Chapter 11
It was an unusually cloud free and sunny day in Central, the leaf bare trees outside gently swaying in the light breeze as the last few amber leaves of autumn danced along the sidewalk. It was a little past midday and though the sun shone warm and bright through the large window behind the colonel's desk, the mood in the office was far from cheerful.
Every person that dwelled in the room bore similar expressions of hopelessness, giving off a gloomy aura that permeated into the very walls of the office, clearly palpable to all. Alphonse could even swear that the once crisp light green walls had been darkened by shadow, looking more like a dull gray to him, though he knew he was just letting his imagination get the better of him.
From where he sat leaning against the wall closest to the door, Al could see the slow and down trodden movements of each crew member. Breda and Fuery leafed listlessly through a haphazard stack of papers, barely skimming over the words of one page before moving onto the next, as at the desk beside them Havoc flicked open his lighter over and over, watching the small flame dance and flutter before snuffing it out once more. Falman was gazing intently at a paper on his desk, pen hovering over the document as though frozen in mid-sentence, as from the other side of the room Armstrong crumpled up a paper in frustration and sent it sailing through the air and neatly into a nearby garbage can.
Not even Hawkeye seemed immune to the somber tinge in the air, her usually bright and determined auburn gaze looking dull as she sat motionless behind her missing colonel's desk. While the lieutenant was actually looking carefully through important documents, Al knew that she had already read through the whole stack at least three times by now. No one seemed safe from the infectious melancholy that hung heavy in the air, and Alphonse continued on in his valiant fight to stay above it, to keep it from taking him over.
But he could only last for so long, and after a few more minutes of simply watching everyone's repetitious actions, Al felt like he was going to go insane. He stood up stiffly, hollow armor clanging together as he glanced over towards Hawkeye, who seemed to be the only one to notice the sudden sound and movement.
"I'm going outside for a bit." Al said as his gaze absentmindedly wandered around the dreary room and its gloomy occupants. "I need to get some air."
"Okay, Alphonse." The lieutenant rasped in a voice that sounded as if she hadn't spoken aloud in days. A glimmer of light slowly began to return to her weary eyes as she gazed sympathetically at Al, seeming to be drawn out of her stupor. "Getting some fresh air sounds good. I'll join you out there in a moment; I just want to go over these papers one last time."
Al nodded gratefully, a small semblance of peace flowing through him for the first time that day as he turned and left the stuffy office. He closed the large oak door quietly as he entered the hallway, careful to make as little sound as possible before walking down the rather empty corridor and towards the main entrance.
Two months had now officially passed since Alphonse's brother and the colonel had been abducted, and yet the crew still had no substantial leads. The investigation had ground to a standstill a week or so ago, their only hope being a lab up north that specialized in chimeras that Armstrong knew about.
The major and Al himself had travelled the long trip together, hopes unusually high as they had gone to inspect the building. While the lab did house many chimeras of differing kinds, none had delved into the depraved taboo of human based creatures. While some combinations had been a bit questionable, the chimeras were all taken care of and seemed to be relatively comfortable. Al had doubted that either Ed or Mustang had ever been there as he remembered the battered and near emaciated state his brother had been in during Alphonse's vision.
They had asked about anyone going by the name of Mark Kramer to one of the head scientists, but even up in the elusive man's territory there was no trace. This man, whoever he was, had seemingly gone to great lengths to hide his trail. And so both alchemists had headed back to Central empty handed, feeling more depressed than they had on the way up.
After what felt like both a few moments and an eternity, as he had dwelled on his past failures, Al finally reached the large, open doors that led to the grand staircase outside of the building. Alphonse let out a useless sigh as he passed a few solders that walked by him and into headquarters, not one taking any notice as he walked slowly down the stairs. Once Al had reached the lowest portion of the staircase he sat down forlornly at its base, resting his helm on one hand as thoughts tumbled through his mind like the autumn leaves in the wind.
"Oh brother, I am so sorry…" Alphonse thought sadly to himself, his body unable to produce the tears that he so desperately wanted to shed. "I've been trying so hard to find you…and yet here I am with no clue as to where you are…"
Maybe there was more to the vision he had had what felt like a lifetime ago…What if he had forgotten something important? Al let his gaze grow distant, blocking out his surroundings as he thought back to when he had spoken with his brother.
They had stood together on that vast and expansive plane of pure white…both being so happy to see each other again…Ed had mentioned something about leaving Mustang behind, apologizing as he said that he had to go back for him…Then there was the single name given and his brother saying that it was cold where he was…but had there even been anything else?
"I feel so useless…" Al wanted to wail aloud his absolute sorrow and frustration, but he held back the urge as he heard the distant sound of someone walking down the stairs from somewhere behind him. He settled for a miserable groan as he shifted his head to his other hand, beginning to tap his foot against the concrete in an effort to relieve his growing distress. "Ed and the colonel are counting on us…on me…and there's nothing I can do. God, they could be dead by now…or even worse…and we just keep failing to find even a trace of where they could be…"
The sound of footsteps grew louder as a person strode past Alphonse and descended the stairs, the man appearing to be in a slight hurry. He gazed absentmindedly at the stranger, who wore the usual blue attire of all military workers, completely disinterested as the man moved his blond head slowly from side to side as though trying to figure out which way to go.
"I have to be missing something…there has to be some kind of clue…" He continued to stare blankly towards the blond solider, watching the man in order to keep himself from disappearing under the dark and ceaseless waters of his mind. Al hardly noticed that the stranger had begun to turn his head, glancing back at Alphonse hesitantly before their gazes met. In that single moment, both of them froze.
The blond man's narrow blue eyes met Al's soul fire stare, the tense and slightly shocked expression on his face bringing Alphonse back to that terrible moment after Ed and Mustang had just been taken…The white van speeding away through the dust cloud as the driver's eyes met Al's for a single, fleeting moment…
This solider, this strange man who was no longer a complete stranger, had been the one who had taken his brother from him…Al could never have forgotten that face...
