Zwilt the Shade

Zwilt the Shade is an anthropomorphic sable and the secondary villain in the Redwall series book, The Sable Quean.

Zwilt was a tall, austere sable who was the commander of the Ravagers vermin horde under Vilaya, the Sable Quean. He was known for his dead black eyes and extremely stealthy manner, which caused some to think he was magic or invisible. He was a very skilled swordsbeast, as well as sadistic, and enjoyed taunting his victims before he killed them.

Both Zwilt and his Quean were intent upon conquering Redwall Abbey, although their methods of doing so were opposite. Vilaya wanted to use espionage, trickery and blackmail to take over, but Zwilt was more military-minded and wanted to attack by force.

After Vilaya's ultimate plan was foiled, they dueled for leadership of the horde, and Zwilt ran through Vilaya, causing everyone to think her dead. Zwilt then took the Ravagers and led an attack on Redwall, where he eventually got in with a main diversion attack at the front, while he and a few vermin sneaked in over the wall with grappling hooks. When they were faced off by the Blademaster hare Buckler, with whom Zwilt had previously fought, the two dueled, and Buckler had almost won when Zwilt grabbed a nearby hedgehog baby and threatened to kill it if Buckler did not surrender. The hare did, and just as Zwilt was about to behead him, the sable was run through from behind by Buckler's sister-in-law, who's husband Zwilt has murdered earlier.