Blacktail Deer Plateau soft words don't

"oh, just fine," adi responded warmly, giving a look around him. "this place is beautiful, and everyone here that i've met has been so friendly."

he looked at grayday with a smile. "and as far as not knowing your family. . . well, you get used to it, with time. you replace your mother, your father, your siblings, with friends and acquaintances you pick up along the way. it only really stings when you're exchanging stories with someone who does have a family, and you truly feel what's been missing."

his thoughts flitted to dawn. she herself had her father here, as well as her half-siblings. he had not yet met her mother, though he assumed he would run into her at a later time. "dawn is lucky to have you as a father," he said. "and i'm assuming the young ones are yours. do you have any other children?"

the lack of a father was what aditya felt acutely. he had had his mother for those precious few months, but had spent the majority of his life looking for someone to call paa. in that sense, dawn was incredibly blessed.