Gawtrybe

The Gawtrybe are a team of aggressive squirrels and tertiary antagonists in Martin the Warrior. The Gawtrybe first appear after the encounter with the cannibal lizards and Martin and Rose, Grumm and Pallum have to ascend a giant mountain at the end of the marshes. They have only got a short way in when they come across a rough, unruly, aggressive band of barbarian squirrels, who initially behave like immature children, yet they get more mischevious, then more devilish, then more naughty, then finally get into pure evil when the Gawtrybe want to play a hostile game with the travellers' lives.

The Gawtrybe send out their chieftain, Wakka, to challenge and defeat Martin, but the mouse defeats him annnnnnnnnnn the squirrels leave, dejected. But they return, taunting the travellers, and Martin asks what they want, and they say they want to "play" which involves, chasing Martin and his friends up to the top of the mountain, if they get there first, the squirrels will throw them off, if Martin and his friends get there first, they win and the squirrels will leave them alone.

Finally showing nothing but hate for the Gawtrybe, Martin decides to cheat them by telling his friends to move as soon as they can and leave the squirrels behind. The Gawtrybe realize they have been tricked, and their anger lends them speed, and they catch up with the others, almost winning the terrifying race, but then finally Martin and the others get to a giant cave.

Martin calls for Boldred, and then suddenly a giant owl comes out of the cave just as the Gawtrybe are about to maul the travellers to death. Boldred, the owl, berates the squirrels for their sadism and she sends them on their way to sit on the mountain edge and reflect on their many evils.

However they fight at the last battle against Badrang, and are shepherded back home by Boldred.