Dragoncrest Cliffs Sons of mine

Sorry for my delay! For whatever reason this response gave me hella writers block.

Sobo asked a big question. How? Njord was still figuring that out himself. How many times had he been made to feel small by others? How many times had a spotlight been cast on his shortcomings? It was easy to be self deprecating. Difficult to be comfortable in one’s own skin. What was the best way to explain this to a growing, young man?

“Hmmm,” Njord murmured as his thoughts steeped. Sobo went onto explain the snafu with Mireille and her new friends. Though men weren’t the focal point of Sapphique, no man had been outwardly disliked on the basis of their gender alone. Perhaps something had happened to the young women to make them distrustful of men. Or, perhaps they had been raised with biased, sexist views. His heart broke a little for Sobo, so young and already racked by the feeling of being unwelcomed.

“There’s nothin’ bad bout bein’ a boy,” Njord explained to his doppelganger. “Yer a braw healer with a good mind… S’too bad. Mireille’s friends are missin’ out on knowin’ ya.” He paused and tried to think of a better way to explain. “Sometimes, someone’s reaction to ya is a reflection on themselves… nothin’ you did or coudna done. Maybe somethin’ ‘appened to tha lass. We canna ken.”

Njord bumped his son’s shoulder. “An’ I like ya jus’ tha way ya are. You remind me of me’self when I was your age,” he chuckeled. “Wouldna change a thing!” Still, what could he do to help Sobo’s conundrum? How could he help Sobo make friends? “How about… when tha weather’s good we take a scoutin’ trip? Meet some new folks along tha way. What do ya say?” the red-tail suggested.