**(I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT. AGAIN. SO I'M GONNA CUT MY RANTING SHORT AND LET YOU GET ON WITH THE CHAPTER!)**


Bonus chapter: Assistance part 9


The trek back to the Thunderclan camp didn't take very long, Ed noted. Most of the time he was answering questions that Brambleclaw asked him, and, boy, did that cat ask a lot.

"How did you take to being a cat? Was it strange to walk on four legs instead of two? Were you unused to being so close to the gr-"

"OH HEY! There's the camp! Hold that thought, Brambleclaw." Ed said hurriedly. It affectively silenced the cat's stream of questions.

He sped up and strode across the grass towards the stone hollow, leaving Brambleclaw a bit behind. Dovepaw scrambled forward to catch up to him.

"He's a curious one, isn't he?" Ed murmured to his friend, making sure the Thunderclan Deputy was out of earshot.

Dovepaw purred. "Well it's to be expected!" She laughed. "You're the first Twoleg that can talk to us!"

Ed chuckled and walked along the rim of the stone hollow. The cats below looked up and saw the boy striding towards the camp entrance with a parade made up of the missing warriors trailing behind him.

"Firestar!" A cat called. "They're back!"

A ginger head poked out of the leader's den and looked up. He spotted Edward, who grinned at him and waved. Firestar smiled and bounded down the boulder pile and streaked up the stone trail.

"Edward!" He called happily, skidding to a halt in front of the boy. "You did it!" The flame-colored cat suddenly frowned. "Is anyone injured?" He asked worriedly.

Ed smiled and shook his head. "No, everyone's fine."

Firestar sighed in relief. "Thank Starclan." He turned and motioned with his tail. "Come! My warriors are home now and they must be hungry!"

Ed nodded and followed the leader, the other cats trailing behind.

Edward finally stepped off the narrow stone pathway and onto the solid rock that made up the floor of the camp. He scanned the clearing, his golden eyes darting over the cats basking in the sun or sharing the news of the day.

"Hey, Ed!"

Edward yelped and nearly fell over when the sudden voice of his younger brother shouted from behind. He turned around and spotted Alphonse climbing down the narrow trail that lead to the forest. Two kits followed close behind, a tan one and a dark ginger one. They seemed guilty and ashamed if their drooping tails and heads were anything to go by.

Edward smiled and approached his younger brother. Alphonse hopped up to Edward and smiled. "So? Did you find them?"

Ed gave a wide grin. "Of course! Was there ever any doubt?" He laughed.

Alphonse broke his gaze from Ed and looked down, noticing that the two kittens had plopped down at his feet. He sighed and crouched down. "You little guys shouldn't have been out there in the forest!" He scolded.

Ed smiled. "I see you've met Molekit and Cherrykit!" He said. "What did they do?"

Al looked up at his brother. "While I was in the camp I noticed that one of the cats looked worried, the tortoiseshell one. She kept meowing at me but of course I couldn't understand what she said. Then she kept running in and out of the bush that you told me was the nursery so I guessed that she was looking for her kittens. I helped her look and eventually found these two running around in the forest." Al explained, giving the two kits a scolding look.

Ed laughed and crouched down. "Now, now, you two." He meowed to them. "You know better than to run off!"

The kits looked down and shuffled their paws, mumbling apologies.

"CHERRYKIT! MOLEKIT!" A worried mew shouted.

Ed and Al turned around and spotted Poppyfrost dashing over. She darted past the two humans and quickly checked her kits for injuries.

"Oh, thank Starclan you're alright." She purred, furiously licking her kits between the ears. "Don't you ever run off like that again!" She scolded before sweeping them towards the nursery with her long tail. Poppyfrost then turned to Ed and Al once she was sure her kits had entered the bush.

"Thank you so much!" She purred at Edward.

Ed grinned. "I didn't find them!" He laughed and then pointed at Al. "My brother Alphonse did!"

Poppyfrost turned to the younger Elric and directed her gratitude to him. "Thank you so much, Alphonse!" She purred. "Cherrykit and Molekit can be such a pawfull!"

