Agh! four cartoon deadlines for two days from now... Must draw stuff! No wait, must update story first...

If she had been on her own, she'd have been dead.

Though Joanne threw all her strength at thing holding her mind, she could not beat it, not even when the lives of those around her where at stake. On her own she would have been helpless against the onslaught, would have been unable to defend herself, yet now her morbid theory of how there was safety in numbers was proving all too true. Though the pain and terror that exploded from the people surrounding her was near unbearable, it was also the thing that snapped the power's control…

Looking up from the ground Joanne watched as Mark's stomach ruptured with blood. Panic, shock and pain blasted from his mind, Kelly backing away projecting similar emotions. Their proximity to Joanne, and the intensity of their thoughts and feelings was enough for Joanne to latch onto and pull herself back into the present. She could hear again, and see in real time. She was free. Then the screams hit her, and she almost wished she had remained in that numb state until everything was over.

As the attack began the creature wrested its mind from the Queen's grasp. Hissing quietly she focused on her children, now injuring and capturing the prey.

Waves of other people's thoughts bombarded Joanne as she jumped to her feet, backing against the nearest wall. Black spindly creatures were swarming around the terrified group of people, cutting them down quickly and dragging them away. She heard shouting and looked over; Will was standing between some of the monsters and the injured members of their party, firing at their attackers. As good a shot as he was, the things where just too quick and with every darting movement they got closer. He shouted something at those behind him as one of them landed in front of him, easily batting the gun out of his hands. He started to put his hands up, probably out of reflex than thinking it would do any good, and the thing leapt onto his chest, pinning him down. Watching despite herself Joanne was surprised; the creature seemed in no hurry to kill its prey. She could feel Will's fear and the beast's delight at its catch, then watched horrified as others came forward any began chewing at Will's legs, quickly making it impossible for him to walk. He screamed as he felt their jaws, and his thoughts filled Joanne's head. Unable to look away somehow, she watched as a pale creature dropped from above onto Will's face. She gasped as she felt what Will was experiencing; choking pressure, gagging as something slimly yet strong pushed its way down his throat, and finally she looked away from the spectacle.

Yet everywhere her eyes rested similar scenes greeted her eyes. All the large black creatures where now holding victims down as pale ones alighted onto faces. The original group had now been split into two, one on either side of the chamber. Joanne recognised Michelle, half supporting half dragging her son towards the door on her side. The crab like things where leaping at the still standing humans now, not waiting for the black ones to help them. Most found their mark with disturbing accuracy. Joanne clutched her head against the mental bombardment but she couldn't shut anything out. The terrified and injured people where bad enough to cope with but the powerful presence that had seized her at the beginning was also here, exulting in the carnage. Looking around she saw that there was only one person left on her side and she grabbed them, pulling them sharply backwards causing a pouncing crab beast to smack into the wall with a crunch. Joanne spun them around to face her, it was Kelly!

Shaking, almost petrified and covered in blood she may have been, but it was still the girl she'd befriended not 20 minutes ago underneath it all.

"Kelly? Kelly! KELLY!" Joanne shouted, finally getting her attention. She was shaking violently now, shock taking its toll on her,

"MM, M, Mark…."

Joanne felt the disbelief and grief that was threatening to overwhelm her and knew she had to act quickly. If Kelly went completely into shock then she wouldn't even be able to move let alone run from this slaughter pit. Joanne looked around for an exit, but there weren't any! The large door behind them was closed, and the only way to any other doors was through the seething mass of monsters and their prey. She had to get this thing open!

She remembered Michelle, and the card key she carried. Somehow she did a rough search for the woman and found her, still alive and guarding her son at the opposite end of the room. Joanne shoved the idea of the card key roughly into her mind, there was no time for subtly, and Michelle immediately responded, swiping the card over a glowing panel. The doors opened, and Joanne grabbed Kelly, pulling her towards the exit before the black things noticed them. She felt Michelle and a handful of others run in the other direction, still carrying Michelle's son with them. Joanne wished them luck quickly before concentrating on her own situation. At Joanne's insistence, Kelly started to run down the corridor beyond the door, not even thinking about what might lay ahead.

Suddenly one of the black creatures dropped straight down in front of them, hissing angrily. Joanne started to back away from it, with Kelly behind her. It followed them step for step, pushing them back into the chamber. Joanne tried to use her mind to influence it but she was too tired, and to her surprise it had a connection to that presence she'd experienced, a strong one.
It gave a muted shrieking noise, and bared its drool covered fangs. Joanne watched as suddenly they parted and a smaller, but still lethal set sprang from its mouth, snapping at them. They where getting dangerously close to the chamber now, in fact they where almost back in it…

Suddenly the creature screamed. In one sudden movement its chest had exploded, and it spasmed in agony, splattering its surroundings with blood. Joanne and Kelly where out of range, a good thing as where ever the blood fell the metal floor smoked and hissed. This was not what caught Joanne's attention however. As the creature finished dying messily an angry roar came from behind it as blood fountained from the body.

It was Joanne's turn to freeze, she knew that roar…
Air that seemed somehow disturbed, a quiet crackling sound, and then ripples of colour pulsing over a figure standing straight head…
There it was, a Predator, decloaking right in front of them.

Now the girls could see a half dissolved spear emerging from the black things back, and Joanne couldn't help but stare as the Predator, still roaring, ripped off its face mask. Throwing it away, it then did the same for various other pieces of burning armour that covered its huge body.
Turning back towards them, it roared loudly once more, mandibles flaring full stretch. Joanne didn't need to be a mind reader to know it was extremely pissed off, and now it had its sights on them.

Rea'gul was furious with himself.

After many fruitless hours searching he had finally found a group of xenomorphs, and he had been so careless in his first kill that large portions of his armour had been destroyed. He'd even lost his hunting mask! Roaring in disbelief he cast away the now useless bits of metal. How could he make such a stupid mistake? Only the most inexperienced young bloods stood too close to their hard meat kills and yet in the heat of the moment, relived finally he had found one, and thinking how the trophy it would provide would help him gain back his honour, he had neglected to remember one of the cardinal rules of hunting these creatures.

He roared at the two humans that stood before him, transfixed. Clenching his fist, his wrist blades slid into place as he approached them, and seeing the number of xenomorphs in the next chamber decided to finish these two quickly before tackling the more worthy prey. In the dark tunnel he could not see if they where female or not, let alone if they where armed. He stopped to try and see. If he was ever to regain his status in the clans then the laws of the hunt must be observed. A shriek came from behind them, and one of the humans whirled around and started whimpering, pulling at their companion.

Rea'gul could see why, a large praetorian was approaching from the chamber, flanked by two drones. Must have been attracted by the death of its hive mate Rea'gul thought. The two humans had moved back against the wall, as if clearing the way for the two species to fight, and finally the frozen human started moving, running in Rea'gul's direction, past him then down the corridor with the second one close behind.

The hard meat screamed again, the drones hissing angrily behind their leader and snarling Rea'gul settled into a fighting stance. He'd get those cowardly oomans later, but first…

The praetorian leaped toward the waiting Predator, challenging roars and shrieks charging the air.