"Viper" by Rasha Al Najjar

As Sckelg had said, the desert at night was much easier to travel through, they'd made good progress so far, the night still young as they said!
The Todd trotted along beside him, ears flickering this way and that in mild interest.
"So this is what a desert's liyek eh? Big huh?"
Sckelg said nothing, he'd learned that the Todd often asked things without expecting an answer, and to tell the truth, after being with him, he'd be sad to leave...but he tried not to think about that yet!

Trotting from clump of desert weeds to the next, they made good progress until the sun began to rise. They were wary but not overly so and perhaps it was this lack in judgement that was bad.

It was one particular clump of greenery they came across when suddenly there was a hiss and something long shot right past Sckelg's ears. It happened so fast he could barely keep tack of it, but it was something long, The Todd let out a yelp of surprise and jumped, Sckelg turning to see a scaly thin snake, recoil from its bite.
"Snake!" screamed his tiny Hare brain! He bolted off in a shot, The Todd running after in shock.

The pair ran blindly for a while then found the nearest hole, it smelled abandoned so Sckelg ran in, The Todd following.

For a moment they both lay there panting, hearts hammering.
"Didn't see that un eh?" panted the Todd with a wry barking laugh.
"Are you alright? Where did it get you?"
"Aww no use worryin abowet me, I'm a tough old bush tail is the Taedd." he barked again but it was a little wheezy.
"Lemme see!" insisted Sckelg pawing at the Todd's shoulder where a few small droplets of blood where. It got him just above the shoulder. "It's ok...I don't think it's very deep...maybe a scratch? Let me clean it."

The Todd sighed heavily and laid down on his side, Sckelg licking the wound to clean it.
"Ye're a good un Sckelg, far a human." he barked again. "All that's far me is a good owld wink o sleep riyet, then I'll be up an new as a young cub aye. Ye mark me words coney, there's nowt says the Taedd what can keep him down."

The story and all related artwork is (C) to me