(A/N: Next chapter! Ahaha so glad to be working on this story again... :D Sorry if my writing is kinda iffy...it's been awhile so still getting used to writing in this style :P)

Disclaimer: Don't own Redwall! Belongs to the late Brian Jacques

Chapter 10: The Thin Line Between Love and Hate

A loud explosion interrupted the sweet moment between the two young lovers. Bryana turned away from Dan's arms.

"I should go...my creatures need me..."

Dan walked closer to her and turned her around. He stroke her cheek and pulled her face closer to his, gently placing his lips against hers. Bryana's eyes went wide briefly and then fluttered down as she kissed him back. The kiss finally broke and they stared at each other for a moment. Bryana turned away blushing furiously. Dan turned her around again and chuckled lightly at her reaction. Bryana stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't laugh at me," she said, folding her arms across her chest.

"I love you."

She stared at him for a moment and smiled, "I love you too."

"Go. My creatures need me too. Think I will finally be able to concentrate now, haha. You made it quite difficult before you know."

Bryana smiled, "As you did for me."

"When will I see you again?"

"Tomorrow at noon. Meet me at the place where I kept you for two months," she said with a smirk.

"Dan grinned, "Deal."

He pulled her into another hug and kissed her head gently. Bryana smiled and stroke his cheek.

"Tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow."

"Seems too far away."

"It will come quick," he said, "You will see. Before we know it, we will be together again. Just you and me."

Bryana giggled and shook her head, "You're silly," she said.

Dan grinned, "Is that so?"

He pulled her against him roughly and smothered her in another hug. Bryana laughed and pushed at him, trying to get out of his grasp.

"Dan!" she giggled, "Stop! Someone might see!"

When he thought she had enough, he released her. The mousemaid pushed him playfully.

"Bye Dan," she said, backing away and waving dramatically.

"Is that how you say 'goodbye?'"

"Yup!" she said, sticking her tongue out at him again.

When she turned her back to him, he walked toward her quickly and pulled her against him.

"Do it properly."

Bryana got out of his grasp and cheekily pulled him into a kiss. She pulled away and smirked.

"Better?"

Dan smiled and nodded.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"I love you more."

"Oh, really?"

"Mhmm, yup! Bye Dan," she said in a teasing voice.

"Bye..."

He watched her disappear into the woods, "That mousemaid is going to be the downfall of me...but I don't even care!" he mused out loud to himself.

"There you are!"

Dan turned to see Ricky running toward him. He immediately tensed up at the worried and somewhat frightened look on Ricky's face.

"Mathew's using fireballs and just wiped out a whole unit!"

"What? Where does he come up with these things? OK, gather up the remaining units and head back home. No use in fighting a losing battle because it is just gonna cost more lives than necessary. I need to figure out how to deal with Mathew before our whole army is wiped out! Go, Rick!"

"Yessir! Got it!"

Ricky rushed off and Dan started to go off in another direction to also warn his soldiers when: "Rasakaro!"

Dan stopped abruptly and turned around, unsheathing his sword at the same time. There, approaching him, was his archenemy and unfortunately his lover's father, Mathew Sarmana.

"Running away, are you?" he cackled, "Well, this time you won't escape from me! I will be the end of you, Rasakaro, even if I have to die in the process, you will die!"

Dan snarled at Mathew, "I'd like to see you try, Sarmana! You failed many times before and you will NEVER succeed! Never! I will win and YOU will lose!"

Mathew howled in anger and rushed at Dan who stood his ground and held his sword in defense. Mathew's sword clashed against Dan's and they both sparred skillfully. Mathew slashed angrily, his movements brash and uncoordinated. Dan took advantage of this and knocked Mathew off balance. He fell to the ground, dropping his sword in the process. Dan towered over the fallen Mathew and held his sword up for the kill. Mathew kicked him sending him to the ground as well. Mathew leaped up and pinned the young mouse down briefly before Dan kneed him in the stomach and elbowed him in the chin. Dan tackled him down and began to beat him, mercilessly. The mice took turns exchanging blows and rolling in the dirt. Finally, Dan kicked Mathew off him and picked up his fallen sword that laid close by. He had hit the older mouse enough that he was temporarily weak and beat. Dan towered over the mouse yet again and lifted his sword up for the kill. Mathew looked at him weary-eyed and tired.

