Dragonformers ch. 14

Reaching the camp, Silentwave quickly found Hook and explained the situation. The healer hurried back to his cave and started a small fire near the entrance of his cave, then gathered his herbs incase of injuries.

Storm entered the camp a few moments later; her chest splattered with mud as she gently held the little one against her chest.

"Stormshadow, bring the little one over here!" Hook called upon seeing the female.

The green and purple healer was standing next to a small bonfire, a bundle of herbs sat at his feet.

The female easily made her way toward the healer and the bonfire.

"He's still alive." She told him.

"Did you notice any injuries?" The healer asked.

"No." She replied, gently lowering the hatchling close to the bonfire to warm him.

"Someone bring some water so I can clean this mud off him." Hook asked, gently nosing the hatchling to check him over.

Silentwave nodded then left to get some water to clean the hatchling while Storm stayed behind.

The hatchling whined a little as Hook touched him.

"It's alright, little one," Hook said softly. "No one's going to hurt you."

Searching through his herbs, the healer pulled out a few herbs that would prevent the hatchling from catching hyperthermia.

Silentwave came back with some clean water. "Here."

"Thank you, Silentwave." Hook said warming the water with a stream of orange flame.

Once the water was warm, the healer cleaned the hatchling a moment later the mud was gone. Revealing three distinctive colors, Red, blue, and white. After he was clean, the healer chewed the herbs into a paste and placed it into the hatchling's mouth.

The hatchling's reaction was to be expected when he tasted the fowl tasting paste. He chirped loudly in protest and shook his head.

"Oh, stop complaining and swallow," Hook told him sternly. "It's good for you."

The hatchling grumbled again before forcing himself to swallow the nasty tasting mixture, he had a face and shook his head again.

"That's better," Hook said, gently moving the hatchling a little closer to the fire, he then gave a satisfied nod. "He'll need to stay by the fire for a little while longer, but he should be fine."

"We can only hope that he makes it through the night." Stormshadow replied.

"Hope is a lie. Only the strength of the hatchling's will and Hook's skill as a healer will ensure his survival." A new voice spoke.

Hook frowned as the Deceptidragon approached. "Hope is a lie? Nice message for a hatchling."

The purple and silver dragon ignored the healer.

"Shouldn't you be preventing your mate from starting a forest fire or something more folly, Cyclonus?" Storm retorted.

The older dragon growled softly at the female but said nothing.

"Don't listen to him, little one," Hook told the hatchling. "He's always like that."

Storm glared at the older dragon before turning her attention toward the hatchling.

"I can watch the hatchling, Storm," Hook told her. "You can return to your family. Or are you planning to adopt him as well?"

Cyclonus shook his head before leaving to see what his Charge was up too.

Storm chuckled and shook her head. "No, I believe this hatchling's mother is still alive."

"What makes you say that?" Hook asked.

"Moments before finding the hatchling, Silentwave and I heard the roar of a mother who had just lost her hatchling." She told him.

"Ah, then we will have to find her as soon as the hatchling is fully recovered."

"Agreed." Storm commented.

And I think I know where to find her. She added to herself.

"Stormshadow, my dear. How is your little rescue going?" Galvatron asked as he came up beside her.

"It went well." She smiled.

"That's good to hear." Her mate smiled back.

Loud chirps caught their attention as Megatron and Starscream came running over.

Galvatron chuckled before nuzzling his sons. "Did you two miss your mother?"

Starscream bounded over to Stormshadow, chirping happily, when she licked his forehead. He stood on his hind legs, his wings flapped a few times so he could remain upright in order to lick her nose before falling back to all fours.

Megatron caught an unfamiliar scent and looked around with a curious chirp. A moment later, he spotted the hatchling by the fire near the Healer's Cave. He trotted over to investigate.

The hatchling cracked open an eye at the sound of approaching footsteps, his vision was blurry and all he saw was a fuzzy figure approaching him.

Megatron sniffed the hatchling then blinked in surprise he knew that scent! He had played with this hatchling before!

The hatchling's eyes widened when his vision cleared and he saw the gray hatchling. He had played with this same hatchling when Sentinel had brought him back to the camp!

Megatron tilted his head and gave a soft chirp; he wondered why the tri colored hatchling was here. He vaguely remembered a nice female dragon taking care of him while he was in the strange camp. He had thought the female dragon was this hatchling's mother.

