To be a Warrior

Official Synopsis
Mattimeo and his companions race to the landslide beneath which their parents are buried, and are seen by Slagar who sends rats to recapture them. Within the cave Matthias and the pursuers are close to suffocating while above them-- and unknown to them-- Mattimeo digs frantically. And Slagar watches.

Beneath Redwall Abbey, John, father of the captured Tim and Tess, helps decipher the ancient Loamscript-- but it contains more questions than answers. They work on, unaware that solving the complex riddle will give them an answer to where their young ones are being taken. The answer indicates the South-- and Warbeak and her Sparra squadrons take copies of the partly-solved riddle and fly South to try and find Matthias.

Mattimeo is recaptured by Slagar and cruelly forced to abandon his dying father--it forces the last step in his transformation which chills even Slagar with its cold intensity. Mattimeo has become a warrior as, behind him, his father Matthias is released by Log-a-Log and his shrew army-- and prepares to again take up the pursuit.