Woohoo! Next chappie xD!

Just came back from USA, and lemme just make a little political outburst here:
YESSS! Obama gets to sit on the throne four more years :D! AWESOME! Yes, I know he's been really slow with his promises, and the economy hasn't exactly improved. But hey! It's a bit better now since Bush left, he really scewed everything up... Never liked him...
And I've never seen a bigger asshat than Romney -.-... Talking 'bout a brown tongue and empty head... So for at least the largest part of my family, Obama was the obvious choice ^^!
Besides, I think Obama is one of the most epic presidents US ever had :D!

At least that's my opinion x3... So, now I've been enough politician for the rest of the year xD!

This chapter won't be so long, it's basically about an accident just after he got Arrow, and how Arrow got her name xD

Ain't got much to say... Enjoy xD!

*** Chapter Three : Like An Arrow ***

The Barleys Farm 20th August 1841

The black roadrunner was doing whatever it seemed that roadrunners did best: ran. Round and around in the big, empty corral on the Barley farm.

Durango was sitting on the fence, studying the runner he bought three months ago. He had gotten her pretty cheap from Mr Harolds, a powerful ranchowner, for two reasons: first was that she's too young to be broken in yet. But that wasn't a problem, Mr Barley had promised to help Durango with that when the time comes.

The real issue was the second reason: the roadrunners temper. She refused to let just anyone as much as to touch her, even less put a bridle on her. During the three months, she had learned to let Durango enter the corral. But that was about it; she would never let him get close enough. Clara was okay, but she would attack Jake if he ever were trying to enter the paddock.

"Got a name for 'er yet?" Clara was sitting next to Durango on the high fence, studying the bird whom by now had stopped running around and was picking at the ground with her long, sharp beak.

"Nah... " He answered and shook his head.

The two youngsters were quiet for some time, before Clara broke the silence: "Hey! Have you seen Jake today? I haven't seen that big dope all day!"

Durango shrugged. "I bet he's just sleepin' under a mesquite or somethin'" He answered and pulled one of the corners of his mouth up in a lopsided grin. "He's been complainin' for weeks 'bout how tired he is! Says that Blake keeps wakin' him up ev'ry night..."

Blake was the newest member of the Rattlesnake family. He was born just a few months ago and the little infant neonate had already caught the heart of half of Skeleton Cliffs inhabitants. They say he's the spitting image of his father, and his father couldn't be more proud.

Clara giggled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I can relate... When Mary-Anne was that age, she could keep the whole caravan awake all night if she wanted to..." She said and glanced at her little sister, 'helping' their mother with the crops. Even though she mostly tripped over them and threatened to squish them when she stomped around like her mothers tail.

"And her sister were exactly the same loud and stubborn lil' tyke!" Mr Barley added when he passed them, carrying tools to repair the stableroof. "Except you've kept that behavior 'til this very day!"

"Daaad!" Clara growled, causing James to chuckle as he continued on his way to the stable. Durango couldn't help but to giggle along, but a homicidal look from Clara told him that he better shut it. Suddenly her face changed to a shocked expression, shortly to be cleaved by a wide smile as she stared into the corral. "Look!" She whispered and nodded to Durango to turn his attention to his bird. He slowly turned around and found that the black roadrunner had stopped picking for food and walked up to the two youngsters. She now stood and curiously nibbled at Durangos pants. She stopped pecking at the pants when she noticed that the two lizards had stopped talking. She raised and tilted her head, looking at her young master with a curious look. He slowly extended her hand towards her. She looked at the hand, and then to Durango. She squawked and jabbed the hand with her sharp beak. The young lizard yelped in pain and the bird scurried back into the middle of the enclosure.

"Smooth, Rang-rang... Smooth..." Clara said sarcastically and raised her eyebrow at her friend, jumping around and frantically waving his injured hand.

"Hey! It hurt!" He scowled and stopped waving the hand, instead looking with an angry grimace at the little bruise he got where she pecked him; between the index finger and his thumb.

"Don't be such a wimp! You've been through worse!" Clara sighed and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Speakin' of which... Ya know it's nearly a year ago since we ran into those smugglers..." She added, pondering.

He stopped feeling sorry for his hand and looked at her. "Huh? It is?" She nodded. "Wow... It doesn't feel like that long..." He said and looked at the roadrunner again. He climbed back up on the fence and waved with his injured hand at the bird. "AND I'LL GET YA BACK FOR THIS! Ya stupid featherbrain!"

Suddenly the bird perked up and stared at Durango with the crest on her head risen. Durango frowned. The bird couldn't understand him, could she?

The roadrunner hissed and bolted at him with her wings spread out from the body and her head held low. Apparently she DID understand him. And she didn't like what he called her.

Durango shrieked and fell backwards on the ground when the roadrunner came to a screeching halt right in front of him. She poked her head out through the fence and hissed again before turning her face to Clara, who managed to sit still on the fence.

