A thrilling story of Triss, a young squirrelmaid. She escapes a life of misery as a servant to the tyranical ruling ferret family in Riftgard and sets off to find her way to the Abbey of Redwall.

Parallel runs the tale of two young scamps, the hare Bescarum and the badger Sagaxus, who leave the Fortress of Salamandastron and set off on board ship in search of adventure.

The third storyline is about the inhabitants of the Abbey and a threat to their safety. This leads to a frightening and ultimately very satisfying climax as the three threads of the story come together.