"Alphonse?" Al heard the sound of lieutenant Hawkeye's voice carry towards him on the light breeze as the man's eyes grew wide from shock and fear when he suddenly realized that Al had recognized him. Hawkeye's call had broken the stunned stillness that hung in the air as the man turned away to jump down the last remaining steps. He stopped, stumbling slightly, at the bottom only briefly before making a hard right turn and running away as fast as he could.
"Wait!" Al cried out as he leapt to his feet, keeping his attention locked completely onto the fleeing man as he started to chase after him. He was faintly aware of Hawkeye calling out to him in a confused and worried tone, and with no time to explain, Alphonse yelled back a simple. "That's him! The van's driver!"
Not knowing if the lieutenant had heard his rushed exclamation, or if she was even making a move to follow behind, Al continued to run. He was only a few feet behind the blond man, matching him nearly step for step as the two raced along the sidewalk. They both had to dodge random groupings of bystanders; Alphonse barely able to call out any apologizes in his haste.
While the man was persistent as he dodged past others and weaved down back alleys, trying desperately to throw Al off of his trail, Alphonse knew that the chase was hopeless. For once having a body that could never tire or feel the burning pain of fatigued muscles came in handy, and Al knew that the blond man would give up much, much quicker than Alphonse ever could.
The man was breathing heavily now, glancing back with eyes bulging from shock and disbelief as his steps grew more and more unsteady. They were both now rushing through various dark alleys, and at one point the blond man had tipped over a group of trashcans in a futile attempt to slow Al down. He leapt over them with ease, gaining on the quickly tiring man with no plans of stopping until he had all the information he could get from the man.
The blond man's luck finally ran out as they both turned down another alley, this one ending in a huge brick wall. As the man slewed to a halt, desperately searching for any other means of escape, Al was able to scratch a transmutation circle into the grit of the alleyway. A blue light flashed momentarily as alchemy crackled and hummed before a large stone cage rose from the earth to surround the man on all sides. Alphonse watched on in a satisfied silence as the man gazed around in awestruck confusion before turning to glare angrily at him.
"Alphonse! Are you down this way?" Al felt joy and relief flow through him at the sound of Hawkeye's worried call. While she sounded a few alleyways off, he was impressed with her speed and determination to stay on his trail. Alphonse was also glad that he wouldn't have to apprehend the man all on his own and bring him back to headquarters while trying to explain who this man really was.
Al called back to the lieutenant, his voice raised and full of triumph as he began to hear the sound of Hawkeye's boots clicking against the cobblestone ground.
"I'm down here, lieutenant! I've got him! I've caught the man we've been looking for!"
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Ed held his breath as he watched Roy from the cover of a nearby patch of ferns, struggling to contain the nervous and eager shiver that the dog within gave him. His guardian stalked very carefully and quietly towards a squirrel, which was too preoccupied with gnawing on a fallen acorn to notice the shadow looming closer and closer. Roy was only a few feet away now, pausing momentarily to ready himself for a good leap, his dark eyes hazed over with a feral longing.
The sun shone brightly from high above, warmth soaking into Ed's pelt and lessening the bite of the cold chill to the air. While no snow had fallen just yet, the days and nights had grown cold enough that both chimeras could almost constantly see their breath, the morning dew now replaced by a light frost. Most days as of late were overcast with dark gray clouds that hinted at a fast approaching snowfall, but today was an exception to the current weather.
A long time had passed since their escape from the lab as well, and Ed thought that he and Roy were doing decently on their own. While it was hard to know exactly how long they had been free, with only the waning and gradually waxing moon to go off of, Ed estimated that it was nearing a month's time. Though as he brushed those wandering thoughts aside, he instead returned his attention back onto Roy.
The dark furred chimera was nearing even closer to the squirrel, closing the gap between himself and his prey as he quietly lifted one front paw. His guardian hadn't been careful enough though as he placed his paw down a little too hard onto a small twig, the dry snap seeming to echo throughout the entire forest. The squirrel, now completely alerted to Roy's presence, dropped its acorn and raised its head, beady eyes locking fearfully onto his guardian before letting out an alarmed squeal.
Roy let out a frustrated snarl and leapt at the fluffy tailed rodent with all the strength he had gathered in his hind legs, flinging himself after it in one last desperate attempt. The squirrel was faster though, and as his guardian's white front paws slammed onto the dry earth below, it had already raced up the nearest tree. The dark furred chimera looked up into the branches and both he and Ed watched as the squirrel chittered angrily at them before dashing along the branch and into another tree until it was gone from sight.
Ed couldn't keep himself from letting out a quiet sigh as Roy turned his dejected gaze towards him, an apology gleaming in his now clear and focused dark eyes. Since the weather had changed quite suddenly and drastically prey had grown scarce, the two of them not having had a decent meal in days. To make things worse, they were still recovering from their near starvation in the lab and Ed was starting to worry that they'd soon grow too weak to hunt. That squirrel, while a bit on the scrawny side, would have made for a good meal…if it had been caught.
"Roy is very sorry…" His guardian said in a quiet voice full of misery as he approached Ed, his head lowered and his tail dragging along the ground. He looked so utterly defeated and Ed didn't have the heart to even get mad at Roy, let alone blame him for his honest mistake. His guardian sat down heavily a few feet away as he spoke up once more. "They needed that squirrel…and he failed…Roy is sorry…"
Ed quickly closed the distance between them and gently nuzzled Roy's cheek as he sat before him. The dark furred chimera's body was tense as he felt his guardian hesitantly rest his head against Ed's shoulder. He lapped gently at the side of Roy's neck as he spoke in a calm and soothing voice. "There is no need for Roy to be so upset. They still have plenty of daylight left to find prey."
