Prepare for things to go downhill real quick. Just imagine the biggest fucking possible snowball... yeah.

Warning: Angst, paranoia, mention of Americest, TurCan, RusAme, and FrUK, a dangerous situation, weapons, (slight) mention of drug use (do I even need to warn against that now? LOL).

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HETALIA. I have fun manipulating their characters, though

The Sign in the Silence

Alfred rolled over in the sleeping bag, his back screaming as he moved on the uncomfortable rock. He groaned; the stone was ice cold and it was seeping through the material. Blindly, he groped around for Ivan, his hands coming up empty. He opened his eyes.

And saw Ivan standing in only his underwear, looking up at the sky.

Alfred thought he was still dreaming, but the pain in his back reminded him that he was indeed awake. Wide awake now with the strange sight before him. "Uh… Vanya, are you… okay?" Damn, vodka does some weird shit…

Ivan didn't look down at him, just kept staring.

"Vanya?" Alfred said again, louder. "What the hell are you doing standing in your underwear? It's fucking freezing… Have you been snorting something? Vanya, we can talk about this. I remember Artie giving me this lecture. Drugs are bad… but they weren't in the seventies!" He laughed a little then he frowned. "Vanya?"

Ivan finally looked down at him, and when he did Alfred didn't like the expression he wore. "The wolves are not howling."

Alfred blinked. "What?"

"The wolves…" Ivan trailed off and crouched down. He began to pull the sleeping bag out from under Alfred.

Alfred huffed. "Hey, Vanya, wanna clarify just what the hell is going on?" He dug his heels firmly into the sleeping bag as Ivan continued to pull it. "Ivan, goddammit, tell me what's wrong."

Ivan looked at him, his eyes wide. "Something's wrong. We must move."

Alfred knew the Russian wasn't joking. He had never seen Ivan this uneasy before, and it scared the shit out of him. "Get some clothes on. I'll wake the others."

Alfred shimmied into some pants, pulled his sweater over his head, and shrugged on his winter jacket. Ivan rolled up their sleeping bag within minutes and was fully dressed in less. Alfred went to Arthur first, kneeling down next to him and shaking his shoulder.

"Artie, wake up."

"Mmf?" Arthur turned over and opened his eyes, immediately blushing. He had been cuddled up against Francis, nose in his neck and arm around him. He snatched his arm back and cleared his throat. "This had better be important, Alfred," he grumbled irritably. His hands were still burning like hell, but he wouldn't let it show. They always hurt like a bitch when he woke up.

"Ivan says there's something wrong."

"What is it?"

"I dunno," Alfred admitted, and Arthur glared. "I'm not joking! He looked scared. He's gone all pale… he said the wolves aren't howling."

"The wolves?" Francis was awake, staring at him. He looked as if he hadn't just been sleeping, his eyes wide. He recalled the wolves that prowled the Paris streets so many years ago. They had always communicated to each other—except when hunting. They would have to be silent in order not to be noticed. But Francis was pretty sure that four wolves wouldn't dare take them on. They were trying to hide from something. Something much stronger than them…

He knew what it was, and he quickly wriggled out of his sleeping bag. Arthur watched him in bewilderment. "Why are you so worried by a pack of flea-bitten dogs?"

"I am not afraid of them," Francis said, though it was only half truth. "I'm afraid of what they are afraid of."

Arthur remembered Ivan's explanation of the wolves' presence the other day and understood. Within moments he had dressed himself and was waking the others around him.

When Alfred got to Matthew, he frowned and nudged him with the toe of his shoe. Matthew mumbled before opening his eyes. He was bare-chested, Sadiq hugging him securely from behind. The Turk was wearing his bandana mask. "Al…?"

"You were supposed to be on watch," Alfred accused. "You fell asleep." Not before fucking, though, I see, Alfred mused, though he held back from saying the words. He knew that perpetual flush on Matthew's cheeks—he had seen it many times after their own lovemaking.

Matthew blushed deeper and his eyes widened. "Oh, Al, I'm so sorry—"

"Save it," Alfred said, his voice colder than he intended. "Get up. There's trouble."

Sadiq was roused by their voices and he flinched when he saw Alfred standing over him, blocking out the light of the moon and casting a large shadow. "Alfred?"

"I'll explain," Matthew told him. "Sadiq, you're going to have to get up."

Alfred left before he could hear the questions fly from the Turk's mouth. For some reason he was feeling uptight; threatened. He knew he shouldn't feel that way… he and Matthew were no longer together in a sexual way, that's why he had Ivan. And as much as he loved Ivan, he couldn't help feeling jealous of a man encroaching on what used to be his territory—despite he and Matthew having a strictly open relationship.

