Blacktail Deer Plateau Mistaken Identity

He was happy his sudden sorrow had evidently gone unnoticed, and gave a weak chuckle to her question, eyes flashing in a somewhat smile. "I'm nothing if not practical," Shale teased. "Absolutely, circle the whole group. The dead haven't bothered me yet."

It was a lie. He was haunted by ghosts every day, every night. But he wasn't about to tell this girl that, just off the cuff.

"It's good you want children. You'll make a fine mother." Clearing his throat nervously, he hastily added, "Medics usually make fine mothers. You know. . .the caring and all that."