"Really….this is some joke right?" Eren questioned staring at Commander Erwin as if we had grown another head. Erwin stared back, his eyes telling them he wasn't joking.
"They are going to cause us more damage then they will to help" Jean agreed which was something that was extremely rare between the two. Despite the fact Erwin agreed with them he kept his face neutral. Madarin was making him babysit new recruits just for his own form of pleasure. It wasn't something Erwin was happy to do, but the higher ups had given their permission forcing Erwin's hand.
"It is our orders" Erwin responded calmly turning on his horse to watch the small group on horse back heading towards them, Keith Shadis leading them.
"Their going to die out their though" Connie gasped also watching them approach.
"A sacrifice the Officials are willing to make"
"I wont! I won't do it!" Eren yelled.
"You have no choice Jaeger" Levi cut in his usual bored tone stopping Eren from speaking. They watched the new recruits arrive by them, a air of hopelessness around them as if they knew they were already dead. It angered Eren to see but with a stare from Mikasa he knew to be quiet.
"Welcome my name is Commander Erwin" Erwin called addressing the new recruits, whose eyes remained looking down, though it didn't stop Erwin from continuing. "Today's mission is just a mere information gathering, finding information on are enemies to recover what mankind has lost, we will encounter titans and no doubt lives will be lost, but our mission is clear and we will follow it"
Willow flinched at the commanders words, he didn't sugar coat over the chance of death and from the looks the scouts were giving them, it was like they were already dead. Commander went on for a while longer explaining what he expected and about the formation they were to ride in, before he split them in to groups. Willow and Pete were with two other cadets from their squad and two other scouts, who didn't say much to them as if not knowing what to say. Willow watched the rest of her friends be sorted in to groups before they were ushered towards the gate. It was a huge gate that towered over them, in a frightening manner.
'Here it is…death's door' Willow gulped, feeling her body shake again.
"Do not break formation, formation is the key to lessening our loss" Erwin called, standing in front of the gate, his back towards them, giving the soldiers either side the gate a nod to open it. When the gates opened everyone began to ride out, reluctantly Willow followed trying to swallow back her fear, but as she crossed the threshold of the gate and was beyond the wall, staring at the seemingly normal looking land. Her fear just increased.
"Don't worry kid" One of the soldiers she was group with smiled at her, bringing her fear filled eyes to him, she had no doubt he could see the tears that wanted to spill. "Stick with me, you'll be alright"
Trying to swallow back her tears Willow nodded, pulling her horse in the direction she needed him to go so they stayed in formation. It was a huge backwards 'V' shape. A strange shape but it helped them cover more ground.
"Oh my god" Pete gulped spotting a large being to the left of them in the distance. Willow almost fell from her horse at the sight, it was a titan right? Despite it wasn't close to them, it was so huge she could just make it out, before it seemed to evaporate.
"Someone got it" One of the soldiers explained his eyes scanning around for any more titans. Willow did as well, her fear filled eyes praying not to land on another beast. She could just about see the other groups some distance from them, they were the last group on the right, bringing up the rear on the right side. She really didn't like it.
"Keep calm kid, I can see you sweating from here" The soldier beside her commented giving a stare which asked if she was okay.
"Sorry, I just, erm I'm not not ready for this"
"No one ever is"
"We can't even use our mobility gear" Pete added making both the soldiers splatter and turn to them with wide eyes.
"What? How can you not use your gear? Why would they let you graduate?"
"We didn't graduate" Willow explained her eyes meeting the soldiers.
"Then why are you in the field?"
"Punishment" Pete and Willow explained, their eyes jumping to the the left when they saw a smoke signal fly in the air.
"Punishment? More like a death sentence, you shouldn't be allowed out here especially if you can't use your gear, you will be a hazard to our safety as well" The soldier grunted. "Stick close to us and don't leave my sight, if you see a titan call it out we will deal with it, do. Not. Run. , if we can't deal with the titan, fall back to the left and join up with the next group, but what ever you do. Do not engage and do not break formation"
"You really don't have to worry about us fighting a titan" Pete mumbled but the soldier cut him off with a stare.
"Am I understood?"
"Yes sir"
"Good"
They rode out towards the land the forest slowly coming in to sight.
"How can we keep formation in a forest?" Pete questioned, jumping slightly when another flare was set off in to the sky. Though the soldiers didn't seem to worry.
