Mossflower

“Ben took a sip of the wine and shook his head. ‘You be careful, all the same, and remember what the Corim rule is; bide your time and don’t let ‘em catch you. One day we’ll win old Mossflower back.’”

This quote is the first mention of the Council of Resistance in Mossflower (Corim). The reader still hasn’t been told what this entity is, but the advice the Corim gives indicates its stance. Rather than threatening a military assault on Kotir, it advises caution and stealth. This is an excellent tactic for farmers confronted with an armed military presence. The quote also suggests the Corim’s conviction of ultimate victory.

“For a moment his eyes met those of Tsarmina’s. His voice was clear and unafraid. ‘Your father made a just decision, but yours was the right one. You should have killed me when you had the chance, because I vow that I will slay you one day.’”

Martin is addressing Tsarmina after she has just advised her father to kill the mouse. Verdauga respects Martin’s courage and spares him. The warrior mouse makes this statement very early in the novel, but he will use these same words in his final battle with Tsarmina when he makes good on his threat. Unlike her father, she is incapable of recognizing strength in others when she sees it.

“Verdauga coughed painfully. He lay back on the pillows. ‘If you think that, daughter, then you have made a grave mistake. I have seen courage before; it comes in all shapes and sizes. Just because he is a mouse does not make him less of a warrior than me. He has a fighter’s heart—I saw it in his eyes.’”

Tsarmina has made the critical mistake of underestimating her enemy. Because of Martin’s small size, she assumes he could never win in combat against her. Aside from Tsarmina’s greed, arrogance is her other defining characteristic. She has contempt for her soldiers, the woodlanders, the mercenaries, and anyone else who isn’t her. This tendency to underestimate others will be her downfall.