Sawney Rath, the leader of Juska, a vermin clan, believes Deyna, an otter born of the community at Redwall, is their Taggerung, a warrior destined to lead them to power and greatness.

When a seer from one tribe predicted his birth at Redwall Abbey, Sawney Rath, leader of the Juskarath, sets out to capture the Taggerung.

In Mossflower Woods, Rillflag an otter from Redwall is completing a birth ritual with his newborn son, Deyna, when Sawney Rath and his tribe of vermin ambush him.

Antigra hates Sawney Rath because she wishes her son, Gruven to be named as the Taggerung, and because of that, Sawney Rath had murdered her husband.