Lovino was being a grouch as usual and Feliciano was whimpering, huddling beside Ludwig for warmth and protection. Kiku stood beside Yao, both of them appearing calm despite the storm of apprehension brewing inside them. Gilbert was not being loud for once.

"Ivan," Yao spoke up. He knew something was coming; something was off. Just the air, it felt… wrong. "Why did you wake us?"

Ivan looked over them all, feeling incredibly guilty. He had thought that this was a safe place to settle for the night. He had suggested that they stay here. Now their lives were resting on his shoulders. "The Organization men are near. The wolves have gone away to hide. They outnumber the pack. They will not be so easy to outrun as the last group of men."

Immediately Feliciano burst into tears.

Arthur ignored him and Ludwig's attempts to soothe him, turning to Ivan. "Where will we go? There is nothing but flat land out there. No fields of grass to hide in this time. And they'll surely have weapons. They will shoot us down like a flock of sparrows taking flight."

Feliciano cried harder. "Way to be sensitive, asshole," Lovino grumbled quietly, but Arthur ignored him as well, eyes fixed on Ivan, almost accusing.

What could Ivan tell them? That he was confronting the only situation he was unable to solve and that the decision he made could cost all their lives? He took a deep breath, his nerves unraveling like never before, trying to keep himself composed. But it felt like an elephant was sitting on his chest.

He wet his lips and said, "We cannot stay here. If they are close enough for the wolves to flee, then they are close enough to see this ravine."

That doesn't answer my question, Arthur mused, though he didn't want to waste time by demeaning Ivan… or risking his well-being. "So, we run?"

Ivan swallowed. "Da." He paused for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts and expel the panic from his system; it was the last thing he needed right now. "We are going to form a protective wall… I will stay behind the group to shoot at the rebels. But I cannot be alone." He felt it was his responsibility, after all.

Alfred looked up at him determinedly. "I'm game."

Ivan frowned. "Nyet, you will run and only that." He knew how reckless Alfred could be. Before he could object, Ivan looked at the Prussian. "Gilbert?"

The albino, his skin and hair glowing under the moonlight, smiled. "You know I will."

"I'll go," Ludwig said.

Ivan shook his head. "Nyet, you will have to lead the group to a place where we will be safe."

"I know the terrain as much as you do, Ivan. There is no guarantee that I will succeed."

"Then keep Feliciano calm," Ivan told him, looking out on them all again. "Anyone else?"

"Me," Kiku said, though it was obvious that Yao disapproved. But the Chinaman didn't say anything, only frowned in concern.

"I'll be going as well," Arthur volunteered.

"Non, absolutely not," Francis snapped.

Arthur glared. "I am going," he bit back, determined.

"No, not unless I go with you."

"You will not. I won't be there to watch over Matthew and make sure Alfred doesn't do anything stupid. That will be your job."

There was a bit of silence in which no one spoke. Ivan nodded. "All right, then. Arthur, Kiku, Gilbert, and I will be at the back of the group taking aim at the men. The rest of you will be running, hopefully to a place of refuge. If you cannot find a place, keep running. If we stop, we die."

Feliciano was still sniffling and everyone was trembling or on edge of it while they were awaiting Ivan's signal to climb out of the mouth of the ravine. They had all scrambled to the exit, packing together, shoulder to shoulder, two by two as only the small space allowed, and waited. Ivan was at the head of the group, his shooters lined up behind him. They would all file out first and make a barrier between the men and the rest of the group so that the others could get out and flee.

At the back of the group, Sadiq worried. He looked at Matthew, his arm slung over his shoulders.

"You don't need to help me," he whispered.

Matthew frowned. "You can't run yet, and I'm not going to let you fall behind."

"I'll slow you down."

"Then you will. I don't care."

"I do," Sadiq grumbled.

They were silent for a moment before Matthew felt a strong urge. He blinked through the dark at Sadiq. "Sadiq… I-I love you." He chewed his lip as Sadiq's eyes widened in his mask and was silent. He looked ahead almost myopically, and Matthew felt his heart sink.

How stupid can I be? Why did I do that? Matthew thought somberly.

Ivan scanned the land above with sharp eyes. The moon was half full, and he was grateful; he could see for a good few miles behind them and there was nothing blocking his view. The wolves, as he suspected, were gone. Yet, he knew they were close by even though he could not see them… waiting for the bodies to start falling.

