Alex took a deep breath as she glanced around taking in the sight of all the scouts that sat mounted and ready. Uneasiness rippled through the group like a wave. Very few seemed affected. Alex found herself off to Eren's left side placing him behind Petra with Oluo ahead of Alex and the captain ahead of them all. Leaving Gunther and Eld to bring up the rear. Fully geared up and ready Alex felt her fingers tighten their grip on her reins as she waited, growing impatient and eager herself for the command to leave.
Finally the order was called to raise the gate, and with that the sound of horses taking off filled the heavy air as the group of mounted soldiers took off after their captain and out of the safety of the wall.
Her horse fell into pace with those around it as they moved through the gate and into the old abandoned town that sat on the other side of the wall. The second she crossed through the gate the blonde was on high alert. This was now enemy territory where every building, tree or obstacle could be hiding an enemy. The scouts stayed close together, horses running in a tight knit herd. Suddenly a voice rang out, it was one she had heard before, it was Hange.
"We've got a 10 meter titan closing in from the left!" Yelled out Hange. Alex glanced over at the titan she could see through the building but she turned her attention back to the space ahead of her. It wasn't her job to take on the titan even if she wanted to. That was the job of the support team to deal with the titans they met before the scouts could break out into Erwin's formation.
"Forward! Ride for all that your worth!" Came a yell out above the sound of buildings crumbling around the titan as the scouts ran for it. Alex didn't recognize the voice but she listened to it anyways digging her heels softly into her mares side pushing the horse onwards.
"Loaded question. Be straight with me. You think my friends have a shot at taking down a titan?" Eren called out to the team. He already knew her answer. She knew their friends could do it. They had to or else they would die, or better yet would have already back in Trost if they could not take on titans. But Alex didn't blame the boy for still having some concerns and worries for his friends as they were now all diving head first into the fray of death.
"Really?! I should certainly hope so, otherwise what the hell have they been training for?" Was the words Oluo said answering Eren's question as they rode. It was reassuring to hear that Alex wasn't the only one who expected her friends to be able to handle the job before them. After all, most had decent positions last she checked.
"Now listen, and listen well. Prepare or not your all scouts, which means the time is nigh to choke back those fears and !" With a crunch Oluo never even got to finish his sentence as his teeth clenched down on his tongue. The man really needed to learn not to talk and ride as he apparently couldn't leave his tongue in his mouth without trying to bite the damn thing off.
"He's right Eren. Now is not the time to have worries or regrets. Our friends are strong and they will survive. And if we want to do the same we must not worry about them. Push on and fight," Alex added her own words and feelings as Oluo cried about his bleeding tongue. With that the group left the shambles of the old abandoned town ruins and she could hear Commander Erwin call out for the scouts to take up the long range formation. And with that Alex watched the group branch off and break apart as people started to spread out and take up their designated positions in Erwin's planned long range formation. Alex followed the captain as the team fell into their position among the formation and lost sight slowly of all other teams.
Quickly all she could hear is the snorting of the horses, the sounds of hooves beating against the ground and the team's ODM gear clanked against their hips. The sound of her own heart beat filled her ears as she tried to take a deep breath and keep her adrenaline managed as she rode. Her eyes were glancing around. They were in full blown titan territory now and she couldn't deny she felt a rush of feelings from a tinge of fear, adrenaline and excitement. This is what she had been waiting for, this is what she had trained for and now finally she was seeing the outside world. Though she wasn't taking in the sights as much as she had thought she would.
It didn't take long for the sky around them to start to fill with the odd shots of red smoke. Seemed it didn't take long for some of the teams to start encountering titans. Alex kept her eyes open but the Levi special op squad had an amazing spot and wouldn't encounter a titan but Alex didn't let her guard down. Staying in formation with the team she rode on listening when Levi would inform the team of a change in direction after the commander would fire off a green smoke signal from time to time to change the direction of the formation.
How long had they been riding for an hour? Maybe three? Maybe it had been ten minutes? Alex was losing track of time as she rode with the team. Suddenly two black lines barely were noticeable off to Alex's right. Watching the sky closely she didn't see any other black line. Seems someone must have dealt with the abnormal titan. Suddenly a number of yellow streaks of smoke filled the sky off to her right. Damn it seemed the right wing was having some interesting encounters. Chewing on her lip she almost wished she was in another spot among the formation. Her hands itched to dig her blades into some titan flesh. But she wasn't and she needed to keep her attention on her own job. Follow her captain and team and keep Eren safe.
It seemed a few minutes passed and no new smoke signals had gone up. Did that mean the entire right side was wiped out? Or did they manage to deal with the situation out that way? Alex wasn't sure and she wasn't gonna ask as no one around her would know any better than herself. All she could do was silently pray her friends and old classmates were safe and alive. For now she kept her questions to herself and just followed the captain.
She watched as green streaks filled the air as commander Erwin was changing the direction of the formation. She could hear Levi tell Oluo to fire off the signal. To which he was happy to do so as she heard the shot of the smoke gun in his hand. Suddenly a lone soldier came riding up alongside the team.
"Reporting sir! An oral message! It appears the right wing spotters have been wiped out. The early warning network is compromised. One of you will need to relay the message down the line," came the fast words from the soldier relaying the message.
