Master of Lust

Chapter 61  Whispering Wetlands [5]

Chapter - 61

"Who's there?" one voice demanded, sounding all alert and on edge.

"Come out..." the voice commanded, echoing with an unmistakable authority that sent a shiver down Rick's spine, "I know you are hiding there, somewhere."

In the tense stillness of the forest, Rick's heart raced as he heard the approaching voices and witnessed the ominous flash of light drawing nearer, 'Fuck! This ain't good.'

The rabbit who was sitting still on Rick's chest, sensed Rick's rising anxiety, decided to take matters into its own paws. It suddenly placed its tiny, furry paws over Rick's mouth to stifle any potential sounds. It made sure that he did not let out even a squeak, 'You have dragged us into this mess, Master. Now not a peep.'

"I will count to three. You better walk out, otherwise don't blame me if I put some metal down your throat."

The man continued to call out as he continued to approach towards the spot where Rick and the Rabbit were hiding. Rick is somewhat worried as he sensed the man approaching. He looked at the rabbit, hoping that it could provide him some sort of a solution. His eyes darted to the rabbit, who had abruptly pressed its paws against Rick's mouth to ensure his silence. They shared a fleeting, worried glance, and Rick couldn't help but hope the rabbit had some miraculous solution up its furry sleeve, "Got any brilliant ideas, buddy?" Rick whispered.

The man's shouts were getting louder, and he was closing in on Rick and the rabbit faster than a speeding bullet. Rick could practically smell the guy's presence, and it was giving him some serious jitters.

Rick was getting desperate, scanning the place like he was searching for a winning lottery ticket. He just wanted a way out of this freaky situation.

While they exchanged looks, Rick noticed something odd. There was this cheeky, mysterious glint in the rabbit's eyes, and he couldn't help but think.

"What's the bunny up to?" It felt like time was dragging on forever as Rick's confusion mixed with the urgency of their mess.

And then, without warning, the rabbit sprang into action, launching itself off Rick's chest like a superhero and bolting out of the bushes. Rick watched in disbelief and before he could react the rabbit charged toward the man who was steadily closing in on them.

The man was taken aback by the sudden motion in the darkness and swiftly trained his flashlight on the incoming figure. Rick's heart practically leaped into his throat as he watched this daring act unfold before him.

The man, taken aback by the sudden movement, swiftly swung his flashlight toward the speeding shadow, fear and confusion etched across his face. In the heartbeat that followed, panic set in. And as panic washed over the man, it was the panic which called the shots.

The man reacted with instinctive reflexes, and without hesitation, he squeezed the trigger of the gun he held—a weapon that Rick couldn't identify in the darkness. Rick couldn't make out what kind of gun it was in the dark, but he knew one thing for sure; things just got real messy.

"Bam, bam, bam!" The night sky lit up like the Fourth of July, and it felt like the end of the world.  A volley of deafening shots pierced the night air, Blinding flashes of fire illuminated the shadows as multiple shots were fired.

'That crazy nutjob,' as he heard the gunshots, don't know whom, but Rick cursed.

The rabbit, however, proved to be far more agile and elusive than the stranger had anticipated. It flew like it had drowned himself in Red Bull. With nimbleness and agility, it zigzagged through the air, avoiding the barrage of bullets. Rick's heart was doing a drum solo in his chest as he watched the bunny's insane getaway. His veins were pumping with adrenaline.

A collective surge of adrenaline propelled both Rick and the rabbit into action. While the rabbit dashed further into the shadows, Rick seized the opportunity to crawl stealthily away from his original position.

"Bam! Bam!" Take this you crazy bastard..." The man continued firing blindly at the fleeting form of the rabbit, his shouts and curses filling the air.

Rick's heart hammered in his chest as he moved, trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and the stranger. Panic and confusion swirled around him, making it difficult to think clearly.

But because of the Rabbit, Rick finally managed to slip further into the underbrush without drawing the man's attention towards him, and getting out of the firing range. Quietly, he then nestled behind a tree, surrounded by tall enough bushes,  hiding from the man's sight and taking cover.

Finally he was safe. And it was all thanks to the rabbit's unexpected, bold gambit.

Meanwhile, the man also finally  managed to discern the shadow. His gaze followed the fleeing rabbit, his flashlight beam tracking its path until it disappeared into the forest's depths. For a few moments, the forest fell back into eerie silence, broken only by the man's frantic breathing.

