Chapter 9: Not What It Seems

Captain Levi and Commander Erwin Smith stood at the highest branches of the Blackwood forest. The current situation have been made clear to the higher ranking officer and after a heavy loss of men, the order to turn back and regroup at Blackwood Forest was given. Now with all their resources together once again. They were faced a with a much bigger problem than a stowaway. "According to the rear guard, There's a hoard of titans coming from the west towards the city. All giant class. Maneuvering around will take too long. We're cut off."

"How many?

"Far too much for us to handle. We'll have to stay the night until they leave."

Levi nodded. Although he wanted to get out as fast as possible, it's the best plan for now. There were just few minor problems. "We need to find food somewhere. Our men won't be very helpful if they are all starving."

He nodded. "I'll send for a hunting party-"

"That won't work." An innocent voice came from above. Everyone looked in surprise to the two bright innocent blues watching them from the higher branches.

"Levi! What's Eren doing here!" Hange screamed and jumped over to the boy. Vigorously checking for injuries. The others fell silent at the knowledge of the boy's presence. He tried pushing her away. Levi sighed in annoyance. "It's a long story but he's saved our asses more than once."

This caused the other scouts to frown in confusion, those closest to Levi though we're left undeterred however. He had long since told them of Eren's Origins. They didn't know all the details but they knew enough.

"Hange. I'm fine!" He moved away from her.

"But your hand-" she protested.

"Levi already patched it up." She let him be. He turned back to the commander. "Anyway as I was saying. Hunting won't do you any good."

"Why would you say that?"

"Animals tend to stay away from titans; especially hoards. When there's many titans near by, the animals scram. You just said there's a hoard blocking our path."

Erwin looked at the child. He seemed completely at home in the environment as if there weren't any fifteen meter high monsters roaming the ground beneath his feet. "What do you propose then?"

"There's a clearing not far from here." He pointed in a south east direction. "There's a few fruit trees there that should be in season."

"What's the point? It's almost dark! Going to gather food now is suicide!" A frantic scout shouted. "Sir! Are you really going to listen to that little brat?!"

Levi nearly blew a gasket but stayed silent. Merely glaring at said scout. Erwin turned to the man. "This little brat probably knows more about the titans than all of us combined. Forgive me for trusting someone who has survived most of his life out here." That shut the man up.

He turned back to Eren only to see him missing. Levi snapped back to reality. He's been so focused on plotting the other man's death he completely missed Eren wandering off.

"Where did he go?!"

"I don't know he was here just a minute ago!"

"Over there!" A scout pointed to a small figure in the distance jumping from tree branch to tree branch-almost expertly. "Eren!"

The group took off after the boy, using their 3DM gear to catch up to him.

"Hay guys!" He called over to them when he realized their presence.

"Eren! What the hell are you doing?!" Levi demanded. He was terrified for his brother but albeit impressed in his skill.

"What does it look like I'm doing?!" He leaped from a tree branch, nearly giving Hange a heart attack in the process, only to land on another branch. "I'm getting us food while you guys are too busy arguing about me being a kid!"

"Eren didn't you hear what that scout said! It's suicide to go looking for food after dark!" Petra called.

He slid to a stop. The others following in suit joining him on the branch. "I know you're just trying to help but-"

Eren didn't register what she was saying. He looked at them strangely. "You guys don't know?"

Petra stopped talking. Now it was their turn to look at him strangely. "Know what?"

"Titans sleep at night."

Hange choked on her breath. "WHAT?!"

"Most Titans can't stay awake for any longer than six hours after dark."

"But Hange's pet Titans don't sleep!"

"That's because they can smell the night guards. Their instincts are keeping them awake. Besides all of Hange's test subjects are bigger classes. They can absorb the sunlight reflecting off of the moon to stay marginally awake." He explained.

Hange screamed in delight. "EREN! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THESE THINGS!"

"Ughh...never came up?" He wheezed from her grasp. Levi stepped forward.

"Hange let him go" She eventually obliged. "Regarding this new information, why did you bring us here?"

Eren walked over to the direction he was running. He pointed to the ground. "Food duh!"

Levi mentally rolled his eyes. The boy certainly had a one track mind that was for sure. The group followed Eren down and landed in the clearing. Eren gestured to the dense fuselage surrounding the clearing. "The bigger class titans don't come here because the trees are too close together. It's the perfect place to gather food!"

Sure enough the clearing was abundant with all kinds of fruit trees. From oranges to berries and apples.

"I haven't seen this much fresh fruit since Shiganshina fell!" Petra screamed in delight. The five quickly stared gathering what they could. Using their capes as bags. After a while Oulo noticed something.

"Hay kid come over here!" Oulo called Eren closer. Eren sat down next to him to see what he was pointing at. "What's that?"

He gestured to an odd looking dark brown and black flower. Eren grinned "Oh I call them stink flies! They grow around the fruit trees for some reason. If you pick them they start smelling like crazy!"

Hange bounded over to them and felt the tiny flower between her fingers. "Its fury. Interesting. You say it smells too?"

