Chapter 60: Home of the Huntress
Wall Rose was home to many differing climates. Only the brave chose to live on the edges of the mountainous regions, because of the rugged terrain. Even fewer lived in the deep woods for fear of the predators that called the forest home. There was only one narrow, dirt path that led through the thick groves of trees, making it a dangerous route for any would-be visitors.
A pit formed in Sasha's stomach as she rode towards her village. Strategically speaking, Dauper was a great place for the Scouts to stay at. Combining mountainous terrain with hunters that could shoot a bird during a cloudy day, the MPs would have the disadvantage. That being said, she was still bringing danger to her home. She had a feeling a tongue lashing was gonna be in the very near future from her father.
An arrow struck the ground a couple of meters in front of the horse. Sasha held onto the reins as the mare understandably reared on two legs out of fear.
"State yer business, intruder!"
Three men approached her with arrows pulled back on their bows. Two were on the ground, and one was stationed in the trees.
I'm getting rusty. Sasha thought to herself. Throwing herself into the thick of things without taking time to observe and pay attention? She had been in the Scouts too long. Slowly, she raised her hands in defense before speaking clearly and concisely. "Mah name is Sasha Braus, and this is mah home."
That name was enough to get the three guards to lower their weapons. Her dialect confirmed her status.
The man in the trees lowered his hood, revealing jet-black hair tied up in a small bun. "Sorry 'bout that, Sasha. Ya know we can't be too careful these days."
She waved him off. "Don't fret about it, Otto. Was a nice reminder that Ah'm in need of practice."
"What brings ya over here?" Otto asked as he climbed down from his perch. "Not another Titan attack, is it?"
"If it was, y'all would hear me screamin' mah head off. See, my comrades and Ah are fugitives, and we need a place to stay," she explained simply. When they didn't respond immediately, she added for good measure, "Ah'm serious."
The trio of hunters glanced at each other uncomfortably. Sure, Dauper was infamous for butting heads with the government, but this was different. All it would take was a pair of lips to bring the entire village to ruin.
Sasha went on when the silence dragged on too long. "Look, Ah know what Ah'm askin', but we have nowhere else to go. Hell, we've got a man that's been shot. We need yer help."
Otto sighed as he attached the bow to his back. "Twist our arms, why don't ya? We'll let you in, but it's up to our chief how long y'all will stay."
Sasha smiled softly, feeling a massive weight lift from her shoulders. "Thanks, Otto. Ah owe ya big time."
He pointed a finger at her while glowering. "But no one touches our food without our say so. That goes double for ya, Sasha."
That wiped the smile off her face as quick as it came. Her eating habits were still infamous here. It was going to be a challenge to resist the urge to scarf down the food she would see, but considering this was her own home, it was best to behave herself. At least they had sanctuary for the time being.
She placed two fingers in her mouth and let out a loud whistle. In a matter of seconds, the group of Scouts slowly approached them on horseback. Naturally, Levi led them, but attached to his horse was a small cart that carried an unconscious Eld. Armin was tending to him, making sure that he wouldn't get a fever and that his bandages were changed properly.
Otto grimaced at the sight as he approached the captain. "How bad is it?"
"He can't move his arm, and we couldn't take him to a hospital," Levi answered. "We don't have a medic on hand."
The hunter resisted the urge to groan at the circumstances. Leave it to Sasha to make things substantially more difficult. "We'll do what we can, but don't expect any miracles."
"We're Scouts. Miracles pass us by on a regular basis," he deadpanned.
As the trio of hunters led them towards the village itself, Sasha broke the brief silence. "Go ahead and say it."
"Say what?" Mikasa wondered.
"Ah have a funny accent, or somethin' like that," she muttered disdainfully, glancing at Connie. She expected him to be the first.
The bald-headed cadet surprised her with a question. "Why didn't you tell us the truth?"
The brunette scoffed at the question. "Y'all labeled me with that stupid Potato Girl moniker on the first day. Ya think Ah was gonna twist the knife with my dialect?"
"So, you felt sorry for yourself," Levi interrupted without sparing her a look. His tone made it clear just how unsympathetic he was to her plight. "That's the stupidest hang-up I've ever heard in my life, Sasha. We all get nicknames one way or the other. You're not special."
