Attack on Titan: Bloodline – Chapter 6 (Jan 6, 2019)
It is now the year 849.
Lorraine gazed out the window of the Cadet Corps mess hall cabin as the raging snowstorm grew heavier. She sighed and looked back at her hot vegetable stew. The steam rose from it as she dragged her spoon through the thick and creamy meal. Mikasa, sitting across from her next to Eren, said, "Lorraine, what's wrong?" Lorraine shrugged, taking a bite of her dinner and frowning. She said with her mouth full, "I don't know. I guess the weather just has me a bit irritable." Eren muttered, "I know what you mean. This blizzard has a bunch of the guys practically going stir-crazy already." Armin, sitting next to the younger Ackerman, sighed, "Yeah. Tell me about it." Lorraine said annoyedly, "Tch. The girls, too. It's driving me insane." Their conversation was cut short when Keith came in with two other instructors, the cold, winter wind howling in from outside.
"Attention, Cadets!"
The entire corps stood at attention and listened intently as Keith announced, "Tonight, you all will have to endure the harsh conditions of this blizzard! I and instructors Nadya Holtzer and Johannes Sorg will transport the lot of you to the base of the mountain just outside of Trost! After we drop you all off, you will hike up the mountain and over to the other side, where you will then reach a base to rest!" Many Cadets groaned or sighed. Keith shouted, ignoring the concerned mumbling, "This will be an exercise in stamina, teamwork, and overall survival instincts! If any of you get lost out there, we will send out search parties; that is, assuming this damn blizzard doesn't get any worse!" Lorraine bit her lip, a shiver travelling down the back of her neck.
"Finish your meals and go suit up! I expect to see every single one of your asses out there in one hour! If any of you are late, you will be cleaning the stables for a week!"
"Yes, Sir! Understood!"
Keith walked out without another word, followed by his fellow instructors, leaving the Cadets to finish their meals. Lorraine folded her arms and huffed, "Seriously? It'll be dawn before we make it." Eren shook his head and said, "Come on. We had better get done and ready. I know I don't want to be cleaning the stables." Lorraine nodded in agreement and they returned to their meals.
Back in the girls' dorm, Lorraine pulled on her thick, fur-lined parka, making sure to insulate as much of her small body as she could. She left her now mid-back length hair down and tucked into her jacket in an attempt to add a layer of warmth. She sighed, buckling her jacket up, and she looked over at Annie. She had her messy blonde hair down and was wrapping her scarf around her neck before buckling up her jacket. Lorraine said confidently, "Hey, Annie. What do you say? Loser treats the winner at the market when the weather lightens up?" Annie chuckled.
"Yeah. Sure."
The girls both smiled and sat down on Annie's bunk to tie their boots. Annie interjected, grabbing her wrist lightly, "Hey. Tuck your pants into your boots. It will help you stay warmer." Lorraine untied her boots and tucked in her thick pants before redoing it, watching Annie to make sure she was matching hers. As they finished, the two walked out, pulling their hoods up and grabbing the supply packs provided to them by instructor Nadya. As they opened the door, the chilly wind stung their cheeks, causing them both to recoil in surprise. They walked out to the wagons to find a seat. Unfortunately, the seats in the wagon where Eren, Armin, and Mikasa sat were already taken, so she shrugged and followed Annie. The two sat up front, closest to the driver, sitting across from one another, completely silent. Lorraine shivered a little, pulling the bottom of her hood a little bit further over her nose, trying to keep herself warm. After a short time, many other Cadets had filed into the wagons, packing every possible space with warm bodies, though nothing truly warmed the frigid air around them as the wagons began to rock and jerk around as they rode over the rough terrain.
It seemed like an eternity before the wagons finally stopped and they were all urged out of the wagons, select Cadets being handed lanterns. Keith stood in front of the group, cleared his throat, and shouted, his voice echoing for miles, "Alright! You maggots have until sunrise to reach the base camp that is on the other side of this mountain! I expect to see every one of you back, but, again, if anyone gets lost, search parties will be sent out! The training exercise begins now!" With his final words, he turned and drove with the other wagons towards base camp.
