Through Ash and Dust (ROTB)

Chapter 51

Staring back at this large, powerful maximal as he glared back at her, Saphira had absolutely no idea of what was going to happen. Without Optimus present, she was vulnerable, and she had zero plan of trying to run. Saphira trembled as she knew that answering the maximal's question about why she was looking for the key might not be good at the moment. Not without Optimus present, as she did not know how this maximal would react. Especially as it seemed like that he was starting to lose patience with her, since Saphira was not responding to him.

He slammed his fists into the water again, making the girl yelp and crawl back a little more. "I will not ask again!" She swallowed nervously, staring back at him as she gazed into his yellow optics. "Who are you? And why are you hunting for the key?" She opened her mouth and closed it again multiple times out of nervousness. "Speak, human!"

"Uh...I..." Saphira began to respond in a small, shaky voice. "Um...b-b-because...he...uh...um...the..." She grimaced as she knew she was just sputtering words at the moment, and the maximal knew that as he narrowed his optics at her. She bit her lip lightly as she stared back at him. "B-B-Because I..."

"Yo, Donkey Kong!" Saphira flinched, glancing up at the ledge above to see Mirage aiming his weapon at the maximal. The maximal frowned in irritation upon seeing the bot. "Stay away from my friend!"

Saphira was pleased to see him, but she gasped as she heard the sound of twigs snapping as something else seemed to be approaching. "Uh...M-Mirage?!"

Mirage smirked at the girl confidently. "Don't worry! Your boy's got this!" Just as he said that, another maximal pounced on Mirage, causing the bot to squeal very loudly. And high pitched as well, making Saphira cover one ear with her hand as it hurt her ears a little. "Stranger, danger!"

Saphira blinked in shock, as this maximal looked like a cheetah in shape. The body was tan, very similar to the colour of a leucistic cheetah, though had a more gold tinge to the colour. His optics had a goldish, green colour to them and the maximal was quite larger than Mirage. He held Mirage's arms down effortlessly, while baring his teeth at the frightened bot, and Saphira couldn't believe he wasn't watching his back.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Saphira turned her head and saw Wheeljack walked through the river with his canon raised, and she gasped as she saw something running up behind him. "Not so..."

"Wheeljack! Look out!" Saphira shouted at him before Wheeljack turned to see his attacker.

A rhinoceros maximal hits Wheeljack in the back and hits him up onto a nearby ledge, but the maximal turned towards Saphira and roared at her. She shivered as she saw the glow of fire within the maximal's throat as his green optics glare at her. His colour was dark grey, and his horn was strong and sharp. Saphira knew that if she had tried to run, all three of these maximals would have easily caught her, and she did not want that to be the case.

"Hey!" She looked back over at Mirage and saw Arcee, aiming her canons at the cheetah maximal. "Here kitty, kitty!"

"Uh...th-this..." The gorilla turned his head and glared back at Saphira. "Uh...c-c-can't you...um...i-is..." Saphira swallowed nervously as she looked back at him. "W-We a-a-are looking f-f-for it because..."

She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence as she saw Optimus running towards them, and he leaped over the rhino maximal with his canon armed and aimed it at the gorilla. "Stand down!" The maximal roared and slammed his fists in the water angrily, standing on his feet as he was not deterred by the warning. "I won't ask a second time. Stand down, and step away from the human!"

Saphira looked at Optimus in surprised when he referred to her as a human, but she guessed he wasn't willing to risk telling the maximal her name right now. However, the maximal was not backing down, as he hit his chest once to try and get Optimus to shoot. Saphira scrambled to her feet, knowing she didn't want them to fight. She figured that it was possible these maximals could be their allies, and this was not a good start.