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Nadežda was quick to pick up upon the girl's gesture. So she had some experience in hunting in groups it seemed. Nadežda was colored impressed considering he hadn't seen many humans of this day and age who still hunted as they once did long in the past. Hiding his presence to the best of his ability, Nadežda dipped into the shadows behind. Out of sight of both the girl and the beast approaching, the old Hollow resumed his human appearance as he circled around to the right. He grew concerned for the girl but stifled the superficial emotions. Hindrances could not be tolerated when one was on the hunt. Perhaps the girl intended to pose as bait and lure the beast out once he'd flanked its position. A good strategy. One which could prove magnificently successful should everything go as planned. By all accounts the creature could assume Nadežda had left the girl to her own devices. Though in truth he'd intended to circle around and attempt to get a spotting on this potential opponent of theirs.

He'd only nodded slightly as he left Sae open and exposed to this creature. But gauging it's capacity required a little more than simply knowing the feeling of its spiritual pressure. Was it an Unclassified? Gillian? Or perhaps even an Adjuchas like himself? If it were Adjuchas and hiding its true presence from them then this encounter could become dangerous for Sae very quickly if they were not careful. Despite being a Hollow himself, Nadežda would not allow a human, one he'd quickly grown to respect, to see him as anything but trustworthy. She would perform her part, He would perform his. Together they would swiftly bring down this quarry before it dealt any real harm to either of them.

He'd circled around the target Hollow, even as Sae approached and ended up entangled by the beast's jaw. Strangely, and despite the obvious actions of the one Sae engaged, the Hollow didn't seem to act in any other way. In fact its presence seemed diminished. Had it fallen unconscious somehow? Nadežda decided to lay in wait since Sae's immediate harm was limited to just being stuck in the young adjuchas' mouth. Something about this setup seemed off... Sure he'd have reacted immediately had the other Hollow decided to do more than bite. But it seemed the goal was different. It bit but didn't chew. Held on but didn't attempt to drag away it's meal. Cunning. This was a trap...! Nadežda immediately focused his senses. Something out there had forced this Hollow into submission and seemed to be using it as bait for its own purposes. To think there were Hollow that actually used their own kind like this instead of just eating them outright...

It didn't take long for the hidden one to reveal itself, cutting down trees in it's announcement. Nadežda tensed, Still in his illusion of a human form. He watched as the human girl managed to avoid getting cut in two, even taking the other Hollow with her somehow. A peculiar ability, one he'd have to ask about later on once this conflict became resolved. Sae and the injured Adjuchas were closer now. Stood effectively between himself and the newly revealed Hollow, which also appeared to be an aged Adjuchas. Still... Nadežda seemed to hold onto the element of surprise. If this new one didn't know where he was or even if Nadežda was present at all, then the next moments would be crucial to dealing with the threat efficiently.

He had a clear line of sight. Deadly still and observant, his illusion hiding his otherwise large frame behind the trees. Some thirty feet behind Sae's own position. Nadežda could see the offending Hollow. Watched as it gauged it's target. It stared not at Nadežda, but towards Sae and the attached Adjuchas. So it's aim was to feast upon a human? This would be no pushover either given the critically injured state of the Hollow gripping Sae... He could attack from this distance. Could catch the hollow off guard. If he were a regular Hollow, with normal Hollow instincts, Nadežda very well would have. But the resulting attack would have caught Sae up within it. Had he not cared one bit for human life, or had Sae not been where she was, one blast from Nadežda was all it would take to possibly take down the offending beast and catch himself a meal. But consideration for the Human, hollow as she felt, would be something the old Hollow would not overlook.

The monster roared. A clear and all too common indication among the confident that this Hollow would soon attack. And it did, charging straight for Sae's position. Nadežda crouched down, bracing his feet within the ground directly behind himself. Patiently anticipating the other Hollow's movements. A straight forward charge. Foolish. A hunter must never let down his guard lest there be others in wait to pick off the unsuspecting. It'd been smart to lay this trap, but that would be were the creature's intelligence ended. To think it wouldn't anticipate multiples being lured, a fatal mistake in judgement.

The beast leapt, its maw gaping as it sought to lay down it's form upon Sae and consume her. The creature's action never saw a return to the solid confines of the ground beneath. That was until Nadežda leapt, felling a tree in his wake as his form rushed forward at half the speed of a bala. The two collided, and though it would be for but an instant, Nadežda's illusion would be visible, giving way to his true form as the two Adjuchas came together, colliding just over Sae's head. The force of Nadežda's charge sent the opposing Hollow reeling backwards in the same direction it'd attacked from. Nadežda's full form flew with the hollow, pinning it to the ground twenty feet from where they'd collided together.

