Veil Sixclaw the Outcast

Gender: male

Species: ferret

Appears In: Outcast of Redwall




Veil - given by Bella as his past is a veil of darkness - is born somewhere within Mossflower and found as an abandoned infant by Skipperjo who brings him to Redwall. He is the grandson of Bowfleg, son of Swartt and Bluefen, adopted son of Bryony, and has six claws on his left paw like his famous father. Shortly after he is born Bluefen passes away and he is given to an old female rat in the horde, as Swartt has no interest in caring for him. The rat is slain in a scuffle against some otters and squirrels, which is how Skipperjo finds him. He is given to Bryony as she expresses interest in adopting him, however as he grows up he exhibits mean behaviour such as stealing or saying nasty things to others (even as an infant he will bite anybeast who gets too close to him). Bryony tries to raise him properly and always apologizes to her fellow Redwallers, constantly showing frustration over her adopted son's nasty habits. Veil swears revenge after Bunfold twists his ear and poisons some oat-and-barley water with wolfbane, however Myrtle drinks it and is poisoned as a result. When Veil tries to wash the potent wolfbane from his paws he is tricked into using a special concoction and realizes too late it is a trap set by the Redwallers to discover the perpetrator, and he is temporarily tossed into a Cellar storeroom. Bella decides to permanently banish him for his cruel deed, and while wandering through Mossflower he decides to search for his father. He meets various creatures along the way, harming a dormouse family and killing two foxes who steal from him, and runs into Bryony and Togget as the former is trying to track him down so she can bring him back to the Abbey as she believes there is some good in him. He eventually reaches Bat Mountpit where he reunites with Swartt, however within seconds it becomes very clear the elder does not want anything to do with him. Disappointed at the reunion, Veil throws some insults at his father and taunts him about his crippled paw. Not long later he heads to the top of the mountain where Swartt is preparing to torture a captured Sunflash, and he fights his father. During this scuffle Bryony unties the badger's ropes but is spotted by Swartt who throws a javelin at her, however Veil throws himself in front of her and is run through by the weapon. He dies moments later in her arms, and upon returning to Redwall she reveals that she is unsure whether Veil really did sacrifice his life to save hers. Veil is considered to be a "grey character".