Uhhhhh...Hi! I am so so so sorry that I haven't posted a new chapter of this in the past two years, but I am back to working on this again. I can't say when I'll update again, but I def want to finish this fic! Let's see, since I lasted posted a chapter, I changed my major to wildlife bio at the end of my sophomore year of college. I'm a senior now and I'm going to graduate in May. Its surreal. I'm so glad all of you have stuck with me. Anyways, please let me know if you enjoyed this!

Twitter/Tumblr: elricsyao

Discord: elricsyao#4048

Bye for now!

Wolves had forty-two teeth. There are twenty teeth in the upper jaw, six incisors, two canines, eight premolars, and four molars. Their lower jaws have the same amount of teeth. The canines are at least two and a half inches long , and Ed can feel each of those two and a half inches.

The pain is sharp, a white-hot throb that tears from the origin up the length of his leg. Adrenaline floods the blond's veins, and wide, golden eyes, stare into the wolf's fierce gaze. He'd heard the farmers describe the wolf as a fierce, terrifying creature that caused them to stop in their tracks. Ed can believe it.

The standoff ends as soon as it begins; the wolf tugs at his leg and Ed forcefully drowns the scream in his throat. He can't die like this; he refuses to die because of something so stupid! He has to get back to Ryler, has to get back to Al and Winry.

He kicks his heel hard against the wolf's jaw once, twice, and then it finally lets go. He scrambles back in the snow, chest heaving. His calf—shit, there's so much blood, throbs, and pulses. The blood is bright red in the moonlight, a stark contrast to the snow on every side of him. The sound of distant yelling echoed in Ed's ears over the rushing blood, and he swore his heart started pounding harder when the biggest wolf, a large, white-furred male, growled.

He had only felt this cold terror once before, right as the eye of truth had shown itself to him and Al.

Ok, ok, calm down. Breathe. He took a shaking breath, and it was as if that set off something in the wolves. They rushed him, nipping and yelping when he kicked and punched at them. He was up against the pole with nowhere to go; they had him trapped.

His heart stuttered when his punch skimmed the fur of the huge, white male. Its body crashed into the blond like a freight train, and if Ed hadn't gotten his feet against its chest, it would've had its jaws around its throat. The animal snapped and growled at his face, attempting to take him down like a wounded buck. His legs trembled as the wolf threw itself forward repeatedly, and he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer if the wolf continued.

With a shuddery, harsh breath, the blond clapped his hands together and touched the snow around him. The electrical blue light blinded him for a moment, and Ed knew that performing alchemy without being able to see what you were doing was a bad idea, but it was either this or be mauled to death by a wolf, and he'd rather not be mauled by a wolf.

He gritted his teeth, pushing his automail forward. There was a sharp yelp, a gurgle, and a splash of something warm against his face. The pressure against his automail slackened all at once. The wolf collapsed at his feet.

One wolf down, at least seven more to go.

Even with the death of their leader, the snarling beasts continued advancing on him. Their jaws were pulled back and revealed their sharp teeth. Ed's limbs trembled. Wolves were pack hunters, using numbers instead of size to take down prey. They reminded him of the coyotes of Resembool, persistent and quite terrifying when attempting to kill prey.

Ed was the prey.

The coyotes back on the farms were chased off with guns, which they didn't have.

Shit .

Wolves were ambush hunters.

"Be loud, Ed! Be large; they're scared by loud noises!" A voice yelled, Jack.

Ed grit his teeth and claps his hands. He sent stones at the creatures, messy and oddly shaped. He snarled at the creatures, running at them. Some of the wolves ran, grey tails tucked as they yelped.

A white wolf ran at him, deep snarls echoing through the valley. Ed slashed at the wolf, baring his teeth at the large animal.

Time appeared inconsequential as Ed fought and dodged and chased off the creatures. There was no telling how long it went on, but his heart was pounding with terror, and the adrenaline was racing through his body.

Finally, the last wolf was sent running up the valley.

Ed's lungs heaved for air; black spots crossed his vision. Everything throbbed. His head felt heavy.

The snow felt good against his wounds.

The wind howled around them, unrelenting as they pushed the white sheet around them. Ryler didn't know how long they'd been walking for; everything had seemed to blur together after he learned of Miss. Rose's death, as Marley and Brandon had called it. The small boy had fallen into a state of numbness after they left him to fall back asleep, but the boy was unable to, seeing flashes of every time he closed his eyes.

Eventually, they had to move again, no matter how much Ryler screamed and cried, and he sobbed himself into exhaustion when he was placed into someone's arms, warm but not nearly as comforting as had been.

A sharp pain pierced his chest at the memory of her warm smile and even warmer voice. He hadn't known her long, barely any time, yet he'd grown attached to her with Ed not around.

He wanted Ed.

The boy buried his face into the warmth beneath his, tears slipping down his face. He hated him, and Ed was a no-good liar. The blond sighed, moving his arm and tensing at the sharp pain. His shoulder throbbed and ached, which only made the tears slide down his face faster.

Slowly, the boy's consciousness tugged him into sleep.

He dreamed of Ed's face and seeing the blond again and of kicking him in flesh knee and then running into his arms. Ed would return the hug and hold him, promising never to leave again. He'd apologize for leaving him, informing him that if he had to go anywhere, he would tell Ryler where. He would brush一

Ryler was broken from his dream with a terrified yell.

The boy's eyes widened, head lifting, breaths catching in his chest at the commotion around them. The boy's still sleepy mind couldn't process the loud sounds he was hearing. It took a moment before he finally heard it, but his body froze when he did.

Barking, not that of a fox or a wolf, but of dogs.

The Drachman's were close.