TF Dires

By

Dragon with a Shotgun

Chapter Fourteen

"So you learned how to hunt?"

Stream nodded as Riverrun licked at her ears, cleaning the dirt off of them from when she had rolled around in her sleep, panicked as the nightmares engulfed her as soon as she had closed her eyes and the world went black the night before. The young female hated to remember what had happened in it… But she couldn't help but let her mind wander to that fur-bristling dream. She dreamt that she had been found by these wolves again, but instead of them bringing her back to the dens like they had done, they attacked her. They ganged up on her, they tore at her hide and snapped at her legs. She had cried in pain and was terrified. She pleaded, she had cried, she had been submissive, but they were relentless, having that aggressive urge to kill.

Before her mind could wander any further into that nightmare, she shook her head and smiled slightly at her sister.

"Oh, yes! I did!" she exclaimed, now happy that she could think of something good for a change. "Optimus and Jazz taught me. I had caught a quail on my first time."

Riverrun smiled and licked her young sister's muzzle in affection. "That's fantastic, Stream! I am so proud. Now," she shifted her paws in front of her as she lied beside her sibling, her tail curled around her haunches, and her ears perked in sudden interest. "Tell me, who is this Optimus you have been telling me about? Tell me about this pack you have been staying with."

Stream smiled. "Oh, Optimus, like I have said before, is the alpha of the River Pack down the mountain. He has red and blue fur, very light blue eyes, and a very kind personality. He greeted us when we had first arrived to their home."

"He sounds very nice. I wish I could meet him." Riverrun sighed.

Stream nodded, wishing that Riverrun could've been with them when they had run from their old territory. Maybe she would've got to meet Optimus's pack.

"So, Stream, you really seemed to perk up when you mentioned this other wolf you mentioned. Bumblebee was it?"

Stream perked her ears and felt her face grow hot a bit. She looked away, her ears now flattening slightly, and if she had no fur, her face would have been the color of a cherry. She let out a small huff. Riverrun's muzzle curled into a large grin and she giggled loudly.

"Ooohhh, somebody has a lover!" she cried out playfully, her tail wagging and stirring up some dust behind her. The young female giggled and looked up, smiling in embarrassment.

"So what does he look like? What's his personality?"

Stream smiled brightly, leaning to her side and lying down. She sighed, thinking about her friend. She really missed him. His smile, his attitude, his voice. She wondered what he was doing at that moment. Was he thinking of her right now? Was he wondering what she was doing as well? But she began to picture him.

"He's yellow, with brown stripes running from his eyes to his back. His tail has a brown tip, and he has…" she paused for a moment, and then smiled. "He has the brightest blue eyes."

Riverrun hummed and then chuckled at her younger sister, smiling in amusement. "He sounds like a good wolf. I hope he's been good to you, or else I'd have to tear his tail off."

Stream laughed and sat up again, turning over the thought of her sister meeting her new pack. But what if she didn't want to stay with them? What if she wanted to make her own pack somewhere way farther than they had already lived from the river? Would Stream want to leave to go with her? The young female wouldn't be sure. At least not now. All the sisters knew was that they had some catching up to do now that they were back together. Now Stream was already a year old, and now almost as big as her older sister. She had lost her puppy fat, and she was slimmer in the muzzle and cheeks. Her body was sleeker, and she was much taller. Riverrun admired how her young sibling had grown, and was very proud of how she became so beautiful.

"You know, you look a lot like our mother." Riverrun mused to her sister.

Stream's eyes grew grave, and she looked down. Riverrun realized what was wrong. She had almost forgotten that their mother was dead. Now she felt guilty, seeing that Stream was unsettled about losing their mother.

"I'm sorry, sis…" the older female sighed, lowered her head and flattening her ears.

Stream smiled at her. "It's okay… I know we both miss her."

