Several moons passed since the episode with the Predacons. The memories were fading, reduced to nothing but unimportant images from the past; the young Dinobots calmed down after the scare and they retained their usual routine and peaceful life.
It was a nice night with the sea roaring outside like usual. In the middle, the fire was burning, and the Dinobots occupied themselves with their usual tasks before recharge - Slag was chewing on energon candy, Snarl was tinkering with something, maybe a rope, Sludge was gazing at the flickering flames almost mesmerized, and Grimlock was grooming his armor, scraping dirt from the tiny gaps. Swoop loved these evenings; the only thing better was when Snarl sung or recited a tale from the past. Since his creator was the tribe's tale-keeper, Snarl turned out to be the same for the new pack.
Lazily, Swoop switched on his scanners, training it on the others. They were fine, all of them, healthy and- what? Swoop's blue optics widened then he grinned and rose to his feet, reaching out for Snarl. "You Snarl come with me Swoop; need to talk outside a bit."
Snarl looked up slowly and let out an annoyed huff. He had just finally figured out how to make a good knot with the rope he was using to occupy himself, and now he was being interrupted? How typical. Still, he knew better than to argue - Swoop could be nearly as annoying as Grimlock when he was defied, so with another indignant huff, Snarl stood to follow the tribe healer outside. "What you want?"
"Me Swoop caught signals," the flier said, patting Snarl's arm. "You Snarl will soon Call for first time. Signals faint just now, but two or three sun-ups, and tribe will be all hot and restless." He chuckled and stepped a little closer, expression turning a bit more serious. "But me Swoop remembered something. You Snarl will Call as you Snarl grown-up mech now... And still..." He tilted his head to the side, "Me Swoop not remember seeing you Snarl's panel break. You Snarl younger than Grimlock... Should have gotten panel broken after him."
Snarl's expression contorted slightly in a faint scowl before he turned and immediately started back into the cave and away from Swoop, replying with only, "Me Snarl's panel broken. It not problem."
Oops. Swoop let out a startled click and grabbed after the younger mech. "Me Swoop sorry if said something bad...! Just... Me Swoop came to Landslide's tribe later; not know about stories." His voice carried genuine concern. "You Snarl want to talk, me Swoop always listen. Me Swoop like you Snarl for knowledge and calmness and kindness. Me Swoop healer - worried for bodies and minds, too."
In many ways, it was a very good thing Snarl was so difficult to anger and upset. It enabled him to truly sit still and think through his reactions and responses the first time rather than acting on impulse. Had he been Slag or Grimlock, he was quite sure he might have shoved Swoop away at that point, but thankfully, he was not, and when the older Dinobot grabbed his arm, Snarl actually stopped and considered if he wanted to answer with nothing more hostile than a faint whirr at the back of his throat.
Finally, after a brief moment, he answered vaguely, "Me Snarl's panel broke long time ago. Still young." Frankly, that was all he really thought Swoop had business knowing, and with that, he tried to go back into the cave again.
The healer let him. He was curious about the details, but if the other's panel was broken before its time, then it was surely not a nice experience. Either he had been violated by another or they broke it because there was some malfunction... Neither was a pleasant option. Swoop merely hoped Snarl was as well as he claimed; while Calling, in the throes of passion, his well would see some slight abuse, especially if Slag-
Swoop abruptly stopped, leaned against the rocks, and tapped at his chin. Slag was even younger than Snarl; he wasn't even finished with his growing process when they left... Which meant his panel had to be still intact. And some other oddities seeped forth from the healer's memories. Slag tensing when the topic 'mating' came up, his vents cycling faster when Grimlock claimed Sludge back then - he was even missing from the ritual when the young leader's panels were opened.
The slender flier shook his head. Something was definitely not alright... Great Primus, this tribe was a difficult one.
Snarl returned to his rope without another word, pleased Swoop seemed to drop the subject. He made himself comfortable next to Slag and resumed where he left off, annoyed that he had forgotten the exact steps he took to achieve the good knot in the rope now. Setbacks or not though, he was eager to try again - maybe he could figure out an even better one. Snarl was nothing if not easy to please.
Grimlock was less so, totally oblivious - he had found a fairly sharp edge of rock in the wall of the cavern and was currently digging the back of one shoulder into it in a desperate attempt to get at an itch which had been tormenting him the better part of the day.
Swoop sort of hoped maybe Grimlock would come out and ask what happened, but he wasn't really surprised when it didn't happen. The great leader could be painfully oblivious when it came to certain things. He was not stupid - none of them were - just... lacking in the common sense department. Finally, the healer went back as well. It was time to recharge. He knew he'd have to deal with Slag later, but there was no way he could confront him head-on. He just had to wait for a little bit... Until the Cubemaker released the Call.
And after that, maybe he would see to the other matter... After all, chiefs kept mates. And Grimlock still didn't have any.
