The night passed, and the sun climbed up on its usual path. In the cell, however, time seemed to stand still - only several of the mechs knew that it was morning already. They took their time to slip out of recharge slowly; after all, they hardly had anything to do. A few cycles after midday, Charge and Longfang appeared and called Grimlock out. They didn't notice Swoop's flashing optics - everything was going according to the plan. There was only one thing which would put it to risk: if the arrival of the three remaining Dinobots was delayed. But the healer trusted Snarl's wit and Sludge's loyalty; he was sure that as the dawn broke, the three of them set out finding their companions.
Grimlock gave the Predacons a defiant snarl, and under any other circumstances, he would have put up quite a resistance to their demands of his obedience, but he knew the others were relying on him - Swoop was relying on him, so he reluctantly stood as told. He favored Longfang with a particularly malicious growl which vibrated his whole body, still disgusted that he had allowed a Predacon inside him at all regardless of the situation.
Their walk ended at the main room which was located quite far from everything else, deep in the building. The huge door slid open with a hiss, and Grimlock was now facing the Lord of the house: Thunderclap himself. The Predacon sent his heirs away then turned to the Dinobot with a calculating smile. "Well-well. I heard very interesting things about you. It seems you're quite the fighter. Putting off my handsome heir like that, not allowing him to give you an offspring..."
Grimlock's growl only grew louder and deeper when he saw the Predacon who had caused them so much trouble, and he had to greatly resist the urge to leap at him and tear off his head. He needed to rein in his temper - the others were counting on him. Instead, Grimlock huffed in reply, "Him ugly like all Predacons. Not worthy of Dinobot heir."
"Such harsh language..." The Predacon seemed more amused than offended. He began to pace lightly, stressing his words with soft gestures. "You see, you raised my interest. You're big and strong; I could use you. Would you tell me your name? And since we're at it..." He stopped, and from a metal box, he produced an energon cube. "Aren't you hungry?"
Grimlock was in the middle of one of his best angry growls, but he cut it off when he saw - and smelled - the energon cube and stared at it. He had been warned about not eating anything given to him by the Predacon leader, but Grimlock had not eaten since the morning he and Sludge left to search for Swoop, almost all of his reserves drained. Still, they warned him - they did not go into why, but a warning was a warning, and the conflict of that and the need to feed only conspired to confuse and frustrate him.
Thunderclap raised the cube and took a sip, savoring the taste. "Ah, come on. You had a Call-overload; you're surely in need of a little refreshment." He pulled another small cube out of the box and offered it. "I'm not as bad as some may think. All I want is to talk. I'd like to know more about that flying Dinobot. Did you have heirs together?"
Grimlock's growl resumed at the mention of Swoop, and his "wings" hiked up on his back in both a show of his anger as well as an attempt to make himself appear bigger as he snapped, "Him Swoop belong to us Dinobots, not you Predacon. Him our healer. Me Grimlock not let you Predacon keep." Before he could stop himself, his gaze drifted back to the energon held by Thunderclap. He just saw him take a sip of it himself...surely he would not have if there was something wrong with it. "Us not have heirs," he admitted before he knew it.
"No? That's interesting," Thunderclap pondered. "My healer claims he did have at least one before. Ah well, maybe he made it with another... Funny, you look like a leader; the Chief of the tribe... Are you sure you don't need this...?" The cube swung from one side to another with the gentle motion of Thunderclap. "If not, then I won't ask again."
Grimlock's growl cut off once more in surprise, and he flickered his visor a few times. Swoop had an heir? It must have been true - what purpose could it serve the Predacon to lie about something like that? It was something he was going to have to ask Swoop about when this was all over.
Grimlock watched the cube intently as it was waved in his field of vision. Warning or not, he could not be certain of his ability to fight Thunderclap if he remained as under-fueled as he was, and surely just a little would not hurt. Bearing this in mind, Grimlock finally made a soft growl of defeat and raised his hands for the offered energon.
The Predacon smiled and passed the cube easily then sipped his own. "We're both leaders, aren't we?" he chatted on. "We lead our tribe, and only want the best for them. You see, I might consider letting both of you go if you help me out. Actually, your Swoop already completed his part of the business as he gave an heir to one of my... guests down there. I thought I could get the same from you, maybe."
