Chasing Ghosts [Attack on Titan](Wattys 2014 Winner)

Chapter ten- Trapped by Titans

Chapter ten

I awoke later, feeling my body shifting uncontrollably. I opened my eyes to find myself halfway off the branch. I gasped scrambling upward and to the back of the tree. I looked around for the others and they were nowhere to be found. I stood sighing loudly and walking to the edge of the branch to peer down into the dew-littered clearing below. I tapped on the tanks at my side, both where still stone empty. I would have to climb down if the others had gone off somewhere. I jumped down from branch to branch to the ground never slipping. I reached the bottom of the branches and looked down still a good fifty feet off the forest floor. I sighed, I would have to recoil myself down. I hooked up the wires and backtracked slowly down the side of the massive tree. I reached the ground in no time and looked back up at the monasteries of trees.

I sighed whistling for my horse though the thick pines, I heard her out there nickering and whinnying for me. I wondered what happened to the others. Lullaby came busting though the trees the horse whinnied and trotted about me her tail flayed out behind her. The horse kicked her feet and stopped in front of me, I ran my hand along the creature’s nose. I remounted the steed and kicked her; my leg was still hurting but not as bad as it had been.

I kicked her and trotted the horse into the pines away from the tree we had stayed in. I followed the glowing golden light to the end of the massive forest. I reached the edge of it and to my surprise there was a white horse riding up on the stone and dirt path. I waited for the horse and rider to get closer before I made a move. Hanji, to my surprise rode up skidding his horse to a stop.  “Ah, there you are.” She painted. “We ran into some trouble on an expedition, we lost over half of the troops and they are still out there.” She said though exasperated ragged breaths. I felt the feeling of fear rise in my chest “Who was lost?” I demanded. The trainee swept her chocolate hair out of her eyes. “Erwin and his corner of the regiment.” She whimpered. I frowned “No, we cant lose him. Please. I lost the others in the forest, find them.” I ordered. “Where were they last?” I asked. She turned “About five meters from the wall before the titans got us.” She said. I nodded taking off without thinking heading towards the gate going to the outside of the wall. I knew that I had to save them, all of them.

I still was confused as to why the others had ditched me, Levi would get a stern scolding after this. I rocketed though the town and to the edge where the gate was waiting. The guardsmen spotted me and rolled it open only high enough for my horse to fit so I ducked down and tucked my neck by the saddle then I was outside the wall.

I had left without thinking, I'd forgotten the most important thing. I was out of gas, I felt myself freeze but I continued. I wouldn't abandon my friends and group now. I could feel the beasts running along the ground, with each step the ground would shake madly. I continued onto where Hanji had said they had been last. I pasted several downed horses, and several dead members. Dismembered body parts littered the ground. I knew I was getting close by the sounds of the titans roaring and the horses hooves smacking the ground as they tried to escape their impending doom.

I saw one of the Titans that trailed the group. A massive one, fifteen meter I believe. There were three others behind it, smaller but following. I could see what I believed was part of the group. I could see some of them leaping into the air and attacking what they could, but they must have been low on gas. I'd past several other titan corpses. I circled around to avoid the beasts that trailed them. I pasted around the titans and towards the front of the group where I could see a terrified looking Erwin.

I raced the horse over and he spotted me, surprise and relief crossed his face. I reached them and galloped the steed next to the commander. “Boy am I glad to see you.” He said over the roar of the horses hooves. The trainees beside him looked equally terrified. “We cant out run these things.” I said. He frowned “Don’t you think I know that.” He said. “cant you kill them?” He asked. I rolled my eyes “No, I'm out of gas and why cant you do it?” I grumbled. He looked over shock ridded in his blue eyes. “Your out of gas!? Are you insane!?” He yelled at me, I flinched in surprise. “No, I just didn't think when I heard you guys were in danger.” I said “Give me yours.” He nodded and unhooked one of the canisters throwing it to me.

I felt myself reach for it but just as my fingers went to grasp the bottle a titans foot came down and caused the ground to shake throwing me off balance and I watched the canister fly out of my grasp and be crushed behind me. I closed my hands into fists. “Shit. Well, we have to think of a new plan besides me killing them.” I said. The commander scanned the horizon spotting a massive patch of green on the horizon. “We make for those trees.” He said “Until we can rest we can’t do anything, hopefully someone has some gas you can use.” He said. I nodded kicking my horse and sending her ahead of Erwins, who had clearly grown tired.

I made for the forest, knowing full well I would have to get someone to take me up. I reached it about two minutes before the others because of Lullaby’s speed. I waited for them at the base of the forest, the titans continued to screech in annoyance at not being able to catch up to the group. Erwin road up beside me and revved his gas. “You don’t have enough-“ He cut me off by grabbing my waist and zipping us up into the trees. We knew that the titans wouldn't harm the horses. They were only interested in human meat. The others managed to get up, there was one girl who didn't have any gas left and was left at the bottom. She started to scream in fear as the titans neared. Erwin leapt down and collected her just a second before a foot came down.

The creatures roared at us, trying to claw their way up the trees. I sat down leaving my legs over the side of the branch. Erwin turned to the group “Does anyone have some gas left for Captain Alya?” He asked “She can get rid of the titans for us.” The group went dead silent and only the sounds of titans growls could be heard below. Either they were to selfish, scared or actually out of gas. I guess we would just have to wait it out and hope that someone finds us. We waited for fifteen minutes before I started to get restless. I paced back and forth across the branch, I'd told Hanji to find Ackerman. Hopefully she'd not found him yet. Otherwise, I'd have to believe that he would be willing to abandon us.

I hoped, for his sake that the was a better person then that.