Sideswipe limped along slowly, trying desperately to not get any of the other's attention. His leg struts, hydraulics and tensor ached like crazy and the cold was not helping his processors. He had also had ice in his chassis and in places where he didn't even know ice could go.

Or should for that matter.

But they had gotten Polarclaw in the end and that was all that mattered… well that and the need for heat and energon.

Sideswipe could last for a while without energon but he really doubted that the others could go without the stuff for more than two weeks at best. Slipstream and Jetstorm had even less time than that thanks to the fact that they were Minicons and Polarclaw was still unconscious so they had to ensure that he was fed too.

Yea… Sideswipe wasn't too optimistic about their situation at the moment.

The worst part was that he missed the junkyard and all the safety it provided. He was stuck with the most attentive-and slightly annoying-bots in the universe and had no place to go in case they got too close or if they found out his real age. Bumblebee, Strongarm, and Grimlock had tried to wrestle the truth out of him but he never told them.

Safer that way for all of the bots involved. Sideswipe included.

"Swipe… ideswipe… Sideswipe!"

Sideswipe jumped about ten histers in the air, ripped out of his thought process by the calling of his name. He looked at Windblade, unnerved by the concerned look in her optics, "Hey slick, are you ok? You've been lost in thoughts for a while now."

Sideswipe managed a weak smile with his mouthplates, knowing that he wasn't exactly convincing her that he was fine, "Yep, just wondering how poor ole Grim is going. Being stuck with Strongarm must be driving him up the wall by now."

Windblade relaxed slightly-appearing to buy the lie- and laughed, "Yea, Grimlock is probably going nuts with her trying to stop him from smashing things."

They shared a laugh, "By the way, Optimus Prime has found a cave for us to spend the night recharging," Windblade said after another laugh.

"Sweet!" Sideswipe cheered, moving as fast as he could without it being too painful. His pain receptors were bitching at him but he just wanted to get to the cave without revealing that he was in pain. Windblade walked beside him, her pedes crunching as they sank in the fluffy snow. They finally arrived at the cave and Sideswipe scrambled inside. It was surprisingly large and a fire was already going. Optimus was sitting by-and fussing over-Polarclaw and Slipstream and Jetstorm were huddled by the fire with Drift guarding them as they warmed up.

Sideswipe quickly claimed a spot halfway between the fire and Optimus, sliding down slowly to prevent his whole leg from stretching out too quickly in an attempt to prevent his pain receptors from bitching at him anymore than they already were.

Didn't stop them.

He chewed his mouthplates in a frantic attempt to stop the scream from escaping as the pain reached near intolerable levels. Sideswipe decided that recharge was a good idea; he didn't want to alert anyone to the pain that he was in after all.

He closed his optics and slipped into sweet painless recharge.

/

Windblade watched as Sideswipe fell into recharge; whimpering whenever his left leg was jolted around. She was worried about him. He was clearly younger than even Drift's Minicons but he showed signs of having an older processor.

Only two types of bots had that; young warriors and street bots.

"How is he?" She turned towards Optimus Prime, noticing that he was looking at the Sideswipe too.

"He hasn't told me anything; I believe that he is in a great deal of pain but is unwilling to tell anybot."

Optimus looked worried but before he could say anything, a whimper filled the cave. Everybot turned to look at Sideswipe; startled at the pain-filled faceplates that graced the normally carefree faceplates. Drift moved when another whimper fell from Sideswipes mouthplates; he carefully scooped up the lithe bot and relocated him in front of the fire, laying Sideswipe on his right side and slowly stretching the left leg.

Optimus and Windblade watched as Drift continued with whatever he was doing to Sideswipe. Drift slowly pulled the leg all the way out, stopping if the thin bot whimpered or showed even a hint of pain. Slipstream and Jetstorm leapt in to help, Slipstream moving so that Sideswipes helm was on his lap; stroking his helm soothingly and Jetstorm was helping Drift with what could only be described as stretching exercises.

"Guys… what are you doing?" Windblade asked as they continued the exercises.

Slipstream looked at the other Autobots as he continued his soothing ministrations, "We are doing some simple stretching exercises in an attempt to relax the tensor, joints and hydraulics of Sideswipes left leg so he won't be in any pain in the morning."

Jetstorm nodded as he gently massaged Sideswipes knee, "Master Drift used to do it to us when we first started our training. Our joints would get sore because we were unused to the training and he would help us stretch them out so they wouldn't freeze on us the next day."

Drift smiled at his two apprentices and continued to work on the leg but all three froze when Sideswipe let out an incoherent mumble and a flinch. Everybot held their intake except Slipstream, who just kept on rubbing his helm until Sideswipe settled down. The sound of exhaling filled the cave as Drift and Jetstorm resumed their work.

Optimus quickly looked at Polarclaw, ensuring that the Decepticon was still unconscious before looking at the rest of team, "Everybot should get some recharge before tomorrow. I'll take the first watch."

Windblade dipped, "I'll take the second shift sir."

"And I'll take the third shift," Drift said with a smile.

Optimus nodded and turned back to the sleeping Sideswipe, "Sideswipe, Jetstorm and Slipstream won't be doing a shift tonight; they'll do it tomorrow."

The others nodded and Windblade settled down for the few hours of recharge she would get before her watch. Drift, Slipstream and Jetstorm continued their ministrations until they were sure that Sideswipe would have no pain in the morning. Drift settled down with his precious students and all three fell into blissful recharge, unaware of the hell their friend was going through in his processor.

Wildcat: Yet another starter fic bites the dust! I hope you enjoy!