It was supposed to be just an easy run. With the three commanders taking a small company of ten people each, they hoped that should they run into titans today- the drastic change in numbers may save more lives than snuff them out. After all there was no point in making a happy meal out of so many young soldiers needlessly.

Not when a small company of thirty three people was far, far better than fifty or more. They were easy to command. Easier to maneuver.

Easier to keep alive. Erwin thought to himself as he and his company rode into the welcoming semi safety of the forest. Where the massive trees would provide some cover and protection from some of the more...larger threats lurking about.

Half a mile inside, a quick scan to the left and the right. A quick look over one's shoulder.

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

No titans. Visible, audible or otherwise could be found lurking anywhere.

How strange, Erwin thought to himself as he frowned. Usually by now half of all three commanders company's would have wound up titan chow. Not that Erwin was going to complain about the massive man eating beasts being absent for a change. Maybe. Just maybe for once he and his people would be lucky for a change, and they would all return home in the same condition in which they had left.

But he wasn't that hopeful.

Because he knew the monsters could come at any moment and slaughter every damn one of them without hesitation. Without so much as a moment's notice.

There was no time to take in the lush scenery around him. No time to take note of the clear, summer blue sky hidden just beyond the tree line. Or how warm he felt in his heavy military style uniform. Or just how sweaty and clammy his skin felt due to both the heat and nervousness.

"Sir. The horses need rest and possibly some water." One of his troupe suddenly called out from his left.

Erwin blinked and glanced towards the man before slowly replying, "There's a place mapped out just up ahead another half mile. We can stop to rest and water our horses there."

The soldier nodded his head and called out to several other people, spreading the word that they would be stopping soon.

(***********************************************************************************************************)

She didn't know what happened to her.

One moment she had been... Where? Outside? In the sun? Home?

Where was that? She wondered when she had suddenly felt the sensation of being dragged, or pulled rather harshly from where she'd been standing. And began floating up until the ground looked so far away that it seemed like an endless sea of green's and brown's and the air became so thin that she felt as if she were slowly suffocating.

She panicked and honestly if any other was in her position, they would have as well. Even more so when her mind began to go blank and her vision started to fade.

Her long black hair slipping over her slender shoulders as she tried to bring her hands up to claw at her throat. But her limbs were beginning to feel as heavy a lead, and her fading vision was now almost a total blackout.

Then she felt a nauseating lurch forward, back in the direction of the ground if she recalled right, and she began to fall. She never felt her body touching down on the ground. Never knew that she was no longer in the familiar place she called home.

She didn't even know about the man eating monsters lurking about. She wasn't even aware of the fact that she still lived.

There was just nothing.

Nothing but merciful darkness.