Killconey strode into the tent. "I've got those dock leaves you wanted, Cheesethief…" Their voice trailed off as they saw Cheesethief's dead body. They let out an awful scream.

Fangburn came in. "What's the matter?"

"The matter is Cheesethief's dead, murdered!"

Fangburn shook his head. "Ain't that awful, sittin' scoffin' cheese one moment, nex' thing 'e's pegged it!"

Other rats gathered around. "First Redtooth gets killed, now Cheesethief," said one named Frogblood. "Maybe we should pack up and leave."

"Why would we do that?" Everybeast turned to see Cluny the Scourge standing at the entrance to the tent.

"Chief!" Fangburn exclaimed. "You're back!"

"I see Redtooth made a mess of the invasion," Cluny said. "I should have known it wouldn't go well without me. I wish you were all as smart as I was, but if you were smart, I might not be the leader. But we're not beaten yet, not by a long shot!"

Just then a voice called, "Come out here, Chief!"

Cluny stepped outside to see two rats, Mangefur and Scumnose, leading Derpy Hooves on a rope, covered in muck and filth. Ever since the cart crashed, she had been wandering around Mossflower, trying to find her way back home. Now the rats had captured her again.

"We wuz rootin' about by some hedges," said Scumnose, "and we found her curled up fast asleep. So, we pounced on 'er and tied her up."

"Good," said Cluny. "You've done something right for once. Now we have a hostage."

Derpy emitted an anguished moan. "Please let me go free. I've done no harm to any living creature. I…"

Cluny cracked his tail to silence her. "Cut out that cringing. You are my prisoner to do with as I like. Oh, don't worry, I won't let them kill you, as long as you do what I say."

"Anything! What do you want from me?" Derpy screamed in her fear and anxiety.

Cluny took the rope from Mangefur and pulled Derpy forward until his nose touched hers. "Listen carefully. You are going to open the Abbey door for me, my friend. Now, here is what you must do."

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When Matthias and his friends got outside Captain Snow was waiting for them. "Who! Did you defeat Asmodeus?"

"Yes, we did and here is the proof," said Matthias, holding up the snake's severed head.

Captain Snow hooted in distress. "Get that thing away from me! Chuck it in the river!"

"What about your promise?" said Twilight.

The owl's eyes bulged with ill temper. "Fine! I promise never to eat another rodent as long as I live."

"Shrews aren't rodents, though," said Twilight sternly. "You must promise not to eat another animal of any kind."

Snow fumed. He thought he had found a loophole. "But if I don't eat mice or shrews, what am I supposed to eat?"

"Why don't you ask Squire Gingivere?" said Pinkie Pie. "He gave up eating meat too."

"I'm not speaking to him!"

"But that was part of your promise too, old chap," Joshy said sweetly. "You said you'd make up with him. Remember?"

The owl was tonguely humiliated. "All right. Let's go to his barn."

On the way back to the farm they met the Guosim shrews. Matthias made a face at them. "Thanks for not warning me about the cat."

"We did warn you," said Log-a-Log. "It's not our fault you don't understand Spanish."

"He's right," said Pinkie. "The last thing they said to you was 'Cuidado con el gato.' Watch out for the cat. You can go back to Chapter 22 and check."

Matthias shook his head. "Well, whatever. At least Julian turned out to be a vegetarian. And now Captain Snow is a vegetarian too."

Snow put his wings over his eyes to block out the shrews. "I can't stand it, all those little dinners dancing around!"

Twilight walked up to the barn and called inside. "Squire Julian? Captain Snow has something to say to you!"

Julian came out. "Do I have to stand around listening to that befeathered bore giving air to his hide bound militaristic views?"

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised," Twilight said.

Snow dropped down and landed in front of Julian. "I apologize to you, Squire Julian. It was all my fault."

When Julian saw how polite the owl was, he said, "Not at all, my dear friend. It is I that must apologize to you. The whole incident was entirely due to my priggishness and lack of manners."

Snow shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. "D'you really think so? Oh, come on, Julian old chap, I must share the blame. It was my barrack room feeding habits that started the whole thing. You mustn't blame yourself, old friend."

"What were you guys fighting over anyway?" Pinkie asked.

The owl turned to her. "He didn't like how I ate mice and shrews all the time. But now I've given that up anyway."

Julian smiled. "Why don't you come inside, Captain? I've having a fresh salad with mustard and cress."

Wing in paw, the reunited comrades strolled inside, chatting amiably as if there had never been a cross word between them.

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Rainbow Dash and the other ponies were up on the battlements when they saw the rats picking up their tents and moving away.

"They're leaving," Rarity said.

"Maybe they're givin' up after Constance an' Ah killed Cluny with that crossbow," said Applejack hopefully.

"Or maybe they just want us to think they're retreating," said Rainbow Dash.

There was a knock at the door down below. It was Derpy. "Hello?" she called. "Can you guys let me in? I've been lost for weeks and I'm starving! I just don't know what went wrong!"

"Oh, you poor thing!" said Rarity. "Look at you, covered in dirt. You must have had a rough time."

"Fluttershy, fly down and let her in," said Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy opened the door and let Derpy inside. "It's okay, Derpy. You're safe now. We'll get you a bath and something to eat. I think Friar Hugo's using the last of our flour to make muffins."

"Muffins!" Derpy cried happily.

A few minutes later Derpy was all clean and she was sitting in Great Hall, munching on a muffin. What a happy, friendly lot the Abbey creatures were. She was sorry to have to betray them, and her fellow ponies, but there was no alternative. Cluny had let her know in no uncertain terms that if she didn't help him, he would kill her.

She waited for nightfall, when everybeast was asleep. Then she sneaked out to the gate and opened the door. Cluny led his entire army inside.

The irony of the situation was not lost on Cluny. He had spent all this time making elaborate battle plans and it turned out all he had to do to infiltrate Redwall was get somebeast inside to open a door for him.

Derpy felt terrible, but at least she would be safe now. Or so she thought. "Now will you let me go?" she asked Cluny.

Cluny smiled evilly. "Oh, we'll let you go all right. To the Dark Forest!"

Fangburn brought a heavy club crashing down on the back of Derpy's head. The unhappy Pegasus crumpled to the ground without a sound.

"I just don't know what went wrong…" she mumbled just before she died.