"Dad!" Nightback ran over to see what had happened, leaving Seajumper and Emberwing alone. The two looked at each other before looking back at their friend. Drift and Strongarm take Steeljaw to Med Bay and lay him down, and Strongarm and Fixit see to him. He was all dented in with a big slash going across his stomach.

"Mom, what happened? Is Dad okay?"

"Not sure, he's been wounded really bad."

"Drift, can you take Nightback outside please?" Fixit asked as he started working on Steeljaw. With a nod, Drift ushered the young mech outside.

Strongarm managed to stop the leaking of Energon, "Don't you dare leave us, Steeljaw. Don't you dare leave me." Lubricant started forming in her optics. He was in critical condition and Strongarm and Fixit weren't sure if he was going to make it.

STEELJAW! Strongarm sent him a wave of longing and worry. He couldn't leave her and their son. DON'T LEAVE US, STEELJAW! WE NEED YOU, I NEED YOU! Strongarm and Fixit start patching up the wound and Fixit injects some Energon into him.

Nightback was outside with Drift, looking at the Alchemor with worry, "Will dad be okay?" He asked with lubricant forming in his optics. His mom was scared and he didn't know why.

"I'm sure he will be."

"What happened?"

"We were looking for scattered Decepticons and two got the jump on us, one of them got into it with your mother, he was getting ready to take her out when your father attacked him to save her life. He got into a fight with him and the 'Con beat him down."

"But how can Dad lose? He never loses."

"They were Wolf-Cons and the one he fought just so happened to be stronger than him. I would also guess that he was too concerned for your mother's well-being that he wasn't fully focused on the fight, and actually, he has lost fights before."

"He has?"

"Yes, a few to Bumblebee and even one to your mother, though he was never wounded like this." Nightback curled his servos into fists as anger washed over him like a storm. "The last thing you need is to be controlled by anger," Drift told him.

"Listen to Drift, Nightback." Nightback gasped as he backed away from Metalsound, who had managed to sneak up on them while in her beast form. "You must promise that you will stay here and let the grown-ups deal with this."

"I promise."

"Good, the twins will stay with you, Seajumper, and Emberwing. Drift, Bumblebee needs your help, Megatron and the others are on their way to help him. I'll stay with Strongarm," she told the warrior as she left to keep an optic on Strongarm. Drift heads off to meet up with Bumblebee.

Nightback stayed where he was and Emberwing slowly approached him in her beast form, "Nightback, are you okay?"

"My dad is seriously wounded and might die. Do you think I'm okay?" He snaps at her.

Seajumper places a servo on his shoulder, "We know it's hard for you right now. We're both here for you."

"I would also be upset if Papa or Oka-san got hurt," Emberwing responded quietly.

Seajumper nodded in agreement, "Me too, none of us likes to see our parents in this state."

The twins walked over to check on the three, "Don't worry, Nightback. Steeljaw's going to be alright," Slipstream tried to comfort the sparkling.

"How can you be sure? Even Mom looks so worried, that's what's worrying me."

"Because he has you and your mom waiting for him to wake up."

"Yeah, you're right." Nightback got an idea, "Why don't we play a game to help pass the time?"

"OK, what game do you want to play?"

"Hide and seek, you two can go first," Nightback replied with a grin, much to Emberwing's and Seajumper's confusion.

"Alright, we'll count." The twins close their optics and start counting. Nightback motioned for the others to follow him as he tip-toed away and the others followed.

"What are we doing?" Seajumper asked in a whisper.

"What do you think? We're going after the Decepticon that hurt my dad," he snapped quietly.

"Oh, I see now."

"But won't we get in trouble? Oka-san said something about there being a lot of Decepticons roaming around," Emberwing said as she followed the boys.

"Don't be such a girl," Seajumper said in a snappy tone.

"Says the one that got chased by a girl yesterday," Emberwing countered. Seajumper just mumbled to himself.

They leave the scrapyard, and Emberwing and Nightback have their noses to the ground as they enter the forest, mist surrounding them. "What are we supposed to be looking for?" Emberwing asked feeling cold from the drop in temperature.

"For any traces of the Wolf-Con that attacked my parents."

Seajumper and Emberwing froze, "Did you say Wolf-Con?" They asked in unison.

"Yeah. Uncle Drift said that it was Wolf-Cons that attacked them."

"We're no match for fully grown Wolf-Cons," Seajumper said as he was suddenly filled with fear.

"How do we even know what to look for?" Emberwing asked.

"Here's Dad's Energon trail, let's follow it, and maybe we'll be led to the 'Con."

"But what if they find you first?" Emberwing and Seajumper yelped when they heard Jetstorm's voice.

"What are you doing here, Jetstorm?" Nightback asked his optics wide in surprise.

"We could ask the same for the three of you," Slipstream countered, "Did you really think you could sneak away?"

"Well, thought we'd try."

