♥

Gravescratch has two recharge settings; “I am around predators but need rest” shallow napping, and “I have found a safe place goodnight world” too-deep-to-be-woken-by-anything-but-searing-pain sleep.

Having an actual berth triggers the latter, evidently.

Which is why the presence of another person in his space doesn’t wake him up. Honestly, it helps that the person in question is small, round, smooth, and not trying to eat him.

When he does gradually start to wake up, he just rumbles softly and curls tighter around the heat source, pressing his stomach against-

Wait.

This is new.

‘Three assorted optics flicker open, focusing on nothing whatsoever, and most of his antennae perk in odd directions rather than swiveling towards the sound. It does take some time to get seven optics and six antennae back on schedule after a good long sleep, after all.

So, rather than trying to look at or listen to whatever it is, Gravescratch picks his helm up slightly, lolls out his tongue, and licks at- what turns out to be someone’s face.

Whoops.

This is a person.

There is definitely a small, round, pleasantly warm person in his berth with him.

But he’s alive, not in pain, and not restrained, so… probably a friendly person.

Now who the Pit is this?

He doesn’t remember yet.

Therefore, more licks. Along with plenty of inquiring sounds.

Really, his only thought right know is “???” without even any words. He could wake up quickly if he had to, but he seems to be fine. Whoever this is tastes fairly calm, and they’re nice and warm.

Apparently I am a ‘cryptid’ now.

I may have accidentally been seen by some humans. They did not get a clear look, it was dark and I was in a forest, so they did not realize that I am a mechanical being. I may have intentionally frightened them away.

There is now a description circulating that amounts to “A tall, slender, loosely bipedal being with an indeterminate number of limbs, blacker than the shadows around it, with six small eyes and one very large searchlight-like eye. Seen nibbling on trees like a giraffe. Response to humans was to screech very loudly, lunge, and then vanish out of sight. Left two-clawed footprints for a short distance into a lake and could not be re-located. Possibly amphibious. Seems harmless.”

I am not sure what to do with that.

Laugh?

gravescratch:

My dentae are primarily made for crushing and grinding, and my jaw hinge allows me to shift my lower jaw back and forth in a sawing motion if I need to (roughly) sever something. If I need to tear into a larger meal, I generally transform the lower jaw of my alt mode into place so I can use the sharp fangs. When my mouth is closed, my dentae retract slightly to save space, and if I am not using them, I can keep them retracted with my mouth open in order to avoid threatening people.

#nervous sweating #I SHOULD MAYBE NOT HAVE PUT MY HANDS SO CLOSE TO THAT MOUTH

You’re quite nice. I’m not about to bite the hand that pets me.

Except if it’s condescending “look at the tracker dog being a good boy” helm-patting, because then I will bite it off.

Source: gravescratch

My dentae are primarily made for crushing and grinding, and my jaw hinge allows me to shift my lower jaw back and forth in a sawing motion if I need to (roughly) sever something. If I need to tear into a larger meal, I generally transform the lower jaw of my alt mode into place so I can use the sharp fangs. When my mouth is closed, my dentae retract slightly to save space, and if I am not using them, I can keep them retracted with my mouth open in order to avoid threatening people.

Five Cute Facts

Tagged by @specialopssaddleback

Tagging @cross-labs

1: Antennae and optics go all askew and point in approximately 20 different directions if he’s just woken up.

2: Makes soft “rrrurrrr” noises and leans into things if someone rubs around the armor on the back of his neck.

3: Gets Very Excited when things run away from him and runs after them in an effort to bring them back.

4: Investigates any and all new things by tasting them, if at all possible. Licks and nibbles anything that isn’t actively protesting or highly corrosive. And some things that are.

5: Licks his optics to clean them and occasionally gets distracted enough to stay mid-blep for a few minutes.

