One more chapter to go XD Thank you all so much for your support and wonderful comments on my first fanfic :D Love you all :3

Early morning gave way to late evening as the flock finally reached the fort; the general had taken the long route ensuring that no one would follow. They touched down on its metal surface and relaxed their aching joints. It had been a long and ruthless fly, the general had them maneuver through tight cervices and fly over gigantic rock formations all in the hope of deterring any followers. Now that they were home they could take well needed and wanted showers, eat and probably relax before it was their turn on guard duty.

"Did anyone follow us?" The general questioned his second in command.

"No General,"

"Excellent." The general gave a small smile and proceeded down the metal spiral staircase. Sofia and Rango were lifted roughly off of the back of the hawks that carried them and shoved towards the staircase. They were taken to the holding cells at the bottom of the compound. The cells themselves weren't as bad as they expected. The brickwork was obviously new and the floors had been swept out recently, there was a small table at the far right of each cell with a tiny wooden chair. Sofia positioned herself near the far left of the cell door so that she was closer to Rango's cell.

"General says am to keep an eye on these two, you're relieved solider," Jake said in a stern voice and the solider saluted him and left. Jake waited a few minutes before he turned to Sofia and looked her in the eye.

"Just what the hell were you thinkin'? You could have gotten yer self killed!" Jake barked out, Sofia simply turned her head so that he was facing her back. This frustrated him even more.

"Oh so NOW you decided ta be quite!" He barked out again and waited for her to respond. Nothing. Jake promptly tuned around and headed for the large metal doors that lead into the hallway.

"Why?" A tiny voice caused him to stop just as he reached the door he gave an inquisitive glance towards Sofia's cell, but still only saw the back of her head.

"Why what?"

"Why did you leave?" Jake could feel his chest tighten he knew what she meant. She wanted to know why he left Hisspen Gulch, he was going to have to tell her the truth, and that frightened him.

"…I had too…you know that." He said in a gruff voice as he reached for the metal doors a second time.

"No I don't!" Jake released the doors and looked over his shoulder, she was facing him now the tears had just started to well up in her eyes, "I-I…I want to know the truth…please Jacob…" she whispered as he slowly approached the cell door and rested his head on the bars.

"Ok…I'll tell you…"he took a deep breath, he could feel her press her head against the same bars his head was on. He took another breath before he continued.

"Remember how the town had gone into a drought?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Well I went ta try and fix it…" 'I know…you always tried to help out whenever you could,' she though softly as she listened to his deep voice, it made the bars rumble which made her smile.

"Remember the old canyon where we used ta play as kids…well that's where I found this giant metal statue. Course now I know it's a water main, but as a kid I didn't know what the hell it was. All it had was a handle and writing on it, 'ON' and 'OFF'. The handle was on 'OFF', so I thought 'what the hell just pull the handle to 'ON''. When I did though it…well broke off. I got scared so I hurried back home and hid the stupid thing in ma dads tool shed. The next day I went back to try and fix the darn thing but I was ambushed by his men…they questioned me…" he drew his breath in harshly remembering how they beat the information out of him.

"I was only a teenager at the time…I was weak…and foolish…but mainly foolish ta believe anything that blasted hawk said! He said if I didn't get his handle back that he would kill me, I panicked and told him this I would get it for him right away. He told me that he didn't believe me, so I told him that I would take him ta town and show him where I hid it. He agreed but I had asked him not to hurt one snake…"

"Who was the snake," Sofia leaned in closer so that her nose was touching his, he let out a ragged breath and lifted his head to look at her in the eyes.

"…You…"her eyes widened and she looked at him closer.

"…Jake…" she shock her head in confusion.

"I pleaded with him that night, I sold myself to him so that…so that you could go free…"

"You are the boy in my dreams, I saw what he did…Jake wh-why?"

"Sofia I-I—"

"How zentamental…zo touching non," a sultry French voice echoed through the room causing both rattlers to look at the door.

"Angelique," the three said in amazement.

"You zeem surprised Sofia…" the fox chuckled as she descended the steps gingerly and waltzed over the rattler's cell, blowing a puff of grey smoke in her face. Sofia merely blinked it off and gave the fox a harsh glance.

"To be honest…no I'm not zurprised to see jou." She mimicked the foxes accent and turned her attention back to Jake.

"Ze Général he wants you to join him for dinner…you have to wear thiz," she passed her a silver gown through the bars of the cell. Sofia eyed the gown once and handed it back.

