Ironhide's POV
Chapter Seven – A Special Welcome
Ironhide watched his charge wander off to his right, looking around; probably for an alternate route. He knew from the way she kept glancing at the still slightly smoking stump that she was scared and confused. Ironhide ignored her and concentrated, scanning the area around him for a 45 miles radius for Decepticons. When his attempts to locate on failed, Ironhide tried to connect a com-link with Optimus; although he soon discovered he could not speak to the Autobot leader directly, he was able to send a message which would be received within an hour or two.
Annoyed with his lack of success, Ironhide focused his optics and watched as Zoe ran her fingers through her hair in equal annoyance before folding her legs and sitting on the damp grass with a sigh.
Keeping his scanners on their highest levels, Ironhide watched as the teen dug her mobile out of her pocket. Growling, Zoe pressed it to her ear and her eyes narrowed when they heard nothing but static. She had no signal. Sighing, Zoe shut her eyes and let herself fall back, her arms cradling her head. Free from its hair band, Zoe's hair – bathed a rich gold in the sunlight – swirled around her shoulders.
Bored by his charge's lack of interest in their predicament the weapon specialist checked all radio frequencies within the forest around them to try and find some human assistance. He managed to pick up a very low one; it was a few miles south of them, coming up the same track they had. Focusing, Ironhide was able to achieve a rough idea of what it was; an old Volkswagen Camper with three clearly readable organic life signs – confirmed human - and one smaller which he assumed was some kind of animal.
He heard Zoe give a small gasp and returned his attention to her. She had sat up and was looking to Ironhide's left with a gaze filled with awe and amazement.
"Oh wow..." She breathed, she was smiling now.
Glancing around, Ironhide felt his circuits freeze with shock. Standing tall, elegant and unafraid were two magnificent beasts, a mere three metres away from the fallen pine. Standing in front of the other was a beautiful doe, head cocked in curiosity. As she stepped nimbly over a root, muscles rippled gracefully under honey coloured fur. Eyes the colour of the bark of the pines surrounding them all darted from Ironhide's impressive bulk and then to his human. Her nose twitched and as she continued slowly forward she turned her slender neck as if to beckon her mate.
Although the stag and the doe had similarities, difference shone out of every one of them. Crowned on his raised head were a set of stunning antlers, poised proudly; each at least two feet tall, curled slightly and the colour of burnt sienna. His fur was a glossy umber, shimmering in the pool of sunlight he was standing in, which he walked delicately out of at the signal of the doe. His legs were longer then hers and held more impressive muscles although some how he retained the same amount of grace. His eyes were a piercing silver which also darted to each of the strangers in his wood. Coming into step with the female, they made their way over slowly, pausing occasionally to smell the air attentively.
Ironhide had never been impressed with the creatures this planet had created, but this majestic almost regal pair could easily make him change his mind. Keeping still, Ironhide smiled inwardly when the stag left the doe and made his way over to him. He sniffed at the weapon specialist before giving him a questioning look, head tilted as if contemplating. After a while of simply staring at each other they both turned their attention to the direction of his mate.
The doe had walked up to Zoe and was, lowering her head so that their eyes were level. Blue-grey met brown and the young human was smiling, barely breathing, her eyes shining. Ironhide grinned as he realized Zoe was using all her will to simply refrain from lifting her hand and touch the doe. The animal it seemed was finished, leaning in once more, Ironhide watched in amazement when he saw it press her cold nose to Zoe's cheek gently. With a quick flick of its ear and a whip of its head, she bounded away back into the trees followed by the stag.
The loud silence that followed for a few minutes was broken when Zoe suddenly laughed and pressed a trembling hand to her cheek. After a moment, Zoe stood and managed to make it to his side before her legs buckled and she had to grasp onto his bonnet. Pulling herself up, she rested her body against him and said simply, "That was incredible."
Closing her eyes, Zoe placed her cheek against his now cooling metal and breathed in deep. "I stopped believing in magic after my family died, but that... that was something else."
Ironhide agreed with her. Magic had not been heard of by the Autobots until both their encounter with humans and the downloading of information off the World Wide Web. Although magical was perhaps not Ironhide's interpretation of the event, there was something that reminded him to what she was talking about on Cybertron. It was as rare as star rising (a sun rise on Earth), but sometimes a planetary eclipse would occur which bathed the entire silver world in black darkness. Not even their wisest scientist could explain the silvery dust that then glowed all over the planet in response to the inky night that usually lasted four Earth days. It glittered all around them – even settling on the Cybertronians. Ironhide had only seen it once in his entire life-cycle and he had been amazed beyond comprehension.
His attention was caught from his memories as he felt Zoe sigh, straighten slowly and pat his hood. A sound made both life forms jump and turn their attention behind them. A loud coughing of an ancient engine could be heard and as he waited, Ironhide managed to make out the old Camper chocking and spluttering its way down the track.
Sorry this chapter is really short guys, but I had a kind of writers block in the middle. I wanted Ironhide and Zoe to have a little bonding moment but I seemed to have failed.
Although I clearly do not have 'Hide as my truck, that deer experience actually happened to me whilst visiting a friend at Dartmoor, England. It was unearthly breathtaking and I hope I managed to capture some of that in the story.
Please read and review, I would LOVE some constructive criticism and some more ideas. I was thinking of adding a few Decpti-creeps to make Zoe's Trip a little more interesting? Good idea?
I hope you enjoyed it!