"You humans are strange creatures." Ultra Magnus muses as he watches you gather some edible berries. 

"Indeed we are," you agree from your spot crouched down next to the blackberry bush. The basket you were busy filling was almost full to the brim, but you still had two more that were empty.

Finding some good-looking, edible ones was hard. If only people weren't so picky...

-------------------------------

Early that morning when you asked if one of the Autobots would be willing to take you to a place so you could gather berries (seeing as it was the perfect time of year to do so), no-one offered. Luckily, they were all saved from a possible ramble on how they should get out more to experience Earth culture from you, when Ultra Magnus (very conveniently) entered the room.

Wheeljack was the first to try and wriggle out of the possibility of the 'food gathering' trip. "Hey, Ultra Magnus sir! (Y/N) is your responsibility, right? I mean, you were the one who put himself on her guard duty."

Bulkhead, along with some of the other Wreckers and bots immediately scattered.

The Commander, trying to hide his agitation at the other mech' tone, turned to face the soldier and scientist. "Quite. Though I struggle to see why it is of importance to you to be reassured of it."

"Well, (Y/N) here says she wants to go outside, right Sweetspark?" 

Giving Jackie a 'you-know-he-doesn't-like-that-attitude' look, you confirm. "Yes, that's right." 

Wheeljack gives you a smirk, "What do you say Commander?" 

Puffing out some hot air from his vents, the large mech agreed. "I suppose my work can wait until later."

"Great! See ya!" The Wrecker smugly strode off.

---------------------------

"Why is it that you wanted these tiny flora pellets again?" Ultra Magnus bends down to get a closer look at that which you were currently picking. Magnus, still not understanding Earthling culture but trying none the less, attempts to acknowledge the reasoning behind the fact that you would labour away with a plant that could cause harm when such things could simply be bought. 

"Sari and I promised Miko that we could try baking pie with these." You wince when one of the prickles on the leaves nicks your hand.

"Ah yes, the young femme is quite...rambunctious," he attempts to find a word he felt suitable to describe the Japanese girl.

You smile at the Commander, "Miko may be wild, but she's a good person. There is a strong fighter within her," you poke fun at him, "Just like there's a fun-loving guy lost somewhere deep, deep, deep within the most inner part of you." 

Ultra Magnus grunts, a hint of reluctant amusement in his tone. You, along with Optimus, were the only beings in the universe he would pardon for teasing him. He considered you a...confidant after all.   

When the basket is finally filled to its mass capacity, you brush off your hands. "I think I have gathered everything I can from these bushes. I saw some more a little further on. Is there perhaps a chance that we could go searching for more?" 

The Autobot Commander wants to decline at first, but then remembers once again that he had to learn more human customs. "Very well."

With the Autobot following your lead, your search for more berries took you deeper into the forrest. Eventually you found another patch of bushes a little bit away on the edge of the woods and decided to start picking there. 

Half way through filling the final basket, however, you paused when Ultra Magnus receives a call from base. He shares a few quick words with whoever was on the other side then turns to you. 

"I just received notice that there is Decepticon activity in the area. We must finish off and leave." 

The mention of the other faction brought you unease. You were always warned to stay away from the Decepticons, even by Predaking and Shockwave. They were very dangerous and you definitely didn't want to test your luck. "Alright; I think we have enough. Let's get back to base before we run into trouble-"

'Snap...!' 

Both of you stay completely still.

Something was approaching you. 

Magnus gets ready by transforming his servo to a blaster. He aims it at the source of the sound.

'...' 

Another snap is made as made as the owner comes out from the underbrush- a young deer. 

Nothing to worry about.

The deer is suddenly startled by something in the distance, causing it to run off.

"What was that?" 

"It could be the Decepticons." Ultra Magnus wastes no time to pick you up and deposit you high up in a spruce tree. "For your own safety, I advise you stay here and stay silent."

"What about you? Will you be alright?" You cling onto the branch.

"I will scout the area to try and see what the Cons are up to. I will not engage unless necessary." And so he was off, disappearing amongst the trees.

------------------

The tree branch you were sitting on may not have been the most comfortable place to sit for fifteen minutes, but at least it is sturdy. It was also just above the helm level of some of the taller mechs. 

Even so, a Decepticon can still break it. 

So, when the creaking and crashing of trees drew near, it was fitting for you become somewhat scared. 

The earth shakes every time a tree was destroyed and ripped out of the dirt. The tremors become bigger and more frequent. 

"Dvi!t d!ra ztro!s mah!to?"

​​​​Cybertronian chatter can be heard as whoever it was, passed by. Reluctantly you take a chance and peek around the stem...

"Yeah! I saw it!" came an English reply from the other vehicon. 

Your breath hitches. Quickly you flinch back, huddling close to the tree's centre. 'Could they have spotted you?'

"They were very cute Earth creatures. Deer, I believe the earthlings call it." 

Two black and grey helms pass by below your sitting place. 

They were oblivious of what was above them.

As the troopers move on, their conversation disappears as well, leaving you alone once again. 

Yet the birds in the area were still uneasy- chirping and flying around in panic.

This is when the trees started cracking once again, this time whatever was moving through the forrest was much bigger. 'Ultra Magnus, perhaps?'

It drew in faster. You tightly press your body against the tree's trunk, gripping at the bark. 

It breaks through the treeline. 

A brown and orange frame reveals itself, causing your breathing to cease. 

The large dragon sniffs the air. Then its helm snaps to you. You were face to face with...

"Predaking...?"

The predacon turns to his bipedal form, stumbling slightly in his stunned haze. "(Y/N)? How...?" Months without you and now here, yards away from a new Decepticon mine, he finds you. He was unsure whether he should touch you or not in case you would break into pieces and disappear before him. 

Not being able to go against the urge to hold you once again, he holds out his servo- optics watching each movement. Once you climb onto it, he becomes certain that you were truly there. His friend. His human. His femme. 

"I should not have left you as I did. Forgive me..." he whispers.

You place a hand on his, "It's alright Preda. I'm fine. I'm safe." You smile sweetly at him. 

But your reunion is cut short by a commotion. "Stay low." Predaking decides to see what was going on, placing you in a safe spot between his neck and shoulder armour in fear that he would lose you if he left you again.

Blaster fire shot back and forth as a fight commenced.

Ultra Magnus stood in the middle of a large group of vehicons, trying to fight them off. By the looks of it, he saw Predaking at your location and wished to come to your aid, only to be surrounded by twenty troops. 

"Predaking, we must help him!" you plead with him. "Please..."

Predaking takes you from the seam then transforms to beast mode. You were now securely positioned between his wings. He stares at the battle, catching the desperate optics of the Autobot commander who was trying to get to the femme. 

"No."

He spreads his wings and takes to the sky.