CHAPTER IV – SURPRISE

After a few more steps of the horse our heroes were riding on, the tavern could be seen more clearly. Between the trees in the forest, a two-story building with a black triangular roof was standing peacefully. It did not give a feeling of being large. It was rather a mediocre house that had a few windows framed with flowers and vines, both on the first and second floor. In the center, there was a large spruce door under a sign showing a mug of beer.

Just next to the tavern, a small stable stood. It had some hay inside, a water container, and that was literally it, except for cobwebs, dust, and dirt. An ordinary modern human like you or I would probably mention what terrible conditions these were. However, back in these times of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's glory, that kind of stables was normal and all you could ask for as a commoner.

That is where Paweł rode his horse into. He dismounted, or even literally hopped off his horse as he was a cat, and grabbed a rope from one of the saddlebags.

„You may dismount." Paweł shortly ordered and began tying his horse to a pole.

Kitty and Puss looked around the stable with slight confusion but eventually jumped off the saddle. When Paweł was still busy with the horse, Puss decided to examine this said animal.

True, he had seen many horses before, but this one was looking a bit more different. Under the horse's brown fur, there were muscles showing clearly. Its legs were long and white at the bottom, while its hooves were having steel horseshoes. The animal in general looked quite massive for one of their kind. What was this creature used for? Lifting heavy objects? Crushing enemies' skulls?

When Paweł finally tied up his horse, he went past Puss and Kitty outside. „This may be not your ordinary bar… Things are pretty much different in our Rzeczpospolita." He said when heading towards the tavern's door.

Puss walked confidently behind Paweł, having his paw on his sword. Kitty, however, was following Puss a little nervously.

„Hah, true, Pollacko." Puss murmured loud enough for Kitty to hear. „Your horses aren't even looking like Spanish ones."

„What are you suggesting, Puss?" Kitty asked silently and turned her head to him.

„That's el toro [a bull], not a horse we were riding on." He whispered. „I've seen many in my life, though none were that bulked up."

„Well, I've heard stories about them..." She began explaining. „They have these things because..."

Suddenly, Paweł opened the door to the inn in a sharp move. Its interiors were finally seen.

The main room was filled to its boundaries by large tables. Not only were they surrounded by people, but they were also covered with lots of beer, vodka, and any type of alcohol one could imagine. The walls, however, were decorated by hunting rifles and many preys – once there was a boar head on a shield, another wall was proudly having a piece of bearskin on it.

Not only the looks were different from a typical Spanish cantina's. No… The voices were filled with laughs, table bashing, and words in Polish. That language was quite harsh for Western Europeans for sure.

Thankfully, nobody really cared that the cat trio joined the party. Paweł moved on forward, walking quickly and without bigger fuss nearly like a tank.

„Find a table." He quickly ordered while not even looking at them. „I'll join you afterward."

And that's when he casually hopped onto one stool right next to the counter, just as if he did it a million times before. With nothing left to be done, Kitty and Puss sat down next to a human-sized table.

„Puss, look..." Kitty started, yet Puss immediately interrupted her:

„These lands are outta cabeza." He said, slightly irritated. „I have thought that San Ricardo can be a bad place to live, but this? This?"

„Oh, don't be so mean, Puss!" She scoffed. „Just tell me what's going on."

Puss quickly turned to take a glimpse of Paweł. The Polish cat was still sitting on his stool, his tail swaying lightly from side to side in boredom and his head rested on the forearms placed on the counter.

He immediately turned back to Kitty and leaned towards her:

„I sense this companero might be a nuisance sooner or later. He's… unpredictable."

Kitty only shrugged. „Seems like you and this Polacko have something in common, then. Is that something wrong?"

„No, no, it's just..." That was when Puss paused a little. „What if he is a protector of this White Eagle? What if maybe he will try and take it from us at the last moment? Look, Kitty, look!"

He grabbed her face kindly and pointed it towards sitting Paweł. „He's just sitting here… Menacingly."

But Kitty merely looked at him with his eyes and asked: „You understand that he's not Humpty, right?"

