Chapter 14
Alphonse gazed out at the falling snow that drifted lazily past the nearby window, lost in a trance as he watched a few stray snowflakes sparkle momentarily in the light of a nearby street lamp before winking out of existence into the dark and overcast night. It had taken Al a day or two to get used to the sudden change in both weather and scenery, having once been so comfortable around the warmer autumn foliage of Central. Alphonse had grown used to the occasional snow storms of North City, and he even found the sight peaceful now as he began to let his relaxed mind wander.
It had been a few days since Al and the rest of the crew had arrived in the north, having finally settled down in a little used motel just on the outskirts of the city that now currently served as their new base of operations. The owners of the motel, a kind and very understanding older couple, had been more than happy to take them all in, being graced as the only people outside of the team to know the true reason they were really there in return.
Armstrong had been the one to invent a completely fictitious story of the military looking over the local infrastructure for any sort of improvements to cover up the crews true motives. Still being unsure as to the status of the two leaders of the band of scientists, they had all decided that it would be best to keep the mission a secret for fear of tipping off anyone who could have possible connections to the lab and its workers. Hawkeye had even had the brilliant idea to set up a fake office at the farthest end of the building near where the major was currently staying, even having Fuery and Breda play the part of Armstrong's assistants during the day.
While the motel they resided in barely got its decent share of customers, the couple had only been able to set aside four rooms for the whole crew to stay in. So the team had been split up into groups of two as a result, taking up neighboring rooms at the far end of the motel with only Armstrong getting a room to himself to help him keep a record of any information they happened to uncover. The elderly couple had also been surprisingly helpful towards the investigation, able to give the crew a few leads as to where the lab could be located while also promising to gather more information without giving away the missions true purpose.
Alphonse and Hawkeye, along with Falman and Havoc, had begun to drive out to some of the given locations a day ago, finally able to start searching for the lab. Using both the information they had gathered from Zep and the couple, they had even started to rule out certain areas that either didn't match or wouldn't be able to house a sizable lab. Though they were still in the earliest days of their search, and would more than likely be there for weeks to come, Alphonse was anxious and still worried about their chances of finding the lab.
Letting out a quiet and forlorn sigh, Al leaned back against the bed just behind him that he had pushed along the nearest wall to free up a bit of space in the room he shared with Hawkeye. While Alphonse had figured that the lieutenant would be more than happy to take the extra single room they had been given, she had surprised both him and the rest of the crew when she had insisted she'd share the room with him. Al had been silently moved by her compassionate decision, and even now Hawkeye's presence alone was enough to help soothe his unavoidable sleepless nights that were usually full of a slowly increasing panic as of late.
As Alphonse's gaze slowly wandered absentmindedly up towards the dimly lit ceiling that was barely illuminated by the lamp on the small table between the two beds, he noticed that Hawkeye had turned her attention to him. She had looked up from her book with a quizzical yet concerned gleam to her tawny eyes before speaking.
"Alphonse, is everything alright?" Hawkeye's voice was gentle as she continued to look Al over with her sharp and critical gaze as though trying her best to read his mind. "Are you feeling dizzy again?"
"No, no. I'm fine," Alphonse tried his best to keep his own voice light and dismissive, but it sounded weak and fragile to his own ears. Letting out another sigh, slightly frustrated at his failure, Al hung his head to avoid gazing into the lieutenant's wide eyes as he voiced his inner turmoil. "It's just…we don't really have any substantial leads, we still don't even know around where the lab is located…Should I have tried harder to force the answers out of Zep?"
While Alphonse knew that he had tried his best at getting the answers they had so desperately needed, he still felt guilty and inadequate for not getting more. He felt that Hawkeye or Armstrong would have done a much better job at getting information from Zep…and maybe they could have even prevented the man's sudden and horrible end…
"Of course not," The lieutenant's voice was full of sympathy, seeming to understand why Al had even asked the question to begin with. "You did all that you could, Al…and no one could have done any better."
"But Zep is dead because of me…" Alphonse could hear that some of his self-loathing and doubt had entered into his voice, turning his tone into a bitter whisper as he lowered his head as much as he could. "I wasn't able to save him at all, no matter what I had said would have made him feel safe…you or the major would have been able to do that…to keep him alive…"
"Zep would only talk with you though," The lieutenant pressed gently as Al heard her shift beneath her thick blankets. "I have a feeling that he would never have disclosed any information with either of us, you did just as well as we could have and got so much from him."
"I didn't get enough though!" Alphonse felt like screaming, but he settled for a sorrowful moan as he curled in on himself like a wounded animal in an attempt to soothe his emotional distress. "I didn't get the coordinates he promised! Because of my failure it might take us months to find brother and the colonel…The only thing I did was hasten his death…"
"You did not kill Zep," Hawkeye's voice was firm yet held a soft note of compassion and sympathy as she continued on in her attempt to comfort him. "Zep chose his own fate. He had probably intended to end it all anyway, but only you were able to reach out and convince him just enough to give us an answer. Who knows if he was even telling the truth about those coordinates, he may have just wanted you to leave the room so he could do what he did. Zep's death has nothing to do with you."
Al went silent for moment, still longing desperately to be able to physically cry and let all of the lingering grief leave his very soul. "I can't save anyone though…not Zep…not even Ed or Mustang…They're probably chimeras by now and beyond our help…I'm just so useless…"
Memories of all that had happened to Nina began to flow through Alphonse's mind like water through an open sluice, and how neither he nor his brother could do anything to help her. The only thing that had put an end to her miserable existence had been in her own death…just the thought of Ed and the colonel suffering the same exact fate made Al terribly heartsick. There was nothing he could do…
The sudden sound of a bare flesh hand meeting the cold and lifeless steel of his shoulder pulled Alphonse from his dark thoughts. He knew that Hawkeye was standing before him and yet he was still too hesitant to meet her gaze as she spoke. "Alphonse…please don't think that way; don't give up before we've even started. Just give it time, and we'll do all we can until the very end."
