(Here we are on the fourth chapter, and our second encounter with Barricade and Bumblebee. But, the first thing Bumblebee is about to do is join his pack to watch them hunt. Then after the hunt, Bumblebee and Barricade get to know each other more.)

Two days had past since Bumblebee and Barricade became acquainted, but on this morning Bumblebee was told to join the pack on their daily hunting. Bumblebee was very excited about this; he was finally going to see how the pack managed to bring down large animals for food, and he was going to reunite with Barricade, as long as he didn't tell the rest of his pack.

The three-month old puppy was happily bouncing about around his companions; he was so eager to see the hunt for the first time that his silly antics and cute jumping and high-pitched yips made the younger Dire Wolves smile and chuckled. Jazz even commented,"You keep bouncing around like that and you'll no longer be Bumblebee the Dire Wolf, you'll be Bumblebee the Bunny Wolf,"

"But then, we'd have to go hunt him. And I don't want to hunt our little buddy." Sunstreaker interrupted, placing a paw on Bumblebee's head and ruffled the fur, making the little pup yip cheerfully. As they continued down the path Optimus led, Bumblebee was wondering what they were going to catch today. Would they catch a deer? A boar? Or, even better, a big moose? He felt a small hint of saliva drip down one end of his muzzle and Bumblebee slurped it back into his mouth, so as to not look silly or something.

Just then, Optimus comes to the top of a hill covered with trees and dark bushes, and the pack looks down to see what was at the bottom. There, busy with their grazing was a large herd of deer. There were Bucks, Doe's and Fawns; eating the grass or bounding about in play. This was a very lucky find. At first, Bumblebee was ready to go down and chase them, but Ironhide held him back and whispered. "Not yet, Bumblebee. You are only here to observe and learn, not hunting. That will come in later time."

"Yes, sir," Bumblebee whispered back as he looked back at the heard. He then heard Ratchet, Ironhide and Optimus having a quiet conversation; he lifted an ear and tried to listen in, but it was blocked by the three canines subtle murmuring and their bodies blocking him out. If he had heard what they were saying, this is what he might have heard.

"There are plenty of Bucks; we can go after one of them," Ironhide said.

"But, they are fully matured and can easily stab you with their antlers. We best go after a few Fawns or Doe's," Ratchet suggested.

"Both your approaches are good, you two," Optimus then spoke. "However, I see that the Fawns are just a few days old, and I would rather allow them to live a few more weeks. I would't want to be the one responsible of ending its short life. I believe we shall go for a Doe that isn't pregnant, nor should it have a Fawn."

The three nodded and broke up, and the three others came over to go over the plan. After a few minutes, Optimus then broke away form the conversation and approached Bumblebee. "Now, listen, Bumblebee, I want you to watch from up here and pay attention. When the herd moves as well as we do, follow us from up here, and don't come down until we call for you. You understand?"

"I got it," Bumblebee sounded and sat himself down upon the edge of the hill, watching as the pack dispersed. He noticed that Optimus, Ratchet and Ironhide ran over to the right while Jazz, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker went to the left, and then saw the three run to a densely covered part of the woods, were ferns and bushes covered them up. He turned back to see Ratchet and Ironhide depart from Optimus and run down to the far right of the herd, hunched down on their haunches to avoid being seen. He tried to see where Optimus was going, but the red and blue Dire Wolf was gone within a moment.

Bumblebee then looked back to where Jazz and the twins were at. "I wonder why they aren't together? Shouldn't they all be together to get their prey?" Bumblebee said to himself. Jus then, he heard Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Jazz bark and howl loudly as they sprung up and began chasing after the heard; the herd in reaction immediately began running away from them, terrified at the possibility of being killed. Bumblebee got up and followed after them whiles raying up on the hill, keeping watch. He noticed that the three of his companions didn't attack the Deer, but only charge at them from time to time and occasionally try to nip at the heels. He then watched as they continued the chase for a couple feet until they began slowing down to a halt, and that's when Ratchet and Ironhide came out, and they began to single out a target. Bumblebee was having a great difficulty trying to keep up since he would suddenly trip or stumble; it was hard to keep watch of the hunt while keeping an eye on his surrounding area.