"You Grimlock be quiet - hurt me Snarl's head," Snarl grumbled as he tried to concentrate on his rope despite the grunts and growls erupting from the leader's vocalizer. Grimlock only gave him an annoyed growl of his own and continued to try desperately to alleviate his itch. Finally, after another several moments, Grimlock let out a relieved purr that shook the loose pebbles in the cavern and dimmed his visor in utter bliss.
Seriously, Swoop sometimes just wanted to bash his head into a rock, when faced with some of the tribe members' usual behavior. Oceanborn was a delicate femme; her speech was a little bit more flowing than the rest of those the healer knew. Aside... the Maximals and Predacons, of course. Sometimes, he thought back to that adventure with the breeders locked up in the ancients' place, the lord and his heirs, and Slither... Slither was different, so very different. Evil and twisted, yes, but he was smart, and he had knowledge. On dark nights, Swoop wished if only he could somehow... learn from him. It was a dangerous thought, and it brought guilt, but still... It was a fond dream of his.
Swoop settled down next to Grimlock and nuzzled his shoulder. "Time getting late, us should recharge."
"Me Grimlock not tired!" Grimlock, predictably, protested as he did so almost every night, and it was true - now that they had settled so comfortably into their peaceful lifestile, he hardly burned his excess energy and often recharged restlessly. Snarl did not bother protesting - he was bored save for playing with his rope anyway, so he set the rope aside and stood obediently to go to his own area of the cavern.
Sludge was almost in recharge, so he followed the other's example and slouched back into his respective corner. He had burned enough energy in the water today, chasing big fishes.
"You Grimlock never tired," Swoop cooed, shamelessly flattering the Chief. "You Grimlock big and strong. Can Swoop ask something from you Grimlock?" He leaned closer to the dark audios. "Something... dangerous?"
That got Grimlock's attention. "Dangerous?" he asked, puffing up a little proudly. Of course Swoop could ask him about something dangerous - it was his job to protect his tribe, and he never tired of hearing how much Swoop trusted him to fulfill that obligation.
The healer practically draped himself over Grimlock, and it didn't escape him how Slag stirred and quickly disappeared into the darkness of the cave's deeper parts. However, Swoop kept his attention on the Chief. "Can Swoop recharge with you Grimlock?" he asked, slipping a hand around the other's waist. "Tribe need not hear plan."
Grimlock tilted his head to one side, confused, but he nodded and pushed himself to his feet to retreat to his own little corner of their cavern. As the leader, he had the luxury of having just a little more privacy than the others and had a small alcove carved out of the back of the cavern, just roomy enough to accommodate himself and Swoop comfortably.
Swoop loved to curl up in there, tight against Grimlock's warm frame; that's what he did now. He leaned closer to the other's audios, and, using his sweetest tone, he began to whisper. "Me Swoop would like you Grimlock to escort Swoop back to Predacon lair. Me Swoop would like to take a look... perhaps find stuff. Will you Grimlock come...?"
Grimlock would have frowned if he had a mouth, and to make up for the lack of one, his purr devolved into a confused and worried growl as he looked over at Swoop. "Why go?" he questioned suspiciously. "Us not need stuff - him Slag all grown up." Grimlock preferred to stay as far away from the Predacons' lair as possible. He knew it was empty now, but he still hated it and hated the memories associated with it, so he was less than enthusiastic to return without very good reason.
"Yeees, but it might have healer stuff for me Swoop to care for tribe better," the flier reasoned. "And us could make sure lair empty. Predacons coming back not good thing, yes? Us keep optic on place. Just for one day...?" He began to stroke Grimlock's abdomen where his plating was a bit thinner. "What you Grimlock want in exchange...? Me Swoop ready to give anything."
"Rrrrrr..." Grimlock continued to growl softly as he thought about Swoop's proposal, shifting his gaze away from the healer for a moment. He did not like it, but Swoop did make a good point. Should any of them ever need extensive repairs, they were sorely lacking materials and tools for that. With a sigh of defeat, Grimlock looked back to Swoop and nodded. "Me Grimlock will go...but if Grimlock not think it safe there, us leave."
"Me Swoop trust you Grimlock," the healer cooed softly, knowing well how much the Chief liked when somebody was murmuring into his audios. "You Grimlock always keep me Swoop safe and well, and happy..." He hesitated before he changed the subject. "Him Snarl will Call soon," Swoop said, keeping his voice down. He was curious about the leader's reaction.
Grimlock almost did not hear the second statement, too caught up in the wonderful feeling of Swoop crooning into his audio receptors. He loved that and made no secret of it - it did not matter which of his tribe members did it, he enjoyed it immensely regardless. When Swoop's second statement registered, however, Grimlock's purr cut off abruptly, and his visor came back online and flickered a few times. That was random.
