Latvia ran faster than his legs had ever carried him. He ran through the forest, tripping and stumbling over logs and rocks, swatting aside branches and leaping over the debris of the forest floor. He never once looked back; he didn't even stop to take a breath. He just kept running. He couldn't get caught by Russia again, not after seeing that look in his eyes.

He had to get away.

After what felt like several hours of running, Latvia collapsed on the ground, panting and gasping for air, crawling under a bush and waiting. He tried to quiet himself, putting his hand over his mouth, listening for any sound of pursuit. After several minutes, he relaxed slightly and panted, trying not to cry or shake, but there was no stopping the tears. As quietly as he could, Latvia sobbed under the shelter of the bush, waiting for dawn to come.

Liechtenstein waited for her brother to wake up.

She sat patiently at the kitchen table and hummed quietly, lightly swinging her legs back and forth under her chair. Today, Switzerland was going to take her camping, and she was extremely excited, even if it didn't show.

Her brother had made many promises of a camping trip before, but somehow, they always had to be canceled or postponed. She didn't mind, though. She was just glad she could spend time with her brother.

After a while, Switzerland appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, fully dressed, hair neatly combed. He was slightly surprised to see Liechtenstein waiting for him, but it had been expected from her. He knew she was looking forward to the trip.

"Good morning, brother~," Liechtenstein trilled. "Did you sleep well?"

Switzerland nodded as he started to prepare breakfast for the both of them. "Yes. Did you sleep well?"

The smaller nation nodded, swinging her legs a bit faster until her brother set her food down on the table in front of her, taking a seat with his just across. She ate her food quickly, but didn't rush, as that would be rude, and Switzerland ate his at his own pace, too.

"Are you looking forward to our trip?" He asked before taking a bite.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for taking me on a trip in the first place, brother."

Switzerland nodded as he finished his meal. "Of course, I'm looking forward to it as well." He stood up, taking in his sister's empty plate as well.

Standing up from the table, Liechtenstein helped her brother with the dishes, drying them with a towel and setting them on the rack. When they were done, Switzerland packed all of the gear into a sack, filling a separate, smaller sack with some food and blankets. Liechtenstein helped him any way she could, preparing the food, fetching things from the shed, and rolling up the blankets tightly before packing them.

After several minutes, they were finally done. Switzerland gave the smaller pack to his sister, and they both put on their boots and stepped outside into the morning air.

Liechtenstein admired the sunrise for a moment before looking at her brother. "It's a very beautiful morning, brother, perfect for camping, right?"

Switzerland looked back at her and nodded, smiling slightly. "Yes, it's perfect for an outdoor trip. Let's get going, then." He started to walk into the forest, Liechtenstein following closely behind.

A couple of hours passed, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein stopped for lunch and a few breaks every now and then, sitting quietly and admiring the beauty of the forest. Birds sang from the branches, every now and then a squirrel or mouse would appear in the brush, and then disappear again. The sunlight filtered through the branches above them, creating breathtaking patterns and shapes on the forest floor. The late spring scents and sounds flooded the forest, creating an image of paradise on earth. It truly was beautiful.

"Brother, may I look around for a bit?" Liechtenstein looked at her brother over her shoulder, who was kneeling on the ground, pounding the wedges for the tent into the ground. They weren't staying all night, but it was nice to have a bit of shelter.

Switzerland nodded. "Be careful not to get lost, though."

"I'll be careful," she chimed as she strolled away from her brother, humming softly and gazing up at the trees.

Latvia woke up feeling groggy and weak, still lying under the bush. Blinking dazedly, he reached up with a hand and brushed away a few leaves that were on his face and clothes. Almost instantly he felt pain stab his shoulder and he winced, remembering last night…

*SNAP*

Latvia froze, silenced by the sound of a twig snapping. He looked around warily, barely moving a muscle, when he heard another noise. A hum. Latvia heard a humming noise, and he instantly panicked. It sounded like a person! What if it was Russia! He had to get out of there!

Disoriented and terrified, Latvia reached for his gun at his belt, only to find it wasn't there. He cursed silently, remembering he had lost it, and wishing he had some sort of weapon…

His gaze wandered over a sharp stone lying next to his hip, and he picked it up and held it to his chest. It was small and crude, but it would have to do. He gulped as he waited, and the humming noise drew closer and closer…