The thought unsettled him and he pushed it away. He firmly told himself it was not going to be Alfred's body the wolves would be feasting on as the men finally came into sight and range.

Meanwhile, Sadiq was wondering over what Matthew had said. Everything seemed to be moving so fast, and he didn't know if their relationship was far enough along for the words to be completely true. But he saw the look on Matthew's face, and he felt so guilty about not saying anything back. The last thing he wanted to do before running for his life was to break Matthew's heart. So he looked at Matthew and drew breath, and Matthew looked eagerly at him, waiting, barely breathing himself. And then—

"Let's go," Ivan muttered, and Sadiq shut his mouth again as the Russian led the way out into a sea of glowing white snow.

At first sight, Ivan judged there were around fifteen men, but then they shouted in surprise and raised their weapons and everything was a blur. Ivan didn't look back to make sure the rest of the group was safe or that the barrier he had described had been properly formed. He could not afford to.

He fired only four rounds before he had to risk reaching inside his coat to grab another magazine and lock it. He had brought only so many: about six in all and two of those were seventy-five-round drums. But he was saving those for the capital. Now he had finished off all of his ammo except for his two forty-round cartridges, one of which he was now locking. If this turned out to be a pursuit that lasted days, he knew he was in trouble.

Ahead of him, about two-hundred yards away, the men took aim and fired. Luckily it appeared as if most of the group had short range weapons. But there was one particular man who had already fired two rounds dangerously close to Ivan. He could hear the bullets slicing through the air with a whistle inches from his person.

He nearly dropped his magazine when his ears rang with the sound of a rapid succession of bullets firing beside him. He spared a glance and Arthur nodded back to him, the submachine gun in his hand.

He had borrowed the weapon from Francis, who had stolen it and some cartridges for it at the Organization mens' camp before the fire. Of course Francis was nervous letting him go, but Arthur bloody well knew how to shoot and he'd be damned if he let a frog tell him he was poor at it even if said frog was his lover. So he covered Ivan while he reloaded. Everyone else who was to form the barrier stood a little ways behind them as their own weapons did not have the range that Arthur's and Ivan's had.

While their guns could fire at a moderate range, their accuracy was poor. Every bullet wasted was another death or injury that could be prevented later. And even though they knew they should not be wasting ammo, they were hesitant to turn and run, for that meant that the one man that held what should be an illegal M4—who had a surprisingly accurate long-range shot—might just down one of them on the way, and there would be no coming back for them, there was no time to. Every time the man fired close to Ivan, the bullet wound in his side ached in remembrance.

Yet when they both no longer heard feet scrambling out of the ravine and the crunching of snow under worn soles, they knew they must flee. Beside Arthur, Kiku shouted over the gunfire that they must go. By then Arthur's hands were trembling and he was half deaf from the rounds. He was reluctant, and Ivan glanced at him, the same apprehension in his eyes. They had to leave.

So Arthur lowered his gun and turned quickly on his heel. As he sped away from the site, he saw only Kiku and Gilbert following him. And he could only hope that Ivan would follow, but, thankfully, no one seemed to be shooting at him.

He looked up ahead, watching the shadowy bodies of the other group members a little ways off move up and down in flight. He scanned his eyes over each one, making out certain features that told him where everyone was. Then he noticed something that made his heart leap into his throat and he went over them again, and again, and again.

Fucking yank, what did I tell you?

Ivan knew Arthur had left him, but he would give him the best chance by staying behind for a while so that Arthur could get well out of range. His time to leave was close, and his heart started up a frantic tattoo in his chest that made him dizzy.

And then someone was standing next to him, firing off round after round. He looked over and saw Alfred, and something inside him urged him to strangle the stubborn man.

Alfred saw his look and ignored it, instead shouting, "Together!"

Ivan blinked at first, but then understood. They fired their last shots and, together, they turned and ran.

Ivan didn't look back, although he knew well enough that the men were pursuing them. He glared at Alfred as he ran, furious.

"I told you to stay with the rest of the group!"

"I wasn't gonna leave you, you asshole!" Alfred shouted back.

"Why do you never listen to me?"

"I don't listen to anyone, dude, you should know!"

Ivan huffed and was about to tell Alfred to run faster and catch up to Arthur and the rest who were ten yards or so ahead of them, when he heard the growing sound of baying behind them. He and Alfred exchanged panicked looks.

They may have lost the wolves, but now dogs were after them.

