Trinia couldn't sleep.
The squirrelmaid lay stretched out on her bed in the Infirmary, listening to the sound of the early spring rains pattering against the window. She had just recently joined the Infirmary as Sister Angelica's assistant. It was such hard work-cleaning bedsheets, changing bandages, and administering a dozen different kinds of medicine.
Trinia loved caring sick creatures, but she thought that she was too young to be cooped up in here all the time. The most fun that she had was when Sister Angelica sent her out to collect wild herbs. The weather was getting warmer every day, and she enjoyed the thrill she got just from stepping outside the safety of the Abbey walls. Not that there was any danger, of course-it had been many seasons since any vermin had been sighted near the Abbey-but at least it made a nice change from her everyday life.
As Trinia finally drifted off to sleep, she began to dream. She didn't know where she was. She was surrounded by white light. She turned this way and that, but she couldn't see anything.
Slowly, a figure-that of a young mouse carrying a sword-appeared out of the light. Trinia's breath caught. She knew this mouse. It was the same mouse who adorned the tapestry hanging in Great Hall. Martin the Warrior!
"Trinia," he said. His voice was kind.
"Martin..." She swallowed. "Why are you here? What is it you want to tell me?"
"Danger!"
The tone of his voice filled Trinia with fear. "Danger? What kind of danger?" Surely he didn't mean that the Abbey was going to be attacked?
"Do not be afraid. Redwall may be without a Champion, but one is coming to you."
"When?" Trinia asked. "Who?"
But Martin was beginning to fade.
"Who is it?" Trinia asked urgently.
Just before the dream faded, she heard Martin's reply.
"He will come to Mossflower in a blue box..."