"Horse Face, remember?" Jean added for good measure.
Sasha winced at the reactions, but unfortunately, they had a point. Three years of disguising her voice to fit in all amounted to having foolish insecurities. "Ah suppose Ah was acting stupid."
"I don't care if you have a different dialect, or you can communicate like a dog," Levi went on. "You're a part of this squad now. I suggest you keep that in mind when the next insecurity hits you."
"Y-Yessir," she stuttered, her face reddening with embarrassment. Not exactly a comforting pat on the back, but it would have to do. Right now, she needed to focus on her home.
It was easy to spot thanks to the two outposts that stood behind the gate. A modest wooden fence surrounded the village to protect them from any wildlife that tried to get in. Once Otto gave the all-clear, the gate opened, allowing the Scouts to enter.
Her eyes drank in the sight of the wooden buildings, the tanning racks for the various animal hides, and the bustle of the people who called Dauper home. The atmosphere was busy, but tranquil. To the outsider, this might seem like an oxymoron, but for those who grew up here, it was the familiarity of home.
The second thing Sasha noticed was the smell. Crops of all sorts and various types of meat filled her nostrils. She had missed that aroma dearly, and it pained her to be cut off from indulging herself. Maybe she'd at least be permitted to do some fishing later after everything was squared away. There were several natural creeks that ran near the village and provided their freshwater needs, along with a small lake for fishing.
While the Scouts garnered the attention of the villagers, everyone was still pulling their weight. Her eyes narrowed when she saw plots of land that had previously been left to nature cleared and plowed, obvious signs of growing crops. And it wasn't just one or two crops, but multiple, scattered throughout the village. Dauper had always prided themselves on their hunting skills, and their ability to survive off the land without the need for farming. It felt like a slap to the face for the brunette. Farmers were preparing to harvest their crops before winter. Others were fixing up the fences, especially on areas that had been worn down over time. A choice few loaded meat into government-designated storehouses. After all this time, they still had a quota to meet before they could indulge themselves. A selfish part of Sasha hoped that if the government was overthrown, they could finally take back what was theirs: dignity attached to a lot of meat.
"Sasha!"
A small child all but crashed into Sasha's waist, her arms wrapping around her tightly. Recognizing the little girl, Sasha grinned and hugged her back. Her dirty-blonde hair was terribly messy, a good indication that she had been working. Even that young, children were still meant to contribute to the village.
"Hey, Kaya," Sasha greeted warmly. "Good to see ya again."
"Who's that?" Armin asked as he stepped out of the carr.
"When Wall Rose was invaded, Sasha rescued her from a Titan with just a bow and a few arrows," Connie whispered, grinning as he recalled that tale. "I wish I could've been there."
Levi ignored them in favor of addressing the young doctor that approached them. "Can you help him or not?"
"I need to assess the damage first," the doctor explained. "We won't know for sure, but I do know he needs surgery immediately."
Two of his assistants detached the cart and moved it towards one of the taller buildings. That had to be their hospital, though considering the small population, it didn't need to be huge.
"In the meantime, we need ta have a talk, Captain Levi."
The captain turned to face a middle-aged man with piercing green eyes. His brown hair was tied in a small bun, but that style did very little to contrast the intimidating stance he had. "I'm guessing you're the leader of this community?"
"Yup. Name's Markus Weber. Ya better have a good reason for bringin' trouble to mah people," he said, glowering down at him.
Naturally, Levi was unfazed. "We should talk inside. I'd rather not make a scene in front of your people. Wouldn't you agree?"
The man let out a snort. "Fair enough. Come with me. Otto, keep an eye on our 'guests.'"
"Yes, Chief," Otto responded, fixing his gaze on the cadets. "Bring yer horses to the stables."
Sasha cringed while she led her mare to the location. Her father was in charge of the horses, so running into him was going to happen sooner rather than later. What would she say when she saw him. Hey, Daddy. Ah'm a traitor now and these are mah fugitive buddies. You got anythin' to eat?
"This is an interesting village," Armin commented, his eyes drifting from person to building. However, with the villagers' gazes locked on them, it was hard not to feel uncomfortable.
Sasha picked up on that and gave him some context. "Dauper doesn't like outsiders very much. Wall Maria refugees comin' to take the food they worked hard to hunt down. Government negotiators tryin' to break our traditions with their bullshit reasons."
