It had been far earlier in the day when she'd set out from the safety of the lair, departing from beneath its ceiling and trekking up to the roof. Though, technically, they were apart of the mountains still, it wasn't as common for her to be found loitering along the winding paths anymore. Rather, she'd taken to wandering through what was once a forest, inspecting that which she could and taking various censuses of the prey populations based on that which could be seen. Never did she intentionally seek the small creatures out, however, for to spook them by invading their safe zones would, ultimately, result in the end of her tribe. She could not allow such to happen, of course, and so she'd avoided certain areas from which she'd spotted numerous beings of the same species coming. While more often than not that alone was enough for make her feel as if she was doing something right in the world, she'd taken it a step further that day by avoiding every inch of her internal land entirely. Rather than remaining beneath the ceiling, she'd ascended to the external portion of her home, and simply wandered about whilst regarding the rough terrain that she walked upon. It was there that she'd been, too, when a howl had risen up with the whirling winds.

The voice was distinctly unfamiliar, and so even without a message having been weaved into it, she was well aware of the reasoning for it having been released: her presence was being requested. There was no need to consider whether or not the call would be answered, for already had her legs started moving in the direction from which it'd come. She'd been taken down along the same path she'd used earlier on in the day to ascend the cavern's external walls, this time stopping only when she'd felt herself back on even ground. From there, the girl went forward, moving towards her borders at an even pace, and then stopping just within her claim when the outsider had been spotted. From his scent she could detect traces of her own—or, to be more specific, of her tribe. One of her members had been near to him recently, she was certain of it, but the fragrance was not strong enough for her to clearly identify to whom it belonged. It was due to the dilution of it that she'd made naught a single comment, choosing instead to address the stranger in the same manner as she would any other.

"Hello," the yearling began, a soft nod accompanying her greeting. "May you tell me as to why you are lingering so near to my home?" Honestly, she was not nearly as territorial as one might expect a leader so young to be, but she still felt that same urge to know who strayed too close to her home, and what had brought them there. It was only natural to be curious, for during the current struggles that plagued the wilds, there was no telling in what ways a lone creature might act. Hunger did awful things to one's mind, driving them to act irrationally and completely out of character. It was for that reason that she'd remained alert, as she'd yet to decipher whether or not the male's intentions were to bring harm or to pledge himself.

Often did she try to veer away from relying on assumptions alone, yet it was often that they seemed to play out as predicted. The stranger was there seeking a home, interested in acquiring acceptance into her tribe. She almost felt inclined to allow him to remain there for the sole purpose of providing necessary manpower, but was quick to correct her thoughts. No matter how difficult the times might currently be, she could not give in to such desires, for doing so would only result in her eventual downfall. To grant access into her home to just anyone would cause a great deal of distrust and uncertainty, which were two key feelings that she was set on avoiding. And so, the male was not welcomed in directly after his purpose for being there was given, as the female steered the conversation towards a brief interview.

"It pleases me to know that you have developed an interest in this home of mine," the dragoness began. "But do understand that I must ensure that only those of the trustworthy trait are permitted within these boundaries." Trust and loyalty walked hand in hand, from the yearling's perspective, and so one could not be had without the other. "I encourage you to answer me with pure honesty and nothing less," she'd urged shortly after. It was important, after all, that she be given only the truth. For without it, their bond would lack trust, and without trust there would be no loyalty tying them together. It was something that she could not allow to happen, especially given their current situation, and so she'd taken a few precautions beforehand. For, as it currently stood, no one could ever be too careful.

With a faint wave of her muzzle, Asterr motioned for the male to sit, though she herself remained standing. It was suggested, more than it had been commanded, wishing to make him more comfortable prior to the start of the interview. "Please begin by offering to me your name," the dragoness voiced, observing the male all the while. "Then proceed by sharing with me your skills, and perhaps even your interests." No matter the outcome, she was certain that the experience in itself would remain as a reminder to herself for future assessments.

