Predaking grunted and released his hold on Optimus to avoid more punches to the face from the Autobot. Once he regained his bearings, he once again attacked the Prime.
Smokescreen tried to draw his attention by firing at the dragon, his attempts had little effect as the beast far too focused on Optimus. He watched as Bulkhead all but body slammed the beast then use his wrecking ball/fist to bash the dragon in the face.
The second strike hit home as it hit Predaking right in the eye and nearly crushed the protective covering. He roared in pain and retreated a few paces back, swinging his head back and forth to clear his vision.
Seeing an opportunity, Wheeljack recovered one of his swords and charged. If he was as lucky as Bulkhead, he just might be able slip between the plates of the armored hide and pierce Predaking's spark and finish him.
Nightstalker practically exploded out of the water and charged towards the Autobots with deafening roar. She didn't even give them a chance to fight back! She slammed into Wheeljack, bashed Bulkhead into Smokescreen with her tail to stand in front of Predaking, protecting him from the Autobot leader.
Optimus narrowed his eyes before activating his Com-link. "Ratchet, we need a bridge."
-Right away, Optimus.- Ratchet replied.
Within seconds of Optimus' request, a ground bridge portal opened up a few yards where Optimus was standing. "Autobots, fall back. This is a battle we cannot win."
Shifting back into his bipedal form, Predaking snarled clearly ready for another go, despite his injuries. "And what makes you think I will simply allow you to leave here alive and in one piece?"
"Because there is a time and a place for everything. Now is not that time." Prime replied voice as calm as ever.
"You murdered my kin!" Predaking snarled.
Optimus remained silent, knowing that no matter what he said the dragon mech wouldn't listen or believe him. He turned his gaze towards the second Predacon for a moment and looked Predaking right in the eye and stated. "And yet, by the mercy of Primus... One of your own has been returned to you."
Unable to help himself, Predaking looked at the Predacon standing in front of him. Protecting him.
Smokescreen used this moment get Wheeljack through the portal with Bulkhead's help. He cast a nervous glance at Optimus, sure he was a Prime but he wouldn't stand a chance against two Predacons alone.
"I know there is nothing I can say that will the pain that we caused you, but I am sorry for what happened." Optimus took a risk by turning his back on the Predacons as he stepped into the vortex. It vanished shortly after he stepped into it.
When the portal closed, Nightstalker headed back towards the cave to finish what was left of her meal.
"Wait," Predaking said, taking a step towards her. "Tell me, how did you survive the explosion? I... I thought everyone had been killed."
She stepped and turned around to meet his gaze and growled softly. It wasn't that she couldn't understand him, it was simply the fact that she couldn't transform. Yet.
"I'm glad to see that someone survived," Predacon continued. "When I saw the explosion... I feared the worst."
If you only knew. Nightstalker thought as she lowered her gaze.
-Predaking, what is the situation?- Megatron's familiar growl filled his internal Com-link.
"The Autobots escaped, but they did not get the energon," Predaking replied, watching as the female dragged out a carcass from the cave and started eating it. "And I've found another Predacon, my lord. One managed to survive the explosion, a female!"
As silence filled the line, he gazed at the female taking in her sharp curved claws, long tail, elegant sail, and powerful jaws. He could only imagine what she would look like once she managed to transform.
A third portal opened as Nightstalker headed for the water to drink. Her eyes narrowed, were those murders returning? However, judging by the dragon's calm demeanor this vortex belonged to someone else. She took that as a good sign as she lowered her muzzle to drink, ignoring those who emerged from the portal.
"My! She's certainly a big one," Knockout exclaimed upon seeing the female by the water's edge. "You had her with you and the Autobots still escaped?"
Predaking growled at the petite Decepticon medic, he didn't like the shorter mech was implying. "Only because they were cowards who fled when the opportunity presented itself."
The female Predacon growled softly as the Miners walked past her to enter the cave. She stopped when Shockwave walked towards her; she followed him with her eyes as he circled her.
"Interesting." He mused aloud.
"What's so interesting, Shockwave?" Knockout asked, waving a bug out of his face. "Despite being a female, she's just another Predacon clone. You were growing them by the dozen before your lab exploded."
"She is NOT just a clone." Predaking bristled.
"Calm down, Predaking," Shockwave coolly stated. "What I find so interesting is that she doesn't see me as he does. Furthermore, as she didn't imprint on me I am unable to control her as I can with Predaking."
Control me? Predaking inwardly mused.
Nightstalker inwardly smirked, pleased with the notion that this one eyed mech wouldn't be able to control her.
"And because of the lack of imprinting, she is feral. I doubt even Lord Megatron can control her." Shockwave droned on.
"But what use is a Predacon we can't control?" Complained Knockout. "She'd kill us without thinking twice about it."
You're damn right I would. Nightstalker wondering if she should start with the red and silver male.
Predaking ignored the medic's whining as he looked over at her not even aware he had the smallest smile on his face. She wasn't feral, if anything she was... Free...
"... It's only logical that the only one that could control her would be another Predacon. In this case, Predaking." Shockwave finished.
"It does seem like he would be able to contain her, doesn't it?" Knockout mused. "After all, it doesn't look like she attacked him when he first showed up."
Nightstalker snorted indifferently then looked skyward when the Nemesis arrived. She tilted her head at the sheer size of it; she had never seen anything so impressively massive. A startled growl escaped her as two heavy thuds sounded behind her.
Predaking glanced over and spotted Megatron and Starscream coming towards them. The lithe seeker looked terrifed at the new Predacon while the warlord looked as though he found a new toy.
Starscream kept his distance as Megatron approached the female, expecting her to lower her head to him as Predaking had during their first introduction. However, she simply stared impassively at him as though unimpressed.
"Lord Megatron." Predaking greeted with I bow of his head.
