Chapter 21

Sasha rides alongside her squad leader as they approach the next settlement. Sasha is the first to notice it thanks to her background as a hunter and alerts her superior,

"Up ahead you see? That's the village!"

"where you're from?" he asks.

She shakes her head, "No, but it's close. My people live in the forest, permission to go alone?"

The seasoned veteran can easily pick up the worried tension radiating from the rookie, something she's able to pick up on. "I'll be ok. There aren't any titans in this area."

Despite his reservations, he relents. "Alright, find your home and raise the alarm. Don't linger longer than you need to!"

"Yes sir!" And Sasha kicks her horse into gear, splitting off from the group and diving deep into the woods.

As she rides, her anxiety builds. The stress of the situation is weighing heavily on her to the point where the forest that used to give her such comfort and tranquility all her life, can no longer provide the same sense of security she once had. Not with the danger they're all under. She finds it difficult to keep her eyes focused ahead as she constantly glances back and forth, afraid that a Titan may appear from behind the massive trees. She shakes her head, willing herself to fight push away the fear from clouding her mind. She reminds herself of all that she has already been through. From battling in Trost, to escaping an attack from a bear during one of her hunting trips before her time in the Cadet corp. Ya made it to top 10, don't sell yourself short darlin. She gasps at the sudden memory of Calian, but suddenly the feeling of security returns, relieving her of her anxiety. A warm fluttering in her heart causes her some mild embarrassment but she decides to simply ignore it and bask in the relief. As she rides can see a village on the horizon. She keeps her hands steady and pushes her horse harder. Father, I hope you're ok. It has been 5 long years since she had seen her father, their last moments together were less than stellar and fills her with shame as she remembers. The biting words she made concerning all the people who suffered after the fall of Wall Maria, the disappointment clear in her fathers face as he called her a coward for thinking only of herself.

I'm not that person anymore. Finally close to her village, Sasha slows her horse down and surveys her home from afar, becoming more and more apprehensive as she sees no signs of life. She hears nothing, no screams, no horses galloping in the distance. She sees nothing but the emptiness of a once lively village. She doesn't even the dreadful sounds of rumbling that accompany a stampede of the man eating monsters that usually provides proof of their existence. Hope begins to grow in her as she tells herself, Maybe he realized that something was wrong and fled! But that hope was dashed and her blood ran cold as when she looked down for a single second, she saw the massive humanlike footprints that can only belong to one thing. Titans.

"Impossible! All the way out here?! They've already come this far?!"

She snaps her reins to get her horse moving again, desperate to see anyone, anyone, alive. Leaping across the bridge to enter her home, Sasha truly begins to get scared as she hears how silent everything is. Way too silent. She tries to take comfort in the fact that there's no broken buildings or blood painting the streets, no half eaten limbs or titan bile crystallizing along the road. She stops her horse, trying to bring her panting down to normal inhale exhale and rein in her hammering heart that's fitting to burst out of her chest. Then she hears it. A sound she normally would equate with wolves who've began feasting on their prey. But recently, she's been forced to associate that particular sound with something infinitely more terrifying. She cautiously leaps off her horse and follows the source of the sound, finding herself in a one story house with the door broken down. She gulps and silently takes a foot in and freezes at the horrifying sight.

It was a three meter titan leaning over and holding down a woman who's mouth is permanently open in a silent scream while the mindless monster feasts on her legs. Blood was seeping from where one of her legs used to be, already consumed by the monster. The woman can only gasp slightly with each chomp of its powerful jaw. Sasha pulls herself together enough to keep herself from making any sounds, noticing that the woman is looking at something to her right. Following her line of sight, she sees a small girl, sitting with her knees up to her chin, unblinkingly staring at the woman Sasha can now assume to be her mother, Being eaten alive like an animal.

Knowing that the mother is a lost cause, she's already lost too much blood and the wounds inflicted on her from the Titan's hunger are too life-threatening to be treated. Sasha silently backs away and goes to the front yard where she had noticed a ax lying near some fire wood. She slowly makes her way back inside, stepping closer and closer to the Titan, who's too enraptured in it's feast to be aware of her presence. Once she's close enough, Sasha raises the Ax and let's out a battle cry before swinging down.

