Two days later, before the great inundation of Fizgard and the villages of Koreon, five wanderers appeared riding three mounts, two cats, a dog and two men in black and yellow uniforms, the five stopped for a moment in front of a strangely empty and quiet village, where most of the buildings were round wooden warehouses, but everything was strangely quiet that day, it looked at first as if most of the farmers were now working on the floodplain picking rice, but the village itself was strangely too quiet, too much. Leading the five travelers, an orange striped cat stopped them all, looking from under his hat with his green watchful eyes, his right paw close to the suspended weapon in front of his cloak.
- Wait a minute, it's too quiet here. He said Puss in Boots listening to every possible sound.
- no time to wait, Jessica doesn't have that much time, we lost almost two days, we have to hurry. Said the golden-haired Martin who didn't listen to anyone and didn't wait for anything.
- Martin, wait, something's wrong here, it's too quiet. Kevin said as his brown eyes watched warily something that seemed to flicker in the shadows of round buildings and late afternoon.
- Something's not quite right here. She said Kitty Softpaws when her blue eyes saw something that seemed to be sneaking in the shadows, Kitty immediately put her mask on her head and, drawing her dagger, looked behind her, signaling readiness for Puss.
- Wait, what's so bad in here?. Asked brown and white Perrito, sniffing the air with a big grimace in his turquoise eyes.
- this stench is impossible, what stinks so much. Perrito added as he buried his nose in the sock around his neck and his words about the stench suddenly echoed among the two people, Kevin immediately grabbed the ban and his black hair bristled with the only response to what he had just felt and knew what he was dealing with.
- it smelled. Kevin said.
Hearing this, Puss, Kitty and Perrito looked to the right at the man with the rucksack drawing a sword, the man who began to slowly back his mount away from the empty buildings of Koreon village, seeing the reactions of the archaeologist ready to fight, to escape both cats drew a weapon, a dagger and a sword watching now watchfully a settlement that turned out to be deserted for a specific reason, the farmers ran away from someone who was usually called a stinker, and that always meant trouble in the lands of the kingdom of Olimandokt.
- who are the stinkers. Kitty asked, looking at Kevin and Martin.
- this is the plague of our lands, clever people but their hygiene is something they have never learned and worst of all, their overpowering stench is probably their worst weapon, they are here, we must run quickly!. Kevin shouted.
- we can't, we have to cross the Fizgard flood, it's the only way. Martin said as twenty thugs wielding swords and maces burst out of the village, men who swore at the first blow and let out their terrible breaths so strong that three mounts fell to the ground in shock after the deafening sidewalls of unimaginable stench.
- gosh what an overpowering stench, my poor nose, someone save me. Perrito said terrified, spinning his night tighter and tighter.
- Attention!. Shouted Puss as the first of the filthies struck, in an incoherent and savage manner, a pair of swords flashed just as fast-running great clubs flashed, Puss and Kitty dodged to the side and, despite the terrible stench that contorted their faces and fur, they struck a couple of times, each time hitting the the rear part of the body and the leather armor gave way easily.
Those hit in the rear part of the thugs started jumping holding their butts, but when they got free, it was a real rush of something even worse, because the thugs raised their armpits and the stench that was born of their sweat was even worse from the mouth and teeth that had never been washed, suddenly both cats they spun in place almost knocked down by the deafening stench, at the same moment twenty more thugs burst out from both sides of the two village borders, and leading them the most unwashed man, black-haired Chief Armon, habitually scratching his greasy black hair and head, shaking himself more fleas, as two cats and Perrito saw them grit at the image of such an unwashed slob.
At the same time both Martin and Kevin were also fighting and exchanging blows blocking strong hits and slicing through every third mace were successfully pushed back from the village by the powerful stench, it must be said bluntly that the greatest strength of the Stink Bunch was not their number or fighting skills which they were usually rather basic, their greatest strength was their stench, fleas and general appearance of never-washed people, so their strength caused two cats, two people and a small dog to be pushed back until suddenly forty thugs stopped in place giving place to their leader.
Armon sprang in front of his men holding two swords in his hands, striking like a wild animal as he engaged the two cats that sidestepped, though his strikes were incoherent and every third full rotation Armon lost his balance his strength was contained in something else, though Puss and Kitty managed to even to push the leader back with a joint blow they were unable to continue the fight, Armon getting up first let out his terrible breath Puss as well as Kitty fell back and as they raised their heads Armon began to strike from the right and left and his men began to charge at his order Kevin and Martin.
Armon attacked again, striking once to the left and once to the right, his swords clashed again with the sword and dagger of both cats in a short shoving fight, for a moment Puss and Kitty began to successfully push their opponent, but when they looked at the leader's unwashed face, the leader suddenly coughed and from his nose rolled another maybe not smelly but incapacitating image.
Both Puss and Kitty turned their heads, closed their eyes and did not look for a moment, exchanging only words of disgust.
- what a pig, one piglet. Puss in Boots said, struggling to keep his stomach under control.
- you smelly snot, bbbb. Kitty said, clutching her mouth as she fought with herself.
- ha ha ha cha, how gentle you are, and look at this. Armon said contentedly, sticking his tongue out and shoving it up his nose, making none of the cats hold onto their food.
- You pig, I'll show you. He said Puss in Boots throwing out a bunch of lint first.
Puss, furious at the big dirty guy, rolled behind his back and was about to strike when again he was not knocked down by another disgusting reaction, Armon leaned down and released another secret weapon in a dirty manner that almost knocked down the orange cat, Puss shocked by another attack until he covered himself with a cape fighting another in disgust and Armon took advantage of the situation, swinging twice with two swords.
