The rest of the adventurers battle the kobolds and cultists on the riverbank. Dumpy, Karat, Elbolin, and Gourbain knock off a few of the kobolds before they realize that they are outmatched and try to run away. One of the kobolds grabs Nars and manages to tie him up and start to drag him away, but Dumpy and Elbolin kill a couple more of the enemies and Hooflepoof pins down the last one, where they hold him for a few minutes for questioning. They untie Nars.

Bilbo and Escobert wait a few minutes, expecting invaders might come up the tunnel, but when none come, they decide to go back down to the riverbank and see if their friends need help. By the time they arrive, the battle is over. Black Barry, Hooflepoof, Gourbain, and Bilbo search the cultists and kobolds for loot, but find nothing of interest. They scavenge the weapons from the carcasses; Bilbo takes one sling, one scimitar, and one dagger. Escobert takes the rest, to help defend the keep, to which he returns.

The captured kobold is terrified for his life, and willing to answer whatever questions they have. He says that he is a paid mercenary in the service of the Cult of the Dragon, and that Frulam Mondath is leading the raid on the town. He doesn't know why they were told to loot and pillage Greenest, but he was instructed to come with the others to patrol the riverbank, and to capture or kill any villagers that they found. He doesn't know why they are capturing villagers, but he says they are bringing them to "the carts", the same as they are doing with the loot. Asked why they went after Nars in particular, the kobold says that wasn't his decision.

The adventurers consider various options as to what to do with the kobold, including having him lead them to the prisoners, bringing him with them, or "turning him into a potato", but Hooflepoof gets tired of the debate and fatally stabs the kobold with his rapier.

After some discussion, they decide to continue with their mission of stopping the burning of the mill, so they cross the river and start to make their way up the southern bank. In order to be stealthy, they toss the glowing rats in the river and watch them float downstream and out of sight. They follow the river to the west; they come to a bridge over the river, and they can see figures moving about on the road above, but they sneak under the bridge undetected.

After a few minutes, they arrive at a building that appears to be a mill, judging by the large water wheel extending out into the river. From where they are hiding on the riverbank, they can see some guards holding torches, but there don't seem to be very many of them; just three that they can see, so they guess maybe six around the mill altogether.