A slight helm-tilt, too many optics flickering independently of each other to size up her frame in just an instant, then a narrow servo reaches out and lightly caresses one pointed cheek-fin, albeit cautiously in case it earns him an attempt at a bite. They’re too tempting to resist, not when he has something like permission.

specialopssaddleback:

@gravescratch

“…What are- oh.” She stiffens up, stocky little body tense and wheels preemptively starting to spin before they stop, and…the caress is apparently accepted. The cheekguards are nothing special, just designed to protect her faceplates during an impact, to frame her jaw to look interesting, but they’re seldom touched. It feels a little weird. Okay, that’s kind of nice. Leaning her helm into the touch.

A distinct flicker of intrigue pulses through Gravescratch’s otherwise reserved field, then long legs fold to bring him down to her level, his other primary servo raising slightly to rub clawtips carefully over one of those shoulder tires. Tires are seldom all that sensitive, but they intrigue him, so… probably another safe area. And he’s going to keep lightly caressing the spot on her cheekguard that she seems to like, just soft, gentle rubs to see if it keeps her calm and open to contact.

At the same time, secondary arms unfold from their usual spot tucked up against his frame, reaching just slightly towards her to see if she either has no objections or is a bit too distracted to notice.

specialopssaddleback:

gravescratch:

specialopssaddleback:

Consider the following advantages to laying on the floor;

People generally don’t interrupt you

Some mecha have really goddamn unfairly attractive pedes

Smooth floor, cool floor, soothe my aching spark

Grab someone’s ankle joint to scare them if they don’t see you

Rodent hiding places at optic level

People tend to respond to otherworldly screams from floor level by leaping comically high into the air

‘Accidentally’ see up under skirting panels

If people accidentally step on you they feel bad and bring you energon

Increases one’s Mystery if done right

Is Dramatic when well accompanied with sound and/or staring

See? There’s lots of good reasons to stay down h-

wait, did you say Rodents? Like, pests? vermin?

SCREAMING

Pardon?

Ah, my apologies. I forget that easy access to small pests is not a perk for most people.

They really are delicious in the right sauce, though.

specialopssaddleback:

gravescratch:

specialopssaddleback:

specialopssaddleback:

((I feel the need to make NSFW comments about other people’s muses so…like this is you want an unfiltered thought from Saddleback re: your muse. For better or for worse.))

((For @bettsplendens‘ TFOC @gravescratch))

“…Okay, l-look. I know…I know he’s got a real hell of a glossa. I mean, he uses it to clean his damn optics, like…like- mleh-” She sticks out her own short, thick glossa far as she can. ~~Which is not far at all.~~ “…I’m just saying, and this better not get back to him, but that thing? He could lick the fraggin’ inside of my overflow chamber. Right through the valve cutoff.”

I can absolutely do that.

I’ve done it in the past. Earns some lovely sounds. And a good deal of squirming.

“……..asdfgh”

specialopssaddleback:

specialopssaddleback:

((I feel the need to make NSFW comments about other people’s muses so…like this is you want an unfiltered thought from Saddleback re: your muse. For better or for worse.))

((For @bettsplendens‘ TFOC @gravescratch))

“…Okay, l-look. I know…I know he’s got a real hell of a glossa. I mean, he uses it to clean his damn optics, like…like- mleh-” She sticks out her own short, thick glossa far as she can. ~~Which is not far at all.~~ “…I’m just saying, and this better not get back to him, but that thing? He could lick the fraggin’ inside of my overflow chamber. Right through the valve cutoff.”

I can absolutely do that.

I’ve done it in the past. Earns some lovely sounds. And a good deal of squirming.

Gravescratch speed calculations

bettsplendens:

bettsplendens:

Thanks to me doing the math/logic as I was typing it up, this got long.

Attempted (unsuccessful) calculations of robot dog speeds below.

Keep reading

And again.

Keep reading

I am designed to catch up with a target over short range, poison them, and follow them until they die. I need to be able to out-sprint grounders and catch up to fliers before they can take off. Of course I am fast.