"Like I said just stick-"
"Titan!" The other soldier cut in, pointing to the right of them. Willow followed his finger. She felt her whole body freeze with fear. The titan was a huge monster that towered so high. It's face was present in a large grin, it's eyes the eyes were so empty and emotionless, filled with a never ending hunger. Her breath quickened as she fought with every instinct telling her to run away.
"I got it, keep moving" The soldier who had spotted the titan called before manoeuvring his gear and flying in to the air, without hesitation he raced towards the titan, his horse continuing on with them. Willow felt like she couldn't breath she was so terrified as she stared at the beast so close to them. It was horrifying, worse than she had imagined.
"Keep moving" The soldier in front instructed seeing Willow and Pete focusing on the titan, seeing that they were still eyeing the titan in fear, he fell back grabbing Willow's head he yanked her attention towards him before doing the same with Pete.
"I said keep moving"
Nodding rapidly they tried to gulp back their fear and tried to keep their eyes away from the titan. But Willow just couldn't look away, she watched the soldier glide around it easily moving out of it's reach, and obviously killing the beast as it evaporated, but before the soldier moved back to them another titan appeared, with a third in the distance.
She was terrified.
"Damn it" The soldier with them cursed setting off a smoke signal in to the air.
"Are we, are we in danger?" Pete gulped. Willow's heart pounded so dangerously as she too wondered the same thing. Was it usual to see so many titans?
'I don't want to die!' Willow cried her hands turning almost white from how hard she gripped her horses reins.
"Both of you keep calm and keep moving forward I'll catch up with you soon"
"Don't leave us!" Willow begged, not being able to stop her tears. "Please"
"I have to help my comrade, keep moving, I won't be long, and for heaven sake calm down! You panic now you will die, keep moving and stay fucking calm!" The soldier yelled before disappearing in the air. Willow gulped watching him head towards the titans, her chest feeling so painfully tight with fear. How were they supposed to calm down!
"Just- just follow the horse right?" Pete stuttered as they entered the forest following the soldiers horse, the forest making everything so much creepier.
'Calm down breathe breathe, everything will be okay' Willow uttered to herself trying desperate to calm her fears, but it just didn't work. Taking deep breathes she started to hum and sing. Pete following her lead and uttering prays to himself, just trying to ease their own fears, it almost worked.
Almost.
"Holy shit, Willow!" Pete seemed to scream, Willow glanced behind her, before following his eyes to the large set of hungry eyes that was staring at them through the trees.
"Oh god!" Willow cried, as the titan reached towards them. It's hand barely missing them thanks to the tree that block it's grip, she could hear it crushing behind them and the ground seemed to shake as the titan moved. "Please go faster please" She begged her horse as another hand slammed down on the trees beside them. They screamed fearing that this was going to be the end, that right now they were going to be eaten alive.
Pete scurried around in his bag looking for the signal flare he had been given. Something Willow hadn't even thought of, with trembling hands he fired his flare in to the air, the red smoke shooting up high above them, scared Willow copied, praying, hoping someone would come and rescue them. Her Pistol fell from her hands as the ground jolted beneath them, she didn't want to look back but from Pete's paling face and panicking cries she knew something bad was behind them.
"Oh god someone help us!"
Tomas dropped to the ground beside Dieter having finished the last titan off. There was way too many titans around. They just seemed to keep coming. But now the area looked clear.
"We better catch up with the newbies" Tomas sighed taking one last look around.
"Oi Tomas"
"Hmm?"
"I see red smoke" Dieter pointed out receiving a 'so' look from Tomas a lot of people were firing red smoke when they had more then one titan to deal with. "It's coming from…straight ahead" Dieter finished pointing towards the smoke, Tomas followed his eyes just as another flare was shot in to the air, way above the forest.
"The newbies!" They startled diving in to the air. The land scape flying passed them at such speed, they made it in to the forest rather quickly, dodging the destruction of destroyed trees and plants around them, both of their eyes focused on the huge titan they could see above the tree line, chasing after what they could only assume was the newbies. Readying their swords, they soared in to the air, diving at the titan as it reached for something. Dieter managing to slice the titan's nape, smoke surrounded them as the titan evaporated. Pete was frozen on the floor though his eyes hadn't even been on the titan that was reaching for him.
"You alright newbie?" Tomas questioned searching around them for any other danger, before a thought struck him. "Where's the girl?"
Pete gulped pointing in the direction he had been staring in, one word leaving his lips.
Titan.