-One season after the epilogue of The Bellmaker-

Note: as with all fan fiction, I do not own or claim to own these characters.


Dandin groggily woke up from his sleep, feeling generally unrested, with a sharp, stinging pain in his eyes. Songbirds chirped as a soft wind enveloped the small clearing in which he and Mariel were sleeping in. As it turns out, the sweet songs of the birds did nothing to relieve his pain.

Mariel also woke up not soon after, with the same affliction. Unfortunately, they had made a crucial mistake. Dandin swore as he rummaged through the ashes of their dead campfire, finding that they had used tinder of the poison oak, causing a nasty case of eye irritation to all who had slept near it.

There were only two though. Bowly Pintips had decided to arrive at Redwall with the Guosim, who were a few days behind. Dandin now regretted joining his friend as he rubbed his eyes to relieve the sting.

"Morning, Sword Carrier. Or should I say, Carrier of Stinging Pain." Mariel retorted.

"Hey, you were the one who brought in the tinder, it's not my fault!" But Dandin's protesting yelps didn't stop her as he ducked under a playful swing of the Gullwhacker.

"As if! I was warming the duff over the fire while you were getting the sticks and kindling. You even tripped over the blanket, you oaf!"

"Hmmm…" Dandin scratched his ears. "Now that I think about it, that did happen…" he murmured while smiling sheepishly.

Mariel and Dandin both surveyed their campsite to see if everything was in order. Nothing seemed to be amiss. Seeing this, Mariel began to pack up.

"Let's get going before you manage to somehow screw up again." Mariel snapped.

Feisty she is. Dandin thought.


They packed up and headed northeast, heading towards the path that led to Redwall. Stomping through bushes and weeds, the pair stopped at a small stream. Almost out of canteen water, Mariel decided to lay down her pack and stoop down to take a drink of the clear brook water.

Dandin's Gonfelin mind knew what to do. With a sudden push, he sent Mariel tumbling into the slow stream.

Mariel yelped as she began to flail around. However, she managed to steady herself as she realized that the stream was barely waist-deep.

"For Dark Forest's sake, Dandin, you know I can't swim well!"

But this time, it was Mariel's time to be silenced as she was showered by a huge splash. Dandin had joined her in the stream.

Mariel responded by scooping up a pawful of water and throwing it at Dandin, soaking him more than he was already. Dandin responded with a splash of his own, and soon they were tussling and splashing around, with uncontained laughter all the way.


It was now nighttime, after supper. Even after a day of trekking Redwall was still just out of reach. Clouds began to roll in, and soft rain began to patter on the grass forest floor. Inside a makeshift lean-to, Mariel and Dandin slept together, trying to stay out of the cold rain.

Mariel sneezed. The rain began leaking through a small hole in the covering, but the sticks helped to divert the trickle of water away from the shivering mice.

However, the leak wasn't the thing grabbing Dandin's attention. Instead he found himself gazing over at Mariel. Her soft fur and facial features seemed to glow, with her radiant countenance seeming whole and at peace, if not a little damp and chilly.

His blank stare was interrupted by the voice of Mariel. "What's so interesting that's got you looking this way?"

"Oh. I didn't know you were awake."

"Of course I am, what if there's a band of vermin sneaking up on us right now?"

"Do you really expect a band of vermin to sneak up on us so close to Redwall, and in the pouring rain?"

"Well you never know, Dandin. I thought you of all people would know that, considering what we've been through." Mariel then turned away and went back to sleep - or so she appeared to be.

What we've been through. Dandin reminisced in his mind of all of the adventures he and Mariel had shared. Defeating Gabool on Terramort, bringing back the Joseph Bell, defeating the Foxwolf at Southsward - all of those experiences he and Mariel had experienced together.

Dandin felt his face grow warm as he thought about how much he was thinking about Mariel. She's my friend, right? Yet I can't stop thinking about her. I don't want to lose her, after all we've been through.

"After all we've been through." Dandin voiced his thoughts aloud.

"What?" Mariel turned, with a confused look on her face.

"Just…" Dandin's voice trailed. "Just…. In all of those adventures, you, or me, or Durry, or Bowly, or anyone, we could have died at any moment."

"Well, that's a little obvious. But what makes you bring that up now?"

"Just… I don't want to lose you. If you died, just… just I would be devastated." Dandin blushed as his face showed a mixture of embarrassment and anguish. He put his arms around Mariel's shoulders, just to bring her a little closer to him.

Mariel paused for a few seconds, then replied. "Me too, me too…"
She reciprocated by snuggling a little closer to him. Dandin felt a sense of bewilderment at the newfound close physical contact. It wasn't typical of Mariel to do that. Nevertheless, he began to embrace her back.

And as if she could feel his body begin to grow warm from the fur-to-fur contact, Mariel turned once again to Dandin. This time, she didn't bother saying anything.

Instead she leaned towards his muzzle and planted a kiss.

Unlike last night, both of them managed to get a good night's sleep under the soft petrichor of rain.


I hope this was written well. Let me know what you think. I apologise if Mariel is a bit OOC - I have cloudied memories of the relevant books to go off of, although I'll be rereading them soon.

I'll be back.
-x6