Editing Mariel of Redwall (section)

=== Book 2: The Strange Forest ===

==== The Flitchaye ====
After making their report to Lord Rawnblade, Clary, Thyme, and Rosie investigated the wreck of the ''Greenfang'' and traced its destruction to the ''Darkqueen'', which has been left unguarded by Greypatch. Greypatch arrived at Redwall and parleyed with the Abbot in a bid to have the Abbey's gates opened, but was injured by a rock-hard turnip. Fed up with the unpleasantness of their experiences on land since leaving the ship, a crew member named Bigfang inveigles the rest of the crew to abandon Greypatch and return to the '’Darkqueen'’. However, the ''Darkqueen'' had been commandeered by the three hares, who loosened a volley of arrows at the searats upon their return. After a long standoff, Kybo the searat convinces the crew to abandon the ''Darkqueen'' and return to Greypatch.

Mariel and her companions followed the path and entered a dense forest. In this forest, they detected a strange, cloying smell that induced drowsiness. The party fell asleep, and awoke to find themselves trussed to a tree, surrounded by creatures shrouded in barkcloth and weeds. They had been captured by a tribe of weasels called the Flitchaye and their leader Snidjer. Mariel broke them free of their bonds and beat furiously on the oak until help arrived in the form of a massive barn owl, Stonehead McGurney. The aptly named owl used his head as a battering ram, flinging the hapless weasels over the treetops. After introducing Mariel and company to his savage wife Thunderbeak and their four ravenous chicks, Stonehead offered to take them to the next location, the "swampdark", mentioned in the poem the next morning.

Down south in Salamandastron, Lord Rawnblade was missing. The ''Waveblade'', under Captain Orgeye, was grounded near Salamandastron and the badger lord came out of his mountain to do battle. Full of the Bloodwrath, Rawnblade slayed the entire corsair crew singlehandedly and set the ship on a course for Terramort.

==== Swampdark and the Sea ====
Near Redwall, the ship's crew returned to Greypatch, who had formulated a fail-proof plan to take Redwall. Greypatch sent Bigfang to burn the gates with a shield of oarslaves. The pirate Kybo went to the east wall with grappling hooks to mount a surprise attack, while Greypatch's company fired a barrage of projectiles as a distraction. At first, his feint attack appeared to be working and Kybo's crew nearly scaled the east wall unnoticed. Unfortunately for the searats, three naughty Dibbuns equipped with knives appeared and gleefully sliced through the searats' ropes. It was a long drop to the forest floor below...

The Terramort questers were guided to swampdark, where Stonehead left them. The dimly-lit swamp proved treacherous, and Dandin almost lost his life in a bog. Nevertheless, the party finally reached the edge of the swamp, but became aware that they had been followed by a group of silent lizards. Mariel attempted to challenge and intimidate them, but the lizards made no move. The party left the swamp and traversed some hills to reach the coastline. There, they met a kindly old dormouse named Bobbo, who brought them home for tea. After introducing them to his pet newt Firl, Bobbo told them his life story— he was captured by Gabool the Wild and became a galley slave, but was left for dead.

As the rest turned in for the night, Mariel asked Bobbo for directions to Terramort, who told her about a swallow ornament that "cannot fly south", a primitive compass. The next day, Bobbo led them to a deep pool. At the bottom was the swallow, trapped between two rocks and guarded by an enormous lobster. The five animals threw food into the water to satiate the crustacean's appetite, and Mariel and Dandin descended into the murky, forbidding depths to retrieve the swallow.