Tala

Gender: female

Species: tree rat

Appears In: Doomwyte




Tala - a type of berry tree - is a member of the Painted Ones tribe who lives with them in a five-topped oak within Mossflower. She is the widow of Chigid, mother of Jeg, often spoils the latter, and cruelly slashes at Bisky's back when he insults her son. The tribe attacks some Redwallers and the GUOSIM but are stopped by the timely arrival of the Gonfelin Thieves, and several rats (including her) are taken prisoner. She witnesses the brutal murder of Chigid at the paws of Tugga, who viciously beats him even after he surrenders, and vows revenge. After the tribe are banished to the Western Plains she secretly sneaks back to Mossflower and waits in the ditch outside Redwall. Her patience eventually pays off when Tugga is kicked out of the Abbey for lying and thievery, and as he passes by the ditch she leaps up and fatally stabs him in the heart with a sharpened stick before turning heel and running off. Unlike most vermin pairs she appears to care greatly for her mate and grieves when he is killed.