Roy relaxed as much as his weary body could, still trying to catch his breath as Ed rested his head against his guardian's boney shoulder. He could hear the pounding of Roy's heart and could feel how pronounced his ribs were as Ed pressed against him. Worry flashed through Ed's mind as he took in all of these little details. They needed to catch something soon, or else the energy they exerted today would become too much for either of them to handle.
His guardian seemed to draw strength from his steady presence, Ed chiming in in a light and carefree tone. "That squirrel was a hard catch, and even Ed thinks that he would have done much worse than Roy did."
At the sound of a short bark of laughter, Ed pulled away from Roy to see that his dark eyes had once again regained their usual, lively glow. His guardian nudged his shoulder playfully with a single front paw as he said in an equally teasing voice. "Ah, so even the great hunter Ed would have lost that squirrel? Ed better be careful then if he doesn't want Roy to knock him from his throne!"
Ed let out a mock growl of anger as he softly bit one of Roy's ears, the dark furred chimera letting out a small yelp as he pushed Ed away. His guardian's eyes glimmered with amusement though as he stood and shook out his pelt, playfully knocking him on the side of the head with his tail as he stretched out.
"Roy is a very good hunter though." Ed spoke up as he too stood and arched his back in a long stretch. "Ed knows that Roy will be able to catch something else, they just have to split up to cover more ground."
While his guardian seemed a little hesitant at the suggestion of separating, he still nodded his head in reluctant agreement. "That is a good idea, but Roy and Ed should still stay close enough to hear the other. Ed can hunt towards the ravine and Roy will hunt close to the stream, they can meet back up in the middle."
"Just like Roy to be giving out the orders." Ed rolled his eyes in mock irritation as his guardian cuffed him gently over the head with one paw, letting out a playful growl.
"And just like Ed to complain about following them." Roy laughed as he walked past Ed, hesitating as his tail rested softly against Ed's shoulders. "Ed promises to be careful though, right?"
Ed could feel the anxiety radiating from Roy, picturing the concerned and fearful gleam to his eyes that usually shone when Roy fretted over him. Though his guardian was now just out of his sight, Ed twined his tail with Roy's for a few moments before he responded in an earnest voice. "Of course, there is no need for Roy to worry."
"Roy will always worry about Ed." His guardian said softly, the sound of flapping ears telling Ed that his guardian was shaking his head as though dismissing troubling thoughts. With one last touch to his back from Roy's tail, the dark furred chimera left in the direction of the stream.
Ed stood alone among the drooping foliage for a moment, taking in the sounds of birds chirping from high above as he pondered where the best place to find prey would be. The undergrowth surrounding the ravine was usually good for a bird or two, and the large field was definitely off the table as nothing ever ventured there.
With a small grunt, Ed began to walk the modest distance towards the ravine, ears pricked in the hopes of hearing any sounds of prey hidden in the brush. He and Roy tended to hunt closer to their den, but seeing that the only nearby prey had been that lone squirrel, perhaps the smaller woodland animals were starting to catch on to the new hunters of the woods.
Ed walked silently through the undergrowth, his pelt brushing against leaf bare bushes and the occasional clump of ferns or snagging amongst the brambles. He stopped in his tracks at the sound of rustling undergrowth, turning his head to see a mouse rummaging through the dry leaves of a nearby clump of thorns. While Ed would have rather had to crawl through the softer ferns or even through prickling branches, the thorns would not stop him from catching this prey.
He crouched down low, feeling the dog mind slide in beside him mentally to offer its help if he needed, and began to stalk slowly towards the mouse. The rodent had hardly gotten time to lift its head to observe its surroundings when Ed struck. As the creature let out a surprised squeal, he sunk his fangs into its neck and pressed down until the tiny bones snapped and the rodent went limp. He sat back, licking away the few stray drops of blood from his muzzle as he inspected the prey. While the mouse was small, it would be enough to keep one of them from going hungry today.
As Ed carefully picked up the dead mouse, he began to walk the rest of the way to the ravine. Once he had reached the treeline right before his destination, he buried the piece of prey under some dead leaves in order to hide it from other creatures and the sun overhead. Ed then crouched down and began to creep through the undergrowth, hoping to catch the sight of a bird or any other prey.
He had hardly gotten time to get fully situated among the ferns and bushes when a rather large cardinal landed a few feet away, pecking at the ground next to the ravine. Ed's heart pounded in his chest and his mouth watered at the thought of bringing such a great catch back to the den…to get another chance to show off to Roy of how good he really was at hunting.
Not letting those fantasies get the better of him, Ed very carefully picked his way through the brush, being very mindful of where he put his paws and making sure his fur didn't catch on anything. As he got closer and closer the cardinal tensed, cocking its head as he froze in place along with his target. At first Ed worried that the bird would simply fly away and out of his reach, but after a few agonizingly long seconds the cardinal resumed in its task. He had to hold back a sigh of relief as he got close enough to pounce, preparing his muscled before making his final move.
Ed pushed off the ground with all his might, managing to land right behind the bird as it turned around to regard him with an alarmed cry. Just as he had landed though, and before he could even try and grab the cardinal with his fangs, the earth beneath him shifted and fell away. Now it was Ed's turn to let out a startled howl as he felt himself begin to slide roughly down the side of the ravine.
He tumbled down in an avalanche of falling dirt and sharp stones, barely knowing which way was up as he uselessly attempted to grab anything with his paws in order to stop or slow his fall. Rocks ripped through Ed's pelt and sliced into the skin below as he let out another loud howl that was abruptly cut off as a large stone slammed into his back.
After what felt like a lifetime of pain and fear, Ed finally landed in a heap at the bottom of the ravine. His breaths came out as wheezing gasps as he tried to recapture the air that had been forcefully knocked from his aching lungs. Distantly, and through his daze, Ed watched as the brilliant red bird flew away overhead with aloud call of alarm as he continued to catch his breath.