Ludwig was scoping out for possible places to hide whilst trying to calm Feliciano. The Italian was sobbing and shaking by now, and it was getting all the worse when Ludwig couldn't find a safe place to stay. The anxiety was not only wearing on Feliciano and himself but was gradually spreading to everyone else as well. Yao was pale and looked as lost as when his country fell to foreign imperialism. It was certainly a sight that made Ludwig uneasy; despite his faults, Yao was still the oldest of them all and supposedly the wisest. Now he didn't even know what to do. And he seemed to be going a bit off the deep end, muttering Kiku's name in an endless string under his breath and glancing back occasionally to see if the nation was okay.

Lovino was beside him the instant they stopped. "We need to fucking run, potato head, not stand here and wait to be shot!"

Ludwig lost his temper then. It hardly ever happened, but he was currently stressed out the ass and he needed to vent a bit. "What do you want me to do, huh? Everything is flat! If you think you can find a place faster, then why don't you lead the group?"

Lovino's eyes widened, but his face still turned tomato-red with anger. "This is so fucking—"

"A river!" Francis yelled from behind. He was running up to them from helping Matthew move Sadiq along. By now he had long forgotten about Alfred, and just assumed that he was a little behind. "Up ahead. And they have hounds!"

Ludwig's heart got to pounding again and Feliciano clung to his arm. "No, Luddy, no, I don't want to swim in the river. It will be so cold!"

"Ja, it will." Ludwig swallowed and looked in the direction of the river, then back at Feliciano. "But we have to do it."

The river was wide and fast-flowing. As they neared it, the sound it made grew to a low roar. Even though the water wasn't as high as in the spring or summer—when the snows melted—they were still flowing pretty hard. Ludwig was dismayed to see that the ice had not managed to calm the river yet, but there were a few good chunks of it rushing with the water. He bit his lip as he examined it further, eyes skimming over the faces of many rocks, most smoothed by the currents but still bone-crushingly hard. Lovino was beside him.

"You're crazy. Fucking insane."

"Do you have any other suggestions?"

He was silent then.

Ludwig took a deep breath and began, "Let's g—"

"Wait!" Yao shouted, his voice higher and more frantic than any of them had ever heard. "What about the rest? What about Kiku? We wait. If we all cross separated, we won't be able to help each other."

Ludwig looked behind them. Kiku and the rest were still a good two-hundred yards away and two other shadowy shapes that Ludwig couldn't make out but hoped to be part of their group were farther still. And behind them were the men, their voices rising as they neared, and dark shapes were flitting alongside them, eventually sprinting their way across the snow and directly for the two stragglers. Those must be the hounds.

He looked back at Yao. "No time. They'll catch up." Then he looked back down at the icy cold water and was reminded of their heavy packs, laden with provisions, and their own heavy winter clothes. But they could not afford to lose any of it; they would die without it.

He turned to them. "Right, listen to me and do what I say as fast as you possibly can. Empty your packs of everything that could be damaged by the water and stuff everything in your sleeping bag to put back inside. If there is anything important that is small, put it in a small bag or whatever you can find that will keep the water from it. Then put them back in. I think our packs will float, so try to hold onto them, but if it sinks let it go; don't let it pull you down with it, your life is more valuable. Quickly, everyone!"

The plan was crazy, but they did as they were told. They were finished within seconds, mostly due to the fact that their adrenaline was pumping as fast as the river was, running through their veins like ice.

The rest of the group was fifty yards away and closing, but Ludwig wasn't willing to waste anymore time waiting for them. So he said, "Everyone stick with a partner in case you have trouble. Feliciano, you hold onto me, okay? Hold onto me and don't let go. Do you understand?" When Feliciano didn't answer, only cried, Ludwig said more firmly, "Answer me."

"S-s-si," Feliciano sniffed, a pitiful mess of tears and snot.

"Someone will have to stay behind to pass my orders onto the others," Ludwig said.

"I will stay," Yao volunteered immediately, eager to see Kiku.

Ludwig nodded. "Very well." He couldn't keep the grimness out of his tone, the finality. One way or another, he knew someone was going to die tonight. But he knew one thing…

He tightened his grip around Feliciano's wrist, almost bruisingly so.

"I won't let go," he promised.

He led Feliciano to the edge of the water, both carrying their packs in one hand, and plunged in.

No translations

A Word From the Writer: Wow, that whole "hide in the ravine and hope they pass us" plan kinda backfired. Russia's gonna be feeling that one for a while, I can tell ya. Especially since someone is gonna die during this. Yes, you heard me, we have come to the point of a character death. Or two character deaths. You'll see what I mean in the next chappie. So go get some feels!