"Thank you?" Eventually Alec would get used to that thoughtfulness or Adam would realize he could come and go as he pleased. "The cats told me that it was you." If their streaking off to say hello hadn't been warning, the fact that they'd been trilling instead of hissing had told Alec that whoever had reached the gates wasn't a danger.

It felt strange to have someone near him that wasn't one of the cats, but Alec kept his reaction to himself, afraid that Adam would stop if he seemed uncomfortable. At least until he realized Adam was giving him something. Then curiosity drove away that unsettled feeling. "A friend?" Without thinking he stepped closer, cupping his hands around Adam's to see what the priestess had brought. He stared down at the caterpillar, trying not to think of how long it had been since he saw one that wasn't an illustration or through the mirror. It was real. Alive. Just like Adam. Just like Alec had been before he'd stepped through the gates.

"It's beautiful." He was almost afraid to touch it. "I don't remember blue ones. The ones I saw before were green or orange." Grinning at Adam, he thought of what it would be like to have something new and alive in the garden. "Thank you. There aren't butterflies here... except this one."