His body hurt all over and a few painful moments passed before Ed could muster up the strength to change his awkward position into a more comfortable lying down one. From the aches in his body to the numerous small cuts along him from head to tail, Ed still counted himself lucky that he hadn't broken anything. Though as the fog of pain began to lift from his rattled mind and body, he grew aware of an unsettling noise. Ed turned his head towards the sound and felt his heart skip a beat in terror and dread.
Loose stones from the massive rock pile just a few feet away were falling from their usual place, tumbling down in a cascade of large rocks and coarse, gritty dirt. Ed tried to get to his paws, but he was still aching from every battered muscle and recovering from his sudden shock. All he managed to do was flop painfully onto his side, watching as the rockslide grew closer and closer.
As the avalanche continued in its fast approach, Ed gritted his teeth and held back an agonized moan as he stood on trembling legs, taking in deep breaths and trying not to fall over again. He knew that he had to move, to get away from the rapidly advancing stones, but there was no way he'd be able to get far enough away on his shaking legs…
Ed closed his eyes, standing as still as his bruised body would allow him to as the crumbling earth roared towards him like a hungry beast. Knowing he stood no chance against nature's wrath, his thoughts wandered to Roy. He wondered how his guardian would cope without him after he had found Ed's broken corpse under a mountain of rubble…if only he could hear or see Roy one last time…Holding back an anguished cry, Ed accepted his fate.
"Ed!" An achingly familiar voice howled over the near deafening roar of the falling stones. It was as though Ed's desperate thoughts had summoned his guardian, and as he began to slowly open his eyes to get one final glimpse of Roy, he felt something slam into the left side of his body, knocking him effortlessly aside.
At first Ed thought a stray rock had flung him halfway across the ravine, but as the falling earth behind him seemed to settle back into place, he realized how wrong he was. The reality of the situation suddenly hit him and he opened his eyes to see that the avalanche of stone had indeed stopped, his gaze wandering to the dark and disheveled pelt of the one who had saved him.
"Roy!" Ed howled in horror as he stared at his beloved guardian, who was buried up to a little past his haunches in the rubble. His anguished cry did nothing, Roy remained unmoving with his eyes shut tight as Ed fought back panic, racing to his guardian's side despite his own pain.
"Roy! ROY! Please answer Ed!"
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The world around Roy was nothing but a seemingly endless expanse of pitch black, and while he had no memory of how he had ended up here, he did know that he was bordering the fine line between consciousness and unconsciousness. He was floating as though he were in a lake full of dark water, unable to move much or see anything as he remained totally suspended in the darkness. Roy glanced around, desperately trying to see anything through the oppressive shadows, and as he focused his attention onto one particular area, memories flickered past him like darting minnows in a dimly lit stream.
He could now see through the eyes of his earlier, fully conscious self, that he was hunting. The sounds of rustling leaves and the feeling of ferns brushing against his pelt washed over him. The strong scent of a nearby mouse wafted tantalizingly around Roy as he had instinctively dropped into a crouch, trying to locate the small rodent through the sparse undergrowth. Just as he had spotted the mouse's light brown fur, a loud and fearful howl had not only caused his prey to flee, but it had also made Roy's heart skip a beat as he recognized who had made the dreadful noise.
Roy abandoned his hunt immediately, terror flowing through him as he crashed carelessly through the undergrowth and towards the sound, instantly fearing the absolute worst. He had no clue as to what had caused Ed to cry out in such a distressed tone, but when Roy heard it echo through the woods a second time, only to be cut off, all thoughts had rushed from his mind.
The memory darted away from him suddenly, reminding him that he was still trapped in this strange state of limbo. Even now, Roy could still hear the sound of Ed's panicked cries…but now they sounded a little different…like they were trying to form into words he still could not completely comprehend…
Before fear could crash over him like a large, dark wave, Roy was once again pulled back into his memories. The darkness faded away as a clear image appeared in his mind, one that still made his heart freeze from fear.
Roy was now gazing down the edge of the ravine, eyes slowly travelling down the steep and jagged embankment until they stopped to lock onto a familiar honey colored pelt. Ed was lying completely motionless at the very bottom, sprawled out on his side to show numerous cuts of various size and severity littering his limp body. His pup's golden eyes were wide open and hazy as they stared blankly towards the pile of large stones that had caused the once flowing river to dry up long ago.
He had assumed the worst as he stared down at Ed in horrified disbelief, frozen in place from his grief and unable to hear anything past the sound of his racing, breaking heart…
Then he had watched his pup slowly stand upon his trembling paws, body shaking violently as awareness returned to those brilliant amber eyes. Ed had then quickly closed them, body growing more rigid as though trying to turn into the surrounding stone. Then Roy was aware of the ground shifting below him, the rumbling sound of crumbling earth reaching his ears as he watched large rocks and gritty soil race towards Ed in a terrifying avalanche of dirt.
"Ed!" He remembered crying out desperately to his pup, racing down the steep and rough sides of the ravine as he rushed to Ed's side. Roy know that he only had one choice…he was running out of time…he could still distantly feel his pup's disheveled and dusty fur brush against his paws…Then Ed was flung clear of the rockslide and the darkness once again closed around Roy…
"Roy…please, Roy…" A quiet and sorrowful voice echoed through the pitch black, trying to pull Roy free of the now warm and comforting darkness. He hesitated for a moment before he realized whose voice was calling out to him through the dark, the tone full of fear and trembling as though holding back tears of hysteria. "Please…please just wake up…"
It was undoubtedly Ed's voice, and at the sound of his pup's growing distress, Roy began to fight against the hold of the soothing shadows. As he thrashed in a desperate attempt to escape, a sudden pain from his hind legs raced through him like lightning. Before he could even begin to wonder as to what was causing his pain, Roy ignored his ever growing agony as he felt himself slowly regaining control of his physical body.
