ORIGIN

He hesitated, then lowered himself from a "guard" position, relaxing some. A glance around showed him where he'd left his oversized halberd, and he began a slow return to it. He spoke, as he did, and briefly wondered why he felt as though he should say something... more. Some part of him held the instinct of a social beast to question Enoki--to ask 'are you okay?' and 'did I push too hard?' but it was only the vaguest instinct and the rest of him was too stunted, for one reason or another, to really be able to underestand the impulse or to put it into words.

"It... too, has learned much," he said, instead, an acknowledgment of the usefulness of the spar. He had already flat-out asked if Enoki were injured, at least, so he moved on to the next thing. "The Buddy is also... quick. The Sentinel did not expect this," he observed. "It has learned to use all legs for speed. And the spines of its arms, and its claws, when the weapon is lost. This is good."

Halberd once again in hand, he turned and regarded Enoki appraisingly. "It is not armor--it is fur. Yet, it is armored," he added, as if implying that Enoki's thick fur would provide impressive insulation against strikes as well as temperature. "The Sentinel will see the garden."

He seemed to plan to go off and see that, now.

The Sentinel paused.

Enoki left while he was still pondering what it had said. A... hug? A gesture of--liking someone? A light grapple? He had never heard of this, before, and his mind churned it over slowly. By the time he turned to ask why, Enoki had happily moved away.

Hm.

He turned and made his way off; he'd explore this garden, then, and wait to see if the owner would return.