Free The Rightful Heir by Jefferson Knapp

of log above him. Two of the rattlesnakes fell immediately, their guts hanging out from long slits down their sides. Dying in agony, their rattles shook uncontrollably. The remaining snake’s brown diamond-head darted around, then looked right at Jonah. It angrily slithered away from its two dead partners and went right toward the pug, causing Jonah to curl up with fear. The snake slithered over the fallen log and hissed loudly. Jonah trembled, listening to the snake and something growling angrily back. Then he heard the rustling of dead leaves, and all went quiet.
    The pug didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t wait in that fallen tree for whatever was out there to come and kill him. He decided to run and jumped out of the log. He heard another hiss behind the log and his curiosity got the best of him. He cautiouslymoved farther down the rotted log, stood on his hind legs, and looked over the faded, dark-green bark. He wasn’t prepared to see the rattlesnake squirming as it hissed at its captor. A small gray hand squeezed the snake tightly around its neck. The fierce little raccoon stared into the snake’s evil eyes for a long moment, growling. Then, in an instant, the raccoon freed one of his hands and slashed his claws down the belly of his squirming victim. The rattle shook loudly as guts fell out of its yellow-scaled belly.
    Jonah’s eyes bulged in amazement. The raccoon threw the still-squirming snake onto the leafy ground, looked at Jonah through his black mask, and growled softly. The pug took off running, stumbling over a few dead tree branches that lay across his path.
    The raccoon needed a few seconds to cool down from the killing he’d just made, then realized the dog he’d saved was running away. “Wait a minute! Get back here!” he called.
    Jonah heard him yelling as he raced through the trees. “Stop! I’m on your side!” Jonah kept running. “Ah,
great!”
The raccoon dashed after him, racing through the leaves. He yelped in horror as his aggressor came up behind him.
“Stop!”
He tried to pull away, but the raccoon leaped in the air and landed on top of him.
    â€œHelllllp!” Jonah shouted at the empty forest. “Help! Someone, please help!” The raccoon pinned him firmly as he squirmed.
    â€œSomeone just
did
help! What’s the matter with you?” the raccoon panted.
    â€œGet off me!” Jonah yelled, wriggling underneath.
    â€œOkay, but if I let you go, you have to tell me why you’re out here.”
    â€œWhy do you want to know?”
    The raccoon released him. “Do you realize where you’re headed, guy?!”
    â€œI’m notsure…” Jonah stared at the black mask.
    â€œSo you don’t know you were headed right for the old barn where…” He sighed in frustration. “What’s a dog like you doing out here, anyway?”
    â€œI’m searching for my kingdom.” Jonah cleared his throat. “I’m a king!”
    â€œY-you’re a
what?!”
The raccoon flapped his arms.
    â€œI’m a king. King Jonah. Only…I don’t know exactly where my kingdom is.” He looked down, embarrassed. “So, who are you?”
    The raccoon noticed the pug’s black foot and his mouth hung open. “Malcolm. My name’s Mal.… Are you by any chance King Pugsly’s—”
    â€œPugsly!
Yes, yes! He was my dad!” His tail sprung up and wagged happily.
    Malcolm sighed in relief. “Oh, wow! King Jonah, you…you wouldn’t believe how honored I am to meet you.” The raccoon bowed.
    â€œThank you, Malcolm. And thank you for saving my life back there. You handled those snakes quite impressively.”
    Malcolm’s face changed from joy to anger as he thought about the rattlesnakes. “I…hate…snakes!” The raccoon breathed furiously through his little nose.
    â€œUm…okay. Well, I hate ‘em, too.