Off The Beaten Path

Just Hanging On

☼ LEVI ☼

He couldn't believe it.

She'd gotten away from him.

Oh sure, the fox tunnel had been a clever trick, but not fast enough. That lake bit is what did it. If the ice hadn't cracked he could have followed. Hell when she started going down he was prepared to chase after her and save her from the icy depths himself. It was a stupid notion in hindsight. He tsked, smacking the trigger against the gas canister to knock off the snow that had been piling up. He wasn't looking forward to telling Erwin that the woman had gotten away.

He wasn't surprised though; pressed against the tree as she had been she struck him as a wild animal would when wounded. Crouched low, hackles raised. Her brown hair had been a wild, tangled mess even in the braid. Her eyes were wide and reflected the blue of the snow around her. Then she had hissed and, as though it had been choreographed, she fell to the ground below.

Levi's heart still raced at the memory. His mind had raced ahead, picturing her as hurt and broken as his fallen comrades. But she'd pulled out of it last minute and some of that anxiety had eased. The fear of titans had fueled his chase. Two in the same location didn't bode well for the future of their trip, and Levi had finally convinced Erwin to only send him with two other soldiers. That would be out the window next time. Erwin wouldn't risk it again. Levi paused on a branch near where they had started out, the two new recruits panting from the effort of attempting to keep up.

Better alive and exhausted. Though he barked, "Pull your heads out of your asses and keep up next time or I'll let the Titan's eat you."

"What was that woman?" The young soldier with blonde hair and freckles shouted as they moved about the trees silently.

"Damn demon if you ask me." The other, a stout red head, shot back. "Did you hear her hissing?"

Levi remained silent, his mind working quickly as they approached the rendezvous point. Erwin was already waiting and impatient. Everyone looked cold, even the horses with steam trailing from their muzzles on every exhale. Levi landed, checking his gas levels as he strode toward his Commander. About half full after that chase. His gaze rose to Erwin's flat expression and he shrugged.

"She outmaneuvered me." He offered dead-pan. "We tried beside that hill-" Levi paused as he pulled the map spread along the back of the cart towards him, quickly he marked the area they ran into the titans and frowned at the cave marking. "This is a hill." He tapped the pencil point against it. "Snow is on all sides, there's a small tunnel it looks like from above. Could also be just a deep hole," he sketched it in lightly. "And we found her over..." his finger trailed without touching, "here."

"A house?" Erwin leaned against the side of the cart, irritation in his voice.

"N-no sir!" The blond spoke up. "No house. But Sir, you should have seen her. She was... well..."

"Feral." The stout one offered.

The blond nodded in agreement, "She hissed at us."

Erwin drew back, "Hissed?" his face screwed up in confusion, "Like... Like... A cat does?"

They nodded and his gaze dropped back down to Levi. "Is that true?"

Levi shrugged. "To an extent. She didn't hiss so much as blow air out her mouth."

Erwin raised a brow. "You mean, like hissing?"

Levi squeezed his eyes shut, "That's not really the point. She can maneuver her ODM like the best of us."

"Obviously if you couldn't catch her." Erwin slapped his arm jovially.

He was never going to live that down.