Title: Desolate Desperado
Author: Dorri
Summary: [Based on the upcoming PIB movie] As Puss is thrown in prison to rot, he reflects on the relationship with the one he loved.
Pairing: Implied Puss/Kitty
Rating: K+ (for brief language)
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this story belong to Dreamworks Animation. I do not make any profit from these writings.
Desolate Desperado
Puss barely put up a struggle as the knight carried him by the scruff of the neck up the stairs that led to the second level of the prison. He had absolutely no will to fight and quite possibly no will to live at that moment. His jade eyes stared blankly at the stone floor beneath him, barely acknowledging the small mouse that scurried by as the knight continued to march with a stern stride. Normally he would have loved to chase the little creature, but he wouldn't have cared if the mouse had willingly leapt into his paws.
The walls echoed with the sound of keys jingling together as the knight fumbled to find the right one. He opened the door and marched inside, where a soon-to-be occupied shackle lay chained to the floor. Normally it was used to shackle a human's ankle, but it was just the right size for the width of the cat's neck. Puss gave a small grunt as the shackle was clasped around his neck, the weight of the chain hard to resist.
The knight turned and left, tossing Puss's sword in the corner of the cell without a care, far out of reach of the cat, and then finally slamming the door behind him, locking it promptly. Puss lowered himself to the stone floor, the weight of the chain making it painful for him to continue standing like he was. He glanced over at a small bowl that rested a few feet away, disappointed to see that it had no water. He had no reason to think that the guards would even care to fill it. The feline sighed and scooted over against the stone wall. So much for his get rich quick scheme. It had seemed so brilliant and flawless at the time, but he was foolish to even think for a moment that he could trust his so called 'comrades'. Why didn't he know any better? Didn't any idiot know that when money was involved, there was never room for trust?
The plan had been simple: steal the Goose That Lays the Golden Eggs and split the profits evenly. It seemed fair enough, and he didn't see any reason not to trust them, but he saw in an instant that they were both working for their own gain and no one else's. But as smart and crafty as he was, it was hardly any defense for such a literally fragile creature like Humpty Dumpty. He had been the first to show his true colors, turning on Puss and his mate in a flash, scooping the goose up under one arm while withdrawing Puss's own sword from his belt before he could blink. He had made a move to strike Kitty first, but Puss had been quick to grab a large, jagged rock from the ground, threatening to throw it at the egg, which would have easily shattered his thin shell. He quickly dropped the sword on Puss's command, but he just as quickly turned and fled, the valuable goose still secure in this arms.
Puss had instructed for his mate to follow after the egg, going to retrieve his sword from the ground, but it was then that he felt the female's body pressed firmly against his from behind, his arm being roughly pulled behind his back and a cold blade of a dagger being pressed against his throat.
"Why?" had been the only words he uttered.
"It is a cold world, amor," the female had whispered in his ear. "If I were you, I wouldn't hand out my trust as though it were free cookie samples."
Puss vaguely remembered stumbling to the ground after feeling the handle of the dagger striking the side of his head. He saw Kitty flee, no doubt, after Humpty Dumpty in hopes of stealing back the goose for herself. He never bothered to pursue them. He couldn't have, not after his heart had been ripped out of his chest, stomped on, and then ground into the dirt for good measure. He had simply wandered along the dirt trail for several hours, completely withdrawn. The authorities had finally caught up with him, grabbing him and tossing him into the wagon to be transported to prison, where he would surely rot away into nonexistence forever, but he had welcomed that.
It was while he was being transported that he had gotten word that Humpty Dumpty had been found and had apparently 'had a great fall'. 'My ass,' Puss had thought bitterly. Kitty's whereabouts were still unknown.
"Cold-hearted bitch," Puss mumbled to himself, his voice echoing off the walls. His lip quivered slightly, the urge to weep becoming stronger. He had loved her. He had thought she was going to be the one; his life mate, the mother of his children, the one he would grow old with. Even now, he still loved her, and hated her just the same, and as much as her betrayal killed him inside, he didn't wish harm on her. He was certain that if he hadn't truly loved her, then he could have easily pictured her throat in his paws as she choked and gasped for air.
Her face flashed across his mind, her golden eyes soft and welcoming, and her smile sweet and flirtatious. Everything about her, from the words that she spoke, to the way she looked at him, seemed so sincere. "I don't think I've ever fallen for someone faster," she had said, secured by his arms wrapped around her waist, her paws gently resting on his. He remembered that moment so vividly that he swore he could still almost feel her body against his. It was the happiest he had ever been. He had even told her that they would take their money and travel the world together, and then ultimately return to their roots: the beautiful city of Madrid.
The feline took a better look at his surroundings, crinkling his nose in disgust at the dark, dank cell which confined him. He had thought life at the orphanage was miserable, but compared to this, the orphanage was a dream vacation. He fumbled with the shackle secured around his neck, but there was no way he'd be able to slip through it; it was too tight. The tabby sighed pitifully and lowered himself to the floor, curling up to sleep, while grunting as the chain got in the way.
