Having kidnapped the young mouse Dwopple, the Marlfoxes demanded to be given treasure by the creatures of Redwall Abbey, in exchange for Dwopple's life. At first agreeing to the terms, the Redwallers caught the Marlfox horde by surprise, charging out of the Abbey to meet them. The Battle outside Redwall itself was turned by Janglur Swifteye's slaying of one of the Marlfox leaders, Ziral.
This victory was offset, however, by two Marlfoxes, Ascrod and Vannan, sneaking into the Abbey. They incapacitated the inexperienced guards (Dannflor Reguba, Songbreeze Swifteye and Dippler) and made off with the famous tapestry of Martin the Warrior. A further blemish on Redwall's victory was the betrayal of Guosim shrew Fenno, and his slaying of the Log-a-Log.