Cornered

Escape 1

Mikasa awoke to chaos. She could hear Eren struggling nearby but she couldn't see him through the fog.

"Eren!" She called hoping for an answer. There were shouts and cries of pain. People were moving all around her in a panic with no clear sense of direction or what they should do. She got to her feet, quickly grabbing her gear and heading towards one of the wagons. Thankfully it was still there and she threw her things in taking a few moments to strap on her maneuver gear. Sasha came out of the fog towards the wagon.

"Mikasa! What's going on?"

"I don't know! Get in the wagon and tell people to start throwing their things in it and readying the horses. I have a feeling we're going to need to leave quickly." Jean appeared next apparently having heard and threw his things into the wagon beside her supplies. Mikasa grabbed his arm before he could disappear.

"Go start harnessing the horses!" He nodded and headed towards where they were tethered. Then they all heard the whistle. Gather to the north. Thankfully Sasha in the wagon was already to the north. Mikasa turned to face Sasha.

"You know what to do?" Sasha nodded. "Good." Mikasa ran back the way she had come. She doubted if she called to Eren that he would respond to her even if he heard her so she didn't try. Instead she charged forward using her sense of hearing to try and locate him in the muffled sounds through the fog. Finally she heard him yell in frustration and headed towards it.

"Eren!" Armin called. He must be closer to Eren than she was judging by his tone. The panic in his voice made Mikasa move more quickly. She arrived just as Eren was pulling a syringe from his shoulder. He dropped it to the ground and turned to her ready to fight.

"Eren, it's me."

"Mikasa?"

"Yes. Grab your things. We need to go." Armin was already collecting armfuls of sleeping bags as he gathered up both his own and Eren's. Eren was strapping on his gear and Mikasa was strapping on Armin's since his arms were full.

"You heard the signal?" she asked and they nodded.

"Which way?" Eren asked. Mikasa pointed with one of her blades and both Eren and Armin ran. She ran behind them bringing up the rear and watching their backs. They reached the wagon Sasha smiling at them in relief. They tossed their things in and mounted as Jean brought them horses.

"Come on, let's go!" Mikasa said and the four of them nodded. She glanced at Sasha. "If you see Captain Levi before we do let him know Eren is safe and away." Sasha nodded, then waved them on. Mikasa looked at Armin and Jean. "Ride to either side of Eren, I'll take point." They nodded and took up their positions as they rode through the trees. The sound of chaotic battle behind them faded into the gray emptiness of the mist.

"Mikasa!" She turned to look at Jean who had called to her. He was closing ranks with Eren and she realized what the problem was. Eren was slumped in his saddle and looked like he might be about to fall off. Jean was about to grab him when she saw other riders closing on them, and they weren't wearing the green cloaks of the corps.

"Armin with me!" Armin turned his horse although Mikasa could see he didn't know what she had in mind. "Saddle!" she said and then his eyes brightened with understanding. They charged into the enemy ranks swing their swords wildly causing the enemy mounts to rear and balk then cut the saddle straps. Three riders fell to the ground with useless saddles their horses charging off into the forest, but one rider had gotten past Armin and was still headed towards Jean and Eren. Mikasa spun her horse to pursue.

Jean had managed to pull Eren from his horse and place him in the saddle in front. He held Eren with one hand while the other held the reins of Eren's horse leading the mount behind him. He had glanced over his shoulder to see the rider bearing down on him and Mikasa chasing. His eyes widened and he kicked his mount forward gripping Eren tightly. Mikasa could see she wouldn't close the distance in time. She leaped onto the back of her horse and shot into the air with her gear using a burst of gas to close the distance. She felt the pull of gravity as she swung towards her target, the straps of her harness tightening around her body.

Mikasa caught a glimpse of a surprised face before she was ramming into the man knees first and knocked him from his saddle. His horse reared in surprise and kicked at the air but Mikasa was no longer present, instead swinging forward toward Jean and Eren. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Armin had been lucky enough to grab the reins of her horse and was leading it forward after Jean. She landed on the back of Eren's horse and sat in the saddle, nodding to Jean when she was ready for the reins. He let her have them and she let some distance open up between their mounts glancing over her shoulder one more time to make sure no one else was pursuing them.