0ooooooo0
Getting any sleep the previous night had proved to be a nearly impossible task for the feline. Any bit of sleep that he did get had not gone without haunting nightmares of Kitty plaguing his mind. There were times the dream would start so peacefully, with the female wrapped in his loving embrace, but the dream would always take a darker turn when he felt the cold, menacing feel of the blade to his throat. He had awoke in a cold sweat after one particular dream where she had actually thrust the dagger into his chest, piercing his heart, no doubt a mental visual of how he felt in response to her betrayal.
Puss stared up at the barred window across from his cell, his heart wincing with longing as he stared out at the freedom that was just out of his reach. He cursed himself for having not put up more of a struggle when he had been arrested. He had simply been too distraught to care, but now that he had had several hours to process his thoughts and emotions, his fighting spirit was slowly returning. He glanced over at his sword in the corner, figuring its thin blade could easily unlock the shackle around his neck, but it was beyond reach.
"Damn it," the cat cursed, hitting his fist against the wall in frustration. He didn't see any possibility of escaping. He was almost prepared to accept the fact that he would die in this cell, alone, with no one there to comfort him and without having done anything in his life to be remembered for. He didn't even have anyone important in his life who would keep him alive in their memories. He had no family, no friends, no one. He still had so many years ahead of him, and they were about to be cut tragically short, and why? Because he was an utter fool.
Puss' ears stood erect and his eyes widened with newfound excitement as he heard the faint echo of footsteps, which grew louder and louder. As he heard the jangling of keys outside his cell door, he had to fight to keep his heart in his chest. This was his chance. Puss immediately began to choke and gasp, grasping at the shackle around his neck. The cell door swung open and a guard stepped in, carrying a plate of scraps for the cat to eat.
"What's your problem?" the man barked.
"I-" Puss gasped again. "Hard to breathe. Too…tight."
The guard rolled his eyes, setting the plate down on the floor and approached the cat. He unlocked the shackle, planning to adjust it, but the moment Puss heard the click, he wasted no time bolting.
"Adios, sucker!" he cackled.
"You little-" the guard growled as he swung an arm out after the feline, who quickly grabbed his sword and exited through the cell door. "WE HAVE A BREAK!" the guard shouted, hoping others would hear. "PRISONER IS ESCAPING!"
Puss raced down the stairs, being careful not to stumble. He kept his sword grasped tightly in his paw, knowing that he would have to put it to good use at any moment. He could hear more guards approaching quickly, their armor giving away their presence. The first guard that rounded the corner was easy for Puss to avoid. He simply dropped to the ground and slid underneath his legs. The next two guards swung their swords madly, but Puss easily danced around them, blocking their swords with his own and maneuvering between their feet.
The feline safely made it outside, having to hold back a victorious cackle, not wanting to celebrate just yet. He fled into the dense forest just a few hundred yards away from the prison, certain he would be able to throw the guards off his track. He took cover behind some thick brush, keeping absolutely still as he watched the guards run past, splitting off in different directions in hopes of locating the cat. Puss stayed put for a few minutes as he allowed himself to catch his breath. He could hear the guards scrambling about, cursing and yelling as they tried to locate the escapee.
Once Puss was certain it was safe for him to emerge from the brush, he quickly fled, heading in a direction he knew wouldn't cross paths with the guards.
0ooooooo0
Puss had been traveling for well over two days, had only made two kills and was now eager to find water. The kills he had made were only small rodents, which didn't supply his body with enough water, and considering he was too exhausted to actually try for another hunt, he decided to seek out a creek or river to counter his dehydration, which took a while.
There was not an hour that went by that Kitty did not enter his mind, and it took a bit of effort for him to shake her image. He almost hoped he would cross paths with her so that he may confront her, but he didn't think it would really do much good. He held no belief that she would ever regret her actions. Her words had been poison; no regret, no sorrow, just pure venom. Seeing her again would probably only add to the pain.
Coming into a clearing, Puss was introduced to a very welcoming sight: civilization, something he hadn't seen in the last two days he had been traveling. He could make out the "Far Far Away" sign decorating the mountainside, as well as the castle that sat off to its left. He had heard of this place many times in his life, and now that he was staring at the kingdom face to face, he saw new opportunities waiting on the horizon.
Marching towards the kingdom, Puss was met with his first sight of inspiration: a "Wanted: Dead or Alive" poster displayed on a tree trunk he had stopped at to place his scent marks, with an artist's depiction of an ogre under the words. He did not see the word, 'Alive', only 'Dead.'
Author's Note: Okay, I read on the Wiki page for the upcoming Puss movie that Puss is thrown in prison at the end of the movie, and he meets Shrek shortly after he escapes. Honestly, I just think some random person made some crap up about the movie and threw that in, as any idiot can edit a Wiki article. A wiki article wouldn't give away the ending of a movie that's barely in production, but it DID give me this idea, because while I don't think what the article says is true (I could be wrong), it sounds plausible.
For those who are wondering, no, I have not abandoned "Behind the Name". The next chapter is in progress right now. I know updates have slowed down and I'm sorry. Just hang tight.