Did the Prophet (peace be upon him) put the lives of seven of his companions at risk to protect himself, and why did the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his two companions flee from the battlefield and hide in the cave, even though it is permissible to flee from battle if the number of the enemy greatly exceeds the number of Muslims?

The worst thing a researcher can do is to judge the Prophet or the Companions based on a single scene without considering the context. The hadith of Anas about seven Ansar and two men from Quraysh who defended the Prophet at Uhud until the seven were killed, and his saying, peace and blessings be upon him, "Our companions have not dealt justly with us," necessitates recalling the Prophet's status as a messenger of guidance and his infallibility, and the Companions' devotion in sacrificing themselves for him. The Prophet was the bravest of people and participated in fighting; he was not safe in his home, but rather suffered severe wounds at Uhud. And his saying, "Our companions have not dealt justly with us," is not a sacrifice of them, but rather a reproach to the Qurayshis who did not participate, or to those who fled. For a leader in battle has a special status and is surrounded by protection, especially if he is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.