From Across the Sea (Attack on Titan/OC) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 36

The early sun was warm against her cheeks as she sat atop Winston with the rest of her squad, next to Levi. Angharad watched as Erwin commanded the Garrison to open the gates, and she turned around to face her teammates.

"Remember what I told you. Trust each other." She looked to Levi, the Captain already sporting his usual bored expression. "Once we get past the outer village, that's where I'll leave you. Erwin will summon for me to join him as soon as he's able to deploy the formation." She heard the final clunk of the gate, and she turned just as the line of soldiers began to ride forward.

"The 57th expedition outside the walls begins now!" Angharad snapped the reigns of her horse as the Scouts began to charge out of the gate. The support team managed to take out one lone titan lurking in the village. When they emerged on the outskirts of the village into the open field, Erwin shot is hand out and shouted his orders. "Deploy long-range enemy scouting-formation!"

The line of soldiers began to spread out into their positions in the formation. Angharad raced forwards through the crowd on Winston, rushing past veteran Scouts and new recruits alike. The wind whipped her braids behind her, and she rushed past Erwin and his squad, coming to her position in front of formation. Commander Erwin would be able to keep an eye on her as she navigated their way through titan territory.

It wasn't long before several red flares were shot into the sky, confirming the location of a titan spotted on the right side of the formation. Angharad steered Winston to the left just as Commander Erwin shot his green flare in the same direction. The further she rode through the open fields, she began to become hyper aware of her surroundings. Every puff of breath through Winston's teeth, every time a bird rustled the trees, the sounds of hoofbeats of Erwin's squad behind her...She felt alight with adrenaline, and she reveled in the feeling of being outside the Walls again. She kept her eyes moving through the horizon, watching for every little movement. She hadn't felt the danger warning on the back of her neck, so that was a good sign, right?

~

Armin couldn't believe what he was seeing. This abnormal titan had just killed squad leader Ness right before his eyes. Only the Female Titan didn't eat him. Instead she waited until he made a move to strike at her nape, moving out of his aim at the last second. Armin watched as she reached out for his grapple line, using the equipment attached to him to swing him to a splat on the ground before she sped up her steps again.

Armin yanked on the reigns of his horse and the horse he was leading, riding away from the abnormal as fast as he possibly could. His heart pounded in his chest with every stomp of her feet on the ground behind him.

No, this one isn't abnormal. It has intelligence, like the Armored and Colossal titan. And Eren and Auntie Ang. It's a human in a Titan's body.

"I have to do something. I have to survive to tell someone!" Armin let go of the other set of reigns, yelling for the spare horse to escape. There was another barrage of footsteps from the Female Titan when suddenly the other horse was thrown off balance and tumbled to the ground. Another rush of air and a shadow cast over Armin, caused him to look up. The Female Titan had rushed up behind him, her foot raised in the air above him as she prepared to take him out. But the looming appendage instead came crashing to the ground in front of him, spooking his horse and throwing him off his steed. Armin rolled across the ground, and he took deep breath as he waited for his turn to die.