"Don't worry! I don't think you're a stupid bird!" She said and held up her hands. The roadrunner looked sceptically at Clara before turning back around and trotted away with her beak proudly pointing to the sky. "Tsk, tsk, tsk..." Clara shook her head and looked at her friend, who still lied sprawled on his back in the sand. "I reckon you two need to work on yer relationship!" She said with a snicker.

Durango cocked his head at her. "Really?" He mumbled.

Later that evening...

TheCampbell Residence...

"Haven't you two got somethin' better to do?!" Durango complained at the two teenagers blocking his path in the stairs.

They both shook their heads and Brandy stretched out her hand; "Listen, baby brother. We'll let ya pass if ya give it back!" She said and twitched her fingers for extra emphasis.

Durango frowned. "Give what back?"

"Don't play dumber than what ya already are!" Gin spat and crossed her arms. "'Cuz that ain't possible!"

"Then refresh my memory: what is it 'I took'?"

"Tryin' to git smart now, baby brother? Ya know very well that our piggy bank is gone!" Brandy crossed her arms too and the two sisters glared accusingly at their little brother.

"Wait, are ya tryin' to say that I took it?"

"Who else?" The sisters said in unison.

"I dunno, but it ain't me! I'm not sure you two may have noticed it, but last year me an' my friends busted a couple o' smugglers an' got a share of the reward money. I've got NO reason to steal money from anyone!"

Gin leaned closer to her brother. "Yes ya do!"

"Maybe that bird ya bought was more expensive than you thought?" Brandy added.

Durango sighed and rolled his eyes. "No, she was cheap as hell, and..."

"First!" Brandy interrupted him with a stern voice. "Ya know what mom would do if she heard you talk like that! And second; hmmm, I really DO wonder why she came so cheap?" The last thing she said sarcastically and grinned at her sister.

"I think those two are perfect for each other!" Gin giggled.

Brandy nodded. "I know! Both of 'em are worthless lil' cowards, causin' trouble for everyone!" She agreed and stared at her brother with a cocky grin.

"She's NOT a coward!" Durango hissed. "Now MOVE! I didn't steal yer bloody piggy bank, and I'm way too tired to be standin' here arguin' with you!"

"Give us a break! You're the only one who could've taken it!" Gin said.

"Yeah! And you'll NEVER be a good sheriff if you're gonna be walkin' 'round, stealin' peoples stuff!" Brany added.

Durango clenched his teeth together. "MOOOOM! THEY WON'T LET ME PASS!" He shouted down the stairs.

He could hear the slamming of dishes and their mothers voice was heard: "Will you three knock it off already?! I've got other things to do than to run back and forth just to keep an eye on you!"

"But MOOM! He took our piggy bank and he won't give it back!" The two sister replied at the same time.

The heard another slam from the kitchen and their mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "What's it 'bout this time!?" She moaned and wiped her hands on the apron.

"We just told you! He took our piggy bank and now he expects us to believe that he's innocent!"

"How do ya know it was him?" Penelope said and put her hands on her hips.

"Mom, he's the only one who could've taken it!"

"Yeah! He was the only one home at the time!"

"When did it disappear?"

"Three days ago!" They both answered at the same time.

Penelope raised an eyebrow and looked at her son. "Is this true, Durango?"

He shook his head. "No, mom! Why would I?! I mean, I've still got some of the reward money from last year!"

Penelope nodded and turned to her two daughters. "He's got a point." She said. "Why would he steal from you? You'll need a motive to go with that accusation!"

The two sisters were going to answer, but they were interrupted by a series of loud bangs on the door. Penelope turned to go and open the door with silent curses. "Who's it now?"

"It's Clara, ma'am!" Was the response.

Durango cocked his head with a puzzled look. "Clara?" He said when his female friend bolted inside as soon as Penelope opened the door. She was breathing heavily and small droplets of sweat ran from her forehead. Had she been running all the way from the farm?

"R-Rang!" She panted and leaned on her knees. "I-it's yer 'runner! She's escaped and they can't catch her! Mr Harold's there, and he's talkin' 'bout shootin' her!"

Durango's eyes widened. He sprinted down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. "Gotta go, mom! I'll be right back!" He said as he bolted through the door, with Clara soon behind.

Penelope just sighed and closed the door after them and turned to the twins, still standing on the top step of the stairs, blocking the way. "I'm goin' back to do the dishes now. You are more than welcome to join me" She said and the tone in her voice indicated that it wasn't just a suggestion. The two sisters grimaced at each other and went down to help their mother with the dishes.

Durango got a shock when he arrived at the Barley farm. Mr Harold had brought some of his cowboys along and they were busy trying to lasso the escapee, but to no avail. The black roadrunner was much faster than them, and she always managed to evade the loop being thrown around her neck. However, one must've succeeded, since she already had a rope around her neck and the ripped off loose end was trailing after her. Durango stared. Damn! She was fast!

