guards of glory & of might

She's prompt, something Erik can appreciate. The boy offered the girl a dip of his muzzle before remembering he should be more formal and greeting her properly, a kindness that could nearly be a smile around the edges of his lips and eyes. While the yearling is strange, he remains gentle with the child. There were nerves about the girl, and Erik couldn't blame her. The man starts off setting a strong example, modeling confident steps, setting up across the training ring from the girl.

The talking was the hard part, but he supposed his cat would chime in if she really had to. "Erik Archer," the introduction comes. His voice is gravelly, crackling in his throat, rough. Speaking feels like sandpaper, but that's okay. He doesn't need it to fight. As for the spar, Erik just gave a nod. Easier this way.

Dipping his head low, the yearling invited Kina to make the first move. Standing opposite her within the training ring, comfortable distance between them. A little smile... friendly. Erik was trying.