Avp 2004 2

Funan covered his eyes and prayed to all the ancestors of his people. He begged for mercy from a dozen tribal deities, great and small. And to Funan's eternal surprise, one of those gods answered his pleas. Shaking its head in pity, as if the fallen human was not worth the time or effort to kill, the Predator turned once again to face its real prey. The chattering black monster, its ragged neck wound still spewing poisonous green bile, put its back against a tree. Tail whipping, claws extended, the monster prepared for its final battle.

Legs braced, the Predator tossed its head and let loose with a savage howl that shook the jungle. Then it charged. Funan heard flesh rip and chitinous armor crack. Then came the wet sound of green phosphorescent blood and acidic poisonous venom as both splattered the clearing. Branches shook and trees quaked in the wake of the terrible life-and-death struggle. While the jungle smoked and burned around him, Funan watched in helpless fascination as two primeval creatures, whose
unearthly origins were beyond his comprehension,
fought savagely to the death.-Prologue pg.8-9