RANGO // OӘͶAЯ - Another Outlaw Story [Engl.]

16. A Big Family

The hot wind blew through the cracks of the saloon. It was the only sound which revived the western tavern. Kinski and Chorizo sat with the two boys at the bar. The adults sipped their alcohol while the two rabbit boys drank two glasses of milk.
"What a damn day," Chorizo muttered.
"Yeah, really damn day," Kinski agreed.
"I ask me what will come next."
"You're right," Kinski admitted emotionless.
Stanley spilled some milk on his genteel suit.
"Hey, Mr. Black made an effort with that," Kinski said and grabbed for a towel.
"I don't like that rag!"
"Now, now! No such words after a funeral."
Buford smirked, while Kinski was busy to clean the boy's little suit.
Chorizo was afflicted by something different worries.
"I'm asking me how we should repair the ranch after that explosion. With what? We have no water to pay it."
"I wouldn't be so pessimistic," Kinski said calmly. "Especially with the new sheriff."
"Do you really think he could do something?"
"I'm not sure, but in light of the..."
He caught.
Chorizo looked at him.
"Uhm, in light of what...?"
"Shhhhh!" Kinski warned and pressed his forefinger on his mouth.
The desert mouse kept silent with surprise and listened.
Now he heard it, too.
Snick sounds of footsteps on dusty ground, which stepped over the street in front of the saloon door.
Buford interrupted cleaning glasses.
The two rabbit boys put their glasses down on the table. They didn't understand, but based on the adults' faces, they guessed it wasn't good and pricked up their ears.
Suddenly the spuring steps came to a halt.
The first feet stepped on the wooden sidewalk of the salon stairs. The swing doors were opened and were kept open.
Kinski and Chorizo still didn't move while more hot wind blew inside and in their necks.
Buford let sank his hands and stared ahead.
Kinski and Chorizo looked in a mirror behind the counter on the wall where several silhouettes were appearing.
"Hey, Kinsko!" a high rough voice cried and lay heavy in the room.
Slowly the jackrabbit and the desert mouse turned around.
In the door frame stood several other desert rabbits. The biggest of them was thin, more like skinny, wore blue, dark pair of leggings and his long ears hang half over his face. Beside him stood three more rabbits in similar clothes. Some wore down-at-heel hats and their gun belts hanged sloppily around their hips. The bigger rabbit smirked when he was seeing Kinski's afraid face.
"Long time," the rabbit said and snuffle. "Did you enjoy your holiday in Northern California?"
"Hey! What is it now?" Another angry voice came from outside. "Out of my way!"
The rabbits made way. A smaller rabbit, half size of Kinski, walked through, or more said under, the swung doors.
The thin bigger rabbit scratched his head with constraint.
"Sorry, Danny... Ouch!"
The small rabbit had kicked him in the shin. "Sir Danby!"
"Sir Danby Junior."
Danny looked around. "What did you say?"
The words pertained to another rabbit with black perforated hat. The rabbit cleaned his throat. "They call you Sir Danby Junior. Danby Senior is dea... Ouch!"
The next kick-in-shin silenced the rabbit.
"Keep your trap, Devon", the small rabbit hissed.
"What do want, Danny?" Kinski asked with more courage.
Danny growled threateningly, but suddenly he smiled. "We haven't seen each other a long time, Kinskily. I thought you wanted to disappear longer."
Kinski narrowed his eyes. "That wasn't my intention."
"Of course not. Where is your lousy brother?"
"Never you mind!" Kinski replied waspishly.
"Very well then. My offer applies more for you. Well, I can ask you the same question like a few weeks ago. Well? What is it? Are you along for a ride?"
"You didn't answer my question," Kinski countered back.
"What did he ask, Deny?" Danny asked the thinner and bigger rabbit Deny beside him.
"Uhm... he asked you, what you want."
"I thought I told you clear enough," Danny hissed.
"But why are you here now?" Kinski continued. "Why now? Your appearing must have a reason, haven't it?"
