It's been a couple of days since your first day of running training, and so far you can run with your ankles only slightly hurting you. But you feel like you can run faster than you can now, so that's something good coming out of this.
You run back to the building where Mrs. Belle was sitting in her rocking chair knitting a blanket. She's been also observing you and smiles every time you look over at her.
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Y/n: (Exhale) How was that? (You catch your breath)
Mrs. Belle: Better than yesterday.
Y/n: Really? Cause I feel like I could be faster but I can't.
Mrs. Belle: Our fastest speed will come when fear and determination take over. As rabbits, we have those emotions that make us three times faster than how we normally run when we don't have those feelings at the moment.
Y/n: I guess... (Catch your breath) That makes sense. I'm still learning new things about my body so, I guess I should give myself some time.
Mrs. Belle: Hm, remember when you said your human was going to make you mate with whatever rabbit she chooses?
Y/n: How could I forget? It's almost unforgivable is what it is.
Mrs. Belle: Well, there's something I should tell you that we female rabbits also have that's important to know. So you never mated before right?
Y/n: Right.
Mrs. Belle: Well you're still young dear, but it's still important that you should know that when you do find the love of your life. There are going to be times throughout that relationship when you'll feel heated.
Y/n: Heated? I don't understand. You mean I'm going to have a fever?
Mrs. Belle: Technically no, but think of it like... like a good fever with no pain. It's a strong passionate feeling in your heart and body that will make you want to mate with him.
Y/n: Uhh...
Mrs. Belle: It's alright if you don't understand now. But one day you will, and it's nothing bad, I promise. Because I know that being intimate with the one you love is all worthwhile.
Y/n: Hmm, you're right. I hope to find the love of my life someday.
Mrs. Belle: Could be today, tomorrow, next week, next year or so. Life and love are full of surprises. That's what my husband used to say. A happy, loving, and beautiful marriage until the day he passed. But I know I'll see him again.
Y/n: A beautiful love story you have Mrs. Belle.
Mrs. Belle: If you like, the library across from here is always open. You can grab a book or two and read a romantic story. Just something to help you think dear.
Y/n: Okay, and while I'm there, is there a book I can get for you?
Mrs. Belle: No thank you dear, I've caught up on my reading years ago. You run along now.
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You nod and head out into town by walking down the alley. But as you were heading towards the library, the green lizard, whose name is Rango and was made sheriff for killing that hawk with one bullet, almost runs you over with his roadrunner. But thankfully he moves away in time. But as he did, you fall back and hit your butt on the ground.
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Sheriff Rango: Woah! Sorry there miss!
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Beans quickly gets off of her roadrunner and give you a hand up off the ground.
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Beans: You alright? (She helps you up)
Y/n: Yeah, I'm alright.
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That's when you noticed most of the men in this town are on roadrunners too, and they're all loaded with guns and bullets.
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Y/n: What's going on?
Beans: Somebody stole the water from the bank.
Sheriff Rango: That's right, and we already got a lead on who it is! And don't worry, we'll bring the water back little lady. There's nothing this new sheriff can't handle and we'll bring the suspects to justice.
Y/n: Somebody stole the water?!
Beans: Don't worry, we'll find it.
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Beans hops back on her roadrunner and you step to the side to not get in the way. Then the sheriff tells them all to ride and so they did. They all rode their roadrunners out of town and into the desert. You hope they do find the water as well as their safety for when they come back.
You walk into the library, but you don't see the librarian at the front desk and so you just walk toward the bookshelves. From cookbooks, mystery series, and science books. It takes you a little while before you finally found the romance section.
'Love Thy Sweet Neighbor', 'The Broken Marriage', 'How to Love in a Week'. You take your time looking at each book before there's one that catches your eye. 'No Other Love for Me'. A tale about a princess and a wanted criminal mastermind who fall in love yet their love, let alone being seen near each is forbidden.
This book sounds really interesting. You take the book with you and leave a note at the front desk that you'll be borrowing this book.
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...Night Comes...
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Laying on the bed with your book, you finish reading chapter three and so far the story's really interesting.
You learned that the criminal mastermind is only a criminal toward the wealthy families because of the number of gold coins and jewels he steals from them before giving them to the poor. And the princess of one of the wealthy families is trying to catch the thief to prove to her father that she is useful to the family. That last part right there is pretty fucked up, but you kept reading.