"And we're leaving, it's too dangerous to be here," Slipstream told them as he ushered them back the way they came.

"Aw come on, Slipstream. I need to find the Wolf-Con that hurt my father."

"You need to let the others deal with this, they're trained to deal with Wolf-Cons," Jetstorm told him.

Emberwing sniffed the air before letting out a low growl, "Something's out there."

They heard chuckling as two Wolf-Cons stepped out from behind some trees. Seajumper and Emberwing hid behind the twins while Nightback growled at them, he made himself stand tall to look intimidating but he was trembling. "Are you the Wolf-Cons that hurt my dad?"

"Your dad?" The green and red Wolf-Con asked with a mocking tone. He looked like Steeljaw except his armor was completely green with red highlights and red optics.

"You better not be talking about Steeljaw," the other Wolf-Con states. He's also like Steeljaw, but his armor is completely black with red highlights and red optics. "Our sister won't take too kindly to the idea of him having a sparkling."

"Stay back 'Cons!" Jetstorm says as he and Slipstream get out their weapons.

The two Wolf-Cons laughed, "And what are you puny mechs gonna do?" The black and red Wolf-Con asked.

"You three, run while we hold them back," Jetstorm says as he and Slipstream prepare to attack the Wolf-Cons. Seajumper and Nightback jumped onto Emberwing's back and the young femme took off running. After seeing the Wolf-Cons up close and how scary they are, Nightback regretted going out looking for them.

The Wolf-Cons just swatted at the twins, knocking them away, before running after the sparklings. Emberwing leaped over a fallen tree as she tried to keep a good distance between her and the Wolf-Cons. All she wanted to do was cry in fear but her instinct was telling her to just run.

The Wolf-Cons quickly caught up to them and the black and red one sunk his claws into Emberwing's hind legs making her scream in pain, Nightback turned around and bitch slapped the Wolf-Con in the face making him let go of the young femme's hind leg. Emberwing tried to run again but she lost her footing and fell to the ground, she looked up in fear as Nightback and Seajumper put themselves between her and the Wolf-Cons.

The Wolf-Con that was slapped by Nightback laughed as he walked closer to them, "You're a feisty pup. I think we'll take you with us," he said as he reached for him. But before he could grab the sparkling, Metalsound jumps between them to stop him, growling viscously at the 'Con.

"GET. AWAY!" She growls warningly at him. The two Wolf-Cons look at her in surprise at first but then a devilish smirk crosses both their faces.

"And just who might you be, sweetspark?" The black and red one asked with charm and seduction lacing his voice. Metasound's growling started dying down, even though she tried her hardest to keep it viscous, as she started getting this strange feeling. She doesn't know what it is or what's going on.

Grimlock and Predaking run over to them and attack the two Wolf-Cons but, as nimble as they are, they manage to avoid their attacks and run off. Grimlock and Predaking get ready to run after them but Metalsound stops them, "Let them go! We need to get the sparklings back to the scrapyard."

The two mechs look at her in confusion as she walks over to the sparkings, "You promised me you would let us handle this!" She growled at Nightback as Predaking walked over and gently picked up Emberwing.

"I can't just sit around while the Wolf-Con who hurt my father roams free!"

:: Soundwave, open a Ground Bridge and get Med Bay ready. :: Metalsound commed Soundwave. "We'll discuss this when we get back," she told the young mech as Grimlock walked over to them holding the unconscious twins.

Nightback sighed, "Yes, ma'am."

The Ground Bridge opened a few feet away from them. Emberwing whimpered softly, her leg was stinging from the pain where the Wolf-Con had grabbed her. They all made their way to the Ground Bridge. When they get to the scrapyard, Nightback is greeted by an angry Strongarm, "Nightback! What were you thinking!? I'm already fighting to keep your father alive I don't need to have an extra fight to keep you alive as well!"

Nightback flinched at his mother's anger. An equally upset Wheeljack and Arcee greeted Seajumper. Predaking and Grimlock carried Emberwing and the twins to Med Bay, closely followed by Metalsound.

"I... I just wanted to find the Decepticon that hurt Dad," Nightback whimpered, his ears folded back as he tried to hold back the lubricant.

Strongarm kneels down to get to optic level with Nightback, "I know you do, as do I. But I can't have you in the same condition, it will kill me. Don't ever do it again, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am. Will Ember be okay?" Nightback asked with worry for his friend.

"I'm sure she will be. Do you want to see your father?"

"Yes. Is he getting better?"

"He's still unconscious but he seems to be starting to get better, just got to wait for him to wake up," she replied as she picked him up and walked towards Med Bay. When they get to Med Bay and reach the area where Steeljaw is she places Nightback on the berth.

Nightback looked at his dad before hugging him. Please, you have to wake up. He sent his father as much love as he could, hoping he would wake up.

Strongarm lays down next to him, also sending love to him. You must stay with us, you can't leave us.