"You make it sound like everyone here is obsessed with food," Jean muttered.
The brunette shot him a glare. "Before you enlisted, Ah bet your mama was always there to give you food, didn't she? Ya never had to worry 'bout that. Us? We go out to find whatever's out there to eat. It made us survivors, it made us hunters, and it made us not take a damn thing for granted. We look out fer each other, Jean."
"A shame your compassion didn't stretch to us when we lost everything," Mikasa said in a low tone. She was naturally on edge after losing Eren again, but Sasha's self-righteousness was grating on her. "Was there a feast when the population was thinned out?"
"Mikasa, that isn't fair," Armin intervened quickly. "There was a famine in Wall Rose. Things were difficult for everyone."
"She had a community where everyone cared about her," the Asian shot back angrily. "What did we have, Armin? Homelessness and people viewing us like street rats for just trying to make it to the next day. I hate what the government has done as much as everyone here does, but at least they gave us a chance to live. If Dauper had their way, they would've-"
"Knock it off!" Otto ordered, have enough of this conversation. "This is not the time or place fer this. Today, we are giving you shelter, so be a tad bit grateful while yer here."
Mikasa fumed at him, but she kept her mouth shut. No point in causing trouble unless she wanted Levi's boot up her ass.
Sasha stayed silent because she knew Mikasa was right. Dauper never protested the so-called operation to retake Wall Maria. They knew what was going on even when the government was too spineless to admit the truth. It was a welcome relief having far less mouths to feed. Sure, it came off as heartless, but they needed to survive just as much as their neighbors. A damn shame that she had to be friends with the refugees. It made her feel guilty for having that sentiment, forcing her to reflect on the decisions she had made in the past.
"Where's mah daddy, Otto?" Sasha asked quietly.
"Last Ah heard, he went fishin' at the lake," he answered. "Ah can take care of yer mare for ya."
"Thanks." The hunter handed him the reins and made her way towards the southern gate. They didn't talk much when she was here last. It was high time to fix that.
Once she was out of earshot, Otto gave a snicker. "So, y'all are friends with the Great Devourer, huh?"
Connie couldn't help but laugh at that. "The Great Devourer? Can't believe we didn't think of that."
Doubt they picked you for your brains, runt. He thought to himself before continuing. "Sasha's eating habits have always been infamous among us. It was a joke back then, though when the famine hit and the refugees showed up, wasn't quite funny anymore."
"You seem to respect her despite the title you gave her," Armin pointed out.
"What, ya think we'd have kicked her out of our village because she loves ta eat?" Otto asked, amused. "She's a good kid. Dauper lost a great hunter when she left for the military, but we make do with what we've got. Picked up a few new things like horse breeding."
"Yeah, I can smell the dung from here," Jean said, his nose wrinkling from the scent.
"Well, we gotta have fertilizer fer the farms, kid," he explained matter-of-factly. "Tell you what: we'll get ya hooked up to a farm while yer here, and you'll be used to the smell in no time."
The brown-haired teen visibly grimaced. "Your generosity knows no bounds." Why the hell did I have to say something?
None of the buildings in Dauper boasted opulence, and the village hall that housed Markus's office was no different. He guided the captain through a door off the main meeting hall. Levi noted the bear head mounted above the hall entrance before stepping into the small office. Thankfully, no bared teeth or horned animals greeted him on the walls here. It was always tacky when people did that. A desk took up a large portion of the floor space, with a window behind the chieftain's chair. A dark fur draped on the back of the chair was the only seemingly personal adornment in the room.
"You got three things goin' for ya, Captain," Markus told him, gesturing him towards a second wooden chair. "Sasha seems to vouch for ya, you kill Titans for a livin', and ya managed to get under the government's skin. For that, ya have mah respect." He took a seat behind his desk and placed his hands together. "Now give me a damn good reason why Ah don't throw your ass out."
"Because we need each other if we're going to survive the crisis," Levi explained calmly. Using threats and intimidation wouldn't work on this man. Pragmatism was the only way to go. "You and I both know the government is full of shitheads who'd sell their own mothers to human traffickers if it meant staying ahead."
