The fox warlord had about him a bow and a quiver that contained no less than twenty lethal poisoned arrows. His seer, Sandero the coral snake, slithered by his side. Although Gellar did not know it, Sandero wasn't really a seer. He was merely pretending. However, Sandero was cunning, and possessed deadly venom and hypnotic abilities.
Gellar and his army had been travelling for days, looking for Mossflower. They were actually in search of Redwall Abbey, an abbey filled with woodlanders and healers. Gellar did not need medical aid or medicine. He was in search of Martin the Warrior's sword. Tales swept through the western lands from which he came, tales of a magical sword that brought victory to the one who wielded it. Gellar intended to take that sword, no matter what the cost. Suddenly, his stoat captain, Scourgetail, pushed up beside him, panting.
"Chief, 'tis Fangeye and Zaggra! They're deserting the horde!" Gellar whipped around. "Where are they?" His voice was barely a whisper. Scourgetail gulped and pointed to the back of the horde. Gellar pushed his way through the nervous vermin. He had been suspecting it for some time. The ferret, Fangeye, and his mate Zaggra, had been especially rebellious since they turned their footsteps towards Mossflower. They said that the sword of Martin was cursed, guarded by the spirit who had once wielded it. Of course, Gellar didn't believe such stories. He was blinded by his greed. He too had heard of the various vermin who tried to take Redwall and failed: Cluny the Scourge, the Marlfoxes, even General Ironbeak and his ravens. But unlike the others, Gellar didn't want Redwall. He wanted that sword.
Soon he reached the back of the horde. In the distance he could see the two rebels fleeing into the distance. But he had no intention of chasing after them. Gellar took an arrow from his quiver and poised it on the bow, aiming it at the back of Fangeye. Then he let it fly. The projectile pierced Fangeye, he fell, and Zaggra stopped to help him. Gellar shot another arrow, and felled Zaggra as well. He walked up to the bodies, Sandero following him. In Zaggra's arms was a young ferretbabe, mewling pitifully. Gellar was wondering whether to kill it or not, but Sandero tugged on his stained tunic.
"Come on, the ssstorm will take care of Ffffangeye'sss brat." So Gellar walked back to his place as leader of the horde, not knowing that the babe he'd just spared would grow up to be his downfall.