maybe i'm playing their game

The further they climbed, the colder the days — and nights — became. Once a subject of grumpy disdain, none of the soldiers were griping now about being forced to cart around a few hundred pounds worth of fur. Few now marched without it. There had been no snowfall, but with soupy gray clouds often threatening, it only felt like a matter of time.

Their final camp was hidden by the thick trees, five or so kilometers from their would-be battlefield: Eibsee lake, strategically surrounded by steep, rocky slopes that were impossible (for a human) to navigate without 3DMG. Scouts had already been dispatched to track the Ape, and once they got a good fix on its location, everything would be in place.

For preparation, there was still more work to be done than people to do it. Levi found Mikasa at it alone, sitting amidst organized piles of 3DMG. Since the battle where his own gear had failed, Erwin had begun putting bigger stress on the importance of meticulous maintenance; there was hardly enough usable 3DMG left to account for each soldier. Additionally, each set had to be outfitted with fresh anchors designed to hold better on hard, cold rock.

It was well past noon. Taking a sip from one of the two steaming tin cups he held, Levi watched Mikasa finish up with the gear she'd been working on. Briskly, then, he approached, taking a seat next to her on the log without a hint of ceremony. He offered her a cup, which contained very weak tea. His pallor and the dark wool hat he wore made him look like a thug — even more than usual.

"Thirsty?"

The journey wasn't a lengthy one. It was a bit longer than the estimated fifteen kilometers, but for a Survey Corps horse, such distance was akin to a sprint. There had been no cause to stop, and although they'd taken a few minor detours to avoid being harried by wandering titans, they still made good time; however, with the thick silence that held between Levi and Mikasa for the duration, it could have felt shorter. The weather also did them no favors. The sky was pale and overcast while the wind blew hard, threatening a storm.

Their path skirted them well wide of the forest, leaving less chance for a surprise attack. Levi was prepared to encounter a mass of titans as they drew nearer, and had warned Mikasa of the possibility, but the final leg of their trek proved to be uneventful. The lack of titans was almost unsettling, and as the fortress rose into view, Levi motioned for Mikasa to slow. He reigned his own horse to a trot and allowed her to catch up so that the two of them were riding side by side.

The fortress was a broad, hulking structure that sat on the crest of a hill with a shallow and steady incline. Its thick gate, visible from their position, was up and appeared to be fully intact. The crescent cut of a stream ran some twenty meters away from the north and west facing walls, appearing not unlike half a moat. The stream crawled further south only to disappear into the forest.

Still no sign of any titans. So far, this was seeming all too easy. When Levi spoke, he raised his voice to be heard over the light howl of the wind and the rattling of his cape.

"I'm going to give you my extra horse," he said. "Tie them near the gate, then scale the walls from the outside. Find the highest point up there and be my lookout. I'll circle the place and check for any breaches."