It's a challenge. It's a give and take, lead and follow, call and response and it's not just that he's getting good. It's not just that Mal's his teacher. Slowly he stops second guessing himself, stops THINKING and just lets himself move how he knows he needs to. Sees the hits coming and sees the blocks before they happen and goes for them anyway. Two one, two two, and he's rushing, ducking, swinging down low and hard, a sharp sweep with the staff he knows Mal can and will jump over followed by a shoulder charge- a graceless attempt to pin him to the mat.