An Ode to Martin the Warrior
He was born in the cruel northlands,
His mother was slain.
When his father left to fight Searats,
Young Martin learned to endure pain.
Destined to be a warrior,
From the day he took up a sword.
He was unstoppable in battle,
As powerful as a Badger Lord.
He lived by the warrior code,
And grew up strong and brave.
Until he was taken from his home,
And forced to become a slave.
But his spirit they could not break,
Not the Tyrant nor his hoard.
Martin vowed to slay them all,
And take back his father's sword.
He escaped with Brome and Felldoh,
Thanks to Rose and Grumm.
They became friends, and on the way,
Met a hedgehog named Pallum.
They faced many a danger,
And persevered through all.
For with Martin by their side,
They could never fall.
Together they went to Noonvale,
And Martin began to plan,
His attack upon Marshank,
And the tryant named Badrang.
The bloodlust upon him,
Martin sought only to win.
He ignored the warnings given to him,
By the molewife Polleekin.
And so Martin left,
Off to fight his foes.
Accompanied by his beloved,
The ill-fated Laterose.
The deed was done, the sword regained,
But at a terrible price.
For Badrang died, taking with him,
The love of Martin's life.
Now Martin was torn apart,
He would never love again.
He devoted himself to bringing peace,
Ending Greeneyes's reign.
He founded Redwall Abbey,
And forsook the way of the sword.
Yet in his heart he always kept
One major cause for regret,
The reason that he often cried,
The flower of the place he vowed to hide,
The mouse who was to be his bride,
Her memory locked away deep inside,
Her songs still burned into his mind,
Why, oh why had Laterose died?