The hatchling chirped back, saying that he had fallen into a river while following his hatchling sitter.

Looking up at his mother, Megatron chirped loudly at her. He wanted to tell her that he knew where the hatchling had come from.

Storm looked at her son and her eyes softened before leaning down to nuzzle him.

Megatron cave a soft coo as he nuzzled back, giving her a little lick on the nose as Starscream had only moments ago.

His mother smiled at the lick then gave his forehead a lick.

Megatron chirped happily, flapping his wings a bit.

Chuckling softly, she nuzzled him again before going over to the hatchling and giving him a tender nuzzle.

"Don't worry, little one. As soon as you are well, we'll find your mother." She told him, giving his forehead a comforting lick.

Megatron chirped at the tri colored hatchling; telling him that his mother always told the truth. If she said they would find his mother, they would.

The hatchling chirped once in thanks before closing to his eyes to get some sleep to regain the strength he had lost.

"Alright, son. Let him get his rest." Galvatron spoke, ushering the gray hatchling away with a wing.

Starscream watched as Storm nuzzled the sleeping hatchling, he didn't quite understand why she was doing that.

Megatron nudged his brother, chirping at him.

Starscream nudged back before giving him a playful growl, showing him his sharp teeth.

The other crouched in invitation, even wriggling his rump before pouncing and trying to grab at his brother.

Starscream rolled onto his back and batted at Megatron's muzzle, chirping and growling.

Galvatron smiled as he watched the pair play together.

"It's always refreshing to see them getting along." Storm commented, standing beside her mate.

"It certain is," Her mate agreed. "Much better then when they're actually fighting."

"I don't think it has anything to do with actual fighting. I think it has something to do with dominance," Storm shrugged. "But who knows when it comes to males."

"I think I've just been insulted." Galvatron chuckled, before nuzzling his mate's cheek, a small smile on his face.

Storm nuzzled back, pressing close a moment later she was enclosed by the large pale purple wing.

Starscream let out an annoyed huffing growl as he was finally pinned by Megatron.

Megatron chirped in victory as he held his brother down, he grinned before letting him up a few moments later.

Starscream grumbled before getting to his feet and giving himself a shake.

Megatron smiled and chirped again, gently nosing his brother's side.

Starscream smiled a little then gently batted him with a wing.

His brother snorted at that, giving him a mock growl before walking over to his mother and batted at her leg, chirping hungrily.

"Follow me, my little ones." Storm said before heading for the Salt Cave.

The gray hatchling tilted his head with curiosity before following after her. He didn't understand what was going on. Normally, when he and Starscream became hungry she would simply regurgitate them a meal, she had never taken them to a different place before.

When Storm reached a near by cave, she was approached by its guard; a huge bronze scaled dragon with green and red flecks.

"Hello, Bruticus." Storm greeted with a small nod.

"Greetings, Stormshadow," Bruticus rumbled with a respectful nod before spotting the two hatchlings behind her. "Those two must be your sons."

Storm looked behind and found that both Megatron and Starscream were hiding behind her rear legs, her eyes softened and she gave a soft chuckle.

Megatron peeked out from behind his mother to look up at Bruticus; he couldn't believe how big this dragon was. His own father wasn't that big!

Starscream was just as surprised by the dragon's size as his brother was; he just stared at him, mouth-hanging open.

"It's alright, little ones. He may look big and dangerous but he won't hurt you." She told them.

That was partly true, while Bruticus would never harm a hatchling, the same couldn't be said for a fully dragon Autodragon. Only the Autodragons knew this large beast's ruthless side.

Bruticus lowered his large head in an attempt to make himself appear smaller, a difficult thing considering his massive size.

Megatron slowly crept out from his hiding place and approached the large Deceptidragon; he gave a swift sniff, feeling a bit reassured at the familiar smell of the caves.

Starscream remained behind Stormshadow, he didn't trust the large dragon and Megatron was a fool to approach him.

Creeping closer, Megatron crouched down before suddenly darting forward and swatted Bruticus on the nose with a paw before bolting to hide behind his brother again.

"Be nice, Megatron," His mother said before turning to look at Bruticus. "It's time for my boys to have their first taste of red meat."

"Of course, my lady. Right this way," The large male replied, turning to enter the cave, he paused and looked over his shoulder at the female. "And don't worry about the hit. He's only trying to prove he isn't intimated by me."

