CHAPTER SIX
"Maybe we should have asked for directions."
"Shut up, Sludge," Grimlock growled as the four Dinobots moved through the dense jungle in beast form. "I know where we're going."
"I hope so," Snarl muttered. "If a Predacon comes by and finds us-"
"Then we'll get there faster," Grimlock said. "Especially if we go with the plan."
"I somewhat doubt that they'll fall for our pretending to be Predacons."
Grimlock ignored Snarl and continued to lead the Dinobots. They encountered very little along the way, save for one or two primitive natives that liked to pick a fight with anything that came its way. Needless to say, they never lasted long against them anyway.
"If only it wasn't Swoop that had been captured," Sludge bemoaned. "Then he could have scouted from above. It should've been me they captured."
"Yes, it should have," Slag said irritably.
"Wait." Grimlock brought the others to a halt. "I saw something move."
Snarl snorted. "Probably just another-"
He was cut off when a razor-shaped disk flew pass him, narrowly missing his face. The four Dinobots then turned to see a spindly mech colored in white, blue, and red, preparing to throw another disk.
The Dinobots all converted into their robot modes but Grimlock prevented the others from attacking. For some reason, something about the Predacon's coloration and overall appearance struck him as familiar.
After standing in tense silence before the Predacon, Grimlock tentatively said, "Sky Lynx?"
The Predacon blinked before slowly lowering his weapon. "Grimlock? You... look different."
"Not as much as you," the Dinobot leader muttered. "What happened?"
"Not much, really," Sky Lynx replied. "I was just summoned here. Are you aligned with the Predacons?"
"Depends on who you ask," Snarl said with a smirk.
"What he means is that we're not, but we're pretending to be to get into the Predacons' fortress," Grimlock said.
Sky Lynx tilted his head. "Why would you want to do that?"
"Because they've captured Swoop."
"I see. In that case, with me at your side, that shouldn't be too much of a problem."
"What do you mean?" Slag asked.
"Because, depending on who you ask, I am a Predacon."
* * *
"Why isn't he here yet?"
The five Predacon councilors stood in their meeting chamber, gathered in a circle. Breaking the silence that followed Councilor Razorclaw's query, Divebomb said, "Perhaps he failed to hear the signal."
"Impossible," Razorclaw said. "The signal could be hear from the other end of the galaxy. He should be here by now."
"Maybe his time with the Autobots has made him reconsider his loyalties," growled Tantrum. "If so, I would gladly tear out his spark and feed his remains to the Beast."
"But he's been loyal to us for millennia," Razorclaw murmured, mostly to himself. "Why would he betray us?"
"Either way, we should be prepared to punish him as seen fit," said Headstrong. "Shall we send someone to find him?"
Before Razorclaw could reply, a Predacon guard burst in through the chamber's doors.
"My lieges!" the guard cried. "He's here!"
Razorclaw moved with a start. "Sky Lynx?"
"Yes. He's waiting outside the fortress."
"He could be luring us into a trap," muttered Rampage.
Ignoring him, Razorclaw pushed past the guard and moved towards the entrance chamber. He ordered the two guards stationed at their- Darksteel and Grimwing- to open the front gate. The two Predacons did so and the doors parted ways to reveal Sky Lynx standing outside, accompanied by four others.
"Lord Razorclaw," Sky Lynx said, taking a deep bow. "It has been too long."
"Indeed," Razorclaw replied. Glancing at the other four mechs, he said, "Are these...?"
"Yes. The remaining four Dinobots."
Razorclaw grinned behind his mouthplate. "Well done... and welcome back."
* * *
"I can't find Primal."
Seated in front of the fire as he normally was, Backstop looked up at Fangwolf and frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean... I mean I can't find him! He's gone!" Fangwolf said exasperatedly. "Him and the rest of the Axalon crew."
"No doubt he's gone to help Grimlock and his rabid band," Leo Prime said coldly, standing away from the fire. "I wouldn't expect anything less of him."
"Maybe we should go as well," Knockdown suggested.
"No!" Leo Prime snapped, staring the other Maximals. "I've had enough of bots like Grimlock and Primal. If they can't resist their Autobot roots, then fine. But we are Maximals to the core and we are staying here."
Fangwolf snarled. "Says who? Do you have some sort of invisible leash around our necks?"
Leo Prime glared at him. "I am a Prime, descended from one of the first."
"So you claim. For all we know, you could be just saying that so we can kiss your feet and bow to your command."
"That's quite enough, Fangwolf," Backstop said sharply.
The Maximal warrior ignored him. "Here we are rebelling against the Predacons and yet you deride us for rebelling against you," he snapped at Leo.
"And are you going to desert too?" Leo Prime growled.
"I might as well," Fangwolf muttered. "I would rather sit in a dungeon in their fortress rather than suffer through your 'leadership.'"
Before Leo Prime could react, Fangwolf morphed into his alt mode and dashed out of the cave, vanishing into the thickness of the jungle.
* * *
A Predacon warlord hummed to himself as he sharpened the blade of his axe. One of his spies had returned to report that a certain group of Maximals- five of which he had sworn vengeance against- were approaching the fortress.
While Razorclaw and the others busied themselves with the return of one of their own, he would see to the fortress' defenses himself.
After all, Cryotek thought as he lifted himself up from his seat. I am the defenses.
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