A/N:Here's another chapter for ya'll! Hope you enjoy! Please leave a review! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE getting reviews! :D

Swirlspot: All will be revealed in due time... which means, mostly this chapter XD

NordicAutobotGirl: Well, thanks for all the advice! I DO reread what I've written sometimes, like when I pause my writing for a moment to think of something, then I go up and reread to make sure it makes sense. Occasionally I've found out through rereading that I write moments that make absolutely no sense at all, or transition so abruptly from one moment to the next, it seriously makes me stop and think, WHAT THE FREAK WAS I DOING THERE!? :D

In regards to my other stories either on hiatus or in the works; they're getting on! I'm proud to say that my Minecraft story has been untangling itself rather well, and that my novella called Icestrike's Journey should soon have its first chapter published! (That's what it is, published, right? Put out? Idk...)

Darkflame's P.O.V.

The voices started out sounding rather muted, then slowly but surely cleared, and I quickly recognized Ratchet's voice. Ratchet? I wondered. What's he doing here? Another Draconic voice broke in, and then another translated.

A servo suddenly pried my optic-shutter up, and I jumped to my peds with a snarl. "Stop!" I looked around me. Ratchet was in front of me, Dunebreaker to my left, and to my right... Starshine.

I leaped for her, tackling her down. "Starshine! It's really you!" Coolant slipped down my faceplates and splashed against her armor and the floor. "Yes, sister, it is I, Starshine!" She was overjoyed as well.

"What are you doing all the way out here? Are you leading this army? Why would you, isn't that Father's job?"

"I am looking for YOU. And the Avians, but mostly you! And I am, it's because they're... they're dead, Darkflame. Mother and Father are dead."

I stilled, sitting down beside Starshine and letting her stand up. "Mother and Father... dead?" Starshine nodded mournfully. "Shortly after you left, the Avians launched a full-scale attack on Terra-Cox. It was slaughter. We didn't know they had such a extensive army. They must have been recruiting from other countries."

More tears fell from my optics, but these weren't tears of joy. They were tears of sadness. Starshine's wing crept over my back. I did the same to her. "So, you're the Queen of Terra-Cox now?"

"Mostly. But since you were the oldest, therefore, you were next in line. So I cam looking for you to give you the throne."

"No, Starshine, it's yours now!"

"But you're still alive, so it's YOURS!"

A stubborn fire was in her optics now, and if I could look into my own, I would have the same fire. "I'll think about it." I said tersely.

I stood and walked toward Ratchet, who seemed rather small and bewildered amongst so many Predacons.

"Darkflame, wait! Did you find him?"

I knew who she was talking about. "Yes and no." I was unwilling to discuss Fireflare in front of the everyone here.

"Who's your compidon?" She asked, motioning with her tail.

"Ratchet, the medic of the Autobots."

"Oh?"

There was a note of interest in my sister's voice. "It is not a army at all, however. Just a small group of Autobots."

A need to defend my friends had me suddenly tacking another sentence on to the end of my previous sentence, making me sound rather rushed. "But they are marvelous fighters, and have bested the Decepticon army more than once."

My sister merely nodded, unconvinced. Ratchet stepped forward, interrupted what I was about to say. "Darkflame, perhaps we should head back? I know you're enjoying this time with your sister, but Optimus will be worried, and I don't want them to do anything foolish."

Just as the words left his mouth, a explosion sounded. Shrill shrieks and roars sounded in surprise, and I rushed from the building, Ratchet and Dunebreaker close at my heels, Starshine shouting to her guards.

I immediately noticed Wheeljack. He was racing through the encampment, dust flying out from behind his wheels. He was using his smaller size to his advantage, distracting the Draconians and slipping under and around them easily. Bumblebee and Arcee had joined him, slowly working their way over towards me.

The camp fell into disaster as the rest of the Autobots made their way slowly into camp. They walked, servos held a small distance from their sides to show that they had no weapons. Arcee suddenly spun out on a slick puddle of liquid, crashing into the peds of Starshine who had just stepped out from behind me. Instantly the guards leaped forward, jaws snapping together as they grabbed Arcee with their front peds as she transformed.

She twisted, nearly escaping, but a third guard grabbed her peds and held her upside down tightly. "Let me go, fraggers!" I stepped forward then. "Starshine, this is an Autobot. Her name is Arcee. She is the only femme on the base, and a good friend to me."

"I wasn't going to harm her. She slipped, it wasn't intentional!" Starshine said, optics wide. "Really, sister. Do you think I've changed THAT much since becoming queen?"

I lowered my helm. "My apologies." Transforming, I pulled Arcee free and watched as she jumped nimbly to her peds. Indignation clouded her optics. "Who'd I crash into, anyways? The captain of this large-aft army?"

"No." I chuckled. Arcee relaxed slightly. "She's the queen of most of Harsen." Arcee instantly stiffened, and bowed out of respect to my sister immediately. "She's also my sister, so there is no reason to fear punishment of any kind."

