"It is time for us to stop this fighting. We have lost so many young, so many children cry for their fathers!" The eldest of the Uchiha clan slammed her fist onto the flat, black rock table they had surrounded. Four men and two women sat around her. All wore ornate outfits, but none more than the old woman. She had tears in her dark blue eyes when she lifted her hand, open and empty. "We have nothing to show for it either. A graveyard is not a proud property, it is a sorrow-filled one!"

"I agree with Midori-sama. What would we have accomplished by keeping fighting?" Said a young man standing. His older brother looked up to catch his eye from the seat next to him. They exchanged glances that they knew they were going to disagree somewhat. He sighed at his big brother and began talking more. "I don't believe we should simply give in to this either. The Senju are tricky people, sly and cunning. They have shown this prowess on the field many times. It may be a trap."

"We could win if we kept up an assault. We have many clans we have conquered that would gladly aid us." The big brother said. He stayed in his chair and watched the reactions around the table. "You all know this land is rightfully ours, we are the elder clan. If we conquered them, there is no stopping us from becoming the ruling family."

"That also makes us brother clans, and brothers should not fight!" Midori snapped in her rebutled. Both men twinged a bit at the meaning. "You are still young Madara, you have not the sorrow of loss in you yet. You know not the pain of losing your children to senseless warring! Power is nothing if you are alone! Your father thought the same thing and look where he's buried!"

"Power is everything! They are weak, that's why they offer this peace! The land is ours, in their weakness let us take it from them! We are strong enough!" Madara sat foreword in his chair but still did not stand. "Aunts, uncles, please, we can do this together with our finest fighters. As clan leader, I urge you to understand what we might be able to do."

"Silence! This is not for you to decide alone, it affects everyone of us. This is a clan decision." Said another elder in the room. With that the air in the room lightened. "We shall take a vote. Tomorrow at sunrise, summon every man in the clan. He shall vote for his family if we are to accept this offer."

"Fine. If it what you wish. We'll take a vote." Madara said somewhat upset. "I always look out what is best for this clan however, no matter what. Understand?"

Madara stood finally and walked out of the small wooden building slamming the weak stick door behind him. He walked a few steps out and looked up at a cloudless starry sky. A hand set gently on his shoulder. His younger brother had stepped out behind him with a stressed and torn look. "Do you want me to send the hawk?"

"Would you, Izuna?" His brother nodded and without another word drifted off, the hand leaving Madara. "I sense this won't end well for us."

"I heard he asked her out." One of the younger guards whispered. She was in tight with two other young girl guards in the West watchtower spreading the latest news from the Senju clan to her fellow guards. They walked in closer hoping the wooden structure would hide them from their superior's eye.

"Hashirama?" Asked another in the same tone. "Her really?"

"Yes, he did last night and she turned him down. Completely shut him down." The last said and the other two gasped and stuck their hands over their mouths.

"You shouldn't talk gossip! Ayama-sama might be listening!" Haiko hissed at them through his teeth. He stood on the balcony level below them staring out over the tall forest. Unlike them, he was taking pride in protecting the clan. "You need to take your positions seriously."

"Right, she may be back any minute now. We better get back to guard duty." The first said turning around to see a tall slender figure glaring at them with harden eyes. "Uh.. ummm..."

"You're right, you should." She said in her deep, smooth voice. She stepped towards them, arms rigidly crossed, a hard thing to do in her amount of armor.

"Yes mam!" The three said quickly. They rushed past her and onto the wall. Ayama sighed and slowly crossed the tower to look down on Haiko. "Anything yet, Hyuuga?"

"Nothing yet mam. Are we expecting something?" He asked with a nervous wonder in his voice. He turned back to the sky and suddenly glanced upwards. "Ayama-sempai! There's a Uchiha hawk coming in!"

"Hawk incoming! Alert Hashirama." She bellowed to the guard behind her on the wall. The guard flung off the wall and jumped into the trees behind him disappearing. "Haiko, bring me that hawk."

"Yes, mam." Haiko jumped up on the tower and landed on the low-pitched roof holding his hand out. He whistled and watched as the hawk slowly began to circle him. It descended a bit more and finally landed on Haiko's wrist. He calmly reached for the letter. "Here birdy... here birdy. Ow..."

"Just grab the note, Haiko." Ayama said up at him as the bird kept trying to bite his fingers. He grabbed it as the hawk snapped at him cutting his finger open. He shoved the bird off, which eagerly took flight back to the Uchiha's home. With blood dripping out Haiko shoved the finger in his mouth and dropped down to hand her the note. "Thank you."

Haiko watched as Ayama's expression didn't change at all reading the word. She simply closed the letter and looked at the grown man who was babying his finger. He muttered passed his cut. "What's it say?"

"That would be for me to know first." A deep male voice said from behind them. They turned to see Hashirama land with the two of his guards. Haiko saluted and stood in attention as Ayama simply flicked the note in his direction.

"At least it's good news." She muttered with a bit of dissatisfaction. The clan leader took the note and read it twice while Ayama glared at Hakio until he lowered his salute.

"This is good news." Hashirama looked up and smiled. He turned to his guards warmly and spoke. "We might have peace approaching. Gather our clans. I wish to speak publicly."

"Yes sir!" The two guards disappeared leaving some falling leaves in their wake. Hashirama opened the note and looked at it once more. He showed it off to Ayama and Haiko, happy that his idea was working slowly. Haiko slowly read it. "'We will be taking a vote tomorrow morning, we invite you to send a representative from your clan to speak. Please reply back as soon as you can. Madara.' Wow..."

"Haiko, back to work!" Ayama snapped quickly. He stood at attention quickly saluting and jumped back down to his lookout post. She grabbed the note, sneered and shoved it back at Hashirama pushing it into his chest. "Well, looks like I'm out of a job."

"Pessimistic as ever. Your mother would be proud." Hashirama folded the note and shoved it in his back pocket. He pulled out a blank scroll and began writing and murmuring to himself. After some more thought and scribbling he blew the letter dry and rolled it up. "Take this to Madara Uchiha. Request to speak with him directly. Also... take him a fruit basket. It'll be friendly."

"Fine, but it's on your dime." She said taking the scroll and dangling his money pouch in his face. "I'll be nice and only spend half of it."

"You're still angry." He said as she jumped up on the rail looking out over the forest. She shrugged.

"If you think this is angry, you don't know me very well." Hashirama sighed as she disappeared the trees waving in her wake. Soon after they calmed and stood still and undisturbed.

"Can we ask you a question Hashirama-sama?" The few guards from before crowded behind him and waited nervously as he turned around. Two pushed the center on foreword and she stopped just shy of him. She put her finger to her mouth and looked at the floor. "Why did you ask Ayama out, she's the meanest person in the clan?"