Author's Note: This is, like, a different-cast version of a short story I read the other day. Therefore, it won't be too long. This is pretty much OOC, but it is not meant to be focused on their personalities. Simply on the situation, and 'cause it's AU. Warning; Don't get too hopeful, ufufu~

Disclaimer: I do not own Lucky Star. I would like to, if you're willing to offer.

Enemy Territory

The air was cold, the ground was covered in a blanket of pure white, the trees were bare and weak, and the sky was dim. Winter was not a kind season, and it had a habit of causing people to stay indoors and sit by the fire. However, this was not the case for Konata Izumi.

With a rifle, she carefully trudged through the snow in search of an infamous interloper. The only audible sounds were the soft crunching of snow and the flapping of ravens's wings in the brisk wind. The intruder was hidden somewhere in the forest, and our hunter was determined to find her prey. However, the challenge was proving to be difficult. After all, it's hard to hunt when it is just as possible that you are the prey as well –

– When your prey is a human just like yourself.

Misao Kusakabe was forbidden to enter Izumi territory. The Kusakabes had lost the claim to their forest to the Izumis three generations back, and their feud was famous in the city to the east. The Kusakabes had foolishly gambled over the property of the forest, and the eternally wealthy Izumi household won it with ease. For generations, the rivaling families loathed each other with a passion that could have blown out a destructive flame.

It was foolish of Misao to enter the forest.

For Konata, this seemed beneficial. An opportunity had been bestowed upon her by God to take out the youngest Kusakabe without negative consequence. They were of fair age now, about twenty, and had despised each other for years. Their parents' influence on them was strong. When asked about the frozen corpse, she could simply say that she was out hunting and had mistaken Misao as a buck in the distance. The dead woman's trespassing would be used against her, and further help to prove the innocence of the hunter.

She had never expected to resort to murder, but she could not let the chance slip by.

Konata stopped, yet the crunching of snow continued. With a smirk, she stealthily continued forward to the source of the sound. This would end quickly.

Just as expected, the protruding fang of the creature glinted in the dim moonlight.

Another step, and the sound of a breaking branch immediately brought attention.

Misao quickly turned toward the sound and raised her rifle, aiming at the silently cussing Izumi. Konata raised her rifle just as quickly, and aimed back. Neither of them could see clearly due to the distance and darkness, but both took the shot.

Ravens flew from their resting places on the flimsy branches and into the sky, crying out in alarm.

Neither were injured by the blow, and Konata's reflexes were quicker than expected. Seeing the sudden chance, she took out a knife from the back of her boot and rushed at the recovering Kusakabe.

Just as Konata was about to strike, nature had decided to intervene. The tense silence was quickly broken by the slam of a giant trunk. With gasps of terror, both individuals were pinned down beneath the heavy wood that had been weakened by the wind. Weapons flew into the air, their destination unknown.

Opening her eyes slowly, Konata turned her head toward her nemesis. Misao, whose head was caked in blood from the impact of the branches, smirked at Konata and snickered. The pressure of the trunk strained their breathing.

"Ha... Trapped by your own forest! The irony is amusing."

Konata smirked back. "Ah, amusing, indeed! Before I left, I came with my men. They are around the forest, no doubt, and will finish you off once they arrive to my aid!"

Misao's smirk did not fade away. "But it is you who shall perish under my men. I told them to arrive ten minutes within my entry, and they are most definitely searching for you and I by now."

A momentary silence.

"You will be punished for your trespassing." Konata raised an eyebrow.

"It will be worth it in exchange for your death."

Silence again. The bitter cold bit at their skin, their soft locks of hair spread across the snow and exposing the back of their necks to the blanket beneath them. After a good amount of effort and pain, Konata was able to slip her arm out from beneath the trunk, and reached into her pocket in search for her wine flask. Quickly locating its whereabouts, she popped it open and took a few savored sips and sighed with relief. The warmth already began to spread throughout her body. She closed it and looked over at Misao.

The Kusakabe's head was turned away, the uneven breathing causing the Izumi to feel pity for her.

"Can you reach this wine flask?" she suddenly asked.

Misao turned her head halfway so that she did not have to fully meet Konata's gaze. "I do not drink with my enemy."

The blunette was silent for a few minutes, suddenly experiencing mixed feelings.

"Mi – ... Kusakabe," she spoke up suddenly, "if my men were to arrive first, I will have them aid you before myself. You have suffered the worst out of either of us, and you are without a wine flask yourself. Surely, you would be the first to perish simply by nature's greatest weapon, the forceful wind. Let us end this feud over such a weak piece of land that could not even survive the pelting of rain."

A few minutes passed, causing Konata to believe that Kusakabe had, in fact, fallen victim to winter's suffocating grasp. However, the protruding fang moved slowly along with the words that struggled to escape the girl's lips.

"Heh... Izumi, what wonders it would bring to the townsfolk if they took in the sight of both of us, together on stallions, riding into the cities as, no longer enemies, but friends. Allies. You would invite me to your castle for a glorious autumn's feast, and I would invite you to hunt with me for the winter festivities. The feud between our families, that our fathers and grandfathers nailed into our minds, would finally be over. You offer not only the aid of your men for my well being, but you offer your wine flask as well... Let us end this."

And so they shared the wine flask until the very last drop. The darkness seemed to be closing in as the minutes ticked on by. Injured and weak, they could not push the tree off on their own. The only hope were the men that they had been relying on since the beginning of this hunt. But the hunt was far from over.

"Let us try and call out to our men. Perhaps they're in the vicinity." Konata suggested. Misao agreed.

"SOMEONE COME AND HELP US!" they called, but to no avail.

"Once more." Konata said, and they tried again. It was proving to be difficult, for the cold had dried and cracked their throats.

Then, in the distance, Konata saw figures close in. "Kusakabe... In the distance!"

Misao looked in the direction that Konata had pointed it and squinted. "I cannot see well. How many are there?"

"Ah, about... - about nine, I believe."

"Must be yours, then. I only brought seven with me."

"Ha, they're quick on their toes. Quite brave of them."

"So, are they yours?" a hint of impatience could be heard in Misao's tone. When Konata did not answer, she asked once again.

"... No." Konata laughed. The kind of laugh that was not genuine, but hinted at something far worse.

"Well then, who are they? You can see better than I." she squinted, to see if she could see any better since the figures were closer. However, her eyesight was not as strong as Izumi's. She turned her head back, only to see Konata staring intensely at the desired direction, with eyes the size of saucers and with a grim smile of hysteria.

" Wolves. "

The End

Author's Note: Ufufu~ , I bet a good amount of you saw that coming. I am sorry about Ransom, once again. I have a research paper due on the 20th of this month, and I personally have no time for another huge chapter. I only made this one because I was inspired and I didn't want to lose it, along with the fact it is very short. But once the paper is handed in, I promise I will put up the last chapter!

Thank you for reading!

Review? (: