Rakkety Tam





Summary
From a region known only as the Land of Ice and Snow emerges Gulo the Savage, a vicious wolverine and his horde of a hundred white vermin who eat the flesh of their enemies. After murdering his father, Dramz, Gulo assumed control of his father's territory. However, only those who possess the Walking Stone may rule, and after his father's death, Gulo's brother, Askor, steals the stone and sails to the land of Mossflower Woods. Gulo pursues his brother with approximately 100 foxes and ermine under his command.

Meanwhile, the mercenary squirrel Rakkety Tam MacBurl, along with his companion Wild Doogy Plumm, find themselves at odds with their current rulers, Squirrelking Araltum and Idga Drayqueen, both arrogant, foolish creatures who spend more time on ceremonies in their honor than ruling the kingdom.

When the forces of the Squirrelking are ambushed by Gulo, Tam and Plum are given the chance to escape the trivialities of the kingdom and track the invaders. Gulo had stolen the king's Royal Banner, so Tam and Doogy are sent off to find it. The king promises to release them of their bonds (they had sworn allegiance to him some seasons before) if they succeed in finding the banner. They eventually meet up with the Long Patrol, and continue their hunt.

The Long Patrol has it's own problems. Some hares were ambushed and they lost a precious drum. It turns out that Gulo has possession of the drum as well as the banner.

With the aid of the hares, Redwall’s inhabitants, and a kleptomaniacal water vole named Yoofus Lightpaw who had the Walking Stone, Tam then comes to a climactic duel with the wolverine himself. Eventually the warrior squirrel manages to decapitate Gulo and Mossflower Woods is rid of the vermin’s presence. Tam eventually marries Sister Armel, a healer from Redwall, and they have a daughter, Melanda, who becomes the Redwall Abbey Recorder. Tam, along with his family and friends, finally decide to return to the squirrelking's domain and return the banner. They do so, and reclaim their bonds back, and also win freedom for all the other squirrels who were forced to serve the king.

Characters in Rakkety Tam