A World Beyond Our Own | TFP AU

13 || Run

Ratchet could hear nothing but his heart pounding as he surged out of the Decepticon camp and into the woods.

Until an outraged roar shook the earth.

"Scrap.." Ratchet muttered, taking a few moments to look around for any sign of the warlord. Seconds later, a force slammed into his side and drove him into the ground.

Taylor was flung off his back into some bushes, but was miraculously unharmed. She heard growls and snarls as she scrambled to her feet, gasping in horror at what was happening before her.

Ratchet was fighting Megatron head on and was surprisingly holding his own very well against the larger dragon. Teeth were gnashing and claws were slashing in a flurry of attacks that Taylor couldn't even keep track of. She was frozen in fear, unsure of what to do.

Ratchet's guard dropped for just a second when he spotted Taylor out of the corner of his eye. Megatron immediately took advantage of it and threw him onto his back, planting a massive paw on his chest.

"Taylor!" He shouted, struggling to keep Megatron's snapping jaws at bay. "Taylor, run!"

Taylor's heart was torn between staying there and running away. She didn't want to leave him, but what else could she do?

Finally, she managed to gather enough strength and took off into the undergrowth. Megatron snarled in annoyance as she did so and his attacks intensified.

Ratchet was relieved that she had listened, but that didn't last very long. Megatron was closing in on his throat and would kill him if he didn't do something.

He tried to kick the warlord off with his hind legs, but the larger dragon was too heavy. After a struggle that nearly drained him of his energy, he finally managed to shove the warlord off. But before he could stand, he felt Megatron's fangs pierce his scales and sink into the back of his neck. He let out a strangled cry and tried to break free, but his strength was fading fast.

Megatron sneered, relishing the metallic taste of blood gushing into his mouth. He forcefully shoved Ratchet to the ground and held him there until he couldn't feel him struggling anymore. After a moment passed, he let go of the medic's neck and stepped over him, swiping his tongue across his bloodstained jaws.

"Good riddance." He said with a growl, turning his head to look in the direction that Taylor had fled. An evil smirk spread across his face and he released a thunderous roar, charging into the undergrowth moments later.

The hunt was on.

*
*
*

The sounds of battle had since faded from Taylor's ears once she had gotten far enough, though her fear was renewed when another roar shook the forest.

She spurred herself onward, her legs soon becoming numb. Eventually, her lungs just couldn't keep up anymore and she was forced to stop and rest by what once was a mighty tree. The log had been hollowed out by animals over the years, leaving a small crawl space that provided some shelter. The girl could only rest for a few moments before the crunching of leaves caught her attention.

Thinking quickly, she dropped to her knees and crawled into the log. She winced when her silver hair was snagged and pulled by the rough surface of the wood. Once she thought she would be safe, she curled into a ball and tried to regulate her breathing.

Things were quiet. Too quiet.

She could hear the rustling of the leaves as the wind picked up and could smell rain in the air. A storm was coming. The thought of that only added to her anxiety.

A twig snapped nearby and she slapped a hand over her mouth before any sound could escape. She stayed perfectly still, though she couldn't stop trembling when she heard footsteps approaching. They grew closer and closer...

Then, the log creaked as a heavy weight was placed on it. Taylor could hear claws clicking on the wood as whatever was on the log walked along its surface and tears built in her eyes. A glimpse of grey scales through one of the cracks confirmed her worst fears.

It was Megatron.

She tried her best to contain her tears, Ratchet being the only thing on her mind. Had he been hurt? Or worse, killed? Did the Decepticons drag him back to their camp to torture him? A million questions buzzed through her head as she was swamped with a rush of emotions. She was yanked back into reality when the wood above her head creaked, indicating that Megatron was directly above her.

"I can smell you, human." His deep voice seemed to make the log vibrate. Taylor could almost feel his hot breath on her skin. "You are playing a dangerous game. I don't think you'll like it very much when you lose." He purred.

Taylor struggled to keep herself from screaming, silent tears streaming down her face. Her chest heaved with each breath. She didn't know what to do. She didn't even know if she would get out of this alive!

An uncomfortable silence gripped the air for what felt like an eternity.

Then she heard a firm, yet familiar voice.

"Megatron, stand down."