Yoofus Lightpaw

Gender: male

Species: water vole

Appears In: Rakkety Tam




Yoofus is a small resident of Mossflower where he lives with his wife Didjety and their pet Rockbottom in a cave near a lake. While he possesses a kind heart he has a habit of stealing just about anything and is quite good at it, a talent that Didjety often exasperates over but is secretly proud of. He first snags Urfig's curved sword and the Royal Banner after sneaking into Gulo's camp, but while fleeing he unknowingly leaves a trail that resembles a wolverine's tracks. Gulo thinks it is his brother Askor so he follows, and upon realizing this Yoofus purposely leads the vermin in circles. He ends up meeting Doogy, Tam, and Tergen who immediately grow suspicious as he is still holding the banner they are searching for, and he promises to give them it as well as help rescue the captured Armel and Brooky in exchange for Tam's claymore. The squirrel agrees but doesn't ask for the banner, instead telling him to join Ferdimond and Tergen on the trip to Redwall. Yoofus later runs off with both the banner and claymore but doesn't get far as Skipper spots him, pursing him into a river where he drags the vole thief by the tail onto dry land. He reveals that he had spied on Gulo and learned of his plan to attack the Abbey, and following a scuffle with the vermin army he joins Doogy and Ferdimond in heading north. They are tracked by Dirig until Yoofus gets rid of him by tricking him into entering a swamp, and the trio later meet up with Tam and the GUOSIM. Along with Doogy he accidentally trips and falls outside the pine grove where Tam is heading to fight Gulo's horde, so instead they head to the abandoned vermin camp to steal any goods. He finds the drum meant for Melesme and claims it much to Doogy's disappointment, and while arguing about the matter they are suddenly captured by a vermin gang. The weasel leader recognizes Yoofus (though, strangely enough, is unaware of his thieving skills) and takes the pair to the Muskar home as they are holding the dormice hostage, but Doogy and Yoofus easily defeat the gang and stay the night. The following morning Yoofus vanishes along with the drum and dirk, and Doogy and Muskar track the vole to his home where the former realizes that Rockbottom is the fabled Walking Stone. Yoofus and Didjety agree to take him to Redwall but they end up getting lost, and when they eventually reach their destination Doogy and the drum are taken prisoner by Gulo. Yoofus and his family just manage to make it inside the Abbey gates where they watch Tam fight and kill the wolverine. The claymore and banner are later discovered by Skipper in a cave, and Yoofus returns to his home with his wife and pet tortoise.