Despite this, Bumblebee kept his attention on his path and the hunt. He noticed Ironhide and Ratchet began to chase after a particular female Deer and chase her out of the herd, and chased her a mile or so before ether slowed down.

Bumblebee suddenly saw the most incredible thing in his life. He watched as from right in front go the Doe, Optimus Prime kept out, baring his sharp fang and biting the Deer's throat. The leap and attack sent the prey in a backflip-type of action, making it land on it's back, but it's fate was sealed. Bumblebee slowed to a halt and watched as his leader held the animal down with his weight and paws, his jaws firmly griping at the throat. For a few seconds the Deer continued to move until it finally became still.

Optimus then let go of the throat and let out a triumphant and glorious howl, signaling the rest of the pack and Bumblebee to the kill. The feast was about to begin. Bumblebee then started down the hill and raced over to the red and blue leader and gazed upon the kill. "Wow! That was amazing, Optimus," Bumblebee exclaimed, licking his lips with anticipation. "The way you just slammed into the Deer was so cool!"

"Thank you, Bumblebee," Optimus smiled as he then started to rip the skin around the abdomen and waited for the others to return. The rest of the peck all arrived and awaited their turn, because it was always the Alpha Male and Female who ate first. Optimus, however, picked out only parts that were most important to his health and well-being and left the rest for his members. He pulled out the liver and section of the ribs. "Go on, my friends, you have earned your keep and may eat." he announced, and the other started to eat the corpse.

To say it was a bloody and grotesque sight, it was considered normal for both Wolves and Dire Wolves to devour the body until there was nothing but the bones. Bumblebee was also in participation as he dove in and pulled out a chunk of the leg muscle on the right leg and a fatty part of the thigh. He then got out of the way to not be stepped on and laid down to eat. It was so good and yummy. "Mmm, this is yummy!" he said with his mouth full.

Ironhide then joined him as he brought over a large hind-quarter of the Deer, and then looked at Bumblebee. "Now, tell me, Bumblebee, while you were observing us, did you see a pattern in our hunt?"

Bumblebee was quiet for a moment to think it over in his head, but he only summed it up as best as he could. "Well, Jazz and the twins were the first to chase, then you and Ratchet took over, and finally Optimus."

"Yes, that is how it happened," Ratchet interrupted as he carried a bit of neck muscle and sat down. "-but, why do you think Jazz and the twins were the first to attack and not us?"

"Well, I think that it was because they were younger," Bumblebee then paused and thought it over. He recounted at how quick and fast the three Dire Wolves were and how they didn't attack. "-and, they were quicker, and they did not go for the kill."

"But, what else did they do?" Irohide asked.

Bumblebee then remembered. "They made a lot of noise,"

"Right. They only spooked the herd to running. And what was that direction?"

"To you and Ratchet," Bumblebee answered again.

"Now, did you see what me and Ironhide did? What did we do that was important?" Ratchet asked, nibbling on a small portion of his meal.

"Well, you and Ironhide were older, and you went into the herd to chase out a couple Deer," Bumblebee responded, but then stopped to try and process the event and try to come up with a correct response. "You then went after the Doe that we are eating now, but why didn't you go after any of the others besides that one?"

"Because it was our chosen target," Optimus answered. "It is up to me to decide what should be killed for our meal. If i were to have chosen an old Buck, we might have ended up losing the hunt and get hurt since sit is equipped with antlers. I didn't chose a mother Deer or her young because a mother Deer (Like all mothers) would protect herself and the fawn with her life, and we would end up getting harmed. So, I had to go for the one that was easier to handle, and was much less likely to fight back."

Bumblebee nodded. It truly was a good idea and plan that Optimus Prime made, and it was a success.

"Now, when the target was pick sand chased out, why do you think Optimus was the one to attack?" Ironhide asked.

"Well, he is the leader,"

"No, he may be the leader, but any member of the pack could have made the kill had even if we weren't the Alpha," Ratchet corrected. "The reason why he attacked was because he is stronger than us and could easily brought down the beast and ended its struggle. Ironhide may be strong, but Optimus is much more stronger."

