She broke a branch in the same quick way that Rex had done, and for a moment she looked briefly surprised at herself before her expression settled back to its usual register.
Rex said, "You pick things up."
"I watch," said Nerith.
"Well, in my opinion, that's not the same as learning," Rex said. "For me... watching is just being there for it."
"Learning is what happens after, when you take what you saw and run it through until it becomes yours."
"You do both, which is why what you're picking up actually sticks."
She was quiet for a moment, and the leaves in her hair shifted color slightly at the edges.
She went back to her gathering and said, "I'm still feeling all curious about the compound element working... on the road this morning."
"Well... I'm the type of student who always repeats some new stuff until I fully understand it."
"Go on, you can ask about it again, but the answer won't change at all," Rex said.
