Dawnlark Plains then they called me, too

Shale gave a wry look at Day's hackles, then raised his eyes back to his brother's face, a bland smile set on his face. "We'll never know. I doubt he'd tell us," he murmured. His gaze flickered toward the general direction of Easthollow. "She only mentioned him the one time. Makes me wonder whether it--if there was anything in the first place--died away. I hope so."

Still, whatever Murdock had done, Shale felt a pang as he thought of his older sibling. He did miss Murdock, even if only slightly, and now that there weren't mountains between them, perhaps it was time for a visit, under better circumstances than his last trip to Easthollow. He shuddered involuntarily, looking back at Grayday.

"That's another thing," he said, switching topics abruptly. His stomach churned as he thought of Burr's rotting remains, splattered on the shores of the lake. "What happened to Burr. . . I can't imagine being in his parents' place, right now. Not again. I just--I'm not ready yet. And I don't think I can make Pema wait. She'd make a perfect mother."