However Long The Night

FOURTEEN: This is bad for you. H.H Reset.

Orion had a particular way of galloping that Rosario had started to grow accustomed to. The Scouts had to somewhat regularly take their houses out for a ride if missions and expeditions were few and far between. It kept the animals from growing restless or losing stamina. Rosario would occasionally ride Orion, bringing both him and herself to the limits. It made for a rhythm between them that she enjoyed.

It also kept Rosario from focusing on the unfamiliarity of the terrain outside the walls. It was bad enough to be in Trost and keep herself from running away back to Tamashi. Then suddenly they were outside the walls and back into Titan-infested lands. She'd forced her mind to be on the gallops of her horse rather than the threat that never left them. Surprisingly, being surrounded by unfamiliar people made matters worse. She'd never gotten around to meeting the Hange Squad members and never realized she'd grown used to Jean and his two pets.

She kept her place in the formation as best she could, trusting her new partner scores less than she did Jean. At least she knew what to expect with him.

And when another Scout fell behind, her hand went straight to her blade before he got close enough to hear.

"We're stopping a mile ahead. Be ready."

Hange and Captain Levi found a suitable spot for creating a base point then. As if all the scouts anticipated the break, tired from the strains of being on horseback for hours, everyone rode faster until the group came into view and the command to get off their horse came.

The scouts followed their orders, mingling about and speaking at low volumes as the Captain and Section Commander brought out their drawn map and decided where they'd set up their base.

Rosario fell forward into Orion, her legs just the smallest bit sore and her back tired from the ride. A nap would be splendid if she didn't think she'd die if she fell unconscious. It's not like many would miss her enough to bother.

She allowed herself to close her eyes for just a moment. Thoughts of Oliver and her parents and the mysterious other person her mind wouldn't let her remember had kept her awake until the early hours of the morning. She'd felt as if the second she finally found sleep, the call for waking came and they were out side Wall Rose in a matter of hours. It was regular adrenaline and vigilance that kept her fully alert. She still was, painfully so. It prodded against the bone of her skull as she tried to find some calm with her head on Orions nape.

Chatter buzzed the space occupied by the soldiers, soft but quick. Conversations began and ended, giggles were stiffled as reprimands were hissed. Everyone found their own way to cope with their current situation.

Rosario never found her calm. Instead she found her ears straining to hear past the voices to the dreaded pounding from afar. Shooting up, she gripped the reins as hard as she possibly could, struggling between biting her tongue, because no regular person could hear from so far or above such noise, and warning everyone that more than one titan was coming their way. Would they even believe her? Waiting, Rosario listened as the footsteps came closer, and watched as the braches on the farthest trees shook along to their rhythm.

Whenever Rosario thought of Titans, Petra's last moments came to mind. Her mind was perfect in recording that as well. She saw her blood and heard her screams and then remembered every detail of slaying that same titan and ripping her cloak from between its teeth.

Screw it. Screw fucking it. "Hiyah!" She whipped the reins against Orion, hitting her feet against his sides. Orion broke into a brisk run, directed by Rosario past the formation of the Scouts, toward the trees where the sound came from. The chatter ceased as she went farther and the pounding came alarmingly louder. Then only the sound of the Section Commander shouting her name was left of the human noises.