Riverrun nodded in agreement. She then yawned a large and quiet yawn. She rested her head between her paws. "Well, we'll talk more tomorrow. Right now, I'm so tired I could sleep for three days."

Stream smiled at her sister and nodded, feeling quite tired herself. It had been a scary and crazy day. She needed her rest. Maybe sleeping will get her mind off of being kept here as a prisoner. She yawned, her jaws opening real wide for a moment before she closed them again. Then she turned her head and caught a glimpse of the stars in the sky outside. They twinkled like the crystals that Bumblebee had showed her some time ago. They were so beautiful, but they made her feel very homesick, over her new home at the river. She really missed her family. Her new family.

Riverrun had already gone to sleep, snoring quietly as she lay in peace beside her. The young female sighed, wondering if they were ever going to get out of here. She again shifted her eyes to look at the stars again.

"Goodnight, Bumblebee," she whispered softly, feeling her chest tighten some. "I promise… we'll see each other again…" She then lay her head down, and sank into an uneasy sleep.

Farther down the Mountain, also having been staring at the sky, Bumblebee had his muzzle lifted in the air, his eyes dim with thought. He sat in silence, not paying attention to anything that was around him. He only focused on the stars, his heart hung heavy with grief and worry. He felt alone, even though he was surrounded by the dens of his pack mates. But without his 'Juliet' of sorts, he felt like he was the only wolf alive in the world. The only reason for him to live was Stream, she was his friend, his… his love… How could he live without her, now that he knew her? She completed his life in ways the others couldn't understand. How could they understand? None of them had mates. There were no females in the pack. They wouldn't understand how his heart felt so dry like a dessert, without Stream, the oasis, to cool it down.

"Dear, Stream…" he wondered aloud, his throat swelling at the thought of her being held by those vile wolves. "I promise, I'll see you again. I will rescue you… I promise."

"Youngling?"

Bumblebee twitched his ears and turned his head. Ironhide watched him from their den, his head tilted slightly. There was a look of concern in the old wolf's eyes, but yet some kind of understanding.

"Yes, Ironhide?" Bumblebee answered.

"Why don't you come in? It's going to be cool tonight, and I don't want you alone." The older wolf exclaimed quietly and calmly, as to not wake the others who were asleep in their dens. Also he knew that Bumblebee had been in silence for some time now, since the sun set over the mountains. The young wolf hadn't moved from the front of the den since he sat there to think over the recent events. The past days had been confusing for the young one, and it was understandable to see how Bumblebee would want to be alone at a time like this.

The yellow male looked away for a moment, and after some time he shook his head at his guardian, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Um… If it's alright with you, I'd rather stay out here. I want to be alone for a while."

The older wolf stared at him for a minute, pondering over the young wolf's words. But he nodded calmly and ducked back into the burrow. He knew that Bumblebee needed some time to think. Thinking would do some good for the youngling. The more he could think, the more he could put things into place. Besides, he was too tired to stay up and speak to him although he wanted to. But he knew that Bumblebee didn't want company.

Bumblebee watched his guardian go before turning back to the sky. He watched as the little white dots sparkled and twinkled at him, trying to cheer up his depressed and broken heart. They somewhat gave him hope, and made him feel a little lighter in mood. He sighed deeply, imaging what Stream was doing right at that moment. Was she thinking of him? Was she scared to death, being mauled by those villains that took her? Was she crying out for help, in pain, in fear? Oh, if he finds that they hurt her, he'll tear every single piece of fur they had on their hides!

He was tired of sitting in that one place. He was growing bored, stiff and sore, from sitting there for such an amount of time. Maybe taking a walk could ease his troubles. Maybe his mind would be eased, and then he could come back to the den and sleep off the rest of his worries. He didn't care. As long as he could go somewhere else besides here, he would be fine.

