Being outside the walls reminded me of the first time I had left as a squad member. It was about two years ago, believe it or not. I was still a rookie, and I'd never battled a titan up close before that. In fact, I owe my life to Levi.

It had been a nice day, warm, but with a cool breeze wafting around. Having been assigned my horse, I had tried to get along with it, but I could tell, it didn't trust me.

I grew up in Trost, so many thought that I was relatively sheltered, unexposed to most of the outside world and hard labor. Which was in part true. I wasn't completely sheltered, and I also didn't have to do much hard labor. My father was a merchant, and my mother a housewife. We lived a fairly easy life, and I was a single child, so the assumption is that I got all the attention. Wrong. I was one of two children.

Well, he wasn't technically my brother, but he was to me, and he was the son to my parents. A couple years older than me, he was so kind…

CHAPTER 1

"Let the 34th Expedition outside the walls begin!" I snapped the reins, and my horse propelled ahead, following everyone else. The gate continued its slow rise as we flooded out into the open.

I heard Hanji scream out in joy, letting out several whoops. "Ah! I'm back to see you old friends!" she cried out, snapping her reins and speeding ahead. I smiled to myself. Of course I didn't mind going outside the walls—I liked it even, but not as much as Hanji did. My horse galloped along, the wind whipping against my face, blowing my light brown hair behind me. I thought about the contents in my bag tied to the side of my horse, then smiled slightly to myself once again.

"Hey, Petra, pay attention." Levi said to me. I blinked out of my trance, and turned to my right side.

"Yes Heichou." I replied, brushing my hair out of my way. I glanced around at my surroundings, and though this was maybe my eighth time outside the walls, I couldn't help but feel awe, as always.

For now, I knew that it would stay calm, but it was only a matter of time until the first titan was sighted.

"Be prepared," Auruo told me, coming up next to me. "Try not to piss your pants again."

I scowled, but didn't look back at him. "Don't worry about me," I told Auruo. "I'll take care of myself."

"Hm, Petra, always trying to be tough. I'll help you when you're scared." I smirked as he said so, then dropped back in the formation, letting him talk to himself.

I slipped my hand behind me into my bag, lifting the flap with the back of my hand. I felt the cool handle of my smoke gun, and pulled it out.

I heard a gunshot, and I realized that the first titan was sighted. I glanced up into the air, desperately hoping to see a green smoke signal, that maybe Erwin was changing our route. But he wasn't…yet.

A red smoke signal filled the air, and several others quickly followed. Seeing those used to scare the shit out of me, and even though they still did, I learned to control my emotions. I flicked the reins of my horse, speeding ahead, trying to find the rest of my squad. I screwed on the red smoke flare onto my gun, then covered one ear as I pressed down on the trigger. I heard a boom, then rested my hands back onto the reins, trying to locate everyone else.

"Petra!" Gunther called out to me. He fell back, and started galloping next to me. "Why are you so far behind?"

"No reason." I replied. "What are Levi's orders?"

"Nothing for the moment…but he wants us all to stay together. Erwin might send us off."

"Right." I sped up, jumbled up thoughts speeding through my mind. So far since I've joined, Erwin hadn't sent us off on our own yet. The time leading up to that moment filled me with anxiety, the butterflies in my stomach growing more restless.

I rejoined the others, keeping my hands on the handles of my blades. More red signals were shot, then a single green one amongst them all. I raised my gun, then felt a hand gently lower it down.

"No need." Levi told me, his voice astoundingly calm.

I didn't say anything back to him, but put my gun away.

I heard the footsteps as they grew louder, the feeling still instilling fear in my mind. We followed the formation, turning slightly to the left.

The sun was beating on us that day, making me sweat even though it'd barely been an hour. I was tempted to take off my cloak, alleviating some of the heat, but without it, I'd almost feel bare. I'd survive.

Once again, the titans seemed at bay, not caring much to follow us, which I was perfectly fine with. The less I ran into, the better.

"Do you feel okay Petra?" Levi asked my solemnly.

"Yes, heichou."

"You know, you didn't have to participate in this expedition. What happened last time was fairly traumatizing, especially for someone so new to this."

I looked at Levi. I'd been so tempted to skip this, I thought silently. I'd even thought about it this morning. Did you know I'd already composed my letter of excuse?