The many Cadets, still huddling together, started off walking over the mountain. The snow and wind chilled them to their bones as they hiked. Lorraine plodded along, the feeling of numbness taking over her toes as her thick boots slid through the loosely packed snow. Groups of Cadets naturally split off as they walked, making it increasingly difficult to stick together. The wind whistled through the trees and across the open expanse beyond the mountain. Neither stars nor moon shone, making it even more challenging to see through the worsening blizzard.
Hours passed. Lorraine tugged at the hood of her furry coat, lagging behind the rest of her small group, which consisted of Jean, Connie, and Reiner. She felt her entire body trembling from the cold, her eyes stinging and tearing up from the winter winds, and her legs were beginning to feel the effects of hiking through the snow.
"Damn," she mentally cursed, "I suppose being small also means I don't store heat nearly as well as others...shit..."
"Lorraine, what's the holdup?"
Lorraine looked up. Jean and Connie, both holding lanterns, were irritatedly glaring at her from up ahead. Reiner stood between the two boys and Lorraine, keeping watch over her. Lorraine gasped for breath and sped up her pace a little, shifting past Reiner to keep up with the other two. Connie sighed. Jean groaned, annoyed, "Look, short-stop, if we have to keep stopping, we'll be little more than ice sculptures by dawn." Lorraine snapped, her teeth chattering, "Oh, how inconsiderate of me; sorry to inconvenience you. No one ever said you had to stop, Kierschtein." Jean growled, "Why you little-" Reiner put his arm out in front of Jean, stopping the angry Cadet.
"Hey. Take it easy, you two. The situation's already bad enough. We don't need a fight on our hands."
Lorraine sighed, pulling her jacket as close as she physically could, but still shivering. Jean huffed and turned to continue walking. Connie, Reiner, and Lorraine followed. They soon came upon a downhill slope. The group briefly rejoiced. Connie cheered, "Alright! Downhill at last! Not too much farther!" Reiner stood next to Lorraine and asked kindly, "Are you alright, Lorraine? You're shivering." Lorraine nodded and gave a weak smile.
"I'll be fine. Thank you, Reiner."
He watched as she, determined to keep up with them, waded through the knee-deep snow. Connie groaned, "My arms are tired. We've been hiking for hours. Reiner, you take the lantern for a bit, man." Reiner sighed and took the light source from him. Lorraine's legs weakened, shaking more with every step as she once again fell behind. She felt her nose in particular beginning to go numb, save for the telltale signs of frostnip setting in. Her nose and cheeks prickled like tiny needles stabbing her face and she knew she had to rest. But before she could even speak up, she felt her body begin to tumble and roll down a steep cliff and the hill below it. She yelped and, although the snow padded her fall, rolled for a short distance before coming to an abrupt halt.
Reiner heard Lorraine's shriek behind him, but when he turned around, all that was left was a trail of footsteps that got too close to the side of the cliff. He shouted, a clear sound of panic in his booming voice, "Lorraine! Lorraine, are you okay!?" He tried to search for her, but the snow made it almost impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. He only found a pathway in the snow where she had clearly tumbled. Jean and Connie were now at his side.
"Lorraine!"
"Yell if you can hear us!"
Reiner, not even thinking, said swiftly, setting his pack down and rummaging through it, "I'm going down to get her. You two go on ahead and tell the others what happened." Jean gaped.
"Are you out of your mind?!"
Reiner said, gripping a rope and zipping the bag back up, "Jean, this is what soldiers do. We have to look out for each other. I need you two to go back and tell the others so that if we don't make it back in time, they know where to look. Got it?" Jean looked down the cliff, then growled. He turned reluctantly back on the path. He said gruffly, "Be careful, Reiner. I don't want to see you two as icicles in the morning, got it?" Reiner said confidently, adjusting his pack, "Not a chance." Jean and Connie set off worriedly down the mountain while Reiner swiftly and skillfully tied the rope to a nearby rock. He tugged on it, testing the strength of the rope and the knot, then climbed down the cliff as quickly as he could, jogging to Lorraine's side. He picked up her tiny, limp body and gently shook her.
