Morning...
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You're reorganizing the books from one of the bookshelves as Mrs. Belle was helping standing next to you.
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Y/n: I don't even wanna go out back to practice. Knowing that snake is in town and he was almost close to possibly killing me.
Mrs. Belle: Oh yes. Ever since that lizard killed the hawk, there's nothing stopping Rattlesnake Jake to come back.
Y/n: That huge snake is scared of that hawk?
Mrs. Belle: That's his predator. He's just as scared of the hawks as we rabbits are too scared of snakes. There's an entire pyramid of predators and prey, and while his ranking as a venomous snake is high, there is another rank higher than him. That's where the hawk comes in.
Y/n: Even he's prey? Oh... (Sighs) Well anyway, it sort of doesn't matter. The water's gone and so is our 'incredible' sheriff is gone. I don't know if we'll have to move too... (You turn to her) Find somewhere else to live.
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She's sad hearing what you're saying, but... there's something you don't know about and maybe it's time that she tells you. She completely trusts you over the time you been here.
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Mrs. Belle: Come with me, there's something I want you to see.
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You nod as you follow behind her to the back of the building and into the storage room. She grabs a candle-lit lantern and bends down to remove a gray sheet that was covering a secret wooden hatch to a basement you didn't know this place had.
She opens the hatch, and you continue to follow her down to the basement. There weren't stairs down there but a ladder to get down and up instead. When you reach the last step is when she lights up the lantern to reveal the basement to be full of glass jugs filled with water.
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Mrs. Belle: I remember my father telling the family and everyone in town that he had a vision that the water supply will run low and soon will be gone. None of the townspeople believed him. They thought he was having a heat episode from working too long in the sun with the guys. Most of the family didn't believe him either. They thought he was crazy. But I didn't. As soon as he said it I believed him. So over the years, I tried to collect as much water as I can. Even when I was married with children, my husband and I did our best to collect water. This supply will last for at least two years, depending on how much you drink a day.
Y/n: So that's why you don't go to the Wednesday dance thing. And you told me that day that going there was pointless and so I didn't go.
Mrs. Belle: Best to leave whatever water they have left to the rest of the townspeople.
Y/n: All this water... you definitely did save a lot.
Mrs. Belle: If I had more then I would give them to the townspeople but... it wouldn't save their farms, they would drink as much as possible in a minute and I... well... it just wouldn't be enough for everyone. And I trust you to keep this place a secret from the others, including Beans.
Y/n: Okay, I understand. I won't tell anyone.
Mrs. Belle: Thank you so much dear, I knew I could trust you.
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She gives you a hug which you gladly return. How long have you been in this town? You lost count and have just been living in the moment since you first got here. After you two hug, you go back upstairs and close the secret hatch before you two go back to what you were doing.
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... Night Comes...
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You really wish you knew what time it is. Too and there's no electric clock here, and the only clock there is, is the clock tower near the center of this town.
You stand on your balcony watching the beautiful night sky above you. The light breeze makes the bottom of your pink dress flow behind you. Tonight's pretty chilly, but your fur helps keep you warm.
You then look at the rock you made your mark on whenever you practice running. An idea comes to mind. It is night. Snakes need sleep, right? You should have asked Mrs. Belle if they do. Maybe they do. All animals need to rest at some point. Assuming snakes are alike in that sense that maybe they rest when it's night.
You convinced yourself well enough to quietly go downstairs without waking Mrs. Belle and head out the back door. The full moon's rays beam down on the land providing a source, the only source, of light. You run towards the rock as fast as you can and before you know it you're already there.
You've gotten a lot better at running to the point where your ankles don't hurt anymore. Nothing in or outside of your body is hurting right now and you feel glad that you've adapted.
You look up at the night sky and see the hundreds to thousands of shining tiny stars surrounding the full moon. You turn to your home and see no one there. No one outside, just the sounds of crickets can be heard. So you decide to walk a little further out into the desert. Not too far, just straight down without making any turns so that when you come back, you just walk straight back.
It's a nice night for a walk and you're not tired, so maybe taking a night stroll will make you tired and maybe think about some things.
It's weird... you haven't thought about Jenny like you did since you first got here. You wanted to leave town as soon as you can and try to find her. But being on your own, not completely since you're staying with Mrs. Belle, has made you think about how you view yourself and the real world around you.
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Y/n: Predators and prey... such a funny pyramid. In my world, there was no such thing. Well, the fans would be my predators if they wanted to kidnap me.