"No. There was no question about my not participating in this expedition. I disgraced myself last time. You won't have to save me again heichou, I'll be fine." I clenched my fists around the small rope, looking forward at the approaching village.

Levi's sigh was almost inaudible.

This village was smaller than usual, but full with tall towers, almost like watch towers. I was fairly sure that we'd never explored this area before, the surroundings completely unfamiliar to me.

"What is this place?" Auruo asked, echoing my thoughts.

"It's an abandoned village." Gunther answered. "It looks like it was once a small base camp."

"Is that true, Levi?" Auruo asked.

Almost hesitant, Levi glanced at all of us stonily. "Yes." Then he split away from us, advancing to most likely Hanji and Erwin, without another word.

"Did I do something?" Auruo asked.

"No," Eld replied to all of us. "He's been acting weird ever since he returned from his meeting with Erwin about this expedition, but I don't know why. I was going to approach him before we left, but he seemed unapproachable this morning."

"Yes, it is best to know when not to bother Levi." Auruo remarked quietly.

We passed through the small village, and I couldn't help but try to see what had happened here.

Most of the buildings here were either extremely tall, or exceedingly short, being most likely

watch towers or barracks. There was no doubt about it anymore, this was definitely a base camp for an army…but what army?

We continued forth seamlessly, when something inside a barrack caught my eye. The window to this particular barrack was broken, the shards of glass poking through what was once the window frame. Several bed sets laid inside the building, the sheets messed up, as though this place was left with haste. Save one. One bed was made, meticulously made, and on top of it was something that looked vaguely like a book of some sort.

I looked up at everyone else, then turned my back. I was in the middle of the formation, so it'd almost be impossible for me to leave without anyone noticing me. I decided to keep this place in my mind. I would return to it after we set up base camp, which should be soon. If we continued going straight, it wouldn't be hard for me to find my way back.

So I kept my head forward, the village almost ending. I saw a smoke signal in the air, then sighed. I guess getting back here would be much harder than I thought.

But ever so consumed in my thoughts, I realized I fell behind, and that everyone else was way up front. I glanced up in the sky, and saw several green smoke signals. We were moving. I flicked my reins, trying to catch up with everyone else. Then a shadow passed over me.

"Petra!" I gazed up in horror as I saw a titan pass over me. An aberrant. I let out a curdled

scream, when I felt myself being pulled back, flown back, something encircling my waist.

Am I being dragged off to be slaughtered? was my first thought. But I wasn't. Levi caught me, and was flying through the village.

"Damn you and your stupid thoughts." he cussed out loud. We dropped onto the roof of a

watch tower, and I felt Levi lower me onto my back. "What were you thinking? I didn't recruit you so that you'd get some sort of life insurance."

I stood up, shaking slightly, and I gazed out into the village. The troops kept moving forward, and I finally noticed the black smoke signal, trailing its final wisps in the air.

"Shit…" I murmured. My voice trembled slightly as I looked from the dead aberrant in the middle of the village, to the fleeing troops. We were alone.

"I'm pretty sure my horse is still down there," Levi said. "But I think your's ran away...the bastard." Levi brushed some dust off of his shoulder, then locked eyes with me.

"It's only a matter of time before they set up base camp. If we move now, we can get away on my horse. You're relatively light, aren't you?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

"Good." he replied. He dropped down from the tower, rejoining his horse down below. I closed my mouth, and finally tore myself away from the roof, dropping back to ground, where I was most comfortable.

Levi stood next to his horse, feeding it something, and patting its neck. He didn't look up at me. "I thought you said I wouldn't have to save you…" he said softly.

I felt surprised at the tone of his voice, which was extremely soft and comforting. "You didn't have to." I said. I had tried to sound boastful, and like this didn't bother me, but it came out weak, and small.

Levi grabbed his gun, and fired a green signal.

"Hey…wouldn't that throw everyone off?" I asked.

"That's the point, they'll come back for us, and if they don't, we leave." he threw it back into his bag, and grabbed the reins of his horse. "We better find somewhere to stay. I just hope that no more titans will come around here."

He took my hand, and pulled me next to him. "Try not to die. You've just become a member of the squad, and I hate to see my men die."

I blushed slightly, then nodded. "Yes, heichou."