The night air moved as he walked quietly along the path in the mossflower woods. It was a huge pure black stoat. He had a large scimitar at his side and had plant dyes around his eyes and on his chest where he wore nothing. He had a tattered pair of pants on. And he wore a snakeskin belt. On this belt was a one shot pistol and a small dagger with no edges. He was on his way to Redwall Abbey. Some thought of this stoat as a marlfox others as a sly stoat. But in truth he learned the marlfox art. He was once a bodyguard the emperor of Sampetra but he left.
Thousands of miles away on a ship out in the far west a stoat that is almost the same goes below deck. He walks into the captains cabin and opens the door. "Captain sir we be approaching on the Deatheye."
"Aye Jokan, sink it and take all the crew and captain prisoner." The captain a rough looking pine marten laughed wildly. His name was Valath Blackfur. He was one of the most fearsome captains on the sea.
Meanwhile at Redwall Abbey the abbey champion Aren Swiftflight was coming home from his long journey to Salamandstron. Abbess Breeze welcomed Aren home. "How was your journey Aren? Are those filthy foxes gone from Salamandstron?"
"Krawwwww foxes gone from Salamandstron krawwwww" The osprey spoke with Abbess Breeze as he took off his metal talons. They reinforced his talons and were made from Martin the Warrior's sword.
That night at Salamandstron a young bank vole was on the dunes outside the mountain stronghold of Salmandstron. This young bank vole was Flitch Longshot. He was ready to do his job well.