A/N: Thank you for your comments. Your reviews keep me motivated! Sorry for the short chapter, I'm hitting a bit of a writer's block.
Chapter 5
He hid the magazine in his ruck, face flushed with shame at his lack of self control. He was sure Mustang would laugh at him if he knew, slinging an arm about his shoulders and grandiosely start into a dialogue about how babies are made and the meaning behind certain urges. Wiping the cooling sweat from his forehead, he stood and straightened his uniform and moved about the tent, preparing for sleep.
They moved slower than he would like, falling into single filed by rank. With the worst of the cold abated, Ed was more limber and his endurance had recovered. He kept a reckless distance ahead of the others, taking in the sights and sounds. Occasionally he would stop to study his map and compass. Beneath the trees the forest was dead. No undergrowth penetrated the moldering carpet of needles. He felt confident that if they had company he would know it by now. It was nothing like the dense, thorn filled brush that pocked the fields and fence lines of Rizembool.
One his map the lines and topography appeared uncertain, wavering around possible mountains to their East. Twenty miles north was the town of Odetta, West was Tesh. He sighed heavily. They were now five miles outside of camp and he wasn't sure where to go.
"Major?" A sergeant chimed hesitantly. Edward made a questioning noise as he slipped a worn notebook from his pocket. "What is your plan?"
"Keep your eyes and ears open while I work," he clipped, approaching the scaly bark of a pine tree. He scratched it before pressing his nose to the rough surface and inhaling. It smelled like butterscotch. This species of tree required a large amount of phosphorus in the soil, a useful mineral. He busied himself with coordinates and notes before they moved forward and slightly to the side of Odetta.
Truthfully, he had not learned much the first day. He was still surprised that past Brigg's Drachman territory turned into a gently rolling landscape with pockets of forest. He would even hesitantly call it beautiful.
They would up setting up their camp before the swell of a gentle hill. It was only a slight walk till you could look over the steppes of Drachma, Odetta glistened faintly in the distance. He sat alone, using his alchemy to heat his rations. The sun was beginning to set, turning the pastel landscape a deceptively warm array of pinks, reds, and oranges. He breathed in the clean air deeply, letting it clear his mind. His eyes closed against his will. The war seemed far away and unreal. The images of shells whistling from the sky and Mustang's stuttered nightmares struggled for purchase. Things were ok. A smile snuck across his face.
He wasn't sure when he fell asleep. He woke with a start and a pair of puzzled grey eyes watching him. The specialist had been sent to retrieve him and clearly didn't know how to wake him safely. Everyone had heard stories of the Fullmetal, how he became a demon on the battlefield and would punch through your chest with his automail.
"Sir, everyone is looking for you," he murmured nervously. Edward forced himself to smile broadly, like he used to.
"Sorry, I'll be back in a bit. You can go back," He grinned, stretching slowly. He took his time getting up, pleased that here no one called reveille and he could take his time getting up after sleeping. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, working out the kinks. He craned back his head, the Milky Way stretched above him. He felt a sudden pang of longing for Al. He didn't want to go back, and entertained the idea of disappearing, but knew he couldn't do it. Odetta shone brighter than before, with no moon in the sky the land was sunk into totally darkness.
We a heavy sigh he rose from his perch, admiring the peace there. Something caught his eye and he frowned. Points of light were moving in the darkness from Odetta. Slightly outside of it was what looks like a camp. He looked around, trying to triangulate it's position. He was sure that this was the information that Roy wanted.