Even though they weren't piercing the skin, he could tell by the way it moved that they were wearing it down. Still, a wounded animal was much more dangerous than a healthy one, and this creature's thrashing made it dangerous. Renji's call about how to kill it would have been useful, if any of them had a blade. "Abarai," he shouted out, "None of us have blades, pierce this one if you can!"

Just around that time, a man appeared from further down the hall, approaching them. There was a concealed panic about the boy, and he didn't seem prepared for what he encountered like the rest of them. Could this be Adel? Either way, he didn't seem to be in any condition to be involved in a fight.

And the creature was making a slash in his direction. The monster was quick, and if the boy was as bewildered as he seemed, there was no way he'd get out of the way in time. There wasn't time to think of options...he had to act fast. Kicking off the ground, he pulled into his reserve of reiatsu and flash stepped. Faster than human eyes could follow, he moved in front of the newcomer, pushing the boy out of the way and leaving himself open to the claws. His reiatsu violently escaped as it was expended for the flash step, and he coughed up a stream of blood just before the claws dug their way into his side.

Searing pain shot through his body, both from the flash step and from the newly opened wound in his side. He had just enough time to glance at Sakura. If anyone of this small group had the chance besides him to get the newcomer to safety, it would be her with her powers seeming on par with his Flash Step. "Get him out..." was all he could manage before he collapsed, pain and darkness taking him.

(ooc: Hitsu is out of commission, please to be skipping him until someone revives him.)