A/N: Thanks again to my beta deathmakesapoet for his help. Do read his great multi-chap, Tears of a Titan! SnK created by Isayama Hajime. Latest chapter spoilers.

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Erwin often lived through moments of blinding clarity. Most scouts experienced the same. It was a side effect of living in the Cycle, perilously at the edge of death. They were all highly strung, nerves stretched so tight that sometimes it hurt to talk. Accumulated pain and silence bred clarity. Sometimes clarity meant life.

Sometimes panic was quick to replace it.

So it begs the question, how many expeditions make a veteran, collected in all situations? How many comrades must you violently lose before the visceral human fear of facing an overwhelming predator fades to calm, even during the critical moments of a brutal, existential struggle? He could never say. There were no clear numbers in this game. Many fought and died without ever finding their balance in mortal combat.

Looking around, he saw too many pale faces. Riders who clutched their leather reins tightly with one hand and the handle of their left blade with the other, heedless of the risk. They would rather be thrown from their seat than to relinquish the comfort of cold metal for one moment. Soldiers lacking the strength to free themselves from the chains of terror despite full awareness that fear could slow the brain, that fear was also an enemy.

Just look to Ackerman. Look to her example, those of you trembling in fear. The girl had dropped back down the formation but a quick glance over his shoulder showed her lithe form, eyes sharp like a hawk, watchful as the terrain around them gave way to rocky hills. The pinnacle of competence. A rookie who could put his best to shame. Erwin hoped she would survive the night. Not with any sentimentality, of course. He could never afford sentimentality.

Who are we all but tools? Rivaille had said one night two months ago, wet hair dripping into a basin on the table, filled with soapy water. But I digress. He tilted his head back to look at his Commander, who stood close behind his chair, staring down at him. It seems that you're not in the mood for an excursion into the human heart tonight, from that look on your face?

Erwin had answered by smoothing the pads of his thumbs over the corporal's dark circles. How many hours did you get last night?

Two. A comfortable silence as Erwin's deft fingers moved to the temples, applying pressure. You use me too. Rivaille had whispered. But it's not an accusation. I don't blame you. I blame them.

Jolted from his reverie, Erwin felt the sensation of danger in his chest cavity a split second before his mind could compute the knowledge. Three o'clock. Without warning, a monstrosity unfolded itself from the foot of a shadowy hill, its position partially hidden by large boulders. They rode straight by at a gallop. Erwin saw it clearly as they passed. A seven-meter deviant, haunches trembling with power. It had hidden from his outriders? And it was too close, goddamn.

The river loomed ahead, a physical obstruction. They could not make a quick escape while retaining the formation. The Titan would surely kill all the stragglers hindered by the water crossing. A few involuntary moans of despair rose from his ranks as giant feet began to pound violently against the earth. Boom boom boom boom– the sound grew closer before it suddenly desisted– had it launched itself into the air? Then there was a gust of dusty air and a loud, resounding smack of flesh against the ground. A horse screamed in pain but Erwin didn't look back. We need to buy time, or the center will be ripped apart.

'Out! Spread OUT!' Jonah bellowed, riding hard alongside him, away from the hill. "Eyes forward and scatter you fools!" In response, riders rapidly dispersed in all directions.

Erwin felt another pang in his chest as he sensed his first lieutenant drawing rein, slowing his horse. As he broke away from Jonah's horse, flanked by two others in his vanguard, there was a pop behind them as Jonah used his flare. Erwin fought the urge to turn back. But as Commander, he could not die now. That brave man. But he is likely done for.

Soon, they were out of sight and the group haphazardly reconvened by an open stretch of the riverbank. The giant tree forest loomed close across the water. Erwin signaled that they cross immediately. A rider broke away from the group as the first line entered the shallow water but he had no time to think about deserters.

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The Titan had a huge mouth filled with overcrowded rows of teeth. It suffered from a grotesque overbite and did not seem to be capable of fully closing its jaws. Two bulging eyes gleamed in the fading light, madly rolling in different directions. Its disproportionately small feet struggled for purchase on the loose, rocky surface of the hillside, bleeding and smoking. Intently, the deviant launched itself again and again at the figure moving with inhuman agility to evade its outstretched arms and flying pebbles.

Mikasa was on foot, having had her horse ripped out from under her.

Jean gasped for breath as he watched from the distance. The air currents carried the choking stink of steam downwind towards him. His scent was hidden until the wind direction changed, but he must act quickly nonetheless. Mikasa was only alive due to the scant protection the uneven terrain offered her. And the deviant was forcing her away from the hill and onto more even ground. By all appearances, she was attempting to circle around it with no success.

