First a rat must earn his name. Then he must live up to it. This is the story of Gabble, a young rat with a wild, beloved, but unpredictable brother, Ash.

At the start of the book Ash tricks Gabble into going out with him on a 'name raid', a dangerous mission to earn a True Name, normally reserved for older rats.

Gabble finds himself drawn into a perilous adventure, crossing boundaries, fighting with enemy rat packs, and eventually being forced to confront both his brother and himself in the most dramatic fashion.