Blue and White - Levi Fanfiction

Ch. 33 - A Lesson in Trust

"This is a disgrace," Levi muttered, his voice dry and his tone venomous - a clear look into how he was feeling at the moment - but still, there were layers and layers left unsaid and unrevealed. "A lot of good this formation does when the bastards can bore into it that deeply."

Eren, as instructed, fired off a black smoke signal, sharing the news that an Abnormal Titan had been spotted.

"An entire wing, lost just like that," I said reluctantly. It wasn't just recruits that were there, but veterans, comrades I had known and worked with for years. And... wiped out? Those words had a wicked sense of finality to them, one I didn't want to think about. I said my next words without even really meaning to: "The new recruits..."

"You said it yourself, captain," Eld said to me, riding at my flank. Even with those few words, I could tell he was doing his best to maintain his nerve, and by speaking to me as such, he was trying to tap into some of my own courage. "Let's not underestimate them, right?"

"I'm not," I assured him, setting my worry aside and being the leader I needed to be at the moment. Worrying and being upset would do nothing for me right now and certainly nothing for my subordinates. Erwin stationed me here with them and not in the forest to man the traps for a reason, and I would not falter. "Trust me, I'm not. Not after what they got through in Trost. I'm not pitying them, either; they know what they signed up for."

"Look up ahead," Levi said. I knew without even having to look what exactly he had seen, but I looked anyway.

There on the horizon was a forest, but it was no regular forest, like the ones that frequented Wall Rose's lands and even popped up elsewhere within this wall. This forest in particular was one of Wall Maria's natural wonders. Geographically, and with regard to most of its flora, it was a perfectly normal forest - that is, of course, if you didn't take into account the giant fucking trees.

It was our destination for this mission, unknowing for a great many soldiers. Only we commanding officers were aware that it was our goal, much in the same way that only we knew of the real intent of this mission. Hidden beneath the thick canopy of leaves, settled atop branches and strapped to trunks, were the traps Hange and Moblit built that I helped design, and even now they were with the advance teams that were ready to spring the trap as soon as the target was lured in.

Hopefully it wouldn't be us doing the luring, but with how this day was going already...

"Only the center rank is passing through it," I said, maintaining a front of ignorance. "The trail isn't wide enough for the whole formation. But what is Erwin thinking? We could have passed around it, couldn't we?"

"Who knows," Levi said, playing along. For this plan of Erwin's to work, everyone needed to believe that we knew nothing, even if that meant lying to our squad and playing dumb. "But unless we're told otherwise, that's where we're going."

We remained silent as we surged ahead, heading straight for the forest. Petra returned to us, having passed on the message she needed to and eventually, we entered the forest without incident. But even as we approached it, with each step on, the tension between us grew and unspoken words passed between our subordinates.

Our silence was growing unbearable. Our subordinates were growing worried. Our conviction remained unwavering.

We pressed on. It was dark under the thick canopy of trees, only thin trails of sunlight were able to break through and stream down to the moss-covered roots and worn dirt trails. The trees were wide and would make for good cover from whatever had wiped out the right side, that whatever being...

"Captains," Eren called, pulling me from my thoughts, and I knew already that he was about to try speaking for the group, for all those under our command. Our four seasoned soldiers knew better than to ask after our intentions or question us; Eren still needed to learn that lesson. I only hoped he wouldn't make this too hard on us.