Half Moon

  I wake up, my headache dulled.

  My wings have already shrunk, my hair back to brown.

  I have to pull my hood to keep myself from looking at the sun for too long.

  It was still close to the horizon. It was pretty early.

  I look around, hoping to see Nightshade.  No luck.

  I feel a wave of anger in me, and I smash my fist into the rock.

  I shake out my hand. "Ow..."

  I shakily get up, brushing the sand off me.

  I see a giant pile of stones a little further away.

A memorial.

  I don't know who it belonged to, but I still whisper my condolences as I walk to the elevator.

  I press a button, the elevator bringing me down.

  I step out when I get to my floor, Ratchet typing on the console.

  He glances at me.  "Where are your wings?"

  "They're just in my shoulder blades." I walk to the couch, my wings folding out.

  Ratchet looks confused. "Strange."

  I sit down on the couch, Bee just walking out. He looked like he just woke up.

  He sees me and waves.

  I wave back, trying to summon my daggers.

  I feel the leather hilts in my hand, seeing the slightly curved silver blades shimmer into existance.

  In the end, my daggers are in my fists, just for me.

I sigh. At least I could do something right.

  "How did you do that?"

  I drop my daggers in surprise, both of them clattering on the metal grating.

  I look behind me, Bee watching curiously.

  Ratchet glances at us, shaking his head. He goes back to typing, not bothering to pay attention.

  I pick up my daggers, slipping them into my belt.

  "I was made that way. Chosen, anyway." I shrug.

This seemed to get Ratchet's attention.

  "How were you chosen?" He asked, curiosity filling in his eyes.

  "I'm an Alpha. An Alpha gets chosen if the Elders decide you are worthy, or the Soul of Alpha's chooses you. The Soul of Alpha's chose me."

  He nods. "What is your position, exactly?"

  "Well, I look through the requests to have children, and if I find both parents worthy, a child is on thier doorstep the next day."

  Ratchet looks confused. "Strange customs."

I get up, stretching.

  "Bee, can you show me around? I don't really have anything else to do." I ask, and he nods.

  He leads me through the halls, showing me the energon storage, the bots power down rooms, and a very large and empty room used for sparring.

  I hear loud clattering down the hallway.

  Nightshade.

  I bolt down the hallway, my body telling me to stop by making my muscles sore.

  I fall on my knees, Bee picking me up and running.

  I was jostled around a lot, but I didn't care.

  Nightshade was here, bucking and rearing nervously.

  He saw me in his hand, starting to gallop to Bee angrily.

He must've thought he was hurting me.

  "Put me down.  Quick!" I say, and he follows my instructions.

  I step away from Bee, Nightshade following.

  He is snorting loudly, his eyes bugging out of his head.

  He nuzzles into me, whining.

  I wrap my arms around his nose, but he seems like he's in pain.

  "It's okay. I'm okay. What hurts?" I ask him, and I realize his left wing is slightly opened.

  Fresh scars are all over his face and neck.

  I lift up his wing and almost vomit.

  An insignia for bounty hunters was burned cruelly into his side.

  I stroke whatever patch of fur didn't have scars on him.

  "Did they follow you?"

  He shook his mane and stomped twice.

They didn't.

  I nod. "Okay, bud. Calm down. It's okay. These guys are gonna help, okay?"

  He snorts, agitated.

  Ratchet comes over, but Nightshade blocks me from sight, nickering angrily.

  "Ratchet, back off." I warn, and he steps back.

  I pat his neck.  "They helped me. They all did. And they're going to help you.  Just lay down and they'll heal you." I say, and he seems to listen.

  He lays down on his side, the burn facing up.

  I put his head in my lap, stroking his nose.

  He snorts tiredly, his eyes heavy.

  I take off my sweatshirt and put it over his eyes.  It would keep him calm if he woke up.

  "Okay. Ratchet you can come close now." I say quietly, not wanting to wake him up.

  I press a pressure point on his neck, making his wing stick up in the air.

  Ratchet takes one glance, and orders Bee to comm Optimus.

  He comes through the groundbridge, some sort of scanner in his hand.

  He glanced at the burn, and his eyes narrowed.

Optimus

  Mech. 

  They had captured her equine companion, burning thier insignia into his side.

  I have to protect her.

Half Moon

  He looked at me. "You are not permitted to leave the base without one of us accompanying you.  Understand?"

  I nod. He was just trying to protect me.

  They all were.

  I can sense worry in his voice.

  I can sense fear in his eyes.

  What were these bounty hunters willing to do to get to me?