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"Clear to his patterns. I mark each down as he next targets my family. A plan a set, a trap is set for this lonesome, lowborn thief. I shall gain acclaim and glory come sunset from my family, my father, king of the Riqueza Kingdom. I shall rest now, and before daybreak, I shall raise to set my plan into reality. "
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The first thing that's coming to your mind after reading this is daddy issues. But hey, it's still a good book, neither less. You're done reading for tonight and you close the book before setting it on the nightstand.
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Main Owl: Forbidden Love has been known as one of the greatest love stories passed down from many generations. Though, at least one of them did die a tragic death, sometimes both. Romeo and Juliet is a great example of a beautiful love story with a tragic ending for both parties. But there have been some forbidden love stories out there with happy endings, if they're lucky that is. Though this fair woman is planning to leave town, something tells me that something, or maybe even someone, will change her mind.
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...Two Days Later...
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You're carrying folded blankets from one spot to the back of the building in the storage room while Ms. Belle lets out a couple of quiet coughs before standing behind the desk and cleaning the shelves that she can reach.
It's just a normal afternoon and you're thinking of either running or reading your book in a few minutes after you're done.
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Mrs. Belle: Oh Y/n.
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She calls out your name and you quickly walk over to her, thinking that she needs help with something.
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Y/n: Yes?
Mrs. Belle: I forgot to ask yesterday which book did you pick out yesterday?
Y/n: Oh, it's called "No Other Love for Me". Have you read it before?
Mrs. Belle: Oh no, that's a new one. I've never heard of it. What's it about?
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You grab a wooden stool and sit down, scooting yourself close to the front desk to better explain.
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Y/n: It's about a forbidden love story between a princess and a thief. So far I'm in chapter four and the princess is setting a trap for the thief so her father can praise her.
Mrs. Belle: (Smiles) Aw me, young love. Oh such a grand thing isn't it?
Y/n: They're definitely interesting to read.
Mrs. Belle: No dear, I mean to be in love with someone you know you can't be. I remember that feeling when I was your age before meeting my husband.
Y/n: Oh yeah, tell me. What happened?
Mrs. Belle: Oh I was a naïve little one, I remember sneaking out of the house to be with my friends and we would either sit by the creek or go to one of their barns. We would just chat about our families, friends, and life.
Y/n: I feel like back then people were more connected and social.
Mrs. Belle: Oh yes, we definitely were. And one night, we all decided to head down to the creek. Keep in mind we're all rabbits. Five of them female, and five of them male.
Y/n: Including you, that's eleven?
Mrs. Belle: Yes. That same day I heard a new mysterious man come into town but I never saw him. Until that night, down at the creek after I was done using the bathroom and heading my way back to my friends, I thought I heard a man talking. But the tone of his voice, I remember it was sad. So I walked towards to voice and it lead me to a nearby lake and that's when I saw him. The mysterious man was kneeling in front of the water, appearing to be upset, so I walked to him and asked him if he was alright. Little did I know that I would fall for him soon after. A tall, handsome beaver he was.
Y/n: A beaver?
Mrs. Belle: Oh yes, and I knew my father would have never allowed me to be with a man outside of our species. Back then, everyone was against relationships between two different species. We had to meet in secret down by the lake almost every night so that no one will see us together. I didn't tell my friends about him either, as we didn't want to risk getting caught. We continued seeing each other for months before he told me he had to leave town for a while and promised me he'll come back and I believed him. Every couple of weeks, I would receive a letter in the mail from him. Inside, he shared his intimate feelings. But after a few months, the letters stopped coming. I waited and waited for months, but... another letter never came. And I never saw him again.
Y/n: I'm so sorry...
Mrs. Belle: (Smiles) It's alright. Sometime after that, while I laid in bed, heartbroken during the day, a gentleman knocked on the door and one of my brothers opened the door. Curious and wanted to see who came to visit, I went downstairs to see a male rabbit in his brown suit asking if they wanted to come by their new shop later today. When he saw me by the stairs, I remember his eyes went wide and amazed. Of course, during that time I wasn't looking for another man in hopes that my lover would come back. But eventually, and with the great patience that he had, that rabbit stole my heart, and we got married. We lived happily together for years till he passed away.
Y/n: (Smile) That's a beautiful love story.
Mrs. Belle: Yes. And I can tell now people are more open to relationships of different species. Not completely, but better than before when I was young. Just know that as long as you both have understanding, communication, and love for each other, it doesn't matter what species you are.
Y/n: I'll keep that in mind.
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Then Beans walks into the store, looking a little defeated, so you quickly approach her while Mrs. Belle grabs some tea for her.
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Y/n: Beans, what's wrong?
