Sunbeam Lair This will never end, 'cause I want more

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Freed from the chilling grip of winter, the Chieftess had wasted no time before beginning her investigation of the lair. With Kaori at her heels, the woman moved from one space to the next, checking the progress of the plant life; nothing had started to sprout just yet, but she knew that the day during which it did would soon be upon them. The thought kept her on her toes, eagerly observing the areas that she had, in the past, found specific sorts of flora. Towards a patch of land that had once harboured plenty of marigolds she’d been heading, stopped only by the song of a stranger. Pausing mid-step, she raised her head whilst her ears cupped forward, gaze drifting off to stare in the direction of the entrance. At her daughter, she stole a glance, then nodded after the girl’s attention was on her. There was a silent exchange between the two of them as Asterr dismissed herself, heading for the entrance and leaving the young Draconid to continue the internal patrol.

By the time the lair had been exited and the stranger tracked down, another member of the tribe had already arrived—Shikoba, whose services at the borders often stood out to the vessel. Knowing that there was almost always someone there to greet the tribe’s guest made her glad, which her demeanour likely hinted at as she approached the duo. A smile was directed towards the Gokenin, who she nodded at in greeting. Thereafter, her attention went straight for the other wolf, whose posture was observed briefly. “You may rise,” said the dragoness, having always felt far more comfortable whilst speaking to others at an even level; the better she could see their eyes, the more confident she felt during interviews. “My name is Asterr, and this is Shikoba,” she began, tossing her head in the other female’s direction as the name rolled off her tongue. “What interests do you have?” Asterr intentionally refrained from dismissing the warrior, wanting for her to hang around just in case—whether it be to test the outsider’s skills or something else, it mattered little, she merely wanted a backup plan. She would never ask for the shedding of blood, of course, but to have a trustworthy guardian around couldn’t hurt.

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