After a few minutes of intense hugs, Germany remembered where he was and straightened up, embarrassed. He nudged Spain with his elbow to catch his attention. Both continued to hold her italians close though, as though they would be separated again if they let go.

"Hallo Ludwig, Antoni," Sko said, trying to break the silence.

"Buonos dias. Tell me," Spain grew an aura that could rival Russia's. "Why did you take mi Lovino?"

"Better hitting," Sko said simply.

Germany normally would have started yelling at this point, but he was too calm from having his boyfriend returned safe and sound. Instead, Romano took up the role.

"Little Wild Basterd! You need to ask before you do something so stupid! Idiota! You call making us fight beefy wild basterds training?! And that glop you fed us was horrible! What was in there- po-"

"Sko!"

The thrashing Italian was silenced by the arrival of two other nations, who had heard Canada and America's little conversation back at the meeting….

"Halla, seanthairs!" Sko greeted her two 'grandfathers', Sweden and Ireland. They had heard the NA bros back at the meeting, and couldn't help being protective of Alvi, knowing how dangerous Spain and Germany could be when furious.

"Alright, boyo?" Ireland ran his hand through Skogurland's neck-length hair, bringing 'him' in closer, as a sneaky protective measure.

Sweden looked at the re-united countries, then crouched down in front of Alvi, looking 'him' in the eyes.

"D'you k'dn'p 't'ly?" (Did you kidnap Italy?)

"What 'kidnap'?"

"'You t'k th'm with't ask'ng," Berwald defined.

"They weak! They scared of dog!" she pointed at the brunette brothers.

"Tha's not a real reason. Now say sorry," Connor, with his hand still on Alvi's head, directed the child-nation over to Germany and Spain, squeezing Alvi's skull a bit to show 'he' had been bad.

"Sorry, I mean no bad." She smiled lightly, ignoring the hand in her hair. "They fight good."

Romano narrowed his eyes, deciding wether or not to trust the Strawberry Blonde. Veneziano, however...

"Vee~ it's ok, Alvin! If you really are sorry, and didn't mean to hurt anyone~"

Germany and Spain were wary, but decided that there was really nothing to be done- it wasn't as though Skogurland had tried to kill Feli and Lovino...

Sure that all was resolved, Sweden and Ireland decided to leave, since they each had plans later. "Y' sh'd v's't s'm't'm," Berwald invited, getting on the plane. (You should visit sometime)

"Yes, I'd like," Sko waved.

"Stay out'a trouble, ye wee get," Connor laughed, then left.

Sko led the remaining countries back to Caladoit, where they spent the rest of the day sorting through fish guts and scales.

Sko slept in a tree again that night, since both of her homes (one in Heimi and the other in Caladoit) were occupied by Germany and Italy, and Spain and Romano (each couple getting some alone time).

-0-

The next morning, Germany was first up (as usual) and he just lay next to Veneziano, silently listening to the calm, even breaths of his lover. Oh, how he had missed him!

Eventually though, Ludwig had to pee, making him hesitantly leave the hill-house for the woods. When he had...um….finished...he started back towards the village, but stopped just short of the tree line.

He dropped down and hid in a bush, hearing someone nearby. Some war habits are hard to quit.

After what seemed like hours, Alvi appeared out of the forest, carrying a dead stag over 'his' shoulders. 'He' stopped, trying to shift the carcass into a position that wouldn't allow the ground to touch it. Unfortunately, she was still quite short, having only the body of an 11 year old. Germany could tell that the 'boy' was really struggling to carry it, yet didn't seem to want to get help or take a break.

Germany joined the young nation and took the stag, grunting at the weight.

"þakka þér, Ludwig," Alvi was slightly miffed that her load had been taken away, but she was overall grateful- a dirty animal was worth less at the butcher.

Sko led Germany to the butcher, sold the stag, then Germany asked Sko if 'he' wanted to join himin training. Sko, looking for a chance to improve and possibly show off, agreed.

-0-

Germany had tried to go easy on Alvi, considering how physically young 'he' was, but he could tell that the child-nation was still struggling. Not wanting to overexert 'him', Germany decided to wrap up training.

Sko, in the meantime, felt embarrassed about how bad he was compared to other nations, it seemed. Sko had felt so assertive and powerful when he had managed to kidnap the two Italies, but eventually realized that if it hadn't been for the stealth part of his attack, he probably wouldn't have succeeded. And training them? No point- they were stronger and better than Alvi, and far more experienced.

The types of exercises Germany had picked didn't help at all- push ups, pull ups, jogging in the sand, it wasn't at all what Alvi was used to, and so hard. But when Germany called to finish and turned to go back into the forest and the town, Sko saw his only chance to show off.

"Wait!" Alvi waved that he wanted a minute to catch his breath before the next part. Germany waited somewhat impatiently- Veneziano would wake up soon, and probably be worried and nervous about being on his own.

Alvi took one great big inhalation and then strode up to the edge of the foliage. Germany, a little startled by the chance in pace, jogged to catch up to his 'host'. Once the adult had reached him, Alvi turned and gave the blue-eyed nation a cheeky smile, then walked into the woods.

Germany started after him, but could barely spot Sko. A maze of trees knocked over by earthquakes and storms, Alvi knew the ins and outs and navigated spectacularly, going faster and faster. Germany though, kept getting caught in dead ends and on the other side of passage holes, having to find longer ways around. Alvi went over under and through- Ludwig just got lost and turned around. If the younger nation hadn't waited every few yards for him, Ludwig was sure he'd be lost in the woods for hours.

"He may not be strong, but he's fast and small, I have to give him that," Germany thought to himself as he panted along, jumping across a small chasm to a side-ways growing tree trunk, where Alvi stood, watching and waiting. "And he has one heck of a stamina! Like a parkour-guy."

It really was like parkour, but there was no way Alvi knew what that was. All he knew was that he wasn't completely up to Germany's level, but at least he could handle his own style of environment.

Upon their return to Heimi, Ludwig found himself catapulted onto by Feliciano, who was slightly crying about how he was alone when he woke up.

"Ve~ I thought you had left me~" he sniffed.

Germany gave the brunnette a small kiss, then reassured him.

"Nein, Feli. I vas doing zum training with Alvi."

"Oh! Did you have to fight a big scary viking too?"

"Vhat?!"

-0-

Weeks later, at the next world meeting, Sko watched the countries of the world bicker as usual, no business getting done.

Then, a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye caught the blonde's attention. It was Russia, Kol-kol-koling behind the Baltics.

Sko watched the three smaller men quiver in fear. It was quite odd for the growing nation to watch.

"Kannski þeir gætu notað einhverja þjálfun líka ..." (Maybe they could use some training too….)

(HA! Finished! Sko just doen't learn her lesson, does she? I hope you all enjoyed the story! I'm sorta ashamed it took so long to finish...

I do not own Hetalia, nor any of its characters! I do own my OC Skogurland, but the rights to the rest of the countries belong to someone else...