#cliffhoundrage

The colony is not really doing well but they're managing. After a lot of trial and error Perceptor and a lot of the other smartest cats figured out how to differentiate between the poisoned food and food that was safe to eat and have endeavored to teach everyone in the colony how to avoid them.

Megatron has taken to patrolling the perimeter of the colony keeping an eye out for any of the dogs that were set loos in the area in an attempt to run them out. As one of the biggest and toughest cats he has a better chance of holding them off than anyone else.

Tho many speculate that he's also avoiding Rodimus and their kitten. Still filled with shame for the unknowing part he played in Rodimus' illness that led to the loss of most of the rest of the little. He still checks in on them to make sure theyre cared for but he hasn't come near them in awhile.

Rodimus tries to persevere through it even though the loss of most of his litter has effected him greatly. Thankfully the colony has thrown their full support behind him.

MInimus has taken to accompanying Megatron on his patrols. Tho Megatron tends to hate dogs hes made an unexpected exception for Minimus and has found himself confiding things to him he doesn't confide in the other cats.

Bumblebee has taken to joining Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker on hunting expeditions to find food that was guranteed safe for the colony to eat.

Cliffjumper meanwhile has kept up a constant vigil on a recovering Hound. Making sure hes eating, getting water, and grooming him. Even as he physically recovers Hound cant help but ask if Cliffjumper has seen Mirage around. Naturally the answer is no.

Hound begins to wonder if he did something to make Mirage upset. Or if now that hes sick Mirage doesnt like him anymore. Or perhaps never cared that much in the first place.

Cliffjumper is... conflicted. On the one hand he has Hound all to himself again but on the other... well MIrage DID care about Hound. He can't really deny that. Working with the colony to cure him and then risking his hide to distact that beast when getting the medicine more or less proves that. So he can't help but also wonder why mirage disappeared to.

Meanwhile, far off, Shockwave thinks hes finally found a good place for the colony to settle.

Aaahhhhh thank you!!!!!

Basically Shockwave returns and informs everyone of the new colony location hes found. An abandoned building on the far side of the city. It will take a few days to travel there, especially with Rodimus' kitten and some of the cats who are still ill, but with the attacks on their colony increasing its imperitive they move as soon as possible.

While on one of their patrols around the colonies perimeter, Megatron informs Minimus that while he isn't certain Rodimus will want to continue being his mate after what happened he has no intention of abandoning him or their kitten. Though he intends to keep his distance from them. Minimus, in the most polite tones possible, essentially tells Megs to cut the crap.

Rodimus has clearly been stressed without Megatron there and while their kitten is well cared for, there's no reason for him not to be involved in their life. What happened was tragic but he needs to see that what his new little family needs is his support, not for him to pull away and mope. Besides, if Megs doesn't pull it together, well, Minimus might just take them for himself. Megatron points out hes a DOG and Rodimus is a CAT. But he sees reason and, when the day comes, travels to the new colony location alongside Rodimus and their kitten.

Meanwhile Hound is well enough to travel, but Cliffjumper can't help but see hes in a depressed mood. He knows its about Mirage and asks about him. Hound reveals Mirage never came back to the colony and speculates that he likely returned to some human family somewhere. He apologizes to Cliffjumper for making him feel forgotten it was just... even back when they could only see him through glass Mirage was always alone. And he always looked so lonely. He'd been hoping that he and Cliffjumper could... but it doesnt matter. Its pretty evident Mirage didn't feel the same way.

Cliffjumper is... upset with this. More so hes upset with how he feels about it.

When the day comes to leave, he sends Hound on ahead. Claiming hes going to get one last look around the stomping ground before catching up.

Instead he goes find Mirage.

Mirage is alone in his sad little shelter. Rain having already seeped through the cardboard. Pretty fur dirtied and clearly quite hungry. He also still has the noticeable limp.

Cliffjumper confronts him about "abandoning" Hound only for Mirage to dismiss the idea. He was never WITH Hound. Cliffjumper was. Hound helped Mirage and Mirage paid him back. That was all.

Cliffjumper hisses that he KNOWS that wasn't all their was.

Mirage just says that even if there WAS more it wasn't like it could go anywhere. Besides Cliffjumper should be happy. He was the one worried about Mirage taking Hound away. Now Mirage was getting out of his way. Thats what he wanted right?

Thats what Cliff thought he wanted. Really he was just scared. Mirage is so pretty and unique. He can read human writing and knows other things. Cliffjumper can't compare to that.

Thats when Mirage tells Cliffjumper that he's the one who can't compare to Cliff and tells him about his inability to have any kittens. Ever. And Hound clearly wants kittens. What would be the point of him coming along if he can't give hound or cliffjumper what they want?

Cliffjumper finally loses his temper and DRAGS Mirage out of his box. He and Hound want MIRAGE. Not someone to birth kittens for them. He communicates to him in no uncertain terms that he is coming with Cliffjumper to the new colony. They are reuniting with Hound. And after that Mirage is going to be a member of the colony and learn how to properly hunt and find shelter that won't develop leaks after a couple of rainstorms.

Mirage is more or less the convinced and the two take a long journey to the new colony. They arrive last due to Mirage's limp slowing them down. But are greeted by a very overjoyed Hound who welcomes them both enthusiastically.

Months later Rodimus has had a second, heathier, littler with Megatron with Minimus standing guard and Perceptor helping raising the little ones. And, shockingly enough, they find out Mirages spaying was a crap job when he and Hound both get VERY pregnant with Cliffjumpers kittens. With the little cat sitting between both of them looking VERY smug

(and thats all i got lol)

😸

Thank you for the catformers au it was really really good!