"Maybe so, but you were willin' to destroy an entire District to get a Titan," he pointed out with narrowed eyes. "Yer a desperate man, Levi, and desperate men don't give a damn about collateral damage. Ya think Ah'm just gonna roll over like a dog and let you burn everyone to the ground for yer own means?"
Levi's jaw tightened ever so slightly. The worse thing than an opponent was an opponent who brought up good points. Dauper was a strategic advantage he needed, but he didn't feel compelled to spill blood to get it. For once, it was finally time to draw the line. "Plans have already been set in motion. We need medical aide for one of my soldiers. We need a place to stay for the time being until we can make our move. What is it that you want in exchange?"
If Markus was surprised by his question, he didn't show it. He didn't want to have the Scout Regiment as his enemies, but he wasn't about to give them free reign either. "That's a mighty tall order there. You want a roof over yer heads? Yer gonna work for it. We don't tolerate freeloaders in this village."
"Fine by me."
"Y'all will settle food the food rations ya got unless I say otherwise. Resources aren't in bloom, and our village comes first."
Levi made a mental note to have a word with Sasha. He wasn't going to be gutted because she couldn't handle it. "Anything else?"
Markus leaned a little closer to him. "Thanks to you, we're gonna have the MPs comin' after us. Ah know ya got more Scouts than the ones ya brought. Give Dauper a protection detail, and we'll come to an agreement."
He raised his eyebrows at that demand. "You expect me to put the lives of my men at risk to keep yours safe?"
"Ah expect ya to fix the problem you caused," the chieftain enunciated clearly. "Ah ain't gonna let you be the death of mah people."
And there it was. The opening he had been waiting for. "You don't want to get involved? It's too late for that. You're right about one thing: the MPs are on their way because I made sure of it."
Markus's eyes blazed with rage and pulled out a gun from his desk. "The hell did you say!?" he roared, pointing the weapon at his head.
Levi didn't even flinch. "We set a trap for them, and we needed a place to lure them to. This was the perfect spot. You can shoot me if you want and kill the rest of my soldiers, provided you live long enough, but the MPs will still come. Silver lining? You'll get protection, but you're going to give us assistance."
The chieftain was unbelievably tempted to pull the trigger and be done with all this. The consequences of his actions, however, kept him at bay. He was backed into a corner with no way to fight it out. There was only one option left: submission. "Fuckin' mongrel," he growled, lowering his weapon.
"Welcome to the fight, Markus. Glad you could make it." The captain brushed himself off before he exited the office, leaving an enraged leader in his wake.
Lukas Braus groaned in annoyance. For the fourth time, his fishing line snapped thanks to the fights these damn fish were putting up. He'd rather be out in the woods stalking a wild boar for days instead of dealing the aquatic nuisances sucking the joy out of him.
"You fuckin' assholes," he snarled, grabbing his rifle. Maybe he'd get lucky and blow one up this time. Either way, he needed relief.
"Snapped a string again, Daddy?" a familiar voice asked.
He whirled around to see his daughter leaning against a nearby tree, grinning at him. "Sasha?" He couldn't figure out what surprised him more: the fact she was here, or that she managed to sneak up on him.
"Yer shouting covered mah steps pretty well," she explained before she pulled out two pieces of cable. "ODM gear has some sturdy stuff we can use. Ah'll get a replacement when we-"
She was cut off when her father wrapped his arms around her tightly. It had been a while since she felt an embrace that threatened to break her bones. She had missed it dearly as she hugged him back.
"Ah've missed you, Little Hawk," Lukas whispered, his hand resting on the back of her head to support her.
"Missed ya, too, Daddy," Sasha responded before releasing him.
A look of worry crossed his face. "Did the Titans come back?"
"No, no, no!" she quickly assured. "It's not that. Mah comrades and Ah needed a place to stay, and the captain suggested we come here. It wasn't mah idea."
Seeing that there was no immediate danger to fret about, he began fiddling with the knot of the broken string. He was intrigued to see if Sasha's idea would bear more fruit than his attempts. "Ah'm surprised you didn't suggest it."
"Of course Ah didn't suggest it… but Ah didn't refuse it either," she reluctantly admitted.
"Intimidating officer, or did ya agree with him?" With a grunt, Lukas finally untied the knot, letting the string hit the ground. "Finally!"