The two youngsters ran up to Mr Harold and James, who were both watching from a distance with some more men, ready to aid if necessary. Durango frowned when he saw the rifle Mr Harold was carrying.

"I ran as fast as I could! What happened?" The young lizard panted heavily from all the running while Clara looked like she was fatigued enough to collapse any second.

"Ah'm afraid it's mah fault." Mr Harold shook his head. He was a heavy chuckwalla with an habit to dress entirely in white. Rather unpractical if you live in a place like this... Also, his son was one of the most obnoxious lizards in the West according to Clara. "Ah was just comin' over 'ere for a bus'ness related matter, n' Ah was just gonna put mah 'runner in an empty corral. Only problem t'was it ain't empty, n' this devilbird charged at me!" He grimaced. "Ah'm might' sorry 'bout this, kid. Ah should've just d'sposed of 'er as soon as Ah could...But don't ya worry now! Ah'll give ya a new one, free of charge!" He said and grinned to Durango as he patted the rifle he held in his lap.

Durango hurried to shake his head. "No! Don't shoot her! Lemme try an' catch her!"

Mr Harold raised an eyebrow. "Suit yerself, kid..." He said and pulled out a revolver. Durango felt a twinge of fear that he would shoot the roadrunner anyway, but luckily he just shot up in the air to get the cowboys' attention. "Alright! Let the kid try n' grab 'er!" Mr Harold shouted and the men retreated, angry and frustrated.

Durango watched as the bird slowly calmed down from being chased all over the farm. She was standing next to the well, her crest pointing skyward and panting, looking around for any more assailants.

"Hey there!" Durangos voice made her jump and she quickly snapped around. Her master was slowly walking closer to her. She backed off with a snort. "It's okay. I ain't gonna hurt ya! It's me, the food-guy, remember?" He felt a bit silly for talking to a bird, but it seemed to work better than to chase her all over the place. She tilted her head and squawked. "You've caused a lot of commotion tonight, haven't ya?" He kept talking to her as he inched closer and closer. He was merely a few feet away now. The bird kept looking at him with a suspicious look in her eyes. "But it's okay! Nobody will care, if you'd just..." He had the end of the rope by his feets but when he bent down to pick it up, the roadrunner dashed. Like an arrow that just been sent away by a bow, she darted away only to stop again a small distance away.

Durango cursed and sneaked up to her again, but once again she just let him get close enough to touch the rope on the ground before she did another dash. And once again she stopped and looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

And when she repeated the same behavior next time he got close enough, he slowly realized what she was doing. "She's toying with me?!" He said to himself and furrowed his brows. The roadrunner squawked and almost bounced up in the air when he darted towards her and threw himself after the rope. She moved in time for the rope to barely slip through his fingers. She bounced back as he started to crawl after her, barely letting him touch the rope. She dashed off again as soon as he stood up and began to chase her.

Mr Harold, his men and the two Barleys watched the amusing display with mixed expressions.

"What'n tarnation's that boy doin'?!" Harold muttred and scratched his head.

Clara laughed and clapped her hands. "I think they're playin', sir..." James said with an amused snicker.

The game went on for a while, until the exhausted Durango finally got a hold of the lasso around the birds long neck. He quickly tied it around his waist and grabbed the nearest object he could hold on to: the watering through. The roadrunner stopped when she felt the rope tensioned around her neck. She stopped and turned around. Durango gulped. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all... What is she decided to sprint away and drag him along? But she just stood still with her head slightly tilted. Durango carefully extended one of his hands. She flinched at first, but didn't move a muscle as he carefully put a hand on the base of her neck, reaching in between the feathers and scratched the bumpy skin. She almost immediately relaxed and cooed softly. Durango chuckled in relief and kept scratching the bird as he walked her back to her corral. The neck-scratching seemed to have a tranquilizing effect on her.

It wasn't until he shut the behind him and untied the rope that the people on the farm began to cheer. Good thing too, since their cheering awoken the roadrunner from her hypnosis and hurried to get away from her master.

"Great job, sonny!" James applauded. "Interesting strategy indeed!"

Durango nodded back and crawled out through the fence and yawned. He was already tired when Clara came with the message, now he didn't want anything else but to go home and sleep.

"Hey, Rang-rang!" Clara said and walked up to him. "Nice job there! Keep that up an' you an' that bird'll be best friends in no time!"

Durango grinned. He knew it was going to take time to fully gain the birds trust a LONG time! But somehow he felt rather good after this and that neck-scratching could come in handy. And now... He looked back at the bird in the corral, almost completely camouflaged in the dark of the night. Now he had a name for her too: Arrow.

Lol, for some reason this chapter has been pretty tricky to write o.O... 'Guess I've got a case of writers block coming up... Lovely...

Anyway, next chapter will be pretty important so I hope to see y'all then :P!

Delilah OUT!