Megatron turned back the way he came and headed back to his own burrow. Before he reached it he picked up some fresh food for him and his mate.
Optimus, who had been struggling and fighting to get up the slope to the entrance of the burrow he was in had finally made it and had stuck his head out of the hole. If he could make his way to one of the exits of the large burrow, he and the others would be able to escape without notice. That is, if their 'mates' would leave them be for a while.
Slowly Optimus snuck out of the burrow and silently started hopping through the tunnel, keeping all his senses on high alert.
He sniffed the air to try and catch at least of his comrades scenes but everything was masked by the strong Con musk. Optimus hopped through the tunnels until he came to a large open cavern space that had multiple tunnels leading in and out of it. Hesitant at first Optimus stepped into the cavern, sniffing and looking around for Decepticons that might be hiding or waiting to jump him. He pointed his ears towards a corner of the cavern when he heard a soft rustling from it. Optimus could make out a large figure curled up into the corner but he couldn't scent any danger or strong con scent from it.
Slowly he hopped over to it, sniffing it as he went. Suddenly he caught a very familiar scent he thought he'd never scent again which made him stand up on his hind legs in surprise.
"…Bulkhead?" Optimus whispered.
The large form must of heard Optimus before it started to wiggle around before it turned, finally revealing itself to him. Optimus gasped at what he saw. A very familiar and thought to have been dead green rabbit with blue eyes faced Optimus.
"Bulkhead!"
"Optimus?," Bulkhead's voice sounded both terrified and excited before he took one large hop and collided into him.
"Optimus, you're here." Bulkhead said with great excitement and relief as he cuddled and nuzzled his friend.
Optimus chuckled and cuddled and hugged Bulkhead back before back up some from him.
"What happened to you, you've been missing for weeks?" Optimus asked.
Bulkhead's expression saddened as he looked down in shame. "...I...I know...but remember those sudden heat cycles I've been recently having?" Optimus nodded.
"..Well...being cooped up in the warren for so long made my head spin. So I had run off to a far end of our territory. Where I came up to was a lovely place, almost like a heaven. There were a lot of clovers to eat and sunny areas where you can sleep without any predators sneaking up on you. I was foolish to think I was alone, out in the open where any creature can smell me...by the time I woke up from a nap I had taken, I was in an unknown burrow. And that was when the largest rabbit I have ever seen suddenly hopped in...it took me a while to soon realize who it was...Lugnut, a Decepticon.."
Optimus's expression fell, ears laid back, and hopped over and comforted Bulkhead.
"Oh Bulkhead not you too." Optimus said in a hushed tone.
Bulkhead whimpered, burying his face into Optimus's fur. "I-I didn't even know what he was doing to me, Optimus! My heat cycles were still so new to me…"
Optimus pulled Bulkhead closer and started to groom and clean him.
"Shhh, did he…did he ever get the chance to…?" Optimus tried to ask.
"Optimus...I was in heat...what do you expect him to do?," Bulkhead sobbed as he cuddled closer.
"Oh Bulkhead I'm so sorry so sorry." Optimus whispered and held Bulkhead closer as he cried into his chest.
Bulkhead weeped some more as his ears suddenly stood on end. They began to twitch, catching a distant sound. He turned his head towards one of the nearby tunnels and whimpered, "If...if you were planning on escaping, you should go now..."
"I'm not leaving you behind." Optimus replied firmly.
Bulkhead started pushing Optimus towards another burrow.
"It's too late for me." Bulkhead said sadly, ears back and eyes down casted.
Optimus was about to protest some more when he heard a strong voice suddenly call out, backing in into the chosen hiding place.
"Bulkhead!," Lugnut's voice echoed as the young Autobot stayed where he was. Optimus watched the Decepticon hop up to Bulkhead, gulping at how large of a girth the rabbit had and feeling pity for his teammate.
"Y-yes, Lugnut?," Bulkhead stammered, shifting a little.
"Have you seen Megatron's mate Optimus. He had snuck away while Our Leader was checking with the others?" Lugnut asked.
"I haven't seen him," Bulkhead lied, shaking his head. "I was only exploring the warren by the time you called me."
Lugnut looked around, sniffed the air some, before looking back at Bulkhead. He leaned down and nuzzled him.
"Alright, just let me know if you see him alright?" Lugnut said, giving Bulkhead's ears an affectionate lick.
Bulkhead flinched a bit but returned the gesture by licking Lugnut under the chin. Optimus watched them both quietly, questioning Lugnut's fondness and how he could possibly even dare molesting his 'little' comrade.
Lugnut gave Bulkhead once last loving nudge before turning and hopping off to continue his search. Bulkhead watched him leave and waited a few minutes before turning and gesturing Optimus to come out.
"He really cares about you." Optimus said, looking the way Lugnut went.
"Yes, he does," Bulkhead sighed in content. "Although he seems scary, he really isn't once you get to know him better...To tell you the truth, he's only gentle with me and has always been. Even when we first...Well, you know."
Optimus nodded in understanding.
"It's hard to say this and it may sound odd but you should consider yourself lucky…to have someone gentle, kind, and carrying for you." Optimus explained.
Bulkhead blushes as he smiled, "Yeah..." He coughs and straightens himself out, "You should probably get going if you don't want to get caught. I'll lead you to one of the exits…"
Optimus frown and stopped his foot.
"I'm not leaving without you or the others."
"Optimus, don't you understand? If you go, you can bring back more Autobot soldiers to help rescue us!," Bulkhead said eagerly.
"Of course I do and I understand what all the possibilities are but there are many downs to this plan Bulkhead. If I leave and they find out they can turn and go after you and the others until I come back." Optimus argued.
Bulkhead whined some more as he closed his eyes. "I just...I just want to get out of here…Lugnut may be kind to me, but the others..."
Optimus became very curious about this and hopped closer and rubbed his side against Bulkhead to comfort him.
"What Bulkhead?"
"Many of Megatron's servants don't agree with the idea of Autobots staying here to...become their mates...because of that, they decide to abuse us. It's another reason why you found me here. When I am free to run around, some of the Cons pick on me unless Lugnut is around."
The hairs on Optimus neck, shoulders, and back stood up on end at hearing this.
"What, and Megatron and Lugnut don't do anything about it!" Optimus yelled, not caring if he's heard.
Bulkhead nodded, "They sometimes try to help, but only for a little while. Normally I'll have to suck it up and try to at least ignore it…"
Optimus's fur stood up more, his ears pulled back, claws digging into the dirt, and his teeth gritting.
"That is unacceptable. No one should have to go through that. " Optimus yelled.
His anger continued to increase the more he thought about it. Unknown to Optimus and Bulkhead Megatron had overheard the yelling and was coming to investigate.
But before he was close enough Bulkhead smelt him and shoved Optimus towards the exit.
"Megatron's coming!," he hissed quietly. "You need to get out!" Bulkhead shoved him more until Optimus was out of the burrow and into the opening.
Optimus tumbled a bit before righting and shaking himself off and hopped back to the burrow.
"Bulkhead please come with me."
Bulkhead hesitated as he looked behind himself before turning back to Optimus.
"...Okay..."
Bulkhead led the way. He knew where to hide and where most of the 'Con scouts didn't go. Sniffing the air, the green Rabbit nodded off to Optimus and began to hop away from the Decepticon Warren.
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A/N_ Please review if you want me to continue. I thrive off my reviews. If I don't get any I die.
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