You sat quietly in the ruined home, balancing back on a chair as you stared out the wide hole where a bay window must've been in the past. The town was hopelessly quiet now, deathly quiet one might say. You chuckled to yourself with the stray thought, polishing off the small roll you had chosen to munch on for your lunch.

Wall Maria had fallen. How, you had no clue. For generations that wall stood strong, protecting its inhabitants from the ungodly beasts known as titans. From afar you'd seen the titans crowd around the gates, squinting allowing you to see those patrolling the wall scurrying around in a frenzy. In a days time you'd made your way to the wall safely, finally witnessing the demolished structure. Whomever had fucked up this bad, surely wasn't alive anymore.

Since you'd been abandoned far beyond the walls boundary, you hadn't so much as seen another living person.  It had been more than a year at the very least, the chilly Autumn day you'd died feeling reminiscent of the cooling season you were now feeling. When you first found yourself alone you'd tried to count the days, but spending energy on that was idiotic when you need to focus on survival. The day you'd seen trouble stir from afar amidst the wall's gate was hopelessly bittersweet.

You darted stealthily through the streets at first, mildly excitedly to see the interior after so long, but the demolished streets and rivers of blood that seemed smeared on every other wall was simply just disheartening.

You tottered on the chair, staring up at the ceiling with a keen ear lent out for any signs of your rather bothersome company. Unlike in your past, the constant fear of death seemed muffled to you, at least more than it once had been. These creatures were mindless and hungry, relentless in the mission to hunt and consume any human flesh possible. However, you'd grown used to the rat like way you'd begun to live. It was now just a part of your existence, as menial as watering a plant. 

Your chair tipped backwards, sending you with it. You cried out, wincing as you hit the wood floor. "Geez, I don't know why I keep trying that."  You muttered bitterly, rubbing your head.

A mournful sounding yowl echoed your cry from far away. You turned your head to the wrecked wall in response, stiffening at the sight that greeted you. A bone-chilling grin turned to face you, eyes fixating on your figure without a second to waste. The titan peered at you from a street over, the building between you being left as nothing more than rubble from the Titan's initial attack.

You sighed, lifting yourself up and collecting a small leather bag from the floor. Your eyes didn't leave the monster as you slowly stepped backward. "Well darn, guess I can't enjoy the view for much longer..." You whispered to yourself. Throwing the bad over your shoulder seemed to trigger the titan, causing it to slowly begin its trek towards you. It took its time as well, though stumbling almost comically over the building between you.

You turned and jogged down the stairs with gentle, quick feet. The lower floor told a story of the previous inhabitants, and helped you to know what supplies you could retrieve from the remains. The home you'd walked into was a family home.

A few scattered toys littered almost every corner, probably a very young child's. Scattered blankets and chunks of stone decorated the room. Aside from the brick rubble, the carnage could very well just be the mess left behind by an active toddler. Your prize, however, was a chest that laid against the wall. Chests had grown to be your favorite thing in the world, like large presents full of only the things you knew would be useful. You flowed towards it, opening it without trouble. The contents consisted of blankets, small clothes, a number of unfinished sewing kits and some small toys. Though blankets and children clothing were as much use you as a pile of dog shit, the sewing supplied and a few small knickknacks still made their way into your satchel, alongside the still warm loaves you'd managed to bake before alerting the titan to your location.

You stood from the chest and buttoned your bag shut, smiling to yourself.

A low moan roared overhead and you looked up slowly, finding the titan's foot just beyond the doorway. Panning over, you watched as its hand felt blindly down the staircase you'd descended moments ago. You laughed quietly, stepping closer to the hand. At the very least this titan seemed unusually dumb, and it wasn't exactly the most aggressive either. Turning towards the back, you tucked your head down and made your exit.

Through the doorway, down the hall, through a door and you were left in a small garden. Looking up, the remains of the building hid you from the sight of your large assailant. Taking a deep breath cleared your lungs and you began to jog. At your sides swung a bloodied pair of 3D Maneuver gear. You'd felt bad, removing it from the lower half of a corpse, but the prospect of getting to soar once more was tempting all alone. And besides, a corpse had no buisness in survival.

After weaving a few streets down, checking that the titan population remained thin to nonexistent around you, you looked down at your gear.  

Remembering to use it was like riding a bike. You shot your tethers, lifting off shakily before remembering your balance. It was liberating in a sense. From above the titans seemed more manageable, cute even in some cases  As you lowered back towards the ground, you tried your best to  not stumble, rolling over. Your feet tucked, somersaulting, and falling over. Grunts escaped you with the rough landing, but you couldn't help your smile.

You patted the gear happily, muttering a thanks to the fallen soldier for leaving it in good condition for you. The quiet zip accompanied by the metal twang of tightening cord was the only accompaniment to your travel, as over the town you sailed. You looked to the next gate, the official entrance into the interior of Wall Maria. Like the first, it was obliterated. The events of that day still escaped you, but whatever had happened must have been devastating. Wall Maria was the largest region to the kingdom of humanities last hope, and it was lost to the titans. The Survey Corps must really seem like a joke now.