"You heard the man Petra, get going," Levi said, giving the order to the woman riding just behind him and to his left. She was quick to answer with a simple sir before take off, breaking away from the group. Alex took this chance to glance over at Eren as he seemed to be sweating. It wasn't hard to link why.
"I'm sure Armin and the others are fine," Alex called to him hoping no one else would hear her trying to comfort the boy as she was sure he was feeling some stress, "Armin's a smart kid he wouldn't die out here."
"Yeah your right," came the soft reply though she was sure he didn't completely believe her words but still it was the thought that she tried to comfort him that counted after the simple hour they had been out past the walls though it felt much longer. But before she could try to sooth him some more black smoke filled the air not far off only three or four teams away. Damn it an abnormal had been able to get that far into the formation. That wasn't a good sign.
"Black smoke? An abnormal!" Came a slight panicked response from Eren.
"Eren, fire the signal," came the order from Levi.
"Yes sir!" Was the words Eren quickly said back as his hands reached for the gun and correctly coordinated colour.
"This is a disgrace. Lotta good the formation does if the bastards can bore into it that deeply," came the mumbled from the Captain. She didn't think he expected anyone to answer or really even hear him over but Alex had noticed. He wasn't wrong either, the formation was no good if titans were able to destroy everyone in one side making the formation useless. Glancing over she could see Eren staring at the smoke after he had set off his own smoke signal.
"Stay focused Eren. Now is not the time to get distracted," Alex called out to the boy forcing his attention away from the smoke signals after he seemed to be staring at them for longer than necessary. She assumed he was getting dragged into his own mind letting his thoughts run wild and ramble. That wouldn't do him or her any good at this moment. So she called out to him seeming to break his trance and pull him out of his own mind.
"Right!" Was the nod that Eren gave her as he turned his attention to the blonde beside him. Levi had been watching the two closely during the ride. Both were holding together well out in the open and unfamiliar territory. Though the real tests were still to come they had not yet encountered any titans and they both may break under that stress. It also seemed having the blonde woman on his team with Eren had not been a bad idea. Although Levi would never admit it Hange had good tastes in people's characters and her logical thinking was smart. Alex was able to help keep Eren in check in small ways. The girl seemed to notice when the boy seemed to chance mentally or was drifting off and was able to reel him back in with ease. It was a useful skill that over the past month had been proven a few times to help keep Eren in check. And she remained calm and collected, it was as if she was acting as Eren's anchor keeping him grounded any time things got a little stressful. But he was curious to see what skills she had in combat but hopefully he wouldn't have to see them today.
The sun was reaching high into the sky as a large cluster of trees started to come into view. As a large cluster of forest was quickly approaching them. Did Commander Erwin plan for them to go in for the forest for cover? Sure it allowed for the better use of ODM gear. Was the plan to try and get an upper hand on the abnormal that was cutting through their ranks like butter? No surely it wouldn't be that easy or someone would've surely of managed to deal with it by now. No this titan was too good. Has there ever been a titan get so far into the formation? Alex had heard the rumour's of how Erwin's strategic formation had put him a step above former Commanders. His strategy was sound and smart. So what was different about this titan? What was different about this excursion? Eren? It had to be Eren he was what was so drastically different, him and his titan ability. Okay so what if Eren was a titan why would another titan want him? That didn't make sense. But then again thinking back to the Trost battle Titan's had seemed drawn to Eren then. Did he somehow draw titans in wherever he went? It was a possibility but still, if that was the case why just the one abnormal? No let's look at the abnormal titan, maybe something was different about it? But what could be different with a titan? Unless it wasn't a normal titan but someone like Eren. A human controlling a titan body. That would explain its ability to wipe out the formation, know how to wipe out the scouts. It was intelligent and human.
Alex wanted to ask Levi if he knew. But now didn't seem the exact best time to be saying anything as they approached the tall trees and started down an old worn path. The grass was flat or dead which meant the trail was used and used often most likely by titans given its size. Great now they were in a condensed forest on the ground where titans could pop out at any moment. Her hands tightened their grip on her reins as her eyes darted around unable to get rid of the uneasy feeling that weighed on her shoulders. Suddenly Eren started to call out to the captain as they galloped down the path.
"Captain! Captain Levi?" Eren called out the panic in his voice was loud and clear as they rode through the path after the wagons.
"What?" Came the less than pleased growl from the captain.
"C'mon sir! We're in a forest! We won't see a titan till it's right on top of us!" Eren said, panicked. But really he wasn't completely wrong, they wouldn't see a titan till it was on them, but yet they had an advantage with the tall trees being perfect for them to utilize their ODM gear. And Levi was quick to remind Eren of that fact as well. Alex wasn't paying attention to the captain filling in the kid. No, her attention was on her comrades as it seemed that her teammates were quickly starting to sweat. Oluo was starting to mumble, Petra's eyes had grown wide and she looked ready to cry, Eld was gnawing on his bottom lip, and Gunther had sweat rolling off his forehead. Well that was unsettling to see the team looking so panicked. And Alex wasn't the only one who noticed the team either as she watched the panic starting to wash over Eren as well. Alex could only hope the kid stayed calm and didn't go into a panic, though she was also a little worried about the squad panicking as well.