Roy could feel the weight of his consciousness settle heavily into his aching body, his entire being feeling as though he were carved from the surrounding rocks. His eyelids felt like they had turned to lead, and he opened them slowly and with great difficulty. While the darkness still lingered incessantly in his mind, the last remaining shreds were chased away by the sunlight, and the sight of a familiar golden figure awash in light.
Ed was hunched over Roy, eyes wide and full of unshed tears as he lapped softly at the top of Roy's head in a soothingly repetitive motion. He had no clue as to how long he had been unconscious, but in that time his pup had settled himself closely in front of Roy. He could see that the tawny chimera's body was trembling; fear radiating off of his pup in waves as Roy was finally able to understand what Ed's panicked wails had been trying to tell him while he lied unconscious.
"Please…please don't die, Roy…please don't leave Ed all alone out here…" His pup seemed to be repeating the same few sentences in a low and worried mantra between each soothing lick. The way Ed's voice hitched and trembled reminded Roy distantly of when the two of them had first been captured…back when they were still human. He remembered Ed being shocked into unconsciousness, Roy watching on helplessly as his pup had seized and then grown completely still…the aching concern that he himself had felt as he tried to rouse Ed…
Now his pup was experiencing something very similar, and it absolutely broke Roy's heart when he wondered how long he had been unconscious as Ed desperately hoped that he'd even wake up. Gritting his teeth, and with a great deal of effort, Roy managed to move his right front paw. As he inched his paw closer to Ed's he noticed that the once white toes were now stained a light brown from the fallen dirt, a few specks of blood dotting them in places as well.
Once his paw had finally settled atop Ed's warm and fluffy left paw, Ed tensed for a second before leaning back slightly to gaze down at Roy. Those beautiful golden eyes were huge and so full of an agonized hope that Roy found himself holding back his own tears. He stretched his neck forward until his nose touched Ed's and he gave his pup a fond lick before managing to find the words he wanted to speak. "R-Roy is okay…there is no need for Ed to worry…"
Ed let out a quiet sob of relief as he pressed his muzzle fiercely against Roy's and slowly lowered himself to the ground in front of him. As his pup began to nuzzle the top of his neck, Roy managed to rest his head against Ed's boney shoulder while the feeling of warm tears trickled through his fur. His pup's voice came out as a sob, but it was full of relief as he cried tears of joy into Roy's dark mane of fur. "Oh, thank god…Ed was so s-scared that Roy had died to save him…l-like Sammy did…but Roy is alive, a-and everything is going to be alright…"
Roy could feel some of his strength returning as he basked gratefully in his pup's presence, happy to be able to comfort him in any way. As Ed's shaking and sobbing gradually slowed, Roy tried to move his back legs, only to let out a moan as pain shot through his body. His pup instantly pulled back a bit, looking concerned as his gaze slowly wandered down Roy's body before his eyes settled onto his hips. Roy managed to move his head enough so that he too was able to see what had Ed so worried, holding back a panicked cry as he took in the sight.
A sizable amount of rubble covered the lower half of Roy's body, various rocks and gritty soil pinning him in place as he wondered how he'd ever manage to free himself. He had no clue as to how badly injured his back legs were, but judging by the sharp waves of pain racing down his back with each simple movement, his spine at least hadn't snapped like a dry twig. Though as Roy began to try and drag himself free, not only was he stopped by the agony, but also a miserable whine from his pup.
"E-Ed is so sorry…" His pup whimpered guiltily, Roy returning his gaze back to the tawny chimera to see that he was now hunched over and unwilling to make eye contact. He longed to reassure Ed that none of this was his fault, but as a rock tumbled noisily down the side of the rubble pinning him, Roy had to concentrate and force himself not to howl his pain aloud. His pup was already suffering enough as it was, he didn't want to add to his unnecessary guilt. "Roy is hurt because of Ed…but he will fix this and set Roy free."
As Ed stood to walk closer to the rock pile, Roy was able to get a better view of his wounds. His pup had suffered his own painful looking injuries, most likely from tumbling down the rocky embankment. Cuts littered Ed's body, parting his dusty fur to show that some nasty looking bruises were already beginning to form around the wounds. The deepest of the cuts were still oozing blood, and as Ed walked past Roy he could see that his pup was limping ever so slightly from the pain.
"Don't do anything reckless, Ed." He said as he gazed intently at Ed, his voice full of concern as he added. "He doesn't need to hurt himself more to help Roy…Ed is already hurt enough."
"Don't worry about Ed." His pup's voice was a low growl, full of anger that was not directed at Roy as Ed narrowed his eyes. The bitterness that lurked deep in his tone made Roy's heart crack as he continued to gaze at his poor and unjustly guilt ridden pup. "He got Roy into this mess, and he will fix it no matter what. Ed's injuries are nothing compared to Roy's."
Roy wanted to try and soothe Ed, to tell him that none of this was his fault, but at the sight of the resolute gleam to his pup's eyes he knew it would be pointless. Ed was so hell bent on righting a wrong that wasn't even his, looking as though he was willing to do anything to fix it.
Instead Roy watched Ed closely, saying nothing as his pup began to examine the various stones that pinned him down. Ed pawed delicately at the rocks, seemingly lost in thought as he took a few quiet moments to formulate a plan. With a decisive nod his pup started to knock the smallest stones aside and began to dig at the dirt that trapped Roy.
"Just give Ed a few minutes…" Ed said in a low and determined voice as his paws carefully, yet quickly, sifted through the earth. His pup was so focused on his task that he failed to notice the worried yet sympathetic look that Roy was giving him. "Most of these rocks are small enough for him to move on his own, if he digs away some of the dirt then the bigger ones should fall away."
