Matthias had decided to go take the tapestry back. He sneaked out of the Abbey and headed for St. Ninians. He avoided the road, traveling along through the woods instead.
Matthias didn't notice the pair of evil eyes watching him. A rat named Ragear hid behind a tree observing the mouse's every move. What a find! He could take Matthias prisoner and bring him back to Cluny. He imagined the story he would tell.
"There was six of 'em, Chief, they tried surrounding me, but I fought like a devil! Then I says to meself, 'Ragear,' says I, 'you'd better capture this last one and fetch him back for the Chief to question.' Then Cluny'll say to me, 'Ragear, good old Ragear, I knew I could depend on you. Mangefur, bring food and wine for my old pal, Ragear the Brave.' Ha, yes, then I'll pat the Chief on the back and say, 'By Vulpuz's whiskers, you old rodent! Have you never thought of retiring and letting me lead the horde? Why, with a gallant warrior like me in comm…'"
Thwack! Ragear's fantasies were cut short as a hoof slammed into the back of his head, knocking him out cold. Matthias turned around in surprise. He saw Pinkie Pie and Rarity standing over the fallen rat. They both wore saddlebags.
"Pinkie! Rarity! What are you doing here?"
"We know what you're up to," said Rarity. "You're trying to liberate the tapestry."
"So, we thought we'd lend a hoof," said Pinkie.
Matthias shook his head. "Thanks, but I can do this on my own."
"Everycreature needs friends to help them sometimes," said Pinkie. "Twilight Sparkle wouldn't have got far without us. Even Martin the Warrior had help from friends. What about Gonff the Mousethief?"
Matthias sighed. "All right. Do you have a plan?"
"Perhaps we could create some kind of diversion to keep the rats occupied while you're getting the tapestry," Rarity said.
"What do we do with this guy?" Pinkie asked, nudging the unconscious Ragear with her hoof.
Matthias noticed the rat had a coil of rope at his side. "We'll tie him up with his own rope and leave him here."
They bound Ragear to a tree and walked the rest of the way to the church. They crouched at the edge of the woods, not wanting to be seen. There were twelve rats patrolling outside and two more guarding the church door.
"That's funny," said Pinkie. "I thought Cluny had a lot more rats than that."
"The rest must be inside," said Rarity.
"Hmm, this could present a little bit of a problem," said Matthias.
"Well, at least it's not a fully grown adult problem," said Pinkie. "Time for that diversion."
She walked right up to one of the rats and said, "Hi. My name's Pinkie Pie. What's yours?"
The rat tried to stab her with his spear, but she jumped out of the way just in time. She popped up beside another rat. "Where's this leader fella? Cluny, or Loony, whatever you call him."
The rats started chasing her all around, but it was like trying to catch smoke. "Get your damn claws in her!" one of them shouted.
"Does your mother know you use language like that?" Pinkie asked.
"Blast, she's as slippery as a greased pig."
"Some of my best friends are greased pigs! Oops, missed me again, you old butterfingers, you."
In all the hullaballoo, Matthias and Rarity were able to pass right through the ranks of the rats unnoticed. When they got up close to the door, Rarity took a black seductive dress that could impress any man out of her bag and put it on. And she went up to the two door guards and said "Come on boys, come and get some." And then she kicked the rats in the balls and stabbed them with her horn. They lied there lifelessness.
Matthias scratched his head. "If you were just going to kill them, what was the point of dressing up?"
They pushed the door open and cautiously stepped inside. But there was nobeast there at all, and no tapestry!
"Oh no!" groaned Matthias. "Cluny must already be attacking Redwall, and he's taken the tapestry with him!"
"Come on," said Rarity. "We must get back to the Abbey. There's no time to lose!"
As they stepped back outside, they bumped into Pinkie Pie on the steps. The rats were fanned out in a semicircle, surrounding them!
"We got 'em now!" roared the patrol leader.
Just then Pinkie pulled a party cannon out of her bag. Matthias was surprised that could fit in there. She fired it off, sending a blinding shower of confetti into the rats' eyes.
When the evil rodents could see again, Matthias and his friends were gone.