Ch.3: Grim Reaper Vs. Snake King

"Wh-Wh-Whoa…" The rattlesnake just rolled his eyes with a mix of amusement and annoyance before repeating his question to Pam.

"I said, 'You alrigh' there, little lady'?" Pam quickly shook her head to clear it.

"Uh, yeah," she answered with a slight gulp. "I, uh…I just needed to sit down." Pythor quickly got up his courage at those words.

"Don't worry, Pamela," he said as he started to rise from his chair. "I—"

"Here, let me," the rattler said, pulling Pam's chair out for her with his tail.

"Oh," she replied with a slight blush. "Uh, thanks."

"My pleasure," the rattler replied with a smile as she then sat down. Pythor then gawked in shock and disbelief. Pam blushes around him, so why this guy now?

He's trying to steal away my girl! He was about to give the rattler a severe sitting-down when the toad walked up to their table with a mug.

"Sorry 'bout that, miss," he said to her as he handed her the mug. "We should've warned ya to stay clear o' Bad Bill. Then again, that was mighty impressive."

"Thanks," Pam replied, taking a sip from the mug. "Course, I could've finished him off if he hadn't butted in." She then thumbed at Jake with an annoyed look, but he only gave an amused snort in reply.

"Yer welcome," he muttered with a flirty smirk. Pam just looked away with an annoyed blush. Pythor then growled in his throat, not liking this guy for hitting on his angel.

"You obviously don't know who this knight in shinin' armor of yers is," the toad said to Pam.

"Should I have?" she asked, taking another sip of her drink.

"He's Rattlesnake Jake," the burrowing owl said to her.

If only you were there to see their reactions, reader. Pam spat out her cider in shock. Pythor nearly fainted backed into his seat. And Savio…I think his eyes went bigger than the toad's on that one.

"WHAT?!" The rattler simply chuckled at their reaction.

"Guess my reputation precedes me again." Pam only looked away from him again with a red face.

"I can't believe I didn't note the eyes…" she muttered to herself. Jake only placed his rattle on her shoulder gently.

"Hey, don't go beatin' yerself up there," he assured her. "Ya just got caught up in the heat of the moment." Pythor then clenched his fists with a snarl as Pam just smiled up at him gratefully. That other snake is trying to steal away his girl.

A thought then came to him, and he smiled evilly before his head-gem started glowing. A nearby spittoon then floated up above Jake's head before turning over and dumping it all over his hat, catching the poor diamondback by surprise.

"Gah!" he roared, throwing his wet hat off. "Oh, what in blazin'—" Pam turned with surprise to see an evil grin on Pythor's face.

"Pythor…" she hissed in a threatening tone. His grin turned to a frown, shocked at her reaction towards him.

"What?" She just rolled her eyes with a groan before getting up and picking up his hat and shaking it to get the stuff off.

"You okay, Jake?" she asked, handing it back to him. He took it with a smile before placing it back on his head.

"Yeah, thanks," he answered, "but how the blazes did that happen?" Pam then turned to Pythor with a glare.

"I think I might have a good idea," she answered in a not-so-happy tone. Pythor gulped nervously, not liking that look. But before anyone could say anything…

"Buford, is everything alright in here? I saw Bad Bill run out of town like a hawk was after him." The group then turned to see that it was a chameleon dressed in Western sheriff attire.

"No need to worry, Rango," Jake then said to him with a sly smile. "I took o' that." The chameleon turned to him with surprise before giving him a glare.

"Jake, ya better not have tried to kill 'im…"

"Relax, brother," the rattler assured him with a wave of his tail. "All I did was give 'im the stare-down. 'Sides, he was botherin' the lil' lady here." He nodded his head to Pam, who turned to him with confusion.

"Wait," she said to him. "You're Sheriff Rango…Rattlesnake Jake's brother?"

"Well, we're not technically related by flesh 'n' blood, lil' missy," Rango explained, "but we like to think of each other as brothers."

"I guess that makes a lot of sense when you think about it," she replied after a bit of thought.

"By the way, ma'am," Rango said to her, "my deputy Wounded Bird and Priscilla told me that a lady with two snakes was askin' for me. Would that be you?"

"Yeah, that's right," she answered. "We came here to ask for your help and Jake's. Can we discuss this at the table?" With a nod from the two reptiles, they joined Pythor and Savio at said furniture to discuss their business.