𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒 | 𝐋.𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐍

𝟒𝟑 | 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝

Reiner suddenly approaches him out of nowhere and places a firm grip, on the boys shoulder, without uttering a word of comfort.

"Hey, Corporal!" Gelgar calls, hearing them run up to me. Turning around, I face both Lynne and Gelgar's concerned and cautious expressions. "Something's wrong.........You find any bodies?"

Shaking my head, "While entering here, no carnage was left behind," I spoke up, as they all caught on the strange situation.

"But then....how is that possible?" The soldier questions, knowing more questions were running through everyone's minds. "Titans ransack this place and not a drop of blood?--"

"They must've fled!" Lynne cuts him off, knowing Connie's family and people were here. Covering up the worst outcome of this assumed story, my heart clenched. "The villagers, I mean, they all must've escaped.....uh, and your family too."

My eyes sternly meet Lynnes, but she quietly hushes me with a soften glance.

Connie's eyes lighten a little, "You think so? You think they're alive?!"

My jaw clenched while glancing back to the titan, hoping the villagers have fled. What strikes me odd though, how would they know titans would be here so quickly?

"Um....y-yeah, sure!" Lynne agrees, trying to remain positive for the young soldier. We all weren't entirely sure if all of them survived, but it would be a bitter tragedy of Ragako if so. "It's the only logical explanation, for why there'd be no trace of well.......carnage."

Yet, the devastation was questionable.

Why would titans randomly attack buildings, when they only notice only people? Gelgar sent me a questioning glance, but my eyes revert back to the stables. They all were full with horses, which means they either hastily left, only their survival would be slim to none.

Why risk running on foot? Horses would be the best option, when being hunted......

"Corporal?" Gelgar turns to me, while my eyes still focus on the stables. "Shall we keep moving?"

Pursing my lips in a tight thin line, I grunt with frustration before trailing back to the few before me, "Gather torches, anything that's suited for survival!" I order sharply, trying to not allow my questions and little knowledge fear the recruits.

"Yes Ma'am!"

"Right now, we must evaluate the breach!" I continue on, but for some reason when my eyes fall upon both Reiner and Bertholdt, their eyes were filled with suspicion. It was like they were more surprised, than afraid of the whole situation entirely.

Could they......no, don't think like that!

They both were my cadets, and I trained and even bonded with most of them. However just thinking about Annie's betrayal made me come to realisation of reality, how certain people cannot be trusted.

Stepping forward I took my horses reigns and took a torch for myself, ushering everyone else to follow along.

Hoisting myself upon the horse, I pull the reigns, before gently nudging the side. We began heading off leaving the village, not wanting to waste another second and minute. It pains me to see a village already in devastation, with no clue as to the whereabouts of the villagers.

Yet, Miche comes back to mind, hoping he's somewhere safe or with Nanaba's group at least......

*

11 eleven hours after sighting