Night of the Hunter

Chapter 2

"The scanners haven't picked up any pods or ships in the past lunar cycle," Rhinox stated as he examined the computer's logs. He turned back to Tigatron with a frustrated sigh. "Are you sure of what you saw? I just don't understand how it could be possible. A bot would fry within half an hour without a beast mode out there."

Tigatron stiffened at the implication. He could see the other Maximals shift and glance at each other from the corner of his optics, wondering silently to themselves if the bot had even been real to begin with. Except for Airazor; her gaze never wavered from his own. "I'm positive," he insisted. "The mech shot at me. I did not imagine that. Believe me, the danger was real."

Optimus held out a servo in an attempt to mollify him "Stand down, Tigatron, we believe you."

Rattrap snorted and rolled his optics. "Oh, well, in that case, let me just slip right outside for a few hours without going into beast mode. I'm sure I'll be just fine. After all, this mystery mech can handle it no problem."

A low, grumbling chuckle escaped from Dinobot's mouth at that. It surprised Tigatron; Dinobot hardly ever reacted to Rattrap's quips with anything other than violence and sarcasm. But then, Tigatron was not usually the target of Rattrap's jokes. Dinobot and he held a grudging respect for one another, based solely on the fact that they recognized each other's usefulness in winning this war, but just because they respected each other's skills did not mean they liked each other personally. Especially after what had happened with Snowstalker. Dinobot was too often exasperated by his so-called "sentimentality", while Tigatron was disgusted by the former Predacon's disregard for this planet and its creatures. To him, the death of an innocent was simply another casualty, unimportant and forgotten. For that, Tigatron could never truly call the other bot a friend.

Optimus, however, was less than amused and shot the pair of them a stern glare. "Regardless of what anyone here may think, it is important that we remain on top of any new information. If there is a new Predacon then that means Megatron has added another soldier to his ranks, one that possesses some sort of shield to protect him from energon overloads. And if that is the case then we are in very, very big trouble, something which I don't find particularly amusing." He turned his optics on to each and every one of them. "Well? How about the rest of you? Any more funny comments you would like to add? Rattrap?"

"Eh, no thanks. I'm good," he muttered.

Optimus nodded his head and placed his servos on his hip joints. "Good. We're going to split into two teams and do a sweep, try to find out any information we can on this new Predacon. Rhinox will stay here and guard the base. Rattrap, Cheetor, and I will start in Sector 20. Tigatron, I want you to take Airazor and Dinobot back to where you first saw this mech. Do a sweep of the entire jungle, then begin to head towards our position and we'll meet in the middle."

Dinobot refrained from saying anything out loud but it was clear to everyone that he thought this was a waste of time. He shoved past Tigatron, swinging out his powerful, whipcord tail behind him like it was his sword. Airazor rolled her optics at the mech before shooting Tigatron a wry smile in exasperated companionship as she followed him out. Tigatron found himself unable to share in her amusement; he scowled at Dinobot's back but managed to keep his mouth shut, despite such blatant disrespect. The velociraptor would only see it as a challenge and start a fight; Tigatron would not engage in such a needless battle. He refused to find any glory in such violence. Still there was a part of his brain – processor – that coldly, mechanically took note of Dinobot's weaknesses. It catalogued them, filing them away for a future conflict that Tigatron never wanted to find himself in.

With a soft sigh Tigatron trailed after the two. He didn't know whether he wanted to be proven right after being doubted by the Maximals, or wrong and safe in the knowledge that Megatron did not have access to any new soldiers or technology. Either way it would be bad for him; if he's right then the Maximals were at a clear disadvantage, but if he was wrong then that meant there was something wrong with him.

Tigatron could almost see the rage beginning to bubble up underneath the organic skin of Dinobot's beast mode. They had been searching for cycles for any sign of this new, mysterious Predacon, but so far they had found nothing. Tigatron stole a glance up at the sky, where he could see small glimpses of Airazor's soft brown feathers through the trees, hoping she would swoop down low for a moment and join them or call to him over the link. He would much rather have her company than Dinobot's.

