You climb the peak and though it takes a considerable amount of time to get to the top, it isn't nearly as tiring as you expected it would be.  You are now standing on an even higher plateau on the mountainside and the Redridge Pass is precisely where you expected it to be.  You are thrilled to have finally found the pass, which is really more of a trail than a pass, but you still have a lot further to go.  As you move forward you suddenly get wind of a foul stench and hear a lot of loud, obnoxious grunting noises up ahead.

 
You immediately get off the beaten path and find a good hiding spot.  It is midday now so there isn't a lot of darkness to aid you.  Still, you manage to crawl forward unseen until you see a small group of orcs.  This is VERY not good you think you yourself.  Orcs are exceptionally strong.  Even one on one you stand no real chance of defeating one.  There are about five blocking the path forward so you are going to simply have to sneak around them and continue on your journey.  You've interrogated lesser creatures, but if the Craxil is commanding these creatures then just how strong is the thing?  No, don't dwell on such thoughts.  You need to focus.  You've come this far and you're sure as hell not gonna let yourself be intimidated now.

 
Returning to the task at hand you see a couple of different options.  There is a river that runs down the middle of the orc group's position and some hollow reeds close to you.  You remember one time during capture the flag where you moved through the river underwater and breathed through reeds very similar to these.  That was an epic maneuver worth remembering, perhaps it will serve you again here?  The orc camp and you are at the same elevation; but there is a ditch that runs from your current position, along the side of the camp, and out the other side.  Presumably, if you hug the side of the ditch closest to the orcs and move along quietly they shouldn't be able to see you.  Alternatively, you still have plenty of poison.  Even if you applied it to all your remaining arrows, you wouldn't even have used half the bottle.  Orcs are large and there are only five of them... 

 
Time for a decision.  What's your plan of action?

You move Through The Ditch To The Other Side

The orcs might notice a moving reed and get suspicious and attacking a superior number of superior enemies is just inviting death.  You decide the best bet is to move through the ditch and move through while tightly hugging the wall closest to them, thus minimizing your chances of being seen.  You hop in and start moving.  A tiny little stream trickles through and much of the ground here is mud.  The stench of orc shit is strong in here and you begin to realize this is where they've been dumping it (no pun intended).  Still, you brave on knowing this is a life or death situation and no time to be getting squeamish. 

 

You are now so very close to the orcs but they haven't yet seen you.  You move even slower than before but you are confident you will make it.  That is, until one of them lifts his nose and sniffs the air.  It seems you forgot to take into account the fact that orcs have an exceptionally keen sense of smell.  Despite the fact that you are clean, and the fact that the orc manure should be overpowering their senses right now, it seems they've identified your scent.  They move over and it isn't long before you are seen.  You try to run, but you stumble in the mud that has taken your shoe.  You try to run without it but you don't get very far.  The orcs were put there on the path to stop you from reaching the Craxil and they've succeeded.

 
THE END