Derek Lins stood in the clearing, watching with piercing light blue eyes as his clan went about their daily business. Women cleaned, sewed, or took care of the children, the herbalist coming back from the forest with a basket full of herbs, placing it on top of her head as she walked to her tent. The men came back from hunting or patrols, visiting their wives of families.

Derek Lins was a strong built man for being so early in his twenties, with dark tan skin and light blue eyes that seemed to see right into your soul. He had black hair and wore blue and white lined robes that sorcerers and mages were seen wearing, leaning against a staff that had light blue designs carved into it. He blew a strand of hair from his face as he heard the sound of hoof steps, leaning from his staff as his clan looked up, the men reaching for their weapons.

Derek shook his head, already knowing who it was as he turned around. A horse with a squid sitting upon it burst into the clearing, skidding to a stop before him. The squid held a letter out, Derek taking it from their tentacle and opening it silently. He read the letter as the squid said; "The Squid Commander would like to see you now, Mr. Lins..." Derek snorted as he closed his letter.

"He will have to wait until tomorrow. Its nearly dinnertime and I happen to like what Mabel is making tonight."
"Sir, he was very clear-"
"He can wait a day. After all, he would do anything to get my clan on his side."

Derek turned away. "You aren't needed here any longer, move along." The squid hesitated. Derek sighed before glaring at them over his shoulder.

"I said, move along."

The squid froze before he gulped, nodding as he turned his horse around and thundered back into the forest. Derek glared at the letter in his hand, obviously displeased with what he had read. Another male, a few years younger than Derek, came up to his side. "Derek?" He asked, and said male sighed.

"Hello Alek. How is your wife?"
"Well, she's definitely pregnant."
"Wonderful, she must love you for that."
"Haha, real funny. Now c'mon, whats in the letter that's so bad you refused his invitation? You hate Mabel's corn and beef stew, you always have since we were kids."

Derek rolled his eyes and looked at the man beside him. Alek Santos was shorter than him, as most people were. He was thin and lean, naturally meek looking though Derek knew he was a good fighter. He had gentle green eyes and sandy blond hair with slightly tan skin. Alek was his right hand man and best friend of seven years, ever since Derek was sixteen and Alek was fourteen. He had a wife named Abigail and apparently a baby girl on the way. He was a good friend and kept Derek from going off the deep end.

"Apparently, he still wants to give us a small area for our clan. I won't stand for it, we have so many people here. If he doesn't gain a brain I'm going to cut off that empty head of his." He growled, making Alek chuckle.

"I'm sure everything will work out. Besides, are you sure you want to do this? You'll be bringing us into a war."
"We need everything that this Commander has promised us."
"Promised is a big word."
"He knows what I would do if he went back on it."

Derek look at the letter and his eyes seemed to glow even brighter somehow. The letter shimmered, flashing light blue before ice crept up it. The ice grew around it until the envelope was now fully ice, and Derek smirked before it suddenly shattered into tiny pieces.

"Just because he has an army under his command does not mean he is protected."