Cluny was strolling through Mossflower looking for any beast, preferably vermin, who was able and willing to fight for glory. He was angry that his old vermin captains, Redtooth, Fangburn, Cheesethief, Killconey, Scumnose, Frogblood, Skragg the weasel, Shadow, and Darkclaw were not with him to help him build a good strong army. "Where are decent fighting vermin when you need them?" Cluny asked himself, "When I was still an unstoppable, I had a vermin horde that could bring even the armies of both the Long Patrol and Salamandastron to its knees in less than a month." In the distance, Cluny heard voices from the remnants of Slagar the Cruel's horde.

Threeclaws was arguing with Halftail over a piece of meat. Halftail growled "Threeclaws, you've 'ad more than your share of the grub. Save some for the others."

At that moment, a voice from the woods called out, "My sentiments exactly." Then, Cluny came striding out of the woods with an evil looking smile on his face. "Well, well, well," He said with a sinister chuckle, "what have we got here? A bunch of vermin who are without a leader? Well I am your knew leader, and you'll do as I say or else."

"Or else what fool?" Skinpaw shouted, "In case you haven't noticed, you're outnumbered."

"Or else you'll regret the day that I Cluny the Warlord ever wandered into your camp." Cluny's tail whipped around Skinpaw's neck with the poison tip tickling his neck, "Is that clear, or do I need to issue any further persuasion?"

"No chief."

"No complaints from me sir."

"Or us."

"We're yours to command master."

Cluny released Skinpaw and began issuing orders to his new horde, "You five," he called to the former slavers, "what names do you go by?"

"Skinpaw."

"Halftail."

"Threeclaws."

"Fleaback."

"Bageye."

"Alright," Cluny said admiringly, "you two Skinpaw and Halftail take a score of the horde and go into the woods and start gathering up an army so I can take my revenge on that accursed abbey of Redwall."

"Aye Chief."

"Yes sir."

The vermin captains took a score of the slavers and struck off into Mossflower. Cluny then turned to the remainder of his new army and said, "Well, what are you doing just standing their, get some rest. We need to get a fresh start in the morning so whenever dawn comes, be sure to be up and ready to begin fighting."

The horde replied fearfully, "Yes chief."

Cluny strode into a tent and said to himself, "Prepare if you can Redwall Cluny is back and it will take a lot more than some pitiful mouse warrior or stupid ghost to stop him now." He threw his head back and cackled like a madbeast, so loud that his vermin horde couldn't sleep until Cluny was in bed.

"Well this isn't good me mates," Said Threeclaws, "we're serving under the rule of a madbeast who is willing to get us all killed during a revenge plan against Redwall."

"You're right matey," Bageye replied, "we're all going to die before this is over if even we live that long."

"Shut up," Cluny shouted from his tent, "I'm trying to sleep."

And with that, the vermin tried not to snore for the rest of the night.

---

It was midmorning and Deathfang Renndclaw was peacefully snoring under the apple tree. He was unaware that Mattimeo, Tim and Tess Churchmouse, and Sam Squirrel were quietly watching him from a bush. "Matti," Tim said, "why is he so dark when it's so bright out here in the orchard?"

Mattimeo gazed in wonder at the young wolverine's sleek midnight black fur. "I think that he was born with his fur like that."

They all gasped as Deathfang stirred and rolled over onto the ground. Mattimeo noticed that the wolverine had three claw scars on the right side of his face. "Matti, look." Sam pointed to two scythes strapped to the wolverines back.

"Wow," Mattimeo said, awestruck at the sight of the two cutting edges, "look at the way the sunlight glistens off of them, it's so amazing."

The Guosim shrews came up towards the sleeping figure rapiers drawn and pointing at him. A sudden rustling of the leaves woke Deathfang and whirled him into the curse of a Badger Lord, Bloodwrath, a condition that gives badgers a feeling of immortality making them immune to death. He drew both of his scythes and roared furiously at the shrews.

Skillfully, Mattimeo grabbed a wooden staff, crept up behind Deathfang, and dealt him a swift blow to the back of his head causing his mind to snap back into reality. His eyes went from crimson red to a pale yellow in an instant, "Ugh, what hit me?"

Mattimeo said "Sorry sir it's just that, you were going to attack the Guosim shrews so I hit the back of your head to calm you down."

Deathfang was stunned to hear that Mattimeo knocked him over the back of his skull and stopped the Bloodwrath from making him from committing an act of pure evil. He then said, "Mattimeo what you did was nothing to be ashamed of, you have just found out how to hold your own in the face in the face of danger. That is the first step to becoming a warrior." He turned and said, "When's breakfast? I'm starvin'."

Log-a-Log Flugg, informed the Abbot about what had happened in the orchard that morning. Mordalfus simply said, "Deathfang told me of this condition, that is why he chose to sleep in the orchard under your guard. He said that if he didn't wake up on his own, then he would have you to calm him down. But, he did not count on Mattimeo whacking him across the back of the skull like he did."

Matthias soon caught wind of Mattimeo's act of bravery and told him the same thing that Deathfang had.

Even my father thinks that I am brave enough to stand my own. He thought to himself.

Deathfang, Orlando, Log-a-Log, and Basil came to where they were standing and Matthias said, "Let's begin Mattimeo's training."