A black cat-like predacon with green highlights moved towards the edge of the territory. His speed had allowed him to beat the newly freed pack leader back to her territory, however she was no longer pack leader here. This was Backlash's territory, now of course he would be happy to relinquish command to the rightful alpha but he couldn't have that, if unified under Jaws this pack would be much harder to take down. He sighed thinking and smirked as an idea came to him, time for a little theatrics.

Archer had become an eager youngster from the hatchling he used to be. He wanted to find his place in the pack as a protector or hunter but the big preds still treated him like a kid, rightly so, but he hated it. He was wandering on the fringes of the territory and into the view of the cat like pred. 'Perfect' the black and green pred sunk down letting his head drop, he stumbled out of the hiding spot he had been using towards Archer. Archer turned his attention to what seemed to be a very injured predacon. The stranger collapsed in front of him, "I.... need.... help..." He panted looking up at the youngster. Archer flinched then moved closer, "What can I do!?" He asked worried for the health of the stranger. "Please bring your alpha, perhaps he can save me," the pred offered his voice faint. Archer nodded quick and ran to find backlash.

"Backlash! Theresapredheshurt heneedshelpyougottahelphim!" Archer spoke too quick to be heard as anything more than a slurred collection of words. "Archer!" He barked slightly startling the bouncing pred, "Calm down and tell me what's wrong," he said turning to the youngster, "A pred came on to the territory and he's really hurt. I need you to help him!" Archer said unable to stay still. "Ok. I'll find Saw Bones and-" Backlash started, "No! He's really hurt we need to go back to make sure he's not dead!" Archer yelled. Backlash gave in, "Fine, lead the way," he said. Archer took off and Backlash was basically left to follow his tracks and scent trail.

By the time Backlash found where Archer had run off to he froze. There was the larger cat like predacon, who had pinned Archer and was holding a claw threateningly over his neck. Archer whined looking helplessly over at Backlash, "Shut it," the black pred snapped at him and it shut him up. "Easy stranger, I'm sure we can work something out," Backlash said in a calm tone, "I'm sure we can. If you want this young one returned to your pack unharmed this is what you are going to do: an old friend of yours will be dropping by at the east end of the territory. You are going to banish them. Then and only then will I release the pathetic little hatching here," the stranger finished, "Hey! I'm no hatchling!" Archer protested. The feline scratched his claw down Archer's neck causing him to yelp, "I told you to shut it already, and I hate repeating myself," he growled in a deep tone. "So Backlash, what's it gonna be?" He asked his voice taking on an almost pleased nature.

Backlash paced back and fourth, who had the mysterious pred been referring to? And why did he need to threaten Archer? Almost anyone from his past he would be more than willing to banish, but this was confusing. He was nervous, what if he messed up? That would be detrimental, they... he could not bare the loss of Archer. No. He couldn't think that way, he was going to banish this pred, whoever it was, and would get on with life. He sighed he hoped it would be as easy as it seemed in his head.

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I was panting heavily now, energon occasionally rained from one of my cuts leaving a trail back to my empty grave. I was weak, it was lucky the pack territory was were it was. Had it been further I would likely not have reached it. I dropped to the ground and managed to keep from crashing. I walked across the border at the east end and immediately I sighed in relief. It was Backlash! He would doubtlessly be able to help me over to Saw Bones, then we could catch up and get back to our war on what ever force was brainwashing predacon clones.

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Backlash stopped pacing for a moment as a creature landed not far off, that had to be the pred. He puffed out his chest slightly and advanced towards the pred. But as he moved his intense stance broke, by the primes, this wasn't possible. His optics focused in on his former alpha, Jaws.

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I would have bounded up to Backlash but my limbs felt like I had run the hunt of life time. "Backlash!" I called ahead smiling, "Jaws?" He asked, he looked as if he were looking at a ghost. To be honest not all that surprising, I myself was debating whether or not I was actually alive. "It's great to see you. Did everyone make it back?" I asked wanting to know the fate of the rest of the pack, and Bee. I noticed Backlash's expression change, he looked broken, as if he might tear up. "Backlash, what's wrong?" I asked tilting my head taking another step closer. He shut his optics and looked down a second, I could never have predicted what came next. 

Backlash tensed his entire form then turned aggressive, intimidating, army green optics on me, "Jaws, former alpha of the pack, you are banished from pack territory and camaraderie," his tone was dead serious. I shifted back a bit, this was weird, "Backlash?" I questioned, "If you do not remove yourself I will force you to leave and if you resist I am well within rights to kill you." He said his tone unchanging. I wanted to say something but couldn't, I didn't have the words. I knew this couldn't have been his choice, there had to be something wrong. I backed up and crossed the border he followed to make sure I did. However neither of us were aware we had been followed.

Onyx lept out of the brush and charged towards us, well more specifically me. "JAWS!" He howled, he would have plowed into me if Backlash hadn't stopped him. He looked at Backlash with a similarly hurt look I had given him earlier. "Jaws, you're alive!" He said looking back at me, I looked him over, he was older, much older. "How long have I been gone?" I asked, "Twelve years," Backlash answered. "Go back to the pack adolescent," now I knew it was an act, Backlash would never not use someone's name. Something was very wrong but it was clear there was nothing I could do to help, at least not at the moment. "It's ok Onyx, listen to him. He is your alpha, " I soothed. He seemed worked up but nodded, and after giving me a sad look he turned away to head back. I turned my back to the territory as I began to move off, and in seconds I was knocked to the ground on my side. Backlash stood over me, "He's forcing me. Watch yourself, he may come after you," his tone was aggressive as if he were snarling threats like a normal alpha would. Then he backed off, and I glanced at him one more time before walking away.

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He couldn't believe what he had done. He had banished the alpha, not just the alpha, his friend, his alpha and his trusted friend. He turned and headed back to were the stranger was holding Archer hostage. "Release him, my part in this deal has been done now hold up your end," he commanded in a tone that warned the stranger not to break the terms. The feline laughed before releasing Archer, who scrambled under Backlash trembling a little. "You can have the youngling. Thanks for being so agreeable, and leaving the pack so susceptible." The black pred said his smile showing his teeth. Backlash was blindsided and knocked to the ground pinned. He got part of a roar out before his attacker shut his mouth with their claws. "Roar all you like alpha Backlash, you can't save your pack," the black pred told him smirking. Another black and green pred approached the first, "Myth, what are the orders?" He asked, he looked more like a reptile. "Take them all, master wants every last one," Myth responded.