Predakings stress was increasing the longer he couldn't find his sparkling. He combed over the area and tried sniffing out her scent but to no avail.
"What have I done? I'm so foolish!" he scolded himself, looking around every boulder and even inside little animal dens. "Ripjaw! Please I'm sorry, return to me!"
There was no answer, just the sound of wind blowing across the terrain. Horrid thoughts began running through his mind, like if the Autobots had captured her again and were going to harm her this time. Starscream was also still on the loose, he could have escaped and found her as well.
"No, I can't think such thoughts, I must find her!" Predaking said to himself firmly, going back to base and hoping her signal would be on screen in the control room.
Megatron raised a brow ridge as the Predacon came in. "Something wrong? You've been coming in here an awful amount of times."
"I am sorry my Lord, but Ripjaw has run off. Is her signal on the map?" Predaking asked.
The leaders' brows furrowed. "I know the little conversation that went on between you two. Sounds to me like she'd rather be with the Autobots than the Decepticons."
Predaking froze, unsure of whether to be mad at the surveillance or worried of his sparkling defecting. "She wouldn't do that."
"And yet Soundwave tracked her coordinates to having gone all the way to a deserted area in the middle of nowhere and disappeared off the map. Seems they're harboring her now if that's where the base is." Megatron explained.
The large Predacon clenched his fists and shook a bit with rage. "Where was she last located. I will find the Autobot base and destroy it."
Megatron finally smirked, allowing Predaking to see the last coordinates. "Now go. I want that base destroyed."
"Yes, my Master." He said while bowing, quickly going and taking a ground bridge to the area.
As he left, Starscream finally tumbled into the landing bay, tired and out of breath as he looked like a wreck, noticing some Vehicons staring.
"What are you staring at?! Get me to the med bay you fools!" He shrieked, others quickly helping him up and to the infirmary.
Knockout looked and tried not to laugh at Starscreams condition, having him lay on a berth. "Let me guess, the little predacon got the better of you again?"
Starscream glared at the medic. "Shut. Up. And fix me." He growled.
"Alright, alright." He answered, going and getting his tools before starting the procedure.
"Actually, hold off on repairs, Knockout." Megatron ordered as he strolled in.
"M-Master?! What for?!" Starscream whined, still in pain and very tired as his energon has been leaking all this time.
"Because, you idiot, you went after the sparkling without any order to do so." The leader growled. "Do you have any idea what trouble that caused!? Now that beast is defecting to the Autobots!"
"B-B-But what harm could that do?! She's just one little sparkling!" the seeker tried to reason.
"If SHE defects, then Predaking might as well! Do you not think anything through in that so called genius mind of yours or is it all just for plans of usurping my position?!" He roared.
"Master please! My intentions were true! I only meant to exterminate the youngling and be done with the creature, not cause any trouble!" Starscream cowered as he held his hand up to shield his face.
"Well you caused a lot of trouble and now we must eradicate our remaining Predacons sooner than fit!" He growled, hitting Starscream off the berth.
"Gaah! Master please! Please do not deactivate me!" the seeker begged as he groveled on the floor in front of his master.
Megatron rolled his eyes and stomped on the seekers back. "Oh I won't deactivate you. I'll just make you face Predaking upon his return."
"What?! No, anything but that! The beast will rip me to shreds! Master please reconsider!" he wailed pitifully, struggling and grunting as his masters stomp only pushed down on him harder.
The leader finally removed his pede and chuckled. "You fill face Predaking. If you run, you will be tracked down by the beast. He will not rest until you have been punished properly." He explained with a wicked grin.
Starscream trembled on the floor in fear, feeling sick to his tank at the situation.
"Repear him, Knockout. I'm sure the king will want his prey in top shape when the time comes." Megatron sneered as he walked out.
"You heard the man." Knockout smirked, highly amused by all this.
Starscream could only stay silent as he got back up, his fear stricken body feeling like dead weight on the berth.
Predaking flew through the skies, looking for any signs of what may be an Autobot base or the scent of his sparkling. He scoured the land for hours, growing tired and landing on a cliff to rest, hanging head in the current defeat.
Where is she? He thought to himself, remembering how he had yelled at her and claws digging into the ground.
The Predacon let out a mighty roar for his anguish, trembling as it echoed through all the land.
Ripjaw suddenly jolted up as she was able to hear the roar, everyone else doing the same but unsure what to do.