The hollow had no longer than time to look up at Nadežda before its features filled with terror. Already was Nadežda's, maw agape as he aimed down at the Offending Adjuchas' head. Dark swirling energy formed at the space between the old Hollow's jaws, filling the helpless Adjuchas with the presence of Nadežda's killing intent. It struggled but the old Hollow held firm as he charged the Cero to full strength before releasing it, point blank, directly into the Hollow's face.

"Surprises are to be expected here." Nadežda moved his gaze from the now headless Hollow below him to Sae. If his features had allowed, the old Hollow would be frowning right now. The unconscious hollow and Sae both appeared to be joined. A case of lockjaw was it? This was concerning. Had the hollow not been unconscious, the human's life likely would have ended by now... With his now headless meal secured, Nadežda moved over to the girl. "You appear to require some assistance. Judging by what I see this creature appears to be in a frozen state of shock. Come, lay down, I shall wrest this beast from your arm." Nadežda instructed, grasping the Hollow's neck in his jaw to better aid Sae in her efforts to lay down. Once both were properly positioned on the ground, Nadežda moved to the Hollow's side. Placing his large paws on the joint of the Hollow's jaw, he slowly began applying pressure until the teeth embedded within the girl's flesh became loosened and released. Once Sae was clear of the beast's jaw, Nadežda released the pressure he applied, causing its jaw to return to a closed state. "Best to avoid risks when stalking prey. Wouldn't want it getting up in the middle of everything." The old hollow spoke his words of wisdom to Sae before repositioning himself over the Hollow. With one swift movement, the old hollow's jaws encompassed the unconscious one's neck, locking, clamping, and efficiently crushing the life out of the already injured Hollow.

"Since there are two, I presume this one to be yours." Nadežda stated, after removing his teeth from the neck of the now dead hollow. He wasn't sure if humans were capable of eating Hollows but if Sae could use it for sustenance then he'd be somewhat impressed. Humans were typically the victims of a hollow's hunt. There were rarely ever any instances where a human would be in the hunter's position. Nadežda glanced to Sae's injury. He was certain she'd most likely be required to tend her wounds if she didn't have some ability to circumvent the encounter's injuries. Moving over to the first hollow he'd killed, Nadežda chose to partake. If Sae watched him eat, the state of her own stomach and hunger would be upon her. Eating was necessary and rarely did it ever involve anything sightly to behold.

Nadežda's closing jaws halted at the girl's touch upon his forehead. New trickles of blood appeared where the old Hollow's teeth had already punctured the unconscious Hollow's flesh. "It is unwise to think such a beast would let you be should you spare it so." He commented. Though his voice echoed as it usually did, the words passed his jaw despite its stillness. His eyes shifted from the hollow to Sae upon her statement, then back towards the hollow as if questioning what she judged. "Fear is a normal feeling for those who's lives are about to end..." Nadežda's voice seemed to question the girl's decision yet despite the old hollow's disinterest to letting the hollow go on living, he slowly released his jaws from the other Hollow's neck. There was something strangely familiar about the way this girl called him back. Instructed him not to slay the prey which lay before him. "It's been some time since I lived in your world." Nadežda's jaws, now fully released, He proceeded to stand over the unconscious Hollow, laying much of his weight upon its form to prevent its movement should it chance to awake. "And yet in some ways I cannot help but feel as if you remind me of someone..."

"Should this beast chance to harm you, do forgive me if then I waste no hesitation in putting it down..." Nadežda spoke kindly. It was strange but Sae really did remind him of his former life's master... Unfortunately what remained of his master now, was nothing more than a rampaging beast dead set against everything she'd once cherished in life...

Once Nadežda finished his meal he returned to Sae and the Hollow, which had yet to regain its consciousness. "Regardless of your interests in safeguarding this beast, It remains unwise to stay within its vicinity. Even when I grew into my Adjuchas form I savored many decades before chancing myself to returning to the world of the living. Even then the desire to consume humans with strength had been strong. It would be better not to let this creature see you as the first meal available to it in its newly realized form."

