In this sequel to The Clan of the Cave Bears, Jean Auel continues the story of Ayla. Ayla sets out on a journey to meet others like herself during which she encounters a herd of horses and rescues a young man from death.

This novel of awesome beauty and power is a moving saga about people, relationships, and the boundaries of love. Through Jean M. Auel's magnificent storytelling we are taken back to the dawn of modern humans, and with a girl named Ayla we are swept up in the harsh and beautiful Ice Age world they shared with the ones who called themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. A natural disaster leaves the young girl wandering alone in an unfamiliar and dangerous...

Ayla and Jondalar finally reach the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonii, the settlement that is home to Jondalar's people. Here Ayla eagerly learns the ways of her new tribe while in turn sharing her knowledge, but finds her unique spiritual gifts make the quiet life she desires impossible.

Ayla is training to become a Zelandoni, one of the community's spiritual leaders and healers. She becomes the acolyte to the Zelandoni for the Ninth Cave and begins the series of intensive journeys that are part of the sacred training. But as she struggles to find a balance between her calling and her duties as a new mother, her pursuits begin to take a toll on her relationship with Jondalar.