Chapter 4 – Year 838

The 19th Exterior Scouting Mission (Part II)

"Open the gate!"

The gatekeeper attended his post. Little by little, a vast field of green came into view. There was a promise of adventure – of freedom – and all they had to do was claim it.

The naivety of new recruits could not be overstated.

Frederick sat tall atop his horse and readied the reins. Commander Shadis would give the order any minute now. He looked over his left shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of his sister. She seemed sure enough, but he knew her better than that; Iris would sooner steel herself than ask for reassurance. When last they spoke, she simply said, "I'll be fine."

Fine.

He sighed and turned around. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't see her.

His mood did not go unnoticed; Erwin paid him a sideways glance and cleared his throat. "I need you sharp today," he said sternly.

"I know." Fred focused his attention on the gate as it raised ever higher. Something nagged at him – a question that needed an answer. He knitted his brows and chose his words carefully. "Why was Iris appointed to Squad Mike?"

Erwin met his eyes with a vacant expression. "There are four squad leaders," he reminded. "You mean to ask why I did not choose her. Is that it?"

Fred gazed at the worn leather strap in his hands. He should have known better than to ask.

When he did not reply, Erwin stated, "It would have been a conflict of interest."

"I understand." His words were hollow.

"I don't think you do."

"Sir?"

Commander Shadis' voice rang through the crowd. "Scouts," he bellowed, "move out!"

There was no time to press the issue. Fred clenched his teeth and sallied forth, eager to get underway. The men and women at his back were greener than the grass beyond the wall. Some of them, he knew, would not see another sunrise.

In two hours, considerable distance had been put between the scouts and Wall Maria. Apart from biting wind, the weather remained favorable. Visibility was fair, too; if a Titan appeared, they would be ready.

Iris rode alongside Cecilia Greg – a recruit from Karanes. She knew nothing about the meek, doe-eyed girl save for her name and home district. Were it not for their brief introduction at the gate, Iris wouldn't even know that much.

"Hey."

The voice didn't register.

"Iris?"

"Hm?" She glanced at Cecelia briefly to acknowledge her. "What?"

Cecelia gripped the reins so tightly that her knuckles blanched. "You've been beyond the wall before, right?"

The girl's question gave her pause. "What makes you think that?"

"You're older," she mumbled. "I just thought-"

A flare flew overhead. Iris raised her eyes, altogether forgetting their conversation. She might not have heard the shouting, but she knew what the signal meant.

Red smoke streaked the sky, followed by a puff of green. A Titan had been spotted.

"Change course!"

Iris kept her head down and followed the formation. The wind – bitter cold – nipped at her nose and cheeks. They weren't running – they were fleeing. For the first time in her life, she felt like an animal.

Like prey.

And there was nothing she could do about it.

Another flare rocketed skyward. This time, she heard it: an audible whiz as the barrel left the gun. Iris looked up, but there was nothing to see. Someone fired it into the clouds.

"What color?!" The voice belonged to their team leader, Christopher Fields. He looked back at the six recruits flanking him.

Cecelia shook her head. "I-I didn't-"

"It was too high, sir!" Iris shouted. "The clouds-"

A myriad of thoughts flooded her mind. Where is Finch? Fred?! Her eyes darted to the front of the formation. She could not identify him from her vantage point. Damn it, where are they?!

"ND! Negligent discharge!"

The word came down the line, followed by a collective sigh of annoyance. Apparently, one of the recruits fired without cause. Said individual would no doubt receive a tongue-lashing when they made camp. For the moment, anyway, the scouts were in the clear.

Night fell quickly on that cold, autumnal evening. The cloud cover was so thick that it blanketed the stars. Even the moon – a bright, waxing gibbous – lost its luster. Commander Shadis, for one, loathed the circumstances. He scheduled expeditions around the lunar cycle as a safeguard. Though Titans were diurnal, he thought it best to err on the side of caution.

It was an unfortunate turn of events. The watchmen need rely on their other senses tonight.

A crackling fire burned in the heart of each encampment. To prevent fraternization, the scouts had been grouped and separated by squad. As tempting as it was to socialize, layovers were for rest and recuperation – not leisure.

Still, there were some who rebelled. Iris, for one, planned to share her lover's bed. She slipped out of her tent in the small hours and made her way toward Erwin Smith's camp. It wasn't the first time she had broken the rules.

And it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Erwin and Frederick chatted amongst themselves as they finished their rations. They had been the first to keep watch that night. As such, sleep did not come easily for either of them.

"I still can't believe that stunt," Fred said. He dipped a crust of bread into his stew before adding, "Who fired the flare, anyway? Had to have been someone in Mike's squad."

Erwin sighed and drained his canteen. "Not a clue."

Fred put his mess kit on the ground and stood to stretch his legs. The rock he had been sitting on left him stiff and sore. "You seem distant," he said. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Erwin took one last bite before setting his own dish aside. "I'll be back," he replied. "Have to get some water."

There was a freshwater stream beyond the thicket. Erwin kept his head down as he wove through a sea of tents. He was on autopilot – a man on a mission. Perhaps the walk would bring him closer to the sleep he so desperately needed.

Little did he know that he was on a collision course with a wayward scout.

Thud!

The impact sent them reeling. Iris stumbled backward, tripped over a guyline, and landed squarely on her bottom. "Hey," she shouted, "watch where you're going, asshole!"

Erwin's canteen flew out of his hand and clattered to the ground. "Damn," he grumbled. Instead of pursuing it, he approached the girl and offered an outstretched hand. "Here."

"At least you have manners," she quipped, taking his hand. "Thank you."

He knew that voice; it belonged to Fred Wagner's little sister. "You should be more careful. Why are you out of bed?"

Iris climbed to her feet. "None of your business."

"Actually," he said, "it is my business." Erwin captured her wrist and pulled her into his arms. "You're in my camp, Wagner."

Her heart skipped a beat as he came into focus. The first thing she noticed were his eyes. Even in the absence of light, they shone like stars. "Erwin," she murmured.

"Squad Leader Smith."

It was difficult to form intelligible speech when mere inches separated them. All she could come up with was, "Squad Leader."

Erwin looked unamused. "I'll ask again, Wagner: Why are you out of bed?"

"I couldn't sleep," she lied.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, sir."

After a lengthy pause, Erwin said, "Very well." He let go of her wrist and gazed in the direction of Mike's camp. "Try to rest, Iris. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

He called me "Iris." Her cheeks warmed at the thought; Erwin hadn't called her that in years. "Am I…free to go, sir?"

"Yes." he said quickly. Erwin must've caught himself, too; he seemed eager to end the conversation. "You're free to go. Goodnight, Wagner."

"Goodnight, Squad Leader."

Erwin looked on as she strode away. All the while, he told himself that it was a measure to guarantee her return. Some small part of him, though, liked the view from behind. Iris had grown into the role and the uniform.

The thought alone made him tense. To rid himself of it, Erwin turned his attention to the canteen lying on the ground. It was an inopportune time to be aroused; he didn't have the stamina – or the energy – to fill his carnal need. For the moment, all he could do was rationalize their encounter. "Get a grip," he muttered. "It's been a while – that's all."

A westerly gale whistled through the trees. Unbeknownst to the watchmen, there was a storm brewing on the horizon. The temperature had dropped 12 degrees in the last hour alone. Before long, it would dip below freezing.

And once that happened, the scouts would be stranded in the cold.