"Get lost, stranger, or we'll deal with you after we've finished your friend."

Felix felt the grip on his arm relax. Over his shoulder Kell's hand pointed to the doorway.

"That so?" said Gotrek, stomping into the room, shaking his head to clear the snow from his huge crest of orange-dyed hair. The chain that ran from his nose to his right ear jingled. "By the time I've finished with you you'll sing as high as a gurly elf."

Hef laughed again and turned to face Gotrek. His laughter died into a sputtering cough. Colour drained from his face till it was corpse white. Gotrek grinned nastily at him, revealing missing teeth, then he ran his thumb across the blade of the great two-handed axe that he carried in one ham-sized fist. Blood dripped from the cut. The knife in Hefs hand clattered to the floor.

"We don't want no trouble," said Hef. "Leastwise, not with a Trollslayer."

Felix didn't blame him. No sane man would cross a member of that doomed and death-seeking berserker cult. Gotrek just glared at them then lightly tapped the hilt of his axe against the floor. While Kell was distracted, Felix seized the opportunity to put some ground between himself and the mountain man.

Hef was starting to panic. "Look, we don't want no trouble. We was just funnin'."

Gotrek laughed evilly. "I like your idea of fun. I think I'll have some myself."

The Trollslayer advanced towards Hef. Felix saw Lars pick himself up and start crawling towards the door. Gotrek brought his boot down on Lars' hand with a crunch that made Felix wince. It was not Lars' night, he decided.

"Where do you think you're going? Better stay with your friends. Two against one is hardly fair odds."

Hef had broken down completely. "Don't kill us," he pleaded. Kell had moved away, bringing him close to Felix again. Gotrek had moved right in front of Hef. The blade of his axe lay against Hefs throat. Felix could see the runes on the blade glint redly in the torchlight.

Slowly Gotrek shook his head. "What's the matter? There's three of you. You thought they were good enough odds against the manling. Stomach gone out of you?"

Hef nodded numbly; he looked as if he was about to cry. In his eyes Felix could see superstitous terror of the dwarf.