The Collar

Texas couldn't ignore people in plight, even if they were the criminals and guards that had been so set on abusing her. The system wasn't broken, it was just twisted in this instance, and by showing that she was a good prisoner she'd earn the Warden's trust and she would do the right thing. Texas was sure of it. She sprinted towards the elephant, dodging past prisoners as she spun the hook and sent it sailing through the air. It flew with precision, flying across the elephant's back to *clink* crash against the elephant's collar and hook into place. She gripped the sheets tightly and yanked, the pull letting the elephant know it had been caught. "Come on ya big brute, try an' shake me," she said with a grin.

The elephant had been about to crush a familiar rhino and bear, the two guards yelling as a huge grey ass filled their vision, then it teetered, the elephant being tugged to the side. It looked away from the two of them, Bruto fixing his eyes on Texas. With a trumpet of annoyance it yanked back and it was exactly what Texas hoped. She was pulled into the air, flying straight towards the elephant, she kept her grip to the apex and then let go, swinging with her own weight downwards and *SMACK* she crashed down right onto the elephant's back. The elephant definitely didn't like that, letting out a rage filled trombone of anger before starting to shake from side-to-side, attempting to swing her off. "Ah handled buckin' broncos before, ah can handle ya," Texas replied, though her words were more meant to reassure herself as she crawled along the elephant's back.

With a growl, Bruto shifted to one side, and then rammed towards the wall of the prison. Texas shifted quickly to the side, gripping the elephant's back from the opposing side and using the curve of the back for cover as the elephant crashed into the wall and made it shake. When he stumbled back, Texas yanked herself back up, quickly rushing along the spine and then leaping at the collar. She grabbed onto it with one hand, then the other gripped the trail of sheets leading off the grappling hook and started to wind them back. The elephant shook its head from side to side but she still pulled the sheets through, then tossed them to the side. They slipped down and around the elephant's throat as it shook its neck, and its own struggles had the sheets push up to the other side.

Texas took a deep breath and slid around the collar, grabbing up the other end of the sheets and tugging them back. She clambered back around and then gripped both ends tight in both hands before pulling. The elephant trumpeted then, shaking and growling in anger at her as she kept on pulling, using the sheets like reins, gripping at the elephant's throat as it choked on them. Each pull and yank had it fighting less until Bruto finally seemed to submit, the elephant forcing himself to stop and calm down. Texas then gripped the sheets and whipped them, prompting Bruto to walk forwards. The elephant's ponderous steps carried it back to the supply shed where there was a number of manacles all set out. Yet rather than being broken these manacles were loosened, a crude key forged of brass crammed into the locks. Texas hopped off, replaced the manacles to the elephants legs and clicked them all into place. Bruto was back in his cell.

Texas sighed as she walked back out of the shed, sweat pouring down her forehead. As she stepped out another figure stepped out of an inner gate, and she saw Warden Ramshackle flanked by some more armoured guards with batons. "Dealt with ya elephant problem for ya," Texas said with a grin.

Warden Ramshackle stopped before the Ex-Sheriff, a scowl clear on her face, but she gave a begrudging nod. "So it would seem. A shame. I was hoping to have the safari experience," she replied, her scowl making it unclear if she was joking or not. "I presume you also stopped any escape?"

"Darn tootin'!" Texas declared with a grin. "BB Winterbottom and Copperbutt you'll find knocked out beside the wall. The two of them along with Incina are the three conspirators of the plan."

Ramshackle's eyebrow lifted. "How?" she demanded.

"Copperbutt got the sheets from the laundry room on laundry duty, hiding them in her pants to smuggle them back to her room. Meanwhile Incina was taking advantage of her position in the factory to smelt some special items. A key, a trumpet, and a grappling hook. One of them, I'm guessing BB, took on supply duties, and used them to smuggle the key in to unlock Bruto's manacles?" Texas relayed, pausing on that last note.

Ramshackle's scowl deepened. "She was doing an excellent job at organising our supplies, yes."

Texas grinned broader at her prediction being right. "So Bruto was unlocked and waiting for her signal with the trumpet. The three of them were to gather out here in the yard, mine near the wall and then when the guards seemed the most distracted, BB played the trumpet. Bruto breaks out, distracts all the guards. Copperbutt pulls the sheets out her ass, BB gets them on the grapple, they toss it up and the three of them clamber up and out. They then break the link and run off while you clean up the elephant problem. That's how it woulda gone anyway, if ah hadn't gotten involved. Incina is chained up in the factory, and the other two are KO'd over by the wall," Texas declared, allowing her pride to shine.

The warden nodded slowly and thoughtfully. "Guards! Round up the other prisoners. Get them back to their cells, and our wounded to the infirmary." At her word the guards spread out, leaving Texas and Ramshackle alone. "You'll have your hearing, Texas. You did me a service today, now get back to your cell. The guards will watch your back from now on."