The promise 2

19. Rattlesnake!

"I'm hungry," Stump griped.
"Of course," Kinski muttered. "After you spat out your stomach contents, I would be hungry, too."
"So, and?" Stump grumbled. "Aren't you?"
Kinski rolled his eyes. "Can't you still ride on your own roadrunner?"
Stump, who still lay on Kinski's saddle, shook his head. "Nope."
They and the group rode slowly to save their roadrunners' strength after a galloping pace. It was almost midday and around them still lifeless desert and some typical Mojave Desert rocks.
The gecko, who still rode first, lifted his straw hat. "It's not far more away until the last sighting point."
"Thanks god," Stump muttered. "I'm hungry."
Also Chorizo couldn't hold it any longer. "Bill? Could we make a little stop?"
Bill rolled his eyes and looked back at him. "Why?"
Chorizo sighed. "You know."
Stump lifted his hand, too. "Me, too. Me, too."
Rango didn't understand first. "What do you mean?"
Chorizo pulled the reins of his roadrunner bugged and the animal stopped.
"I need to pee."
The gecko chuckled amused. "Alright. We could make a little pee break."
"At last," Kinski muttered with relief and stopped his roadrunner, also the others.
Stump and Chorizo climbed down quickly and ran behind the next high stone.
"No, that's my place!" Chorizo cried and pushed Stump aside.
"Why? We could do the same time."
"I need my privacy," Chorizo protested. "Search another place for relieving yourself. Comprendo?"
He disappeared around the stone and Stump looked around wildly. "Oh, gosh."
With relief, he realized not far away another good place behind a rock and ran behind it.
"How long is the way yet?" Rango asked.
"Maybe one hour, I guess," the gecko replied.
"I hope there is a civilization," Kinski said and took something out of the bags. "We need new provisions."
"What do we have?" Bill asked.
"Cracker and bottles filled half with water. That's all."
"We are really deep in the south," the little gecko said. "Maybe we will have luck and find a ranch or a single house. There is no big city in near."
"He is back," Kinski said and showed with his head ahead where Chorizo came back. Shortly afterwards Stump.
"That was in the last minute," Stump said. "But couldn't we prolong the break?"
"Out of the question!" Rango interrupted. "We have to ride on."
"Hey!" Bill grumbled. "What did I say? I make the rules!"
"Damn, Bill! That's a case between life and death!"
"Should I because of that kill myself?"
"Now, you magnify it! Why do you make of all a small problem a universe?!"
"Don't scream at me!"
"Gentlemen," the gecko interrupted. "Uh... should we continue the journey or not?"
"Shut it!" Bill spat and turned back to Rango. "I'm sick of your fuss."
"Nice! I can also ride alone!"
Bill stopped, then he grinned. "And how do you want to find the way?"
"He will guide me." He pointed at the gecko.
Bill narrowed his eyes. "He belongs to me and stays here."
"You have no right," Rango hissed. "Ahhh..."
Bill grabbed Rango brutally on his shirt and lifted him up. He stared so threateningly into the chameleon's eyes that Rango became afraid.
"I hope we will find something to eat on our way," Bill said darkly. "Otherwise I will cut something off from you to satisfy my hunger."
"Uh, Bill?" Stump said and lifted his hand hesitatingly. "I'm vegetarian."
Suddenly, a rattling sound let them froze.
"Rattlesnake!" Stump screamed.
All jumped behind a rock, where Chorizo had come from before and pulled their guns.
"Chori?" Kinski asked irritated. "Didn't you bury it?"
Chorizo blushed. "Uh, I thought in that emptiness..."
"You are a pig!"
A chuckling let them listen attentively.
"Ha, ha, ha. Did I afraid you?" a girl child voice cried.
A little shape slithered over the ground and stopped a few meters in front of their rock.
Bill, Rango and the others looked at the small snake looking animal.
Bill opened his mouth in disbelief.
It was a brown, orange colored little corn snake. She vibrated demonstrative with her little tail on the ground and caused a rattlesnake rattling sound.
The snake grinned. "Do you still want to run away?"
"You damn thing!" Bill yelled and jumped forward.
The snake dashed away quickly, but Bill didn't think to let it go. With large footsteps, he stretched out his arm and grabbed the snake on his tail.
"HEY! Let me go!" the little snake shouted and bit into his hand.
That was a mistake. Bill used his other hand and grabbed the little snake on head and neck. He pressed her jaw, so that she was forced to let him go.
She whipped and hit with her long body in all directions, what she couldn't continue longer, because Bill grabbed her underbody.
"I don't like that someone kidding me!" Bill shouted.
"Calm down, Bill," Kinski said.
"Shut it!" Bill snorted. "I think I found my dinner."
"Bill?!" Rango cried indignantly. "You wouldn't dare to eat a child!"
"That's the circle of life."
Stump grimaced. "Uha, not for me. You can withdraw my name from your guest list."
"Hands up or you are all dead!" another voice shouted.