Outcast of Redwall

Outcast of Redwall was published in 1995.

It is eighth in publishing order and fifth in Chronological Order of the Redwall series.

Page count (hardcover): 360

ISBN: 0399229140

Summary
In the howling, snowy north, a young badger is captured and bound by the cruel ferret Swartt Sixclaw and his group of vermin, who torment him mercilessly. When the vermin also capture a kestrel, Skarlath, the two young beasts help each other escape from the vermin camp. In the scuffle that ensues, the badger uses a massive hornbeam limb to severely injure Swartt's sixclawed left paw. The ferret and the badger both vow to extort revenge, each declaring the other his mortal enemy.

As the young badger could not remember his name, Skarlath dubs him Sunflash after the distinctive golden stripe running down his snout. The two young beasts quickly become inseparable friends and travel throughout Mossflower Woods together, defending the weak and helpless and slowly growing older. Sunflash's reputation quickly spreads throughout the land. He eventually molds his hornbeam limb into a fearsome, stone-spiked warclub; he calls it his mace.

Meanwhile, Swartt Sixclaw also grows older, stronger, and smarter. He travels the northern lands and eventually ends up at the camp of Bowlfleg, a fat ferret with a large horde who has settled down in a plentiful land. As an earlier rival of Swartt's, he is suspicious, and rightly so: with the help of his seer fox Nightshade, Swartt executes a cunning trick that kills Blowfleg. Swartt takes over his large horde and marries Bowlfleg's daughter, Bluefen.

At this point, Sunflash and Skarlath have spent several seasons in the Lingl-Dubbo cave, the home of the families of Tirry Lingl the hedgehog and Bruff Dubbo the mole. Sunflash is eventually called to the mountain Salamandastron in his dreams, and so he travels there to become Badger Lord. He and Skarlath part ways, and Sunflash becomes Lord of the mountain.

By this time, Swartt Sixclaw and his large horde have passed through the Redwall region of Mossflower, which is efficiently defended by the resident squirrels and otters. However, the nursemaid of Swartt Sixclaw's infant son is killed, and the infant ferret lost in the woods. He is retrieved by the good-hearted woodlanders and taken to the abbey.

At the abbey, the young ferret's fate is determined. Abbess Merriam and Bella of Brockhall decide to entrust the baby to the care of Bryony, a young mousemaid, and Togget, her sensible mole friend. The ferret is named Veil, and as the seasons turn he grows into a young adult in the abbey. As a youngster he is naughty and mischeivous, but as a young adult his true vermin nature begins to show through, as the ferret would steal, lie, and be generally unpleasant to all, especially his adopted mother, Bryony. He is eventually banished from the abbey when he attempts (and fails) to poison Friar Bunfold.

Bryony, feeling his banishment was unjust, leaves the abbey to track the ferret down. Her molefriend Togget accompanies her. Together they follow Veil as he wanders through Mossflower. The young ferret, remaining unapologetic and as mean as ever, makes life difficult for the mousemaid and her friend.

Leagues away, Swartt Sixclaw comes upon Salamandastron and launches an attack. Together with a smooth-talking ferret corsair named Ziggu, an attack is mounted and war begins. Ziggu is eventually killed by a skilled swordshare of the Long Patrol named Sabretache, and Swartt's horde grows once more. With the help of neighboring woodlanders, the vermin attack is deflected, though Nightshade kills Skarlath with a poison arrow. Distraught with grief, Sunflash tracks her down and slaughters her in the forest. Swartt and his depleted horde flee to the mountains east of Salamandastron.

Veil, Bryony and Togget reach the same mountains from the east, and Veil meets his father for the first time. Neither is impressed by the other. Sunflash is stunned and captured by Swartt, and Bryony encounters the evil Swartt Sixclaw. The ferret warlord tries to kill her by throwing a spear; Veil, in a moment that betrays his true emotions toward the mousemaid, saves her life by taking the spear, dying in the process. Sunflash then kills Swartt by throwing him from a mountain.

Sunflash, Bryony and Togget return to Redwall. Bryony is eventually made Abbess and Togget is made Foremole. Sunflash meets Bella, who is his mother, for the first time since he was a youngster. He stays with her until her death many seasons later, and he then returns to the western coast to rule at Salamandastron.