Where the Truth Hurts

<sub>Ambush froze as he turned back after he was told to escape from the Autobot attack, that engulf the base, where he called home since he was a sparkling with his two guardians.

'No!' he cried...watching in horror as his guardians fought against the Autobots.

He wanted to help. He wanted to be right there along side his guardians as they fought. He wanted to help them win. But fear froze him where he stood, as live rounds and death resounded through the air.

Something landed before him, shielding a stray shot that would've wiped him out on contact. A growl came from the form as they collapsed, Ambush caught the familiar soft crimson optic as they looked at him. It was one of his guardians, Strafe, who saved him and paid the price for it.

'NO!' Ambush yelled, hoping the whole world could hear him, as he ran to his fallen guardian.

He tried to get him to get up as his vision blurred with tears, so they could get away together. All three of them. Ambush didn't see his other guardian approach and he pulled his bondmate up, when he couldn't.

'Decepticons, Fall back!' Surefire ordered, as he started to fall back carrying Strafe while trying to cover their retreat.

Ambush felt Strafes' hand pick him up, to save him from being stepped on. All he could do is grasp onto his guardian's thumb with all the strength he had. He wasn't going to let go until they were safe.

Surefire mis-stepped as his foot plunged through ground, pulling Strafe and Ambush with him, as he stepped back onto the unstable ground. The ground gave way and Ambush hung on as they tumbled down until they stopped.

'Is everyone ok?' Surefire asked, as he careful got up only to knell down sharply. 'Slag...'

Strafe was next to reply. 'I'm fine...where's Ambush?'

'I'm ok...' he repiled rubbing the dust out of his optics.

Ambush looked up as he loosened his grasp to see his guardians fully. Surefire glanced up where they fell through, judging the distance and then settled his gaze back down. His dark, yet tarnished armor was scorched with blaster fire and dented in from close-combat. Not as bad as in comparison to Strafe.

Rivulets of liquid energon dripped off of his cheek from his shattered right optic and a faint blue glow from his Spark chamber could be seen from the desperate save to protect him. They were protecting him, when he couldn't do anything to save them.

'We'll be safe down here until things cooldown. Ambush, get some sleep, I'll wake...' Surefire started...then stopped as Ambush shook his head.

'I'm not going to go to sleep. I...I don't want to sleep when we're not safe.' Ambush cried as more tears streamed down his cheeks. 'I don't want you to get hurt anymore.'

'Oh, Ambush...' Strafe mentioned in his usual 'haven't yet grasped reality' voice. '...this is a war...we have to fight. You'll be doing the same when you're older. Getting hurt is all apart of fighting.'

'So is dying!' Ambush countered, angerly, getting a surprised look from both his guardians.

Both Surefire and Strafe fell silent. There was no countering what their sparkling said. Their little Ambush got them right where the truth hurts.</sub>


Medium: Charcoal pencil with colored pencil on paper


Ambush (character & colors), Surefire & Strafe (characters & Ambush's Guardians) & text (c) me
'07 Starscream design & all that is Transformers (c) Hasbro