A Cheetah with Different Spots

Chapter 3: Name, Battle, CUBS!

"Are you sure this was where you had previously found the wild cat?" Dinobot asked, swiping down the tall grass reeds with his rotating sword.

"YES! The first time I found her was when we went to test out the broken device that Rhinox and Rattrap made," Cheetor said.

"You mean the failed excursion?" Dinotbot interjected.

"'Ey!" spoke a giant rat head that suddenly popped out of the golden wall of plants, "Don't dis on a maximal's invention! I's harder than it looks, ya know."

"Of course, vermin," Dinobot rolled his optics.

"Don't ya roll your optics at me!"

"And why shouldn't I?!"

Cheetor leaped ahead, trying to tune out the very loud bickering of his two teammates. The reeds of tall golden grasses were just as annoying as ever, and it didn't help him calm his worry.

It had been over two quartexs since they had lost the other Cheetah. He still didn't know how she had vanished; he had just turned for one moment and she was gone. Ever since that day, Cheetor had been scared that something would happen to her. With the brace on her leg, she would be able to walk, but it still wouldn't allow her to run. Meaning that she couldn't hunt or run away from danger. Sure, cheetahs didn't really have any type of predators, but that didn't stop an angry lion from attacking and stealing a kill. Optimus and Tigatron also shared Cheetor's concerns. An injured animal, predator or not, could easily become a target for any kind of danger.

Not mention the drought had continued to pelt the wild lands with scorching heat. The larger water sources were now half their normal size, and the smaller once were practically non-existent. Cheetor wasn't so sure of 'the creatures had back up plans for this' anymore. Now, that he had an injured friend lost out here. Was she able to find food, or water? He hated worrying like this.

He suddenly froze. He lowered his face closer to the ground, searching. That scent; he knew that scent. It was hers. His paws treaded carefully as he followed the trail. She had been here. the reeds slowly spread, as he continued the search. Her scent continued to grow stronger and stronger until...

Cheetor leaped through the reeds to find...the brace.

The piece of recovery equipment was lying in a pile of dust, the soft harness collapsing in on itself. The catbot approached closer, to examine it more thoroughly. The locks that allowed it to clip on to her leg looked like that they had naturally come apart rather than had been broken forcefully. It was the same situation with the lock on the harness.

"Rattrap!" Cheetor called, picking up the brace with his mouth, and running back towards the others.

"Ey! What is it kid?" the rodent said, as the youngster made his way back.

"Look what I found!" Cheetor said, his voice muffled, as he ran up to Rattrap and Dinobot.

"Is that the brace?" Dinobot asked, as Cheetor place his find on the ground.

Cheetor coughed, "yep."

The velociraptor took the brace into his claws and looked over it, "I can't find any sign that it was forced off. So, that means that the locks failed," He turned to Rattrap, "Another failed endeavor for you vermin."

"EY! If you's looked a little closer you's see a scanner, in da shoulder joint. Me and Rhinox designed da brace so dat if her leg was done healing da locks would release so she wouldn't need me or 'im to take it off," the giant rat explained.