"But what if it's not enough? How can you be so certain that things will work out?" Al could hear the sound of his empty armor rattling against itself as he continued to gaze listlessly at the beige carpet below him. Suddenly his head was lifted and Alphonse's soul fire gaze met with the soft tawny eyes of the lieutenant, her expression full of emotion as she spoke once more.
"I'm not certain that everything will work out," Hawkeye said in a voice that sounded as gentle as a soft wind blowing through a blooming orchid. "But I do know that I'll do everything in my power to make things right. Yes, the future seems bleak and unclear, but I know deep in my heart that we will be able to save them both."
Al continued to stare at the lieutenant in silence as he mulled over her heartfelt response, feeling as though a seed of hope was slowly growing within him. She seemed so convinced and yet sad as well…but through that sorrow Alphonse could hear the iron determination buried beneath her words. Knowing that Hawkeye herself could remain so strong in the face of the darkness that lay before them helped to soothe the raging and turbulent storm that dwelled within Al's mind and heart.
"Thank you," Alphonse breathed out as he felt that desperate hope slowly begin to bloom into a brilliant and shining light. "You've done so much for me during these dark times, and I'm forever grateful to have you to guide me through it. I don't think that even brother could have done better."
"That is very kind of you." Hawkeye smiled at Al, her auburn eyes glowing with love and happiness at his response. "But I'm just doing what any of the others would do. Someone so young doesn't deserve to carry even half of the burden that you've had to bear. I want you to know that no matter what may happen in the future, I will always be here for you."
Overcome by emotion, Alphonse stood suddenly and pulled the lieutenant into a tight yet gentle embrace, sensing her arms wrapping around his waist as best as they could. The two of them stood there in silence for a minute, basking in the comforting presence of the other as Al finally felt the darkness over his heart lift and flutter away. Eventually they broke apart and as Alphonse looked closer at Hawkeye he could see just how tired she looked, even stifling a yawn into her arm before he broke the tranquil silence.
"You should go get some rest, Hawkeye." Al said as he nodded his hollow helm towards her bed, silently urging the lieutenant to lie back down. "Tomorrow will be another busy day."
"Will you be okay through the night though?" Hawkeye fretted as she looked up at him with wide and concerned eyes. Before Alphonse could think of a response a small bark sounded from in between them and they looked down towards the sudden noise in unison. Hayate had left the warmth of his own bed just below the lieutenant's and was watching the two with a puzzled look.
"I'll be fine now, thanks to you." Al said as he knelt down to pet the overjoyed dog behind the ears, watching as Hayate's tail began to wag happily. "Hayate will be more than enough company until the morning."
Hawkeye smiled warmly at the two of them, gently patting Alphonse's shoulder before climbing back into her bed and burrowing deeper amongst her blankets. As the lieutenant settled in for the night, Al turned off the lamp between the two beds as Hawkeye turned to face him once more,
"Goodnight Al," She said in a tired voice that sounded no louder than a whisper as her tawny eyes slowly slid closed.
"Goodnight Hawkeye, pleasant dreams." Alphonse said gently, though he already knew that the lieutenant had not heard that final part. Her once tense muscles slowly relaxed as her breathing grew soft and even, already having fallen asleep.
Al smiled internally as he carefully sat back down and pressed his back against his own unused bed, letting Hayate eagerly climb into his lap as he continued to pet the small dog. He watched Hayate's movements absentmindedly, letting his mind wander while he took comfort in the dog's occasional light whines of happiness.
Suddenly Hayate sat up straight, his ears pricked towards the window as he let out a single and quick bark, not seeming to be too alarmed. Alphonse followed the dog's gaze, slightly confused and wondering what could have caused such an abrupt reaction. His gaze landed on the nearby window and Al stared intently through the glass as he tried to make out anything dwelling in the darkness beyond.
For a moment Alphonse was sure that he had seen someone gazing back at him from a distance, but before he could be certain about it the figure ducked behind a nearby building. While Al longed to leave and search for the identity of the person who had been looking in on the motel and its residents under the cover of night, he knew that it would do no good to chase after a stranger in an equally as strange town.
Instead Alphonse continued to gaze out of the window for a few more minutes, wondering if the figure would reappear before assuming that whoever it was had seen that he'd gathered unwanted attention and was long gone by now. He let out a short sigh and returned to petting Hayate, who was no longer focused on the window and was waiting patiently for Al's attention.
Alphonse still felt a bit uneasy though, knowing that no one outside of those currently staying in the motel truly knew the exact reason the military was here. Had the person been just an overly curious bystander…or had it been something more sinister? Al tried not to dwell on such thoughts, but he still could not shake away the unease that had settled itself in his stomach.
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The sun shone brightly overhead in the now rare, yet very much welcomed clear and cloud free day, the worst of the snow squalls seeming to have passed a day or two ago. Ed and Roy lay side by side on the warm rock that served as the roof of their den, Ed letting out a contented sigh as the heat from both the sun and stone soaked past his honey colored pelt and into the worn muscles beneath. Feeling his guardian's long black tail entwine with his own, Ed looked lazily upwards to see Roy gazing down at him fondly, closing his eyes when the dark furred chimera leaned forward to lap gently at the top of his head.
After having had a more than successful hunt earlier in the morning the two chimeras had decided to bask in the afternoon sunlight, getting some much needed rest after all of the hardships they had recently faced. As Ed savored the peaceful quiet that surrounded him, and the pleasant sensation of soft fur brushing against his own, memories of their earlier hunt flickered through Ed's idle mind.