Calian roars as he slices the nape of last titan in the horde that attacked the Northwest squad he had asked permission to assist. The cadet lands on his feet and swipes his blades in the air, flinging off most of the steaming blood that stained the shiny metal, a habit he picked up from a certain grumpy Captain who's taken to training him one on one more often. The leader of the squad pulls up beside him with his horse, clearing impressed at the cadets skill. "You sure you're a rookie?"

"last I checked."

"Should've given all of you your gear, would've made things a helluva lot easier." The squad commander says with a shake of his head.

"What're we gonna do now sir?" Cal asks.

"All the villages have already been evacuated on this side of the wall, We'll be merging with the North squad now."

North… That's where Sasha was headed. Suddenly Calian clutches his temples as he gets a headache and flashes of scenery he doesn't recognize pops in his head. A place with a starry night sky unlike anything he has ever seen, the landscape looking like dusty smooth hills. Then it changes and all he hears is Sasha screaming. Not in pain, but a scream of attack. And just like that it was all gone. What the fuck? What was that? Where was that? What does that have to do with Sasha? Is she ok?!

"You ok son?" The veteran asked, having witnessed his look of pain.

"Fine sir, just needed tot ake a breath. Sorry to ask, but do ya mind if I head on first? I can scout out the path ahead and make sure there's no other titans along the way." And maybe make a quick stop into Dauper village…

"You sure you're up for that?"

"I am, like I said I just needed a breather."

"Fine, but be careful, we'll follow soon."

"Thanks sir." Calian whistles for his horse. It doesn't stop as it rides by him but he quickly hops and grabs the reins, gracefully getting onto it's back and riding off towards Dauper.

As he rides, his mind goes back to the flashes that he had before. What was that place? I've never seen anything like it before, and the ground. It didn't even look solid it looked dusty or somethin and gold. Wait ya know what, questions for a different time. Focus on what's important. And right now what's important is makin sure Sash' is ok… Please be ok!

(Line Break)

Sasha runs with the little girl in tow, seeing as there's no other option than to try and escape on foot since her horse decided now of all times to gallop away. "It'll be okay!" She tries to reassure the girl, doing her best to hide her face so she won't see the unease she herself is experiencing.

"Why?" That question causes her to falter and she questioningly glances at the child whose face is still unnervingly blank. "Everyone already left. The whole village knew my mother's legs were bad. But not a single person came to help. All I could do was watch."

Sasha heart sinks as she remembers going through the same thing in Trost. Watching helplessly as comrade after comrade, friends that she grew with for the 3 years prior in training screamed until it came to a bloody end at the hands of the titans. She remembers the hopelessness that made her dizzy and want to fall to her knees in despair. The horrible realization that everything in her life was coming to an end. It was the same feeling that was beginning to bloom now due to the hopelessness of their situation. But once again she remembers, she remembers what helped her out of that dark pit. One heroic cadet who's fierce battle cry light up the sparks in all their hearts as he swooped in and saved them all. Calian. Why now? Why do I remember him now?

She doesn't realize that her grip has strengthened on the girls hand, her feet push off the ground faster with more determination. She doesn't realize the strength that has reawaken inside her. Even as they reach the bridge and she helps the child over the edge, she still doesn't realize it. All she knows is that everytime she thinks of her boyfriend, She knows. "It's gonna be okay!"

(Flashback)

After the battle of Trost

"ya know, a stomach ache ain't exactly the best excuse to use to get carted outta here."

She looks away in shame, "Y-you must think I'm a coward."

"Nah. Daz, definitely. But you? Nah."

She looks at him curiously, "What makes you say that?"

"Ya saved me didn't ya? Ya didn't even hesitate, I wasn't even in the titans hand for 5 seconds before ya killed it. And they told me how ya tried to rouse everyone into fightin before Mikasa got there. That takes guts."

"but but, I surrendered to a Titan!"

