Chapter One: The Siblings

Nightwalker ran through the forest, panting softly. He laughed as he knew he was being followed by his siblings.

"Nightwalker, wait up!" Moonbeam called after him, trying to catch up.

"You can't catch me Moonbeam! I'm the fastest mech alive!" The seventeen year old mech cheered but yelped as ShadowSeeker charged at him and tackled him. The two tumbled across the grass.

WhiteRain cracked up laughing, clutching her fuel tank, "seems ShadowSeeker begs to differ!"

Nightwalker grumbled softly and pushed himself up to his servos and knees while ShadowSeeker got to his pedes.

"Do you think we'll ever find those blue crystals? I'm kinda hungry right now," Comet said, and on cue, his fuel tank grumbled. Firestorm chuckled and gently rubbed his younger brother's helm. Primrose giggled as ShadowSeeker looked around.

"We might. Let's get to the mine," Firestorm said before the eight of them started to run again. They ran for a few moments before they transformed into their beast forms.

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Megatron stood in the control bridge, his servos clasped behind his back as he stared at the large screen.

Starscream and Soundwave walked into the control bridge.

"Lord Megatron," Starscream said almost nervous, "Soundwave detected eight energy signatures heading east."

The silver and purple mech turned his helm towards them, "the same ones from before?" Soundwave gave a silent nod.

The gladiator nodded his helm before he turned to them both, "I will see this for myself. Soundwave, you're in charge of things here until I return."

Soundwave gave another silent nod and Starscream frowned at the TIC as Megatron left the control bridge. Predaking lifted his helm as he heard heavy pedesteps. He stood up but Megatron raised his servo to stop him.

"I will handle this alone Predaking," he said before he transformed into his aerial form and flew into the air.

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Nightwalker dug at the ground excitedly while WhiteRain was trying to dodge the dirt to keep from getting dirty. ShadowSeeker, Moonbeam and Echo watched with amusement. Firestorm chuckled softly and shook his helm.

Primrose smiled with amusement before she looked at the energon crystals in front of her. In her optics, they glowed and sparkled. She, ShadowSeeker, Moonbeam and Comet always had that special gift: seeing auroras-whether it be energon or a Cybertronian's life force.

Firestorm walked up beside his sister, "you doing alright?" She looked up at him, smiled and nodded her helm.

"No helmaches today," Primrose said with a smile. Nightwalker flicked his ears back and he swiveled his helm towards the entrance and frowned.

"Guys, we have company," he huffed. WhiteRain, Echo, Comet and ShadowSeeker looked outside.

Firestorm narrowed his optics and he looked to Nightwalker, "grab what we can and let's go."

WhiteRain and Nightwalker quickly grabbed the energon shards. Primrose's optics turned golden and a ground bridge opened. The ten Maximals quickly rushed through and the bridge closed up.

Megatron landed and transformed into his bipedal form. He walked into the energon mine. He looked around in suspicion and hummed, narrowing his optics. He glanced at the ground where claw marks were littered.

He knelt down and growled in suspicion. Something was here, and he was going to find out what it was.

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At an army base far from any towns or prying eyes inside the Autobot's temporary headquarters things could of been mistaken for peaceful were it not for the tension in the air. It was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

Jack was sitting with Miko and Raf barely listing as the two argued over the game they were playing. Every few minutes the oldest would look over to where the Autobot's were gathered. It had only been a day since the mine incident and Ultra Magnus was recovering from his fight with Predaking. But it was so quiet. Wheeljack had barely said anything, it was almost unnatural without Ratchet's grumbling as he worked. Arcee was staring off into space while Bulkhead stare at his peds, even Miko couldn't make him talk. Smokescreen, Cliffjumper, Jazz, Prowl and Bumblebee hadn't moved much.

It had been shocking for the Autobots to discover that Predaking could transform, Ratchet had explained that Predacons had went extinct a long time ago so they didn't know the ancient beastformers could transform. It must of been shocking to the Autobots.

As he was thinking about this Jack then realized someone was missing.

Outside Optimus was gazing into the sky deep in thought. It was always saddening when lives were lost, it didn't matter if they were Autobot, Decepticon, Neutral and since being on Earth human.

"Optimus?" The Prime turned to see Jack standing a few feet from him.

"Jackson?"

"A-Are you okay?"

The powerful being kneeled down on one knee and reached a hand towards the boy. Without hesitating Jack climbed up and Optimus stood, being careful not to shake his passenger. "I am well Jackson."

"You don't sound it."

Optimus gave him a small smile, "Lives lost should always be mourned. . . and I grieve for what Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus must be going through." At Jack's questing look he continued, "It's sad enough that they thought they were forced to destroy tortured beast Shockwave created but to learn they were sentient beings. . . little more then sparklings, it adds to the wound."

Jack lowered his gaze, "Yeah."

"And I find something about this very strange."

Jack looked back up. "What?"

"The energon, there was none in the mines and yet I don't think they were delivering it to the lab."

"You think the Decepticons did this on purpose?" Jack asked.

"Indeed," was the grave reply.

"Optimus? Jack?" Both turned to see Ratchet walking towards them. "What are you doing out here?"

"Reminiscing," Optimus answered softly. He placed Jack back on the ground and motion for him to join the others inside. After he left Optimus turned to his medic, "Is something the matter?"

"No just. . . I was wondering what you were doing out here."

Optimus turned away and looked into the sky again, "Something trouble's me."

"After what's happened I can't blame you," Ratchet replied.

"No, the Matrix pluses old friend," Optimus placed a servo over his spark chamber, "In a way I haven't felt for a long time. I just. . . sense that there is something else coming. But for good or evil I can't be certain."

XxxTFPxxX

"Who was that anyway?" Comet asked Firestorm.

WhiteRain let out a scoff, "no one good as far as I'm concerned." Echo rolled her optics as she transformed into her Maximal raven form and settled down in her nest.

Comet smiled as he transformed into his Maximal cat form and laid down beside Moonbeam and ShadowSeeker. Nightwalker set the energon down in the corner. Primrose kneaded into her nest and laid down.

"You're not an Earthly feline," Nightwalker snapped, giving his sister a glare, "stop that, why don't you!" This earned himself a dark glare from the sixteen year old femme and he quickly shrunk back with a squeak.

Firestorm chuckled and shook his helm, "get some recharge, you guys. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." Primrose nodded her helm and yawned as she lowered her helm onto her paws. Firestorm smiled before he pushed the rock into the cave entrance, and thankfully for Comet and Primrose, the energon was the only nightlight in their home.

Primrose smiled softly and slowly fell into a dreamlike recharge.