Puss scoffed and let her go while pointing his finger at her. „Don't. You ever. Mention him again." He ordered with a slight frustration in his voice.

„Relax, Puss. I swear I won't." She raised her paws up, yet later lowered them and commented: „Afraid furry lover."

It took Puss a few seconds to calm down and smile at that comment. „Huh, that's my new nickname, isn't it?"

„Depends." She shrugged and rested her legs on the table. „Now let's wait for the Senor Pollacko."

At this time, Paweł was still waiting for the bartender to come. And eventually, he came and leaned over the counter.

The man was very obese, especially for these times of 17th century. He even had a double chin, yet it was thankfully covered by a large blonde beard he had, which was tied in a nice ponytail. His large belly was kept in place by a sturdy leather apron which was over his gray shirt. With his lazy eyes, he looked at Paweł.

„Wunschen Sie etwas, Herr Paweł?" He asked in German, to which Paweł responded:

„Ein Glas Wodka, danke."

That was something to think of. A Polish nobleman speaking fluent German, albeit with a slight Polish accent was certainly something to be considered.

„...Kommen Sie mit einem Problem, Herr Paweł?" The bartender asked Paweł politely as he was grasping a glass.

„Du kannst es sagen." He spoke and lifted his gaze off from the counter to the innkeeper. „Es gibt etwas. Ich habe dir niemals darum gefragt."

„Sprechen Sie." The innkeeper ordered when grabbing a bottle of vodka and opening it.

„...Hast du etwas uber den Weisser Adler gehort?" Paweł asked and tilted his head. „Wo ist sie, zum Beispiel?"

The bartender stopped in his tracks when he was about to give the fresh shot of vodka to Paweł. He widened his eyes and stared at him. After a few seconds, thankfully, he continued and gave Pawel the drink.

„Horen Sie. Ich habe wenig gehort, tut mir leid. Es gibt aber ein paar Menschen, die mochten ihm zu haben. Sei vorsichtig, Herr Paweł. Sie mochten Ihren Blut auch."

„Vielen Menschen mochten mein Blut. Nichts neues." The Polish cat shrugged his shoulders and grabbed the shot of vodka.

„Na zdrowie." Paweł lightly cheered and then gulped down the shot of vodka in one go. The innkeeper looked at the bottle of the drink Paweł ordered. He stared in confusion at Paweł and then at the bottle again.

„Wunderbar, Herr." The innkeeper spoke a little amusement. „Sie suchen sie, richtig?"

„Richtig." He answered and nodded once.

„Es ist nur eine Geschichte, Herr. Es gibt keinen Platz bekannt, an dem sie sein kann. Vielleicht Leuten in die Suden wissen. Oder diese Menschen, wer wollen Sie toten."

„Ich verstehe. Was sind ihnen Namen?" He asked.

The innkeeper leaned closer, his fat body nearly making him fall over the counter.

„Heinrich und Klaus. Zwillinger."

These names made Paweł raise his eyebrows for a second and sigh deeply. He pushed the empty glass shot to the bartender and made his farewells:

„Danke fur deine Hilfe, Wilhelm. Zu nachsten mal." He grabbed one copper coin and put it on the counter. Then, without bigger fuss, he turned around and hopped off of the stool.

With a slight nervousness in his steps, he made his way to the table which Puss and Kitty occupied. He gently sat down and smiled a little, enough to show a part of his steel teeth brace he had.

„Did you order anything?" Paweł asked in a rather nice tone. Thankfully, the vodka he had drunk started to invade his Polish brain and made him just a bit happier and less dark than before.

Puss slowly shook his head for no. „Noo… But, hah, what are they serving here, Senor?"

„Some good meat, I would say." He answered and rested his forearms on the table.

„Again, hardly anybody gives a Polish veteran cavalryman some alcohol to drink as a sign of treaty. That's a magnificent gesture, I would say. But do keep in mind that you need to do what I say."

„Hah, are you subconscious about my skills, Pollacko?" Puss asked in a bit mocking way and smiled charmingly. He surely enjoyed the positive atmosphere Paweł at least tried to give right now, at least for this moment.

