Shy Deer Steppes Shake your cake.

It all happened so fast, it wasn't entirely possible to parse out the individual sensations, but she felt something (the snake's snout) hit her ankle at speed and then something sharp sank into her toe. Towhee let out an entirely involuntarily cry of, "Shit!" and made a jerky leap sideways, shaking the struck paw rapidly as she took in the sight of the Crotalus oreganus curled in the dust, rattle wildly shaking.

Feeling a swell of panic, she backpedaled several more steps and unthinkingly stuck her pricked toe in her mouth to suck at the tiny but painful wound. She tasted blood and something sweeter, tangier. Towhee withdrew it to examine it, noting a single puncture wound. It was very small but bled freely.

She stared at that tiny thread of blood, then blinked at the snake still poised threateningly. Towhee gulped and turned to go... she wasn't sure where, just someplace far away from the rattlesnake. By rote, she hustled back toward the cover of the forest even as she found herself suddenly drooling madly despite the parching heat. She remained entirely oblivious to her witness.