- THE LEVIATHAN -

"Good!" Vargas praised, his now likely familiar word of approval ringing out through Draco. He did not dodge the swipe, instead allowing it to connect, offering a strong nod as well as the praise.

He darted in, then, his enormous bulk perhaps surprisingly quick, with a sideways, catlike dancing movement. One long forelimb reached out in an attempt to tap Vjira back, just in a generic portion of her flank; it wasn't a dangerous hit. It also wasn't hard, or even particularly worth learning about--but it was an opening move, and an opening for her to use, and a test of if she had any familiarity whatsoever with combat.

@Vjira (if you'd like to do a proper spar with fight rounds, you can start? Otherwise we can just do w/o! You're also free to write her easily dodging this w/ my fail?)

Vjira didn't have too much time to react to Vargas moving quickly - strangely fast for his size, before a clawed limb was coming straight for her. Vjira easily slipped to the side, doing a weird little hop movement like the two had been doing before, and whatever it was, it worked to dodge the 'hit'. It wasn't even a particularly dangerous hit, and Vjira could tell rather easily that Vargas had no malice in doing it. He didn't sound angry, at least.

Vjira moved to get closer, aiming to swipe at Vargas in some way.

Round 1/5
Attempt: Swipe at him hehe
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

She got it. Good.

Excellent, in fact. Vargas was quite satisfied, even moreso when she lashed tentatively out with a feline-like lash of one forelimb. Those claws were hooked, and surprisingly large, and Vargas took note of this too late as he was quite busy not moving out of the way. He'd figured he'd let her hit, no big deal, and help initiate a spar: but a sort of Mistake! realization flashed through his mind as the hooks on her limb connected.

They raked through skin, flesh, though perhaps she hadn't meant to cut very deeply. It was a swipe, nothing more, but with hooks for claws, and Vargas flinched back belatedly.

He didn't scold her, though; this was his intention, and almost at once he aimed to teach his first lesson. This wasn't punishment, even if it hit its mark: it was a brief lesson on a weak point, something Vjira herself might soon learn to use.

It was a strike--not hard, and not claws-first--for her left inner 'elbow,' hoping to topple her to the ground or at least throw her off her balance.

If he hit, he could explain afterward--but hitting was the important thing. Would he manage, or would she move-?

Round 1/5
Attempt: Knock Vjira's inner right elbow to knock her off-balance or down
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Vjira

Vjira's very one-focused mind was instantly satisfied when her claws raked through Vargas' skin. Even if it wasn't entirely her intention at first to do real damage, now she was kind of curious to see what she could do. Before she could move again, Vargas moved and tripped her over with a hand. She fell to her side - lashing out again - this time also without claws getting in the way.

A leg moved to kick at the other valkhound in a pitiful attempt to defend.

Round 2/5
Attempt: Bruise Vargas' retreating hand
Defense: None
Injuries: Pushed over on her side

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas stepped back, circling briefly and out of range of the Mirage's brief lash, before pushing the "attack." He spoke, as he did so. "We all have weak points. You, me, prey, enemies. You will fare better if you know where they are; where to strike! The joints, the throat, the eyes-"

He lashed one forelimb out, going to pop a light strike upward from beneath Vjira's chin. It was the sort of hit that could jar the jaw, clack the teeth together, and daze; but it wasn't intended to truly harm. "-the jaw-"

Does she understand? he wondered. Well, he was showing, as well as telling; hopefully she would come to understand, even if his words were meaningless to her.

Round 2/5
Attempt: Boop the chin
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Vjira

As her kick hit nothing, Vjira growled into the air. Vargas' words were completely lost on her, but she didn't entirely need the words to figure out what she had to do to make things work. At least, how to make sure she wasn't going to die. Even if Vargas wasn't really... Trying to kill her. He wasn't being aggressive enough for her instincts to demand she go out with everything. She still did want to win. Vjira scrambled to stand as Vargas moved again and clanked her teeth together from her chin.

Another growl.

She moved to swipe at him again.

Round 3/5
Attack: Swipe at him (like,,, how a cat does)
Defense: Nothing
Injuries: Still off balance, teeth doing a slight hurt lol

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

What she came back with was another feral slash, rather than a precision strike--which wasn't what Vargas wanted. It wasn't that he insisted on her immediately being a seasoned fighter, but that he was here to teach her how to fight properly, and this--wasn't it.

"No!" he cried, but it was amused, and he tried to jerk back from the strike, to bat her arm down with a sharp (but not too hard) strike of his own. A punishment, so to speak, for her imprecise, uncalculated attack. "There are vulnerable points. Calculate your attack. Hit me when I am open to it!"

Deliberately, Vargas turned, walking in a slow circle turned mostly away from Vjira. He could still half-see her from the corner of his eyes, but he was giving her an opening to attack: teaching her (or trying to) that some strikes were better than others.

Round 3/5
Attempt: Smack Vjira's hand down
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Vjira

Vjira did not understand Vargas' words, what she did understand, though, was that he did not like that she swiped at him again. (Not even taking into account that absolutely no one would like something like that.) The Valkhound hissed when their hand was smacked away. Before they moved again, Vargas turned away. A number of eyes blinked in confusion before the purple creature moved again, tail lashing behind them.

Barreling forward at a run, Vjira tried to trip Vargas up using his legs.

Round 4/5
Attack: Barrel into Vargas to knock him over
Defense: None
Injuries: Mouth prolly still hurting

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vjira's next attempt was a smart one, if not practiced enough to be smooth. Vargas skittered aside almost like a massive spider, a crab-walk turned jog. "Good! Almost!" he praised, voice booming and as encouraging as he could manage.

She seemed to be getting the hint: strike for the legs, for weak points; off-balance the enemy. "But be quicker; you have to move fast!"

He could not barrel into Vjira's legs, himself; he'd have to hit ALL of her, or none. So he snapped out a limb in an attempt to bonk her own leg again--a demonstration of speed.

Whether due to a miscalculation or her own movement, he missed--rather dampening this lesson.

Round 4/5
Attempt: bonk a leg
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Vjira

Vjira rumbled at the praise. She at least was able to tell the difference between good and bad at this point - her attempt to trip him up was good. They would remember that. His words she did not understand, but the tone was something she was getting used to understanding. He wanted her attention - Vargas had her attention this whole time! What did it mean? When his claws came for her again, Vjira backed up and retaliated, going for the hand that lashed out at her.

Her own hand lashed out for Vargas' own, the one that came for her limbs once again. Maybe not the best attack, but it was good enough if it worked.

Round 5/5
Attack: lash out at Vargas' hand
Defense: None
Injuries: None

@Vargas