The days when they didn't all make it back were hard.

Cold.

Brutal.

Levi could hardly stand the sick feeling in his gut as he buried another group of squad members. He sank to his knees by their graves: Mark, Samara, Gavin, and dozens more from the Corp had died yesterday. The late autumn leaves crunched under his weight, burdened with a load they couldn't bear.

He stared at their headstones, taking each in turn.

They were so cold, lifeless. A harsh contrast to the people that they symbolized.

Not two days ago, Samara had taken his horse in for the night, doing him a favor so he could run to a late meeting with the other squad captains. It had been so kind of her, and she had done it without being asked. She simply saw a need and filled it.

Gavin's absence would leave the late night fires devoid of his stories and puns. No one could word-play like him, and no one would try for weeks.

Mark had been a quiet soul, more of an adventurer than anything else. He'd left his small hometown near Wall Shina and a family of 8 behind searching for his purpose in life.

And none of them mattered in the end.

They'd given their lives, just like everyone else.

Now they were here, buried alongside hundreds of others who died equally pointless deaths.

Levi vaughly wondered how many more deaths it would take to break him as he swallowed a lump in his throat. The chilly air surrounded him like a plague, tendrils of it sneaking into his lungs with each shaky breath, chilling him from the core.

He couldn't tell if he was only shaking or if the cold was making him shiver as well.

The unmistakable sound of Dog's paws, crunching through the leaves, sounded next to him. He glanced to his side just in time to see her curl protectively around him, her warm fur brushing against him. She settled into a sit, head resting on her paws, but her body was solid and firm against his trembling, and he relaxed a little.

Better now? Her expression seemed to say. His hand automatically drifted to her head, petting her and ruffling her ears. Thanks to you. He thought back.

Satisfied, she turned her gaze towards the leaves lazily falling from the trees around them. The evening sun illuminated the burning reds and oranges of the foliage. Winter would arrive soon, within days, and the Earth would reject life in turn for ice and cold.

Levi turned his attention to Dog, her head against his leg. How had he ever made it by without her? She'd only been his for about a year and a half, but he couldn't imagine life without her.

He'd never been one to express himself verbally, and he knew that scared some people off. But with Dog it was different. She didn't need to hear him talk or feel his pain to know how he felt. It was as though she could read his body language. She knew when he needed space, or when he was too tired to play.

Times like today, she'd keep her distance until she knew he needed her.

It was beyond him, but he was beyond grateful for it. Their bond was something he'd never admit he needed.

They sat there until the sun fell from its place in the sky and darkness rose like a puff of air. Levi really was shivering now. He'd only worn a light jacket to mourn his comrades, not thinking of much other than their faces before he'd left.

He finally stood, Dog rising next to him.

"Come on girl. Let's get back."

And together, they wound their way back to HQ.

AN:

Hi!

I was going through my fanfiction profile and I realized I never uploaded the last three chapters of this story! Oops...

But here they are so I hope anyone still on this site enjoys them here as well.

(P.S.) Please hit me up on Ao3! I haven't decided for sure yet, but fanfction is a dying site and I'm not sure how much energy I want to put into it these days. I'm always working on more fanfics but I might only post them on Ao3.

Much love

~Gamma