Roy opened his mouth to reply to Ed in a reassuring voice, but he quickly snapped his jaws shut and gritted his teeth against an agonized moan that threatened to tear free from his throat. The world around him seemed to shrink as Roy was sucked into his own small world full of pain, his attention now focused on just keeping his mouth shut. He longed to howl his pain aloud, but he still didn't want to distress Ed as his pup continued to dig on, seeming oblivious to Roy's inner turmoil. As he heard the sounds of stones clattering and dirt shifting, sounding muffled to his pain muted ears, Roy managed to make it through a wave of nausea as one voice sounded clearly through his agony.
"Ed is going to move the largest rock now…" Through his foggy and delirious haze Roy was able to make out his pup pointing to a large stone that pinned him through his rapidly dimming vision. Those brilliant golden eyes were just able to break through Roy's suffering, Ed's gaze keeping him from drowning in the dark and raging torrent that was his mind. He kept his eyes locked onto his pup, reeling back his agonized fog just enough so that he was able to see and hear clearly again. "Once he moves it, Roy will need to pull himself forward to free his legs. Ed knows that it will hurt…and he is so sorry…but this looks like the last rock holding Roy down."
Ed thankfully gave him a moment to calm his turbulent thoughts, allowing Roy a small reprieve as he tried to control his growing panic. Roy took in a few deep breaths, bracing himself for the ensuing agony that he would soon feel, attempting to remain calm before giving his pup a hesitant nod, silently allowing him to continue on. He saw Ed shoot him one last look full of guilt and apologetic despair as he reared up on his hind legs, placing his front paws firmly onto the final stone. He too took in a deep breath, closing his golden eyes for a moment before opening them and pushing at the rock with all his might.
Roy's world suddenly filled with a dully burning agony as he felt the stone slowly begin to move, closing his eyes for a moment in an attempt to block out the pain as he tried his best to hold back a tortured howl. The rocks weight pressed his already aching leg into the dry earth below as it ever so slowly shifted, feeling like a lifetime of agony. As the pressure reached its peak, feeling as though his leg was being pounded by hot metal, Roy was unable to stay silent as he howled his absolute agony aloud, listening to his own voice echo through the ravine.
Through his screams Roy could hear Ed shouting out words of apology and encouragement before he felt the stone tumble away, hitting the bottom of the ditch with a dull thud. Roy continued to howl, the world spinning sickingly around him as darkness slowly pressed against his vision. It was then that Roy remembered that he had to move quickly, or else all of this agony would have been for nothing. Roy's agonized cries continued to echo in his own ears as he managed to drag himself completely free of the rock fall, rough stones slicing through the fur of his stomach as he crumbled into a miserable heap less than a foot away.
"Roy!" He heard Ed's panicked wail sound from somewhere far off before feeling warm fur brush against his muzzle. Roy's rapidly blurring vision was just able to make out his pup lying directly in front of him, the tawny chimera letting Roy's head rest against his paws as Ed began to lap soothingly at his ears. He hadn't even noticed that his cries of agony had now morphed into pathetic and pained whimpers, but Roy could hardly find it in himself to truly care as he felt his body go limp. His head lolled heavily onto Ed's soft paws as Roy felt himself begin to drift away.
Everything around him was slowly starting to fade away into darkness, the earth below him undulating sickeningly like waves in a stormy ocean. Roy began to grow nauseous as the world crumbled away from him, beginning to tremble weakly as the chill in the air settled deep into his flesh.
As an incessant and muffled ringing started to fill his ears, Roy was distantly aware of his eyes slowly closing, tongue beginning to loll out of his mouth as he took in gasping breaths between his quieting moans. The darkness that he had earlier fought so hard to break free of was now beckoning him towards it, promising warmth and a blissful reprieve from the agony that was now his world…Maybe Roy could give in and sleep for just a moment…surely nothing that bad could happen…
"Roy…" A familiar voice echoed around him through the growing darkness, full of worry and a slowly increasing panic. He recognized Ed's voice almost immediately, part of Roy wanting to ignore his pup, just longing to float away into the soothing shadows. Before he could allow himself that dark reprieve though, Ed's voice rang out again, sounding much closer and clearer than before. "Roy, please…Roy needs to wake up…if he goes to sleep now he…he might never wake up…"
Once again Roy fought against the hungering darkness that was unconsciousness, and this time it seemed to let him go with barely a fight as the world came into focus once more. Ed's worried face was the first thing that Roy saw, his pup letting out a sigh of profound relief when he saw his guardian's mouth slowly close and his eyes flutter open.
"Thank god...Roy really needs to stop scaring Ed…" A small pang of guilt surged through Roy at the thought of bringing Ed such anxiety, but as his pup leaned forward to give his cheek a quick lick, Roy could see a faint glimmer of humor in his wide golden eyes. "Here, let Ed clean Roy's wound, that should help to keep him awake."
Roy grimaced at the thought, knowing that it was for the best in the long run as Ed gave him a sympathetic look before moving away towards Roy's haunches. Though he longed to call his pup back, to burrow deeper into Ed's warm fur to stave off the chill in his bones, he let him go without a fight. Roy lay there blankly for a moment, wincing once he felt his pup's firm yet gentle tongue begin to clean his injured left leg. Curiosity got the better of him and Roy moved his head to watch Ed, taking in the sight of his wounds.
His right leg had escaped relatively unscathed, only a few small and fairly superficial cuts slowly oozing blood through his torn fur. The left leg however…hadn't fared as well. While Roy's leg didn't appear to be broken, it was twisted at a slightly awkward angle. A large gash crept up from his paw towards the lower part of his haunch, covered in blood and various bits of debris as Ed did his best to clean the wound.
"Is Roy still with Ed?" His pup looked up from his work, eyes locking onto Roy's listless gaze as a spark of worry began to glow in the golden depths. "Roy needs to talk to Ed, to let Ed know he is still awake."
