| abstract
| - Matthias is walking down Great Hall when he stumbles and trips in front of the Tapestry of Martin the Warrior. Clumsily picking up the nuts he spilled, he reflects on the attitude of Martin, and staring at the tapestry flashes back to ten years before. Matthias' poor village is invaded by the rats of Cluny the Scourge. His sister Myrtle manages to escape a fire with him, and begins a long trek away. Later, they are passing through a meadow and encounter Asmodeus. They flee through a thicket, but Myrtle trips and both of them tumble down a steep hill just outside Redwall Abbey. Abbot Mortimer and Constance find them and bring them inside. Matthias survives, but Myrtle dies from exhaustion. After his sister's death, Matthias becomes very withdrawn and does not speak to any of the Redwallers. Eventually, a young mouse named Cornflower gets him to talk. Matthias then becomes friends with many of the Redwallers, especially Brother Methuselah. Matthias' flashback ends with the Abbot helping Matthias with the nuts. He then sends Matthias off to catch a fish for an upcoming feast with Brother Alf. They catch a huge grayling, falling overboard in the process. Meanwhile, Cluny's army is approaching Redwall in a horse-drawn cart. Later, after the feast, Abbot Mortimer instructs Matthias to take Cornflower and her family home in a small cart pulled by Constance. When they near Saint Ninian's Church, they hear a loud rumbling, and Constance quickly pulls the cart into the bushes. Cluny and his horde speed by, having missed the turn to Redwall. Matthias recognizes his enemy, and they quickly return to Redwall. Back at the Abbey, Matthias and Constance relate what they saw to a worried crowd of Redwallers. Matthias says that Cluny is coming to conquer the Abbey, and gives a dramatic speech about how they will stand and fight, but Abbot Mortimer, who will hear no talk of fighting, interrupts and announces that a council will decide what to do. At that moment, Cluny and his two captains, Redtooth and Darkclaw, knock on the gate of the Abbey under the guise of weary travelers. The Abbot allows them to enter to parley if they leave their weapons behind. Cluny hides his tail-spike under his cloak, and Darkclaw conceals a dagger in his boot. Upon entering, Cluny demands surrender, and Darkclaw begins to read the Articles of Surrender. Matthias hears Martin's voice, and tears the articles with his staff. Enraged, Darkclaw attacks Matthias, but is knocked to the floor by Constance. Cluny notices Martin's picture on the tapestry, and asks Abbot Mortimer its singificance. Constance then forces both rats to leave by threatening them with a table. Before exiting, Cluny vows to the Redwallers that he will have his revenge. Outside, he orders Shadow to climb the walls and steal it. Meanwhile, Matthias is berating himself for believing Martin spoke to him and wanted him to save the Abbey. The episode ends with Cornflower restoring his self-confidence and giving him her headband, which he wears for the rest of the series.
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