So, here it is! The moment everyone has been waiting for! Or at least, I have ^^...

The Outlaw Archives; Rise of the Hunter.

Rango the bountyhunters background story, the time before he became the notorious Rango. When he was still called Durango, and dreamed of becoming the sheriff of his hometown Skeleton Cliffs.

Meh, still a pretty corny name, but it'll do ^^!

Looking forward to writing this series :3, I've been thinking about this series for a long time actually, but never thought it would see the light of day though xD

The chapter will be pretty long, since every chapter takes place in different times, and sometimes places. The first chapter will take place in 1838, when Rango, Jake and Clara are 10 years old, next will take place in 1840, when they're 12, third chapter when they're 16 etc. And since they're so long, they will probably also take a pretty long time to write, so don't expect updates every week ^^"...

I'll probably let you guys vote for the next outlaw who'll get his/her story written when this one comes to an end ^^

Anyway, enough talking for me now! Lets us begin with the story, eh ;D?

*** Chapter One : A Long Time Ago In A Town Far Away... ***

Skeleton Cliffs, 5th October 1838

"Durango! Durango! Durango! Durango!" The childrens exciting cheers echoed through the small town in the shadow of the tall, red cliff.

Not too far away, the group of children stood. Everyone had gathered in a circle around another child. A young basilisk, couldn't be more than ten years old, was standing and numbly listened to his playmates cheer. His eyes were closed, bracing himself for what he was about to do.

Durango.

Yeah, that was his name.

Given to him by his father, one of the worst drunkards in the West. How did he come up with that name for his son? Simple, he just looked at the bottom of the bottle of cactus juice he was holding instead of his infant son.

But Durango didn't care much about his father, he wasn't the one to hold a grudge. Besides, he'll be the one in trouble, as soon as he becomes the sheriff of Skeleton Cliffs!

"HEY! RANG-RANG! YOU'RE GONNA DO IT ALREADY?!" A voice, louder than everyone else boomed over the pepping rant. Durango opened one of his eyes and glanced at the owner of the voice. It was his friend, Jacob the Rattlesnake.

"Calm down, Jake! This is an artform! Not something you should force!" Durango replied, causing the snake to jokingly boo. Durango opened both of his eyes and stared at the water in front of him. The monsoon-rain had just ended, and the old river passing through from Dry Creek was once again filled to the brim. He had chosen the calmest spot to try out his little trick on, and its silvery surface glistened in the harsh desert sun. Who knew how long this would last before the river was all dried up again?

Durango went down on all four, heaving a deep sigh and kept his focus on the small river in front of him. This caused the children to cheer louder, as they knew what was coming.

Suddenly Durango did a dashing start and sprinted towards the water. He was closing in on the river but instead of slowing down, he just kept speeding up! He arrived at the waters edge and kept running, even as his feet connected with the cool liquid.

His playmates cheered even louder as they saw him do something that only one other guy in history ever has done before: he ran on the water.

He got a bit more than halfway before the water finally gave in and he collapsed down into the blue with a 'splash'. They saw him swim the remaining distance towards the other side and lied there face down for a while. The cheering had stopped as soon as he fell into the water and everyone was curiously staring at him, wondering if he had survived.

Durango did survive, and after a moment of catching his breath he slowly raised himself to a sitting position and waved at his friends. Letting them see that he was okay. They started cheering and applauding again, louder than before. Jake hoisted his rattle and shook it furiously, the dry rustling adding to the crowd.

Durango laughed and got up on both of his legs and waved back at his friends even more enthusiastically than before. He rested for a bit before throwing him back into the water and swam across, back to where he started. He was glad he had been smart enough to cross the calmer parts of the river, this was tiring as it is. The young lizard was a good swimmer, even though nobody actually got to teach him how. To swim was just as natural to him as running was to roadrunners...

He crawled up on the rocky beach and flipped on his back, catching his breath. Suddenly, a big snout appeared, blocking the sun.

"Nice! You got even further than the last time!" Jake grinned. "But, you're still just halfway! Wonder if you'll make it across before the water draws back?"

Durango frowned. "Of course I will! So far I'm just warmin' up!" He sat up and pushed the rattlesnakes head out of the way with his hand. He looked at the river. It wasn't very wide, but it was deep. And if he tried to make it all the way across now, he'd just get a cramp and since no one knew how to swim, he was probably going to drown too! It nearly happened once, and he was someone who learned from his mistakes...

"Look! Settlers!" A young chicken suddenly exclaimed and pointed at the trail of wagons and stagecoaches, following each other towards the town.

Jake frowned and tilted his head. "What're they doin' this down in the south?" He cocked his head at Durango. "Don't they know that it's better to search for a settlement higher up? "

"I reckon the best spots would be taken right now... These guys are pretty late!" Durango stood up on weary legs. "Wanna go an' check 'em out?" He asked Jake with a grin.

Jake answered the grin. "Is there fires in Hell?" He responded dryly and cocked his head.

The two young reptilian boys soon caught up with the leading wagon. Sitting on the bench in the front was a basilisk couple with an little baby.

"Hey!" Durango shouted up to them and the male turned his head to the young lizard. "Where are y'all folks headed?!"

"Everywhere, sonny" The adult said and faced the road forward again. "Some of us will stay in this 'ere town, me and my family included, but most will probably continue on their way."

Jake nudged Durango on his shoulder with his snout. "Settlers in Skeleton Cliffs? Gee, I know some people who might not like that idea..." He said and tilted his head. Durango nodded and sprinted to catch up with the two basilisks again.

"Listen, mister. I don't mean to sound rude or nothin', but staying 'ere in Skeleton Cliffs isn't recommended! Most people 'ere don't take kindly to strangers and settlers!" Durango warned, but the two adult lizards chuckled.

"Thank you for yer concern, boys. But we know how to handle ourselves." The lady with a baby in her lap said and smiled towards the two boys.

"Exactly!" A fourth head popped out from behind the curtains. A young girl, with the fin on her head strangely curled inwards, frowned and glared at Durango and Jake. "If anyone of you messes with us, expect Hell back! We ain't backin' down from no one!" She said angrily.

"Clara! That's not an appropriate way for a lady to speak!" Her mother scolded. Her daughter, apparently called Clara, snorted and went back inside the trailer.

"That's Clara. Our daughter. Please forgive her, she's a really sweet gal. But she needs to learn how to keep her tongue in check!" The father said with a sad chuckle. He turned to the two boys again. "The name's Barley, by the way. James Barley. This'ere is my wife Fiona, and the little one is our second daughter Mary-Anne. You've already met our first daughter Clara." He introduced himself and his family.

Durango nodded. "My name's Durango Campbell, this is my friend Jacob West" He said and pointed to Jake, who also gave the Barleys a hasty nod. "We better go now. See ya 'round, mister!"

"See ya 'round, sonny!" James said and smiled to the two boys as they stopped and got left behind.

Suddenly, Clara popped her head out from the other end of the wagon, gave the two confused boys a mean look and reached out her tongue before disappearing into the wagon again.

"Gee, what's wrong with her?" Durango raised his eyebrows and glanced at Jake, who shrugged and shook his head from side to side.

Fiona turned to her husband. "Such nice boys, weren't they?" She smiled. James nodded.

"Mother!" Claras head popped out between her parents again. "Didn't you see that one of 'em was a rattlesnake?" She winced and groaned in annoyance when her father petted her on the head like she was some little kid or a pet.

"Now, now Clara. Let's not be judgmental here. Not all snakes are bad, y'know!" He said to her.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover!" Her mother backed him up. Clara admitted herself defeated with an angry snort.

"Fine, but I don't trust 'em! You shouldn't either!" She said and ended the conversation by going back inside.

After going from wagon to wagon, talking to everyone of the settlers, Durango and Jake ended the day by sitting on top on the steep cliff towering over the town, watching the caravan move on without three of its wagons.

The ones who stayed behind in Skeleton Cliffs were the Barleys, a large family of finches and a young couple of porcupines.

"Wonder what Mr Harvey will say 'bout this..." Jake grinned. "Remember when those Germans moved in next to his shop?" He said and turned his head slightly to Durango.

Durango chuckled and was about to respond when they heard someone clear their throat behind them.

"Jacob T West and Durango Campbell, so this is where you've been hiding!" A powerful, yet feminine voice behind them boomed and Jake recoiled slightly when facing his mother.

"Hi, ma!" He said and smiled innocently.

Carmen tilted her head and got a frown between her invisible eyebrows. "I've been lookin' all over town for you two!" She let her eyes wander from one boy to the other.

"Uh, yeah... Sorry, Miss! We lost track of time!" Durango said and scratched his neck.

"Lost track of time? Have you noticed the sun?" Carmen tilted her head to the other side and smiled.

Durango and Jake looked around. "No!" They said in unison.

