Sorry for the loooooooong wait, but here it is, chapter 8! This is probably the chapter that will make any followers/stalkers/fans decide whether or not to keep reading, which is why I took my time. It's basically the start of the turning point of the entire fanfic, and most of the time that's when fans get tiered of it and leave. And btw, when I think about Truth as a cat, an image of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland comes to mind XD
Well, without further ado, here's the fateful, ever-so-vital chapter Eight!
I rolled over in my half-sleep, groaning quietly. Ravenwing was next to me, his tail brushing against my nose. An eerie darkness seemed to wash over me, and I fought it, forcing myself to stay awake. The gathering was tomorrow night. It would me me, Ravenwing, and the others' first gathering as warriors. But there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind. Names and faces raced through my head, but I couldn't identify any of them. Voices cried out, screaming things like "Save us!" or "Help me, Edward!"
Who's Edward?
That I don't know, but I know who would know. And I know exactly what I have to do. I stood up, shaking the leaves out of my pelt. I needed to talk to a medicine cat. Why?
To talk to StarClan.
I padded across the camp, the leaves crispy and frosty beneath my paws, a cool breeze ruffling my fur. Little flakes of snow fluttered down onto the ground and into my face, chilling by pale pink nose. My auto-mail paws clanking softly as I walked.
"Spottedleaf!" I hissed once I reached her den. A moment later she padded outside, a loose strand of blonde fur dangling into her face and blocking one of her shining amber eyes. She looked almost cute like that, but I knew by now that medicine cats were not allowed to have a mate or kits, and I quite honestly prefer Sandstorm.
"What is it?" the medicine cat murmured wearily.
"Spottedleaf," I meowed, placing my fluffy tail on her left shoulder. She looked a bit surprised by the gesture, but at least I succeeded in waking her up.
"Spottedleaf, I need a favor of you." I meowed carefully.
"What is it?" she meowed.
"What's on your mind, Metalwing?"
I sighed.
"Spottedleaf...I need to visit the Moonstone."
Spottedleaf narrows her eyes, and I wonder if she knows what I'm thinking.
She sighed.
"Metalwing, come into my den and sit down." she meowed. I think it was an order, but her voice sounded tiered and defeated. I probably could have refused and went to see Bluestar, but my paws acted without me and I padded into the medicine den.
I've been in here before, of course. I came to visit Ravenwing the day Redtail died, and there was one time when a bee sting my nose. I'd also come to pay Fireheart a visit when he was sick. He's a nice cat, but something about him...there's...well, it's hard to say, but it's like there's an air of challenge and negativity surrounding him. And if anyone knows why, it's Spottedleaf. But I don't see what that has to do with me. Maybe he's just an ambitious cat.
"Metalwing...you need to speak with StarClan, correct?"
I nodded and looked up in surprise.
"Yes, I need-"
"Is there any way I can convince you not to go?" she interrupted. She was begging now, and I could tell she was getting desperate.
"No." I replied firmly but softly.
"There's not."
Alphonse Elric
I looked up at the gate looming over me. I'd seen this gate before! It was about six years ago, when Edward and I tried to transmute our mother. Standing in front of me were four bodies. I instantly recognized the first one as mine, but scrawny and half-starved. The one next to mine was Edward's.
"E-Ed!" I tried to call out, but all that came out was a squeak.
Next to our bodies were two cats; one was a majestic golden-brown spotted tom. The other, I realized, was merely a suit of armor, shaped like a cat. A third shape padded over, grinning a wide, toothy grin.
"Padded?" I thought out loud.
The shape was one I recognized. A pale, almost ghostly, child-sized man with sharp, pointy white teeth.
The Truth.
He laughed a bone-chilling cackle, and I shuddered. Don't ask me how. I don't know. I didn't really have a body at the moment. I guess I was just a spirit.
Then, to my surprise and terror, the Truth slowly morphed into a pale, gray and white ghostly tabby tom, with no eyes, just a wide, crescent moon of a grin.
"Hello, Alchemist." he meowed with a sneer.
And then I blacked out.