The One Who Walked Back (Open, Possible gore and violence.)

(Flashback thread of Leona and Horus' return to the wall.)

It was dawn. Most welcomed it, but on this day Leona feared it. Knowing titans weren't active in the dark she'd been traveling at night, and trying to hide during the day. On this morning, however, she'd managed to find no giant trees, no farms of villages she could find a cellar to hold up in and hope one of them didn't sniff her out. Horus had been a true hero to her in the daylight hours, keeping watch, flying almost all day long with out stopping to hunt. In these twilight hours, however, there were no thermals of warm air to lift him in to the sky. The sun needed time to heat the ground first, but that was also time for the titans to awaken. The small falcon wasn't even awake yet. He sat firmly gripping her shoulder in his sleep, the gently sound of his breaths beside her ear helping to clam the stranded scout's nerves.

At least now she could see Wall Rose. It looked to be only a hundred meters away. Leona's sharp emerald eyes glanced around cautiously as light spilled on to what she could not see in the dark. She saw two titans about forty meters to her eleven o'clock. It seemed they were shut down by the night while on their way to paw at the wall. One looked to be a seven meter class. They other was about thirteen meters. Neither appeared to be moving yet. Leona wasn't sure how long it took a titan to become active once the sunlight touched them. She'd only heard that it varied from one titan to the next. Perhaps she could sprint to the wall before they even awoke? The tanks on her 3D gear were low on gas. Not enough for a fight, barely enough to make it up the wall. She'd have to risk it. She'd come this far on skill and strength, now she'd have to rely on luck. If she were really lucky maybe someone would arrive early to arm the cannons on top the wall.

Her head swayed to the right then back again to nudge Horus. It still wasn't warm enough for him to fly, so she needed to make sure he wouldn't slip from her shoulder. "Horus, wake up." She whispered. "Hold tight, I need to run." She felt Horus' talons tighten around her should till it was almost painful, his sharp claws beginning to puncher the fabric of her green cloak. With that Leona took off in a full sprint for the wall, the resistances of the wind knocked back her hood she normally kept up while out here to hide her red hair against the green forests and grassy flat lands. There was no time for it right now, even with her hair hidden the titans would surely see her running across this open stretch of land. She was already winded and tired. During her time out here Leona had not slept having to be ever on her guard during the day and walking all night. There'd been no time to find food or water, and she'd finished off what supplies she had the day before. Her eyes gave quick glances two the two titans as she ran past them, watching for any signs of movement before quickly returning her gaze to the terrain in front of her, knowing she couldn't afford to trip. A broken ankle would of been the end of her, as it had been for another member of her squad who survived loosing the horses, but not the walk back. Fatigue and panic were both crippling ailments, but Leona would fight through both, fueled by pure adrenalin and a prayer now.

Severin walked along the wall, watching Ember Squad check over their cannons. Unlike most other Garrison members, they never really got time off. Kurt was somewhere nearby, eating something. "Alright guys,"He stated. "The cannons are ready for now. Grab your meal and eat." Severing walked over to the edge of the wall, looking out at the landscape. He pulled out a telescope, and saw two Titans in the distance. "Guys. I've found our first two targets!" He exclaimed. As he was moving the telescope, he noticed...A person? "What the..." Severing muttered to himself. He then noticed the green cloak. "Oh." He turned to face his peers, now eating. "Hey guys. There's a scout stranded outside the wall, roughly a hundred meters out. Slips, grab your medical bag. Charles, you are coming with us. And grab an extra horse. The rest of you, blow those Titans to kingdom come when they get in range." Severin said as he kept off the wall, heading towards the outpost to gear up. Several minutes later, Severin, Charles, and Slips thundered out of the gates, riding towards the figure in the distance.

Fatigue was her enemy now. Leona was already laboring for breath as she ran, her body was weak from walking all night, legs sore and back aching. She'd not slept sense the night before the excavation team left. She felt as if she could simply collapse, but Leona had not made it this far to die now. As she saw the wall growing closer and closer with each step she pushed her self to keep going, was it really going to be this easy for the last few meters of her trip? Just a mad run to safety? Just when Leona dared to hope such things she caught movement out the corner of her eye. The smaller of the two titans lifted it's head that sickeningly giddy smile upon it's face, as if it were simply delighted to see her running past it.

