The giant, long-haired grey cat made it look so easy.
China growled, flattening his ears against his head. He hated the fact that Russia was twice his size, even though he was much younger. He felt like he was being led by him all the time,  which he hated.
His paws were just about frozen from walking in the snow. "How much longer until we're there, aru?" he said.
Russia suddenly stopped. "Until we're where?" he asked, tilting his head.
"Until we're at the pond! You said you were taking me there so we could  fish!" China hissed.
"Oh yeah!" Russia said, purring.
"Don't tell me... you forgot where we were going halfway through the trip, and now we're lost?" China growled.
"Lost? China, I know my way through this forest, and I know exactly where we are!" Russia mewed.
"Where are we, then?" China asked.
"In a very awkward situation. We're lost." Russia said.
China put his paw on his face, groaning. "Idiot..."
"Don't worry! I will find our way out of here." Russia said, turning around. "It will be like in the fairy tale called 'Hansel and Gretel.' Two little kids wander out in the woods and leave a trail of bread behind them. They use the trail of bread to find their way back home!" the cat said, purring. Then he quickly added, "Actually a duck eats the trail of bread and they get lost and then a witch tries to eat them."
"Alright, so what does this story have to do with our problem?"  China asked.
"Our scent will be our trail of bread! We just follow the scent our paws left on the ground, all the way back home." Russia said.
"I guess that could work."
Russia began following the scent. After only a few minutes, he had to stop.
"Ok, I can't find our scent anymore. All I can smell is some kind of bird..." Russia said. He gasped. "The duck ruined our scent trail! Fairy tales are real!!"
"Russia, there are so many things wrong with that. First, a duck wouldn't be out in winter. Second, do ducks even live around here? Third, fairy tales are not real." China said.
"Don't deny the magic!" Russia hissed. "It is real!"
"Magic isn't real!"
Russia gasped, and held up his paw. "Shun the non-believer!"
Before China could say anything, Russia faced the other direction. "The non-believer is not allowed to see my face. If you wish to speak, talk to my rump."
China sighed. "How about we just get help?" he said.
Russia turned around. "How?"
"Look; there's a bridge over there." China said, pointing with his paw. "There's a human standing on it. Maybe he'll take us home!"
"Hm, not a bad idea." Russia said. He began to walk toward the human, but then changed his mind.
"What's wrong?" China said.
"That's not a human..." Russia said, the fur on his back pricking up.
"What? How is that not a-"
"It's a troll!" Russia exclaimed. "Don't you see the creepy grin, and the wrinkly skin?"
"...Did you make that rhyme on purpose?"
"Yes! No! Maybe! That's not that point! We need to get around this troll." Russia said. "You go first."
"Why?!" China exclaimed. "If you think this troll is so dangerous, then why am I going first? I'm half your size!"
"In a fairy tale called 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff', three delicious little goats meet a vicious troll. The smallest goat goes first, and tells the troll not to eat him since he's too small, and that he can eat his bigger friend instead. The troll lets him cross. The second goat does the same thing. Then, the third goat comes, and since he's really big and strong, he beats the heck out of the troll!"
"...Well then."
China walked over to the bridge, the fur on his back standing up with fear. The troll saw him, and hissed, "I WANNA EAT YO FACE!"
China quickly said, "NO NO NO DON'T EAT MY FACE. I HAVE A LARGE FRIEND THAT TASTES BETTER."
The troll tilted his head. "HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS, DARLIN'?"
"HE TOLD ME, OK, BYE." China said, running across the bridge.
The troll was going to chase him, but he decided not to as he heard someone walk up from behind him.
He saw a much bigger cat standing there. It mewed, and the troll began drooling at the sight of him. "Hello...."
Russia sat down and tilted his head. "Kolkolkol..."
The troll fainted at the sight of this. Russia stepped over his body and followed China.
"Yay! We did it!" he said.
"Yeah! Now we can-"
They both sat there in silence.
"Why did we cross the bridge, again?"
"I forgot, aru..."
They both sat there in the snow for a minute, trying to think of another way to get out of the forest.
After a while, Russia spoke up. "It's getting late. We should find shelter..."
"Fine, I'll go find some grass." China said.
"I think it would be better to sleep in a pile of sticks..." Russia mewed.
"Why?" China asked. "That would be unbearable."
"Da, but the grass might be wet, and I don't think being wet is a good idea when it's cold." Russia said.
"I'd rather be wet than sleep on a bunch of sharp sticks. You can sleep in your sticks, and I'll sleep in some grass." China said, walking away. Russia flattened his ears. "Ok."
*****
Later that night, China heard a disturbing growling sound. His ears flattened against his head, and looked around. He couldn't see anything, but the scent of a dog  filled his nose. He felt a warm tongue brush against the back of his neck, and he screeched, running away.
"Russia! Russia!" China exclaimed.
Russia was sleeping in the pile of sticks. "...Hm?"
"A dog!" China exclaimed, but it wasn't necessary, since the dog was right behind him.
The dog pounced on the pile of sticks, but Russia moved out of the way just in time.
"The Three Little Pigs!" he exclaimed.
"WHAT?" China hissed, running faster.
"The Three Little Pigs! Your grass shelter failed, and my stick shelter also failed. Now we must find a brick shelter!" Russia exclaimed.
"Are you insane?!" China hissed. "There is no way we're going to find a brick house around here!"
"But there's got to be some kind of house made of bricks around here!" Russia exclaimed.
The dog  was starting to catch up with the running cats.
"Russia, we'll just have to climb a tree!" China growled. "We don't have time for your stupid fairy tales aru!"
"But Chinaaaaa! Fairy tales give life meaning!" Russia exclaimed.
China growled, but stopped as he saw a house. It was very small, and was made of red bricks.
"I told you fairy tales were real! Now quick, crawl in the window!" Russia exclaimed, darting over to the house and climbing up to the window.
Where did that even come from? China thought, doing the same as Russia.
They climbed inside the house. The dog stood at the window, barking, but he couldn't get inside. China fell on the ground, panting. The floor of the house was cold, making him even more uncomfortable.
Russia licked his ear. "See, China? Fairy tales may seem silly at first... but sometimes, even the strangest things can be true. All you need to do it believe, and their magic will help you." he said. China slowly opened his eyes, and smiled a little. "I... guess, maybe I should have given them a chance..."
"Our kind has only explored the surface of the Earth. Just imagine all of the universe; it would be ridiculous to think that magic has no way of existing." Russia said, smiling. He licked China's ear again, trying to help him calm down.
They heard footsteps coming into the room. China sat up, nervously backing up into the wall. "We don't know whose house this is. We should hide, or else they'll-"
"Kitties!" Russia's owner exclaimed, grabbing them and snuggling them in his arms. "Daddy was getting worried about you! Aww, you're so cold..."
Russia purred, nuzzling his face into his owner's chest.
China's owner also walked into the room, sighing in relief. "Finally they're back... I thought they were stolen by someone."
Russia's owner kissed both of the cats' heads, and carried them up into the bedroom.
*****
Later that night, China was still awake. He stared up at the ceiling, thinking. Then he noticed that Russia was also awake.
"Russia..." China whispered, moving closer to him.
"Da?"
"Our house isn't made of red bricks..."