J.H. White's Puss in Boots: Book I

Part Two: Chapter Eight

Puss scrambled backwards and drew his sword. He wasn't sure if he had the strength to fight, but he told himself that she was an old woman. This would be easy.

"It's okay," the woman said. "Put down the sword. I'm a spy for the rebels." Puss calmed down. "Most of the people in this town are. There are a few real supporters, though. That's why we have to be careful." She took the vial and opened Puss' mouth. She poured the blue liquid in, and Puss instantly felt better.

"Thank you, Señora. If you don't mind me asking, where are we?" The woman smiled.

"Cudillero, dear," she said. Puss gasped; he was thousands of miles away from Kitty, if she was even still there.

"How can I repay you?" Puss asked the woman.

"Defeat Carnage. Put her head on a pike," she replied. Puss nodded.

"Gracias, again," he said as he began to walk out the door. "I need to find my wife and child." Three masked men blocked his way and he swore loudly. One of them got out a device and read from it.

"Señora Julia, you are hereby convicted of treason against Her Grandeur and are sentenced to execution by firing squad."

Puss and the old woman were caught. She stared the men down.

"No," she said firmly. "Go to hell." The men exchanged glances.

"I don't think you understand," the leader said. "We brought the firing squad to you."

They opened the doors and six more men stood there, ready to pull the triggers and rip Puss and the woman to shreds. They were about to do it when suddenly the leader held up a hand. "STOP!" he called. He grabbed Puss. "I need this one. He's very valuable to her grandeur."

He got out a set of chains when Puss decided that he could save himself. Save this old woman. He was tired of just standing by and letting things happen.

He tore apart the man's face. Tore it apart. The only thing left when he was done was a grotesque mess of mangled flesh. The others saw what had happened and Puss couldn't have stopped what happened next.

Shots were fired and the old woman slumped against the wall, with five bullets in her head. 

Then, one of the men said, "Get the cat. GET HIM!" Puss ran. He needed to find a way out. The men were closing in. One of them dropped their gun. Puss saw that the weapon was his exit. He started running in the direction of the soldiers, and slid under them, stealthily snatching the firearm. He pointed it at all of them. Could he really gun down six men in cold blood? For Kitty, he told himself. For Maria. For the old woman. He pressed the trigger, and the automatic firing shredded through the entire battalion. In less than five seconds, they were all dead, drowning in their own blood.

He was a bit horrified at how quickly he had resorted to savagery, but finding Kitty was his only priority. He dropped the weapon and left. It was time to look for his family.