Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Sunlight trickled through the thick canopy of trees as a jack rabbit dashed in the underbrush, a young Omega following close behind, wielding a knife. The Omega was tan with brown hair and vibrant green eyes, completely focused on his prey. He loved to hunt; to catch his own food and provide for his family even though he was only an Omega. He was always looking for adventure, going as far away from his clan as possible to find it no matter the risk.

Soon it would be hard for the Omega to have these adventures, since he was coming of age and would be bonded this coming mating season. He had to make the most of the time he had left.

The rabbit zig zagged and changed direction, trying to throw its predator off, but the Omega was agile. He was just about to catch the rabbit when suddenly his leg was caught and he was lifted by his ankle straight up into the air as the rabbit disappeared ahead of him.

The Omega made an agitated squeal, kicking and reaching up to scratch at the trap he was caught in. His movement caused him to lightly swing back and forth mid air. He made an exaggerated sigh, continuing to swing as he tried to think a way out of this predicament, when a familiar smell crossed his nose. Alpha. An Alpha he didn't know.

The Omega hissed in defence, his hackles raising, holding his knife out in threat as a figure stepped out from behind a tree.

Levi's sharp ears had picked up the sound of a snare being tripped and he stood from where he'd been inspecting some tracks he'd been following for some time now. He scanned his surroundings with narrowed silver eyes for any possible threats before he swiftly made his way through the foliage towards where he knew the traps to be set. He had his long, curved slate blade out and grasped in a firm grip, poised behind him as he maneuvered with familiarity and grace through the branches and brush.

There were several scars over his spine to show how skilled he'd become, in hunting, some coloured for heroics or success in battles with beasts and other enemy tribes, all earned through blood, sweat and skill that was common of a warrior tribe such as his; the tribe that would be under his command as chief someday.

He smelled the prey before he saw it... It wasn't prey at all, but another not unlike himself, though certainly unfamiliar to him and not of his tribe. He stepped out of the shadowed foliage with slow, steady and silent steps, purposefully making a show of sheathing his blade at his hip as he approached the struggling young male, gaze curious as his nostrils flared to inhale the unfamiliar scent of the Omega, tilting his head ever so slightly and unable to stop a little smirk from curling the corner of his lips at the display the other made dangling as he was and unable to free himself.

Eren became even more agitated as the Alpha approached him, even though the weapon was now sheathed. He bared his teeth and hissed louder, his message clear, Stay away from me. Using his blade, he pulled himself up to saw at the thin, but strongly woven snare line around his ankle, desperate to get away from the unfamiliar Alpha that held such a powerful scent.

Eren could smell his own scent in the air, an Omegan scent full of fear and desperation. If he knew he was in another tribe’s territory, he would have bathed in mud to mask his scent. It was too late now. Even if he got away, the Alpha would likely chase him down, but Eren had to at least try.

The Alpha watched him lazily, resting his hands over the pelt at his hips, his scent dominant, but docile, not meant to intimidate or frighten the pretty and already panicked Omega further as he struggled against the bind cutting into his ankle. Levi made a low rumbling sound at him, attempting to warn the smaller male that his actions were only going to further his injury, but making no move to assist him, unconcerned by the Omega's desperate aggression.

He shifted his weight, but continued to simply watch as the boy hacked at the woven sapling bark of the snare, patiently waiting for the Omega to tire himself out or succeed in freeing himself from his trapped state. The necklace of animal teeth around his neck clicked lightly as he shifted, curious amusement still evident in his silver stare. It was interesting to find a bearer of their species with such ferocity outside of his own tribe where the Omegas were far fewer and just as skilled and dangerous as most Alphas and far less attractive than the boy struggling before him.

It was hard to keep an eye on the Alpha before him, and hack away at the trap. The Alpha made no move to approach Eren further, so Eren took a chance on only paying attention to his knife work. Finally, the trap broke and he fell down with a hard thump, rolling to get on his feet. Crouching low, he growled at the Alpha with his knife in front of him. I'm leaving. Don't follow. He kept his eyes on the Alpha, as he started to slowly back away.

