It had been over a month since the death of the Sheriff. Towns folk looked down at the ground passing the Sheriff's office. Some looked up at the shabby sign and tears filled their eyes, and others couldn't even look in that direction anymore. The only people who went into the Sheriff's office were Wounded bird, the Deputy, and Beans. But even a strong willed lizard like Beans broke down in tears when ever she saw Rango's picture on the wall.
The town was quiet now, and no one liked it that way. They all missed Rango's bravado, his tails of the Spirit of the West. Even his lies, of the Jenkins brothers and even being a sibling of Rattlesnake Jake used to cheer them up as they'd tease him about it. But now there was no one to tease, just an empty chair in the Sheriff's office. Just a lonely hat hanging up on the wall. A lonely badge lost in the desert.
Though, not lost entirely.
Rattlesnake Jake, the famous outlaw and Grim reaper, patrolled the outside of Mud. His tongue flickered out, and tasted humidity. It was going to rain soon. He hissed, and slithered quickly into cover, which was his hide away shack behind a large boulder in the Mojave desert. It was made from an old thrown away shelf, and some poor creature had made it into a home before Jake was hungry.
Now it belonged to him, and he was fairly proud of his new home.
He was the one to find Rango had been killed. Well, he assumed so. His hat and badge was by an old cave of his, with pieces of clothing and blood speckled on the ground. Upon noticing this, the Rattler had caught the scent of a hawk. It must have been a battle and the Sheriff tried to dive for cover. Then-
Jake felt a shiver creep down his spine. He hated hawks with a passion, and for Rango to be killed by one was an unpleasent thought. The Snake thought it best to leave everything where it lay, and let the towns people find out for themselves, or they'd think he did it. He didn't have a problem with that, but he did have a reputation to keep up. It looked like Rango was unequipped, and he didn't want people to think he killed him on the sly.
But now it started to rain. Jake had forgotten because he was lost in his thoughts. Cursing, he slithered to cover in the makeshift home and started a fire to keep himself warm. He enjoyed time alone, with no one to bother him or challenge him. It was also easier to reflect on things he had done to think if it were the right choice or not.
Even being an outlaw, Jake had his morals and he'd be damned if he didn't. Have to earn respect at some point.
The snake's tongue flickered out and caught the scent of blood in the air. He frowned, looking out from a hole in the wall that may have been a window, but saw no one. Shaking his head, he knew better than to think it was nothing and lifted his tail, gun aimming at the door. He watched it swing open, then looked at the one who opened it.
"Wha...?" He faltered, lowering his gun for a split second before putting up again, growling a little. That couldn't possibly be... He hissed, and let his tongue taste the air again. There was no denying this time. He lowered his gun, and let his lip curl up a little. "Yer the last one I imagined coming here, Sheriff."
The figure shook a little, and Jake frowned. "Come now, son. You could at least answer me when I talk t'ya." He hissed, coiling himself and raising his head. He watched the sheriff take a step. Then another. And then he fell forward, a large talon embedded in his shoulder. The sheriff hit the floor with a thud, that left Jake wide eyed. He wrapped himself around the sheriff, careful with the Talon and closed the door.
He lay the figure on it's belly, tearing the shirt damp with blood and dumping it in a corner. Jake inspected the wounds he had. The Hawk certainly wanted to kill him. He noticed the many scratch marks on the lizard's body, shaking his head and hissing a little. Damn hawks. He was glad Rango wasn't conscious as he pulled the huge talon from his shoulder, earning a soft groan from the unconscious Sheriff.
Jake looked at the talon and noticed it had been damaged as well, by fire it looked like. He would have to ask the Sheriff when he woke up what the hell happened to him this past month.
Rango woke with a jolt. He gasped for breath, and didn't even survey his surroundings before he ran and climbed over an long object and slid onto his rear, panting heavily and trembling. He leaned against the object, and to his horror, it started to move. He yelped as something wrapped around him, and squirmed in it's grip.
"Sheriff!" A voice barked. There was suddenly light. He hadn't had light for days. Rango strained his vision enough to see a large snake like figure in his vision. Still distraught, he faught against the coils shook him hard. "Sheriff! Git a hold on yerself, son!" Rango froze, and blinked. His vision slowly returning, he saw to his horror Rattlesnake Jake looming over him. He had probably just woken him up.
The lizard sank into the coils, his voice barely audible. "S-sorry, J-Jake." He mumbled, his voice strained. He hadn't talked in days. Jake's eyes bore into his. "Better be. Now get back on yer belly." He unwrapped himself and watched Rango wobble for balance. The Sheriff looked up at him. "M-my what?" He had a horrible vision of Jake biting into his back with his fangs, then sudden pain hit his shoulder hard. He fell forward again, but Jake let Rango land on him.
Rango looked up in surprise, and went to ask something but Jake pulled the coils away and let the lizard touch the floor. He inspected the wound on his shoulder as it started to bleed. Jake shook his head and dropped a piece of cloth on his shoulder. Hearing Rango moan in pain, he looked over and saw the lizard's hands were in tight fists. Probably fighting to not let the Rattler know how much pain he was in.