Most would likely panic in such a situation, but such things usually lead to death. Leona remained fixed on her goal as the titan seemed a bit slugish in standing up to chase after her, perhaps still weary from it's 'sleep'? Regardless Leona continued running giving a quick glance back over her shoulder every few seconds to see how quickly the titan was gaining on her. Though slow at first the monster was picking up speed, eager for an early morning snack. With each glance back she wagered her options, continue running in hopes that she would reach the wall before the titan caught up to her, or turn and fight. So long as there was still distance between them she chose to keep running.

She could hear the pounding of the titan's feet stomping against the ground each step growing closer and closer. Even Horus looked worried, the small falcon looking back, almost able to turn his head completely around back ward. When the titan finally drew close enough to reach out for the crimson haired scout the falcon on her shoulder gave a sharp high pitched warning shriek. Leona's feet suddenly slide against the ground as she shifted her body weight to spin around and face the titan as it's hand came down toward her. Drawing her swords she drove her left blade in to the titan's palm while swinging the right up and over in an arch to slice off all five fingers to keep it from being able to grasp her, all with in the same motion of drawing her blades. She had only three blades left, the two she'd just engaged and one spare in her right holster. As the titan reached with it's other hand Leona tired to pull her left sword free from it's palm only to find it stuck, and with no time to play tug of war with the beast she chose to sacrifice the blade and detach it.

Diving forward Horus fluttered off her shoulder, giving a few hard flaps of his wings to gain altitude. With no thermals of warm air to ride yet Horus struggled to get in the air, fatigued from this ordeal as well, but he already knew that when in combat that was where he was needed. In her dive Leona rolled beneath the titan's hand as it tired to grab her again. Rolling up on to her feet Leona ran forward between the titan's legs, turning to slice achilles tendon on it's right ankle. Certainly not a fatal blow to a titan by any means, but enough to make the beast fall forward. It was perhaps a bit obvious she was avoiding the use of her 3D gear, saving the last of her gas tanks should she have to use the gear to climb the wall. Jumping on the back of the titan's calf as it began to fall forward Leona ran up it's back, making sure to slice across the nape of the neck before running up on to it's head she leaped off as it was falling, landing rather hard she gave a sharp cry of pain, right ankle fracturing. However there was no time to tend to wounds as she heard another pair of even larger footsteps quickly approaching her. The second titan was awake now, but still had some ground to cover to catch up to her.

Turning Leona once again took off toward the wall, though slowed down by a limp this time. From above she heard the sharp loud warning cry of a bird of prey, a sound that had become all too familiar in the last two days. It was Horus' warning call, it meant he'd spotted more titans approaching. Normally she whistle a command to him, different tones and pitches of whistles to ask him how many and what size, how far away. However, she was too winded and her lips too dry to make such whistles. She knew Horus could see for miles, her father had once told her that birds of prey had eyes like no other. She simply had to hope that whatever titans were approaching were doing so from very far away.

Cora finished her bread as she realized the tumult down the wall. She looked down. Two Titans were running, and wait...was there a human? She looked around to find the origin of the screech she just heard. A small grey spot flew around. A falcon, which probably belonged to the human. She saw one of the higher-ups already sending down people by horse.

"Too slow, fools!", she said quietly while quickly checking her 3DMG. Gas? Full. Blades? Full. Great. She grabbed herself two seperate gascans and tied them to her legs.

That's suicide!
Shut up. It isn't it's just...risky.
You're a fucking trainee, you can do nothing.
That's not true.
Well...I have to agree with Nec.
Vex...go back, I don't need you right now.
You never need me...I am soooo lonely. Can I?
No you two can't have control now. I want to do something.

Cora shook her head to be able to think normal again. She looked over Severin. He was going to kill her, if he knew what she was up to. Whatever, he probably doesn't even remember her name, or why she was here, or that she even existed, OR that she stole that bread.

Cora took a few steps back and started running. Now or never! She said to herself and jumped of the wall. The fastest way to get down there right? And to help someone.
She fell downwards, then quickly turn around just to see the faces of a few shocked comrades and shot her hooks in the wall. She slowed down, her feet touched the wall and she pushed herself backwards, ungrappeled her hooks and did the same again, until she landed safely on the ground.

Not suicidal!
That was suiciadal, it just didn't turn out to be a suicide.

