Zubicu- a Hetalia fanfic.

Chapter 2

Eventually, after goodness-knows-how-long spent trekking through the woods going absolutely nowhere and trying to work out where I'm supposed to go in the first place, I realise night has fallen. Looking around, I find myself very deep into the woods, probably more so than I've ever gone before. After looking around, it suddenly occurs to me I have absolutely no idea where I am. This only serves to drive both my fear and guard up a few notches, since normally I know my way around the woods.

I must be in the inner ring of the forest, where no country or person has dared to go before. This is good as I know not many other countries will come here, but it's also very bad as it means I have no idea what's out here and I could injure myself. Nobody would be there to help me. Mind you, when did I ever need to rely on anyone so heavily? Last time I can recall I was helping myself out of my own scrapes. Certainly not helping others out of theirs. Why should I? I mean, other countries are able to handle themselves; and if I do help them, for all I know they could think I'm wishing to make an alliance with them, and that is the LAST thing I need.

Deciding to pull over and attempt to get my bearings, I nod in satisfaction as I examine my surroundings. It's a suitablely sized clearing, not so large it'll draw attention, but not so small that if I light a fire it'll set fire to the trees. I hear a river nearby, and that makes my mind up. I choose to make camp here for the night.

I settle down quickly. Checking the location of the river I heard earlier, I follow the sound to a small stream about ten feet from the clearing I'm settling in. Well, it'll do for one night. I walk back to the clearing and look up. The trees branch out and cover over the top of the clearing, so the moonlight filters through. Through the thick canopy I can see enough to figure out it's a full moon tonight. I shiver, thinking of the werewolves in all those tales I read; they come out tonight, and any could be in these woods.

Plus, there's a rumour that the venticuna prowls these exact same forests that I'm in now on a full moon. The last thing that I want is to encounter one of those; even with my sword expertise, the chances I'd live without a mark from it are very low.

Despite this threat now looming in the back of my mind, I eventually manage to force myself to relax, and shed my satchel under a tree. Then, making sure it won't fall and that it's secure, I throw dirt , branches and leaves over it, making sure it's disguised so that nothing notices it and either takes it or uses it to track me while I'm gone. Then I go and walk around for a bit nearby to collect branches and things. I spend a few minutes gathering up some nearby wood. I make sure that all the pieces are arranged into a pile in the centre of the clearing so as to reduce the risk of a forest fire starting up while I'm asleep.

Once that's done, I strike a match to light a fire, keeping it small in order to draw minimum attention, and plop myself down in front of it, my back against the tree behind me that I dumped my satchel down against earlier, but after a few minutes I shuffle closer to the fire, holding my hands out to the open flames so that I can keep them warm as it's rather chilly at night here now. 

And this has to happen in the middle of winter, doesn't it.... I think sarcastically. That means it's even more likely that a venticuna will find me here. Couldn't they have planned this war in the summer? No, of course not. Wars aren't planned, they just happen. If wars were planned,  winners would be predetermined and the war would be over incredibly quickly.

I think over my plan, sitting cross-legged on the ground and staring into the flames. It wasn't now much of a plan now that I look at my current position. I'm in the middle of the forest -I think- not even knowing my exact location, completely exposed to both the elements and whatever animals are out there, with nowhere to go, facing everyone as a possible enemy, no allies, a limited amount of both food and water, and wanted.