“You need to project less!” Wraith yelled as he ducked underneath Howler’s punch and scored a clean hit to the wolf’s ribs. Howler almost doubled over from the blow and tried to regain control by quickly kicking up at his opponent, but the quick snow leopard grabbed his foot and pushed him off balance. “Saw that coming from a mile away pup.”

Howler groaned as he slowly sat up, “Damn it Wraith, I told you not to call me that.”

“Then hit me,” he grinned as he offered a paw. Howler accepted the invitation, and used the momentum from Wraith pulling him up to take another swing at him. However, Wraith had anticipated that and side-stepped him so he stumbled awkwardly into the wall, “Please, that was the first thing I tried on my sensei. That grumpy badger is 93 years old now and could probably still kick my ass.”

“Then why are we still fighting if you’re supposedly so good?” Howler asked while resuming a fighting stance.

“Because how else are you going to gain any experience. Remember, I may look your age, but I’ve been fighting longer than you’ve been alive,” Wraith calmly explained while readying himself as well. He continued to speak while they resumed trading blows, “Because that’s… the only way… to get better. Time, practice… and sometimes…”

Howler noticed an opening as Wraith was talking and seized the moment, closing the gap between the two and managing to get a clean strike with his elbow to his mentor’s chest, “Just a little bit of luck!”

Wraith chuckled as he rubbed his chest, “Exactly! Very well done, Josh. So, another round?”

Howler just grinned, now eager to continue. The two traded blows into the evening with Wraith smiling at Howler’s progress the entire time.

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Art by  mosa
Joshua Ronfauni / Howler by  wolfrider
William Thackman / Wraith by  gamegod210