I have failed him. I swore I would always protect him from harm…I promised I would never leave him to fight alone. I failed. Warrior Star thought as she lay near her slain brother. Swiftpaw's frame had long since grown cold, but the bronze femme couldn't bear the thought of dragging her youngest brother's body home. Somewhere deep in her spark, there was the futile hope that he was merely in stasis so that his frame could recover from the trauma it had endured, but the cold hard facts were staring her right in the face. The ground was drenched in Swiftpaw's energon, which was still glowing faintly hours after the mech's spark had stopped spinning in his chest. His frame, which had always hummed with life and energy from the moment he had been sparked, was still and silent. He was gone.

Somewhere nearby, Warrior Star heard Keystone and Shadowfang conversing softly about something, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Across from her, Moonflight stood staring at her with sorrow in his dark red optics, and behind him, the strange mech Breaksteel sat watching as well, his light yellow optics dim and remorseful. The mech had tried, she realized, he had tried to save Swiftpaw. He just hadn't been fast enough.

"Warrior Star." Shadowfang's voice echoed from above her. She wondered how he had gotten so close without her noticing, then she realized she didn't really care about that either.

"Sister." His voice closer now, low and intense. Warrior Star could feel the heat of his frame, he was so close. She raised her head, she wasn't exactly sure why, and turned to look into her brother's flame red optics. His gaze was intense, and it grew dark when he saw the look in her optics. He reached through the bond to touch her broken spark, and immediately she recoiled, not wanting him to feel the agony she was in. He narrowed his optics, taking a half step closer, so that their noses were nearly touching.

"I know, sister. I know. But we have to get him on the sled. We have to go to the Autobot base. We still don't know if William Lennox is all right." Warrior Star blinked, feeling her processor and her spark both jolt in cold shock when she remembered the report of Lennox being injured. Slowly she brought herself to her feet, stepping aside so that Keystone and Shadowfang could gently drag Swiftpaw's frame onto the sled that Keystone always used.

As she watched, Moonflight approached, still clasping his injured arm to his chest. He stood at her side for a moment, then reached to gently run his uninjured hand down her back. She leaned into him, taking comfort in his presence, then she stepped away as Keystone hooked up to the sled and began the slow process of dragging it through the forest. She waited until Keystone and Shadowfang had passed, then nudged Moonflight forward as well. Taking up the rear of the formation, the bronze femme moved slowly, pausing momentarily next to Breaksteel where he stood watching them.

Surprising the mech, and herself, Warrior Star turned to him, lowering her head and pressing her face into the side of his neck. She felt him tense but didn't take it personally, knowing she had startled him, then she spoke.

"Thank you for trying to save my brother. None of us could have reached him in time. And thank you for what you said…I think it made Swiftpaw's passing a little easier, knowing that you were sorry for what your brother had done." Warrior Star stepped away and raised her head, meeting the mech's gaze for just a moment, then she walked on, leaving him staring in her wake.

Breaksteel was stunned. She had thanked him. The mysterious, enchanting bronze femme had thanked him. But what had him even more amazed was what she had done. He had nearly jumped out of his armor when she had pressed her scarred helm into his neck, and his spark had frozen in his chest. Then it had heated and started to spin so fast that he thought he was going to glitch on the spot.

She was so…warm. He couldn't get over how warm her armor had been where she had touched him. What also had him at a loss was how nice it had been, having the femme press her face into his neck. He would have gladly let her lean into the thick armor of his side, if only she would have stayed there a little longer.

Watching her walk away, he felt his spark jolt slightly. He couldn't just let her walk away. He had nowhere else to go anyway…

Slag. Why not? May as well tag along…need to get my shoulder fixed anyway. And my leg. Breaksteel thought, stepping out and following right behind the bronze femme's tail as it flicked back and forth in time with her strides. He was limping, but the pain barely registered to him. His spark sang as he grew closer to Warrior Star, and he decided to take a gamble.

Extending his stride slightly, he drew abreast of the bronze femme, looking at her questioningly as she eyed him from the corner of her cobalt blue optics. Seeing no hostility in her gaze, he set his strides in time with hers, perfectly content to walk at her side as long as she would allow it.

Sparkling steps. Sparkling steps, he thought as Moonflight turned his head to study the storm-gray mech, his dark red optics curious but not unfriendly. Breaksteel nodded at the tall, lean mech, and the Predacon nodded back before looking forward again.

So far so good. Better not push my luck though…I'll just stick with tagging along for now. Breaksteel thought as they broke out of the forest and into the sunlight.

Somewhere in his spark, Breaksteel searched for the long dormant bond with his brother, tensing slightly when he found it, but he went ahead and tugged at it anyway, just long enough to send a warning.

You are going to regret what you did today, Steelbite. Even if I have to hunt you to the ends of the universe, I will make you pay for the pain you caused. I swear it. Then, before Steelbite could reply, Breaksteel slammed down on the bond with enough force to sever it. He nearly staggered at the sudden loss, his spark screaming, but then he remembered watching as the golden wolf's green optics had flickered and died.

One step at a time, he thought. And so the pack continued their slow journey to the Autobot base, three Cybertronian wolves, one Predacon, and one beast of a mech that no one could name.

A/N: So. Muse is back. Working muse means happy me, happy me means happy you. :)

Wanted a little fluff between Breaksteel and Warrior Star. Not much, just a little. I think I achieved that quite nicely. I also liked the little 'confrontation' between Breaksteel and Steelbite. That was fun to write. :)

To my dear reviewers and loyal followers and readers, thank you as always for your continued attention to the story and for your patience!

As always, love if you will, hate if you must. I will take anything that you care to dispense.

Until we meet again...

Kani