So he began his walk. He wandered down the trail that wound through the den area. He could hear snoring wolves in their dens, resting peacefully as the night sky acted as a blanket to sooth their dreams. How could anybody sleep at a time like this? The Mountain Pack had Stream, and could attack at any moment if they wanted. They knew that his pack wouldn't do anything in worry of risking Stream's life. Bumblebee knew that, but his heart told him that they should do something. They should go and save her when the time was right, when those horrid creatures least expected it.

"Calm down, Bumblebee…" he said to himself, feeling his fur bristle and his tail rise. "There's no need to be so upset at this moment."

He knew that he was telling himself the truth. But yet he couldn't shake that funny feeling away. He couldn't make that aggressive and protective feeling for Stream settle. His mind said that he should calm down, but his heart rejected, and argued that he should run up to that mountain and bring her back.

Suddenly he halted, seeing a large figure sitting on a boulder not too far from a den. The pack's alpha sat in silent thought, unaware that the pack's youngest member was away from his den. The moon's bright glow shone down on him in a heavenly way, radiant and making the older male look proud and brilliant. Optimus must have been thinking again, pondering over the past events and maybe the future. Bumblebee wondered what the older male thought of sometimes. He would sit there, just staring at the mountains and sky, not moving a muscle until someone called or something crossed his wandering mind.

Bumblebee wondered about what Ratchet had mentioned to Ironhide earlier. He had said that Bumblebee had been acting much like Optimus lately. What did Ratchet mean by that? He didn't just sit around all day, thinking and thinking and not talking to anybody. Bumblebee wasn't even close to being like the alpha, who was twice his size almost and very wise and very bold. How could Bumblebee match up to him? Optimus was a Prime… a true alpha of a pack, a true leader, a wise wolf, a brave male. Bumblebee was… just… well, plain old Bumblebee. He was small, young, weak, scared of things that wouldn't be any harm to him. He was slow, he thought too much about a serious situation that needed quick thinking. Bumblebee was not wise, he was not bold. He knew very little, and was nervous a lot of times. Bumblebee was the youngest member of their pack, the runt… Optimus was graceful in run, careful with his steps and very cautious. Bumblebee was clumsy, jumpy, and very loud when he tried to stalk. When Optimus hunted, he was silent and deadly. When Bumblebee hunted, he was uncoordinated and hesitant and noisy.

His thoughts faded away. Of course he could never be like Optimus Prime. He was just too… different. He wasn't his son. He was related to him. He had no such inheritance. He would never compare to him. Sure, he had grown. But no, he hadn't grown enough. His paws were still too big for him. His ears slightly too big as well. Anyway, he didn't want to bother his friend, nor did he want to talk to him. The Prime seemed too much in thought to disturb, too much in a serious mood to consult with. So he continued on down the trail. He listened as the sounds of sleeping wolves began to fade as he disappeared into the darkness of the brush. He wanted nothing more than to be alone. The dark cover of the trees and bushes provided some privacy. Plus since he was farther away, he didn't have to worry about waking everybody of he tripped and fell.

He padded though the darkness, using his senses to find his way around. His ears forward watching for sounds, his nose twitching to detect any threatening scents, his footsteps softer to prevent anything from hearing him. He crept through the brush, thinking to himself and listening at the silence of the forest engulfed him. The birds didn't sing their brilliant songs until the light of day approached. The night creatures were adapted for the darkness, so they were silent, too silent for him to hear.

He walked down the same path that he and Stream had taken when they had gone to the crystal cave. He sighed at those memories and wished that he could travel back in time to relive that night. Her voice still echoed in his head as if they were in that cave now, bouncing off the walls and replaying words that she hadn't said, had said, and probably would never say. Those words lit up the dark night, made the stars twinkle brighter than any light, and made the moon cast its beautiful glow on him. He felt as though he was growing smaller, staring up at the trees to the moon. The world suddenly seemed so large, so scary. He wished that Stream was at his side, to make him forget all of it. He felt so… alone…

But something pulled those thoughts from his mind. It was a sound. It was someone's voice, singing. It wasn't a howl, but a song. It was so sweet, so soft, so pretty. It broke the deadly silence of the forest, and made his heart skip a beat. He had never heard such a voice. It clearly was female. It was much lighter than Ironhide's. It was soft, but strong. Dainty, but yet firm. How could a voice be so soothing? It was intriguing. It called to him almost like a love spell cast on a lovesick man whom had lost his love and was wandering alone. The song called to him. It made him curious but it lifted his spirits at the same time. It wasn't too far away. Maybe he could go check it out?