Beans: We didn't find the water. The bank jug's empty.
Mrs. Belle: How terrible, come let us sit.
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You three head to the back and sit down in the living room. You sit next to Beans, and after pouring some tea for the both of you, Mrs. Belle sits down on her rocking chair in front of you.
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Beans: We got the men who stole it in jail but... Even if we execute them, it's not gonna bring the water back.
Y/n: But there's got to be a water source somewhere.
Beans: That's what the sheriff says too. Promised me that we'll find water. He sounded so sure about that.
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She smiles at that last sentence and you can't help but think maybe she has a little crush on him. She and sheriff Rango do make a cute couple now thinking about it. But right now isn't a good idea to mention that.
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Mrs. Belle: The best we can do is hope and pray to find a water source soon girls. Beans, I know you and the sheriff will eventually find that water.
Beans: (Smiles) Thanks Mrs. Belle.
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Beans takes a sip of her tea and lean back against the couch. You and Mrs. Belle try to comfort her as much as you can for an hour before she said she had to go back to the sheriff's office and continue investigating.
The sun was starting to set, and you were almost finishing reading chapter six of your book while Mrs. Belle went to her room to fall asleep.
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"The thief now under my roof has become my prisoner. Though I must wait until my family comes back. He shall remain my prisoner and is waiting to hear his sentence for stealing from the royal families in the country. I must admit, he is a handsome fellow. Such a shame he'll be executed in the town square as soon as my family returns. Until then, he remains behind the cell and under my careful watch. "
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Well, she did capture him and is in the dungeon underneath the castle. Now you just wonder when both of them are going to fall in love since right now it seems like they just hate each other.
As you finish reading the chapter, you hear people yelling outside in anger. Confused and concerned, you head outside and see everyone standing outside the sheriff's office with torches and pitchforks in hand, ready to either kill or protest. You hurry over there and see Beans standing behind the sheriff as he was trying to calm everyone down.
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Y/n: Beans! What's going on?
Beans: They wanna bring the men who stole the water out here and finish them themselves.
Sheriff Rango: You see that sign up there? (Points at the sheriff's sign hanging in front of the small building.) As long as that sign says sheriff, you can believe that there's law and order in this town but without law and order. Ruminate on that, oh yeah.
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Sheriff Rango then calmly walks to the people and continues to speak.
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Sheriff Rango: Starts out slow, like a fungus. Somebody says crosswords, accusations start flying. Neighbor turns on neighbor. Pretty soon we're eating our children, then dogs and cats are getting together to create all sorts of unnatural mutant aberrations.
Okay, that last part was kind of unnecessary right there. But it looks like his words are getting through the people, especially when he says...
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Sheriff Rango: So you want something to believe in Spoons? Believe in me. (Looks at the people and points at the sheriff's sign.) Believe in that there sign. For as long as it hangs there, we got hope.
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Just as the people were beginning to put down their torches and pitchforks, some even smiling including you and Beans, at his great words of leadership. Then the sheriff's sign gets shot several times, almost completely destroying it. Everyone screams and ducks down to avoid the bullets, thankfully the bullets stop coming. But that didn't mean the danger wasn't near.
Everyone turns around and gasped as they separate themselves from the sheriff. You get a look at what they all see, and it's something you never thought you'd see here.
A huge snake... the snake blows at the tip of his weapon that was attached to where his rattle would be. A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, the kind of snake Mrs. Belle was telling you about before. The snake then slithers his way towards the Sheriff, making you and Beans step away from him. Your heart... you feel scared... You're seeing a predator with your own eyes and as much as you wanted to run, you feel frozen.
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Y/n: W-Who is that?
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You whisper to Beans as you step closer to her in fear.
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Beans: ...Rattlesnake Jake.
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She looks scared too but tried her best not to show it as much as she wanted. Hike, who wouldn't be terrified of this snake? This is the first you've seen a snake in real life and you'd never thought it could be so big and terrifying.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Hello brother, thirsty?
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He gets a shot glass, then, coming from his fangs, he inserts his venom into the shot glass and hands it to the sheriff. But he chuckles and tosses it on the ground. The venom makes a hissing noise as it touches the ground. Then Rattlesnake Jake slithers around him as he speaks.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Long time brother, how you been keeping?
Sheriff Rango: Oh well, you know-
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Before he can finish his sentence, Jake violently shows his fangs at him, causing him to almost jump in fear as everyone takes more steps back.
