Atal

Atal is the Mulefa zalif who befriends Mary Malone and helps her to learn the language and customs, as well as build the Amber Spyglass. Atal is young and unmarried and there aren't any young males in her group; so, she will have to mary a zalif from another group. She and Mary joined in the Mulefa social custom of grooming each other, i.e, Mary helps with the seed pod wheel maintenance for Atal, and Atal grooms Mary's hair.