The girl was running towards the wall. Maybe about 100 meters away. Cora took a deep breath and started running towards her.
While was running she untied one of the gas cans and sprinted towards the girl.
"Waaaait...I have something for you!", she hold up one of them, while she ran next to the girl.
"I have blades too. Just...use it!", Cora looked around to see the titan catching up.
"Shit...be quick!", Coras stamina started to run out. She had never been good at running.
The wall was only about 50 meters away by now.
She quickly filled up the girls blades until Cora had only two herself and was holding up the other gas can.
"Be quick or be dead!", she said grinning. The titan was getting closer and closer. Now Coras and the scouts survival depended on the girls skills in titan killing, Cora had never faced one before.


//hope that's ok.

Severin sighed when he noticed another scout join in. "Charles, hold my horse!" He yelled as he lept off the steed, firing a cable into the incoming Titan's chest. He fired a flare into the Titan's eyes while he zoomed in on it, and deftly rode the monstrosity to the ground, a gash in it's neck. "Scout!" He shouted. "Get on the horse!" He hollered as he reloaded his flare. He hopped off the evaporating corpse, and ran towards the seven-meter Titan chasing the Scout. "Hey there, Tiny!" He said as he fired a flare into it's eyes. "Bullseye!" He ran around the back of the Titan and quickly disposed of it. He turned around to face the 13 meter looking at him. "You are one ugly beast."

Horus gave another screech, this one however, was different from the first. A signal that help was approaching. She saw the trainee first, a bit surprised someone still wearing the swords on their back would come to her aid so quickly. Leona didn't bother to question it though. When the girl spoke the red haired scout simply nodded, struggling to detach her nearly empty tanks and replace them with the new ones given to her while still running. Her current blades nearly worn to pieces she quickly detached them for a set of the new ones given to her.

The sound of horse hooves beating against the ground was a welcomed thing when she saw the Garrison member and his team approaching. She didn't hesitate to mount an available horse offering a hand out to help the trainee up on to the animal as well. As the other solider dealt with the titan chasing them another pair of large foot steps approached from the east. It was a fifteen meter titan this time. Taking a second to catch her breath Leona lifted her head to shout up toward the sky. "Horus, blind it!" She shouted, the falcon up above giving a quick screech in response before diving toward the titan's face. Talons forward, wings flaring those sharp claws dug in to the titan's right pupil before diving to avoid the titan's hand as it moved to swat at the bird. Circling back and pounding his wings to gain altitude again he went in for the other eye, taking it out just as quickly.

Of course Leona knew the titan would only be blind for a moment before it healed. "Let's go!" She shouted, preferring to flee rather then stay to try and fight another.

Cora quickly grabbed the girls hand and got onto the horse's back. That was a relief after all Cora wasn't good at running long distances.
With a considered look on her face she looked in Severins direction.

I hope he isn't mad at us.
Let's hope so, it's your fault if he gets mad at us. We will stay out of that!

Cora watched the falcon blinding the titan as she saw more titans approaching. One of them was crawling towards them but faster than the others were running.
"Hey...scout...I think that...that might be an aberrant.", Cora looked at the crawling titan, he was still far away, but he might catch up to them before they could reach the wall.
"Let's hope he is just a crawler and not a jumper!", Cora said to herself, without realizing she just said it out loud.

Severing lept onto the 13 meter, swinging around and slashing it's neck. He landed with a thud, and rolled a bit. When he got up, Severin looked back at the scouts. "Don't jinx it!" He yelled. "Rookies. Ugh." He attached new blades and checked his gas. "Charles, get them out of here." Charles nodded, and started off with the horses. Slips stayed behind, eyeing the incoming Titan. "Three....Two...One..." Severin counted, and then smiled as the familiar sounds of cannon fire sounded from behind him.

Cora looked at the titans getting shot by the cannons. There heads flew off their bodys, but they just grew back, they missed the crawling titan, who suddenly made a huge jump and was only 20m away from them now.
Cora stood up and was standing for a very short time on the back of the titan and then grappled herself into the titans eyes. He made a loud cry and covered his eyes with his hands. She swirrled around his head and made a clean cut in his neck. Was that deep enough? She thought while landing on the ground. The titan's eyes had recovered by now and was looking angrily at her.
"Shit...not deep enough!"

