Chapter 4:

"Huff… huff… huff…" Lovino trudged onward with dragging paw steps deeper into the woods. The sun had slowly drifted into sunhigh, and though the trees provided plenty of shade under the canopy, the ground had grown hot and the air stuffy. Lovino's muscles screamed out louder than before, demanding a break. It was not a good idea to start an expansive journey at a run. Not to mention, he had been walking for half the day and the metal tops of the denning place were no closer than before. How far out was his cottage? It surely couldn't have been this long?

Oh stars… what if it's not real? The manic thought entered his mind through the heat fueled delirium.

Of course! No cat has this kind of luck, just one thing after another to help me find my brother… I have to be dreaming! Oh, and it's turned into a terrible nightmare, doomed to just keep waaalking, and waaalking on and on until I wake. Oh fate! Why do you torture me so? Then the ground beneath him disappeared, and Lovino found himself tumbling down a cliff.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Lovino wailed as he fell. Not a dream! Not a dream!

Something wrapped firmly around his back and pulled him to a stop, dangling precariously over the trees bellow. A strand of vines hanging from the cliff wall had caught him and left the cat swinging in midair. The tom was huffing rapidly in panic, struggling to calm his racing heart. Breathing a moment, he took in the area. The part of the forest he was in before ended in a sudden cliff that stretched out in all directions. Just below, the forest continued onward. As Lovino turned his head, the sun's glint caught off of some structure and blinded his sight. Blinking a few times over, the tom's vision cleared and he could see metal towers as well as squatter dens off in the distance.

The denning place! He thought with relief. He had been getting closer, the raised tree line had just blocked his vision. Now… how do I get down?

The tendrils around him began to strain and snap under his weight.

Oh, fox dung! Lovino found himself falling again, spiraling towards the trees.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

Halfway through his scream, a flash of silver fur shot from the interlocking branches of the birch he was passing. The figure thudded into his side, powerful jaws clamped firmly around his scruff, and changed his direction towards the tree next to him. They landed heavily in the upper branches, the figure dropping him securely on the thickest portion of the limb.

Lovino was breathing heavily, fur fluffed in fear once more. The thing next to him was breathing in a rushed manor as well, but it was the first to recover.

"Man! That was a close one!" A mew with an arrogant air to it sounded from next to him. Lovino turned his head to acknowledge his rescuer. In the light filtering through the branches, a white tabby with silver stripes sat next to Lovino. His eyes were red like blood, but he had an excited and adventurous smile stretched across his face.

"Wh-who are you?" Lovino questioned between gasps.

The silver tabby chuckled to himself.

"Who am I? Why, fellow tom, I am Gilbert!" The cat stood in a triumphant pose on the branch.

"Am I supposed to know you?"

"Uh, duh! Of course! I thought there wasn't a cat alive who didn't hear of my great escapades! I guess I was locked up for longer than I thought…"

"Wait, locked up?" Was Lovino standing next to a mad cat?

"Never mind, never mind! That's not important anymore." The silver tabby just flashed that arrogant smile once more in Lovino's direction. Lovino frowned. He'd had enough of this. Shrugging to his paws, he leapt down the tree, earning a confused look from Gilbert, who chased after him.

"Hey, wait!" Lovino stopped with a sigh and turned back.

"Listen, uh, Gilbert, was it? I'm grateful for your help, but I really need to keep going. I've got no time to waste." The brown cat turned and kept walking.

"Hold up!" The tabby shouted again. "Aren't you heading towards the denning place?"

Lovino halted again. "Yes? So?"

"Didn't you realize you're going the wrong way?"

Lovino paused. "What? The denning place is straight ahead. You can see the den tops from here!" He pointed with his tail to the metal outcrops above.

Gilbert let out a mew of laughter. "Yeah, But the whole thing is surrounded by a huge lightning fence that no cat could climb. The only entrance is half way around in this direction!" he pointed to the place he was heading.

Lovino felt his fur grow hot. This mad cat had jumped strait out of nowhere, and was already making him look mouse brained!

Gilbert chuckled again. "C'mon, let's walk there together, I'll show you how to get in."

Lovino stalked back towards him.

"Fine, I guess." He replied coolly. "At least until we reach the gate."

"Great! Race ya there!" In a flash the tabby bounded up the hill and disappeared over the crest.

"Hey, wait! Lovino shouted, flustered, as he pelted after Gilbert.

The sound of Gilbert's laughter was carried by the wind as they ran.

"Sorry, um, what was your name?"

"Lovino!" the tom shouted ahead.

"Lovino! Sorry, but awesome cats run at awesome speeds!" and with more giddy laughter from Gilbert, the two ran deeper into the forest, tracking in a semi-circle around the denning place.

If you wish to see the full cover for this story, look here: art/Hetalia-A-Journey-of-Paw-Steps-465826103?ga_submit_new=10%253A1404584399

If you are looking for good mood music for this story, check out The Manic by Amarante.