"Please, Ratchet. I may be stronger, but I do not wish to be glorified by my strength, or by anything else. I may be your leader," Optimus interrupted politely."-but, all the same, I am still a Dire Wolf and nothing more. All of us, as well as the animals of this forest, are perfect and equal and must not allow narcissism or tyranny take away the true meaning of life. Respect, Peace, Equality and Patience is the true key to bringing the perfect world that Primus wants." Optimus Prime said those words with great morality, virtue and heart-felt legitimacy that everyone couldn't help but bark or howl in approval to his word. Optimus had felt that even though he was given a title that had once belonged to Sentinel Prime, he felt that he was still like any other Dire Wolf. He had no need for strange or wonderful powers to show his strength, intellect or courage. He wasn't even Sentinel Prime's own offspring; he was an orphan born to a pack just like any other Dire Wolf. It was that, and that alone that he had to recount to know that he wasn't special, but others who looked upon him would see him as such. He did him good to see how his pack respected him but at the same time they also respected his words and his actions, and he respected them the same way.

Bumblebee wasn't listening though; he was only focused on eating. Eating? He suddenly stopped and suddenly remembered what day it was. It was the day that he and Barricade would meet again, and he had to return to the spot they met with some food for Barricade. But, how was he going to depart without the others noticing?

He then got an idea and stood up on all fours. "Hey, is it okay if I can go back to the den?"

"Why head back? We just got here and still have a lot to eat," Jazz said, cocking his head while having a piece of meat in his jaw.

"Well, my imaginary friend's is a little lonely. I had to leave him back there so I could come." Bumblebee told him.

"You remember the way back?" Ironhide enquired and Bumblebee said he knew the way back. With that, and Optimus' permission, Bumblebee was allowed to leave. The yellow pup too the last of his meat and ran off, unbeknownst to the pack that he wasn't heading back to the den.

Back in the area of which he met Bumblebee, Barricade paced to and fro for only then minutes as he waited for Bumblebee to arrive like he had promised. However, Barricade wasn't the type of pup who was keen on being patient for things to come to him, and he was a little irritated about Bumblebee's absence. He was starting to feel that his supposed truce with the pup was all for naught when he soon heard the familiar barking of Bumblebee and he turned to see him bounding through the foliage with a scrap of meat.

"About time," Barricade said as he went over to him.

"I'm sorry for not being here on time. I was caught up in reviewing my packs hunting technique." Bumblebee explained as he dropped the meat he brought. "You can go ahead and have it, I ate already."

Barricade said nothing; he was already on the ground and munching and tearing through the meal brought to him. It was only after he had finished and burped that he thanked Bumblebee. "Good stuff. Thanks."

"Welcome,"

Barricade then rolled on his back and stretched his back and legs, his paws and toes spreading out like tiny spider legs. "I haven't anything fresh like that in ages. Well, for a month, actually," Barricade admitted as he then rolled back onto his stomach. "So, you were learning about hunting, you say?"

"Well, I was told to observe the hunt, I didn't actually hunt alongside my friends." Bumblebee said and sat down and licked his cheeks clean from the blood that had dried up on his fur and whiskers. "So, you said you haven't had fresh meat?"

"Yeah, there is hardly any good meat out in our home. No Deer or Moose comes around, not even Wisent," Barricade sighed. "All that is usually enough to keep me fed are flies. Although, they keep flying away from me."

"Flies? Yuck!" Bumblebee stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"Hey, it's all I have for a snack. Don't start thinking I'm a bird or something," Barricade growled. "Anyhow, I sometimes try and catch some mice every now and then, but I always miss those little bastards,"

Bumblebee then asked for Barricade to not use curse words because it made him feel uncomfortable, and Barricade reluctantly agreed. For a while, they said nothing. Nothing that is until Bumblebee asked Barricade a completely random question. "So, you have a mother in the pack?"

Barricade looked at him and scoffed, shaking his head to try and ease an itch inside his ear. "No, my Mom doesn't live with my pack. She is more likely glad to not be around as much as I am."