"Lorraine! Lorraine, are you okay? Lorraine!"
Lorraine shivered uncontrollably as she gasped for breath and opened her eyes. She heard a familiar voice calling to her. As her vision faded into view, she saw the face of Reiner, illuminated by the light of his lantern, which he had stuck into the snow. She looked into his golden eyes, only now noticing how beautiful they were. She said in a breathy voice, "I...I'm sorry...fell...it's cold..." Reiner glanced around, then stood up. He slipped his arms under her back and her knees, lifting her with the greatest of ease and carrying her towards the cliff. He soon set her down, but she noticed that the wind had come to a stop. No. They were in a very small cave in the side of the cliff. He planted the lantern, placed down his pack, and began unbuckling his jacket. Lorraine protested, worried about his well-being, "Reiner...don't...!"
He said nothing, but opened his jacket only for a moment, then wrapped Lorraine up in it, holding her close. Her eyes widened. His grip on her was gentle, but strong. She felt her heart beat faster in that moment. She looked up at him in silence.
"He's so warm..."
She turned her head and leaned on his muscular chest, hearing his heart beat steady as a beating drum. She felt the warmth from his body radiating through her soul. His jacket helped to shield her from the cruel and cold outside world. She felt safe. Reiner looked down and smiled.
"Is that better?"
She nodded. She felt like she couldn't say a word, even if she wanted to. Her body soon stopped shaking and she finally felt like she could relax. Her lips turned up into a small smile and she closed her eyes. All too soon, Reiner loosened his grip on her. She pulled away, though she wished that she could stay there in his warm embrace for an eternity. She watched him intently as he finished buckling his jacket back up and put on his pack once more. She adjusted her own pack, a light blush creeping its way up to her cheeks. He cleared his throat and said, grabbing the lantern, "So, what do you say we get back to base?" Lorraine nodded, her smile fading a little as she watched him walk out into the blizzard.
Back at base, Eren paced back and forth, brows knitted together in worry. The snowfall had slowed significantly and the moon was high in the sky, changing the sky from pitch black to a light blue-grey and casting light over the snowy terrain, boosting everyone's visibility. Mikasa said, propping herself up against the fence, "Eren, please calm down. There are a few others who still haven't made it back. I'm sure she just fell behind." Eren said anxiously, "But what if she got hurt or frozen? What if she needs help and-" Sasha interrupted, pointing out towards the mountain, "Wait! Look over there!" In the distance, two figures walked closer. Eren, Armin, and Mikasa took off running, only to see Jean and Connie wading through the deep snow.
"Jean! Connie!"
Mikasa asked, "Have either of you seen Lorraine?" Jean said sternly, "Yeah. She was with Reiner. She took a rough tumble through the snow. Reiner went to get her. He sent us to inform you all." Connie nodded, confirming Jean's story. Eren gasped. Armin asked, "How far were they?" Jean shook his head, "No telling exactly how far, but I'd say we were about twenty-five minutes up the mountain. I'm sorry." Mikasa's eyes widened. She said in a panic, "Is she okay?!" Connie shrugged and said, "Not sure. We couldn't see her. The storm was too thick at the time. That's why Reiner went to her rescue." Annie and Bertholdt ran outside. Bertholdt asked, "What's going on? We should stick closer to the cabin. I have a feeling this blizzard is going to get worse." Armin said, "It's Lorraine. She apparently took a fall and Reiner went after her." Annie's eyes noticeably grew worried. She sighed.
"We have no choice but to worry about it later. We can't go back out there without permission. We can only hope they make it back."
The group turned and started walking back towards the cabin where the rest of the Cadets waited, sitting in clumps to shield themselves and each other from the cold. Eren sighed and sat in the snow, leaning against the fence. More Cadets returned a few at a time. Instructors Nadya and Johannes kept track of the Cadets as they arrived. Eren and the others heard Nadya say to one group, "Nine hours and twelve minutes." Johannes added, "Not bad, considering the conditions you had to trudge through." Connie sighed, "Why won't they let us all inside already?" Jean shrugged. Sasha sat next to him and said optimistically, "I'll bet they're busy preparing us a huge feast."
