Megatron pressed Solus into the river, and the bubbles stopped rising, but she was staring up at him and wagging her little tail. She was still treating this like a game.

It had been fifteen minutes since he plunged her into the river and waited for her to drown.

Starscream laid beside him, having grown bored after the first five seconds. "Is she dead yet?"

"No."

"Are your paws cold?"

"No."

"Are you giving up?"

"No."

The Seeker growled and he flopped over on his back, lashing his tail. He looked up when he heard the brush rattle, and he frowned at the still-quivering leaves. "Megatron?"

"I'm busy."

"Yeah, not killing a pup, but we have company."

"It is probably a rabbit, or a curious squirrel."

"MEGATRON!"

The mech turned around, and released Solus in shock. Twelve giant wolves were standing around them. Megatron had seen some massive wolves, but the white one staring down at him with grey eyes was bigger than the trees. The biggest tree could have snapped under his tail as it brushed by.

Surrender the pup.

Megatron pushed the pup over, blinking down at her fluffy fur. She had been under the water completely for fifteen minutes, but she was perfectly dry as she bounced around the legs of the larger wolf. As she bounced, she grew bigger.

And bigger

And bigger.

Until she was jumping over him.

I'm so glad you came, Prima! she barked, biting his jaw. He was softening as she continued, but he turned his re-sharpened gaze onto Megatron and Starscream.

You should be ashamed. Trying to kill an immortal? Are you that stupid, or do you pretend to be?

Solus slapped her tail over his shoulder as she turned away, rubbing against the others. Come on. Leave them, Prima. We have other matters to attend to.

The Thirteen left, nosing through the trees.

Megatron began to walk stiffly away, but when he realized that Starscream was not at his side, he turned to look back at him. The Seeker was frozen over a puddle of fluid.

"Did you soil yourself?"

"Didn't you!?"

OoO

Optimus was laying with his helm resting on his mate. He was whining, but Ratchet was soothing him with his tongue. His eyes had started to close several times, then he would worry more and he would sit up and squirm before Ratchet would pin him back down and wash him all over again, from ear tips to tail tip.

That was before the earth started to quiver under their paws. Wheeljack was literally vibrating along the ground, and Bulkhead was whining as he padded after him.

Arcee was running in frantic circles while Bumblebee sniffed the air and ground like the good scout he was.

Then the biggest wolf Prime had ever seen ran up to them with shiny blue-grey eyes and a wagging tail, followed by twelve others of equal, if not larger, size.

Prime recognized the first one immediately as Solus.

Wheeljack apparently did, too. "She has the ability to turn into a massive wolf...but she preferred to be a puppy!?"

She dropped her chest to the ground with her rump in the air. It was an invitation to play, but she could easily snap anyone's spin with a touch of her paw. "We are all, masters of deception."

Optimus touched her paw with his own. "Why have you come?"

Vector Prime stepped forward, and he sat with a thump that was both heard and felt. "We have come to protect you all. Humans will hunt you, pollution has an effect on you, and you will be your own undoing, but you are strong, and you will survive the hardships ahead of you. Just do not lose hope, because we are always there, in the sound of the wind, in the touch of the sun's warmth..."

Solus' tongue rasped over Prime's whole body in one lick, then the Thirteen faded into the forest.

OoO

Megatron woke up, sitting straight up in his berth as he panted nervously. Starscream rolled over in his berth and he shook the Seeker awake. "Starscream, I had that terrible nightmare again! We were wolves! And the Autobots were winning!"

"It was just a dream, my lord. Nothing more. Now go back to sleep."

Megatron laid his helm down and he stared at the ceiling, whining. He didn't want to go to sleep, not after that terrible dream. But his optics slowly closed, and he began to dream of dragons.