Redwall

Matthias the mouse is orphaned when the vile rat Cluny the Scourge destroys his town. Adopted by the generous creatures of Redwall Abbey he grows up to admire their legendary protector, Martin the Warrior. But his peaceful young life is shattered when the Abbey is attacked by rats and Matthias meets their warlord - none other than Cluny! Matthias resolves to fight the tyrant that once again threatens his life - and his new family.

While Redwall prepares for a long siege, Cluny steals the symbolic tapestry of Martin the Warrior from within the abbey, and Matthias learns that Martin's great sword still exists - but nobody knows where. As Cluny's next attack is repulsed Matthias meets a new ally, Basil Stag Hare, and learns that his own destiny is inextricably linked to his hero Martin. Matthias will become Redwall's next protector - but only if his quest for the sword is successful.

Cluny uses two treacherous foxes, Sela the vixen and her son Chickenhound, to plant a false attack plan in Redwall, while Matthias and his mousemaid friend Cornflower unravel the mysterious motto, "I am that is." It is an anagram for "I Matthias" written years before he was born, another clue for the quest for Martin's sword. Cluny's real underground attack is inventively repulsed by hot porridge and Matthias sees the fearful snake Asmodeus for the first time and realizes that somehow their fates are horribly intertwined.

In the kitchens of Redwall Abbey, Mattimeo, son of Matthias and Cornflower, fights Vitch, a mean little rat. Mattimeo is punished by his father for discourtesy to a guest. But Mattimeo's instincts about Vitch are validated when it transpires that Vitch is a spy for Slagar the fox - a slaver for the terrible underground Kingdom of Malkariss. Slagar gains entry to Redwall disguised as the leader of a troupe of magicians. At the great feast he is able to drug the drinks and capture Mattimeo and his friends: Tess, Tim, Sam Squirrel, and Cynthia Bankvole. They join a group of slaves among whom is Auma, little daughter of Orlando the badger - who even now is hunting the fox. As the slaves are taken away, Slagar is revealed to be Chickenhound - the treacherous fox from season one - seeking revenge against Matthias the Warrior.

Redwall Abbey awakes to find their young ones are gone. As they piece the previous night together, they realized that Mattimeo was right that Vitch was the slaver's spy. Desperate that he ignored his son's warnings, Matthias vows to pursue Slagar the Fox accompanied by Basil and the others. He is unaware that Orlando is already in far away pursuit. Slagar takes his slaves on circuitous routes, laying false trails to confuse the pursuers. The frightened slaves look to Mattimeo for leadership but he is not ready and responds badly. As his father sets off in entirely the wrong direction Mattimeo learns the true story of Chickenhound - and that he is now a hostage to Chickenhounds who only thirst for revenge on Matthias for his mother's death.

Mattimeo realizes that the slaves are headed south while their parents are following false trails. They must escape by themselves or not at all. It is a slow beginning of his transformation as a leader, but not yet in time to save them from the treachery of Scurl the frilled newt who steals their few belongings for false freedom. Way behind the slaves, the Redwall pursuers meet Cheek, an alert orphan otter. In return for food and kindness, he sets them on the right track. He joins the hunt under the wry protection of Basil Stag Hare. The group encounters and joins forces with Orlando and a group of hedgehogs who have also lost a young one to Slagar. At Redwall Abbey Abbot Mordalfus dreams of Martin the Warrior who tells him to "seek the founder in the stones, where the little folk go." Constance, Cornflower, Formole and the others begin a task on deciphering the cryptic clue to the destination of Slagar, who moves southwards fast towards the dark mountain.

Martin, son of Luke the Warrior, is captured by the evil Badrang. Seasons later, when Martin gets in a fight with Hisk, one of Badrang's horde, he is tied on top of Marshank in a storm. Bandrang hopes the seagulls eat Martin in the morning. But in the middle of the night, Rose the mouse and her friend Grumm the mole hear Martin crying out in the storm; the reason she and Grumm go to Marshank is to rescue her brother, Brome, who was captured by Badrang. She calls out to Martin whether he has seen him. She tells Grumm that they should help the poor mouse. So in the morning they use slings to ward off the seagulls to hope to free Martin, somehow.....

As Martin and his new friends languish in Marshank's Prison Pit, Rose and her companion, Grumm, hide from Clogg's advancing seaborne corsairs. Badrang and Clogg finally meet, pretending to be the other's friend, but they both soon skirmish and Clogg retreats intending to take Marshank from his rival. Druwp, one of the slaves, become a traitor to Badrang; he identified the slave ringleader to him. As Badrang posts extra guards the news reaches Martin. Outside, Grumm conspires with Rose to tunnel to their rescue. Meanwhile in the prison pit, Brome tells of his and Rose's home, the idyllic region called Noonvale. If his father the chief can be alerted, he will surely rescue them. Grumm continues to dig hard to complete the tunnel. Under the cover of Clogg's battle against Badrang Grumm breaks into the Prison Pit to help Martin, Brome, and Felldoh escape.

Martin demonstrates he is a born leader, and everybody sees it. Rose sees something else in Martin.