You're good at sizing up the situation. And you know immediately what has to be done. A voice said cheerfully in his head. Then: Trainee, do you know his name?

God. Why was he remembering that now? Jean's skin stung uncomfortably from the sudden temperature and humidity change. His fingers felt numb. He dug them sharply into his palms. Wake up! How can I help her?

He frantically scanned the landscape, noting the setting sun to the west and the trajectory of Mikasa's movements. His heartbeat steadied.

Taking a deep breath, Jean dismounted and slapped his horse on the rump. Its ears stood to attention and at his urging began cantering away from the fight. He turned and started running low and fast towards the shadowed indent in the earth the Titan had used for its ambush.

His feet slid hard and fast into the spot he had chosen. A quick check showed that they were coming back this way, and fast. Bastard. I can do what you did, but better. With a grunt, he launched his grappling hook into a protruding boulder a short distance away, punching a hole in the rock eight inches above the ground. He pulled the cable taunt and firmly tied another to its end with a double fisherman's knot. He wound the second cable once around another boulder and embedded the other grapple into the solid rock face with a muted crack, completing the tripwire.

Out of cable, he looked up the rock face. It was steeper on closer inspection, almost vertical towards the end stretch. Tightening the straps on his 3DMG, he studied his callused fingertips. I can do this.

Jean reached up and began pulling himself up bare handed, inch by inch.

Five meters and the first foothold crumbled in a smattering of loose rock. He hissed in exertion as his arms took on his full body weight. It took him a moment to successfully stabilize. Not fucking number one- in rock climbing class- for nothing.

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Mikasa felt strength deserting her. Her calves were cramping and her forearms were burning from holding her heavy steel blades upright. Her legs pumped beneath her with another short burst of speed as the Titan lurched forward once again. It was impossible to shake, as if it had a visual lock on her body. Five forceful attempts to circle around it had failed. Everytime, it turned around immediately to match her movements, as if it knew.

Is this how I will die, meaninglessly? Alone? Without seeing Eren again? I don't want that.

Her gas canisters felt light, almost empty . If only she could reach its shoulder without getting caught…

Found it! An opening!

And then she suddenly felt herself tripping, landing heavily on the ground. In the chaos, she heard rather than saw the Titan also lose its footing and begin to fall. Stunned and momentarily paralyzed, she could only close her eyes.

Nothing. Then a loud and savage yell as the cloud of dust settled. She opened her eyes again but could not focus her vision enough to make out who the attacker was. Her ears were still ringing. The numb sensation in her head gave way to the dull pain of a head wound already bleeding into the gravel. The pain in her leg was excruciating.

A pair of hands added to the pain. She felt the burning grind of bone against bone and suddenly the throbbing tension in her leg eased. She could hear Jean's voice. Let me look at your head.

She tried opening her eyes again. This time, they focused on the now smoking carcass of the deviant and a chill washed over her. There is something strange about it…

'I'm okay. Jean, help me up. It was just a dislocation. You fixed it. Hurry, I see something over there." Mikasa's voice was husky and urgent.

They grappled a little as she shakily stood. She took stock of Jean's appearance. His tawny eyes sparkling with adrenaline, his bloody hands.

"You saved me, Jean."

With a grimace, he offered his shoulder wordlessly. I almost killed you, you mean.

They staggered together towards the corpse. Upon reaching it, Jean drew his blade and slashed open the blackened flesh where she pointed, at the jugular. Inside, Jonah's motionless body lay lodged just inside the throat. For an unknown reason, it had held the solider there without swallowing him. By all appearances, Jonah had suffocated, heavy fists beating on its root of its tongue to no avail.

A horrifying end. Shocked, Mikasa fell on her knees and tried to pry his jaws open. "If only I could clear his throat of this mucus…"

Jean intervened. "No. Stop, please. Mikasa, he's already gone." He lifted her back up by the waist and turned her around to face him. "And we're out of time. Look at the sun."

Mikasa looked over his shoulder. "But I think we still-"

"-And if we can't, you've already done enough. The best job anyone could have asked for." He pulled her closer and tucked her fringe behind her ear, long fingers skirting the open wound on her forehead with care. "Come, I'll set your leg for you." He whistled sharply, paused and whistled again. "It'll take a while for the horse to come back."

A few kilometers away, Ymir woke to angry yells.

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A/N: Better watch out, Eren.