Silence met Ed's concerned words as Roy just continued to stare at his pup. He felt so unbelievably tired and he ached all over, the cold air still slicing through his fur like the jagged stones beneath him as Roy continued to shiver. It took almost all of his remaining strength to think of something to say, but he finally spoke up in a weak and quiet voice. "How bad is it?"
While Ed seemed relieved that Roy was still among the living, the question seemed to give him pause as he gazed back down at Roy's wounded leg. "It doesn't seem to be broken…Ed thinks that the muscle was strained instead, but the gash is pretty deep and still bleeding a bit…"
Roy nodded in a detached manner, still a bit delirious from the lingering pain and blood loss as he just simply watched his pup as he went back to tending to the injury. He flinched when Ed hit a particularly tender spot on his leg, a single question now working its way to the front of his mind as he once again gathered up enough energy to speak. "Why was Ed in the ravine? They both promised to never get too close to it."
"Ed was hunting a bird and…and he wasn't paying attention…" Ed's words were full of self-loathing and a deep bitterness as he went on in between licks. "He leapt at the bird, but missed and fell down into the ravine…Ed caused all of Roy's pain, and he is so, so sorry…"
Roy's mind started to wander as his pup continued to murmur out muffled and needless apologizes, in too much shock and pain to be more critical with Ed. Neither of them had eaten much in the past few days, living off of boney mice and shrews as well as the occasional and very rare rabbit or squirrel. That bird would have made for a nice meal…Roy could practically taste its tender flesh as he began to lose himself to his delirium.
"Roy…Roy needs to keep talking; Ed needs Roy to stay with him." Roy shook his head in an attempt to dismiss his fantastical thoughts, once again pulled from his stupor. Instead he focused on Ed, taking in his pup's hunched and distressed form as sadness began to course through him. His poor, poor pup was still shouldering all of the blame onto himself, something he had always done even when the two of them had still been human. While Roy longed to pull Ed aside and tell him to forget about all that had happened today, he instead settled for telling him the honest truth.
"There is no need for Ed to apologize…Roy is just glad that he was able to save his pup from such pain…" His voice came out much quieter than Roy had wanted, and Ed seemed to easily shrug off his words as he sat back to take in his work. Seemingly done with tending to Roy's wound, and with a few small spots of blood dotting his muzzle, Ed turned to look deeply into Roy's eyes.
"Ed has stopped the worst of the bleeding for now, and he got most of the dirt out…but they need to get back to the den." His pup's gaze never strayed from Roy's as Ed stood up and wiped the blood on his face away with a front paw. "Ed is really worried about Roy…"
"Roy will be fine…he barely feels any pain right now…" Roy cast a quick glance at his leg, taking in the sight of the bloody and torn fur with a dismissive shrug. "There is nothing for Ed to worry about…"
"That is what worries Ed the most…" His pup sighed out as he walked back to crouch by Roy's side, his pelt brushing against him as Roy instinctively tried to get closer to the warm body beside him. Ed pressed closer to him for a few moments, his tail resting softly across his shoulders as Roy let out a low and contented hum. "Roy is very out of it…and he feels too cold…They need to get back to the den now."
Roy let out a small and quiet whimper as Ed pulled away, his tone changing to a startled yelp as he felt his pup's muzzle jab him in the side in an attempt to get Roy to stand. While he longed to simply ignore Ed and fall asleep right there, even through his delirium Roy knew that that would be a bad idea. Besides…the den would be so much warmer and more comfortable…
With a low grunt Roy finally managed to stand up a little awkwardly with his left leg hanging limply as Ed quickly moved to support him on his injured side. Roy leaned heavily against his pup's warm flank, feeling Ed's head nuzzle him behind the ears for a moment before hot breath stirred his fur. "Everything will be alright…Ed and Roy will walk back to the den, and then Roy can sleep as long as he wants."
Slowly the two of them began to hobble along the ravine, Roy barely paying much attention to his surroundings as he let his pup guide him along. He trusted Ed to find the safest and quickest way out of the deep gully; in the meantime Roy just did his best to stay conscious and moving. While his legs were weak and shaking he knew that they had to move before it got dark and the night brought with it the worst of the cold.
Eventually Ed found an inclination of dirt that served as a gently sloped ramp that they both could easily climb, his pup staying close to Roy's side as he made sure that his guardian never so much as stumbled once. As soon as they reached the top, the two of them stood together for a moment to catch their breath.
Roy took that time to look over Ed's cuts once more, heartened to see that they seemed to have stopped bleeding a while ago, though his pup's honey colored pelt was still stained with dirt and blood. Ed seemed to notice his guardian's dark eyes wandering along his body as he simply nudged Roy forward and they began their trek again.
"Roy doesn't need to be worried about Ed at all…" His pup's voice was a bitter growl as he avoided Roy's gaze. "This was all his fault…Roy should have just let Ed get hurt instead…"
He stared closely at Ed, taking in his miserable posture and guilty eyes before letting out a sad sigh. Very gently, Roy rested his chin atop his pup's lowered head, lapping at his ears for a moment before he went on in a low whisper. "If Ed thinks that Roy would just stand back and watch his pup get crushed by rocks, then he is wrong. Roy has already told Ed over and over that he will protect him no matter what…even if Roy gets hurt in the process."
"But how does Roy think that Ed would be able to live with himself knowing that he got Roy killed?" Ed's voice was so full of misery and utter anguish that Roy took another quick moment to lick his ears. "Sammy already died to save Ed…if Roy died too…Ed wouldn't be able to bear it…"
"Ed is much stronger than he realizes," Roy murmured gently as they both stopped waking to look each other in the eyes. His pup's gaze was full of sorrow and fear, tears threatening to once again spillover out of their golden depths as Roy went on. "If the worst does happen to Roy, Ed will be able to move on…"
"But what if all of this had been reversed?" Ed's eyes took on a slightly defiant gleam, never wavering from Roy as he went on. "If Ed had died to save Roy today, would Roy just be able to move on?"
