Mossflower

TSARMINA THE RUTHLESS

The mouse struggled against his captors, shouting out in a loud, angry voice, “Tell your guards to take their claws off and release me. You have no right to imprison a freeborn creature.”

Verdauga could not help but admire the obvious courage of the prisoner. He was about to speak, when Tsarmina grasped the battered sword and stood over the captive with the point at his throat. “You insolent scum! Quick now, what is your name? Where did you steal this rusty relic?”

As the guards pinned the struggling mouse down, his voice shook with fury. “My name is Martin the Warrior. That sword was once my father’s, now it is mine. I come and go as I please, cat. Is this the welcome you show travelers?”

Tsarmina forced Martin’s head back with the swordpoint. “You are in Mossflower country now; all the land you see on a clear day’s march belongs to us by right of conquest. My father’s law says that none are allowed to go armed save his soldiers. The penalty for those who break the law is death.”

She beckoned the guards with a sleek, catlike movement. “Take him away and execute him.”

THE REDWALL BOOKS

Redwall

Mossflower

Mattimeo

Mariel of Redwall

Salamandastron

Martin the Warrior

The Bellmaker

Outcast of Redwall

The Pearls of Lutra

The Long Patrol

Marlfox

The Legend of Luke

Lord Brocktree

Taggerung

Triss

Loamhedge

Rakkety Tam

High Rhulain

Eulalia!

Doomwyte

The Sable Quean

The Great Redwall Feast (picture book)

A Redwall Winter’s Tale (picture book)

OTHER BOOKS

Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

The Angel’s Command

The Tale of Urso Brunov (picture book)

The Ribbajack and Other Curious Yarns Voyage of Slaves

Urso Brunov and the White Emperor (picture book)

FIREBIRD

Published by the Penguin Group

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Registered Offices: Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Originally published in Great Britain by Hutchinson Children’s Books Ltd, an imprint of Century Hutchinson Ltd, 1988

First published in the United States of America by Philomel Books, a division of the Putnam & Grosset Group, 1988

Published by Firebird, an imprint of Penguin Putnam Inc., 2002