While it was still hard for either of them to find any decent prey in the frigid forest as of late, today luck seemed to have been on their side. After an hour or so of finding nothing, Ed had finally managed to track down a large rabbit, more than enough for the two hungry chimeras to share. As he had carefully stalked the brown furred creature, a brittle twig had snapped beneath one of his paws, alerting the rabbit of his presence as it let out a surprised squeal before running off.
Fearing that he had deprived not only himself, but Roy as well, of a more than decent meal, Ed had despaired before a dark shadow had descended over the rabbit. At first fearful that the murderous monster that stalked the woods had finally found him, Ed had prepared to run away and leave the prey to the bloodthirsty beast, but when he recognized that familiar black pelt and snow white paws his racing heart began to calm.
Roy had stood in the middle of the undergrowth triumphantly; tail wagging happily as he brought the prey towards his pup. Now that his guardian's leg had healed enough that it no longer needed to be bound, Roy seemed to be making up for any wasted time. While the dark furred chimera still walked and ran with a slight limp, he was able to help in hunting once more, and Ed was more than grateful to have an extra set of paws to help him out…No matter if they were still a little shaky at times.
"So, Roy will start first then." Roy's sudden voice snapped Ed from his memories and he pricked his ears towards his guardian, opening one eye to see that Roy was smiling down at him. Ed suddenly remembered what the dark furred chimera was talking about, wondering how he could have forgotten about their new daily activity. "Does Ed remember when Roy accidently spilled coffee onto all of Ed's papers?"
For the past few days the two chimeras had been doing the simple exercise of recalling memories that they both shared…and to Ed's relief it was actually helping them both to retain their humanity and keep their sense of self intact. Ever since they had started Roy's little experiment, not only were they keeping their important memories from fading, they were also starting to remember things they had forgotten after the transmutation. With the newfound success of the once doubtful idea the exercise was now repeated daily.
"Of course," Ed replied with a low, mock growl as he glared up at his guardian. "Roy was the one to make Ed fill out all those papers anyway…then Roy just had to ruin it to make Ed look bad."
Roy snickered at Ed's teasing response, seemingly able to recall the aftermath of his past actions as well. "And was that why Ed felt it necessary to do the same to Roy's more important papers?"
"An eye for an eye," Ed huffed in a light voice as he raised his head in mock importance before doing his best to imitate his guardian's disapproving tone from what seemed so long ago. "Now how will Roy finish these in time? He'll have to stay overnight to fix Ed's mess! Roy is always cleaning up after Ed!"
His guardian laughed in response before gently cuffing Ed in the back of the head with his long black tail. Ed had recently noticed that not only had Roy's mane grown in length since their escape from the lab, much like hair would on a human's head, but his tail seemed to be longer as well now. While neither of these slight changes seemed to negatively affect the dark furred chimera in any painful way, his guardian had noticed it as well and was seemingly enjoying the new reach he had with his tail.
"Now Ed will ask one," Ed said as he nudged Roy's ribs with his boney shoulder, affectively silencing his guardian's chuckles before he went on. "Does Roy remember the name of the big man who was scared of dogs? He will probably hide from Ed and Roy when their friends find them."
Roy let out a small snort of laughter at the thought, taking in a quick breath in order to calm his amusement before answering. "Yes, the big man's name is Breda, and Roy remembers his fear of dogs. One time when a puppy was brought in, Breda wouldn't come down from the top of a cabinet until the dog was gone!"
While Ed himself hadn't been there to witness such a reaction, he could picture it quite clearly in his mind and he began to laugh alongside Roy at the memory. Through his laughter, Ed managed to ask one more question, knowing that this event had never happened, yet longing to mess with his guardian. "And Roy can surely remember when he told Ed that Ed would never have to fill out papers ever again after the coffee incident?"
Roy's mind was still sharp, even after all that had happened, and he clearly knew that that memory was a lie. With a small growl that sounded more like a rough laugh he once again cuffed Ed around the ears with his tail. "Very funny! Roy knows that he would have never said that, though Roy knows Ed wishes he did!"
For a few minutes both of them let their laughter slowly ease away, both chimeras grateful for the light mood that they so desperately needed from time to time. Humor was a good way to combat the harshness of the world around them, to forget their troubles if only for a moment, but every good thing had to regretfully come to an end.
"Ed is glad that Roy's idea is actually working." Ed said when their laughter had finally petered out, still longing to keep the conversation as light as possible. "It is nice to be able to remember these things."
"Yes," His guardian's voice lost its humor, though he still gazed warmly back at Ed as he gently nuzzled him behind the ears. "Even Roy doubted it would actually work at first…but he is glad that they decided to try it anyway."
As Ed craned his neck so that he could bury his muzzle into Roy's soft mane, a sudden and agonized howl instantly whisked their momentary peace away. Wide amber eyes gazed fearfully into the equally as terrified onyx gaze above as the two froze up. What sort of creature had made that dreadful noise? Had the fierce and faceless monster of the forest finally found them…or had it found a new animal to hunt?
Ed was the first to break free from his fear, leaping to his paws as Roy too broke free from his stupor to stand by his side. The chilling wail echoed once more through the trees as Ed pricked his ears to figure out which direction the sound had come from. Once he had picked up on the general area that the distressed cry was coming from he quickly glanced over at his guardian, who nodded once in a reassuring manner before the two raced into the forest, heading towards the north.
Brittle undergrowth crackled around Ed as he rushed towards the sound, wincing when the occasional thorn bush ripped painfully through his pelt in his haste. Roy was running steadily at his side, eyes wide and breathing heavily from pushing past the pain that more than likely was flaring up in his healing leg. As the two ran blindly through the woods Ed soon realized with a sickening jolt that they were nearing the area where Cale had been killed…and he hoped that this time they'd be able to help the pained creature in distress before it met its end.
