tread carefully

His daughter did well and put on a good show, but he did not want to push her any more than need be. His point had been made and he knew she would learn from both this lesson and spar. Swatting her antlers aside, Hattori stood to his full height and placed his paw back down onto the muddy ground. Little flecks of dirt now stained his coat, though hard to see against the black backdrop of his fur. Perhaps he would take a brief dip in the ocean to rinse off the worse offenders, or have one of his companions organise a warm bath. Honestly, the latter was a more tempting option.

"Well done." Hattori told her, his approval palatable in the monotone of his voice. "Keep training and sparing, and one day you will be as talented as your Mother."