"Knockout, have you inspected the Predacon yet?" Megatron asked before returning his attention to Nightstalker.
"I was just about too when you arrived, my lord." Knockout replied as he walked over to join them.
"Just by looking at her, I can see that she is different from Predaking." The warlord mused.
"Well, she's certainly no flyer." Starscream remarked.
'Are they going to continue talking about us as though we're not here?' Predaking thought becoming a little annoyed.
Nightstalket growled softly, feeling a little trapped as Knockout approached, she contemplated heading back into the water but figured she could easily take them out if she needed to escape.
"That is not what I meant, Starscream." Megatron almost growled, making room so Knockout could scan the female.
"Lord Megatron," Shockwave said as Knockout scanned Nightstalker. "I must inform you that I cannot control the female."
"What?!" Starscreamed yelped. "What do you mean you can't control her? I thought you programmed those things to obey."
Predaking bristled and growled in anger, wanting to rip Starscream in half for that!
Nightstalker found the sky flier's voice annoying and was sorely tempted to eat him; instead she headed into the water to look for fish.
"Logically, yes, but due to the Autobot's attack on my lab, she was unable to imprint on me upon leaving the incubation tube." Shockwave replied.
"So she's feral?" Megatron asked, glancing at the female who was scanning the water.
"Yes."
"Well, according to my scans, the female is healthy but her energon reserves are starting to run low," Knockout commented as he read the results of the scan. "My guess she has been eating local wild life to sustain herself. The way an organic would."
As Knockout said this the female's snout shot into the water and came away with a rather large fish hanging out of one side of her jaws.
Shockwave watched for a moment before stating. "She must imprinted on a predatory species, that is the only logical answer."
"That would explain why is she feral, but it doesn't explain our current situation." Megatron countered as the Predacon swallowed the fish whole.
Before Shockwave could answer, a Vehicon miner exited the cave. "The vein has been located; the ore is quite rich with energy. We... Also found a large pile of what I believe called bones in one of the chambers."
"Well, that explains how our scanners picked the signature; the Predacon must have been using the cave for shel-"
Nightstalker's calm uninterested demeanor instantly changed at the mention of her Bone Chamber, she roared in anger before charging towards the cave.
The miner shrieked in fear at the sight of the large dinosaur barreling towards him.
Reacting almost instantly, Predaking shifted into his beast form and leaped into air and landed directly in the female's path. He knew she wouldn't slow down so he braced himself for impact.
The result was the two of them crashing into each other, kicking up dust as they snarled and growled at each other while fighting for dominance. Predaking had no intention of hurting her, the same apparently couldn't be said for the female. She was clearly out for blood; clawing at him and trying to tear him apart as her animal side went into overdrive.
The dragon snarled as he avoided her teeth and claws, he managed to slip past her attacks and unbalance her by slamming his head into her side and pinning her down with his tail wrapping around her legs.
Despite being immobilized, the female Predacon continued to struggle and fight; her long narrow snout trying to get at his throat in order to rip it out.
Predaking avoiding her jaws clamping around his throat by arching his long neck back. Growling more in annoyance then anger, he used one of his wings and thumped her upside the head in hopes knocking some sense into her. He knew if he didn't put an end to this fight, she would eventually overpower him. The blow seemed to work as her struggles ceased, her eyes cleared, and she relaxed though a bit winded from their bout.
~I trust you are calm now?~ Predaking asked.
He was panting just as hard she was, though he made no move to let her up just yet. Not until he was sure, she had truly stopped fighting him. He glanced over at those watching, he doubted they could understand what he was saying while in this form. If anything all the Decepticons probably heard were just various degrees of growling.
~For now anyway, not that I have much choice in the matter.~ She replied with a small huff, looking at him with one neon green eye.
~Good. Now, why did you go off like that?~ He asked, tilting his head. ~The Vehicon wasn't doing anything.~
Nightstalker growled softly. ~It's my Bone Chamber, that's why.~
~Your... Chamber?~
~Yes, my chamber. That entire cave system in mine.~
She must mean that the cave is her quarters, Predaking inwardly mused. Just like the rooms Lord Megatron gave me.
~Will you get off me already?~ Nightstalker asked in an annoyed tone.
Predaking gave her a long searching look before getting off and giving her room to stand.
Once on her feet, Nightstalker shook herself to rid herself of dirt, she noticed that four of the Decepticons had the same shocked look on their faces.
"Well! That was certainly exciting." Knockout remarked.
"It certainly proved that the female is feral, this could be a problem." Starscream remarked, crossing his lanky arms.
"Maybe not," Megatron interjected, clearly seeing an opportunity. "Predaking was able to overpower her, I'm more then certain he would be able to keep her in check."
And insure her loyalty. He added to himself.
"Or... She could end up killing him then us," Starscream pointed out pessimistically. "She's about a head or two taller than he is and could easily be stronger."
"As long as she turns that strength and aggression on the Autobots." Megatron coolly countered.
Nightstalker turned her gaze on Starscream and growled, if and when she decided to attack, the flier would be her first target.
Predaking had to hold back a chuckle as the female's rumbling growl made Starscream yelp in fear. Seeing the arrogant seeker shake like that was always amusing.
~You can tell that master of yours that I am not interested in being his pet.~ Nightstalker stated, turning her attention to the dragon.
~I don't expect you to be anyone's pet.~ Predaking countered.
~Good, now you and the others can leave me be once your finished mining my cave.~ She curtly stated, turning to walk away.
~Actually... I would like for you to come with us... With me,~ Predaking put in before she could get too far. ~You and I are the last; nothing is expected of you but... I would enjoy your company.~
Nightstalker gave the dragon a long hard stare, what he said was true they were the last and part of her wanted to go with him, but she also didn't want to give up her freedom...