"And so ends the terror that was Mathew Sarmana," he said, hatefully, "You always said you would win...Now who's the loser, Sarmana! YOU! It was nice knowing you!"

"NO!"

Dan's sword stopped midway. He looked up to see Bryana running over to them.

"Please don't kill him! Please, Dan..."

"You don't interfere, Bryana, this is between me and Mathew Sarmana!" he said, bitterly.

Bryana looked at him fearfully, "Please, I know you two have this enmity between each other, but Dan, look at me, please."

She tried to pull him away gently, but Dan pushed her away.

"No! He deserves to die! He's a murderer!"

"If you kill him now like this, then you will be one too!"

Dan snarled and grabbed her roughly, "And I should just stand here and let him kill my creatures and not do anything about it? Is that what you are saying?"

"Dan, you're hurting me..." she said, softly.

"Good!" he exclaimed pushing her down, "Stay out of this! I'm warning you!"

"He's my daddy...please don't do this, Dan...I know he's done wrong but please," she grabbed his leg and bowed her head, "I'm begging you!"

Tears flowed down the pretty mousemaid's face as she begged for her father's life. Dan, realizing what he was about to do and feeling ashamed about how he was handling the situation, knelt down in front of her.

"Don't cry, Bry. Please, hey, look at me," he pulled her upright so that she was facing him, "I'm so sorry," he said, "Please forgive me..."

She put her paw to his cheek, "Promise me you won't ever hurt him, ever again."

Dan stared at her in shock, not knowing what to say, "I can't promise you that, Bryana. He is the Langi General and I am the Tanger General. We are supposed to fight each other. If I don't fight him, he will kill me, you don't want that, do you?"

"No! Of course not..." she said, weakly starting to sob.

"Don't cry, Bry...Please stop..."

"I don't know what to think anymore...I don't know what to do...what do I do? What do I do!"

Mathew groaned and wriggled a little before his head fell to the side. Bryana gasped and rushed over to him.

"Daddy! Daddy!" she put her paw to his neck, "Oh thank heavens, he's still alive! He's just unconscious...Don't worry Daddy, you'll be fine," she said stroking his headfur.

Dan flared angrily at the mousemaid, "How can you defend him after all he's done? He is a cold-blooded murderer!"

"He's my father, Dan! If the roles were switched and it was your father I was trying to kill, you would defend him no matter what crime he committed! I can't help my feelings! I love you and I don't want you to get hurt, but I also love my father and I can't let him get hurt either. Please try to understand my dilemma."

Dan stood up and picked up his fallen sword, "Fine," he said, "Go heal your precious father then...I'll spare him this time, but I'm not always going to give into you, Bryana. I love you, but I'm not going to let your father destroy my village and my creatures. I will kill him if he picks a fight with me again. Goodbye."

"Wait! Say it properly!" she called after him.

Dan turned his back to her, "I can't right now, Bry. We have to figure out how this is going to work. I can't promise you I won't harm your father and you can't promise that he won't harm me. We will meet as planned tomorrow at noon. Goodbye."

Bryana watched as Dan as he walked away until she could not see him anymore. Tears filled her beautiful hazel eyes as she tended to her father's wounds. She could not understand how she could stop this horrible feud between her father and Dan. He was right. They needed to figure out what to do before it was too late. But what? What could possibly work?

(A/N: Woo that was a woozy chapter to write! So now that we explored the different colors of Dan's personality, what do you guys think of him now? I'm not gonna make it that easy for them to be together of course. I have too much fun adding to their turmoil *cue evil laugh* please R&R!)