When she'd motioned for him to sit, he'd done exactly so. From her end, she'd viewed it only as a suggestion, and so she'd not stopped to consider that he might have taken it the wrong way. No matter, it was far too late now, for already had she moved on from the small motion. Besides, even if she'd been left to linger on it for eons, never would the girl develop some mystical powers, and so never would she be able to pry into the inner workings of his mind. It simply wasn't possible, which was certainly for the better. From there, she'd then listened to him, paying close attention to each and every word for his time to really sell himself had arrived. Every bit of information given would play a part in her decision, directly affecting his fate and future as a whole. Such were things she knew—quite well, even—as well as points she'd never speak of. For to do so could indirectly influence a beings words, thus preventing her from receiving the truth.

"It is a pleasure to officially make your acquaintance, Hollow," the girl stated, the words that had followed his introduction tumbling around within her mind the entire time. "My name is Asterr Draconid." A nod did not follow her name this time around, for her attention lingered elsewhere. The important information would be kept and properly stored away within her mind, and then, directly after, she'd need to continue onward with her small interview. Thus, it was without further ado that she'd addressed him once more with: "Never can a tribe have too many hunters, especially now. Though I do wish you could demonstrate your skills for me to see, I will not ask that you do so given the conditions of these lands." Asking him to hunt for her in an area that was heavily damaged would have been most unfair, and so she'd decided against following through with it.

Aside from his skills in regards to hunting, the male claimed that his support would also be given. Yet, that alone would not be enough—it could never be enough, not for her. "What of your loyalty?" Asterr inquired. "Are you able to offer that to both myself and my tribe entirely?" Hunters were necessary. They were, perhaps, even desired. However, the dragoness could not grant someone entry if they did not live up to the same standards as everyone else.

While he considered the two to be one in the same, Asterr did not. For a being could support someone without being loyal to them, as support could be bought. Her opinion on the matter was not voiced, of course, as she was well aware that he'd spoken with the best of intentions in mind. For that, no corrections were needed, nor were they for the fact that the dragoness just wasn't the type to go around doing so. She simply settled for the important aspect of the conversation: Hollow had given his loyalty, just as many before him had done. It was what truly mattered most, for she desired only loyalty and nothing more. Never would she take part in bribery, nor would the girl give in and allow for only support to be given and nothing else. "I am glad to hear that," she'd voiced, a slow nod joining in her words. Another soul to be added to the family, another soul to give his loyalty to her and the tribe.

Thereafter, she'd been made aware of the fact that her words hadn't been interpreted correctly. A request for a time frame was made, to which she'd shaken her head in a dismissive manner. "I will not ask that you bring anything back to me," Asterr repeated, albeit a bit slower this time. "With how the land currently appears, the prey is far too scarce to be hunted for the purpose of initiation. You will be able to show your skills over time by supporting the tribe, yes?" It was the only way to do so anymore, or at least until the prey returned.

An apology was offered, yet she'd paid little mind to it. He'd misunderstood, is all, which did not warrant forgiveness being requested. Though, after a second or so, she'd nodded in regards to it anyways, unwilling to allow for any further misconceptions to slide in between them. She would word things better for him next time around, perhaps, if only to make sure she was understood fully. For the time being, she'd not concern herself with the matter overly so, as it was not yet of any great importance. In the end, he had understood her meaning, and that was what truly mattered most. Had he not, it was possible than an issue would have arose, but such were thoughts that had not entered her mind for even an ounce of consideration; doing so would be useless, seeing as the path trailing off in that direction had not been chosen.

The male was further listened to, his words have left her with a decision in mind. "Due to all that you have said, I have decided to grant you access into my tribe," the girl began, approaching him slowly. "You will be expected to provide for your new family, just as everyone else is. Your first few days may be spent resting and familiarizing yourself with our home, but after that, everyone's efforts are necessary for survival." She allowed a moment of silence for her words to sink in. It was important that he know exactly what it was that he was getting himself into. That they were not a pack, but a tribe; above all else, though, they were a family. Rather than breaking the silence, she'd further closed the distance between them, inching closer to his side so that her muzzle could be pressed up gently against his shoulder. For no longer than a mere second had it remained there before being pulled away and some distance returned, but the chieftess did not leave immediately. Rather, she'd motioned with her head for Hollow to follow her, and only after he'd complied would she then lead him into the lair. They were growing, this family she'd created, and she couldn't be anymore glad for that.