You whipped under the gate, thankful to bypass the smaller titans that still lingered in the city and around the gates. As you entered the interior, expanses of green pasture and fields expanded beneath you. Trees were plentiful in patches. You used your gear, tethering to the wall and following it west. For approximately a week, you'd made your home within the ruins of Wall Maria, the densest woods and now unattended fields providing far more sufficient food than what was left beyond the wall.

As you neared the trove of trees that had you, you let yourself come back to Earth. About a mile from the wall, in an expanse even impressive from the view above, was the tallest, safest place you'd found in over a year. The sun rose above you menacingly, tilting downward toward the horizon as though threatening you with nightfall. This didn't scare you. You walked for an hour or two, finding the familiar entrance to the woods then winding a path through them. It wasn't long before your base arose in sight. 

The home you'd claimed was abandoned with the evacuation, a small cabin with a basement that you'd yet to unlock. It was warm, and hidden by the trees. To the naked eye it could be camouflaged by foliage, but with practice it was easy to find. By the contents of it you'd seen, that was only one person at most. Though it took awhile, you eventually saw the cozy shelter not too far off. You smiled tiredly upon the sight, picking up pace to get home just a little faster.

Though the house was claustrophobic in its setting, being consumed by the forest in essence, you'd found it with a companion in tow. As you came up to the house, a grayish mare whinnied, taking your attention. Smiling gently, you moved to the roaming horse and patted her face gently. When you'd found the place, she was tied to a post within a shabbily built stable, no food even remotely within her grasp. She was scarily underweight, but seemed happy to be found when you arrived. At the time you'd cut her loose, allowing her to run free. However, she always seemed to be there when you returned, gnawing on grass or a large stack of hay leaned against her stall.

Being unsurprised, you patted her side and spun around, grabbing a bale of hay from over the fence and placing it beside her. "Eat up lovely, you deserve a good meal."

You prayed for the life of her previous owners that'd been left in such a state only because of their panic in evacuation.

She seemed to nod towards you, or maybe you were just going insane. Regardless a smile found you and you turned, walking towards the home.

As you entered, a wave of warmth seemed to roll off, brightening your cheeks with a heavy sigh. You closed the door gently, sliding a thick slab of wooden against it. Another gift from the previous inhabitant, a ridiculous number of safety precautions on the door. Maybe he was a gang member, or a trafficker? Maybe he had a secret mistress that he met only ever in the very cabin. Maybe he was a defector, or a criminal. You moved as though almost on autopilot, thoughts all creating tantalizing realities that you pondered as to the previous owner.

Throwing your satchel to the ground. You removed your cloak and threw it aside. Its worn edges fluttered as it descended like a bird taking to flight. After so long, it had become stained and torn through so many things. That didnt bother you too much however, only the insignia stitch into it that you couldn't ever remove. Sure it was a patch but you were no good at sewing! What if you just tore the whole thing?! Too much trouble.

You collapsed into a heap on a sofa draped in quilts, stealing one to drape over yourself. Outside you could hear crickets gently singing, interrupted only by your equestrian companion's random snorts or whinnies. You smile, chuckling to yourself as you could now say you were talking to the horse rather than yourself. What a cute idea.

Your mind wandered as it always did, reflecting back on the day and days before. This place had become your home, far more favorable than what you could shambles together on your own. It has only been a few days, maybe weeks since you'd found yourself within the walls again. The day you'd been left to die all you could ever wish for was to come back these sacred old bricks and feel security within the masses of confined humanity.

However now, you couldn't feel the same joy you'd thought you'd feel back then. Over the course of many months, several season's changes and many sleepless nights, the world had become far more vast and terrifying. You lived in small leaf covered huts nestled against the trunks of ginormous trees, but the society you once pined to return to felt too small.

You could never blame the unit that left you behind that day, but deep within you a bitter hatred of humanity had begun the moment you found yourself alone in titan territory. Weeks, maybe even months of recovery, a barely passable diet of scavenged fruit and the occasional rabbit or squirrel, and the never ending fear that came of living among titans, had made you wonder why it was that the Survey Corps failed so miserably to survive beyond the walls.

Those leading the nation were cowards, sending out frightened children to discover new land but never giving them what the needed to in order to do so. The people that claimed happiness within the walls were liars, only regurgitating the echoes of what their leaders told them. Crippled, starving and afraid,  you'd managed to stay alive. Even now managing to improve your own quality of life through the panic of the cattle that lived within Maria.

And yet, no one ever found you. So long and no mission ever even neared your location, if they were even exploring beyond the wall at all. You'd been left for dead, and they didn't even have the balls to try again. After so much life was lost, they gave up in an instant. Cowards and pussies, each and every one of them.

