 When Flib and two of the younger hedgehogs sleep outside the performing company's raft, on the riverbank, they are captured by the Ravagers.As it turns out, many young ones have been captured by the Ravagers, led by Zwilt the Shade and Vilaya, both evil sables.They are keeping the hostages in the remains of Brockhall (a place under an immense old tree), which they have renamed Althier, and are planning to use the captives to force Redwall to surrender to their demands.