The joy of the fight in her pleased him, he could feel it, and it was good. It meant there was a warrior's heart in her, and that meant he could turn her, make her relish in the power of the warrior spirit. He could use that. He caught the sword quickly, and continued to fall back in step with her strikes.
He ignored her question as to why, and instead continued to battle her, all the way up until she struck him and then he thought a moment to test her. He took the strike and fell against the tree, allowing him to be pinned back against it as she pushed him into it, reversing their positions from earlier. He left himself vulnerable, curious as to how she might proceed with such an opening.