The Outcast of Redwall

Written by Brian Jacques
Illustrated by Allan Curless

Outcast of Redwall is Brian Jacques eighth entry in the Redwall series. It was published in Britain in 1995, and it was published in America in 1996. Outcast of Redwall is about a badger named Sunflash.

Outcast of Redwall opens with Sunflash as the prisoner of Swartt Sixclaw. Sunflash is freed by a kestrel named Skarlath. Once freed of his bonds, Sunflash broke off a tree branch and attacked Swartt and his small army. Sunflash killed many but, he only managed to ruin Swartt's claw with his mace. Skarlath convinced Sunflash to retreat and kill Swartt another day. By his actions, Sunflash became named, Sunflash the Mace. Slowly killing members of Swartt's army, Sunflash forced the ferret to go to a warlord named Bowfleg. Swartt poisoned Bowfleg and took control of Bowfleg's massive army. Meanwhile, Sunflash learned that he was the Badger Lord of Salamandastron and goes to rule his kingdom. Swartt, upon learning this, journeyed to the mountain, looking for revenge against the creature that destroyed his feared sixclaw. Enroute, the inhabitants of Redwall Abbey attacked Swartt, so he would not discover their abbey and plunder it. Their attack worked, but a lone babe was left on the battlefield (his nanny killed during the battle). The babe was the ferret son of Swartt Sixclaw, who inherited his fathers dreaded sixclaw. The babe was taken to the abbey and raised by Bryony, a mousemaid that resided there. This ferret was given the name Veil. Veil was always causing trouble. He was always forgiven until he committed an unthinkable crime: he tried to poison the abbey friar and instead poisoned an innocent hogwife. Veil was then declared an outcast, never allowed to return to the peaceful abbey. So, Veil set off west, determined to find his real father. His father, Swartt Sixclaw, was engaged in a grueling battle with Sunflash the Mace and all of Salamandastron.