"Dinobot, report."

Tigatron came to a stop as Optimus's voice filtered through the link. "There is nothing here!" Dinobot hissed out. "There is no evidence that this supposed assailant had ever existed. He is not living alone in the wilds and he has not joined forces with Megatron. If he had then Megatron would have surely pressed his advantage already and attacked!" Dinobot shifted those reptilian eyes to stare at him, shooting him a devious grin. "I suggest Tigatron be subjected to a full-body scan," he said. "There is clearly something broken inside his processor."

Tigatron growled, baring his teeth at the velociraptor who hissed right back at him. He could hear the wind running through fine feathers and the screeching of gears grinding together as Airazor shifted into robot mode beside him. He ignored her, his attention focused solely on the former Predacon in front of him. He wanted to be peaceful, he wanted to live up to the memory of Snowstalker, but he refused to take this disrespect any longer.

"Any comments about Tigatron's capabilities will not be tolerated, is that understood Dinobot?" With the sound of Optimus's voice Dinobot immediately pulled back, his features arranging themselves into something more Cybertronian than animal.

"Yes," he growled out, unhappy but obedient to the chain of command.

"Good. I want you all back at the base. That includes Tigatron and Airazor, as well. Optimus out."

Dinobot turned around and began the long trek back to the base, not bothering to spare a glance behind him for his two comrades. With a sigh, Tigatron transformed and stood next to the femme, waiting for her to speak. He could see that there was something on her mind. She looked up at him and gave him a sad sort of smile that Tigatron assumed was meant to be comforting. As if anything could make him feel better after having just realized he hallucinated a battle and hadn't even realize it. "Dinobot shouldn't have mocked you like that," Airazor insisted. "But if he's right… if something is wrong… it's nothing to be ashamed of, okay? It's not something you could have helped. No one blames you if you get injured in battle and they won't blame you for something like this."

She reached out with a servo to cup his cheek, but Tigatron pulled back. He didn't want to feel cold metal, he wanted warm flesh.

Airazor was just as much of a warrior as Dinobot was, and this time she didn't retreat. She stood her ground and leveled Tigatron with a hard gaze. "You like me," she said. She wasn't asking because there was no question. They both knew he liked her.

"Yes."

"Then why do you always pull away from me like this?" She sounded confused and angry, but underneath it all she sounded hurt.

How could he explain it to her? She had never had any trouble fitting in with the rest of the Maximals, despite her missing memories. "I told Optimus that I felt more tiger than robot and ever since Snowstalker's death…" He trailed off, trying to gather his thoughts and convey them in a way she would understand. "I don't know how to be a mech, or even if I really want to. There are times when my thoughts are more Cybertronian than animal and it worries me. Underneath my conscious thoughts I can feel myself running military programs and the endless cycles of binary code looping through my processor, and it feels cold and lifeless. I don't like it, I'd rather think like an animal, have the insticts of an animal. I'm just not sure I can be the kind of mech you want."

Airazor stared at him, seeing through into his very spark with those green optics that shined up at him. Suddenly she reached out with a servo, too quickly for Tigatron to react, and grasped his chassis. She pulled him down and kissed him. Tigatron could feel the sparks of electricity pass through their lips the moment they touched. This was not the way tigers mated, but he found he didn't dislike it. He had imagined that kissing and interfacing would be cold and mechanical, lacking the passion that the animals had. It was cold, metal was always cold, but there was passion in there too. He felt the way she pushed against him, conquering him, and the way she smelled, like oil and wind.

She pulled away from him then and grinned. "See? Not so scary."

Tigatron could only nod, still a little dazed. Airazor laughed and transformed, calling out, "Oh, and Tigatron? Everything you just said? That is exactly the reason why you are the only mech I want." She turned away then, heading off towards the base. Tigatron lingered for only a moment before following after her.