"That should do it". Prowl said as he, Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker finished stretching a tarp between some trees.

Bumblebee and the twins had wanted to have a camp-out, and Optimus Prime had given Prowl the task of chaperoning the younger Autobots. Prowl had no problems with camping, but sometimes the three could be a handful to watch.

"This'll be fun huh, bro?" Sideswipe asked, nudging Sunstreaker.

"As long as it doesn't rain". Sunstreaker said. "I just waxed my paint".

"How about you three go find some firewood?" Prowl instructed.

"While you do what?" Sunstreaker asked.

"While I clear the ground under the tarp". Prowl answered. "You wouldn't want to lay on a sharp rock and scratch your paint, would you?"

"No".

Darkness had fallen and the four Autobots sat around the campfire.

"Hey! Let's tell some scary stories!" Bumblebee spoke up.

"It's getting kind of late", Prowl said, glancing at the sky.

"What's the matter, Prowl?" Sideswipe asked. "Are you worried you'll get scared?" He and Sunstreaker laughed.

"You're supposed to tell scary stories on a camp-out". Bumblebee said."And I know a good one".

The twins leaned forward as Bumblebee started his story.

"It was a dark night, acid rain was pouring down. A lone bot made his way up to an old building. As he knocked on the door, an old femme invited him in out of the rain. He entered the old building and the femme led him to a bedroom. All was quiet. The bot realized it was time for his favorite show, so he left the room to ask the femme if he could borrow a TV. When he asked, she turned slowly to him and said…'I have no TV'. The bot wheeled around and raced outside, never coming near the old building again".

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe starred at Bumblebee.

"Not only was that not scary, it was also stupid". Sunstreaker said.

"No TV? I'm terrified". Sideswipe said sarcastically.

"Okay, see if you can come up with anything better". Said Bumblebee.

"Gladly". Sunstreaker stood. "There was once a bot who was almost as stunning as me. One day, as he drove down an old road, he found himself in a deep mud hole. He tried to drive out but only sank deeper. Finally he transformed and to his horror, he saw that his freshly waxed paint job was ruined! Racing back to his house, his terror only increased when he saw he was out of wax. The end".

Sideswipe leaned back against a rock he was sitting near and buried his face in his hands. "Sunstreaker, come on!" He groaned.

"I dare you to come up with something better". Sunny said, giving his brother a kick on the bottom of his foot.

"A sparkling could come up with a better one than that!" Sideswipe said.

"Okay, Sideswipe, tell your story". said Prowl, trying to keep the twins from getting into a fight.

Sideswipe stood and began his story. "A long time ago, an explorer found himself in a dark cave. He heard a strange scratching noise. Scratch. Scratch. He followed the sound deeper into the cave and came across a Predacon...and it bit his arm off! The end".

Bumblebee and Sunstreaker stared at him.

"Well...that was a little creepy". Sunstreaker muttered. "I guess".

"Not much of a story, though". Bumblebee said. "Now it's Prowl's turn!"

"Yeah!" The twins said, looking at Prowl, who had been sitting on a rock and tossing twigs into the fire.

"I'm not good at telling stories", he said.

"You think Bee and Sunstreaker are?" Sideswipe asked.

"C'mon Prowl!" Bumblebee begged.

"You have to take a turn!" Sunstreaker said.

"Okay, fine", Prowl leaned forward. "But then it's bedtime, deal?"

"Deal!'' The three turned their attention to Prowl.

"Some say the reason no one goes into the Petrex Wilderness is because of the creature that lives there".

The young Autobots huddled closer together. Prowl had just started and already this sounded creepy.

"It's said the creature is larger than a Predacon, with razor-claws and a strong taste for energon. It can smell energon miles away, even off planet. When it finds a victim, it's said it leaves nothing but an empty husk".

Bumblebee swallowed hard. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker pressed together.

"On nights when there's no moon, some claim to hear the creature snarling from the wilderness, searching for it's next meal".

Bumblebee glanced up at the sky. It was a moonless night, even though they were on Earth, he still felt creeped out. And hadn't Prowl said something about the monster sensing energon off-planet?

"Anyway, that's the story, time for bed". Prowl stood and reached down to toss dirt onto the fire.

"N-none of that's true is it?" Sideswipe asked.

"Of course not". Prowl said. "It's just a story they used to tell when I was a kid".

"You came from Petrex, didn't you?" asked Bumblebee.

"Yeah".

"Did you ever hear anything coming from the wilderness?" asked Sunstreaker.

"Well, yeah. Turbofoxes, stuff like that", Prowl gestured to the tarp. "Bed".

Bumblebee and the twins were wide awake. It had been just a story, but still they worried. They lurched up when they heard a far off cry.

"Prowl! Wake up!"

Prowl jumped up. "What?! What is it?!"

"Listen!" Bumblebee hissed.

Prowl listened intently.

"Do you hear that?" Sunstreaker asked quietly.

"It's a coyote". Prowl said, laying back down. "They're like a turbofox, but even smaller than humans". He shifted onto his side and was soon back to sleep.

Bumblebee and the twins still sat up.

"I wish it would stop". Bumblebee said.

"I've got an idea". Sideswipe crawled out of the tarp and fired his gun into the air. The coyote calls stopped. Prowl woke up with a start.

"Sorry, Prowl". Sideswipe said, laying down.

Prowl sighed.

Bumblebee and the twins were laying down but still they couldn't sleep. Suddenly, they heard a shuffling noise. They sat up.

"Prowl!"

"What?" Prowl mumbled.

"Somethings out there!"

Prowl grumbled and went to go look. Bumblebee, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe followed close behind. Prowl shone his headlights around and came across a small creature rooting it's nose into the dirt.

"What is that?!" Sideswipe asked.

"It's called an Armadillo''. Prowl explained. "It's just looking for food". He turned and went back to the tarp. "That story was just made up, none of it was true". He watched the younger mechs lay down. "I went into the wilderness once with Bluestreak, we didn't see anything". He laid down. "Good night".

Bumblebee and the twins stared at Prowl for a moment then looked at each other.

Prowl opened his eyes. He felt something pressing on his sides. Looking around, he saw Sideswipe and Sunstreaker huddled together, with Sideswipe pressed against Prowl's right side and drooling on his shoulder. Bumblebee was pressed against Prowl's left side, occasionally kicking him in the leg. Prowl sighed and closed his eyes again. Well, at least they were asleep.