Dandin, Mother Mellus, Tarquin, and Simeon were able to convince her to search for information on the whereabouts of Terramort first. All the inhabitants of Redwall searched the gatehouse for clues, unearthing a scroll by Fieldroan the Traveler. Information in hand, Mariel resolved to leave the next day alone. However, Martin the Warrior had other plans. During the night, his spirit visited Simeon and prompted the herbalist to give Dandin his deadly sword. Early the next morning, Mariel set off as intended, alone, but ran into Tarquin L. Woodsorrel along the path. She insisted that she must make the trip alone, but the hare accompanied her anyway. Not long after, the duo encountered Dandin who had been waiting for them with a full picnic ready. Much to Mariel's chagrin, the party gained yet another member, with the addition of Durry Quill, a Redwall hedgehog. Though furious initially, Mariel finally resigned herself to the fact that the trio was dead-set on accompanying her. The travellers came to a river and were abruptly confronted by a murderous heron named Iraktaan. The travellers' combined efforts were sufficient to subdue the vicious bird. Durry nearly lost his life crossing the pike-infested ford. After a nerve-wracking encounter with an adder and long hours of walking, the four found the "otter and his wife," monolithic sculptures that were mentioned in the Terramort poem. 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 loosed 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,