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ascending the mountain turned into evening and then suddenly all the horses had become skittish as if something untoward waited for them. The animals refused to move forward and then the stench hit them, smelling like a mixture of burnt carrion and skunk, nastiness that offended to such a degree that it made their eyes water. Obed shook his head and felt like he might actually vomit.
    “What the hell is that smell?” Merrill asked Stone.
    Stone nodded slightly. “Smells a little like the niiwu but I’ve never known them to be in this area. Maybe we smell as bad to them.”
    “I doubt that,” said Lance. “I took a bath last week.”
    Stone pulled his sword, looking around and listening for movement. “If we can smell them they can smell us and they know we’re coming. Why can’t anything be simple? Their strength gives them a great advantage in a fight.” They saw a mother skunk travelling with a baby and Stone realized that was most likely what they smelt.
    As they circled around the mountain, the group came upon a road block. A half dozen of the niiwu had set up a circular dwelling in the middle of the road and because the wind was blowing toward them by the time they spotted them it was too late. The niiwu were armed with both swords and bows; they were muscular humanoid creatures, having two heads that would sometimes argue with one another, brutish faces with grey-blue skin. They only wore loincloths and had gold bands of various styles on all their wrists, their bare chests were quite muscular, and where humans had nipples they had patches of miniature scales. Stone knew that every damn one of them had the strength of three men, realizing that they were in big trouble as they were facing six. He couldn’t see this ending well.
    The tallest niiwu crossed his arms defiantly as he talked to the shorter female next to him; his second head appeared indifferent but was in fact staring lustfully at the female. “Krasta nar brate finitba cruta nor cruta.” ( I haven’t eaten humans in months)
    “Thak gratee nar baisuh Strabo finitba.” ( They make the best stew)
    Obed looked at Stone. “What do you think they’re saying?”
    Stone shrugged. “I have no idea, but I’d wager we wouldn’t like it.”
    “We need to get by here,” said Lance. “Is there a problem? Do they understand us?”
    They were virtually identical except that some were bigger than others and some had distinguishing scars. “No problem for we, for you problem.” The female smiled showing her ugly teeth as she commenced to salivate.
    Stone could see that the niiwu were all shifting slightly; preparing to attack was his guess. “Can we pay you to let us through? We have gold.”
    “Get gold we will,” said one.
    One of them walked up to Obed, each head smelling a different side of his neck. “This one I eat.”
    “Mine that one!”
    Merrill stared at Stone. “I hope I give them diarrhea.”
    One of the niiwu kicked Obed so hard that it drove him against the rocks knocking him out, his brain receiving a terrible jolt as it hit. Stone blocked two mighty blows from another and tried to kick her, only managing to hurt his foot, like kicking a boulder. She smiled showing all her crooked teeth and swung at Stone with all her might; he barely managed to get out of the way as she accidentally split one of her companions in two. The moment of shock allowed Stone to cut off both of her heads.
    But the five remaining overpowered the three knights; Stone was rendered unconscious with the hilt of a sword. Merrill and Lance were also taken prisoner, beaten into a stupor and then tied upside down from a tree. One of the niiwu started to pinch and bruise their legs, trying to decide which one he wanted to eat first and it was a difficult decision.
    The four knights were tied one against the other hanging upside down as Stone returned to consciousness. Although his vision was still blurry he could see that three of the niiwu were busy sharpening