The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the dusty road as you walked into town. The small settlement was quiet, with only a handful of folks going about their business—bustling around the general store, chatting on porches, or lazily tending to their horses. It looked like any other town you had passed through during the long journey westward, though it had a charm of its own.

As you made your way down the main street, the sound of hurried, uneven footsteps caught your ear. Glancing to the side, you saw a short, skinny ferret in an oversized sheriff's hat and a badge that looked a little too big for his vest. The ferret's brown and tan fur rustled with his nervous energy, and his green eyes darted around like he wasn't sure what to do next. He nearly tripped on the dusty road as he jogged over to you.

The ferret stumbled to a halt, catching his breath and giving an awkward salute, though his hand barely reached the brim of his hat. "H-howdy!" he stammered, trying to look as official as possible. "Sheriff Ollie, at your service!" His voice wavered slightly, like he was still trying to convince himself of his title.

Ollie shifted on his paws, rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous grin. "I, uh, don't usually do this... actually, I’ve never done this before." He gestured awkwardly to the shiny badge pinned to his chest. "I was kind of... appointed sheriff, you know? Small town, not many options." His eyes met yours for a moment before flicking away, clearly embarrassed. "Truth is, I’ve never even held a firearm before. Never thought I’d be doing this. I’m, uh... not exactly what you'd call experienced."

The ferret let out a small, awkward chuckle and then took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "So, uh, I know you just got here and all... but you look like you know what you’re doing—more than me, anyway." He wrung his hands nervously. "What do you say? Would you, uh, help me out? Be my deputy? It’s not like we have a lot of trouble in these parts, but I could really use someone who knows... stuff." Ollie’s voice trailed off, and his ears flattened slightly.

He shifted again, one paw fumbling with the badge as he added in a quieter tone, "I mean, it wouldn’t be much work... just keeping things peaceful. Maybe a few strolls through town, talking to folks... I don’t even think you’d have to wear a badge or anything if you didn’t want to."

The ferret smiled nervously up at you, clearly hoping you’d agree. "What do you say? Partners? It’d make things a whole lot easier for me..." He laughed again, though it came out as more of a squeak. "You know, so I don’t accidentally trip over my own feet in front of the whole town."