Jake shook his head. "Yer gonna have t' take it easy now, son. Them be some mighty wounds on yer back." Rango winced. "Hawks are relentless." That brought up Jake's question. He came up in front of Rango, looking him dead in the eye in utter seriousness. "What the hell happened, Sheriff? Everyone thinks yer dead. Where you been?" Rango sighed softly, he had been expecting this but not from a snake and certainly not from THE Rattlesnake Jake.
Still, couldn't hurt to tell him.
"Well, I was out on patrol, and this hawk was in the air. He swoops down but I was too fast for him-" He was cut off from Jake's irratated rattling of his gattling gun. "Don't lie to be, boy. Can taste it when yer wrong." He hissed. Rango gulped and nodded.
"O-okay. I wasn't too fast. I dodged behind a cactus and it flew into it. But it kept chasing me and finally caught me before I got into this cave, see. It carried me far away, across the desert, to it's nest where three more baby hawks were. I thought I was done for, but the babies ain't that fast. So I managed to evade their beaks and saw I was on a cliff's edge. The was a cave nearly a yard away, so I ran for it. The last few weeks I survived on bugs and water running in the cave. The Hawks came in a few times, and left their mark."
He winced, trying to sit up but Jake rattled his tail threateningly and he kept down again.
"I thought I was safe, but the daddy hawk came back and found me. Almost killed me too, but I climbed up on his back and it flew everywhere trying to get me off. Evetunally I was two days journey from dirt, and I dropped from the hawk into a water pool. The Hawk followed me and I found I still had one bullet in my gun. I felt a horrible pain in my shoulder, and I shot the Hawk in the foot. I heard a horrible snap and the hawk screenched. It flew away and I felt myself getting sleepier. I walked a few miles then found this place."
Jake nodded, and helped the lizard sit up. "Now that's a story." He grinned down at the Lizard, who giggled nervously. "Y-yeah. A real one I can tell the town." His eyes widened. "The town..." He started, Jake finished for him. "Is fine, but Sheriff-less." He slithered away to a corner, then came back, motioning Rango to open his hand. He did, and something silver fell from the Snake's mouth into his palm.
His eyes widened and looked up at Jake. "My badge... what... how?" He barely spoke. Jake turned his head towards the hole in the wall. "Found it and yer hat outside my cave. Wanted something to remember the Lizard who pointed a gun at me an' lived to talk about it." He grinned a little, circling the Lizard. "This reminds me, you haven't spoken about that, have ya? Why not, 'brother'?" The grin started to show teeth.
Rango swallowed. "W-well I respect you Jake. A-and I thought you respected me so I didn't say nothing to nobody." Jake was impressed that the Lizard had some dignity. Maybe their first meeting did do him the world of good. "Glad t' see you've changed, Sheriff." He smirked handsomely, and Rango turned a nice shade of red. The Snake liked that.
Both were silent for a while, Jake stared into the fire while Rango tried to get his colour under control. After he turned back to normal, he looked up at Jake, who wasn't looking in his direction. He felt himself go red again. It caught the Rattler's attention, and he turned his head in the Sheriff's direction. "What is it, 'Brother'?" He grinned cockily, making Rango sink a little into the ground.
"O-oh nothing." His voice cracked, which made him feel weaker than he was. Jake's coils met Rango's back and pushed him forward until their were face to face. "Is that so, son? Why you're turnin' redder than a virgin meetin' a hooker." He grinned. The Sheriff flushed more, turning a bright pink colour. He kept Jake's gaze for a few seconds, then closed his eyes, intimidated. Jake grinned in triumph.
"Y'know when someone's talkin' it's polite to look 'em in the eye." He chuckled darkly, wrapping his coils around Rango and lifting him off the ground. The Lizard's arms were free, and could feel the coils he was wrapped around in. They felt warm to the touch, like Jake had just been out in the sun."Y-you're warm." Murmured Rango, sinking into the coils around him. Jake's grin widened. "That's an interestin' discovery now, ain't it?"
"M-mighty interesting..." Rango spoke quietly. His shoulder twinged and he held it, shaking his head. Jake knew he could do nothing more for him here, so he coiled up again, towering over the little Lizard. "Ya'll better get back ta' Dirt. I can't do nothin' more here." Rango gave him an unsure look and he sneered. "Ain't got no hands, son. Git yer sore back t' that Doc back in town." Rango nodded, slipping into going to grab his old shirt, but Jake moved over it. "Ya ain't wearing that. It's soaked t' tha' bone in blood."
The Sheriff was determind not to argue with the Snake, so he looked around and saw some cloth hanging from a wall. He wrapped it around himself as a makeshift cape and took a step towards the door, opening it. Jake watched him before laying his head down. "Don't ferget to close it, Sheriff." He chuckled, but inside of hearing his footsteps fade away, he heard them coming closer, he lifted his head and found Rango staring down at him.
He went to speak but felt to hands on either side of his face, and Rango's lips pressed tightly against his. His eyes widened, but he did nothing. Rango broke the kiss, avading his eyes. "Thank you, Jake... 'brother'." He walked out the door and closed it behind him, leaving Jake looking at the door bewildered.