"That's because its past sunset already!" The adult rattlesnake chuckled and shook her head. "What are you two doing up here anyway?"

"Nothing!" Both of them answered in unison again. Jake continued; "We're just watching the settlers, ma. Have you seen them yet?!" His eyes widened when his mother slowly nodded.

"I sure have! They seem nice, especially that Barley family..." She turned to Durango. "They're also basilisks, y'know!"

Durango crossed his arms. "Yeah, I know..." He mumbled and looked down on the ground.

Carmen giggled. "And I guess you've met their daughter too then, eh? I think she's 'bout your age!" She said and winked.

Durango grimaced. "Yuck! So? She's a yucky girl! Besides, she hates everyone!" He winced.

'Oh, you won't be saying that in a few years...' Carmen thought to herself and smiled. Suddenly a small dark brown head popped out from behind her back. Jake winced.

"What's she doing here?!" He said and frowned as his little sister hid behind their mother and shyly peeked out from her hiding spot in her mothers coils.

"Well, I can't just leave little Jo at home now, can I?" Carmen said and gave her young a loving nudge with her snout.

"Heya, Django!" Little Jolene said and waved with her little, and so far rattleless, tail.

"Howdy, Jo!" Durango smiled back. He actually liked Jolene, she was kinda sweet. So far. The rattlesnake neonate stayed hidden behind her mother and shyly looked from Durango to Jake.

Carmen smiled at her little daughter. "Jacob, I need you at home right now" She said and looked up. "You should head home too, Durango. "Your parents mus'be gettin' worried by now"

"Yeah, I know..." The lizard said and nodded. He didn't doubt for one second that his mother would worry. Father however, he was probably sitting on his chair around a table in the saloon with a hand of crappy cards.

"Why d'ya need me at home, ma?" Jake frowned.

"Well, I have to put Jolene to sleep so I need someone to do the dishes" Carmen answered and laughed at Jakes horrified expression.

"B-but!" He stuttered. "Since when do we use plates?"

"We don't, but Harvey does. He came by to help us fix the roof, remember?" His mother tilted her head. "And I couldn't let the poor man work on an empty stomach, now could I?"

Jake groaned and facetailed.

"Would you rather put Jolene to bed?" Rango asked his friend with a teasing smile.

"No!" The young rattlesnake furiously shook his head from side to side. "No no no! I'd rather do the dishes!"

Jolenes little head tilted to one side and frowned sadly. "Whay nawt?" She asked unhappily.

"Actually, that was a good idea, Durango" Carmen slowly said with a pondering face. "If you tuck you sister in, I could do the dishes! You seem to hate them so bad, plus I would for once be free from the pressure of finding a story that lil' Jo likes!" She winked to her daughter, who once again broke up in a gleeful smile. While Jakes face was a portrait of fear.

"I'll get ya for this!" He hissed at the laughing Durango as he left the cliff along with his mother and little sister.

"Bye, Django!" Jolene waved to him and when he waved back, she blushed and hurried to catch up with her family.

Durango himself stayed on the cliff for a while longer, looking at the moon and tried to make up his own constellations. He lost track of time, gazing into space. He had no idea how long he had been sitting near the edge of the cliff, wandering off into dreamsland, when he decided to get up and look for his father. The obvious place to search first was the saloon.

He climbed down, following the minetracks going up and down throughout the place. It was thanks to the mines that the town had prospered. The mines were full with iron, bronze and other metals. Unfortunately, no gold or silver were found. Yet.

The owner of the mines, Dwayne Wright, was determined that there were gold further in the mountain, and everyday he told his workers to keep digging and digging. Some people frowned upon this, saying that it would eventually become too dangerous as the mine became more and more unstable. The Zuni-indians claimed that the mountain was sacred and defiling it further would eventually anger The Great Spirit. But he never allowed anyone stop him in his quest.

Durango made his way into the town. He liked the town better at night than in the day. It was calmer, more tranquil. Unless you happened to walk outside the saloon, or the Skull Dollar Casino.

And this night seemed to be one of those nights when the saloon of Skeleton Cliffs was booming with activity. Activities of the violent type, that is...

Durango had to dodge to not get hit in the head by a stool that came flying through the doors. He sneaked closer and peeked in at the ruckus. Yep, another barfight. He had seen a lot of these, and they always ended up the same way with the sheriff coming in and steer everything back up, sending home the worst drunks. When speaking of the devil, here he comes!