Levi inclined his head, attentive gaze following the boy's movements, taking note of the favouring of his injured ankle and made another sort of soft purring chirp of warning at the Omega. He should at least treat the injury before it could become worse and he was going the wrong direction if he hoped to avoid further danger.

He wanted to stop the boy, but given the aggression in his posture and the brandished weapon, the Alpha kept still, not wanting to fight the Omega. So he waited. He would follow a distance behind, track him as he had his prey previously and make sure no harm came to the interesting male; he was curious enough to do so and he had no need to return to his home anytime soon. They would not be expecting him for a day or two anyways.

Eren ignored the noise the Alpha made as he continued to back up. Once he felt the brush of ferns and other low growing foliage against his calves, he turned around and bolted away, in the opposite direction he had come. As he sprinted, he could feel the throb in his ankle, but he had to keep moving. Since infancy, he had been told about how dangerous a rival Alpha was. He needed to get away or bad things would happen. He didn't know what those bad things were exactly, but he knew they were bad and should be avoided at all cost.

Eren sprinted until he could no longer smell the unknown Alpha’s musk then slowed down to inspect his injury. There was a red cut all the way around his ankle where the twine had dug into the flesh, and the joint was swollen, probably mildly sprained from when he was snagged. Eren would have to clean and dress the wound, so that it wouldn't get infected, but as an Omega, gathering herbs was what he should have been doing in the first place instead of hunting.

Sniffing around, he found a beehive to provide him some honey and a familiar thatch of bushes that yielded the herbs that could help with the healing process. He climbed the tree to expertly collect the honey without getting stung and once back on the ground, plucked the reddish tinted leaves from the bushes not too far away.

Eren made his way to a stream he’d heard along the way and started the dressing process. He washed the cut in the stream, making sure to get all the dirt out then mashed the honey and the leaves on a dry rock next to the stream to make a poultice to smear on the cut. From his skirt, he ripped some fabric to tie around his leg and he was done.

Sighing, Eren flopped onto a large rock to bask in the sunlight, finally relaxed now that he was out of danger and his ankle was attended to. That adventure had been a bit more exciting than he had intended and he had no rabbit to show for his recklessness. His family would be angry. Which was why he didn't want to return home yet. Eren liked the freedom of the forest and he could take care of himself.

It wasn't that he was against having an Alpha. He just didn't want to be stuck in a hut all day. Also, none of the Alphas in camp appealed to him... Even his betrothed. Eren was promised to the next leader of their clan, due to his appealing looks and blessed eye colouration. But Eren felt indifferent to his betrothed. His mother said it would be different when he spent a heat with the Alpha, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

All those thoughts swirled in Eren's head as he sunned himself, completely unaware that someone was watching him.

Levi was downwind from the Omega, effectively keeping the boy unaware that he was there at all, crouched some distance away and watching him as he treated his injury and then sprawled himself atop a large smooth slab of stone. The Alpha growled at the stupidity of the young male. This area seemed safe enough, but the Alpha could smell the lingering scent of predators that lived in the area. The stream was not a place to relax and let your guard down. All manner of creature needed water to live and that included the ones that posed a threat to men. Levi had fought such beasts, had scars from being too careless, but he'd learned and he'd become stronger. The Omega did not seem as experienced.

He scented the air searchingly; the most prominent scent was feline and not so far from where they were, but it was still a ways off and Levi simply stayed as he was, watching the Omega sunning himself lazily. ”Idiot,” he grumbled under his breath, but remained close in case the predators decided that the boy looked like a tasty meal.

The warm sun mixed with the quiet trickle of the stream made Eren groggy. He knew he should go find a tree to crawl up if he wanted to have a nap, but the stone was so cozy. Eventually the young Omega dozed off still curled up on the stone.

TBC...