"Him Snarl younger than me Grimlock," he rumbled, thinking aloud. While not the brightest of the group though, it did not take him long to come to the same realization Swoop had earlier. "Him Landslide not break him Snarl's panel before us left - should Grimlock?"
"Nonono-" Swoop's hand pressed down firmer as if afraid that Grimlock would just get up and handle the matter right away. "Me Swoop talked to him Snarl - said panel already broken. Him Snarl not look happy when asked... You Grimlock Chief's heir, if you not know, not many were allowed to know. Maybe panel had to be broken... or maybe, somebody just..." He fell silent. While mating itself was not regarded as a secret, something only meant for the partners - after all, rituals involved mating before the public at times - the lock-breaking carried significance. It signaled the beginning of adulthood, and it was only right to celebrate it, and do it the proper way. And violation not just rid a youngster of a very important celebration, but it involved much pain and fear too.
"Him Snarl said not to worry... Swoop trust him Snarl. Always reasonable and honest."
Grimlock growled a little lower in his chest, but he nodded in agreement. He supposed if his panel locks had been broken before the coming of age ceremony, he would not appreciate discussing it either. "What about him Slag?" he asked instead. "His not broken either." While Slag was the youngest of all of them and, therefore, not going to send out his first Call for quite a while yet, Grimlock thought it was an important matter to discuss. His would need to be broken someday, and as the leader, Grimlock would have to be the one to do it.
"Yes, but... you Grimlock not notice something... weird about him Slag? That night you Grimlock claimed him Sludge, him Slag was all noisy, vents roaring. Him Slag always tenses when me Swoop pulls closer to you Grimlock, and he was not there at all, when him Landslide broke you Grimlock's locks! Me Swoop think us should ask Sludge. Them brothers - him Sludge surely knows."
"Maybe him just embarrass easy?" Grimlock offered though that thought was unusual even if it was not unheard of, and even those who were easily embarrassed stayed for the coming of age ceremonies - it was tradition, and the entire tribe was present for such an important event. The fact that Slag was gone for the whole ceremony was definitely unusual. "Us ask him Sludge later."
"Mm." Swoop nodded and snuggled even closer. "Tribe needs to be well. Him Slag will get panel locks broken..." He smiled. "You Grimlock real chief; can do that fine. Me Swoop want to see you Grimlock dancing. You Grimlock pretty when dancing." Yes, he was spoiling the chief. And he loved to do it.
The Dinobot leader's purr resumed as he rested his hand against Swoop's back. He never tired of Swoop's compliments, and it helped that they came so easily from the smaller Dinobot with little to no prompting. "You Swoop pretty dancing too," Grimlock purred, his hand trailing down from the healer's back and over his hips. He loved watching Swoop dance - he could not take his visor off of the slender Dinobot's lithe body.
The flier giggled and stretched a bit under those strong hands. Compliments weren't lost on him, either. "Us will dance when him Slag's panels break," he promised. "And me Swoop would like to know... If him Snarl Calls, would you Grimlock have heirs with him...?"
Grimlock did not even have to think about the answer to that. "No," he answered immediately. "Him Snarl good Dinobot, but me Grimlock not want first heir to be with him." It was not that he had anything against the Cubemaker - far from it. However, Grimlock had always preferred the thought of having his first heir with Swoop or Sludge. They were, by far, his favorites in his small tribe.
It was a relief to hear to a degree; after all, instincts usually commanded the sire to take care of the bearer, and Swoop was not too keen on losing Grimlock's attention. "Me Swoop see. Then, maybe later... Hmm, you Grimlock chief, but... chiefs have mates. Him Landslide claimed her Oceanborn when us came to tribe. Have you Grimlock thought about claiming mate as well?" It was time for a tactical attack. "Maybe him Sludge?"
Grimlock had to wonder why Swoop was suddenly so focused on this subject, but he saw no harm in answering. "Me Grimlock like him Sludge," he admitted with all honesty. "But me Grimlock like you Swoop too. Not decided yet."
What? Swoop barely kept himself from tensing up and hissing in anger. Okay, okay, he loved Sludge, too; he was kind and so very nice, the complete opposite of his brother... But, him as Grimlock's mate! Please! Swoop had his optics on the chief's heir since the day he and his bearer were brought to Landslide, and he was not about to give up his desired position without a fight! Well, there would be plenty occasions to charm Grimlock away... And Swoop was a patient mech.
"No need hurrying..." he whispered with a smile, pressing a gentle kiss against the young leader's facemask. "Plenty of time ahead. Us should recharge now then decide on trip at sun-up."
Grimlock sighed melodramatically but conceded defeat. He was still not tired, but he knew he needed to recharge nonetheless and would only disturb everyone else's rest if he refused, so he settled further into his comfy alcove and wrapped both arms around Swoop to let the soft sound of the smaller Dinobot's systems lull him into recharge.