Rufe Brush was a strong and quiet squirrel who lived in Redwall Abbey. He is mentioned as "Rufe Brushtail" in Salamandastron. Rufe was the first known official bellringer of the Abbey.
Biography
He was a friend of Dandin, Mariel Gullwhacker, Saxtus, and Durry Quill. He was one of the few young creatures who was not impressed by Treerose's charms; ironically she, on the other hand, admired him very much.
Rufe was a leader in the defense of Redwall against Greypatch's crew and was adept with a wide variety of weapons. Alert and quick, he was the first to alert the Redwall residents that they were attacked with fire missiles by pounding on a hollow log. He also organized sentries to detect areas under threat from those missiles. In spite of his fighting abilities, Rufe was not a trained warrior and was very impressed with the military professionalism of Brigadier Thyme and his companions.
Rufe was very happy when his old friend, Oak Tom, came back from his travels to Redwall and joined the fight against the searats. When Colonel Clary, Brigadier Thyme and Hon Rosie organized a final mission to rescue a group of oarslaves taken hostage by searats, Rufe Brush, Oak Tom and Treerose came to assist the hares. While the squirrels led the oarslaves to safety, the heroic members of the Long Patrol stayed to cover their retreat, without telling their friends of their plan to fight the horde of a hundred searats head on. Clary and Thyme died fighting, while Hon Rosie was terribly injured in the battle.
The normally tough Rufe wept at the death of Clary and Thyme. Rufe and Oak Tom led a party to bring the gravely injured Hon Rosie back to the Abbey. Later, he and Treerose buried Clary and Thyme in a special area outside Redwall Abbey.
After being mentioned in Joseph the Bellmaker's dream as the "bellringer who'd love to stay", Rufe ventured out with Joseph, Durry, Hon Rosie, and Foremole to free Southsward from Urgan Nagru.
Rufe later named one of Finnbarr Galedeep's swords after Fatch, a shrew who he had befriended. They had promised to look after each other after Rufe had saved Fatch from drowning. Rufe was saddened when the latter died, therefore honoring him by naming the sword after him.
Personality
Rufe Brush had a strange personality change from his youth in Mariel of Redwall to his slightly older years in The Bellmaker. Whereas he was solidly dependable and tough in the former, he somehow seemed more squeamish and inconfident in the latter. One can assume he was bold when in his home where he knew every stone and twig, and timid to think of leaving it to adventure where there are things strange and dangerous.
Rufe and the Sword of Martin
During the Feast of the Bell Raising, Rufe climbed to the roof of the Abbey and placed the Sword of Martin on the arm of the weathervane. It was said he was inspired by the Spirit of Martin the Warrior.