Optimus and Ratchet froze as the tiny sparkling bolted into the thick woods, fear etched into its small face. For a moment, they were both stunned—a sparkling, alone in a war zone? How was that even possible?

Without a second thought, Ratchet’s voice rose, urgency overtaking his usual calm. "Optimus, if we don’t catch them now, they could be lost—or worse."

Optimus was already moving, his powerful legs carrying him into the forest, Ratchet close behind. The trees were dense, making it difficult to follow the sparkling’s erratic path, but they couldn’t let it out of their sight. Not here. Not with Decepticons possibly nearby.

"Wait!" Optimus called, more desperately now. His voice was deep but filled with concern. "We’re here to protect you! Please, don’t run!"

But the sparkling was too terrified to listen, darting between trees, scrambling over rocks, and slipping further away with every second. Ratchet’s scanners flickered wildly, picking up traces of movement ahead, but the thick forest made it difficult to keep up.

"Optimus, they’re too fast—we can’t let them get any further!" Ratchet urged, his own anxiety showing. "If they run into Decepticons, or get lost…"

Optimus quickened his pace, his tone growing more urgent. "We must save them. We cannot let anything happen to that sparkling."

The woods seemed to close in around them as they chased the tiny figure, their determination growing more desperate with each passing moment. They had to reach the sparkling before the dangers of the forest did.