Birdie (Levi x OC)

fourteen

Chapter 14

The sound of horses hooves beating against the ground pounded in my ears as the Scouts headed deeper within Wall Rose. The tension was thick as only the moonlight, and various torches held by some of the Scouts guided our path towards uncertain doom. Fear clung to our group like a scared child clutching to its parent despite the Titan's inactivity after nightfall.

"We are headed to Utgard Castle," Hange yelled at us, referring to her map while simultaneously riding her horse. "It's a tower near the southwest that should provide us a good view of Wall Rose."

"Yes! Section Commander!' Moblit replied as our horses sped up towards our destination. 

I rode steadily beside Nifa, her presence providing me great comfort. 

"You scared?" She asked, her gaze remaining steady on me despite our fast-paced horses.

"Most definitely." I laughed at my upfront response and sent her a smile, "But with our squad here, I know we'll be alright."

"I agree." Nifa returned my smile, "Whenever Hange, Moblit and the rest of you are with me, I feel calm, almost at peace. Which is crazy considering the monsters we have to face." 

I felt the same. And although having a certain raven-haired man join the mission would have made me feel slightly less terrified, my squad's presence was a great source of comfort. 

Nevertheless, the sooner Captain Levi's leg was healed, the better I would feel about the Scout's tedious situation concerning the cadet's titan-transforming powers.

"Promise, you'll survive this one, Birdie?" Nifa asked me regarding our mission.

"Of course." I grinned at her, "As long as you do too."

Nifa looked at me with a spark in her eye and nodded firmly, confirming her determination to live.

~

We had ridden for a few hours before I heard my Squad Leader shout from her position at the front of our group.

"We are approaching Utgard Castle! Ride steady!"

I quickened my horse and caught up with my Squad Leader, who rode close to Eren and the others.

"Sure this castle is a good vantage point?" I asked Hange.

"Should be," her eyes were narrowed in front of her, a look of determination plastered on her face.

"Something doesn't feel right..." I looked over at Jean to my left.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, unsure if I heard him correctly.

His comment caught me off guard and caused me to look around at my surroundings. Dawn was breaking now, as we had primarily ridden through the night, allowing me to see my environment clearly. We were riding through a dense forest, supposedly close to where the castle was located. Besides the sounds of our horse's hooves, it was eerily quiet as we pushed forward. I turned my hearing to the forest, expecting to hear the sounds of birds and other types of wildlife, but only silence met my ears.

"I don't know..." Jean cast me a nervous glance, "I just have a bad feeling."

Jean's negative feeling was soon proven right.

We broke through the forest into a wide-open clearing. There, only some 500 metres ahead of us, stood a castle...or at least what once must have been one.

The dilapidated castle, however, is not what took my attention. Instead, my eyes were glued to the hoards of titans crawling, running and moping around the stronghold.