Roy was silent for a moment, taking in the sight of his beloved pup as those words slowly began to sink in. He knew the true answer to the question was an absolute 'no', Roy had almost lost Ed too many times already since their capture to even think of living without him. Before he could answer though, he began to understand what his pup's fears were really based around.
Ed had been abandoned by those close to him time and time again, whether it was through that person simply turning their back to him or dying before his eyes. Of course his pup would be worried and terrified by the thought of losing Roy as well, to be left alone once again to fend for himself. As a human Roy had always been Ed's steady and silent support, just simply being there for him even if his pup hadn't known it at the time. After their capture and the transmutation they had only grown closer, so much so that the idea of losing Ed was an agonizing thought that Roy didn't dare to dwell upon…he couldn't even begin to imagine how his poor pup must feel…
"Ed will never have to worry about losing Roy, and Roy will never have to worry about losing Ed. It will never happen…neither of them will allow it…" He said in a soft voice as he took a hesitant and shaky step closer to Ed. While Roy longed to completely get rid of Ed's terrible anxieties, now was not the time as his leg began to slowly ache more and more as the worst of the shock dissipated.
Ed held Roy's gaze for a moment longer before realizing that his guardian was starting to feel the pain returning. He quickly pressed back against Roy's side as his pup guided him towards the forest edging the ravine, letting out a quick whisper as they set off once more. "Everything is going to be okay…"
They both stopped for a heartbeat once they reached the treeline, Ed bending down to collect a dead mouse from the cover of some dry leaves before they started to walk again. Now that his pup was carrying prey in his mouth the talking came to an end as Roy just concentrated on putting one trembling paw in front of the other. As they walked the shock that had once held tightly onto Roy slowly lifted, the clarity that replaced his stupor bought with it exhaustion and agony as he panted heavily at Ed's side. From the concerned looks and gentle nudges that his pup continued to give him, Roy knew that Ed could sense his growing distress.
He had no clue how long they had walked on in total silence, with only the echoing calls of birds to break the stillness in the air, but they soon reached the den after what seemed like both a minute and a lifetime. Roy let out a relieved sigh as the two of them hobbled under the draping moss that hung from the den's entrance, unable to stand any longer as he collapsed into the center of their shared nest.
With his eyes closed, Roy could only hear Ed as his pup began to pace along the dens inner walls, his paws digging at the soft earth below as he seemed to gather something. After a few minutes Ed let out a slightly annoyed huff before his shuffling moved outside, branches on some nearby bushes snapping as Roy began to wonder what exactly his pup was doing.
As Roy slowly began to open his eyes he saw Ed standing at the mouth of the den's entrance, a large clump of dripping green leaves hanging from his mouth. Silhouetted against the sun's slowly fading light, Roy's tired mind thought that the honey colored chimera looked like an angel. Before he could speak though, Ed walked into the den, setting the damp leaves down by Roy's haunches as his pup picked up the dead mouse and dropped it right in front of his nose.
"Eat," Ed's voice, while still light with a faint amusement, left no room for argument. His pup then settled himself beside Roy's injured leg, which he had unconsciously stretched out among the soft moss of their nest, and began to dab at the bloody gash with a wet leaf. "Ed is going to wrap Roy's wound in these leaves and that should clean it more and help lessen the pain. But Roy needs his strength, so he'd better eat that mouse or Ed will force it down his throat."
Roy managed a weak grunt of laughter as he pushed himself up onto his elbows to better reach the prey. As he swallowed it down in quick and famished gulps, bones and all, he realized that for once his mind didn't cause him to shy away from the raw, bloody meat. Figuring that he was still too shocked to care as much, Roy finished the mouse and settled back down into the nest, lazily watching Ed as he tried to keep his eyes open just a bit longer.
"That should also stop any bleeding, and the leaves are clean enough that they should keep the wound from getting infected." Ed said absentmindedly as Roy felt the damp leaves slowly wrap around his leg, growing firm as their moisture soaked into the wound and helped to ease some of his pain, Roy managed a grunt of acknowledgement as his eyes slowly started to close, the sound of Ed shuffling around his completely bound leg rustling in his ears. Soon a soft pelt pressed tightly against him, Roy gratefully leaning into the warm body at his side with a pleased whimper.
"Everything will be alright…Roy is going to be fine…" He heard Ed's voice once more, sounding far away and only growing ever more distant as Roy succumbed to sleep. He could feel his pup's tongue slowly rasp through his fur in a soothing gesture as Ed curled protectively around him. Roy hadn't felt so safe and cared for in such a long time…
"Sleep now, Roy. Ed will watch over him…and will protect him no matter what…" He was just able to make out his pup's whispered voice as unconsciousness began to sweep him way on a soft and peaceful cloud. Ed's gentle words sounded like lullabies echoing in Roy's ears as he drifted off into a deep and comforting slumber, feeling nothing but warmth and love as he finally allowed the darkness to claim him.
And so Al has finally captured someone who may hold the clue that they need to find his brother and the colonel, while Ed and Roy continue with their best at staying alive in the wilderness.
This chapter took quite a while to finish because of various personal reasons. But it's finally here and I'm really happy with it.
I have no clue when the next chapter will be uploaded, as it has yet to even be started. And with my event coming up towards the end of July, that throws a bit of a wrench into things. I'm hoping to get started on it by the beginning of next week, but again if you ever want updates then check my profile since I update it weekly.
Anyway I hope you all enjoy the chapter! Thank you for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews. They make me so happy and make writing this story even more rewarding. You guys are awesome and I wish I could hug each and every one of you!
I'll see you all in the next chapter!
:3
