Infected

Chapter 33

  Eclipse Pov.

I watch Seige ahead of me, Flare behind me. Flare spun in the air, playing with his little tricks. Morning flights. My favorite part of the day. Empty skies, no one to bother us, and quality time with my brothers! As we flew I spot Wavelength below us. He found a good sized log and strapped a boulder to one end of it. I doubt attempting the swing it like a mallet was going to work well. But he was trying. Somewhat. Solar was just shaking his head and laughing. Mine searching has been, fruitless.

"Hey Siege! How many more safes are on the list?!" Flare flew upside down.

"Five Flare. Please fly upright." Siege laughed.

Flare whined but righted himself.

"Come on!! We've been searching for a week straight! One relaxed flight won't hurt! A way to ease your tense wings?" Flare taunted.

"He has a point. It might have only been a week so far but you aren't recharging like you should be." I pointed out.

"And his wing. Solar still doesn't want him straining it." Flare giggled.

I laugh when Siege huffed.

"One more hour. Then we can stop." Siege compromised.

"I'll take that!!" Flare cheered.

I laugh and fly in front of Siege with a spin.

"Ecplise?!" Siege squawked.

I laugh and fly ahead, rocketing into the sky ahead of us. Technically I was still searching. Behind me, I could hear Flare crackling with laughter. Transforming I flip and slide into a landing. Dust and small rocks flew over the cliffside. Iceland! One of my new favorite places! Wind rushed past my wings as I looked over the landscape. Green swept over the hills and mountain summits as the waterfall roared somewhere far off.

"WHOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOHH!!!!" I howl feeling my spark beat in my chassis.

"Having fun?" Flare laughed landing next to me.

"Absolutely!!" I smile.

"Well good. Because we need to keep sharp!" Siege huffed.

"I know we do." I giggle and lean against him. "Oh!! Flare!"

"Yes?!"

"I have the perfect compromise for our brother. One of those energon mines should be nearby. We could look for it on ped!"

We both looked to our eldest.

"I-" His wings fell in defeat. "I swear. But fine. It might not be flight routines but, it is still training."

"YES." Flare jumped and climbed down the cliff.

I step off the edge and flip as I fall. The landing was still in need of work.

"You still need to work on not wobbling your ped as you land." Siege chuckled, having used his boosters to float down.

I sigh.

"Yeah, I know I do. But! Is it getting better?!" I ask hopefully.

"Yes. It is." Flare grinned. "You flying, then landing with a flip? I like it!"

"Hm. Thanks." I snort.

"Keep a sharp optic you two." Siege laughed.

"Yes sir!" We jokingly respond.

Flare ran off ahead of me, calling over his shoulder that Siege was a slow Earth sloth. Siege gave chase. Snorting, I follow after the two. One Earth month on planet so far. And far to many empty safes. We need the energon. And soon. But Flare was good at his job. He was keeping us all happy, ensuring we weren't pushing ourselves over the edge. We needed him. And I for one was glad he was my brother.

"ACK?!" I saw Flare slip on wet grass ahead of me, falling into one of the small rivers.

Siege laughed at our brother's clumsiness.

"He slipped?" I ask, knowing the answer.

"Yep."

"And you?" I smile.

"What do you mean?" Siege took a step back.

I playfully push him in, only to be pulled down as well. Freezing water hits my backstrut and wings.

"COLD?! Cold!!" I scramble up to my peds.

Flare laughed and splashed more water at us. Siege scrambled out of the river, huffing the entire time. I chuckle as Flare floats further down.

"Hey! I found the mine!" Flare cheered.

"Where is it?" I ask.

"The riverbed drops down here. I think part of the mine has been flooded."

"Can you tell how much energon is still in it?" Siege walked over.

"I'd say about none. At least in this section." Flare climbed out of the river.

"How recent is the cave in?" I look over the river bed.

"Within a few years I think." Flare playfully kicked a rock.

"Then there's an older entrance around." Siege mused.

"The River probably eroded away the ceiling in this section, more than likely more once inside the mine." I hum.

"Then how much of the mine is actually left?" Siege frowned.

"Probably not much. The lower levels are definitely unreachable if not more of a maze than they originally were. The upper levels have either lost their floor, or just fine." Flare reasoned.

"Do you think this mine is another lost cause then?" I look to Siege. "With all the tunnels interlinked the entire cave system could be unreachable."

"If the mine is as small as we think it is." Siege mused. "But yes. Quite possibly it is..."

Our eldest groaned to himself.

"What are our energon reserves at?" Flare asked.

"We're down to 30%." My wings flick.

"Great..... Then where to next?"

"The closest mine we have a shot at is over in Alaska." Siege answered.

"More cold?" Flare whined.

"Yes. More cold. Now come on. Let's regroup with the other three." Siege transformed and flew off.

"Yuck." Flare followed suit as I chuckled, transforming as well.