I blinked my fond memories away, realizing I had gotten lost in my own thoughts as I stared at my reflection in the water's surface.
It had been years since that night, I still couldn't believe how many. I was now 16, as of less than a day.
Phoenix and I had kept the promise we made, meeting almost every night. She ranted about all the trials she was facing, I told her about my family and the pack.
She may have just been rambling about her annoyances, but I found it enjoyable. A sort of glance into Sentient Life.
Though, lately our meetings have started to become less frequent. I made the effort to appear each night, to be there for her, even when she started missing nights.
I figured her home life kept her busy, maybe she had to work longer on her assignments for the academy.
My optic caught my messy white helm fur, slowly I reached up and brushed it back lightly. Even when Phoenix wasn't nearby, I kept it formed in the style she gave it.
"Byris…?" my brother's voice tugged me back to reality, "If you were seeking my council, why is it you've found the river so intriguing?"
"I asked for your council because of personal matters, not so I could hear your political ramblings." I responded as I looked back up at Obryyn.
My brother he was indeed, we looked almost identical apart from his highlights and optics being a yellow-orange color, and the obvious white helm-tuft he lacked.
He may have been almost a year behind me in age, but my brother's intelligence was far superior to my own, to virtually the whole pack to be truthful.
I didn't usually mind it when he went off on his long winded speeches, but this one in particular I'd heard more than a few times that week.
"I was… getting to that." he murmured.
I laughed softly, making my way up the river bank.
"Well, with all of that, it's no doubt late in the morning by now." I explained, "Think you can stay on topic on the way back?"
"I can," he answered, walking beside me, "Though you may not be fond of the topic I had in mind."
"Myth."
"Myth."
I sighed lightly, "I know, I've heard this speech as well."
"Brother, I'm merely suggesting that before you make a decision, you might find it important to consider how your choice could affect every aspect of our lives." Obryyn clarified.
"And I'm merely suggesting that in a case such as choosing a mate to spend the rest of your life with, you might find it important to consider your own feelings rather than political gain." I turned his passive-aggressive phrasing back on him.
He went quiet for a moment, I assume to think of a better counter.
"...Be that as it may..." he mumbled, taking a second before speaking again, "Being entirely realistic, I'm not one to change your mind, am I?"
"Being realistic, you had the highest chances of doing so. But still, not likely." I replied honestly.
It was true, Obryyn and I had a close bond as siblings.
"I had the highest chance?" he questioned, seeming somewhat surprised, "Are you certain I'm your preferred medium for life advice? You did just forgo me in favor of running water."
"Come on Obryyn, you're my brother. True, I've technically known our sisters a bit longer, but do you honestly think I'd take their advice? Especially on matters like this?" I answered.
"True… One would be very wise to take their so-called 'life lessons' with a fair amount of skepticism. Sometimes I wonder how they've managed to keep themselves alive and well for this long." he agreed softly.
Our sisters had a bit of a notorious reputation in the pack. Their care-free lifestyle was admittedly entertaining to be around at times, but as an actual example? I think not.
"Careful they don't hear you say that." I cautioned him jokingly.
"Oh the wrath of the Ancestors strike me down." he responded sarcastically.
"I think even the Ancestors fear the wrath of our sisters." I replied.
We both laughed softly, climbing the tall hill up to familiar land. My home, the Burrow.
You see, with Sentients claiming most of the available space on Cybertron, we Wolves had to get a bit creative to survive.
An open field surrounded on all sides by mountains so treacherous no Sentient would dare try to explore them, though from this side they appeared calm, inviting.
The only access to the outside lands was through a short tunnel dug into one of the mountains, hidden by trees and vines, just enough to be inconspicuous.
Most of the open space was usually occupied by the few dozen wolves living in the Burrow, the surrounding walls carved out into spacious caves that served as individual dens for each family.
At the peak of the incline, just as the full scale of the Burrow came into view, we were met by two familiar faces.
"About time you got back."
My sisters, indistinguishable if not for the difference in their highlights.
Mercury, mint green. Lithium, bright pink.
Every other visual detail about them was perfectly identical, even their voices were nearly perfect matches.
My mother, Failyn, lay comfortably beside them. Finally, my youngest sibling, a hyperactive pup named Aldos, perched on her side.
"We were starting to think you ran away on us or something." Lithium finished her sisters' thought.
They did this quite often.
"I was contemplating that option after a while." I teased my brother, nudging him lightly.
He scoffed, a small smile fighting its way onto his face as he rolled his optics. He had to have gotten used to our comedic jabs at his intelligence by now.
"It was rousing, you merely lacked the proper attention span." he returned, smirking.
"Well, everyone knows how easily Obi gets carried away with his speeches." Lithium commented.
"You just have to take what he says with a 'fair amount of skepticism', right sis?" Mercury added, the two smiling evily to each other.
Obryyn froze in place, as I quickened my pace to get a safe distance from him.
"Well….uh...w-we all know I tend to ramble...a bit..." Obryyn stammered desperately, "...sometimes I lose track of myself...you know…?"
He slowly sidestepped towards our mother, looking right at me.
"...Byris…?" he pleaded quietly.
"Do not even look in my direction, I play no part in this." I teasingly denied his plea for assistance as my sisters stalked towards him.
"Come on girls, don't you think 2 on 1 is a bit unbalanced?" my mother commented.
"I suppose it is." Mercury replied.
"But that's entirely the point!" Lithium added, lunging at Obryyn.
The poor fool tried scrambling away from them, to ill effect. Lithium unsurprisingly caught him in a tackle, both of them tumbling back down the hill as Mercury chased after them.
I watched as Mercury pounced on the others, my three siblings converging into a rolling, writhing pile of tails and limbs.
"I withdraw my statements! I withdraw!" Obryyn yelped helplessly.
I couldn't hold back a soft laugh, watching my siblings.
"Unruly, every single one of you." my mother mumbled through a soft giggle.
"We just like to keep you on edge, keep things interesting." I joked.
She laughed softly, going quiet for a few seconds.
"I take it you've heard about the summon?" she spoke up again.
"Yes." I answered, "And I'm certain I know what it's about."
"I know your siblings have shared their opinions on the matter." she responded, "But you know what's right. You always do."
I smiled lightly. I always did try to keep to a rule my father set.
'Nobility over Greed.' I repeated the line in my mind.
"We were all summoned, so we should all be presentable tonight." she added.
"So I suppose I should step in before they maul him too badly." I chuckled, glancing back to my siblings.
My sisters had Obryyn helplessly pinned down on the river bank, pawing and nipping at him playfully. Seeing an opportunity, I sprinted down the hill.
Rearing up, I thrust all the force I had gained into my sisters, knocking all three of them into the river.
"Wasn't it you that taught me to always watch my flanks?" I taunted my sisters, only to then have Aldos charge me and tackle me into the river as well.
This is one of my fondest memories.
Me and my four siblings, splashing around in the river, dunking each other, pawing and shoving and nipping.
At one point, Aldos had wrapped his arms around Lithium's neck and pulled her down into the water, Obryyn seizing the window for revenge.
"Well done Aldos! Hold her down!" he encouraged, launching a vengeful attack on our partially incapacitated sister.
I laughed at the display, distracted long enough for Mercury to sneak up on me and shove my helm under the surface.
Simpler times.
Fonder times.
When it was all so… simple.
…