"The hell I am," she said matter-of- facilely, the fox cocked her pencil eyebrow and pushed the gown back towards the rattler.

"Ze Général doesn't like to be dizapointed…"she said in a harsh tone.

"Go, maybe you can figure out his plan," Rango whispered to Sofia through the bars.

"You sure you're going to be fine sheriff" she gave him a worried glance. Rango simply smiled up at her and stuck out thumb.

"I've been in tougher situations then this one, I'll be just fine," he said as she left her cell and followed the fox through the metal doors into the dark hallway.

The general's office had been transformed into a dinning room. There were silk drapes that adorned the walls; lovely carpets were placed to the floor and a giant oak dinning room table, complete with chairs, was in the center of the room. Soft candlelight illuminated the room bathing everything in a glow of gold. The general was dressed in his best suite, a black jacket with a gold finish and silver buttons. His talons were decorated with delicate engraved metal, and his beak was sharpened to a point.

In his wing he held a gold pocket watch, which had belonged to his father, he looked at it annoyingly at the time ticket on. 'Where the hell is she?' He snapped the watch shut and shoved it into his breast pocket. There was a quick rap on the door,

"Enter," he said in a frustrated tone and turned towards to portal only to catch his breath. There in the doorway stood Sofia, she was wearing the sleeveless silver dress he had offered her. Tiny diamonds spiraled out from around her eyes, making them pop. There was a think lace ribbon that tied gently around her neck, and on the side of her head was a white cactus flower. Silver rings adorned her tail each with a tiny gem in the center. The soft candlelight made her look as if she was glowing as she glided slowly into the room.

"You…look…breathtaking…" the general sighed as he stepped closer to her to get a better look.

"Thank you general," she said coolly as she made her way past him and towards the table.

"Please call me Mark," he swerved to block her path and placed tilted her head upwards towards him.

"Sorry, but I prefer we keep this…relationship…formal, general," Sofia crisply said as she lifted her head out of his gentle grasp and took her seat at the table.

"As you wish," the general responded with a tiny chuckle and sat at the head of the table. Another rap and the door gently opened to let in another guest.

"Ah Jake, so good of you to join us," Sofia's head lifted almost automatically and turned towards the door. Jake was wearing a buttoned up white jacket with a red handkerchief in the breast pocket; around his waist was a bright red cummerbund, and on his head was his trademark hat. Sofia could feel her heart begin to race, his eyes were glistening in the soft light, and it made his facial features softer and more masculine. Jake turned his head in the direction of the general but stopped as he saw Sofia. His eyes widened and a soft touch of pink began to stain his cheeks as well as hers. They looked at each other in silence; it filled the air with passion and desire.

"Excuse me…Jake, are you here?" The general questioned, causing the two to break their stair. The general grumbled to himself cursing the fact that he had invited the rattler to dinner.

"Oh…uh… ya…sorry it's ma pleasure to join you sir," 'it ma damn pleasure…hell I forgotten how nicely she cleans up...' Jake made his way around the table sitting opposite Sofia. The general clapped his wings causing two white doves to appear with a platter of soup. Once the soup was served the general turned his attention towards Sofia.

"You are probably wondering why I summoned you here?" He said huskily as he bent closer towards her. Sofia gave him a sideways glare and lifted the spoon to her lips sipped the soup gingerly.

"The though had crossed my mind general," she crisply said and went back to sipping her soup. The general cleared his throat and pressed on.

"Well if you must know, I simply hate doing business under horrid conditions,"

"You don't say," she raised her eyebrows in surprise and continued to eat her soup. Jake lowered his hat trying to hide the smile that had worked its way across his mouth. The general tapped his spoon on the side of his bowl in frustration he was getting nowhere fast. There was another knock at the door,

"I wonder who that could be," the general said playfully causing Sofia to roll her eyes and give him an unimpressed look. The door swung open and Rango walked in briskly, he was wearing his formal sheriff's uniform.

"Ah sheriff so glad you could make it to our little party, please take a seat." The general gestured to the free seat next to Sofia, clapped his wings and had the soup given to Rango.

"What's the occasion?" Rango questioned as he began to eat his soup.

"Business my good sir. You are familiar with the pervious mayor of Dirt?"

"I knew him," Rango said bitterly looking down at his soup.

"Of course, well you see he was working for me, he was my…realtor. See your town sits on prime real estate, only a days journey from the highway via pig, bat, wagon whatever."

"Your point?"