Storm chuckled softly again before following him inside, she was small compared him, she barely reached his chest.

Megatron looked around as he followed his brother; he had never been inside this cave before. It had an odd sort of smell, the floor and walls were white and grainy.

Starscream followed his brother and was just as curious about this strange smelling cave.

Bruticus lead them through the cave into a large chamber where all the prey the clan had caught was stored for later.

"Hm, we better start stocking up before winter arrives." Storm observed.

"I believe a hunting party is going out tomorrow." The large male replied.

"Good to know," The smaller female commented before striding forward and took hold of a carcass of a young elk.

Megatron came forward and sniffed at the carcass she was holding, it smelled good and flapped his wings a little.

Starscream approached more cautiously, he wasn't sure what she was holding but it caused his mouth to water by its scent alone.

Bruticus smiled as he watched the two hatchlings sniff at the carcass, it reminded him of when his own children had taken their first bite of red meat.

Storm laid the carcass down and ripped off a large chunk of meat then ripped it in half.

Megatron licked his lips at the enticing smell and looked up at his mother, wanting to know if it was ok.

Their mother placed the chunks of meat at their feet and nodded once. "Go on."

Sniffing at it again, Megatron looked at his brother before taking a bite. Liking it immensely, he swallowed and took another bite.

Starscream growled with delight as he ate his chunk of meat.

After finishing his chunk, Megatron licked his muzzle before burping loudly.

Starscream licked the blood from his own muzzle before giving a loud belch.

Storm sighed and shook her head.

Boys. She thought.

Bruticus chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Stormshadow. They'll grow out of it soon enough."

"I don't think so." Storm replied as she watched the two hatchlings try and out burp one another.

"My boys did the same thing when they were little," Bruticus told her. "Trust me, I had five of them."

Storm looked up at the bronze Deceptidragon and smiled at him, which the large male returned.

I wonder what our hatchlings would have looked like had he asked me to be his mate instead of Galvatron. She wondered.

Storm had always had feelings for the large dragon and she had always wondered what her life would have been like if Bruticus had asked her to be his mate. She also wondered if Bruticus had feelings for her, as she noticed on several occasions while Galvatron courted her that the large male had been watching her from afar.

Did Bruticus have feelings for me as well? She had wondered.

Starscream growled playfully as he tried to get the elk femur from Megatron.

Megatron growled back, wriggling his rear as he pulled. He loved playing tug of war with his brother.

His adoptive brother flapped his wings and sank his claws into the floor to anchor himself.

The gray hatchling shook his head to try to loosen Starscream's grip but he held fast, not given an inch.

"Determined little ones." Storm smiled.

"Indeed." Bruticus chuckled.

With a sharp tug, Megatron managed to pull Starscream forward.

With that pull, the femur was removed from Starscream's jaws, the tri colored hatchling growled in annoyance. He then went over to the carcass and managed to break off a rib.

Chirping in victory, Megatron sat down and began to gnaw on his bone.

X X X

In Autodragon territory…


Ironhide pushed his way through rain-drenched bushes, wishing he could simply fly over them. But that would mean running the risk of missing the hatchling.

Metalsound growled in irritation as she was suddenly drenched with water, she paused for a moment to shake the water off her thick black fur.

"I envy the fact that you have scales." She muttered.

Metalsound was one of the few Autodragons who had fur instead of scales, she also didn't have wings so she was grounded, not that it bothered her, she preferred to be on the ground.

"Trust me, it's not as nice as it seems," Ironhide replied. "I'm always freezing at night."

"You know, you can warm your cave by lighting a fire. What do you think that hole in the ceiling is for?"

"Even with fire I have to practically sleep on it just to stay warm."

Metalsound chuckled softly. "The huge bonfire will be lit when winter comes, the entire cave will be warm."

"Ah, the one good thing I like about winter." Ironhide grinned.

"Agreed." She replied, giving herself another shake.

Ironhide chuckled when he was sprayed with water; he pushed through the bushes as they made their way to the river. He knew they were getting close mainly due to the ever-growing size of the plants.

When the pair emerged from the undergrowth, they spotted Nightstalker pace along the edge of the river.

"Nightstalker!" Ironhide called out as they walked over to her. "Have you seen anything?"

Nightstalker turned to face them and sniffed, tears in her eyes.

"It's my fault."