grr... I have just encountered writer's block for the first time... Not on this story, but for 7 Flashes of Fate... So, moving on to ze next chahpter...

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Ironhide woke up to banging on the door, and he checked his internal clock. Seven in the morning. " Who the slag..." Ironhide murmured.

" Gwampa Ironhideeeeeeeeee!" two little voices chirped.

Ironhide laughed when he realized who it was, his grand pups, Wildfire and Aurora. Ironhide swung his legs over his berth, groggily walked over to the door, and opened it to be attacked by two balls of fur, one grayish and one orangeish.

" Ironhideee!" The gray one, Aurora, squealed.

" Hello darling," Ironhide laughed, spotting two larger versions of the wolf pups he was currently being attacked by standing outside blocking the door way, one black and one white. The black one grinned innocently and cleared her throat to speak.

" Aww, how they love you," Quickclaw laughed.

" I know, right sis?" Trapjaw, the white one, laughed.

" Funny you two. Funny," Ironhide laughed gruffly.

" You'd promise to tell another story today!" Wildfire complained.

" Ya! You can't break a promise!" Aurora barked, giving the puppy dog eyes.

" Give me ten minutes, okay?" Ironhide grumbled. The pups leaped off him, and the four wolves trotted to the Rec. Room.

Ironhide came up with only one story to tell the pups, Gunilla, and the others, a story of a tragic event. Ironhide walked towards the Rec. Room, preparing himself.

Everyone was eating breakfast in the Rec. Room, Halie - Quickclaw's human form- was sitting on a table, singing a song that made Ironhide's spark flicker with memories and losses.

" Nature, nurture, heaven and home. Sum of all and by them driven. To conquer every mountain shown. But I've never crossed the river.
Brave the forest, brave the stone. Brave the icy winds and fire. Braved and beat them on my own. Yet I'm helpless by the river .
Angel, angel what have I done? I face the quakes, the wind, the fire. I've conquered country,crown, and throne! Why can't I cross this river? " She sang, her voice wavering slightly.

Gunilla raced up to Ironhide, jumping excitedly. " We have been up forever waiting for you! Did you think of another story to tell us?" she squealed with excitement.

" I did Gunilla, but it is a very touc-" he started, only to be interrupted.

" It's the Humbling River story," Trapjaw said slowly, walking to her father's side, finishing his thought. " it's about me getting 'killed' back on Cybertron. He blamed himself for what had happened. 'Hide, you should tell them the tale, history like this should not be kept a secret."

" Pay no mind to the battles you've won. It'll take a lot more than rage and muscle. Open your heart and hands my son. Or you'll never make it over the river," Halie's voice drifted through the room, an eerie silence taking place.

" Are you positive, Trapjaw? It scarred all of us."

" They deserve to know. Allies and friends keep no secrets from each other."

" Okay. Oh, yes. About three earth months after the battle of Iacon took place, the final battle before the exodus from Cybertron took place. When I thought I'd never see my little girl again," Ironhide said, looking at Trapjaw.

"Oh, Primus; 'Hide's getting all fuzzy and soft again," Sunstreaker said, and once he did, he regretted it ever escaping his mouth. Gunilla shot him a death glare as her arm cannons popped out. Sunny took off running, not wanting to lose any more of his paint or dignity by Gunilla and her Cannons of Death.

"Continue the story, Ironhide," Gunilla said, looking pleased with her actions.

"Trapjaw had just turned 13, when my world tumbled down. A battle had started when a small scout unit was jumped by an incoming squad of 'con foot soldiers. I was called to the fight as back-up. Trapjaw, being a 'teen', thought she could handle an entire battlefield of fire long enough to get a proto-type ion blaster to Optimus Prime, and get out without wounds," Ironhide said. Gunilla and the others could see the energon tear developing in the corner of his optic, which was hard for the group to believe about the battle-hardened war machine. Nothing got through to the war vet enough to make him cry.

"I was powerless to stop her, she had a strong urge to be stubborn," he said. John opened his mouth, and commented on his statement.

"Oh, I wonder where that came from, Ironhide," he said with a noticeable hint of sarcasm. Gunilla elbowed him in the ribs.

"Shut up, John. I'm getting interested in this story…"

"Sorry, Gunilla." Ironhide continued from where he was.

"She took off through the firefight, and she got to Optimus with the gun. She was almost halfway to safety, when I saw her fall. The Decepticons had cloned Shadow Stalker, and called the clone 'Plasma'. Her Null Ray went off once, and that's all she needed. Trapjaw went down by the small energon river that was called the 'Humbling' river. Shadow saw it, and went off. I haven't ever seen her snap, and I won't forget it. She was instantly upon Plasma, snarling like a rabid animal. She fought viciously, but was soon over-whelmed when Thundercracker and Ramjet came to Plasma's aid. She was shot in the chest with a Plasmic cannon, and was also downed." Ironhide said, thinking of the song that Halie was singing.

"After the fog had cleared, and the bodies were put in space pods, I had yet another reason to fight; my last ray of light was extinguished. Optimus and I had personally launched Trapjaw and Quickclaw out of Cybertron's atmosphere, hoping they would rest in peace. What seems to be obvious, is that they were still alive; barely, but still alive. It was just recently that we were all reunited," the old mech said, giving his snow white daughter a hug, making everyone 'awww' at them. Optimus smiled, his holo popping up next to Halie and wrapping his arm around her.

"Now, the story ends there, but another begins when the space pods found Earth. But, it's not as exciting of a story as a war story…" 'Hide said with a smile.

"Hey, it IS a war story, sorta… well, the end is at least," Trapjaw said with an identical smile on her face.

"Hey, I hate to interrupt this lovely moment, but I think we all want to hear another war tale, big guy," Gunilla said with a slight impatient look on her face.

" It'll take a lot more than words and guns. A whole lot more than riches and muscle. The hands of many must join as one, and together we'll cross the river."

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Hope you all enjoyed! It took the combined brain power of me and my best buddy Autobot Trapjaw to write this chapter, and we hope you are all pleased with it.