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There is a certain stillness to nature that Prowl had quickly learned to love. Within the midst of chaos and war somehow nature prevailed. It brought him comfort and hope that maybe he could too. A roof didn't matter when the world he knew was crumbling anyways. The tree was only a reminder. Optimus Prime didn't quite understand and neither did anyone else. Sure they appreciate nature but not like him. Never like him. Prowl wanted to be a part of it.
When things were calm he retreated as best as he could in the city of Detroit. The home of the auto industry left little room for much else. Time passed and not much seemed to happen. Fall came and went and from what he understood it was supposed to get cold. Humans would wear sweaters (“bundle up” as Sari said), drink warm drinks, and celebrate a holiday in which a strange man wearing red with a beard came down children's chimneys to give them gifts. Odd. But it was their custom.
This thing called snow was supposed to fall as well. Sometimes in the fall he was told. It didn't fall then. Prowl didn't mind. Winter was the snowy season. He wanted this new experience. Another beautiful part of nature.
The holiday with the red wearing man drew near without any sign of this thing called snow. So he wanted to ask one of the smartest humans he knew.
“Professor Sumdac.” Prowl walked up to him during one of these holiday events. “Why has there not been any of this.. snow yet?”
The doctor looked down before explaining “well, that may be because of a phenomenon known as climate change.”
“Climate change?”
“Yes, it is caused due to greenhouse gases. They get trapped within the atmosphere and cause changes. It happens naturally over millions of years usually. However recently there's been some.. acceleration.”
Prowl narrowed his eyes. “What exactly do you mean?”
“Well.” The doctor paused. “Factories and cars tend to release these gasses.”
“Factories such as yours?”
“No, no. See we made a pledge to reduce emissions by 80% before 2150”
“Yet you haven't yet?” Prowls face scrunched up.
“These things take time Prowl. Everyone is trying to reduce their emissions.”
“Why was this an issue to begin with?”
“That was before my time.” Sumac sighed and shook his head. “We all want to make this world a better place.”
Prowl had nothing more to say. Instead he thought. He wondered why humanity would ever do something to harm a planet so beautiful.
This thing called nature. He loved it dearly. It was gentle, quiet, light, dark, and more. There was a time his own species destroyed their planet but that was in a fight against evil. What purpose did this serve? Advancement? But humanity was already so far behind. Did it take wiping out this thing called snow to allow for them to make it not even a fraction as far as Cybertron in not even a fraction of the time? A feeling came forth. Pity. Would Sari never see snow again? Her children if she chose to have them? Would he never see it? This beautiful thing called snow that everyone wrapped themselves up to touch. Prowl would never experience that, sure. But he wanted to wear those sweaters and make “snow angels”. Why would humanity ruin something so beautiful? How could they not foresee the harm? Prowl didn't do anything to help for a while. He just sat under his tree in thought.
Maybe humans were closer to cybertronians than he thought. Some of them were just meant to destroy.