"Both, actually."
After he checked the ground for any snakes or large bugs, the man took a seat on the ground. "Have a seat, Sasha. Ya look like you need ta take a load off."
The hunter laughed slightly, joining him. "Damn right Ah do. Ah've been on mah feet all day. Demands of the Scouts and all."
"We may be a remote village, but word does get around. These 'demands' are a bit more than that." Lukas's tone became a bit more serious as he stared at his daughter. "Tensions between the Scouts and the government seem ta have risen as of late. Sounds dangerous."
"That's old news, Daddy. Your Hawk is now a wanted criminal." She was quite glum about the circumstances, her gaze staring at the lake. "All the Scouts are."
"...Did ya kill anyone?" It wasn't a question he wanted to ask, but he needed to know the truth.
"Not yet, but Ah will." She shook her head as she was resigned to the fact. "It's gonna get worse, ya know. We're takin' the fight to the fuckin' government."
"So why are ya fighting, Sasha?"
She let out a long-suffering sigh. "Years ago, Ah would've said it was ta get back at 'em for takin' our traditions away. Now, it's because Ah believe it's the only way we all make it through alive." A mirthless chuckle escaped her lips. "Congratulations. Yer daughter's a patriot now."
Lukas didn't say anything for a moment. He fiddled with a large knife that he decided to use to peel the bark away from a small stick lying on the ground. "Sasha, when ya left this village, you were an angry girl looking for someone or somethin' to take yer anger out on. Yer selfishness didn't exactly help me sleep at night."
"...Is that why Ma left us?" Sasha surprised herself by asking that dreaded question. They didn't talk much, if ever, about her mother for years. "Because we were so self-centered?"
He pursed his lips as he tried to come up with the right words. "It's… a lot more complicated than that, but that was a factor. Ah made mistakes, and so did yer mother. If ya really want ta know, we can have this conversation."
"Ah'd rather not!" she interjected quickly. "Not now, anyways. Got enough baggage ta deal with right now."
He gently wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her, even if it was just a little bit. "You know, Ah spent several nights wonderin' if Ah made the wrong choice lettin' ya go. The world outside the village has always been different than Dauper, and it can be one hell of a predator. Ya know what Ah see now? A strong, confident, young woman who's gotten stronger despite the struggles ya went through. You've changed for the better. Ah can see it in yer eyes. Ah meant what Ah said the last time Ah saw you. I've proud of ya, Hawk. Always have been, always will."
Sasha's lips quivered ever so slightly as she brushed away the slight wetness building up in her eyes. "Daddy, don't make me cry. It hurts mah eyes."
"Well, we can't have that now, can we?" Lukas rose to his feet and brushed himself out of the grass and dirt. "What say me and you try to bring home some trout and have ourselves a fish fry?"
She snorted as she began making her own fishing rod. "Trout? Ah'm gonna get myself a giant catfish that puts yer trout to shame. When they see mah meal, they'll walk off yer plate."
"Catfish are rare in these lakes, remember?" he pointed out with a smirk. "Ya wanna take that gamble?"
"Heck yeah, Ah do. Ah've gotten mature and stronger. You just got old."
Lukas rolled his eyes at her trash talk. "Suppose Ah can't swat you on the butt for insultin' your elders. Ah'll just humiliate you with mah catch instead."
Her grin stretching across her face, Sasha launched her line into the water. She never expected to have fun with fishing, of all activities, but she wouldn't trade this moment for anything in the world. While she wouldn't voice it audibly, she made a mental vow that when the war was over, she'd return to Dauper. This was where she was meant to be: home with her friends and family.
AN: Special thanks to MickeyTaco for helping me out with the descriptions of Dauper (and editing). Admittingly, this was shorter than I anticipated, but we seriously needed a break from the angst of the Uprising Arc and the baggage that came with Dillon and Annie's issues. Writing the depressing stuff that's been going on lately has made me appreciate these quiet moments all the more. I can't wait to do more of those scenes when they come my way. Unfortunately, because this is Attack on Titan, we've got plenty of angst and drama on the horizon.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I look forward to reading your reviews, and I'll see y'all in the next one.
P.S.: In case any of you Southerners are offended, I myself am a Southerner.