"We heard about a celebration in your town," Danny answered. "We invited ourselves. Don't ask for invitations."
"I see."
"And now my question: Are you taking part or not? Or did you forget my question?!"
"I didn't forget."
"If so, then repeat my question. What did I ask you?"
Kinski sighed. "You asked me, whether I should join in your clan."
"That's right," Danny said satisfied. "Now I think you had much enough time to think about it. What is it now?"
Kinski put his glass away, leaned his back against the counter, corrected his clothes and looked down at the smaller rabbit, who stood in front of him with crossed arms. He took a deep breath before he spoke: "I said it before and my answer is: No!"
Danny gave his neighbor a sign. This one nodded, left his place and boxed Kinski in the stomach. Kinski hunched with pain and held his belly.
"Oh, what a shame," Danny said regretfully. "In this case we won't get on well together."
Two rabbits placed themselves beside the sitting people and cleared away the glasses, which broke on the floor.
"Maybe we don't need an old one like you."
Danny walked up to the two rabbit boys Stanley and Portley, after others of the Danby clan brought them down from their chairs. He went between the afraid siblings.
"But maybe these two brats." He put his hand on the heads of each boy and rubbed their hairs.
"They could be great killers. You know we are a big family. It couldn't hurt if you or they make it stronger."
"To rule the town, want you?" Kinski hissed.
"Taking up residence!" Danny corrected. "It was also a place of our father Danby."
"Danby Senior... Ouch!"
"And of the Jenkins Clan," Chorizo added quietly.
"Jenkins Senior was a rascal like his seven sons!" Danny growled. "Until your nice sheriff shot him down. Now your generous sheriff is dead. And we wanna back what is due to us."
Two rabbits put their hands on Kinski's shoulders and squeezed them a little.
"Let's go to the street. And you..." Danny pointed at Stanley and Portley. "Maybe you can learn something for today."
"Hey!"
Danny thought he didn't hear right and turned around quickly. "Who...?"
He didn't find time to speak the next words, when he was almost eye to eye with the rattlesnake.
The other rabbits lifted their hats a little and looked more surprised.
But Danny wasn't a milquetoast and found his language again very fast.
"Are you talking with me?" he asked darkly.
Jake took a deep breath; his face spoke a clear angry language.
"You are the only one who makes such a noise."
Deny chuckled, and got a new kick in his shin.
"That's our business!" Danny countered. "That's got nothing to do with you! Get off, limbless worm."
"It's very well my business," the rattlesnake replied back and pointed with his gun at his sheriff star.
Danny's eyes became more than big. Not because of Jake's gun, but about that metal thing on his chest.
"Wh..." Danny bent side and grabbed Deny's shirt.
"What shall that teaser? You didn't talk about a new sheriff."
Deny swallowed apologizingly. "There wasn't talk of a new sheriff... Ouch!"
"Idiot!"
The small rabbit released him.
"And who are you?" the snake asked first before Danny could open his mouth again.
"We are the Danby Clan," Deny said proudly. "That's Danny, I'm Deny, that's Douglas, that's Damian, that's Dogan... Ouch!"
Deny rubbed his shin.
"And what are you going to do now?" Danny asked mockingly. "Arresting us or fire in all directions?"
"I issue you a caution, if you leave the town immediately."
Danny was a little confused for a moment.
"Alright, if so, but maybe after the first make acquaintance with my big brother."
He snapped his fingers. "Dobby!"
Shortly after a gigantic rabbit appeared through the door. He was several heads higher than Kinski and twice as wide. He wore blue jeans, and his long ears hang down his head. It seemed that he had waited around a corner and cracked his fingers.
Immediately the rattlesnake aimed his Gatling gun at him. But the big rabbit wasn't afraid of the armed rattlesnake. Jake narrowed his eyes.
The rabbit wore no gun belt. Why not?
Suddenly the snake guessed something. A clicking sound behind him and...
[BANG!]
A yell cut the air.