Ah, how she loved the increasing temperatures and delightful rays of sunlight that slipped through the cavern's ceiling. More and more plants were starting to come into season, filling her with a sense of euphoria as she began taking note of each and every one. Whichever species could be used for medicinal purposes were examined and their location stored away within her memory, deciding that she would harvest and store some only when they had truly begun to flourish. Until then, they were not to be touched—not by her, at least. It had become apparent that Ryūjin acted as a sort of beacon for others interested in the medic trade, attracting those interested in the art of healing into their ranks. She did not detest the fact, and was by no means against it, but knew that she would have to set up some rules and the like if they were to keep their home healthy.

The yearling had been loitering around a copse of trees, inspecting the leaves and roots for any signs of pest-related damage, when the sound of approaching steps had caught her attention. When she had looked around to see who was coming her way, she was met with the familiar face of her previous traveling companion. There was something clamped between his jaws—she couldn't quite make out what it was, not seeing enough of the body to tell—and his movements seemed frantic. She wondered what it was that he had, and was also reminded of their last encounter. The cause behind his sudden departure at the borders was something she wished to learn, but did not ask about immediately for fear of causing him to close himself off from her. Instead, she'd offered a smile and a slow sway of her tail, meeting him halfway and asking, "What have you found?"

Shortly after having spotted Leo, Noctura joined the scene as well. She had caught his words, and wondered just what the boy had done to inspire such things being said. Had he caught something by himself? She attempted to keep herself from guessing, wishing not to ruin the boy's big moment. She did, however, return to the man a smile of her own upon seeing his, never being unhappy to see him. She enjoyed his company more than she'd ever admit to aloud, perhaps, which forced her to have to remind herself that he was not currently the owner of her attention. No, it was Leo that she wished to hear from, and so her gaze had been returned to him soon after, a smile never leaving her lips. It seemed to grow, too, when he'd answered her question.

"Given Noctura's compliment, is it safe to assume that you caught that all on your own?" Asterr had not yet started in teaching him how to hunt for himself, which made his catch all the more impressive. He was growing, she knew, and his instincts were making themselves known. She hoped that he might be a fine hunter someday, or at least well enough off that he could sustain himself with ease. Soon, though, she would teach him some things that did not come quite as easily as nature might intend—such as catching birds. Truthfully, she was looking forward to such lessons.

A vole, caught by the boy alone and no one else. She was proud of him, for his display of an interest in learning reminded him of herself, as did his persistence. Many times he had failed, but never had he given up. Such characteristics were ones she could appreciate, and part of the reason she saw so much potential in him. If his mind was set to it, she was certain he could achieve any goal ever set for him, and would surely pass the courses with flying colours. "It is wonderful that you managed to catch the creature, but I am far more impressed by the fact that you had not given up during your mission to do so," she'd stated, smiling all the while. Soft was her expression, kind eyes resting on the boy before glancing in Noctura's direction.

"Perhaps Noctura may be able to assist you in honing your skills as a hunter?" she'd then suggested, looking between the two of them so that she might figure out how they each felt towards the idea. As she saw it, both would benefit from the time spent together, but in different ways. For the boy, he would be learning, whereas for the man, he'd be bettering his social skills. She saw it as an opportunity for the pair, but would not force the idea upon either of them. If either wished to take a different path, she would respect their wishes.