Both chimeras burst through a dense clump of brambles to find themselves in a tiny clearing that was ringed by large patches of sharp thorns. They didn't have to search long to find the source of the noise as the agonized creature let out another cry from right in front of them.
Caught in the thickest clump of thorns was Anna, her once long and flowing black fur completely tangled among the cruel barbs. She was thrashing around in a desperate attempt to free herself, only managing to trap herself even more, blood oozing from numerous cuts as she suddenly noticed their presence.
"I-Is that really…R-Roy and his pup?" Anna's voice was tired and full of pain, her blue eyes rounding in shock and relief as her gaze darted between them. "Oh, thank god…H-How did they find Anna?"
"Roy and Ed heard Anna's howls from their den." Roy explained as he tipped his head in the direction they had come before he crossed the short distance to stand before the trapped chimera. "How did Anna get caught in these thorns? And where is the rest of The Pack?"
"A-Anna will answer any questions when she gets free." Anna gazed desperately at first Roy and then Ed, clearly holding back the worst of her panic as she went on. "Please…can Roy a-and his pup help Anna? She really hurts…"
"Of course they will help," Roy's voice grew soft and sympathetic as he attempted to put Anna at ease. His guardian looked back over his shoulder to stare at Ed, nodding his head to the right of the tangled chimera. "If Ed works from that side while Roy gets the other then they can meet in the middle. Together they will be able to get Anna out quicker."
Ed nodded in acknowledgement before walking to where Roy had told him to go, standing near Anna's bloody and torn flank as he quickly examined the thorns tangled in her matted fur. He could see where the brambles held the poor chimera in place and he knew that if he was careful enough then he could get Anna out of this painful situation without either of them getting too injured.
"Okay Ed, start working on that end." Ed dragged his eyes from the many sharp thorns to gaze at his guardian, who was hunched over a thick branch covered in barbs by Anna's left side. "By the time they meet in the middle hopefully Anna will be able to pull herself free."
With a single nod from Roy, Ed set to work as he began to tug at the thorns as carefully and gently as he could. Using both his paws and teeth he was able to cut through the brambles as well as the worst of the tangled fur with ease. As Ed focused intently on his task his mind began to go blank, focusing solely on what he was currently doing.
Meanwhile Anna had grown completely still, standing like a stone statue as the two chimeras did their best to free her as fast as they could. Occasionally though the injured chimera would moan or let out a startled yelp if either tugged a little too hard, but she remained mostly silent, seemingly worn out from her earlier struggles.
Soon Ed and Roy were working side by side, doing their best to not knock into each other as Anna was slowly untangled from the thorny vines. Most of the injured chimera's caught fur had either been cut or pulled free, now only being held back by a few straggling tendrils as Ed felt his guardian lean back to look over their work.
"Anna should be able to pull herself free now that Roy and Ed have gotten through the worst of the thorns." Roy nodded at Ed and beckoned him away with his tail, clearing enough space for Anna to be able to lean forward in an attempt at escape. They both sat a little over a foot away, Roy nodding his head encouragingly while Ed watched the poor chimera with sympathy in his heart.
"O-Okay…Anna will try…" While Anna sounded reluctant and a bit concerned she at least seemed to trust them enough to give it a try. Gritting her teeth in anticipation of the unavoidable pain she would soon feel, Anna pressed forward into the brambles, the remaining vines easily breaking as she applied steady pressure to them. Suddenly, and with a loud and dry snap, Anna was free and tumbling forward, landing in a miserable heap of fur as she moaned and curled in on herself.
Both Ed and Roy started forward in an attempt to help Anna, but they both froze as they gazed at the injured chimera more closely than they had earlier. Ed held back a shocked gasp as he took in the state of Anna's abused body, everything from her missing and completely shredded left ear to the numerous old and newer scars that crisscrossed her matted black fur.
Anna was terribly thin, looking much worse than either Ed or Roy as he found himself absentmindedly counting each of her pronounced ribs and vertebrae. Ed began to wonder how this near emaciated creature before them was even so much as functioning, let alone out on her own in the forest. It was clear that while he and his guardian had suffered from their own time in the wilderness, Anna seemed to have it much worse.
Ed shared a shocked glance with Roy, seeing his own concern and pity reflected in those dark onyx eyes as his guardian crouched down in order to look Anna over more carefully. "Anna…what has happened to her? And where is the rest of The Pack…are they still safe?"
Anna let out a pained groan as she settled down into a more comfortable lying down position, resting partially on her side as she gazed up at Roy with wide blue eyes full of both physical and emotional pain. "Roy and his pup must know how hard it is to survive out here…and Anna has seen some of the worst of it. The Pack has suffered as well, though none are as bad as Anna, and finding prey is even harder now that the snow has come…"
The injured chimera closed her eyes as though tired, her boney flanks heaving as she drew in ragged and labored breaths as though trying to regain what little strength she had left. Ed looked back at Roy, waiting for his guardian to take control of the situation like he usually did. Eventually Roy sat up straight and gazed at Ed, eyes full of sympathy as he spoke.
"Since Ed isn't as injured as Roy, he will hunt for Anna. Roy will stay here with Anna and do his best to clean her wounds while his pup is gone." Ed nodded at the order, standing up and preparing to walk past his guardian and into the trees, stopping when he felt Roy's tail settle over his shoulders.
Roy was watching Ed intently, concern and a touch of fear glittering in his wide eyes as he spoke up in a low and worried voice. "Please be careful out there, Pup."