Grimlock tried not to make his hunger obvious, but as soon as he pressed the cube to his mask and began to absorb its contents, he could not contain himself and ate far more than he intended to. He only stopped when he lifted his head from the cube to snarl once more at Thunderclap. "Me Grimlock not mate with Predacon scum!" he snapped with finality. "You Predacons use others to make heirs. Us Dinobots care for pack members more than that."
"You can choose a Maximal, if you'd like to," Thunderclap went on smoothly. The cube he gave to Grimlock was different from his; Slither prepared it specially with that strange mineral they discovered long ago. It had a most amusing effect on mechs. The only thing he needed now was a little time.
"I do care for my heirs, didn't you see that? They're all kept well and happy. Those stupid Maximals are fed as well; it's not like we beat them every day! Consider it, Dinobot... Give a heir to one of them, and you'll have a chance to leave...!"
Grimlock knew the treacherous nature of Predacons too well to fall for that, but he acted as if he was mulling over the proposal anyway. As he did, however, he noticed he was beginning to feel rather peculiar, something stirring inside him. It took him a moment, but he soon realized what was happening, and his visor brightened in shock. He just Called the day before - how was it possible for his body to be preparing to Call again so soon? Swoop said the time period was very long between Calls - was it because he resisted bonding with Longfang?
Thunderclap picked up the small hints and he took a seat, getting comfortable and sipping his energon with a smile. Ooh, soon, very soon, the poison would take full effect, and then, he would have this beautiful creature at his mercy. The Predacon Lord loved to exercise his superior strength, grinding others into submission… Maybe this Dinobot would make a great specimen to experiment with. He had always wondered if they fed the contaminated energon to a mech long enough, would it permanently disrupt its mind?
Grimlock dropped the cube as if it burned him and shot an enraged glare toward Thunderclap as he demanded, "What you do to Grimlock?" Something was very wrong - it was approaching too fast, far faster than the day before which had been building up for the last several days. Before Grimlock could even think of stepping closer to the Predacon and again demanding what was happening, his unique signal broadcasted itself in a loud and desperate Call, and his body once again began to heat with need.
The Predacon Lord all but purred, and a wide grin spread out on his faceplates. "It's amazing how well it works... a simple red crystal, when soaked in energon, can turn it to poison... poison which makes a mech release the mating signals. It's like fire... and it doesn't let you think. Not that any Dinobots could do that. Your kind is a mistake made by the ancestors. The first one of you should have been wiped out on creation. So make yourself useful the only way you can be - bear me an heir, and another, until you die! Now, come closer, pet, and spread your legs. And don't even try to fight, I'm much stronger than Longfang." He advanced upon Grimlock, growling lustily, and unsheathed his spike to promptly rub it against the other's already heated panel.
Grimlock wanted so badly to use his fist to wipe away the Predacon's smug grin, but he could not get his arms to cooperate, his hands flexing uselessly at his sides. He let out a startled and enraged growl as his panel immediately and eagerly snapped open at such little stimulation, shocked at how nearly impossible it was to think. The last time was intense but nothing like this - all he could bring himself to think about was his throbbing valve and could only growl and snarl uselessly as the heat only intensified more and more.
The large, strong and still surprisingly steady hands guided him to the Predacon's bed and pushed him back with infuriating ease. Thunderclap growled, and with one swift motion, he entered Grimlock's body. The spike fit snugly inside and the Predacon didn't waste any time to begin mating. He jerked his hips forward and let out a long, deep moan from the pleasure.
In the heat of the moment, the rumbling sound from outside and the light tremble around them, as if the building itself shook, didn't register. Thunderclap's own lair was far from the cell where the center of the disturbance was, and even further from the main entrance where another kind of trouble began to brew.
The Dinobot let out a rumbling growl and convulsed underneath the Predacon, and his hands flew up to grab Thunderclap's arms. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Grimlock knew he was supposed to be doing something other than laying there and letting the Predacon leader have his way with him, something very important, but the thought was gone as quickly as it came, and all he let himself notice was just how well Thunderclap's spike fit inside him as well as how good it felt. Surely nothing else was as important as that, and this time, he did not even notice when his chest began to shift, and his barriers began to drop.
