AVP Prey 25

Dachande heard the Hard Meat and spun around. He sprinted past the two ooman strangers toward the threat, staff forward. He was dimly aware that the small warrior was right behind. It shouted something at the other two. They came in a single-file stream, flowed from around a structure, ten, maybe twelve. Dachande leapt to greet them.

Two arrived first, angled in from the sides.
Dachande spun, swung completely around, cut them both through their midsections in one strike. He didn't watch them hit the ground; there was no need they were dead and all he need do was avoid the throes. He extended his ki'cti-pa and slashed through the throat of the next drone nearest, to his right. The drone's death cry was garbled through its own thwei. A split second later, he jabbed the staff point through the jaws of another, twisted the sharp blade and dug a hole through the top of the skull. The weapon's metal was proof against the Hard Meat's thwei, but there was no time to hesitate and enjoy the kill-when you fought the ten thousand, you did so one at a time, but you also had to do so quickly.

He thrust the spear's butt back, hard, and knocked one behind him down, then turned and slashed its gut. Digest this, foolish creature! The ki'cti-pa blurred again, jammed backhand into yet another Hard Meat chest. The drone howled, fell, did not die but did not rise again. Acid pumped into the dark air, pooled, smoking. Dachande jumped forward, stabbed the throat of yet another, and then spun to meet the next. Death fell all around his feet as he and the Hard Meat danced.

Noguchi heard what sounded like a bird and turned; Broken Tusk was faster-he ran past the two pilots toward the main storage shed. He was eager and if he had any fear of the dark monsters, it was not apparent.-pg.194-195 chpt.25

Noguchi glanced at both of the pilots, who stood with looks of awe and terror on their faces. She spun back around and felt her heart sink. It was Broken Tusk, surrounded by flames. He carried Miriam Revna in his arms. Dachande hit the ground, hard, but shouldered the impact well. It helped that he had the time to jump before the ooman flyer had crashed. He stood and winced at the tight feeling in his chest; he had probably rebroken what had started mending.-pg.188 chpt.24