Swamped

You've spent enough time around Rider and Starling to tell just by looking that this isn't someone who got an exotic pet in order to look intimidating. This is someone who cares about this animal, if not necessarily animals in general.

Though there's plenty of guardedness in the body language. So you don't think enthusiasm is the right approach here. No, best to treat this as you would if you were trying to get Rivers to answer a question.

It took you a long time to figure that out. The key was to ask a question she wanted to answer. Then you had an opening to direct the conversation a little towards the actual question.

Not that it was easy, mind. But it was how you started. And the animal is obviously a subject of interest, so that seems like your best opening here.

Pride might be a good angle. Ask a question that lets him boast about it.

"Did you teach them to jump like that?" you ask.

"Nocta was good jumper when I found her," the stranger replies. "I made her great jumper."

Still guarded, but you've gotten somewhere. Now you need to think about where to lead this.