Thunderclap managed a satisfied laugh as he saw the spark chamber reveal itself. His own broad chest split as well, retracting slowly, and he leaned closer to grind their cores together, to create a new spark-
In the next moment, the door burst open, and in a flurry of claws, teeth, and raging screams, several mechs stormed in. One of them - Sludge, his blue optics blazing with fury - launched promptly at the Predacon, sweeping him off of the young Chief. Thunderclap howled and his body shifted to reveal his weapons, but his spark chamber was still open, and his instinct was to cover that, and this slowed him considerably. The maliciously grinning Steadfast aimed his cannon, and another Dinobot, the eager Slag, shifted into his beast form to throttle their target.
Grimlock wasn't left alone though; the large body was replaced by a smaller, more slender one. Swoop concentrated, reaching into his insides to find the right string to pull... And he succeeded. His chest opened, and he pushed against his leader, to merge their sparks. If one component was missing - either the nanites or the spark - there was no offspring, and the creator only released his load when overloaded. That - hopefully - hadn't happened yet.
Grimlock's growled when Thunderclap was taken away from him and his valve was left empty and bare, but when he felt someone again on top of him, he gripped the new mech tightly to keep him from leaving again. His visor was glowing brightly, but he could not see anything, too lost in the intense need and heat of the Call, and when his spark met the new mech's, he let out a roar and arched to meet the sensation, his spark flaring eagerly.
Swoop was losing in the fight for retaining his clear mind too. He could only hope that the others will be strong enough to defeat the Predacon.
According to plan, they blew up their barred door, and the tribe stomped in, more than ready to tear up throats and bellies. Charge and Longfang were practically trampled on, Talon tried to flee and now had Heatwave and Longleap after her. Sundown, Flare, and Sharpclaw, aided by Snarl, had set out after Slither and Sharpclaw's sparkling.
Swoop gripped Grimlock tight while the battle raged on in the background, and he shuddered from the contact - so wonderful, warm and complete. A moment like this was worth all the trouble.
The Dinobot leader's growls devolved to deep purrs which vibrated their chests together as he slowly realized just who he was with now. He had no idea what happened, but he was not about to complain, and he writhed underneath Swoop, the emptiness of his valve suddenly far less important than the feeling of locking sparks and sharing so much with his healer. He only wished it could last longer - his body was too sensitive and heated to take much more, and after only another moment, he arched underneath Swoop and roared his release.
Swoop cried out with him, his voice higher in pitch, and the sound more bird-like than what a giant lizard would produce. He barely registered the plasma shot, which missed them by half of an inch only. He shuddered with the sparklock and crooned softly as the light-tendrils withdrew. "Y-you Grimlock... okay...?" he forced out, glancing back over his shoulder and letting his vents huff with a relived sigh as he saw the Predacon downed - still moving, but the three mechs were busily tearing his armor open.
Coherency slowly returned, and Grimlock could finally see Swoop's face which he reached up to touch with trembling fingers. "M-Me Grimlock okay," he answered weakly. It was a great struggle to stay online, his body desperate for rest, but he managed to fight off the urge as his chest and panel both closed once more though he was too tired to sit up just yet. "Where Predacon?" he managed to ask before he turned his head to search for himself.
"Being eaten by 'useless' Dinobots and breeders," Swoop cackled maliciously. He noticed the shimmer of energon in the box near the bed and curiously fished for a cube. The others told him how to recognize the tainted ones, and his healer scanners aided him well. The one he took was clean, and he passed it to Grimlock. He needed his strength back. And some serious scolding later.
To his credit, Grimlock actually hesitated at this cube, remembering what happened just a few moments ago when he last ate. With that in mind, he gave Swoop a doubtful look and reluctantly admitted, "Him Predacon make it act funny - this one safe?"
"Yes, safe." The young healer nodded and took a sip from it to prove his point. Then, he curled up next to Grimlock and watched with a satisfied smile as Slag, in his beast-form, was licking up the spilled fluids. Thunderclap, the mighty Predacon lord was dead.
