The nomad clan of Sawney Rath can feel their fortunes changing, much for the better. The Mighty One, the next great leader, has been born within the walls of Redwall Abbey and, at any cost, Sawney Rath is determined to harness the power of this magnificent beast - the deadly Taggerung!

A baby otter is kidnapped from Redwall by Sawney's ruthless band of villains called the Juska. They believe he is a Taggerung - a legendary animal said to have supernatural fighting skills. The young otter is raised by Sawney Rath as his own son and trained to be a ruthless killer, but the Redwall spirit cuts deep and as the Taggerung reaches adolescence he begins to dream of another life . . .