"I whish to buy it of course." Rango and Sofia stopped eating and turned their heads towards the general.

"Sorry, but we aint interested in selling," Rango said crisply.

" What does this have to do with your pipeline?" Sofia squinted in the hawk's direction, giving him a deadly glare.

"Ah yes, thank you for reminding me my dear—"

"I aint yer dear," Sofia growled out.

"See sheriff, those pipes belong to me and I can easily shut them off at the twist of a leaver. Deriving your town of water…again…causing everyone to leave. But I hate getting my wings dirty," 'could have fooled me' Sofia though savagely as she pushed her empty bowl away. "When I don't have to. So I have a proposition for you."

"I see,"

"I will not shutoff the water if you sell Dirt to me. The people will be allowed to stay in the town of course, but they would have to work for me. Helping me rebuild, or rather complete, what the mayor was doing."

"That's blackmail!" Sofia hissed out.

"That's business my dear, as for you…I have a special proposition for you."

"I'm not interested!"

"Oh but I think you should hear me out," with a flick of his right wing a small pistol came jutting out pointing between Jake's eyes.

"No!"

"Then listen to what I have to say," Sofia nodded.

"I want you to stay here and become my…'personal assistant'."

"And if I don't refuse?" the general clicked the gun and gave her a tiny smirk.

"I don't think that's a wise decision."

"Don't do it!" Jake said harshly, he looked at her with beggar's eyes. She gave him a loving smile then turned to the general.

"I accept," she said with a plain face.

"Excellent, and might I say you look ravishing in that dress tonight," the general had gotten up out of his chair and was leaning in towards her.

"And you look simply…devilish in that suite," Sofia smiled sweetly up at him as he came even closer to her.

"I think I'm going to like having you here," he breathed as he retracted his gun and brought his right arm around her back. Sofia leaned in closer so that her mouth was against his ear,

"Don't get used to the idea," she whispered as she open her mouth and bit down hard on his shoulder. The general flew back on the floor with Sofia still attached to him. He pushed her off causing her to fly across the room into the wall. She looked up at him with a confused expression, 'the poison should have taken effect by now!' she though quickly.

"Silly chit! I'm immune to rattler poison!" He reached for his gun on his left side; the sound of a gun clicking drew his attention for a mere second. He looked up to find Jake's gun pointed at him.

"But yer not immune ta bullets!" Jake laughed darkly and fired his gun hitting the general.

"Argh!" the general screamed out as he fell against the wall clutching his left wing. Jake jumped across the table and helping up Sofia the quickly headed out the door with Rango right behind him.

"Did you kill him?"

"No idea, run!" Jake yelled back as they ran down the hall.

"But—"

"No I agree with Jake on this, run!" Rango pointed ahead of him.

The three soon came upon a vent in the floor, large enough to fit a rattler though. Jake quickly removed the grill and placed gently on the wall.

"This should take you two outside the fort."

"Your not coming!" Sofia looked up at him in alarm.

"I have to hold them off!"

"Then I'm gonna stay and help you! We legends have to stick together." Rango nudged him with his elbow.

"You don't have yer gun, and last I checked the legend said you stopped outlaws with 'one' bullet…" Jake reminded him.

"Jake you have to come with us!" Sofia tugged on his jacket with her tail; Jake turned and gave her a stern look.

"If I go they will follow you! Somebody needs to stay behind and put the grill back on!"

"I'm not leaving you behind again!" Jake could hear the footsteps getting louder; he turned to Rango and gestured to the open vent.

"Go now!"

"Good luck," Rango patted Jake's shoulder and jumped down the vent. Sofia turned around to follow him but was tuned around and pulled up against Jake's body.

"God you look beautiful tonight!" he sighed out before he pulled her against his lips and kissed her. It wasn't the gentle kiss he had given her in the desert, this one was a hard kiss. It made her weak in the rattle; she kissed him back just as hard. He broke the kiss as quickly as he started it.

"I've always wanted te do that te ya, ever since we were teenagers. I love you…sorry it took so long to say…now go!" He pushed her towards down the vent,

"Jake!" she cried out as she went shooting down the dark tunnel. Jake quickly placed the grill back on the vent and armed his gun, then he turned back to see a huge mod of hawks ready to attack. He tiled his hat slightly to show off his left eye, and the dark smile that had formed on his face.

"Now how many of you want te leak lead tonight?" He hollered out savagely as he began to shoot at the massive horde of hawks.