Ed nodded once more, leaning closer to lap reassuringly at his guardian's folded ears before he set off into the woods, pushing carefully through the surrounding, dense brambles. He cast a glance over his shoulder to see Roy gazing after him, a resigned look on his stoic face as he stood and approached Anna. Ed knew that his guardian would worry about him until his return, and the thought of dispelling that anxiety gave a sudden swiftness to his paws as he raced away from the thorny clearing.
It didn't take long for Ed to pick up the scent of a nearby mouse, pricking his ears forward as he listened to the small creature dig at the still soggy leaves just a few feet away. Instinctively Ed let the dog mind take over, no longer worrying about if the canine was eating away at his humanity as they stalked as one towards the unsuspecting mouse. Since Roy's little daily mind exercises were working wonders for their memories, Ed no longer saw the need to fear his canine half anymore.
With a strong leap Ed soared through the air, landing directly onto the mouse and killing it with a swift blow to the back of its neck. Before he could take control back from the dog mind he felt his body swivel to the left, using any remaining momentum to leap into a nearby bush. Ed was confused and a bit worried until the sudden squeal of a second mouse was abruptly cut off. The dog mind had been good to pick up on the presence of a second hidden creature, and Ed nearly laughed aloud as he took back control and the canine sauntered happily away into the shadows of the mind they shared.
Ed picked up both mice, grateful to have caught a decent enough meal for Anna, who so desperately needed anything she could get. With the prey hanging from his jaws, Ed quickly trotted back towards the tiny clearing where he had left his guardian and the injured chimera, his steps light as the thrill of the hunt continued to lend energy to his tired and weary body.
He soon reached the clearing, carefully picking his way through the brambles until he stood a foot or two away from Roy. His guardian had done a good job of cleaning Anna's new wounds, none of which looked too deep as he rubbed down the last few cuts with a wet clump of leaves he must have found nearby. Anna's eyes were still closed, but as Ed let out a light cough both chimera's gazes flickered over to him.
"Thank god Ed is fine." Roy breathed out in relief as he left Anna's side and bounded the short distance to nuzzle fondly at Ed's cheek. He stood there for a moment, letting his guardian fuss a bit before gently pushing him aside and crossing the few feet between himself and Anna. The bedraggled chimera's dull eyes lit up immediately when she saw the mice hanging from Ed's jaws, watching him intently as he placed his catch in front of her.
Anna gave him no chance to even speak before eagerly descending onto the prey with a wild and bestial hunger as she practically swallowed the first mouse whole. Ed took a slightly startled step back, lightly bumping into Roy who had walked forward to stand at his side, relaxing a bit when he felt his guardian's fur brush softly against his own pelt. The two stood together in silence as they watched Anna devour the second mouse in two famished bites, both feeling a deep sense of pity towards their fellow chimera, who seemed as though she hadn't eaten in days.
Ed wondered how this poor, desperate creature before him had gone downhill so fast. When he and Roy had last seen Anna around a month ago she had been on the thin side, but she had looked strong and confident when leading The Pack away and into the wilderness. Now she seemed to be a shadow of her former self, looking like she had gone through hell and back…so what exactly had happened? Survival was hard, but Ed and his guardian looked miles better than their friend…
Once both of the mice had vanished Anna began to lap eagerly at the small amount of spilled blood that dotted the ground in front of her, her blue eyes wide and blank as though the dog mind was still mostly in control. After a minute or so of licking and gnawing at the brittle grass Anna seemed to slowly come back to herself, looking up at Ed and Roy in confusion before remembering exactly where she was. She bowed her head gratefully to them, eyes now glowing with a deep appreciation before she spoke in a raspy voice.
"Anna thanks Roy and his pup for all of their help." The ragged chimera still seemed a little too weak to stand on her own, though now she was finally able to sit up in a slightly hunched position as she smiled at them. "Anna would have probably died if they hadn't come around."
Ed grew a bit uneasy at her response, wondering exactly where the rest of The Pack was to aide their current leader. Had something bad happened to their fellow chimeras that prevented them from helping? Or maybe Anna had had a fight with them and was on her own now, despite what she had said earlier…and did any of this happen to link back to the state they had found Cale in?
Both Ed and Roy shared a concerned glance with each other, seemingly able to read the others troubled thoughts as his guardian voiced their worries. "Anna said that she would answer questions after she was freed. So Roy has to ask, how did Anna get so caught up in those thorns, and where was The Pack to help her?"
Anna's smile soon faded and her expression grew grim and a bit guarded as she wrapped her long tail around her paws as though seeking comfort. "Anna and The Pack live in a secluded hollow near the lab, but there is no prey there so she left them behind and went farther out into the woods to hunt. Anna was so focused on finding food that she didn't even notice the thorns until it was too late…she really should have paid more attention to her surroundings."
"Aren't any of the others able to help hunt?" Ed asked gently, his gaze slowly taking in the sight of the many scars that covered Anna from shredded ear to ragged tail tip. "How did Anna get such horrible injuries, and are they as hurt as she is?"
"The others are fine, and they do their best…but the more feral chimeras are harder to control and sometimes they don't follow Anna's orders." The bedraggled chimera let out a weary sigh as she closed her eyes, her posture growing tenser. When she opened them again Ed caught a confusing glimmer of unease in her blue eyes. "These scars though…well, life out in the wild is very rough, and as Roy and his pup can clearly see…Anna has been a bit…careless…"
Anna's vague answer did nothing to ease Ed's worry, in fact he felt surer than ever that their fellow chimera was being elusive on purpose. He knew the feral chimeras could be a handful, but even they were still intelligent enough to know how to follow orders…how to stay united against a common foe. So how had Anna really gotten injured then? Was she too scared to tell them if they had grown defiant and hurt her? Or maybe all of this had something to do with her deceased mate…
Ed looked over at Roy, relieved to see that he wasn't the only one bothered by Anna's guarded answer. His guardian fixed him with a dark onyx gaze, both knowing that the next question would be harder on their fellow chimera than the others. Ed nodded grimly in response, letting Roy take the lead as he asked the one question that seemed to weigh the heaviest on them both. "Surely Cale must be helping Anna run The Pack, they have always respected him…is Cale alright?"
