There was no telling of how it started. The moniker only gradually became common knowledge among those across the land. However, it did confuse some, considering that you were the sheep and not the shepherd.
Not that the title had ever been bothersome. It was pretty flattering. Humorous even. But never unappreciated.
Your hooves clomped along the worn dirt path in a steady rhythm. With the sun shining bright overhead, you carried onward toward the nearest village. Occasionally moving your staff to and fro to watch the reflections of its shimmering decorations dance in the sunlight. A simple joy that brought a chuckle to your lips.
Before long, you arrived at the outskirts of the town. The entrance was open to all comers seeing as they hadn't installed a gate. Many were busy with their daily lives and swarmed the market square. Coins and goods exchanged hands with a stream of chatter filling the air.
The sight never ceased to please you. An unmistakable air of camaraderie and peace among the people. Fewer qualms and fewer deaths due to strife. Hard not to notice such a wonderful place.
Suddenly you were pushed forward by a passerby. A young boy no more than nine or ten years old. He seemed to be in a hurry.
"I'm so sorry," he panted. "I didn't see you there—"
Steadying yourself with the help of your staff, you turned to face him. "That's all right," you reassured him. "I'm quite easy to miss, I suppose."
You didn't receive a response. Instead, the boy stared at you awkwardly. His mouth hanging open.
"A-are you alright?" you stammered. The boy's loss of speech making you worry.
"Uh...yes!" he nodded quickly. "I...sorry again. I'll go now."
His cheeks tinted pink as he hurried off. The crowd parting to allow him to pass.
"...Well, that was odd," you muttered.
You continued onward. Passing by an older woman selling vegetables, a young girl carrying a basket of eggs, and numerous others. All the while watching with interest and amusement as the villagers went about their day.
Then a voice rose above the clamor. "Hey! It's Puss in Boots!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned toward the source of the call. And just like that, everyone assembled on the other side of town. Where stood one of the most infamous but beloved heroes of the land—Puss in Boots.
You could barely catch a glimpse of him through the crowd of onlookers. Not that you hadn't already seen him before.
The ginger tabby cat was well-known throughout the region. And not just because of his exploits as a bounty hunter, either. There was something endearing about him too. Something warm and kind. Although he had become rather arrogant and self-centered over the past few years since his rise to fame, you couldn't deny that he'd saved countless lives and helped many townsfolk out of dire straits. That alone made him deserving of respect.
But seeing how he was in the spotlight, you took the time to wander more of the town. Get a feel for its layout. See if there was anything worth taking note of.
Mortals tend to change or rebuild their homes often enough. It's hard to keep up with exactly where everything is located, whether it be a secret door disguised as a wall with the help of magic or a hidden room beneath a staircase.
These things were worth knowing for future reference. Just in case you needed to find a specific location or person.
Except you quickly noticed one thing. One detail that bothered you greatly.
You weren't sure why you chose to ignore it earlier. Maybe you were simply tired. Or perhaps it slipped your attention entirely. Either way, you failed to notice it until now.
𝐋𝐎𝐁𝐎 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄.
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(I didn't put as much effort into this chapter as I thought I would, but that's mainly because, again, it's late, and I should probably go to sleep, but there's a very loud thunderstorm going on, and I'd rather stay up straining my eyes than listen to bang, pow, boom while I sleep. I'll probably fix this chapter up either tomorrow or Monday afternoon once I've finished school and done my shift so see ya then!)