Sludge was still idly nibbling on the exposed circuitry, and Steadfast watched them from a safe distance. "This is so... Ugh.." Steadfast glanced at Swoop. "They are good warriors, but their manners... It makes my fuel tank churn."
"Eat or get eaten," the healer recited the old law of the jungle, and the Maximal shrugged - life was hard; he knew and admitted that.
As soon as he was assured the energon was safe, Grimlock practically attacked it, pressing the cube tightly to his mask and eating eagerly. He was hungry before, and he felt as if he was starving now after so much exertion. He did not cease until the cube was nearly empty when he finally pulled it away and glanced over at his pack members to watch them chew on Thunderclap's corpse.
"Maximals too soft," he stated simply then turned his attention to finishing off his cube.
"Haven't seen you fighting, big leader." Steadfast grinned maliciously then scurried off outside - he didn't fancy to go against the Dinobot when he nearly depleted his reserves in the battle with the Predacon.
Swoop rubbed his head against Grimlock's shoulders to distract him in case he wanted to go after the Maximal and ran a quick scan on him to make sure there was no heir developing in his body. His healer scanners caught the faint signals of a spark but nothing like the rapid flashing of the working nanites. Well, at least they were over with their first sparkbonding even if it didn't result in an offspring. Swoop didn't really mind. It was nearly impossible to imagine Grimlock being careful enough when carrying.
Had he not been so exhausted, Grimlock most certainly would have gone after the Maximal for that insult, but the Dinobot leader just knew he would fall flat on his face if he tried to run after him in his condition, so that thought, combined with Swoop's soothing nuzzles, kept him seated. Instead, he focused his attention on his healer and returned the affection, smoothing his mask over Swoop's crest.
"You Swoop okay?" he asked more to reassure himself than for any other reason. It seemed as if Swoop had been missing forever even though it was only just over a day.
"Yeah." The flier nearly purred, and tilted his head to kiss the dark facemask. "Me Swoop fine... You Grimlock fine too. Predacon's dead and tribe is well. Us will be fine from now on."
Grimlock rumbled in his chest as he nuzzled his mask to Swoop's face. Everything was right in his world until he realized something, and his gaze dropped down almost in shame as he lowered his voice for only Swoop to hear. "Me Grimlock said would keep you Swoop and pack safe," he hesitantly admitted. "Grimlock broke promise."
The healer shook his head. "Me Swoop fell for Call. You Grimlock can't prevent that, nobody can prevent that. You Grimlock came for Swoop alone, did brave chief-thing. You Grimlock not need to apologize." He poked the other's chest though. "Well, maybe for drinking bad energon. Us told you Grimlock not to..."
The larger Dinobot truly did look ashamed once confronted with that fact. He knew they warned him, but he was so hungry at the time he could not help himself. "Me Grimlock was hungry," he said in his defense. "Not see anything wrong with it. Thought it okay and needed to eat to fight." So much for that.
It was pointless to argue; from his point of view, Grimlock was perfectly right. Swoop didn't comment anymore and instead turned his attention toward the door where Snarl entered.
"White mech got away," the Cubemaker said, looking a bit annoyed by the fact. "Him fast. Tail got trampled on though. Might not go on for long."
Swoop doubted that - Slither could surely fix himself. But main thing was he had been driven away. "Us should go," he declared. "Place gives me Swoop chills. Us go outside and wait for others to return."
Grimlock nodded in agreement and finally pushed himself to his feet, taking a few careful steps to make sure his weakened knees would support him before he made his way over to Sludge and huffed. "Me Grimlock told you Sludge stay if Grimlock not come back," he chided the slightly larger Dinobot though his tone was light. He should have known even the loyal Sludge would not obey an order like that, and Grimlock was immensely glad for the disobedience this time.
"You Grimlock said if you not back until sun-up, me Sludge chief," the young warrior replied. "Me Sludge ordered tribe to search for missing members. Us followed you Grimlock's scent to Predacon lair." He shifted back to his original form and promptly attached his taller self to Grimlock. "Me Sludge very-very worried!" he wailed, nuzzling the young leader. "Me Sludge glad you Grimlock back!"