As your eyes sank shut, your conscious seemingly pulled deeper and deeper to sleep from the very base of your skull. Your thoughts still lingered on the same infuriating topic, but drowsiness was a far stronger spell. Your gentle scowl didn't relax in sleep, instead staying with you in your rest. Dreamless slumber found you as it always did, the night singing you its lullaby.

~•~•~•~•~

Crash

You shot awake in an instant, eyes darting back and forth while scanning for its source.

Crunch
Thunk
Thud

You jumped up as the wood that barred the down crashed to the floor. Without thinking you leapt to your feet, collecting your things and tucking yourself away within the deeper rooms of the cabin. The door swung open with an audible thwack, crashing into the wall behind it. A heeled boot clicked against the floor.

Your spine went rigged as you shrouded your face with the cloak. You fingers probed a harness strapped to your thigh, unbuckling then bearing a jagged blade. The tip was dulled, and the edge chipped and bitten over much time, but still no sane person would leap at you regardless the state of your weapon.

"Captain! Do you really have to be so rough with the door? You are aware that we're in titan country right?" Though walls stood between you, the voice was distinctly female. The slower steps were accompanied by her scurried steps, soon after more entering the house by the sound if it.

"I'm not an idiot Cadet. You know just as well as me that this isn't a safe place. But we have to go anyway. The horses are exhausted and need rest, as well as our team. If we keep pushing forward you won't be able to so much glimpse a titan without dying." The companion growled something undetectable, but you strained to hear. In your mind a tally slowly grew.

1. There was at least 5 people in the house by the sounds of it. At least one male, one female.
2. The male was a captain, meaning it was probably the survey corps. With this district being new Titan territory, there's no way any others would be in this area. The rest seemed to be his subordinates.
3. They seemed to still think this cabin was in a relatively dangerous area.

You scowled inwardly, remembering bitterly your last few moments with the so-called 'Savior of Humanity.'

'Just my fucking luck I guess...' You thought.

You broke your eyes from the floor and looked upward. To your left and right were both doorways, but heading left was like walking into the open. To your left was a closet, barely anything left in it now. However, to your luck, there was a window.

"Be cautious, these embers are still warm. Someone has been here recently." The woman said quietly.

You pressed your foot behind you, looking at the window with determination. As the footsteps seemed to settle, you counted in your head. As the count hit one, you charged, almost freezing as you breezed right in front of a shorter, dark haired man. His hand twitched, unsheathing his blades as you whipped past him. Crossing your arms before your face, you used a barrel left in the room to launch out of. This time your landing was effortless, yielding you no damage. You brushed the glass away, darting towards the stable.

The captain shouted orders after you, but you simply ignored them. "Stop! You're in violation of the law! Why are you outside the wall!"

You swung around the corner to see your horse annoyedly hissing at another horse whom was trying to eat from the bale you placed earlier.

"Hey! Back off horse... face... animal... thing! That's her food!" You quipped harshly. You pushed away the intruding horses' face, snapping at it to ward it away. It trampled its feet in annoyance, nipping at your hand in retaliation.

Quickly, you flipped it the bird and turned to your own horse. You glanced at the saddle, then back to him. She seemed uncomfortable but dutiful, at the glance. You sighed, instead placing a foot on the fence next to you and jumping up, without the saddle.

"There's no time for a saddle right now. Just go..." you muttered. You pushed your face down, clinging to her mane as she stood up, throwing herself into a hurried race away from the home. Chaos erupted behind you as your horse darted through the trees. Whirring exploded from the distance but you kept your eyes forward. There wasn't any time to look back. You had to escape.

It didn't take long for the whirring to close in. You lowered your hood over your face, tightly clutching your blade. 

"Stop there! Desertion is an offense punishable by death." 

You ignored the order, instead pushing your steed to move faster. "Come on buddy, just a little faster." 

"I said stop!" This was the captain's voice again, but he was far too close. 

You looked up briefly, seeing no one behind you. You twisted your head, looking for your pursuers. "What the hell?!" 

You didn't get another chance to look as you felt a sharp blow amidst your back. Your body flew from your horse, tumbling down through the forest until a thick tree stopped you. You gasped for air, trying not to move as pain ripped through your back. You looked up to see your horse being wrangled by a few random faces. You tried to push yourself up, huffing as you did. Luckily, your hood hadn't moved an inch to reveal your face. 

Your fingers tightened around your blade, placing one foot underneath you. As you listened to their footsteps, your assailant moved closer. Your muscles tensed. Waiting, then in an instant you lunged. You flipped your blade so it laid supported against your outer arm. Swinging your arm upward, the blade set its aim for your foes face. However, as though a trick of light, he disappeared. You felt a blunt blow to your stomach, sending you doubling over. As you keeled over, you could feel a sudden smack to your neck, inexplicably darkening your world.