Things felt different that night out in the woods; Levi couldn't place it, but he could almost feel it in the air—the kind of feeling that prickles at the hairs on the back of one's neck. He walked through the woods swiftly and with agile movements, the gas canisters on his ODM gear clanking softly at his side. His squad followed closely behind, holding lanterns up to light the moonlit path in front of them.
They had been on a reconnaissance mission for an upcoming expedition that the Survey Corps would embark on, getting more of a lay of the land outside the walls and checking where the titans' locations were, since the titans remained more inactive at night. The wind rustling through the branches picked up and made his green cloak rustle behind him. His boots sank slightly in the mud from the recent rain, making a faint squelching sound.
Suddenly, a noise carried through the wind along with the faint smell of a campfire. Levi paused their trek, holding up a hand to gesture for his squad to stop as well. Levi's usually impassive face was focused in concentration, his brows furrowing. He finally made out the noise... singing? Levi felt his heart skip a beat. It was odd for such a sound to be out here; no one else from the Survey Corps should be in the woods tonight. Was it a lost scout, or did that mean it was someone from outside the walls?
Thinking decisively, he turned towards the rest of his squad. "Stay here," he ordered tersely, his voice a deep baritone that belied his short stature. His squad nodded, trusting his judgment, their eyes flickering in the direction of the voice. Levi began walking again, this time slower to silence his movements. He could make out the low fire in the distance, the voice coming out clearer. He realized their singing voice was beautiful, his brow raising slightly as he definitely didn't recognize the song or the accent.