"Let me out. I'll go make sure he gets away from the base." Ripjaw said.
"It's too dangerous, what if he goes after you with force?" Arcee asked.
"He would never physically hurt me, the roar he let out is one of sadness. He misses me right now." She replied, saddening a bit herself. "I must go."
The others looked to one another then to Optimus. The leader stood there with a firm look on his face for a bit then nodded.
"Very well. But we will be nearby if anything happens." He stated.
Ripjaw nodded, turning into beast mode and quickly running out through the drive way door, looking around.
Where is he? She thought, suddenly hearing the loud batting of wings then squeaking as his large form flew right over the base and continued to fly.
The sparkling let out a roar as loud as she could and ran after him, realizing he couldn't hear her. Again she roared, even shrieked but the winds would not allow sounds to reach him. Ripjaw started to worry he would fly away for good, wanting so much to talk with him. In a last ditch effort, she readied her soundwave attack and released a boom of screeches at him, the sound barely reaching him but not harming as he was getting a good distance from her.
Predaking quickly looked back and saw the speck that was his sparkling, eyes widening and sun swooping into a dive to the ground, scooping her up into his claws and going back into the air, growls turning into large purrs as he cuddled and hugged her happily. She let out a small squeak when his grip got to tight, loosening the hold as he lands as they both transform to bot mode.
"Where have you been? How did you even got all the way out here?!" he asked loudly out of his worry.
Ripjaw winced a bit as his volume but let it pass, looking up at him, explaining what had happened with Soundwave. She bit her lip as he let out a vicious growl of rage and confusion as to why Soundwave would attack her.
"The Autobots took me in, sire. They gave me safety and even fought him away." She said, trying to plead a good case for the faction.
Predaking hugged her more again, frowning deeply. They were the enemy yet they protected his sparkling when she needed it most. He was starting to become torn as to whom was the real enemy now.
"….let's join them, sire. The Decepticons obviously don't want me anymore, and I don't know how long they'll want you if they're going this far to harm me." Ripjaw pleaded.
The large Predacon didn't know what to do, he still held to his pride which wanted revenge for the deaths of the unborn Predacons, but he wanted his living sparkling to be safe. He held loyalty to Megatron, but was starting to question if these attacks were orchestrated by him. Starscream could fly solo for revenge, but Soundwave would have no reason other than to follow a command.
Predaking held his head with one hand for a moment, his thoughts jumbling up into a headache. He was about to lose his temper until he felt a small nuzzling to his chest.
"It's ok. I'm going to be here with you through it all." Ripjaw smiled softly. "Like you've always tried to be there for me whenever possible, I'm here for you."
Predakings optics softened, petting her head gently and starting to purr. "…very well, little one. But I do not promise that it will be so easy. If we join the Autobots, there is no going back and Megatron will want us dead."
"He already wants us dead, so not much will change, sire." Ripjaw giggled a bit.
Predaking began walking towards the Autobot base where she directed, looking to his sparkling.
"Perhaps you do understand more than I wish to admit. You are very wise beyond your years, little Ripjaw." The king said, nuzzling her.
She smiled, tail wagging happily and hugging him all she can. "And you are a true King who takes care of his subjects."
"You are more than just a subject to me, Ripjaw. You are my sparkling and I will always care for you." He said, smiling to her as she grins widely.
Megatron listened in closely as Laserbeak was on their tracks again.
"Defection from Predacons, how disappointing. Seems there's only one bot who can take care of those beasts, and it will have to be me. But first, let's destroy the only sanctuary they have left, shall we?" he smirked, nodding to Soundwave and having him send Eradicons to the area as soon as they see the Predacons are at the base.
Just as the Predacons were walking into the door way, jet engines screamed through the air and started shooting at the cilff face. Predaking snarled and covered his sparkling as he ran inside, putting her down.
"Stay inside." He ordered and quickly ran back out without speaking to any other bot, everyone in shock that he was even there.
Predaking rapidly transformed once outside and took to the air, roaring and shooting for at the Eradicon jets, making many crash down and clipping others wings as he slashed his claws at them. Ripjaw quickly ran up to the top of the base and looked outside, watching as her sire battled in the sky. She stood there in awe just like the first time she had seen him fight, but this was more intense now.
Her optics widened when she noticed a very large portal open, seeing the Nemesis slowly float through in all its dark glory.
"Oh no." the sparkling whispered quietly.
The situation had just turned very serious.