Edward translated the cat's words for his brother, who replied with. "You're welcome, kitty! I was worried once I realized that you were looking for your little ones! I'm glad I found them." Which Ed then translated for the tortoiseshell queen.

Poppyfrost purred louder and rubbed her head on Al's leg. She gave one last thank-you before running off to the nursery.

Alphonse chuckled and stood up strait. "These cats are so nice, brother! I'm so glad I got to meet them..."

Ed smiled. "Yeah, they are, aren't they? Gosh I'm gonna miss them..." He sighed.

Al patted his older sibling on the back. "It's okay, brother. We'll visit! Until then... Maybe you can teach me to speak cat?" He asked, looking up at Ed sheepishly.

Edward chuckled and nodded. "Fine. But I highly doubt I could actually teach someone successfully!"

Alphonse grinned excitedly "I'm willing to try anything!" He shouted joyfully.

Ed sighed and brought a hand up to his head. "Oh geez... What have I gotten myself into?" He breathed. He glanced up and suddenly stood strait, looking down at something.

Alphonse turned and saw Firestar trotting towards them. Glancing back at his brother, Al realized that Ed was standing at attention... For a cat. Al elbowed Ed and smirked. "You respect a cat more than your own commanding officer?" He snickered.

Ed gave Al a brief glare before directing his attention back to Firestar. The cat sat at Ed's feet and neatly wrapped his tail around his paws. "Thank you so much for rescuing my warriors, Edward Elric. The clan now owes you an even greater debt." He meowed, dipping his head to Edward in respect.

Ed laughed softly and shook his head, crouching down. "There no debt owed, Firestar. I was and always will be a part of the clan, and that means I must give my assistance whenever it is needed." Ed murmured, reaching out a hand to pat the clan leader on the head.

Firestar's ears twitched under the boy's hand and he purred happily. "I still cannot thank you enough. Just know that you will always have a place within the clan, no matter what species you are, be it Twoleg or cat or even badger!"

Edward smiled, his eyes shining joyfully. "Thank you, Firestar..." He murmured.

The orange tabby shook his head. "Do not thank me, Metalpaw." He said, then dipped his head in a bow. "If there is anything the clan can do for you, anything at all, you must simply ask and we shall do it." He rumbled.

Edward stood up straight and put a hand in his chin, thinking. 'Anything at all huh...?' Ed looked back down at Firestar and grinned. "I would like you to pardon one of your apprentices to stay with me for a little while." He stated.

Firestar looked surprised, emerald green eyes widening. "One of my apprentices?" He asked, confused. "What do you need with one of my apprentices?"

Edward toward the fresh-kill pile on the other side of the hollow where the rescued cats were gathered, eating. His eyes rested on Dovepaw and he smiled. "Well... One apprentice in particular. I would like to teach Dovepaw about humans, if that's okay with you." Ed explained, then looked back at Firestar. "It will be beneficial to the clan, I promise. If I tell her about how humans work and live and she passes that knowledge on to you, it could help you avoid trouble with twolegs." He said.

Firestar tilted his head and closed his eyes, thinking deeply. Finally, he looked up at Edward with serious green eyes. "You swear to watch over Dovepaw while she's in your care?" He asked.

Edward nodded, saluting. "I swear on my life." He replied in a strong voice.

Firestar smiled and stood up, flicking his tail toward the fresh-kill pile. "Then let's go discuss this with Dovepaw." He said, turning to approach the apprentice.

Before Ed could follow, Alphonse's laughter stopped him. He looked back at his brother in confusion. "What's so funny?" He snorted.

Al chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing, nothing! It's just... You saluted a cat!" He laughed.

Edward scowled. "Yeah? What of it!"

"You've never saluted anyone before! Not even Mustang and he's your superior officer!" Alphonse teased.

Edward scowled. "Shut up!" He snorted childishly before stomping off to follow Firestar with Alphonse trailing after him, still letting out muffled chuckles.