Lhankpentos the Blind invites the heroes to Tormakt's Farm where he holds a feast to thank them for their role in saving his grandchildren.
The feast is splendid, with Wandle's Children doing water tricks and many parents thank the heroes.
At night, the hissing and spitting of the alynxes wakes everyone in the longhouse. There is a smell of smoke! It is the gray half-light just before dawn. There is the dull clunk of metal on metal from outside and the sound of boots running. Suddenly there is the sound of shouted orders and a horn blows outside followed by a scream.
The longhouse they sleep in is already surrounded by Emerald Sword raiders and the thatch is smoldering. The doors seem blocked from the outside. This is a dishonorable act, because it is so indiscriminate.
As smoke begins to fill the house, Lhankpentos succumbs.
Maklami summons an Earth Elemental to dig a tunnel out. Others make winds throw furniture through the walls throwing up sparks and embers.
The burners are ready for people trying to break away and hurl javelins at those emerging from the burning home. Rostakus is among them. As more and more warriors emerge (many are burnt as they climb through the flames) the raiders retreat into the darkness of the night.
Lhankpentos body simply couldn't cope and he died gasping for air.
The Emerald Sword burners have become notorious. Lhankpentos the Blind died in the attack, burnt to death in his hall. The clan goes into shock at the death of such a beloved old man.
At the funeral Kangharl gives a moving speech, praising the old man, promising help to rebuild Tormakt's Farm, and promising blood vengeance for this crime.
The clan’s cows all run dry and the god-talkers have dreams of the ancestors dying at the hands of the Dinacoli during the Resettlement. Ashart says that the ancestors are angry and have withdrawn their protection. The clan must raid their enemies if the clan is not to go hungry; the clan must avenge these wrongs by the ‘Fat Tribe.’
Even Broddi cannot speak peace when faced with this crime. He organizes a raiding party to hunt down the burners on Emerald Sword Lands and take blood vengeance for Lhankpentos and the other victims of the raid.
Broddi recruits Jaranil and Ortossi to lead the raid. Kangharl invites the heroes to join.
As this raid is initiated by the chieftain, the heroes agree to participate. They suggest they use the tunnels to reach a forward position.
Jaranil gathers his raiding party from amongst the Red Cow's thanes and best fighters. The raiders number some twenty-five of the clan’s thanes and a further forty of the clan’s better-equipped and trained carls.
A ram is sacrificed to Humakt for aid in killing.
While the heroes cross to Creek Turn through the tunnels under Red Cow Fort, Jaranil takes the raiders across Dangerford.
The heroes wait in hiding outside Creek Turn when they hear a horn blow. An Emerald Sword rider arrives yelling "The Red Cows are coming!". The alarm is raised.
Rostakus seems to realize he is outnumbered and decides to hide in his longhouses instead of coming out to meet the Red Cow, hoping that help will arrive from his clan.
When the villagers are barricaded in their longhouses, the heroes block the doors and set fire to the buildings. After negotiations, Rostakus agrees to a duel with Antip, a duel Antip wins. Rostakus is injured and taken prisoner as Jaranil and the Red Cow raiders arrive.
Before long they notice a much larger Emerald Sword party approaching. The ensuing battle is hard on the Red Cow, as the Emerald Sword break through their shield wall. The heroes fight heroically and their rear guard actions help others escape. Jaranil notices their heroism in the press of battle, rallying the troops to prevent them being slaughtered
by vengeful Emerald Sword thanes. The raiders flee directly back to Dangerford and most make it back to Red Cow Fort.
The Red Cow lost several good warriors at Creek Turn.
The arrogance of the Conquering Storm faction is seen as having caused the trouble and Broddi and the Eye of the Hurricane faction gain from their rivals’ discomfort, with many in the clan realizing their warnings were correct. Broddi, shocked at the deaths takes little comfort from the outcome.
Kangharl Black-Brow replaces Lhankpentos as headman of the Tormakting family. There are no contenders.
Tarkalus is suspicious of Adar regarding the killing of the Lunar patrol at Grave Hill. "There are rumours."