"Look! There they are!"
Armin had stood up and was pointing out at two approaching figures. They looked closer and saw that it was, in fact, Lorraine and Reiner. Mikasa, Armin, and Eren ran to meet their friends, followed by Annie and Bertholdt.
Lorraine walked close to Reiner, still freezing cold in the worsening blizzard, but not nearly as weak as before. She and Reiner had both pulled their hoods down. She shivered and her teeth were once again chattering, but she took comfort in being next to her friend. She looked out towards the cabin and saw their friends running towards them.
"Lorraine!"
"Hey, Reiner! Lo! Are you two okay?!"
"Lorraine! Reiner!"
Lorraine smiled, seeing her sister running towards her, and took off to meet her. The two girls wrapped their arms around one another, clinging to each other as if they hadn't seen each other in months. Mikasa held Lorraine tightly and said, "Oh my God, Lorraine. You're okay!" Lorraine chuckled and said, pulling away from Mikasa, "Yeah. It's all thanks to Reiner." Mikasa held the younger girl's hand and said with a sigh of relief, "Reiner. I can't thank you enough. We were so worried about her." Reiner, embarrassed, said, "Nah, don't worry about it. A soldier's gotta look out for his comrades, right?" Bertholdt and Annie glanced at each other, then looked back at Reiner. He looked around at the other Cadets and asked, "So has everyone made it back?" Mikasa said, "No. Krista, Daz, and Ymir are still missing. Last I saw, Daz wasn't doing so good." Marco walked over and said, "You don't think they got lost, do you?" Connie's face dropped.
"Man, if they get stuck out here in this snowstorm, they're done for."
Eren gritted his teeth and growled, "That's it." He began to walk out towards the forest, but Mikasa grabbed his arm, stopping him. He said, "I have to go out there and get them!" Marco agreed, "I'm with you!" Nadya announced loudly, "Get into the cabin. Now." Lorraine protested, "But, what about Krista and-"
"We know. A rescue team will be sent out at first light."
Eren shouted, "But, they will have frozen to death by then!" Nadya asked sternly, "Do you want more people to freeze to death?" A gust of icy wind billowed in from over the mountain. Lorraine gripped her sister's jacket and huddled close. The two instructors walked inside. Bertholdt said as the wind calmed down, "She's right. It's suicide to go back out there now." Eren cursed, "Dammit." The group reluctantly followed the instructors inside.
Inside the cabin, laid out on the tables were pots of what looked like the usual, plain vegetable stew and steamed potatoes. Many Cadets had sat down and started eating. Lorraine sat next to Mikasa and picked at her stew, but really didn't feel like eating. She couldn't help but worry about Krista, Ymir, and Daz. Eren stood up in a huff and walked out into the other room. Lorraine looked at Mikasa, confused, only to be met with a half-hearted shrug. Reiner sighed and stood up, too. He said in a low voice, "We can't let him go out there alone." Mikasa stood up and nodded.
"Right. Let's go."
Armin and Lorraine both trailed Mikasa as she followed Eren out. Eren sighed, pulling on his pack, "Listen. It's better if you guys let me do this alone. Like our instructors said: we don't want any more people to die than may already have." Mikasa said sternly, "That is exactly why I'm coming with you." Armin confidently said, "I can't just sit here and do nothing." Lorraine adjusted her pack and said optimistically, "I'm coming, too. I grabbed a med kit just in case anyone is hurt out there." Eren looked back at his friends. Reiner playfully said, stepping up behind Lorraine, "Really? What the hell is this?" Eren snapped, "Don't you dare try to stop me-" Bertholdt calmly interrupted, "In this weather, you're gonna need a lot more gear." Reiner chuckled, "Trust me, you can't do this on your own. You'll end up just like the folks you're trying to rescue." Lorraine looked up at Reiner. He had that familiar confidence flickering in his shining eyes. She smiled a little and looked back at Eren.
