𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝙷𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙴𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚢 |𝙰𝚘𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌

Chapter 12 - Apprehension

"We're not allowed to rush. Right Jean?"

"We'd be stupid if we did," Jean replied to Marco, "we can take our time."

"You always do the bare minimum," Eren said, "if you're going to take it slow, I'm going ahead."

Mara rolled her eyes as Eren urged his horse forward a little quicker. It was only a matter of time before it started with these two.

"Eren," Armin pleaded, "wait!"

"But the formation of the group," Marco stopped him, "what do we do, Jean?"

"Marco, you can decide," Mara said, "you're the leader not him."

"It's not like the extra effort is going to get me into the Military Police, anyway."

"Th- that's not true," Marco stuttered, "in any case, let's just get on with the exercise."

"This is so useless," Jean complained.

"That's such a great outlook, Jean," Mara bit back sarcastically.

"Would you hurry up already?"

"I wish time would go faster," Connie moaned.

"I agree," Sasha replied.

The wilderness exercise was meant to test their endurance and have them think for themselves without relying on an Instructor. A straightforward roundabout trip without a crisis, designed to push the limits of their boredom. Their class had been sent out last on the Friday, seeing the other groups return safely made them less apprehensive over what could happen in that forest when they were left alone. Still, everyone was a little on edge and tired from the long journey they had been made to undertake.

"This is tiresome," Jean said.

"That's the point," Mara replied, "it's not just how far we can go but it's how long we can last without anything exciting happening. Were you not listening to the Commandant?"

"Still, what use is this going to be in the future?"

"You think being in the Military Police will be exciting? You'll be doing patrols all day where nothing happens, just like this."

"I'm not joining the MPs, so this makes no difference to me," Eren said, "we should just move faster."

"Marco said no, so you will listen," Mara admonished him.

Mara's irritation at the boys' behaviour was hastened by her own defeat at the task before them. They had been riding for hours, the relentless sound of horses hooves against the ground made her head throb. The sun beating down on their faces making their eyes squint as they peered out into the endless desert in front of them. She understood their annoyance in what they were being asked to do but their complaints were of no help. If anything they were making things worse. Every time either one of them spoke Armin began scratching on his report sheet and Marco's anxiety climbed.

She wished something would happen to force them to act. They couldn't be faulted if they had no option other than to act, right? Mara looked to her right and saw a lizard running alongside them just as Jean pulled up to ride next to her.

"Geez, even a lizard is matching our pace," he muttered.

"Those are a rare kind," Marco said.

"They're delicious, you know?"

"Huh?"

"They really are," Sasha emphasised, "my family used to eat them. They taste like chicken."