Wings in the Dark

Chapter 13: Limitations

*Reader's POV*

Another expedition today, one that felt so soon after the previous one, as if the Scouts were hoping that by going out so soon after the first successful one, some of the success of the last one would rub off on this one.

Unlikely, but it was a nice thought.

This time, instead of standing nervously off to the side on your lonesome, you were in position with the rest of Levi's squad, putting you fairly close to the front this time. Zephyr was pawing at the cobblestone beneath them, eager to get going, her restlessness rubbing off on the others as Levi's horse tossed its head and snorted, shifting from foot to foot and causing Levi to shoot you a dirty look, as if to say 'You're a bad influence on my horse.'

You just chuckled and patted Zephyr's neck to help her settle down.

Outwardly, you were calm, despite Oluo's poking about the rookie going out on her second and the hopes it went as well for her as the last, as if he was trying to get her nervous. He stopped after Eld chastised him. Besides. It was unnecessary–you were nervous. This time you were going out in a more exposed, frontal position, and this time you knew Titans might be attracted to you.

As much as Erwin apparently wanted to put you in an entirely new position in the formation–new as in it currently didn't exist–he needed to test you out in the field a bit more, especially regarding the Titan attraction thing.

But, if you performed well, if you didn't draw an entire horde of Titans to you, then there were big plans for how to use you that might allow the Scouts to push farther than ever. You weren't sure what it would mean for Levi's Squad if it was a plan put into action, considering the exposure of your abilities it would also be for anyone around to see you.

But those concerns could be worked out later, if this expedition went smoothly. Today, you and Squad Levi were going to be in the left vanguard. Levi had told you privately to simply tell him when you heard something and he would make the call to fire the flares, so it wouldn't draw as much attention to her–more to him, though he was aware the rest of the squad was smart enough to figure out you were the one saying to fire the flares.

You were going to be the eyes and ears of the squad, while Levi decided how to react and make sure you didn't wander off by accident while you were busy focusing. In the future, Erwin wanted you to be the eyes and ears of the whole formation, but again, that was a concern for the future, if this smaller scale run worked out.

You felt bad for the other members of the squad, how unaware they were of what was really going to be happening today, and how irritated they might get about having to fire signals from apparently nowhere, but you weren't keen on the idea of letting more people in on the secret unless you absolutely had to. And right now, it wasn't life or death that you tell people what you were, so you were going to let it stay a secret for now.

"Levi–will you help me catch a Titan this time!" Squad Leader Hange called from where she was with her group a little behind and to the right of them.

"No," Levi said curtly, not even turning his attention away from the front.

"But–"

"No."

"You're never fun, are you?"

You raised your eyebrows at the blunt conversation and how quickly Levi shut her down, Levi catching the look you were giving him and raising his own eyebrows in response, as if to ask you if you disagreed and for some reason wanted to go chasing down Titans today.

You shrugged slightly. "I just figured it'd be helpful to be able to learn more about what we're fighting," you said pointedly, looking off to the front. You didn't know much about Squad Leader Hange, or her relationship with Levi, or efforts to capture and study Titans, but the idea, at the moment, sounded like a good one to you. Something worth trying. It might help efforts against the Titans improve.