Shrike was completely caught off guard as Shai leapt away from him. He would catch himself, jaws closing upon thin air and his paw hitting the dirt hard. The man {Shai} was now parallel with him {Shrike} and making an attack of his {Shai’s} own. Trying not to panic Shrike would spring forward again, throwing his weight into his back legs to help propel him forward. Shrike had felt the brush of the other man’s shoulder against the end of his hip as he moved, though had luckily avoided both of Shai’s attacks as well save for some minor bruising on his hip. As Shrike was in mid air however he would kick his heels up, hoping to catch Shai’s jaws with some sort of force to give some bruising.
Shrike would land another body length in front of himself, leaving Shai behind him. The boy would redistribute his weight upon all four legs, his stance widened with knees bending at the joints. He would then quickly spin around, parting his jaws and snapping them in front of his body should Shai have dared come. Whether it was air or flesh he caught the boy cared not, so long as he was making an honest effort in this spar. His eyes were narrowed in determination, his ears pinned flat against his skull. Tail would remain tucked beneath his body, claws biting into the earth to steady himself. Hackles were still raised, shoulders rolled forward and a snarl leaving his lips during his snap. How he prayed he was doing alright.