The sheriff of Skeleton Cliffs was a tall and heavy built black-collared lizard. If there was someone Durango looked up to as a father figure, it was sheriff Doc Holliday. Sheriff Holliday could be several things at once. He could be both an icecold man with nerves of steel and a joker. A serious law enforcer you shouldn't resist arrest against if you wanted to keep all your limbs intact, and a gentleman. A man of the law who wasn't afraid of having some fun every now and then. And someday, Durango wanted to be just like him!

"Good evening, sonny!" Holliday said and tapped the brim of his hat to the young lizard. Durango nodded back. "So, y'don't happen to have any idea how this happened?" He stopped with his hand on one of the swing doors and turned his head to the kid.

The young lizard shook his head. "Nah, I just came here, sir. I'm lookin' for my dad! As usual..." He answered and scraped with his foot on the ground. He was just waiting for

The sheriff chuckled and leaned his elbow on the swing door. "Yeah, yer pa certainly have a knack fer things like this, eh?" He said with an amused smile. Durango nodded. "Well don't ya worry. I'm sure in there somewhere, just blowin' off some steam y'know!" The sheriff added and nodded to the fight going on behind him.

The younger lizard frowned. "Yeah? But shouldn't you go in there and stop it? Someone might get hurt!" He said and cast a worried glance in just as someone got a chair smashed on his head.

Holliday shrugged. "I guess I should... But so far I haven't seen any knifes nor heard any gunshots, so I think I'll let 'em go on 'bout if for a..." But before he could finished the sentence, a loud 'BANG!' was heard and a bullet flew into Hollidays hat, sending it flying. Holliday followed it with a surprised look on his face as it landed in the middle of the street. Holliday growled and marched inside. "ALRIGHT PEOPLE! That's 'nuff fer tonight, don'tcha think?!" He shouted, his powerful voice drowning the noise. People were protesting, trying to blame each other for who started the fight. Sheriff Holliday was probably stuck in there for over half an hour, while people one by one left the saloon, knowing that the show now officially was over. The people who left where all under the influence of the good ol' cactus juice, some more than others. Durango even saw some people who refused to leave and had to get dragged out by the ones that were sober enough. But he couldn't see his father anywhere, but he didn't want to go inside and check. He knew he wasn't allowed inside the saloon; Big Al, the barkeeper/saloon owner, would shoot him if he so much as took a step inside!

He was about to turn back and look elsewhere when his father, Benjamin Campbell, came tumbling. Obviously drunk as a skunk, but he tried his best not to show it. He, if anyone, really knew how to handle his liquor!

"Heya, squirt! Sheriff told meh you were waitin'!" He slurred and tried to cover up his blackeye with the palm of his hand, but ended up poking himself in the eye and cursing his 'god-forsaken finger'.

Durango crossed his arms and impatiently tapped his foot on the ground. "You were in the fight too, weren't ya?"

For the moment, the father and son had switched their roles. "Hey, I wasn't the one who started it!" The father answered as a pouting child, being confronted after have gotten caught with his hand stuck in the cookie jar.

"Then who was?"

"I dunno, some settler lookin' for trouble... Hey, what are ya doin' here anyway, squirt?"

"It's in the middle of the night, dad. Mom gotta be worried sick!"

"Impossible! I just got here!"

Durango tilted his head and switched his balance over to the other foot. "Really? What time is it then?" He asked dryly.

Benjamin was thinking for a while. "Aw what the hell, don't be such a smartass all the time!" He hissed when he realized that it actually was nighttime already and the kid had been right.

Durango chuckled when the sheriff walked out on the street and shook his head with a displeased look on his face. He didn't want to start yelling at the irresponsible father in front of the kid, so he kept his mouth tightly shut. But he did nothing to hide the fact that he didn't approve of Benjamin Campbells performance as a father figure.

"Y'two should head home. Don't wanna keep the ladies waiting at home now do ya?" Holliday sighed and nodded in the direction of their house.

"Sure..." Benjamin mumbled and started walking with long, wobbly steps home.

"Yes sir!" Durango said and followed his father, to see if he could assist him in any way. He turned around back at the sheriff and smiled. "And by the way, thank you sir!" He added before continuing the trip back home. Sheriff Holiday tapped his hat to the youngster and returned back into the saloon for a drink, or maybe two.

Luckily, the family house wasn't far away from the main street, so the drunk Mr Campbell could, with only a few degrading trips, make it all the way. But before Durango as much as put his hand on the doorknob, the front door was yanked open and a very pissed off looking Penelope Campbell, Durangos mother and Benjamins wife.