As the trainee jumped from the back of the horse Leona's eyes narrowed. They should of been fleeing not fighting. Standing your ground out side the walls was a loosing battle when the gates were so close. With a heavy sigh she lept from the horse's back as well, landing a few feet from the trainee as the titan's eyes recovered. "If you question your cut then cut again." Leona snapped before turning her attention fully to the titan.

Holding her blade's ready she waited for the titan to crawl or leap at them. As the titan charged Leona stood her ground, waiting till the last possible second before engaging the gas in her 3D gear to jump up and over the titan's head, flipping forward through the air then spinning around as her feet slid against the titan's skin so that she came to a stop standing between the titan's shoulders facing the back of it's neck. From hear she easily sliced across the nape of the neck with both blades ensuring it was dead before jumping off. "Back on the horse, we should retreat before more get too close."

A titan flew at the group, landing on a nearby row of houses, breaking shingles where it landed, a gaping hole in its throat as it started to dissipate. I remember you! You were in the forest! Leif thought, seeing Leona in the distance. He took a step forward, leading into a bound, Breaking the cobblestones beneath his feet. He charged towards the group, extending spines on the front and back of his feet, digging them into the ground, tearing up the roads, stopping to a halt right in front of the group, crouching down and scooping up the previously acquainted scout. Hello again... Leif said, looking at the vibrant redhead with a thoughtful stare, and i haven't forgotten you, he thought, extending a small perch of bone off his finger for the falcon. Hopefully this meeting will be on better terms than the last, Leif thought, remembering their rather violent previous encounter, But that's not under my control, He thought, nuzzling her gently with his face, gently pushing her closer with a finger.

Severin looked at the Titan with an odd curiosity. He readied a flare in case things got ugly. "That is...Interesting." He said as he launched his cables and landed on a nearby roof. "Quite interesting."Severin looked out to see if any other Titans were nearby. He cocked the bolt on Flammende Gerechtigkeit, and held it at the ready. Chuckling slightly, Severin looked at the spines. "Guess nobody can call you a spineless coward." He shifted his footing.

Cora looked at the titan, he seemed...quite...nice? Cora got up a nearby roof she was only about 10meters away from him. To her he seemed like a big dog, a big dog you better not annoy.

We should back up now, we were way too close to him for a too long time.
No we shouldn't Nec. He is harmless...just now, he is like me, I think he can lose control and then we should get away. You see when Vex wants to have it then I would recomend anyone to back up. But now he is ok, maybe you shouldn't get that close to his mouth.
Wow one of the view times you say something nice about me!
That wasn't nice Vex...

Cora looked out that the red haired woman wouldn't get hurt, not that she could actually do anything against that....

Leona quite literally facepalmed when she was lifted up by the spiny titan. She was completely lacking in the usual fear and tension she probably would have displayed had any other titan grabbed her. "So much for trying to stay secret." She muttered unsure if Leif would even hear it. Dropping her hand she glanced to her side as Horus came in to land on the extended spike, giving a sharp cry, as if to say they didn't have time to stand around and get reantiquated.

"We need to get back in to the walls." Leona said turning her attention back up to Leif. Turning to look at the other soldiers who had come out to save her, particularly the Garrison member who seemed more intended on fighting the titans then fleeing them. "We could spend the rest of our lives out here fighting them as they come, but they wouldn't be very long lives. We should make out retreat while we have an opening."

Severin eyed the Titan. "A shifter..." He blinked. "You are right, Scout. But what were you doing out here?" He faced the trainee. "And what were you doing as well?" Charles and Slips rode past, and Severin hopped on his horse. "You've already got your transport, Scout. Trainee, come with me." He looked at Cora. Looking at the Titan again, Severin sighed as he grabbed the reigns to the horse.

"Its not my fault they don't allow me much room to move around in the walls after the incident when I met you," Leif thought to himself. He paused peering over at the garrison member who was eyeing him strangely. Leif shrugged it off, nodding at Leona's statement on retreating, pointing towards the gate. "I'll clear a path for them," He thought, putting Leona down gently, getting in a running position. He took off running towards the gate, making sure that he wouldn't get too far a head of the others.

Cora sighed, "I was bored so I got off the wall to help the scout.", she watched the titan putting down the Scout. So titans were able to have 'feelings' for humans? She got off the house and got on the horse.
"Let's go! I don't want to get eaten by a titan yet!", Cora had never really seen a titan eating a person but she could image it very well.