"Is Cale alright…" Anna echoed in a hollow voice as though not truly comprehending the question. Her matted and torn pelt began to bristle uneasily as she managed to finally answer. "Cale was fine the last time that Anna saw him…but Cale went out to hunt a while ago…a-and he never came back…Why does Roy ask?"
Ed felt his own fur starting to prickle with foreboding, and he gazed down at the cold earth below, not wanting to meet Anna's gaze. He knew what Roy would say next…and he was dreading the ragged chimera's reaction to the terrible news of her beloved mate's demise.
"Oh, Anna…" His guardian's voice was full of sorrow and pity. "Cale is…well, Cale is dead."
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A shocked silence met Roy's words, every sound from the surrounding forest seeming to fade away all at once. It even felt like the birds, once chirping joyfully in the tree branches above, had grown quiet, their songs muted even as the light breeze made the bare boughs rattle softly together. The world itself seemed to be holding its breath, stunned into a kindred silence as Roy did his best to both remain and appear calm. While he desperately longed to look away from the absolutely shocked chimera before him, like his pup was currently doing, Roy somehow managed to keep a steady yet hesitant gaze upon Anna.
The ragged chimera's eyes had gone wide from a mixture of disbelief and shock, a strange hint of horror and guilt glimmering in the blue depths. When she finally spoke it was in a quiet voice that trembled weakly in the cold air. "Dead? H-How…how does Roy know this?"
Roy tired not to physically flinch away from the fear in Anna's voice, instead suddenly being brought back to the terrible scene he and his pup had stumbled upon days earlier. He could still see the crimson stained snow that lay still and silent over the absolutely mutilated body just beneath its thin cloak…still able to smell the thick and oppressive stench of blood and the sickly sweet scent of decay…Roy was able to remember it all too clearly, his heart even beginning to race from the pure disgust and terror he had felt at that moment…
Shaking his head quickly to rid his mind of the horribly unpleasant memory, and wishing with all of his being that he didn't have to be the one to break such tragic news, Roy spoke up in a low yet steady voice. "Roy and Ed found Cale's body in the woods a while ago. Cale…Cale looked like he had been attacked by…by some creature, a-and there was no way they could have saved Cale…Roy is so sorry, Anna…"
Anna only continued to stare at him with her round blue eyes, emotions flickering like minnows in a stream as her body began to shake. She lowered her head to look at the frostbitten earth below, a distressed moan rising up from her throat as she took in the news. Roy was very aware of Ed pressing closely against his side as though seeking comfort and reassurance from his guardian as he felt his pup rest his head against his shoulder. Roy twined his tail with Ed's, managing to look away from Anna to see those familiar golden eyes gazing back at him with sorrow glowing in their depths.
It was then that Roy realized that while Cale's loss was a terrible and heartbreaking tragedy, he was just glad that it had not happened to his own pup. He couldn't even begin to imagine the absolute agony that Anna was currently experiencing, to know that the one she loved the very most in her life was suddenly gone and never coming back…Roy couldn't bear to think of how he would have felt if he had found Ed's body in that bloodstained clearing…to never have Ed by his side again…
Grateful and yet guilty at feeling such sickening relief, Roy leaned over to lap softly at the top of his pup's head, thankful to any god above that Ed had been mercifully spared from such a gruesome fate. He would never, ever, allow that to happen….he would rather die an agonizing death himself than to live on in a future without his precious pup…
"A-Anna…she…S-She already knew this…" Anna's sorrow filled yet shameful voice broke Roy from his reverie as the ragged chimera let out a harsh sob. "Anna knew that Cale was dead because…b-because she saw what happened…"
Now absolutely stunned himself, Roy shared a confused glance with Ed before he managed to rasp out a response. "What…what does Anna mean by that?"
"While The Pack was asleep i-in the hollow a…a bear, managed to break into their c-camp…" Anna's gaze was flicking from side to side as though she was expecting the very creature itself to barge its way through the surrounding brambles. "Anna a-and The Pack tried to fight it off…b-but in the battle it managed to grab Cale a-and it carried him away…They…they never did find Cale's b-body…but there was no way that Cale c-could have survived that attack…"
"Wait," Roy was shocked by Ed's sudden response, and even more surprised by the slight growl to his voice. "So Anna knew about this bear killing Cale and never thought to mention it to Ed or Roy? Was Anna just going to leave them without that information and hope they'd never even know?"
"A-Anna admits that she was wrong to keep such news from Roy and his pup…" The ragged chimera before them seemed flustered, the fur along her spine prickling uneasily as she averted her gaze once more. "But Anna didn't know if she would ever see them again. Anna just didn't want to scare Roy and his pup over nothing…"
"Scare them over nothing?!" Ed's sudden snarl startled both Anna and Roy as he looked over at his pup in shock, seeing those golden eyes simmering with rage. He remembered back when they were human that Ed's temper could scorch through his foe like a wild fire, and Roy didn't want either himself or Anna to get horribly burned by his anger. "How is a dangerous bear nothing?!"
"Has Anna seen the bear since…since then?" Roy asked as he cast a concerned yet stern glance towards his enraged pup, silently warning him to hold his tongue. Ed caught his eye and looked away, ears folded back and tail lashing with suppressed anger. While he was more than entitled to his feelings, Roy knew that lashing out at their fellow chimera would do them no good in the long run.
