Off The Beaten Path

Burning

The path ahead was lit a vibrant white, lighting up the walkway faintly at first. Bernell could barely make out the shadows of one of the groups sent ahead before they were engulfed by the white light, the snow wasn't blowing in though the entry way belied the passage of numerous people; melted and refrozen countless times. After another ten minute spell Bernell's group approached the opening of the tunnel. The light was blinding at first, the kids in the back had settled into an uneasy nap during the trip through the dark; the trip had taken an hour. Liza quickly threw a blanket over them to keep them asleep. The trip would be easier if they were sleeping, not making noise.

Joan held a hand out, signaling for the rest to wait behind. She moved out past the tunnel edges, the soft shush of the horses hooves through the snow faded the further out she went. Bernell waited anxiously, ears straining past the sound of children breathing softly, the soft suckling of Liza's baby. She was rewarded within minute by the pounding of horse hooves. Joan's mare pranced uneasily into the tunnel, Joan looked red faced. Bernell's eyes dropped to her ODM. It seemed unused.

"Move." She commanded silently, the volume betraying the urgency. "Keep up."

Her mare ran off again, Bernell spurred her own stallion into action. The beast was as powerful as Mark had declared, it burst forward like lightening from the sky; sudden, strong. Bernell shot against the back of the short seat, the wooden edge digging into her with bruising force. Liza cried out, Bernell could tell the children in the back had awoken. The older folks had taken to laying down as well, though they made no noise. With age came the wisdom to know when to stay silent. The cold wind whipped at Bernell's face, forcing her to bring her cloak up over her nose and squint her eyes.

"Keep them quiet." Bernell shouted over her shoulder, hoping the wind would carry her words back to the other adults in the carriage.

The stallions powerful legs churned beneath him, quickly eating the ground between himself and the mare before Bernell allowed him to slow. She didn't want to tire him out before they reached their destination. They would be traveling for a while and a large part of their trip was over open plains; she needed him to be able to take off at a moments notice. Joan looked over her shoulder for a moment, nodding at the carriage. Two other riders flanked them, their horses seemed to be skittish, the riders not in control. They jumped and pranced - and Bernell knew. She knew the only time these horses reacted that way was-

She turned her head back around, bracing herself for the scene she was sure would unravel before her. Only, it never came. Joan took a sharp left, riding wide around the path they were originally meant to take, the path that Mark had drawn out on their maps. Without a word Bernell matched pace, the other riders followed suit. A gathering of trees popped up in the distance, white against white, as they crested a small hill. Joan motioned with her arm to keep moving forward. Bernell's mind raced. Trees were optimal for ODM movement, limiting the broad sweeps and finer mobility for even higher ground than the houses and buildings within the walls could offer, making striking the nape as easy as playing cat-and-mouse, with a team member as bait. Bernell hadn't been able to take appropriate stock, but she was sure only Joan had an ODM. Titan's didn't often make their homes in forests, too cramped. No food. They flocked to humans.

A noise drew her attention to the right. Bodies. Titans. Giant skeletons and steaming clouds rose to the sky from a sunken valley, the snow around them had melted to reveal muddy ground and pathetically dead grass. Her eyes swept the area quickly. Three titans were preoccupied, a scream went up as one of them brought a hand to its face. Further on seemed to be a small group of five or more following the path of the groups that went before. Too many people in one place. It had lured them. Her hands tightened on the reins as one of the monsters clambered to its feet, almost smelling the air. Bernell forced herself to look away, to look towards the forest. She noticed Joan had turned her head, she was watching the titans as well. Her horse skipped a step, dug its dainty hooves in and took off like a bullet. Bernell snapped her reins though the stallion needed no urging. He tossed his head as though gathering into himself. She could feel the way his body stretched out, limbs churning even harder beneath him. He quickly matched paced with the mare. Bernell didn't bother to look behind her to see if the other riders followed or could keep up; she couldn't hear them over the creaking of the wagon, the wind raging in her ears and the solid, steady beating of the stallions hooves on the ground keeping a rhythm with the golden mare.