Sunbeam Lair A Stranger to These Lands

The world had filled with life once more, her home no longer existing as a barren wasteland. It was as if her dreams had come true, and she'd been able to witness the change before her very eyes. It had been an extraordinary experience, one of which that she'd be wise to never forget. For even when all hope appears to have been lost, there will always be a flame of hope burning, simply waiting a distance away to be nurtured. It was a sort of mentality that she rather enjoyed, and it was positive enough to linger within her mind even after the initial excitement of seeing the forest full of life again had worn away. It allowed for her attitude to remain as buoyant and relaxed, offering an overall pleasant feel to her aura. Draco had looked down upon them, he had conversed with the dragon of their waterways—Zennyo Ryūō—and had ultimately assisted in the essence of the lair having been returned to them. For that simple fact, she was glad, and eager to return to normalcy.

Through the woods she had trekked, nosing about at specific plants and mentally noting their growth. Many would be ready to be harvested soon, and thus her storing process would begin. Yet, she'd not thought that far ahead just yet, leaving the work of the future to linger in the back of her mind while her primary focus stayed glued to the present. As she'd neared a grouping of flowers—some species of Castilleja, she was sure—however, the dragoness had been made to stop and straighten out her posture. Delicately, her ears turned, shifting towards the sound of approaching steps. There were smaller ones, the type that she often associated with rabbits, followed by far larger ones. Both sets of footfalls seemed heavy and anxious, signalling her to a hunt that was in progress. Yet, when she'd sniffed at the air, the wind carried towards her no familiar scents. Someone had entered her home, someone that was not welcomed within the lair. Instincts drove her to move forward, ears erect and tail raised, intending to meet the intruder directly. When she'd found him, however, she'd hardly caught anything more than a glimpse before he'd been sent tumbling away.

Conflicted had the girl become, wishing to defend her home, but also feeling inclined to help an injured creature. For a moment she had moved naught even an inch, peering down at the stranger with a mixture of curiosity and frustration in her gaze. Ultimately, she'd been unable to help herself and had proceeded to move towards him carefully, her posture easily portraying her status there within the tribe. Never did she charge him, but had instead stopped not even a handful of paces away with a neutral expression filing neatly into her young features. "Stand," the chieftess had requested of him, her wish bold but her voice soft. "You have caught me in a pleasant mood, and so I will not summon my followers to greet you." Always a kind one, she was. Besides, she didn't feel as if anyone else being there would be necessary, as the male was clearly at a disadvantage as he'd laid there on the ground. "You will inform me of the reasons for why you have crossed into my territory, and from there your fate shall be decided." Asterr would listen, she would weigh her options, and then she would deliver her verdict.