The boy nodded. She jumped for joy. "OHHH! This day is full of surprises!"

"Alright that should be enough for one night." Levi called them from behind. "Let's go."

The team did as they where told. This time giving Eren a lift as they did so.

-xXx-

"This should be enough to keep for the night. Where did you find all this?" Erwin looked surprised at the food they had gathered. "As Eren said, there was a very abundant clearing just south-east of here. We got everything from there without even running into any titans." Levi said.

Everyone sat in a circle surrounding the gathered food. "We also came across some very interesting information regarding the titans." Hange added. "According to Eren, the titans sleep during the night due to a lack of sunlight. This might give us an advantage in the current situation."

"Is that so?" He turned to Eren whom sat comfortably next to Oulo and Petra, chewing on an apple. Deep down the child's demeanor scared the shit out of him. But there was no time for that now. Behind him the remaining scouts all derived between shock and suspicion. "There is one problem though. As I said before to the others, the bigger class titans can easily wake up during the night. Especially on a full moon like tonight. They'll smell us from a mile away."

Eld spoke up. "That won't do. Most of the hoard is nine meters and up."

As this was being discussed Hange thought of something. She turned around and started rummaging through her bag until she found it. "I've got it!" She held out a small brown flower in the air for the rest to see. It's roots still intact.

"A Stinkfly?" Gunter asked confused. He had over heard their earlier conversation about said flower. "What would that help?"

"Don't you get it! Eren said once cut this flower emits a powerful stench! Am I right?"

Eren nodded as he watched her curiously.

Levi finally caught on. "You want to use the flowers to mask our smell. So that we can sneak past."

"EXACTLY! Imagine the capabilities if it works!"

Erwin nodded. "That's all good and well, Hange, but what if instead of masking our smell the powerful stench wakes them up?"

"Actually. To them it'll just smell like just another smell. They're hard wired to smell humans. They won't smell us as long as no-one is bleeding." Eren interrupted him.

"How would you know this?" Eren's body stiffened, as if the simple question unnerved him. "Um experience?"

It came out as more of a question than a answer, but Erwin let it slide. "Eld go with Hange and get some of those flowers. Then take some of the men and go to the edge of the forest closest to the hoard. From there they should be able to smell you. If they don't we know it works."

The man nodded and left along with Hange in the direction of the clearing...

Levi watched them go, the nagging feeling returned and it was bothering him. He looked over to his brother. Now they just had to hope for the best...

-xXx-

The next morning, an hour before sunrise...

Eld and the rest had returned successful in all aspects. The flowers was gathered by the scouts, one of which was taken by Hange and replanted in a jar for later study. The survey corps now stood at the edge of the Forrest gazing out at the countless sleeping titans cutting them off from salvation. Erwin turned to the group. "Alright this is it. Everyone has their orders. If the situation takes a turn for the worst the Levi squad will create a diversion long enough to get the rest out then we will regroup. Under no circumstances will anyone stop. Is that clear?"

"Yes Sir!"

"Very well let's ride out!" All of them took off riding at full speed. The wagons have been ditched for the reason of them being too noisy. And so the injured rode on the horses along with the rest and so did Eren. He peaked out from behind Hange. The chances of success was slim. He more than anyone knew that. But for the sake for his family, he kept it to himself. He stole a glance back to his brother. He could tell he was worried despite his expression.

They started to near the hoard and the group started slowing down. Luckily it rained a bit during the night causing the ground to be soft and wet and also lessening the chances of the titans waking up. Slowly they trudged amongst the titans. Most held their breath as they passed the giant slumbering beasts. So far everything was going well. They were almost through.

And of course, that is when everything went to hell.(A/N: remember how I said I love Murpy's law? *insert evil laugh here* D)

One of the scouts couldn't hold onto his nerves anymore. His horse shot past the others, scaring their horses causing them to whinny. The titans where awake instantly. The retreating scout didn't even make it out of the hoard. A giant 15 meter titan woke and smashed him and his horse into the ground. (A/N: Sorry! Couldn't think a way around it.) Commander Erwin yelled for plan B to initiate but Eren was far too dazed to do anything. Levi leapt into action, killing titans as he went, Petra and the others following close behind.

But Levi wasn't focused...

It happened so fast, Levi didn't have time to react a titan swept its hand threw the air. It hit him full force, shattering his gear into a million pieces. A sickening crack was heard as he hit a nearby tree, hopefully unconscious. Eren's heart stopped.

"LEVI!"

Eren jumped from the horse, Hange's screams behind him. Rage filled him. He felt the familiar feeling of electricity coursing through his veins...and then everything went RED.


IT'S THE LAST DAY OF FREEDOM! TT

School starts again tomorrow, and I am soooooo exited. (note the sarcasm people)

I am a bit of a workaholic so I love learning new things and improving, but in my own way with my own things. I'd much rather work on my manga. Oh well. I don't know if I'll be updating every week like I used too, but I'll try. Grade 11 is going to be buuussyyy!

Please Review!

Until Next Time!

-Ziixx

(Updated: 12 January 2016)