A chance meeting with a young hedgehog maid who is visiting Redwall Abbey reveals to Martin the Warrior a tantalising glimpse of the early life, and family, he can scarcely remember. He sets forth from the Abbey to seek the truth about the father he barely knew, accompanied by his trusty friends Dinny, Trimp and Gonff. His journey takes him home to the northland shore, meeting friends and enemies, old and new, along the way and leading him to an extraordinary shipwreck.

The wreck, the Arfship, is home to three ancient, veteran warriors who have in their possession a dusty old volume. Inside is the story of Martin's early life and the dramatic account of his father Luke's pursuit of his hated enemy, the pirate stoat, Vilu Daskar. Brian Jacques' skilful narrative is told in three parts, interweaving the stories of father and son in yet another unforgettable Redwall experience.