"The more eyes you've got in your search party," Bertholdt said with certainty, "The better your chances for survival and success, right?" Eren thought for a moment, then said, "I guess...I guess we could use all the help we can get." Connie interrupted, making sure his scarf was wrapped well, "Great. Then count us in, too." Marco smiled and said, "It sounds like the storm's letting up a bit, so now might be our best chance." Sasha added, "I brought some extra rations just in case!" Eren said gratefully, "Thanks, guys." The group turned towards the door suddenly, all having heard a distant rumble. Sasha said very matter-of-factly, "It sounded like it came from the mountainside." Armin suggested, "Maybe it was an avalanche." The group rushed outside to see what the commotion was.
"God," Lorraine thought, holding her jacket close to her cheeks, "I hope they're okay." It was pitch black once again, the snow polluting the Cadets' vision. Finally, Sasha pointed out and said, "Look! Over there! Somebody's coming!" The group squinted out into the distance to try and see who it was. It wasn't until they got closer that they saw Ymir dragging a body along in a cot. Lorraine called out, "It's Ymir! She's got somebody in tow!" Reiner and Bertholdt ran out to meet Ymir.
Lorraine ran out after them, prompting protests from Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. As she ran up, she shouted, concerned, "Ymir! Are you alright?!" Ymir said over the howling of the wind, "I'm fine, but Daz isn't doing too hot. He tripped and got a few good scrapes. Before we knew it, he had passed out." Reiner asked in a serious tone, "Where's Krista? Is she okay?" Ymir shook her head.
"No telling. She and I split off awhile ago."
Lorraine said urgently, "Bertholdt, help me get Daz inside! I'll tend to his wounds!" Bertholdt nodded and picked up the wounded soldier. He carried Daz inside, followed by Lorraine. She set down her backpack and pulled out her medical kit with the swiftness of a fox on the hunt. Bertholdt set Daz on the floor and unbuckled the cot, leaving Lorraine to tend to his wounds while he ran to fetch a blanket. She examined Daz's skin carefully, noting that his fingers and toes were, miraculously, only minorly frostbitten. Instructor Nadya worriedly returned alongside Bertholdt, who had brought a large blanket.
"I heard what happened. Is everything okay in here?"
Lorraine nodded, smiling, and explained, "Yes. Miraculously, his wounds aren't too bad and he's only got a little bit of frostbite. Bertl, I need two bowls of lukewarm water as quickly as you can. Also, please grab me a wash rag while you're at it." Nadya said, watching Bertholdt walk back to the kitchen, "Ackerman, you really have a knack for this. Have you ever considered becoming a full-time medic?" Lorraine shook her head and said, pulling out a cloth bandage and gauze, "No. I joined with my sister and my two friends to fight the Titans. I want to rid the world of the fear that they cause us. I don't ever want anyone to know the terror that I did that day." Bertholdt returned with the stuff she needed and set it on the floor next to her. She thanked him with a nod and grabbed the washrag. She dipped it in the water and proceeded to gently clean the long scrape on his forearm before wrapping the bandage tightly around it. She then set his fingers gently into both bowls of water, being very careful not to move them too much.
"Well, it would be a good fit for you. You would be an excellent nurse."
Lorraine looked up at the instructor's kind face and smiled. She said shyly, "Thank you. I...I appreciate it." Nadya smiled and walked out, jotting something down on her clipboard as she walked away. Lorraine and Bertholdt continued to care for Daz, slowly warming up his fingers, toes, and face using increasingly warm water.
Meanwhile, outside, Ymir sat out by the fence alone. She had told the group that she would wait for Krista while the others went back inside. As they were going inside, Jean pulled Reiner aside and said quietly, "Listen, man. I'm sorry I doubted you earlier. You brought Lorraine back." Reiner smiled and said, "It's fine. I understand why you had your doubts." Silence fell between them, save for the howling of the wind. Jean and Reiner looked inside the nearby window where Lorraine and Bertholdt were taking care of Daz. Jean chuckled, "You really like her, huh?" Reiner stayed silent, thinking about what had happened between them in the small cliffside cave. He smiled a little, then dodged the question, changing the subject.
"Let's go check on Daz. Make sure he's okay, you know?"
Jean looked back out at Ymir, who sat against the fence, her head in her hands, but he ultimately followed Reiner back inside the cabin.