"And ya got back up and kept fightin. And while we all were twiddlin our thumbs, You're the only one that stepped in and saved Samuels life. Ya got a lot of strength to ya. It's one of the things I admire most about ya."

She blushes a little at the praise he gives her and thoughtfully remembers everything that had happened. And yet, "But do I have enough strength in me?"

Calian looks down at his hands again, remembering the strength that flows through his body, "That's somethin ya gotta figure out yourself. But I want ya to know, whatever ya choose, staying here or leaving. I ain't judging and I ain't changing opinions about ya either."

(Flashback ends)

He always believed in me. Every time I was scared, every time I was wanted to give up, he always kept me standing. He always came through for me. Sasha's jaw sets, determined to make certain that this little girl sees the end of this day. I'll come through for her! She stops the little girl, kneeling down to her level, "Listen up, you'll be fine. Keep following the path we're on. Run as far as you can! I promise someone will be there to help you. You might not find them right away, but still keep running until you do! Now go!" she pushes the girl ahead of her.

Turning to face the titan and drawing her bow, "Get out of here! Don't give up hope!"

Life seems to finally awaken in the girl as her trance is broken and she begins to run, run for her life that she so desperately wants to live. She keeps running, trying not to cry as she hears the screams behind her. She doesn't know how long she's been running, getting deeper and deeper into the woods, the tall trees casting long shadows. She sees rustling ahead of her and she gasps, wondering if it's someone finally willing to help. She cries and stumbles to her feet when a Titan appears, it's dopey smile showing drool escaping as it leaps from the trees ready to pounce on her. She screams in terror but it's drowned out by the animalistic roar that booms from behind the man eating monster. She watches in amazement as blood bursts from behind its neck and it falls face first 20 feet away from her. Landing on it's back is a massive man, wearing the wings of freedom on his back, steaming blood dripping form the blades that were used to kill her attacker.

She looks up to him in awe as the suns rays breaking through the branches cast a seemingly ethereal glow around him, making him resemble and avenging angel that's come to her rescue. The mans hardened and fierce expression softens as his gaze land on her, his grey eyes going from murderous to comforting, putting her at ease as she feels nothing but safe under his gaze. He slowly sheathes his blades and lands on the ground. Even at a distance, she can tell how large he was and yet there was something about the way he approached her that was gentle. Caring. He kneels down a few feet away from her, "Hey, are you ok?"

The floodgates that held her emotions have finally burst as tears formed and quickly fell from her eyes. She begins to sob, unable to form words as she shakes her head, the trauma from witnessing her mothers brutal death that was compounded by the sense of betrayal she had after watching her village desert them is now at war with the gratefulness and reprieve she has now been given thanks to the kind souls of two strangers who've put themselves in danger for her when no one else did aside form her mother. Calian gently scoops the small child into his arms, holding her consolingly, whispering words of reassurance that she is safe now. She doesn't need to worry. Calian becomes aware of the sounds of galloping horses nearing him at first believing it to be the rest of his squad but it turns out to be villagers, wearing hunting gear. The one leading the group is an older man with a short beard who's aged eyes clearly show it's full of wisdom and yet there was something familiar about his brown eyes.

"You a scout?" he asks.

"Yea, I was sent ahead by my squad to make sure the path was clear to continue and to see if there was any titans in the midst. Some were but thankfully this little girl is safe." Calian pulls back a bit to show the child but she buries her face into his chest, not wanting to let go.

She gasps abruptly, startling the men as she notifies them, "There was another girl out there, she saved me! She's fighting a titan all by herself!"

"A girl?"

"Fighting a Titan?"

"Think she's a Scout?"

"Oh no, Sasha!"

The lead villager double takes when he hears that name, "Sasha?"

She looks pleadingly at Calian with tears in her eyes, "Please save her!"

"I will, I promise!"

He lifts her up and gently hands her to horsemen, "Keep her safe, I'll get whoever's by themselves outta there and make sure the path's clear for ya'll to get to safety!"

He doesn't wait for a reply and launches himself into the air, on a war path to Dauper village.