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It was other humans you had to worry about. Back when you lived with Jenny you never had to run, worry about running out of food or water, had so many fans you forgot how many followers you got on... on... damn, you can't even remember what's the name of the social media app your human set up for you.
Well, the social media thing isn't relevant to how you're living now. Out here in the desert, your style consists of country-style dresses and boots. The pink dress is your favorite and you make sure to try your best to keep it clean so you can wear it every day. Mrs. Belle taught you how to keep it clean and not smell so you can wear it every day.
Mrs. Belle... she's been so sweet, kind, and caring to you since day one. She's taught you so many things you would have never known unless you were watching TV about it. She's been a better mother figure to you than Jenny was. She makes sure you're feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally okay.
With Jenny, it was mainly physically healthy since she can't understand you. You got all your shots, and vaccines, last time you went to the vet, the doctor said you're perfectly healthy.
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Y/n: Perfectly healthy...
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It's like a big part of you that's telling you not to go back. Not to leave town and Mrs. Belle to go find the same human who was going to make you be with a rabbit you possibly wouldn't like and have babies with him.
Here in this town, or whatever town you go to. You're free. In this world of only animals, you still feel shy around them, but for the most part, they're all pretty nice. Especially the men around here. Most of them are a little too friendly just because you're still a cute and small white female rabbit.
You stop in your tracks and look behind you, seeing that you're pretty far from home, but if you squint your eyes, you can still see it. Then you hear a metal rattling sound nearby, the same rattling sounds you heard yesterday. You quickly turn around and you see him...
Rattlesnake Jake is now a few feet in front of you and his body circles around you. Your legs feel frozen again as fear takes over your whole body.
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Rattlesnake Jake: And just what are you doing out here?
Y/n: I-I just wanted to go out for a walk...
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His eyes don't shift away in any way from yours as he leans himself a little closer to you. His head is about six feet in front of you.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Right, of course, you wouldn't lie to me. Would you?
Y/n: N-No...
Rattlesnake Jake: Because if there's anything I hate more than anything, it's liars. (Sticks his tongue out and hisses) Your so-called sheriff was one of those and I did y'all a favor.
Y/n: R-Right... but-
Rattlesnake Jake: (Leans closer to you, his head now a couple of feet in front of you) But what?
Y/n: You don't think you were... a little too harsh on him?
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He backs up, but his body is still around you, as you can only stand there and hope he doesn't harm you.
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Rattlesnake Jake: Harsh?! I spared him a worse fate than what I usually do to liars. I eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Hisses) They don't make good businessmen and don't make good citizens. I have codes of honor and if I find out they cheated their way up, then that's not good when I get a hold of them.
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He hisses as he starts to circle around you and stares at you from head to toe. He knows you're not from around here and he's going to ask to see if you would lie to him.
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Rattlesnake Jake: You ain't from here, are you?
Y/n: N-No...
Rattlesnake Jake: Just as I thought. I never seen a small, fragile, delicate rabbit. Hell, I've seen things that'll gladly eat you alive in this desert right now. So why exactly are you here?
Y/n: I-I wanted to clear my head a-and it's a good night for a stroll. D-Don't you think?
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He stops circling around you and looks up at the night sky for a second before looking back at you. It is a pleasant night, but coming out here all by yourself in this desert is suicide and he knows this.
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Rattlesnake Jake: It is a nice night. But the next time you come out here by yourself, you may not be so lucky to see me right now. No, I believe another predator would love to have you for dinner, right?
Y/n: Y-Yeah.
Rattlesnake Jake: Now where exactly did you come from if you're not from the West?
Y/n: My human took care of me since birth, far, far away from here.
Rattlesnake Jake: Human? (Chuckles) That explains what I see right now. You ain't like any of the townfolk here and you ain't built to be here in this desert. Assuming you must of run off from your human. You stray far from home and now you're here talking to me, ain't that right?
Y/n: Sort of... I was kidnapped by other humans and when I escaped; I ended up in the desert... completely lost.
Rattlesnake Jake: Well... I'm sorry to hear that.
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Did he say he was sorry? He feels sorry for you? You never expected to hear that from such a fearsome predator. Predators wouldn't say they feel bad for their prey.
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Rattlesnake Jake: What's your name, little bunny?
Y/n: Y/n.
Rattlesnake Jake: Well go home Y/n. Don't come out here by yourself at night alright?
Y/n: (Nervously smile) O-Okay, I'll do just that. Umm... good night Rattlesnake Jake.
Rattlesnake Jake: Night, I'll see you around.
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He moves his body behind you away so that you can walk away, and that's what you do. You walk straight back home without looking back as he watches you enter the building before slithering away into the night.