"There is no need to worry about abusing emotions. As I have aged, so too have the memories which I carry. Those most precious to me have been carefully remembered. They, in essence, are what keep me as I am." Though it was delayed in lieu of his meal, Nadežda responded, rejoining Sae near the Hollow she looked over. "There is little need to take risks here." Nadežda noted, his eyes flashed and the waking hollow became paralyzed. Moving it's body now would be impossible for a short period as Nadežda's gaze pierced the Hollow. "Reason with it if you believe it to be the correct method. But understand that even reasonable Hollow still retain the capacity to be malicious." He spoke of course about the creature waking before them, though Nadežda hinted to himself as well. There had been such a long time wherein his own reasoning would never have been swayed. Few, if any Hollow, were like Nadežda. The past millennia living in Hueco Mundo had shown this fact to be true.

The old hollow sat, separated by mere feet of space, close enough to react should the hollow prove incapable of being reasoned with. Sae would be the first thing this beast would see. And out of its peripherals? Nadežda of course. He'd remain as the deterrent to any aggression the recovered Hollow may press forward with. But Sae had some time to make the beast see reason before the affects of Nadežda's ability wore off...

He observed, cautious as a hunter possessed of prey he couldn't be certain with. Nadežda and the hollow stared at one another. The old Hollow's hues swirled with a seemingly chaotic focus as if to tell the subjugated hollow that he wouldn't hesitate should it decide to try something hostile against Sae. It looked to the girl when she spoke, Nadežda held his eyes to the creature. Still as a predator ready to leap in at an instant's notice. Quiet and calm, focused on the Hollow, but listening and watching carefully for anything else within the forest which might pose a threat to them. Humans that eat Hollows. It was a strange concept, even to Nadežda. Yet Sae's words to the immobilized Hollow seemed to suggest as much. A generalization it seemed. It Indicated the whole of this world's existence. In truth everything was food. Even those stronger than Nadežda himself could become his sustenance if he so desired.

The hollow spoke, or attempted to speak but seemed to reconsider its words. Were it for Nadežda's own gaze, or perhaps the words of Sae. The old hollow couldn't tell, but it stood to reason this creature before them wasn't stupid. It seemed to at least know when to back down. Maybe it was only due to the differences in their strengths, but this hollow did seem to see a chance for survival, to continue living, and perchance it would take upon this offer.

Sae's proximity worried Nadežda. Even as fast as he could be, despite the hollow's currently paralyzed state... For her to get that close could still be considered dangerous. The old hollow stood. Preparing himself in case anything should happen. He didn't show weakness. Showed only that he would act should the opponent choose to lay down harm upon the girl. The flick from Sae to the hollow put Nadežda off. Perhaps he'd underestimated her strengths? No, if she'd been strong enough, the beast's fangs never would have pierced her flesh. A bluff perhaps? Yet Nadežda could feel no fear from the girl... What did this girl see within the hollow? Was it something he could not see perhaps?

The words Sae spoke were true. The freshly Adjuchas hadn't yet partaken of any meals since evolving, having been overtaken by a stronger Adjuchas nearly immediately and before it'd even had a chance. The beast standing behind this girl was no ordinary Adjuchas either from what it could tell. To paralyze him with but a glance... It was rather frightening, yet he could hold some respect for Nadežda's patience. To live in this situation meant leaving them alone. Was this an option even allotted to him at this point? He couldn't sense the Hollow that'd attacked him anymore save for the vague residue of its presence upon Nadežda. He'd eaten it already...!? Yet the large wolf-like Hollow yielded to this girl's voice. Why?

He moved...! Yes he moved! So the spell the old hollow cast upon him didn't last too long. Just long enough for him to consider the consequences of engagement... He could sense the tension building in the old hollow's presence. A threat to him should he act out aggressively. "..." Sae and Nadežda seemed to have understanding with each other. Though he was wary of Nadežda, his lack of aggression meant something... The girl's own behavior, strangely bold yet... understanding his own nature? Survival was key but most hollows preferred to be alone for fear of turning on one another in an effort to stave off regression. Staying together often meant an increased need to hunt...

They were going to leave him alone? "I... would it be alright for me to... accompany you... ?" He spoke the question. Strange as it might have seemed for a hollow such as him to say. He didn't want to be left alone, not now, not again. His whole reason for becoming a hollow had been due to abandonment, betrayed and shut out by people he'd trusted. Yet these two seemed to care, even giving him a chance to live on despite what he was. Maybe in time he could view these two as allies in this otherwise cutthroat world.

Nadežda paused and glanced back at the hollow. He hadn't expected anything good to come out of this creature, yet it was asking to join them? The old hollow looked to Sae. Her safety could only be at risk by accepting more Hollows to her side. But he, a Wolf, a beast that'd been denied his pack in life, had become accustomed to human interactions before becoming subjected to a life of solitude for over a thousand years... He wouldn't push for such a nature to be shoved upon Sae. This would be her decision. And he would respect it.