Without my Shield

I never thought of myself as a coward. Sure, I complained about being stuck on this messy, organic, dirt ball called Earth, and I'd whine when Prime sent me out to do something. But I always figured that when push came to shove I would fight back.

I was wrong.

I was at the base of Look Out Mountain when it began. As Kup raced off to save Hot Rod and Daniel, and the others ran towards the city, I stayed behind. It's not that I wanted to, I was just too scared to move. My muscle cables and gears froze up on me as I thought about the Decepticons invading the city. I could see the entire battle from my spot. I just stood there, watching. To scared to move. Before I knew what hit me, I was blasted into the mountainside. As the rocks fell around me, I only had one thought running through my mind.

"I don't want to die."

As I dug myself out I realized I must have been knocked out for quite sometime. They sky was painted orange and gold from the waning sun and darkness was quickly approaching from the horizon. Making my way down the road I could see the shambled remains of the once Great Autobot City. I walked through what used to be the main gate and wanted to scream at the sight. Destruction and death was everywhere. The few survivors and some of the walking wounded were digging through the debris, trying to find more survivors. The main courtyard had been turned into a triage, slash morgue where the dead and dying were laid out. The few doctors and medics that were still alive were making rounds, trying to bring aide and comfort to those who needed it.

Prowl…Ratchet…Wheeljack…Brawn…Windcharger… They all had their weapons broken in half and placed on their chests, a sign they had died with honor and were now in a place where war and pain were nonexistent.

"With your shield or on it."

It was an old Earth saying. If a warrior returned with his shield, it meant that he had stayed and fought in the battle, if he came back on his shield it meant that he had fought valiantly and died a warrior. But if he came back without his shield it meant that he had fled the battle to save himself.

That was me. I was returning home without my shield. I had stayed behind to save my own worthless hide. I was worse than the Decepticons.

The other survivors refused to look at me as I tried to help recover those still buried in the wreckage. Nothing I could do now would save my honor, but I was determined to make sure no one else would have to die today.

Shots suddenly rang out. Everyone ducked for cover as laser blasts filled the air once again. I hid…no, cowered, behind the remains of what used to be a retaining wall. A Decepticon landed close by and I shrunk back further. I watched him walk among the rows of the wounded. He stopped at one and laughed wickedly as he raised his rifle to shoot the injured mech.

"No one else…"

With a cry I bolted from my hiding spot and knocked him away. As I've always said, I may not be the biggest Autobot, but I'm definitely one of the strongest. I continued to pound on him until a wave a pain washed over my back. Everything flashed before me. Sunstreaker, Ironhide, Prime and I taking care of those Woolly mammoths when the time rips were opening. Wheeljack trying to teach the Dinobots how to handle their power. Me getting caught up in the scaffolding of the oilrig and Brawn cutting me out. Waking up on Earth. Leaving Cyberton to find more energy. Cybertron…home. I knew then…I was going home.

A/N: I thought it would be nice to write how Huffer died seeing that he didn't get a big death scene like most of the characters that died. So, review and tell me how I did.