He didn't give it a second thought. He had already started the trek toward the cave. That's where it came from, he believed. He trotted down the path, and in a matter of minutes he spotted the cave up ahead. But now the waterfall was flowing more smoothly, water flowing down the small mountain. It sparkled from the moonlight, and the lakes surface beside him where the falls filled in shined. He turned his attention back to the cave behind the falls. He walked forward, listening as the pitches of the song rose and lowered, the tune changed from deep to soft. It matched the night's mood, but somewhat lightened it as well.

He jumped through the water shaking it off when he landed on the other side into the cave. He then crept though the cave tunnel, following the voice that seemed to call to him. The voice was not as loud as one would think, echoing off the cave walls and bouncing into his ears. He was more interested than fazed by the sound. But soon he finally came to the corner of the cave and stopped. He peeked around the corner hesitantly.

A female wolf sat there amongst the gleaming crystals, her muzzle high and letting out a sweet, soft song. Her fur was a light shade of pink, her tail a darker color and around her eyes lighter like a mask as well as her paws the same light shade. There was a blue splotch on her chest between her forelegs. Her eyes a beautiful shade of blue, although they closed slightly. He was amazed by her. She looked at least the age of Optimus, if not a little younger. She was certainly older than he. She was bigger, but not by much.

She sang for some time. He watched her silence, amazed by her voice. But, he not paying attention to where he was standing, his paw slipped and he scrambled to keep his stance. The female jerked her head toward him, her eyes wide in surprise and curiosity. But his eyes filled with fear and haste as he struggled to untangle his feet and escape the cave. But they wouldn't cooperate. He ended up on his stomach, weak with hurry and nervousness.

"Oh! Wait! Don't go!" the female's voice called, echoing off the walls. The song had faded, and left his ears although it still rang in his head.

Bumblebee raised his head and flattened his ears, scrambling to get to his feet. He was scared that she'd hurt him, since she was bigger she could do so. And the others wouldn't be able to hear him… His voice would only echo off the walls. She had trotted up to him, and was almost over him.

"Please!" he cried, on his back trying to scoot away. "I didn't mean to scare you, please don't hurt me! I got a family, I got a pack, they'll come looking for me if I don't return and one they find out who killed me, they'll-,"

"Whoa, calm down!" she spoke quickly. "I'm not going to hurt you. Why, you're just a young one."

Bumblebee then perked his ears in confusion. "Wait… you're not going to kill me?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm not. I would never harm a young wolf like you. You did nothing to make me upset at you. You startled me was all!"

The young yellow wolf hummed and sat up, his front paws between his back which were still stuck up. He gazed at the female in interest and wonder.

"Oh, okay." he said, blinking at her.

She smiled at him softly and tilted her head. "What's your name?"

"I'm Bumblebee, Miss." he replied, but then tilted his head. "Who are you?"

The female smiled at him kindly. Her eyes were bright with a friendly tone, her smile was soft and reassuring. He felt okay with her, but he still didn't know her name. Who was she? Why was she so kind to him? She was an interesting female, and very strange as well. But she was also very friendly. She seemed to not be any threat to him.

But finally she answered in a happy tone.

"I'm Elita."

-Le gasp- a new character! (actually not a new one, check out antubis0's gallery if you absolutely cannot wait to know who this female is! But I'd wait. I'm getting back into the groove again! Yay! :D Please comment! Thanks! ^.^