Sigh No More *Captain Levi* (Sequel to "White Blank Page")

Chapter Three

The next morning was almost completely quiet. Everyone prepared, whispering instead of speaking in their normal voices. They're all making sure the wagons and supplies were in place, before preparing their horses. 

I sat beside Fala in the nursery the few hours remaining before we were to leave. 

"This'll be my first time in action with out you," I sigh, patting her head. 

She whimpered, understanding why everyone had been bustling around recently, and that she wouldn't be taking part in all of it this time. 

I rose to my feet and patted her head in a last goodbye.

Levi had come in just then, to find Hakan. Said dog sat beside Fala, his tail wagging as he caught sight of Levi. 

"Come," Levi called in his usual monotone voice. 

The dog whined, and didn't budge. Levi's eyes widened slightly; this was the first time the dog had disobeyed him. He tried again, and again the dog whimpered and wriggled around, but didn't stand. 

"Hakan..." I spoke now, a few moments of silence pass, then I turn to Levi, "I think he wants to stay with Fala," I murmur to him. 

He seems angry for a moment, but then sighs in defeat, his stony gaze softening just a bit, "I suppose that would be best," he states, softly patting Fala's enlarged belly, then scratching behind Hakan's ears. 

"Let's go," I call to him, strapping on my green cloak as I walk. 

He catches up to me soon, matching my step as we head towards the stables. We lead out our shining black steeds and walk over towards the courtyard where many stand, already waiting. Dogs stand beside the horses that their humans sit atop. 

Last minute preparations take place, and then everyone gets into line. 

With out even an order, we head out. 

As we pass civilians, many are cheering, though some still look upset and angry that we are still venturing out into the outside world... and still others point and laugh at the dogs and the harnesses that many of us wear to hold them. 

There seemed to be the same thoughts running through all of our heads as we continued down the road though, because none of our expressions changed, and our eyes all remained facing forward. 

We finally reach the edge of the wall, and the doors slowly open, with a final salute from the Garrison Regiment. Levi shouts out orders and the regiment forms the correct groupings as we spread out. The dogs easily match the speed of our horses, and the cadets remain deathly quiet. 

There is no action for almost an hour, when suddenly a flare goes up, and the chaos begins.

Yells and screams fill the area, orders from Levi, me, and senior members alike, fill the air. 

They seem to be coming at us from all sides, but luckily we're in a slightly forrested area, and are able to manuever. 

Those with their dogs quickly snap their canine companions into place, and manuever off their horses. The dogs make quick killings out of most of the titans, whom don't even seem to see the animals, and focus only on the humans. I trip a few of the titans so that my cadets can get at them. Levi and I work together to slice the back of the neck of one of the largest in the group of titans, a 14 meter class. 

A titan encases one of my cadets in its jaws, and I quickly manuever and slice its neck titan, it falls to the ground, and the cadet that had been placed in its mouth clamors out, to meet the happy yipping of their companion. The cadet is trembling, but I smile as he continues to manuever into the fray, his dog securely harnessed once again. The titans are thinning out, and as I stand atop a tall pine, I see that for now, no others pursue us. 

I watch with pride as human and canine work together. 

Suddenly, I'm flying through the air, the tree I'd been standing on having been broken by a deviant titan who jumps with abnormal, immense speed, and begins killing my cadets. I shakily rise from a branch that I'd been thrown on, my arm aching, most likely with a dislocated shoulder, or something of the sort. 

I move into action and try to lure the creature away from the group. It follows me, almost getting my foot everytime it lunges. I twist and turn, and try to manuever into a position where I can kill it. But, the thing moves to quickly, and I find myself running out of trees. 

If only I had Fala. I think to myself as the titan gets closer and closer. I suddenly stop manuevering and fall downwards, then attach to a lower branch of a distant tree, and make my way underneath the large beast. 

Pain lances through me as the thing grabs my manuevering cables and flings me into a tree like a toy. I cough up blood and wince as I already feel a few broken ribs. I stand shakily as the titan turns to pounce on me. It lunges towards me and I close my eyes, waiting. 

But I don't feel any pain, at least not from the creature's teeth. My eyes open to find Levi, his back facing me, and his head bent forward. He holds the creature's mouth open with his bare hands. His palms begin to bleed as the abnormally sharpened teeth of the titan dig into them. His arms shake with the exertion of holding the beast's large mouth open. 

"Levi," I whisper.

He turns his head slightly, his gaze is soft as he makes eye contact with me, his dark onyx eyes for once don't hold a single shred of coldness within them, instead becoming pools of unspoken emotion. 

And then suddenly he's gone. The lips of the titan close in its creepy grin, a large shred of green cloak flying through the air.