Lifesaver [Engl.]

3. Half-dead

Rango climbed up a little bit higher until he was almost at eye level with Jake.
The powerful killer, how Rango saw him the last time, looked helpless and pitiful now.
He narrowed his eyes.
Jake had tied with cords and ropes on the top of the metal bow. The ropes had pulled through his gun belt and his head hanged down lifeless, also the rest of his body, like a wet towel.
Rango looked in his face. Jake had closed his eyes and seems to be dead. His mouth had gagged with a scarf and tied up with a wire.
Hastily Rango climbed further up until he stood on the top of the metal bow. He warped his tail around the metal bow and let himself down gently to him. The body swayed slightly as he sat down on the rattlesnake. Now he saw wounds of lashes on the skin all over the body of the snake.
He held on to Jake's gun belt and climbed down to Jake's head. Unfortunately, the belt did not reach to the head, just to the lower neck region. Rango put his head on the snake's skin. But it was hard for him to hear the heartbeat, because his own blood was pounding in his head now.
With trembling hands, he slid down to Jake's neck. Rango paid no attention to more details. He just wanted to know whether the snake was still alive or not. When he reached the head, he touched Jake's mouth. He felt a very soft breeze.
He was still breathing.
Rango felt that Jake's skin was very hot. For reptiles, it was a particular problem because they couldn't sweat. Rango knew if he did nothing, Jake would die a cruel heatstroke in the worst case.
Interrogative Rango looked into Jake's face. Then he gently grabbed the wire, which had been tied around the mouth of the snake. But as much as he tried, the wire was too tight. He couldn't remove it. Finally, he gave up.
For the moment, Rango was unable to move. What should he do now?
He was startled when a big, dark shadow flew above him. The hawks had finished their dispute and took notice of the chameleon, which crawled down the rattlesnake.
"Hey! Get lost!" Rango shouted.
One of the hawks flew very close and hacked his beak after him.
Rango, completely terrified, lost his hold and fell down. Fortunately, the wagon floor was stuffed with sand, so that he landed softly. He quickly stood up and took out his revolver. The birds circled about him in the air and seemed to think whom of them they should eat first. Either the nimble chameleon or the motionless rattlesnake.
The first hawk chose the more leisurely kind and sat down on the metal bow of the old covered wagon. He bent down to the snake and hacked with his beak. Jake moved slightly, when the bird snapped at him. Apparently, his nerves still reacted in spite he was unconscious.
"Hey! Stop it!" Rango shouted to the bird.
At this moment, the second hawk rushed down to the chameleon. In his distress, Rango shot into the air. The first hawk flew up frightened during the second one made a sharp bend. In the air they circled around, and then they sailed to a rock group and settled on there.
Rango recognized how the birds were staring over at him, watching him with their sharp eyes. Apparently, they were just waiting for an opportunity to attack again.
Rango's gaze wandered up to Jake. If he left him alone to leave him to his fate, the predators would eat him up sooner or later.
Damn it! Who had hung up him there?
With shaky knees, he leaned against the old trek wreck.
They will not wait a long time to start another attack. Rango furrowed his brows.
He shook his head. No, he couldn't leave him alone. But what should he do? Alone he couldn't help him. He had to ask someone for help. But how? It was impossible to get away from here.
A faint clucking caught his attention. His roadrunner was in his near and did not care about the greedy eyes of the hawks. Carefree, he pecked at the sandy ground in hope to find there something to eat.
Suddenly Rango got an idea.
He quickly walked over to the roadrunner and rummaged around the saddlebag. Inside he found pencil and paper. After a short time of thinking he wrote something on the paper. When he had read through it again, he folded the note and fixed it tightly on the roadrunner's reins.
"Go!" he said. "Run back to the city."
He gave the animal a pat. At first, the roadrunner was very surprised and turned around. But Rango waved wildly with his arms and hands as a sign that he should leave the place. With loud cackle the animal ran away.