"Predators and Prey" is the fifth story arc that spreads from the twenty-first to the twenty-fifth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a continuation of the television series of the same name. The arc is written by Jane Espenson, Steven S. DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenberg, Jim Krueger, Doug Petrie.
Plot
Harmonic Divergence (Issue #21) In California, paparazzi witness Harmony Kendall drinking blood from a celebrity's neck outside a hot spot nightclub. Tabloids publish the photo of the biting, causing a world-wide stir of interest in vampires. Harmony uses this recent popular culture to land her own reality TV show with MTV. Soledad, a gang member, receives Slayer powers just in time to rescue herself from her old gang. She then turns down Andrew Wells and his offer to join the other Slayers, not wanting to join another gang.
Despite this, she tracks down Harmony and attempts to slay her during a taping of the reality show 'Harmony Bites'. Soledad loses and is killed, which just increases the popularity of the show and the negative public image the Slayers now have.
Swell (Issue #22)
Satsu and Kennedy investigate the results of a four armed demon's theft. It had been trying to steal the prototype of a 'Vampy Cat Play Friend' toy, which was produced by the Santorio Corporation. The two also argue for the real reason Buffy sent Kennedy to Satsu.
The doll turns out to be a living entity and turns Satsu into a caricature of a geisha, who mocks Kennedy's sexuality. Confused, the two manage to slay the creature.
Investigating the company building, they find the staff dead and sucked dry of all bodily fluids. A shipment of Vampy Cat dolls is headed for Scotland, the Slayer's main HQ. The shipment is boarded and destroyed, with the assistance of a sub now under Slayer control. The creatures praise Twilight, a recurring villain, before their destruction.
Harmony Kendall uses the incident to decry the 'backlash' against vampires.
Predators and Prey (Issue #23) At the Scotland Slayer base, Andrew informs Buffy, Xander, and Willow that he has found Nisha, the lieutenant of the rogue Slayers led by Simone Doffler, outside of Milan. Nisha has been snared in a Ragna Spider's demon nest, so Buffy immediately arranges that she and Andrew head off to confront Nisha. However, when she is confronted, Nisha reveals that Andrew is responsible for breeding the extinct Ragna Spider demon back into existence, though with exceptional genetic modifications. As Andrew frees Nisha, he tries to defend his actions; as he and Buffy argue, Simone arrives by teleportation. Buffy is unsuccessful with convincing Simone to return with her and Simone teleports herself, Nisha, and the Ragna Spider away to an undisclosed location.
As Buffy and Andrew track Simone via the radioactive isotopes Andrew equipped in the Ragna Spider, Buffy acknowledges that Andrew has come a long way and matured, but should have handled the situation differently, even if he feels responsible for Simone's rebellion. They locate Simone in an opera house on a coastal island, where Simone traps them and reveals she wants Andrew for the Ragna Spider; she wants revenge on him because he was her Watcher. However, Buffy engages and bests Simone in a fencing duel instead, which Simone responds to by pulling out a gun. Buffy surrenders, telling Simone that she can keep the Ranga Spider and that Buffy will leave her alone so long as Simone lets Buffy walk away with Andrew. However, before Simone can shoot, the Italy Squad arrives to rescue them. Buffy takes Simone's gun and shoots the Ragna Spider's cage, setting the demon loose on rogue Slayers while the Italy Squad evacuates. Back at their base of operations, Buffy tells Andrew that he should feel proud of what he has accomplished and how he was willing to lay down his life for the innocent and greater good. Andrew apologizes to Buffy for lying, and Buffy tells him to get used to screwing up for good reasons, he’s part of the family.
Safe (Issue #24) Faith and Giles rescue an untrained Slayer named Courtney who had run away from her squad. Courtney informs them she was heading for a so-called Slayer Sanctuary in Hanselstadt, a safe zone for Slayers who do not wish to be chosen.