Once on the ground again Leona sprinted over the trainee hopping on the back of her horse. A bit of a control freak in situations like this Leona reached around to take control of the horse's rains. Giving the animal's sides a swift kick with her heels she sent the horse in to a gallop after Leif. If the others outside the gate weren't smart enough to follow then Leona knew she could do nothing to save them. For now she could only focus on the survival of her self and the girl in front of her on the horse. Horus soared over head, pausing to circle over top of any titan that stood in the way, giving out his warning cry.

Cora sat in front of the scout and made herself smaller, she was a lot bigger than the scout and she didn't want her to not see anything. The titan was running in front of them. Cora thought about the titan and his abnormal behaviour. Why was he...wait it could be a she or an it...probably male though.
Again: why was he reacting like he did? Why didn't he just eat all of them.

Well...he could be like us, couldn't he?
He could. Maybe he is like us, maybe another one has taken over him.
That would mean titans actually have a personality.
You have one too why shouldn't he.
Now I'm offended, Nec.
Yeah Nec stop offending us! We of course have a personality!
You don't have one, stone-face.
Yeah you don't have one! You-
Vex would you be so kind to shut up for a moment?
Yes, my lady.
I can never have serious conversations with you! So you think he actually has a personality?
Yap
Definitly.
Oh...ok so a schizophrenic titan?
Maybe, I would go with that!
WE would go with that, stupid.

Cora agreed with herselves. A good idea, she looked at the titan, so...his normal personality was like Vex?!

Leif looked at the trainee currently riding in front of Leona, she looks puzzled, he thought to himself, But then again, who wouldn't, He thought bemusedly. He looked down finally noticing the small titan that had gotten impaled through the mouth on one of his spines and was continuously regenerating around it. Huh... He pondered to himself, Guess these spines are pretty damn durable, he continued, grabbing the titan and pulling it upward, tearing it in half against his knee-spike, easily killing it. But now that i think about it... how am i going to get past the wall... he wondered, They never open the gate too much even when there are horses, and they definitely wouldn't for a titan, no matter how many humans were with him unless one of them was high ranking... and there isn't any time to bring enough maintenance equipment to get me on top of it... he continued, picking up another small titan and flinging it into a large group a couple streets over.

Cora took a closer look at the titan. She saw a small titan trying to live but it didn't turn out well. She wanted to go to the titan but decided not to do so, she already caused alot of trouble that's why she didn't want to annoy anyone anymore. But...if the titan was really friendly...would they protect him? Would they get him inside?
Cora thought of a way to get him inside but the only thing she could think of was the titan climbing up the wall, by using his spikes...it wouldn't work, never.

Leona pulled on the horse's reigns bringing it to a stop when they finally reached the gates. With out saying a word she hopped off the beast moving to pound on the large door before shouting to those on the other side. "Open up. We need to get inside!"

There was a paused before a voice called back. "But there's a titan out there." Groaning Leona rolled her emerald eyes before turning her attention to Leif. "You have to change back!" She told him, quickly, ready to graple her way up his body to slice him out her self if he couldn't manage on his own.

(Would Leona know how to change him back? We never really finished that thread. x.x)

I wish I could! Leif thought to himself, once again feeling fairly short changed in his whole ability. Please let me in? he thought, putting his hands together, absentmindedly kicking a small Titan and building over behind him. Ugh, Vas is assigned to another part of the wall unfortunately, would've made this so much easier... Leif thought annoyed, turning around to face the small group of Titans they had gathered on the trip over.

(I planned a whole story arc thing a while, last September, of his being stuck a Titan and sealing trost,and if I would be allowed to, gain partial elektrokenisis, like teslaspikes in theory. Still debating if he should turn back, or if it's like his human body is less sturdy or something after. Ps this was a bitch to write on an iPad!)

As Leona's rage grew those crimson strands seemed to almost stand on end giving her an even wilder look. "Stepping forward she slammed a fist in to the gate, as if she had any chance of beating it down. "Open this gate or I'll come over there and throw you off the top of the wall!" she threatened, screaming at whoever was on the other side.

After a moment Leona turned, preparing to climb up the wall before the sound of chains rattling against gears could be heard, stone scraping against stone as the gate slowly rose to let them in.

Letting the others head in first Leona used the gas in the new tanks the trainee had given her to hop from one spike to the next, climbing her way up Leif to land on his shoulder. "Once we're in you need to find a place to hide quickly. Horus and I'll be your look outs."