Kitty immediately interrupted: „Puss, nobody ever questioned your skills. At least not me." She smiled too. „Sir Paweł just wants us to stay safe, complete our quest, and get us the glory. Isn't that right, sir?" She addressed Paweł.

He only nodded once and responded: „Tak. It's right. But this journey won't be without trouble. See this large lad over there?" He pointed his paw at Wilhelm the innkeeper who was right now pouring the tasty golden beer into a pint, carefully making sure his large belly wouldn't make him get stuck in between the barrel and the counter.

„Si." Both Kitty and Puss answered.

„What a shame, really, that I haven't asked him earlier about the White Eagle." Paweł scoffed. „Now I know that we need to go deeper to the South. And in the meantime avoid hostiles."

„Bandits?" Puss smiled and was about to draw his sword, yet Paweł immediately explained further:

„I remember they're not bandits at all, but some very good bounty hunters in East Prussia. If you find anybody speaking oddly, feel free to slay them, actually."

Puss shrugged his shoulders and widened his arms. „But Senor Pollacko, everybody is talking funny here! We're in the Kingdom of Poland, caramba!"

This time Paweł wasn't angry that he made such a comment about his nation. He just chuckled and answered: „Then slay anybody whose language sounds like the language of military drill commands. They're Germans, for God's sake."

„Aaaaah..." Puss slowly nodded his head in understanding.

„You might want to ask the patrons around where is the way to South and what kind of legend experts we might meet there." Paweł suggested. „In the meantime, I have a few things to write and solve. Excuse me now, this might take a while. And that's why I will rent a room for this afternoon."

Puss rested his Corinthian boots on the table and said: „I and these boots will have you in protection."

But Paweł only looked at these rich boots in a slight shame and answered: „...I hope so."

And that was when he left the seat and made his way to the innkeeper again. Soon, both Spanish cats switched their gazes onto each other.

„Ha, now we have some baddies on our tails," Puss said as he let his legs go off of the table and back on the floor again. „This might be really interesting."

„Very right!" She said and elbowed him playfully. „The lands seem to be pretty wild, however. I only remember the vast town back in San Ricardo and even bigger desert plains. But this is something out of ordinary. Feels a little colder too."

„We have just traveled a huge distance in an eyeblink with the use of a strange Polish candle, Senorita." He began explaining. „Of course it's way different than it was here. I've never had a chance to actually go to this country. Surprising that this Commonwealth even has a status of an empire too."

„So maybe it's time to..." Kitty wondered. „POLISH our language skills, then?"

Puss burst out laughing. „Good one, Kitty. You know how to make me laugh."

„Shall we go outside?" She asked and her partner just nodded. „Si, there's brilliant weather. Let's go."

And so they left their seats and pushed the door open, going outside. Then they encountered nature not really met in their own homeland, let alone their town of San Ricardo. The birds were singing, the flowers were blooming, the grass and trees were all green. Sure, it was colder than in Spain where the sun kept heating with its powerful rays, yet here it calmed down in favor of the trees and animals living there.

A few birds were flying above them and a part of them stopped to a halt near the tavern. Both Kitty and Puss felt their prey drive kicking in and both of them went on all fours.

Kitty crept closer to a sparrow hopping nearby. She kept as low as possible and hoped her vulnerable prey didn't see her. Just as Kitty was the closest she could safely get, she finally lunged at the bird as fast as it was possible. She swiped her paws at the sparrow, but it was to no avail – she had no claws and the smacked bird just flew away in complete shock yet unharmed. When the sparrow was still escaping, Kitty even jumped into the air to catch her prey, yet she failed again. She quickly landed on all fours and sighed.

„Ah! I can't remember the last time I went after a bird!" She complained.

But Puss only rested his paw on her shoulder and reassured her: „Hey, hey, Senorita, don't worry."

He even slowly hugged her and licker her ear: „It is never too late to start over."

Kitty looked at him and smiled. Soon, she looked around to find other birds.

And she did.