The man lowered his gun slowly, his heavy breaths audible in the quiet aftermath. The unexpected encounter had left him bewildered and startled. He scanned the surroundings, trying to make sure that there was no one else.

Only after he had made sure that he was all alone, did the man clock his gun away.

Rick remained hidden, his heart still racing from the intense encounter. His thoughts swirled with confusion, uncertainty, and gratitude toward the rabbit that had saved him from this unknown man.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Soon, Rick heard another pair of footsteps fast approaching them. The flurry of gunshots have managed to catch the attention of someone.

"What happened? Did you find something?" The man asked, his voice anxious as he approached the first man.

"I, uh, thought I heard something, but it was nothing. Just a rabbit, I guess. It ran off into the woods." He shook his head like he couldn't believe what just went down.

"A rabbit?" The second man frowned when he heard the first man, "You blasted all those shots for a rabbit? Seriously, have you lost your marbles?"

"I know I screwed up," the first guy started to explain, "But I swear, I heard something, and when I went to check, that crazy rabbit jumped at me from the bushes, and..."

"Alright, enough of this. Let's bounce. It's getting late," the second guy didn't want to waste any more time there. He grabbed the first dude's arm and dragged him away. Reluctant, the first man looked one last time in the bushes before walking away with the other guy.

Rick was all ears, hiding in his secret spot, waiting to see how things played out. He let out a huge sigh of relief when the two strangers decided to bail. He figured he was out of the danger zone and could finally relax.

But then, he couldn't help but think about the rabbit, his totally unexpected hero in this wild west  situation.

"Hope that crazy thing is okay,"

Rick didn't rush things. He stayed put in the bushes for a few more minutes, just to make double sure that the two dudes were history and wouldn't come back. When he felt safe, then only with stealth and caution, Rick made his way out of the bushes. Then without turning to look back, He hustled back to the camp, hoping to find the rabbit chilling there. But his heart sank like a rock when he saw nothing but an empty campsite, devoid of any sign of his small, furry companion. He called out for the rabbit, his voice hushed and filled with concern, but there was no response, only crickets.

Rick was getting pretty freaked out as he scoured the area, looking for any sign of the rabbit. Time was dragging on, and he was starting to lose his cool. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Just when he thought all hope was lost, he heard some rustling in the bushes.

And there it was—the rabbit, standing on its back legs, its dark eyes locking onto Rick's with an eager anticipation. In a heartbeat, it bounded toward him and leaped into his waiting arms.

"You little troublemaker!"  Rick couldn't help but scold the rabbit for its reckless behavior, though his tone carried more relief than anger. He held the small creature close, its soft fur tickling his cheek, and whispered words of both admonishment and gratitude.

"You little rascal, You nearly gave me a heart attack, dashing off like that in the dead of night. You better thank your lucky stars those guys didn't get their paws on you. They'd probably be having a rabbit barbecue right now, washing you down with cold brewskis!"

"..."

"Seriously, this is what you have to say after I just  saved your ass?"

"..."

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

"So, why the heck did you run off like that?" Rick asked the rabbit as he took out all that the rabbit left before dashing out of the tent and placed it in front of the rabbit, "Didn't even finish your dinner."

"What did you pick up on that got you all worked up?" Rick decided to ignore the chest thumping from the rabbit and asked.

The rabbit was elated when she saw his master bring out the treats in front of her, "I heard them talk."

"Say what? From way over here?" Rick was seriously amazed.

"Oh, you know it!" The rabbit thumped its chest, bragging, "I've got some top-notch ears"

"What did you pick up on that got you all worked up?" Rick decided to ignore the chest thumping from the rabbit and asked.

"They were talking about some girl," the Rabbit looked up from her food and sounded concerned, "Sounds like they're planning something real nasty for her," the Rabbit told Rick.

"So what does this have got to do with us?" Rick looked nonchalant, "Why you gotta snoop in someone else's  business?"

"Of course, I am worried. Of course, it is my deal," the rabbit shot Rick a glare like it meant business. "I'm a lady, and I ain't letting some other gal get in trouble on my watch."

"You..." Rick could not believe he was actually arguing with a rabbit over this, "You are a rabbit, and that girl..."

[

Quest: Help the rabbit find that girl

Time Duration: 3 Days

Rewards: 1 Standard Scratch Card; Cash: $25,000; Ero Points: 5,000

]

"And that girl is absolutely our responsibility."

"..."

* * * * *

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