The training grounds remained alive with motion even after the brief disruption of their spar, the steady rhythm of combat continuing all around as students exchanged blows, practiced techniques, and pushed their limits under the open sky, while the faint echoes of strikes and movement carried through the air in a constant, disciplined cadence.
Amidst that controlled chaos, Zarhka stood still for a brief moment, her chest rising and falling unevenly as she looked around, her gaze flickering across the surrounding students before returning to Damon, then briefly toward Mira, Vaelith, and Eric, as though suddenly aware of all the eyes that might be on her.
A faint flush spread across her face, far more noticeable against her dark skin than it should have been, her ears twitching slightly as she shifted her weight, her usual confident stance faltering just enough to betray the turmoil beneath.