"Well, well! Now it suits the boys to return home!" She snorted and crossed her arms.

"Oh my, have I ever told you how RAVISHING you look, m'dear?" Benjamin winked in an attempt to woo his angry wife.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Every time you're drunk!" She answered dryly and turned to her son. "Your curfew ended yesterday! MARCH TO BED!" She lashed out with her hand and pointed up the stairs. "NOW, young man!" She added when her son sighed and rolled his eyes at her.

Durango walked past his parents and slowly walked up the stairs, keeping his ears perked and listened to their conversation.

"A blackeye?! Don't tell me you've been in another fight?!"

"Hey, why is ev'ryone blamin' me?! It was that settler! He ASKED for it! I can't stand it when they come here and takes pieces of our lands!"

"What're we else s'pposed to do with 'em, genius?! I think it's good with some new people 'round here, people who can put our unused areas to use for somethin' good instead of just hoardin' 'em and watch 'em decay!"

The family was a bit... Awkward. Most of the time, their parents got along just fine. Until something that mother didn't approve off happened. Which actually happened a lot, since father spent most of his spare time on the saloon or in the newly built Skull Dollar Casino across the saloon. The children however, they never agreed on anything.

Durango entered the upstairs and glanced at the first door to the right, his older twin sisters room. His own room was the small one furthest away from the stairs.

'Please don't see me, please don't see me, please don't see me...' Durango kept chanting in his head when he sneaked past the half opened door, from which he could hear two girly voices talking and giggling. He would've made it past their room, if he hadn't been betrayed by a floorboard that creaked as soon as he stepped on it. The two girls got quiet and within seconds they were both at the door, grinning maliciously at their little brother.

"Hey Brandy... Hey Gin..." Durango mumbled and braced himself for the scolding that were coming from his teenage sisters.

"You're late, baby brother!" Brandy said and put her hands on her hips, leaning on her twin.

"Yeah! We had to eat supper without you! Guess what? It was cold! And y'know why? B'cause we had to WAIT forever in case you would show up!" Gin said, sounding stern with a wide, gloating smile on her lips.

Brandy and Gin, the names were also proof of their fathers love for alcohol. Both of them looked exactly the same, talked exactly the same, walked exactly the same, dressed exactly the same. Bet they even thought exactly the same!

"Hey! I'm sorry, 'kay? But dad wouldn't leave the saloon and..."

"And I guess you were daydreamin' away too, huh?" Brandy snarked, her sister nodded. Durango growled, resulting in the sisters smiles growing wider as they realized they had been right.

"Were ya dreamin' of becomin' the sheriff again?" Gin tilted her head, putting on her innocent face that always worked with mother and father.

"Too bad that this town ain't currently searchin' for a little boy to take Docs place!" Brandy added and stuck her nose up in the air. Her sister mimicked her action.

"I-I wasn't!" Durango growled and he could feel his cheeks turn bright red, causing his sisters to giggle even more.

"Brandy! Gin! You two were s'pposed to be 'sleep an hour ago! Why are ya still up an' harassin' yer brother?" Their mothers harsh voice was heard from the foot of the stairs. The two girls shouted that they were sorry, and gave Durango a last, malicious grin before going back into their rooms and shutting the door.

Durango sighed and walked the last steps to his room and sat down on his bed.

He had always thought that 'hate' was a strong word, but that word was probably the only fitting word to describe his feelings for his sisters. They always picked on him. They had always done it, and would always do it. Everything he did was nothing but mistakes in their eyes.

Jake always kept complaining about his 'annoying little brat for sister'. But Durango would gladly trade ANY of his sisters for Jolene! Preferably both! In Durangos eyes, Jake was really lucky. He had a sibling who looked up to him, instead of two big sisters who looked down at him...

He muttered something disgraceful about both Brandy and Gin and threw himself backwards on his bed.

'I'll show 'em!' He thought to himself as he felt his eyelids suddenly growing heavier each second. 'I'll show you both! I'll be the next sheriff! Just wait an' see!'

And with that promise echoing through his head, he let the world around him disappear bit by bit until he finally was engulfed in deep sleep.

***

Thanks for reading ^^! Sorry if it was a bit long and boring, but there will probably be more things happening in the next chapters ;)... This chapter was more or less like an introduction of the three main characters; (Du)Rango, Jake and Clara ^^...

Hope to see y'all next chapter :D!

Delilah OUT!