Redwall

Ragear has deserted Cluny’s army and gotten lost in the forest. Ahead of him, he spies Matthias on his way to the church. Ragear dreams of capturing the young mouse and winning favor with Cluny, but Matthias ambushes him and ties him up with Shadow’s climbing rope.

As Matthias approaches the church grounds, he considers how to get across an open field without being seen by the rats. A very large hare appears from out of nowhere: “With a courtly old-fashioned manner the hare made a leg, bowing gracefully. His voice carried a slightly affected quaver. ‘Basil Stag Hare at your service, sir!’” (86).

Basil provides a diversion while Matthias scurries across the field and inside the church. He is dismayed to realize that the tapestry is probably with Cluny, and the horde has already gone off to attack Redwall. As he is about to leave, Matthias hears a racket from a shed where the vole family is being held. He frees them and tries leading them to safety, only to be confronted by the rat sentries.

Meanwhile, Cluny has attacked the abbey, but his forces are being effectively repelled by the woodlanders inside. Cluny is angry: “He was working himself into a foul temper over the day’s performance by his mighty conquering horde. Shown up by the simple tactics of woodland creatures and mice!” (97).

While the battle rages off in the distance, Ragear tries to free himself from his bindings. Just as he wriggles free, he sees an enormous adder named Asmodeus. The adder strikes and kills him. Unaware of these events, Cluny concocts a new scheme. He will take a band of men and attack from the far side of the wall while everyone is busy defending the front entrance. He sends some troops off in search of a large enough tree whose branches are growing close to the wall. He hopes that, with some planking, his surprise party can gain access to Redwall after dark. His troops return in terror because they’ve come across the body of Ragear, just as Asmodeus is dragging it off into the woods.

At the church, Matthias tries to defend the vole family against a dozen rats. He calls out for Basil, the hare, to assist him. Basil arrives in time to spirit the voles the safety and help Matthias dispatch the rest of the sentries. Afterward, Matthias sets off for Redwall again but gets lost in the woods. He stops to drink from a stream and, overcome with weariness, falls asleep.

By late afternoon, Cluny’s band has found a sturdy tree and laid planking across its limbs. He orders his followers to rest until dark. Meanwhile, the battle rages on the other end of Redwall. The mice succeed in keeping the rats at bay.

Inside the great hall, Methuselah contemplates the damage to the tapestry. He wants to do his part to figure out where Martin’s sword might be hidden but fears he is too old to solve the mystery. He touches the now bare spot where Martin’s image once was: “Methuselah gave a sigh of satisfaction and allowed a small smile to creep across his features. His search had not been in vain. Beneath his paw there was writing carved into the dust-covered wall” (108).