A bird in the Scouts (on hiatus)

Retake Wall Maria: Part 3

The Beast Titan and its companion Titans stand outside Shiganshina District as the Scout Regiment awaits them on top of the Wall. 

Levi: *looks down at the Armored Titan* Erwin, he's gonna climb up.

Behind the Scouts, Reiner hardens the fingers and toes of his Armored Titan to begin climbing the Wall.

Erwin: All troops! Avoid clashing with the Armored Titan! Stay away from him!

Soldiers: Roger!!

Eren: Hange, why didn't he signal to attack? What's he thinking?

Hange: He's watching the enemy's movements. Because Reiner and friends prepared some sort of grand welcome for us.

Meanwhile, Erwin notices that there is a quadruped type of Titan next to the Beast Titan that is carrying some sort of cargo on a makeshift saddle on its back. It is not one of the newly transformed Titans. He suspects that it might have been the enemy's scout. It could have seen the Scout Regiment's approach and reported it to Reiner, which would mean that it is also an Intelligent Titan. Erwin does not want to discount the possibility that there could be even more.

The Beast Titan roars, and the smaller two- to three-meter Titans to either side of it charge in towards the Wall.

Hange: They're moving! Multiple two- to three-meters approaching!

Erwin realizes that the Titans intend to go after the horses first, which are trapped on the Titan side of the Wall. Their enemy's primary objective is to capture Eren, but they can do that by taking away the Scouts' only means of escape. Wall Maria is still deep in Titan territory, so the Scouts have no means to get back or resupply without horses. Then the Titans can simply wait them out until the Scouts are too weak to fight back. The fact that the larger Titans are standing in formation in a semi-circle in front of the Wall is proof that their purpose is to cage in the Scouts. While he thinks about that, the Armored Titan comes closer.

Armin: Commander! The Armored Titan is close! And we still don't know where Bertholdt is!

Erwin: Yeah, I know.

Erwin acknowledges this, and concludes that at this point in time, his worst fear is that the Scouts will lose their horses. Levi gets impatient from Erwin's silence,

Levi: Are you finally ready to say something? I could've had breakfast during the wait.

Erwin: *turns to the Scouts* Dirk Squad and Marlene Squad! Protect the horses at the gate with Klaus Squad! *turns back at Levi and the others* Levi Squad and Hange Squad! Take down the Armored Titan! Employ the Thunder Spears at your own discretion! Achieve your objectives whatever it takes! This moment! This battle! The survival on humanity depends on it! Once more, for humanity... give your hearts!

As the Scouts move to carry out their orders, Erwin calls back Levi and Armin. He asks Levi to stay to protect the horses rather than Eren, and to take down the Beast Titan when the opportunity comes. Levi understands and jumps down to join the other squads at the gate. Erwin then tells Armin his plan for the Armored Titan.

The Armored Titan reaches the top of the Wall and oversees the smaller Titans fighting with the Scout Regiment. Reiner notices that the horses are all tethered in one place, and figures it will be easy to kill them before making a break for it. The flesh inside his Titan removes Levi's blade from his neck and Reiner realizes if he had been any slower moving his consciousness from his head to his body, he would have died. He then spots Erwin standing alone and vulnerable on the Wall, but tells himself not to get distracted.