Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters - Give Me A Reason

Appearances

While SmokeScreen was gone, I’d managed to get closer to Optimus. Like, lying next to him close. It’d taken a while, I was still afraid of hurting him, but I’d been so slow in the movements he never gave any sign of distress. I’d spent most of the time just feeling the rise and fall of his chest, making sure he was still with us even though his optics were closed. SmokeScreen returned after quite some time, with a giant hammer or something in tow.

SmokeScreen: “Hey Blade, Optimus-!”

He was dragging the Forge of Solus Prime inside the underground cavern. I held up my hand to stop him in his tracks, then carefully stood up, not wanting to disturb Optimus, but he was already reopening his optics.

Blade: “Before you bring that thing in here, take me back to the surface.”

He gave me a questioning look but didn’t speak.

Blade: “I would love to stay here, I really would, but I’ve got others looking for me.”

I wasn’t lying. It killed me to leave Optimus.

SmokeScreen: “Will you be coming back?”

I looked back at Optimus and felt my spark twist in my chest knowing I might not see him alive again. But I couldn’t think about that. He promised he’d try.

Blade: “I’ll try my best, but I’ve got things to do with our other allies.”

SmokeScreen complied and took me back to the surface, into the canyons. We waved goodbye and then I was off to find Raven. It didn’t take much. Instinct led me straight to her, and now that the Decepticons had given up the chase, we made our way back to our comrades, keeping our vigilance in case of any excess engine noise.

We made it back to them by sunrise. JumpStart gave me a warm welcome in the form of a light embrace and a smile that made me feel guilty.

NightFang voiced his disapproval with a warning growl and JumpStart released me, stepping back, his hands in obvious view in a show of submission.

Jay: “Whoa, doggy, I’m not gonna hurt her.”

Fang’s growling slowly faded but his ears stayed pressed to his head, his fangs remained bared. Jay kept his distance for the next few hours, not wanting to aggravate NigtFang unnecessarily. Thankfully, we arrived at the hidden base before noon and the doors opened once we confirmed our identities.

Inside, we found a distraught Vapor sitting on the floor but she was still functioning, working alongside MoonShadow, and they were tending to . . . sparklings? Baby cybertronians?

Well, I didn’t have time to really interpret that last part, because all of a sudden, MoonShadow had transformed and it wasn’t the MoonShadow I (barely) knew in front of us anymore. It was a giant cyber-cat with wings, her teeth bared and her ears flat, ready to fight.

And the wolves were advancing on her, in obvious attack mode. They were ready to strike any moment. It was four on one. She didn’t have a chance. Yes, our comrades would help defend MoonShadow, but would it result in the destruction of someone’s spark?

I transformed to my wolf mode, and actually found that I wanted to join my pack in the hunt. Her scent was like acid on my nose . . . but I shook it off as quickly as it had come.

Instead of MoonShadow, I launched myself onto NightFang.

He never saw it coming. In a second, I had him pinned to the ground, his belly exposed in vulnerability. I snapped at his neck as he attempted to fight back. I was struggling to keep him pinned.

The other wolves stopped their advance on MoonShadow to watch us. They wouldn’t interfere, but this fight would be critical to them. They watched curiously.

Finally, I managed to wrap my jaws around his neck. I didn’t apply much pressure, but NightFang fell still. From the start of the wolves’ advance on Shadow to my jaws on his neck, it lasted only about ten seconds.

Blade: You attack no one but the Decepticons. If any of you attack our allies, you will be dealt with swiftly. I do not care if MoonShadow is your goddess of evil, she is my ally. She is our ally.

Fang: We understand, JewelFang.

Blade: No matter what any of you think or say, we have the odds against us right now and we can’t afford to be fighting each other.

I released my grip on his neck and backed away. Fang got up and looked at me like a traitor, his teeth nearly bared. I walked back to him and licked where I’d sunk my fangs into his throat. To my surprise, he didn’t bite me, pin me, or even snap his jaws at me. Instead he licked my forehead in a show of faith and gentleness.

Blade: We need everyone, Fang.

Fang: It’s alright.

MoonShadow and the other wolves sensed that the hunt was off. The wolves retreated behind where NightFang and I stood so that we were between MoonShadow and the pack. Shadow transformed back to her Cybertronian mode, but still watched us warily.

We spent the rest of the day trying to get everyone cooperating. We eased some of the initial tension and we’d managed to get Shadow and the pack to communicate. It helped a lot when they talked out their desires to kill each other . . . kind of . . . it depends on your definition of ‘helped’.

I had to be present for these mind conversations or things tended to get a bit . . . nasty. When I was sure MoonShadow and the pack wouldn’t kill each other, I decided to take a break from all of them and went for a run.

I ran for miles and miles in my Cybertronian mode, not to escape but just to run. It felt amazing to give my body a little pressure. By the time I stopped, it was a couple hours later, and I was the best kind of exhausted.

I spent nearly an hour just sitting, watching the moon and the stars and finding constellations I vaguely recalled. The night air was beautiful, fresh, crisp.

I hadn’t even noticed the footsteps behind me.

???: “Were we really that stressful?”

I turned to face the voice I knew all too well. NightFang. Only . . . he didn’t look like I thought he would. It was definitely his voice, but . . . he looked nothing like he did before. He wasn’t in the form I knew.

Blade: “Fang?”

Fang: “Does my appearance shock you?”

Blade: “N-no. Not at all.”

Okay, maybe it did a little. NightFang wasn’t a wolf anymore. He was . . . Cybertronian. Human-like. He was tall, with strong features on his body. Everything about NightFang bespoke of power. He was born a warrior, and seeing him now . . . there was no question in my mind that he could’ve killed me if he ever wanted to.

But he didn’t want to kill me. He didn’t even want to hurt me. Even when I challenged his power, he didn’t harm me.

He sat down next to me and I got a better look at his black and yellow paint job. His stunningly orange eyes.

Fang: “Are you well, Jewel?”

Blade: “I’m fine.”

I kept eye contact. Partly because I couldn’t look away (his eyes were just that hypnotizing) and because I knew how important it was to dominance and power.

Blade: “I just wanted to run. I ran track as-.”

I stopped. Fang didn’t know about my past. I still wasn’t sure about the wolves, so I intended to keep it that way.

Fang looked at me curiously. I tried to keep my expression blank.

Blade: “What about you? What are you doing out here?”

Fang: “I came looking for you.”