Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Snowy Soulmates. Enjoy the 1200-word chapter. I don't own VK, Sega, Ryutaro Nonaka and Shuntaro Tanaka do.

Matias hummed and motioned for the group of soldiers near him to leave. He knew more then any that a battle was coming sooner or later. This peace didn't last at all, it never did.

"You know I can tell it's you." Matias said while turning to look over his shoulder. "There's not many female federation soldiers here. Your footsteps kind of give it away… I'm not trying to scare you when I said that we're going to be attacked sooner or later." Matias said while he shook his head.

The sounds of battle were quite scaring to someone like him when it came down to it… But he could tell the empire would launch a siege upon them. This would be their one and only chance to stop the Federation/Vinland forces in one go.

"Do you think there's any ability to delay or stop their attack?" Minerva asked as she turned to look at the camp. "We don't have the numbers to hold off a siege if they do come…" Minerva asked which got Matias to rub at his chin.

"Maybe, but it might not be for as long as you think." Matias said while he put down a thermos he held in his hand. "We're need to stop them somewhere they cant bring in the tanks… If they get here? Their burn the base down to nothing." Matias added while rubbing at his chin.

"I told the commanding officers what's going to happen." Minerva said while sighing. "Even Claude… As much as I don't want to work with him." Minerva stated while rubbing her head with annoyance at the fact that she'd be teaming up with her hated rival.

"I'm sensing some hostility with him." Matias said while the Vinland Colonel raised an eyebrow. "What exactly is the issue? We all work together, kinda what being a soldier is for…" Matias said while cracking his knuckles at the moment.

"Claude Wallace, the commanding officer of Squad E." Minerva said while rubbing at her head with annoyance. "He and me have been at odds since the academy. His damned tactics have made me question how someone like him could POSSIBLY stay within the military at the moment. He and I have… Unfinished business at the moment." Minerva hissed which made Matias hum and shake his head.

He knew a hatred that went back years when it came down to it. There was going to be issues getting her to work with him… Even if it helped at the moment.

"You know if we're going to delay them from attacking?" Matias asked with a raised eyebrow. "We should get going now. This snowstorm works both ways. They're have a slight advantage at the moment. They get here? The empire will either rout us… Or wipe us all out." Matias said while Minerva nodded, knowing very well how bad an imperial attack could be.

Matias sighed and then turned to look to the side as he went to gather men for an attack. Matias knew just how bad this attack could be when it came down to it. They'd barely be holding their own soon enough.

"I want you to know that there's a low chance of surviving this." Matias stated as he hummed and brushed off his gloved hands. "I don't know a lot about the Imperial Army… But if their anything like what I've heard around camp? We're going to be outgunned and outnumbered. Taking them head on is suicide." Matias said and shook his head.

Minerva said nothing. She knew for a fact that there was a low chance of survival to begin with. This was war, survival wasn't guaranteed at all. There were several things that had to dealt with before it was over.

"I'm well aware that people are going to die before the war is over, Colonel." Minerva said before leaving as Matias hummed and rubbed at his brow with annoyance.

"That doesn't mean we're all used to it." Matias said and sighed before turning to go and gather men.

This wouldn't be a short fight; it wouldn't be going their way… And it certainly wasn't something that he was looking forward to. Matias knew the Federation forces and his would be marching into death. If Matias knew about the imperial forces majorly? Then he knew they'd mostly be fielding tanks and his forces would not only be outmatched, but outnumbered majorly.

But Matias knew how to turn armor and numbers against the enemy. The empire was used to smashing whoever fought them to pieces… He wouldn't meet them with force.

"Get ready to move and order the others forward." Matias ordered one of his soldiers. "We're be retreating after we give the empire enough of a stalling motion… Fighting them is insane." Matias said while shaking his head at the moment.

Minerva was also not telling him something important and that was the LAST thing Matias wanted. Problems like that were going to cripple them if not answered in a good way.

"Why do I feel like we're going to have a hundred different issues sooner or later?" Matias asked while feeling a snowdrop melt upon his head. "Feels like someone is going to drop dead on this frozen wasteland sooner or later." Matias said and shook the snow off from his body.

Matias would give the credit for the empire being good enough to be put in this location. It was a natural fortress that alone seemed good enough to hold off an attack on them.

"We aren't just heading into the snowstorm to fight…" Matias said as he walked away to get an APC ready. "The empire probably knows something. Any good officer worth their salt would be preparing for an assault on this location… Using the snowstorm as cover, we'd be hit so off guard that we wouldn't even be able to tell the direction… Yeah, we either mobilize or the empire is going to steamroll us when they reach the camp." Matias said and pulled up the hood on his coat a moment later.

The way he was panicking? Matias wondered if he'd be giving himself a heart attack from all the worrying, he did. It paid to be cautious, but being too cautious? That would only serve to get the enemy to attack first… And FAR too many soldiers could and probably would die as is.

If this was going to be a fight? Then Matias planned to be ready for it when it came down to it.

Matias walked off to get ready when it came down to it. Matias hummed and shook his head once more.

Author notes

Phew. Another chapter done! I want to point out that next chapter will be 1000 words soon. Next chapter will show the set up for the battle and a scouting mission with Matias and Minerva and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Next chapter might be delayed and such and will be 1000 words and such. Until then, Lighting Wolf out! It might be sooner or later.