A deep chuckle came from behind me. I turned. Optimus stood behind me, laughter in his optics. "Optimus." Arcee flushed, turning slightly blue. "Optimus Prime, meet Queen Starshine of Harsen and Terra-Cox. Starshine, meet Optimus Prime of the Autobots."

They both bowed slightly to each other. "What is your purpose of entering my camp and disrupting my soldiers?" Starshine asked, stepping forward. I relayed what she said to Optimus, who replied, "I was merely coming to make sure my medic wasn't harmed or in any danger. It was not my intention to disrupt anyone or anything. My sincerest apologies."

Quickly, I relayed what he said. "All is forgiven, seeing no one has been hurt. I would like to request, however, that you leave quickly. Perhaps another meeting some other time to discuss the wars a bit more?"

"Certainly. Ratchet?" The orange medic stepped forward. "I'm coming, Optimus."

I turned to my sister. "Starshine. I would like to return with them as well, if only for a short while."

She looked like she wanted to protest, but then she set her jaw firmly. "I shall let you return for seven cycles' time, to consider taking back your rightful place on the throne. But-" She said firmly, seeing the look in my optic. "You shall bring with you a body guard. Thanator!"

A tall Draconian with four opticsand six peds stepped forward. "Yes, my Queen?" He said quietly. "Escort Darkflame and the Autobots back to the base. Allow no harm to befall any of them, and return with Darkflame at the end of seven cycles."

He nodded, walking over to stand at my side. "I shall see you later, my sister." I lifted into the air, flying towards the ground bridge the Autobots had opened at the outskirts of camp. Landing, I pulled Ratchet aside. "Ratchet, I would like to fly home. I have several... things I need to think about."

Ratchet nodded. "I will inform Optimus. Return quickly."

I took flight again, Thanator close on my heels. Thoughts swarmed my helm as I flew. Do I REALLY want to take the throne from my sister? Do I want to leave the Autobots to rule over a warring planet? A sudden, inexplicable urge to speak with Fireflare about this problem surfaced. I cringed. There was no Fireflare. He was gone, dead.

But I knew where he could have been. I turned off-course, ignoring Thanator behind me as I headed away from the Autobot base.

I landed beside the roaring waterfall. It was twilight now, and I knew that the Autobots would probably be worried. But I sat beside the waterfall, and silently spoke with Fireflare. At least, I pretended to. It made my spark ache all the more.

The purple plants that grew around the pool made me think of the flowers back on Harsen.

Thanator had taken up temporary residence under a huge willow, nearly invisible in the shadows. I wondered what he thought of me, the Predacon who was going to take the throne. Venting, I looked up at the stars. A large patch of blackness moved across the sky, blotting some out. I stood slowly. A large thump shook the rock I was on slightly as something landed a short distance away. Thanator was immediately at my side, hidden fins at the sides of his helm flaring out as he snarled a challenge.

Predaking leaped back in shock, yellow optics wide. He quickly recovered, snarling his own challenge. "Thanator, it's okay. I know this Draconian. He's a good friend."

"If you say so, Your Highness." Thanator stepped back, fins folding silently back to their hidden spots. Predaking shook his helm. "Who is he? And why did he call you Highness?"

"Fireflare..." I was so tired of everything. Of Fireflare who wasn't actually Fireflare. Of being unable to do much with my healing wounds. Of the problem of the throne and my sister. Coolant poured from my optics. Unsure of what to do, Predaking stepped closer and wrapped his wing around me. I leaned into him, coolant pouring out harder.

We stayed like that for a long while, until I sat up and wiped the coolant away. "I am sorry. It's just been-" "It's fine." Predaking shrugged, playing indifferent, but I knew better. "How did you know I was here?" I asked.

"I didn't. I come here often. It is very familiar, and it soothes my spark." He said. I knew why.

"I'm glad you came." I said after a moment. "I needed you. I mean, you're just like Fireflare... and... well... It's like you're him..." I stopped awkwardly.

Predaking was staring at me as if I had gone mad. "I'm glad I came, as well." The words were so quiet, I almost didn't hear them. I shifted closer, a small smile on my lip components.

We sat like that for a long time afterwards, then parted ways with quiet words, making plans to meet again later.

I slipped silently into base, Thanator somehow even more silent, even with an extra pair of peds. I curled up on my berth, Thanator hanging from his long tail from the rafters.

That night my dreams were full of Fireflare.

A/N: WOW. You would not believe how difficult this chapter was to write! Several times all my work was erased, not really sure why.. my computer would blink, and BAM! All of it gone... :P

Ah, well, it wasn't that bad, actually. I just had to remember to save it every now and then, and it actually helped. Without my work being erased at one point, I think I would have totally forgotten about the Autobots... Wheh!

Hope you enjoyed! PLEASE REVIEWWWWWWWWWW!

May StarClan light your path!