Not much happened over the next few days. The rats didn't launch any new attacks. Fluttershy spent every spare moment with Warbeak, nursing her back to health. As her wing healed, the savage sparrow began to feel more kind towards Fluttershy.

One day Fluttershy took Warbeak outside. "Let's see how your wing's doing now."

Warbeak made a few experimental flutters. Then she launched herself into the air and performed a series of zooming circles that would have made Rainbow Dash proud before landing at Fluttershy's feet. "I can fly again! Maybe horseworm not so bad."

"I've helped you," said Fluttershy. "Now I need you to do something for me. You told me King Bull Sparra had a magic sword. Well, that sword is very special to the mice in this Abbey. Will you help me get it back for them?"

"Me not know where king keeps sword," said Warbeak. "But me take you to court of Sparra."

She flapped into the air and Fluttershy followed her. They flew through a window just below the Abbey roof.

The space above the ceiling was hollow. Countless rafters crisscrossed all through it. Sparrows nested in the eaves. Warbeak alighted on a rafter and Fluttershy landed behind her. They walked along the beam. At one point, Fluttershy's hoof slipped and she stepped on the plaster between the rafters. A big chunk of plaster fell down and landed on the floor of the attic below.

Warbeak wagged a wing at her. "Gotta be careful!"

All of a sudden, a big male sparrow landed right in front of Fluttershy. "Horseworm, you my prisoner! Me King Bull Sparra!"

"I just came to return one of your brave young warriors," said Fluttershy.

"You lie. Not help Sparra! Horse enemy," the king shrieked. A bunch of sparrows grabbed Fluttershy and dragged her into a cage.

After a while, a bird she hadn't seen before came up to her, carrying a tray. "Me Dunwing, mother of Warbeak. I bring you food." She handed the tray to Fluttershy through the bars.

Fluttershy saw with disgust that it was full of wriggling worms. "You eat worms? That's horrible!"

"Warbeak tell me how you save her," said Dunwing. "She also told me you looking for mouseworm's sword. King Bull Sparra not have it anymore."

"Why not? What happened to it?"

"One day he hunting in Mossflower trees, giant snake come, one with poison teeth. All a time say 'Asmodeus.' Bull Sparra drop big sword. Snake curl round sword blade."

"So now Asmodeus has the sword?" Fluttershy shuddered. "This just keeps getting worse and worse."

Dunwing put her wing through the bars and touched Fluttershy's shoulder. "You saved my eggchick. Now I save you. Me make plan. Me start rumor, say snake lying dead down in old quarry."

Fluttershy grasped the plan. "I get it. Bull Sparra will go chasing straight down there with his warriors. Meanwhile I can escape."

It worked just as Dunwing had said. She started telling the other birds that she had seen Asmodeus lying dead in the old quarry where he made his home. Eventually the news reached the king, and he immediately took all his warriors and headed down there, leaving Fluttershy alone with Dunwing and Warbeak.

When they got to the quarry caves Asmodeus was lying outside in the sun, very much alive. "Oh, goods," he said. "Sparrows a la kings. My favorites meals." He snatched King Bull Sparra out of the air in his jaws and ate him in one bite. The other birds flew away in fear.

The Sparra warriors returned to Redwall with the news. "King Bull Sparra is dead," one of them said. "Warbeak is queen now."

Warbeak perched on top of Fluttershy's cage. "Hear me! As queen of Sparra, me say this! Horseworm must go free! Sparra friends of Redwallers now." Dunwing opened the door and let Fluttershy out.

At dinner that night, Fluttershy told everybeast her story.

"What would a snake want with a sword?" Pinkie Pie asked. "He doesn't have any hands to hold it!"

"I don't know," Matthias said. "But we need to get it back."