Six days after they set out, they came across their first encounter. They had left the Rottenhogen two days ago, and now were treading the treacherous swamps of Flurtone. Here many toads inhabited the swamps as they do any decent swamp in the south. Paxim was the first to see the blackened toad, but it was a little too late. He cried out, "Quick turn now, and to arms. Toad to the immediate West!" Both of the other otters turned due East and saw the toad staring at them with hungry eyes. These were the cannibal toads of the South that they have never seen before. Treth wasted no time with questions, and put a slingstone right in the eye of the toad, smashing his brain to nothing. As soon as he was killed two more popped into his place. They took shots at the toads all around and most of them found their mark. "We can't keep this up for too long," reminded Sylcos, looking into his half full pouch. "Aye! We must break a hole through these toads!" suggested Treth, and that seemed like a plan. They all three drew their blades, and decided to break out of the circle at due South. They gave their war cries GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIII IPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP, startling all of the toads. They dashed forward into the southern part of the ring. Treth parried, then thrust, then ducked then thrust, then side- stepped and thrust, and so they all did. After about 25 toads had fallen to their blades, they made a run for it. If you have ever run in a swamp before, you'd know the difficulties they had. The toads could run much faster than the otters in the marsh. The toads caught up to them easily enough and started to jab at their unprotected backs, forcing the otters to turn and fight, yet again. "We can't keep on like this!" cried Sylcos, "There just too many of Œem." Treth stopped an oncoming slash to the head, and used force to throw the toad backwards then stabbed the downed enemy, "Aye, is way too may. We must flee with all speed we can muster from our tired limbs." That sounded like a plan to Sylcos and Paxis so they turned South yet again and ran as fast as they could. To their amazement the toads stopped chasing them from the rear. "Hooray!!! We finally scared Œem off!" Praxis exclaimed. "Sorry, matey, not so. When the toads run, that means there's something bigger and badder at hand." corrected Treth. Treth peered into the gloom ahead and saw fifteen armored toads all with tridents. Behind them, it appeared was the king of all the toads. He was bigger, and more ferocious than the others. He had two tridents, one in each hand, and a vine crown, that squeezed the top of his head. Fleck motioned for the others to look. Sylcos looked, "I see them too. But did you see the ring the toads have made around us again? It looks about five deep in all places. I don't know what to do." The answer seemed simple to Treth. "We must kill the king. If his subjects see that, they are sure to fear us!" It seemed easier than it sounded though. "Paxis, you stay back, and me and Sylcos will attack those armored toads. You draw yer sling and give that king of their what for!" Treth and Sylcos charged the king's guards. They fired a couple slingstones into the toads, but they bounced off the armor. One got hit in the neck though, killing him instantly. Treth and Sylcos stood back to back and fought like that. Treth had killed four, and Sylcos three, and Paxis had gotten another with the sling. That left six. Four of them all attacked Sylcos at once. Sylcos ducked one head slash, and took out one of the toads legs, driving the blade upwards between his legs. Another toad bent over and was about to stab the blade into Sylcos's back, but Sylcos drove the blade into his head. Unfortunately Sylcos's blade was stuck in the toads hard skull. The other toad's in unison, swung their blades as Sylcos was trying to get his own sword free. One struck Sylcos in the side of the head, the other in the gut. He fell to the ground, and lived just long enough to hear Treth and Paxis yell NNNOOOOOOO, and to see Treth put his blade in the mouth of one of the laughing toads, and Paxis slam a loaded sling into the others neck, breaking it in many places. Then, Sylcos lay down fully and pass into eternal sleep. The other two toads fled. Treth then looked at the toad king and said to him, "Your men have killed one of mine, and we killed many of yours. Let this be a lesson you will never learn again. For you will no learn no more after this." Treth leaped at the huge toad, and swung at one of the tridents splitting it in two. He showed the toad his blade, "The Leper Blade does not easily brake, and it shall surely not break against your skull!" Treth raised the sword, and the frightened king dropped his other trident and fled. Treth was quick and with one clean sweep, the king's head was on the ground. He picked it up and noticed that there were no more toads around. "This will go in the grave of Sylcos." Paxis and Treth carried Sylcos and his sword and sling out of the swamp. They would not bury his body in a place like the marsh. On the other side of the marshes were the South Mountains. There they found a spot to dig a grave. The digging was long and wearisome, but they had to do this. Finally, the grave was dug deep enough to keep out any unwanted beasts, and they lowered Sylcos into the grave. By his side, they put his sword, and on his other side, his sling. At his feet, the head of the King Toad was put. "I know he didn't kill this toad, but in a way he did. He fought through me, and so he did kill it." They were quiet for quite some time as they headed due South over the Southern Mountains. By their reckoning, they should arrive at they valley two suns from now. Of course what they would find there they didn't know. All they could do is hope it was a tiger.