Sasha yells with a vengeance as she stabs the titan in its eye. Her moment of victory is cut short as its arms encircle her waste and begins to squeeze with unrelenting force. She struggles under its inhuman grasp and begins to panic, believing that this could be the end for her. But then she remembers the move she used to escape her father's grasp when he had tired holding her down from the food she was ravaging. Quickly, she employs it, using the advantage of its slippery blood, she escapes its grasp while pushing its chin up, allowing her to have enough space to slip out under and roll down the hill.

The Titans one eye focues on her and she groans in frustration wondering when this battle will end. Thankfully, the Titan stops suddenly. She wonders but only for mere moments as a blade that belongs only to ODM gear burst from it's chest from behind. It lets out a small animalistic moan as the life leaves it's body and it's lifted up and thrown far away. Calian spat where it's body fell and at that moment, Sasha has never been happier to see anyone. "Calian!"

"Sasha!"

He slides down the small hill and the pair quickly envelop each other in a tight embrace. "Ya know somethin darling, ya gotta be the most badass woman I've ever known. I mean ya took on a Titan with nothin but a bow an arrow! Think ya got bigger balls than me!"

She chuckles to herself, feeling so much lighter now that it was finally over. She stares adoringly at him and says, "Yuh can't always be the courageous one round here, I gotta do muh part too!"

"ya definitely did darlin." He exhales deeply as he cups both cheeks, gazing into her eyes with nothing but adoration.

"I'm so happy youre ok. I don't know why, but I was worried. I was so worried. Tch, looks like I didn't need to be though."

"I was too. But, for some reason, you were all I could think about. You gave me strength when I needed it most. You… I think—I I lo—" she blushes deeply as the word seems to stay stuck in her throat.

But Calian knows what she means and leans his forehead onto hers, "I know what ya mean darlin. And I do too."

It seems like time has stopped all around them, basking in each others presence. There was no danger, no dreary weather. To them, they were each others sun, providing them with all the light they thought was gone from the world. All the years they spent together, all seems to have been building to this moment. All the words and gestures that had deeper meanings than they ever realized until now. They inch closer, their breaths warming each others faces, their pupils dilating until they become covered by their heavy lids as finally, their lips meet. Neither one of them has had any experience with this and yet, once they began kissing, it's like they knew what to do. Like their lips were made for each others. It was a tender touch of the lips that moved gently against each in a slow speed. His hands that were cupping her cheeks slowly caressed them as her arms snake up and wrap themselves around his neck, pulling him slightly to deepen the kiss. They poor all their emotions, all their words that couldn't come out into this kiss, showing them more than anything how they truly feel for one another. They stay like that for quite some time, but for them it felt like mere moments before they finally had to part, breathing heavily as they do so. Their rosy cheeks match each others as they pant, still a hairs breath away and giggling like the lovesick teenagers they were.

"Wow!" She breathlessly whispers.

"My thoughts exactly!"

He tentatively leans in for another kiss but the sound of a throat clearing causes them to jump apart instead. Calian grumbles at having the moment ruined but is glad to see the villagers he ran into earlier, with the little girl safely riding with them. "Sorry to interrupt."

"dad?!"

Calian looks back and forth between the lead rider and Sasha who's wearing an expression of embarrassment. "Dad?"

"Um, Calian. This… this is my father."

"… Heheh, Um, p-pleasure to Meet ya Mr Braus!"

Authors note: Hey guys, sorry for how long its been, kinda had a bit of writers block and decided i needed a breather before continuing with this story. Hopefully you liked it, and i jsut wnated to let yall know that i'll be back to updating regularly now, finally got my writing spirit back! And yea, Cal finally met Sasha's dad, let's see how awkward it gets in the next chapter! Also thanks to everyone who's favorite, followed and reviewed, i really do mean it! I happy so many of ya'll like this story! And to the guest who last reviewed, you can still make your story, it's a free website and honestly we've all had similar ideas for stories, all that matters is you don't copy anyone, make it your own! And i mean that in a good natured way lol, anyway next chapter should be up next week, see ya soon!