Thinking Redwall
Bi-Monthly
It's A Family Thing!
December-January 2001-02
One thing is certain, families appear often in Redwall, but only the main characters seem to have families. The goodbeast families are just like any, good-natured, loving family. That is why this article is all about the vermin families. The first family in Redwall vermin chronology is that of the wildcats. Two main villains come from this family. Highland King Mortspear is the beginning of a series of wildcats all destined to rule. King Mortspear had two sons, the eldest was Ungatt Trunn, the youngest being Verdauga Greeneyes.
Ungatt was the main villain in Lord Brocktree. Though he did not say much about his family, his contempt of them was obvious, whether talking ill of his father or scorning his brother who he thought would amount to nothing, Ungatt did not like his family in the least.
Verdauga was the founder of an empire. By taking over the fertile lands of Mossflower and having his troops take residence in an old castle he named Kotir, Verdauga's dreams of being a conqueror came true. As he aged, his kingdom fell into the rule of his children, the fair and just Gingivere, and his sister Tsarmina, the evil and ruthless predator.
Tsarmina was true to her evil nature when she poisoned her father and blamed it on her brother. Gingivere later escaped with Mask's help.
After his escape from Kotir's prison, Gingivere settled down with his wife Sandingom. It is speculated that Squire Julian Gingivere, last of the Gingivere family was a distant descendant of Gingivere and Sandingom.
The family of Veil and Swartt Sixclaw in The Outcast of Redwallwas no family in any aspect. Swartt had killed a Warlord named Bowfleg and all his captains to gain control of his horde. As customary, the 
new leader wed the old one's daughter, who was Bluefen. Bluefen had a child, but died soon after. Swartt cared neither for his dead wife or the newborn babe. The babe was charged to a female horderat, and had no name given.
The babe was found after a short battle Redwaller's had to scare off Swartt's horde. The babe was taken in by a mouse named Bryony and so he was named Veil by Bella. Veil grew apart from his father, not knowing him at all. At the end of the book Veil meets and recognizes his father. Both had a dwelling hatred for each other, but when Swartt attempts to kill Bryony, Veil either jumped in the way of or accidentally entered the path of the spear Swartt threw. Swartt was later killed too, ending the entire family in one day.
The next family of vermin in Redwall's chronology is that of Ferahgo and his son, Klitch in Salamandastron. This family was one of the most complex in nature, surpassed only by the Marlfoxes. Ferahgo had pity for only one beast in the world, his son Klitch. Their relationship was far from loving, but Ferahgo said that if anyone ever turned on him in a plot to kill him, only his son would be spared. The two were constantly arguing and sometimes resorted to threatening the other with weapons. Klitch vied for control of the horde, but none respected the little brat as much as they did their master Ferahgo. Unlike the next family you will hear of, Klitch and Ferahgo died as a family- together on the same mountain.
My fourth example is that of Sela the vixen and her son Chickenhound. Sela wasn't what you'd call a loving parent, her relationship with her son was more of a work related partnership. It was easier to double-cross someone when you have two beasts at work. When Sela's plans to double-cross Cluny were exposed, both her and Chickenhound were to be executed. They succeeded to kill Sela. Chickenhound was less than remorseful over his mother's death. He didn't care at all, he could make it without her. Chickenhound later recovered in Redwall Abbey, killed Methuselah out of greed, and was bitten by the adder Asmodeus. In Mattimeo, Chickenhound returns as the vengeance-seeking Slagar the Cruel.
The Warfangs were not much of a family to speak of. They were barely mentioned in The Long Patrol, but nevertheless, a family they were. The ruler of the Rapscallion Horde was a Greatrat, Gormad Tunn. His sons Damug Warfang and Byral Fleetclaw would battle to the death for control of the horde. The battle lasted only a few minutes, and was ultimately determined before the battle even began. Damug had outdone his brother in cunningness, he had a hordesbeast, Lugworm, damage one of his brother's weapons. When cord and boulder finally came into play, Byral swung ferociously, but the cord snapped, giving Damug the moment needed to slay his brother.
The final family is the one with more twists to it than a crooked old tree. The marlfox family consisted of High Queen Silth, her mate, and their seven children, Mokkan, Gelltor, Predak, Lantur, Ziral, Vannan, and Ascrod. As the story goes, after the island at the center of the great inland lake was vacated by the "white ghost" and the lake was perged of a "monster", many foxes took over the island. These foxes then fought among themselves for sole control. The strongest, sliest, stealthiest, and most cunning of all foxes were the two marlfoxes, Silth and her mate. Together, they took control of the island and built the great Castle Marl. However, when Silth's mate proclaimed himself king, Silth had him killed, and so Mokkan learned to "never trust a vixen."
The siblings got along fairly well, but were always cautious of each other. Each one had to be as good as the rest, because they all knew that when Silth died only one could rule the island and all it's wealth. Mokkan was the first to observe this, but they all knew it was true.
So the book went on, and Ziral became the first to die in the battle with Redwall. After that battle, Mokkan was first back to camp and waited hours in a tree to see his siblings come and to hear their talk. Upon observing the tapestry that Ascrod and Vannan had successfully plundered from the abbey, Mokkan entered camp, acting as though he was injured. He stayed at camp as Gelltor lead the next attack against the abbey, but Vannan was cautious. While Mokkan was feigning sleep she told a rat to make sure nothing strange went on, and to report to her. It did not take long for Mokkan to kill the rat, order the other rats to pack up in a few logboats and cut the rest to splinters, and so Mokkan outwitted all but Lantur and Silth, who remained at the island. All the other Marlfoxes died without capturing the abbey, as they had no way of returning without the logboats.
Back on the island Lantur was preying on her sick mother's feeble mind, making a "ghost" appear to her, urging Silth to her grave. The "ghost" drove Silth mad, and one day Lantur decided to end the games. She brought forth two chalices from which they would drink wine. One was the Queen's own goblet, the other a plain and simple one. Silth was on to Lantur's scheme, insisting Lantur drink from the Queen's goblet. As Lantur went to drink, the Queen halted her, saying Lantur expected her to act that way. As Silth forced Lantur to drink from the plain chalice, her eyes full of fright, she sipped from her own goblet, enough to seal her fate. Silth had outfoxed herself.
High Queen Lantur's reign did not last long. During her mother's funeral, Silth was proclaimed High Queen, and Mokkan reached the island. Standing on the rocky cliffs near the lake, where ferocious pike waited below, Mokkan had his prized tapestry unveiled. While all eyes were diverted to the tapestry, Mokkan shoved his own sister off the cliff, sending her to her death below. It was taken as a sign that the island chose Mokkan as ruler, and so his short reign began. It ended the next day as Song, Dann, Dippler, and Burble made their way to the island.
Through these examples it is easy to see that the family is the most complex aspect to vermin life. I believe that such strange, evil, back-stabbing families make Redwall even more enjoyable.
Coming February-March: Unknown