Dawnlark Plains then they called me, too

Shale looked over at his brother, a smile coming to his face. "Dad," he murmured, amber eyes regaining a faint glow. "You just gave me flashbacks. Good ones, for once." He sighed, leaning slightly on Grayday, the two of them keeping each other upright. Oh, to be back in the times when all they cared about was food and games. The warmth of their mother close by, and Sunspot. . .

But those times were gone, now, and Shale and Grayday quite grown. They had made lives for themselves apart from each other, had wives and children. . .but, at least, they were together once more. That was something, at least.

"I think that. . .I will be be happy just being an uncle to your children," Shale said, closing his eyes and enjoying the feel of the northern breeze against his pelt. They were finally free of the shadow of the mountain, exposed and open in the plains. It was different, and he relished it. "If I have any more. . .Day, I don't think I could bear to lose them. I don't think I could come back from that."

He thought of Easy and Dawn, brave and adventurous, the burly, noble Dauntless and Sunny, and sweet Lavender, the skin wrapped round her patchwork pelt, brown eyes glowing with love. It would be hard enough to lose any one of them, but his own? He'd die himself before seeing that happen.