Grimlock had to admit Sludge had a point, and he also had to admit he was surprised the somewhat dimmer Dinobot had been able to find such a loophole in his orders. Still, he could not complain and eagerly returned the nuzzling with a deep purr, very happy his pack was whole again. "Him Slag not make trouble?" he asked with a glance in the youngest's direction. He had no doubt Slag was the least enthusiastic about the search.
Surprisingly, Snarl suddenly turned away and began to make some funny sounds, as if he had been trying to muffle a giggle. Sludge shook his head, seemingly unaware of the display. "Nuh-uh. Him Slag came without hissing."
Slag's faceplates were heating up. "Him stupid Sludge was crying; me Sludge got angry!" he claimed grumpily. "So me Slag had to come... others not have much chance alone anyway!"
"That enough," Grimlock huffed. He should not have expected any different - not from Slag. The young Dinobot would sooner be fed his own tail than admit to having any sort of conscience. "Us go home now. Rest up." He was quite sure they all needed it after the last two days though he hesitated long enough to look down at Thunderclap's body then glance go Swoop. "Take pieces - whatever us might need." After all, there was no sense in wasting perfectly good parts if Slag and Sludge had not already chewed them all up.
Swoop nodded and tapped at Grimlock's shoulder. "You could look around - place safe now; no Predacons. Gather cubes and what seems to be weapon! Other breeders sure want to leave; them will need things for journey." With that, he kneeled down next to the lifeless body and began to work.
Grimlock nodded to Swoop then turned to his other pack members to issue his orders, "You Sludge and you Snarl come with Grimlock - Snarl see what cubes are safe and Sludge carry things. You Slag stay and help him Swoop. Us all meet outside." He did not leave any room for the argument he was quite sure would brew if he wasted time, so as soon as his orders were issued, Grimlock started out with Snarl and Sludge.
The next cycle was spent with work - storages were raided and the former breeders gathered as well, checking cubes and explaining weaponry for each other. Sharpclaw found his sparkling, and he pulled back into a comfortable corner to marvel at it along with Flare. Heatwave and Longleap brought Talon's weapons back - they left the corpse where it fell.
Most of the former captives wanted to leave for good. Swoop said farewell to all of them, hugging Pathway and wishing him luck. Heatwave and Sundown teamed up to find the latter's pack, while Sharpclaw stuck to Flare, saying his own pack is impossible to find anyway. Steadfast and Longleap were well off on their own. There was only one thing Swoop regretted – Slither, as much a disgusting creature he was, apparently was a master healer, far more learned than the young Dinobot. The thought that the 'laboratory' with so much knowledge sealed inside would be left to rot and rust away made his insides itch. But, he couldn't do much – he didn't dare hope to understand what the ancients left behind on his own. He planned to return later and raid the supplies for the benefit of the tribe, but that was all.
He finally stepped to Sundown and took her hands. "You Sundown take good care of heir," he said solemnly. "If you Sundown don't want heir, bring it to tribe, but don't kill it, promise?" "Of course!" Sundown hugged the Dinobot. "I'll let him see the sunlight, I'll bring him up, and I'll tell him about his creator." She smiled. "You know, Swoop, you're quite an incredible mech… for a Dinobot."
"And you Sundown are a lovely femme… for a Maximal." Swoop returned the grin.
Grimlock watched the exchange with mixed emotions as he and Sludge waited for Swoop to finish his farewells so they could return to their cliffs, having sent Snarl and Slag ahead and trusted that Snarl would keep Slag properly in line without Grimlock's presence. Had Sundown been a Dinobot, he would have insisted she come with them so he could ensure the safety of Swoop's heir, but the fact that she was a Maximal complicated things more than he wanted to dwell upon. Still, it was quite a loss - the first heir spawned under his reign as tribe leader, and not only could they not keep and help raise it, it was it not his, and he was still not quite sure what to think of that.
Eventually though, Swoop returned with a smile. He patted Sludge's shoulder who was carrying a large metal crate with a few things they gathered for themselves from the lair, then turned to Grimlock. "Us go now? Chief will lead us home?"
The Dinobot leader tore himself from his thoughts when he was addressed, and he nodded quietly to Swoop as he answered, "Us go home now." He gave the lair and the departing Maximals one last glance before he turned to lead the way back to their home.