"N-No, she hasn't…It must have f-found better prey elsewhere in the woods…" Anna gasped out at him, finally managing to look back up at them both with worry and shame glittering in her blue eyes. "Anna is so sorry that she did not tell Roy and his pup sooner…Anna just didn't know how to tell them about something so horrible…"
A tense silence met Anna's apology as the ragged chimera lowered her head once more, her shoulders sagging as though weighed down by the heaviness of her grief. Roy felt a surge of pity towards this miserable creature that shared in their plight, clearly Anna was finding survival out in the wilderness even harder than he and his pup were. He believed her when she said that she had forgotten about the threat, it was clear that other things were more pressing in her own life than fretting over finding and telling the other chimeras outside of The Pack of this potential danger.
Despite the anger that had once burned like a raging fire deep within Ed, Roy was genuinely surprised when his pup stood up and crossed the short distance between himself and Anna in a calm manner. The golden chimera leaned closer to lap gently at her torn ear, his gaze now full of sympathy as Anna looked hesitantly up at him.
"Ed is sorry too. Losing Cale like that must have been very hard for Anna to come to terms with." The ragged chimera nodded reluctantly as though fearful of Ed's next words. "Ed remembers how hard it was to lose Sammy…he couldn't imagine losing someone that was even closer to him."
Warm amber eyes gazed fondly towards Roy as his pup took a step back from Anna, giving her space to grieve as Roy stood up and padded softly over to stand at Ed's side. The bedraggled chimera's gaze grew distant once more, as though losing herself to her memories as she finally found the strength to stand up fully. Now that he was able to see more of her scarred appearance up close for the first time, Roy began to feel that something seemed…odd about Anna's numerous injuries.
The various scars and slightly fresher, healing wounds were much smaller and compacter than those that could have been caused by a large and lumbering bear. These cuts looked to have been made by fangs and blunt claws, not looking anything close to the dreadful injuries that had brought about Cale's end.
Roy was suddenly thrown back into his memories of the dark basement that had been his and Ed's prison for far too long…and one event stood out above the others. He remembered the size and shape of the wounds that the other escaping chimeras had given the fleeing scientists…and those injuries had looked very similar to Anna's scars, as though they had been caused by a canine attack…but what did all of this mean?
"Ed and Roy buried Cale in a clearing not too far from here." Ed's soft voice brought Roy back to the present and out of his dark musings as he instead returned his attention to his pup. The golden chimera had leaned in a little closer to Anna as he continued to speak in a surprisingly gentle tone. "If Anna comes to visit them again then Ed will be more than happy to show her the spot."
Roy watched Anna closely to gauge her response, now taking in her actions and words with a keen eye and ear. The ragged chimera nodded her head slightly in response to Ed's offer; seeming to appear grateful…but now Roy was able to see past her façade and noticed a hint of fear light up in her gaze for only a heartbeat. Was she starting to worry that they were catching on to her fake emotions?
"A-Anna thanks Pup for the offer," Anna's voice seemed to raise just a pitch above usual as her eyes wandered slowly to rest upon Roy. She quickly looked away and back towards Ed before dipping her head in gratitude once more. "But now Anna must head back to the hollow. The Pack will be waiting for her to return, and hopefully Anna will be able to catch some prey without getting trapped in more thorns!"
Ed let out a quiet snicker at Anna's light tone, but Roy saw past the attempt at humor and heard the quaver to his fellow chimera's voice. It was clear that Anna wanted to leave right away…almost as though she was starting to pick up on his suspicion.
The ragged chimera nodded once in farewell, her eyes barely glancing in Roy's direction as she turned quickly and leap rather gracefully over the surrounding brambles and vanished into the woods beyond. Her suddenly strong and confident movements only made him more sure than ever that Anna was lying and keeping something from them…but what could she possibly be hiding that was too terrible to tell even them?
"Roy? Is Roy feeling okay?" Slowly Roy turned his distracted gaze to Ed, his mind still racing along narrow trails shadowed by doubt as his pup cocked his head to the side and stared intently at him with worried yellow eyes. "Roy is being very quiet…and he was frowning at Anna as she left….Is everything alright?"
At first Roy longed to tell Ed about all his suspicions and observations, to give a voice to his concerns about the truth to any of Anna's words…but he stopped himself. If he told his pup about all of his doubts so suddenly, without any real proof so soon after Anna's departure either Ed would begin to worry over Roy's mental wellbeing…or, in the worst case, Ed would grow anxious and paranoid as well. Roy really didn't want to put his pup through any more stress if he possibly could…and maybe he really was just imagining things anyway…
"Roy is fine and he is sorry for worrying Ed." Roy said gently as he leaned over to nuzzle reassuringly at Ed's cheek. While he had silently promised himself that he wouldn't tell his pup about his true suspicions, he longed to at least get Ed's take on what he had observed as well. "But did Anna seem a bit…off, to Ed?"
Ed gave him a confused look as he slowly sat down by Roy's side, seeming to lose himself in thought for a few moments before finally responding. "Not really, Anna seemed fine to Ed. Why?"
Roy kept the fur along his spine from bristling uneasily at his pup's casual answer to a question that was slowly eating away at him. Maybe he truly was looking too deeply into something that simply existed in his mind alone…there were probably hundreds of normal answers to the troubling doubts fluttering through his thoughts like butterflies caught in a gale. Perhaps Roy was just a bit too paranoid for his own good…but he had had many experiences when this sort of thinking had actually saved his life…
"It's nothing. Roy just thought that Anna looked like she was hiding something from them." Roy replied in a calm tone, a small sigh escaping from his weary body as he tried his hardest to let his troubling thoughts float away on a cloud of blissful acceptance.
"Anna was just tired and hungry…and telling Anna about Cale only made it worse." Ed's explanation made sense, though that small seed of lingering doubt seemed to have burrowed itself deep into Roy's already troubled mind. "Ed thinks that Roy is just worrying over nothing…like he usually does."