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Rattlesnake Jake: I hear you been telling them about how you killed all them Jenkins, brother. With one bullet wouldn't it? (Chuckles) Ain't that right? All these good folks here believe your little stories don't they? Why they believe just a stone-cold killer, don't they.
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The people then drop their pitchforks and take another step back away from Rattlesnake Jake as he stares at all of them. You see his eyes, fiery red and yellow. Reminds you of hellfire and evil.
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Rattlesnake Jake: (Slithers closer to the people) Seems these folks trust you. They think you're going to save their little town.
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Then his tail pushes Beans away from you as he coils himself around you, causing you to gasp as he leans closer to you. Staring down at you, tightening his hold on you when you try to escape. You're slightly shaking in fear at this point, remembering what Mrs. Belle said about how they eat their prey.
Prey... that's how you feel right now... Prey... How he can squeeze you to death and swallow you whole right now. You hope and pray with all your mind's might that he doesn't kill you.
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Rattlesnake Jake: They think you're going to save their little souls. (Winks at you before looking at the Sheriff) But we know better, don't we?
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Rattlesnake Jake then turns around back to you, and with his wet slimy dark-colored tongue he licks your collarbone, up to your neck, and your cheek, leaving behind a light trail of saliva on you. His eyes meet your eyes as he stares down at you.
When he stops before making a light satisfied "Mmmm" sound and he loosens his coils, letting you go. He turns to the Sheriff who's just standing there not doing anything to help and says something else to him.
You're glad that he didn't kill you, but you're still in shock that he did that instead. Beans place her hand over your shoulder and you lean yourself against her as she comforts you. You're still slightly shaking and your heart felt like it was going to give out any second.
If there are a lot of predators out there in the desert and you're lucky that he didn't kill you when the next predator definitely will... Then you don't know if you should leave town.
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Rattlesnake Jake: So why don't you show your friends here what you're made of? Show them who you really are. Why don't you just pull your gun and shoot me?
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His gun tail takes Rango's gun and empties the gun until one bullet is left and forces it into Rango's hand.
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Rattlesnake Jake: But of course, you won't need all these. Just one, right?
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His coil forces Rango's arm to lift and have him point the gun at him, so close to his face that the hole of the gun touches him.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Go ahead hero, pull the trigger. You got killer in your eyes son. I don't see it.
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Rango lowers the gun down in defeat, knowing that he couldn't bring himself to kill him when he could have right now. This made you and everyone realize that he isn't the hero he praise himself to be.
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Rattlesnake Jake: You didn't do any of them things you said did you? You didn't kill them Jenkins brothers, you ain't even from the West. Are you! Say it!
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Rango does say no, but it wasn't loud enough for everyone to hear. But sadly, you and Beans heard it.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Oh speak up, I don't think your friends here heard you.
Rango: No.
Rattlesnake Jake: All you done is lie to these good people. You ain't nothing but a fake and a coward, ain't that right?
Rango: Yes.
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Rango whispers again, but that seemed to piss Jake off even more.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Louder!
Rango: Yes.
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Rattlesnake Jake slithers himself around him again and as he does this, you look up at Beans whose heartbroken by what she just heard.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Listen here, you little pathetic fraud. This is my town now. If I ever see you again, I will take your soul straight down to Hell!
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He squeezes the hell out of Rango and pushes him off into the ground. The people make room for him to walk away as he gets up and starts walking away. Beans then walk over to him and he stops in his tracks when she says...
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Beans: Who are you?
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She's not mad, unlike everyone here. She's sad, thinking that maybe... just maybe... he was the one to save their town and... the one to win her cold heart. Rango, if that's even his real name, doesn't even look at her and walks away. He continues walking away while everyone, including Rattlesnake Jake, stares at him leaving town for good. You've seen enough of this, and you quietly turn around and run back to your home.
Thankfully your feet, even with boots on, are light and don't make a sound so no one can hear you run. That's what you thought at least. But as you run away, Rattlesnake Jake turns his head and sees you run away from the scene. He lets out a slight hiss as he sticks his tongue out, smelling your scent in the air, his scent on your body, all while he thinks of how you tasted.
You run back inside and lock the door before grabbing an old blanket and start rubbing it on you, trying to get rid of the snake's saliva off of you.
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Y/n: Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew!!! Man, I can still feel it!
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You rub the blanket on your fur until you can't feel the saliva on you anymore. Right now, all you wanna do is rest. So you head upstairs and go into your room. You change your clothes before laying down on the bed and try to fall asleep.
You try to calm yourself down enough and you eventually fall asleep, completely accepting the fact that you are prey.