Bumblebee was curious about why Barricade didn't seem to care about mentioning his mother, nor did he seem to mind the fact she didn't live in Megatron's pack. When he asked Barricade about it, Barricade told him that he was born to a lone Dire Wolf named Belladonna, a black and grey Dire Wolf with a strict and serious temper, and had a father but couldn't remember his name. He told Bumblebee that his father influenced him early in his life; his father was incredibly lazy and care-free, something that Belladonna was the complete opposite of. One day, Belladonna couldn't stand her ate any more and chased him out of the area they lived, and of course Barricade wasn't happy that his father was not going to be around and whined constantly to his mother to let her let father come back, but she constantly said no. He then said that she would constantly tell him that he had to grow up to be a strong, serious wolf like her, but he didn't want to live her life. So, finding that Barricade was hopeless and useless like his father, Belladonna took Barricade out of their home and left in the woods just near Megatron's territory.

Bumblebee couldn't believe how hard Barricade's life had been, living with a mother who was constantly strict and angry all the time and having a father being pushed away due to his laziness. Barricade, however, didn't seem to care. "Anyhow, I got a better life, now that I don't have her. So, what about you? I bet you had a similar experience win your life, how did you come into the world and how were you raised?"

Bumblebee's face was still and very solemn. Barricade took notice and stood up. "Hey, you okay? You look like you are ready to throw up."

Barricade then watched as Bumblebee's head drooped low and his eyes began to watery. It was then that Bumblebee finally answered. "I...I...never knew my mother...or my father,"

"What are you talking about?"

Bumblebee took a deep breath and continued, trying his best to not cry. "Optimus Prime told me that I was found by my mothers corpse. She was caught in a hunter's trap and suffocated. I was the only one to be alive. I don't know what happened to my pack, or why my mother left, but all I know is that I am an orphan with an unknown past." He then uttered a small whimper as a tear streamed down his furry cheek. "I don't know if my original pack is still alive or dead. I don't even know if I was loved by my father or mother." He then started to cry.

Barricade was normally a pup who didn't usually care about others life stories; but he couldn't even believe or even try to process how much Bumblebee had suffered. Bumblebee's own mother was dead while he was still a newborn, and he couldn't even imagine how much grief Bumblebee must have suffered after being told of this by his leader. The black and grey pup then did something he would have never done in his life.

He knelt before Bumblebee and licked his cheek to wipe away the tears. "Your beginning is even harsher than mine, I'm so sorry." Barricade whispered.

"No, it's not your fault. Life took a different path for my family, but in return I was given a new one just like you." Bumblebee sniffled as he coughed from his crying. "I must say, it's amazing about what's happening right now,"

"What is?" Barricade asked.

Bumblebee then smiled. "My enemy is helping me feel better, and I am grateful for him."

Barricade couldn't help but giggle; Bumblebee was right about what was happening. Barricade and Bumblebee were putting aside their differences because of how they understand each other, and even thinking that maybe they were meant to be something even better, even greater than enemies. They were best friends.

Just then, Bumblebee heard the howl of Optimus, signaling to him that he and the other members of his pack were on their way back to the den. "Oh, I better go home, now." Bumblebee said.

"So, when do you want to meet again?

"Maybe in four days," Bumblebee suggested. "Maybe I can teach you how to catch mice. I can be good at that."

"Really? Great! We will meet in four days!" Barricade barked gleefully as he and Bumblebee parted, but then they both turned around and did something. Something that would either anger or shock their two rival packs. Something that Optimus Prime and Megatron would never, ever do.

They howled goodbye. A howl that signified their friendship and unity.

*Authors Note*
(Here you all go. Sorry if I took so long again. Great chapters often take a long time to write and post, you know. Anyhow, I hope you liked the hunting part, even if it was a little bloody. Also, Belladonna belongs to me, and I originally had a picture of her on Deviantart, but after I deactivated my account it disappeared after a few weeks. Just to give you a hint of how she would have looked, she was black all over with a grey tip at the end of her tail, and a large grey mask along her eyes. Okay, back to work on the next chapter, so be patient and it will be ready. Sparkling Lover out.)