Roy let out another sigh in response, knowing it would be useless to argue with Ed over something he had no evidence of. His pup was far from dumb, but sometimes he could be oblivious to even the smallest things, and that was where Roy came in to make up for Ed's ignorance. Deciding then that he should just let it go…for now at least, Roy playfully nudged Ed's shoulder with one of his front paws.
"At least one of them needs to be vigilant, and it seems that Roy has to be the one to worry then." Ed let out a small snort of laughter in response, getting to his paws and softly hitting Roy on the side of the head with his long and plumy tail.
"Roy was one to worry over nothing even before they became chimeras." His pup lightly teased as he turned to face the direction in which they had come, seemingly ready to return to their makeshift home. As Ed crossed the distance between them and the tangle of thorns, Roy soon followed close behind and the two chimeras managed to pass through the brambles with hardly a scratch.
"Ed thinks that Roy will feel better when they get pack to the den." Ed remarked as they walked side by side through the slowly darkening forest, the sun's dying light casting long shadows from in between the leafless trees. Roy then felt Ed's tail brush reassuringly against his side as he spoke in a gentle voice. "Roy is probably tired too…it has been a long day."
They soon fell into a contented silence, listening to the quieting songs from the birds in the tree branches high above as they made their way back to the den. As the two chimeras padded calmly through the forest Roy began to feel his anxiety and paranoia slowly fade away, relaxing for the first time since they had spoken with Anna. He must have just been imagining the whole thing after all…
…
"Roy…Roy…" Roy let out a low groan as a voice sounded in his ear, disrupting his once peaceful slumber as he attempted to burrow deeper into the warm nest he shared with Ed. Though as he tried to get comfortable once more he felt something hard jab him roughly in the ribs, an urgent hint now to the mysterious voice that had awoken him. "Roy, wake up! Something is wrong…please…Roy needs to wake up!"
As Roy slowly grew more lucid he was finally able to recognize who the voice belonged to, and his eyes flew wide open when he realized it was Ed. In the dawn's early light Roy was able to make out his pup sitting up by his side, leaning over him with a worried look on his face as Ed inclined his head towards the den's entrance.
"Ed can smell something strange outside…and he heard a lot of movement earlier." His pup explained in a fearful tone, standing up alongside Roy who shook stray bits of moss from his disheveled pelt before focusing on his own senses. As Ed stood tense and silent at his side Roy was able to pick up on what his pup had observed.
Roy felt nauseous at the stench of unwashed fur and mud as he heard the sounds of bare branches snapping and the damp fallen leaves shifting from beneath calloused paws just outside the den. It was now very clear to him that some creature was lurking in the shadows beyond…but it strangely sounded as though more than one animal was hiding out there…When did bears ever hunt together?
After sharing a quick and worried glance with Ed, Roy slowly padded towards the den entrance, his pup staying close to his side as Roy carefully peered through the hanging lichen that shrouded them from what lay beyond. He could see compact and lean shapes lurking in the undergrowth, occasionally catching the sight of a flash of dirty fur of the glimmer of sharp teeth before the branches of a bush just across the small clearing from them began to tremble violently.
Both chimeras let out a soft, yet audible gasp as they identified the creature that emerged from the frostbitten foliage, the silhouette unmistakable to them after their run in with it just a few hours earlier.
Anna stood tall and proud before them, gazing directly at the den with blue eyes that shone with a confusing mixture of triumph and pleasure. Through the dim light Roy watched as she raised her tail high into the air, and before he realized what she was doing she twitched the tip in a strange manner.
At their leader's signal a dozen or so chimeras stalked from their hiding places amongst the undergrowth all at once, their eyes gleaming eagerly as a few bared their fangs in threatening snarls. Every single chimera was sporting similar looking scars on different parts of their painfully thin bodies, a feral hunger glowing deep within their eyes making them look like nothing but mindless beasts…
"Roy and his pup can come out now." Anna's commanding voice was booming in the still dawn air as her ragged ears pricked towards the den. Roy felt Ed grow tense at his side, both chimeras frozen to the spot as their fur bristled uneasily. At first Roy intended to remain in the den with his pup, to ignore Anna's order, but he flinched when she let out another loud and more irritated bark. "Anna knows they are in there!"
Both Roy and Ed gazed fearfully at each other, knowing that if they remained holed up in their den that something potentially worse would likely happen to them. Anna and the other chimeras looked ready to go to war…but maybe they could talk things out and learn why The Pack was behaving this way.
With a reluctant nod Roy and Ed emerged from their den, facing the menacing chimeras while trying their best to appear unafraid as they stood before Anna.
So Al and the crew have finally made it to the north, and Ed and Roy seem to be in a bit of a pickle...wonder how it'll all work out in the end...
Anyway this will be the last chapter posted in 2022, and I'm so happy to have finally gotten this up. The next chapter will probably take a while since I'll be taking a small break for the holidays. I've started work on it but at the moment I'm not liking how it looks so I'll probably just end up redoing it. I'd say it usually takes me a full month to completely write out each chapter, so hopefully I'll be uploading it sometime in February. Keep an eye out on my profile here for any updates though!
I want to thank you all for the favorites, follows, and reviews, they really make working on this more fun when I know that people are enjoying it! You guys are awesome and I really wish I could at least give you all a hug, but I can't so just know that I appreciate the support so much!
I also want to say that I'll probably be uploading some reference pictures of locations and characters for this story up on Reddit in the near future, so check out my Reddit that already has a fair amount of references for the chimeras and scientists. My username on most sites is the same as it is here, so when in doubt just search for my name on certain sites and you're sure to find me lol.
So happy early Christmas and New Years! I hope that the next year will be great for everyone! I'll see you all in the next chapter!
:3
