninth Cave, and as such holds a position similar to an ambassador. Finally, the family (and Jondalar in particular) is friendly with the Zelandoni formerly known as Zolena, First Among Those Who Serve the Mother (roughly a bishop to the other Zelandoni priests). Personal history Though the child of a high-status Zelandonii family, Jondalar has managed to make quite a name for himself on a personal basis. His first whiff of reputation was his connection with Zolena. Zolena and Jondalar fell in love while Zolena was acting as