Colonel Wenzel Bramblestar Lavender was one of the highest ranking soldiers of the Long Patrol, the Blademaster under Lord Silverstripe of Salamandastron. Wenzel always carried a Zweihander, the largest sword known. It was longer than his own body and could decapitate a wolverine in a single slice. After Thornclaw Braveheart was acciedntally knocked unconscious by Wenzel, they befriended each other and travelled back to Salamandastron, defeating many bandits. After weeks without water, Thornclaw colapsed and had a vision of Martin the Warrior and scenes of his future life. He learned that he must go to Redwall Abbey after slaying "The One called the Maul". With help from the Guosim and Log-a-Log Mengo, Wenzel and Thorn arrived at Salamandastron, where Thorn learned the art of the sword, particularly the sabre. After the Battle of the Valley, Thorn and Wenzel led a elite team of archer hares into the complex base of Dirz the Maul to not only rescue hare prisoners, but also kill Dirz once and for all. However, the ferret intercepted the team after they freed the prisoners, and dueled Wenzel and Thorn across his secret base until he knocked Thorn unconscious and stabbed Wenzel. Thorn was awoken by Martin the Warrior, and he battled Dirz, cutting his double-bladed sword in half. Dirz knocked Thorn into a pit, but Thorn grabbed a piece of rock and hung there until he gained the strength to jump up (front flipping in the process), grabbing Wenzel's fallen Zweihander, and slicing Dirz the Maul in half. Wenzel died of blood loss shortly thereafter, and was cremated on the beach outside Salamandastron. His twins sons, Sergents Bluestorm and Dustpaw, both refused the Zweihander, and Thornclaw was given it.