Two swords flashed, Kitty and Puss raised their weapons at the last moment and the force and blow caused both cats to be pushed back and hit the waterlogged ground in front of the village with a great thud. thugs pushed them backwards, massive clubs hit each side and the strength of the stench made Kevin and Martin unable to even look at their eyes because the stench emanating from the thugs made the eyes sting, suddenly Martin saw three clubs of three thugs that first twisted his sword in his hands, the next blow knocked his weapon out of his hand, and a third blow to the head knocked the archaeologist to the ground.
On the dear side, the situation was almost the same with the difference that the fighting six outlaws, fighting with swords, first breathed a strong stench from unwashed mouth where yellowed teeth were visible, and the strength of both blows made Martin lose his balance after the first blows, with the next blows his weapon was knocked out and the three outlaws, finishing their blows with another puff, knocked Martin to the ground and started laughing.
- how simple it is, even too simple, what delicate noses you have, don't you, wait, where are they, huh!. Armon screamed as he saw the mud balls in front of him, suddenly Armon fell to the ground with his face in the mud and Puss, Kitty and Perrito, rushing around the battlefield again with renewed vigor, started throwing more mud balls with twisted virus masks stuck in their noses.
More outlaws, unable to hit the three opponents with their clubs and swords, the two speeding cats and the dog throwing at them, started jumping up and down and clutching at the backs of their bodies, and their strength contained in the stench was suddenly reduced to a minimum, another squeak, a scream and the jumping outlaws began limply roll upside down, clutching painfully at its hind parts.
Meanwhile, lying on the ground, Martin looked up and saw three thugs about to breathe their terrible breath on him until suddenly one by one they shot up into the sky and landed on the other side with a stab in the ass.
- You?. Martin asked, looking at Puss and Kitty who together broke the stink force.
- Come on, we need to run fast. Puss said as he and Kitty helped their human friend to his feet.
- I won't run away, we're too close, we have to break through them somehow. Martin said as another squeak from three thugs shook everyone, followed by a small dog coughing.
Perrito saving the archaeologist from the terrible stench was forced for the first time to do something he never wanted to, and now three thugs lay on the other side with visible teeth marks on the leather armor of the back, and Perrito began to wipe his long tongue.
- not only their stench is a crime to my nose, but also this!, I don't think I can hold dinner tonight, no, I can't. Perrito said as he was suddenly picked up by the rising archaeologist.
- this way quickly to the lake is our only chance, quickly. Martin said.
- but isn't it the other way around, I'm not going to let go, not me and not Martin. Kitty said with white twisted handkerchiefs up her nose.
- believe me, this is our only chance, these stinks will not follow us, quickly, chubby Lake Fordes is also our way, the second but also our chance quickly. Martin said, waving to everyone with his left hand while holding a leek in his right hand, a small dog.
- Quickly follow him, those stinkers are getting up!. Puss screamed as his green eyes quivered at the image of the rising thugs and their leader blowing his nose again and running.
- run away!. Kitty screamed, not wanting to face something as horrible and gross as the world's dirtiest man, Chief Armon, again.
Nobody wanted to discuss, let alone fight and have a bunch of disgusting people as an opponent, especially with their leader, and he just got up again and ran after the fugitives. Yes, Puss, Kitty, and Martin could only run after Kevin who was leading them, and he, rushing at great speed as if he was running away from a hungry shark, overtook even a fleeing rabbit and a flock of soaring birds, because even animals, faced with such a thing, ran away, even the flies fainted and ran away.
Everyone ran away in pure panic and the masks screwed into their noses seemed to even give way, and behind their backs, apart from the pursuing thugs, there was also this great cloud of poisonous gas, you can even call it a combat gas, because even the flowers fainted from the impression in less than three seconds, and the thugs rushing through the great empty field they sweated more and more and their armpits strengthened everything that was so terrible today.
- I see the boat quickly, there are four!. Kevin shouted.
- The rest must be burned!. Kitty screamed before she suddenly stopped in place and, clutching her stomach, fell on her right side.
- Kitty! He shouted Puss in Boots as he made a quick turn.
- Kitty what's going on, is this smell. Puss asked.
- I don't know, it's different, I feel so weird, aaaaa, what's going on, oh no. said Kitty, watching as the band of fast-running thugs came closer and closer, and with every moment their great stench too.
- quickly, Kitty, Puss, quickly, in a moment it will be tragic here, quickly. Perrito shouted as Martin began to slash the other three boats with his sword, piercing them right through, destroying them with his blade instead of his fire.
- Puss, please run, I can't, what are you doing. She said Kitty as Puss in Boots picked her up and started running with all his might to the only working boat with forty stinking thugs behind him.
Without a word, Puss ran with all his might, his paws in boots spinning at a speed he had never run before, and the vision of two worst images hit his heart, the first of them being taken prisoner by a stinking bunch of people who did not know hygiene, the second vision was about leaving his beloved alone to this terror, which was also unbearable, Puss to run with Kitty on the boat suddenly screamed at the top of his lungs and his cape and hat trembled in the sudden gust of air but no more than his words.
- faster, sail away, don't waste time, quickly!. Shouted Puss running like crazy with Kitty in his hands.
- I won't leave you, no! cried Perrito and the all-seeing Kevin stared blankly at the great lake and at his friend, and Martin had only one thing in his brown eyes, the struggle between the chance to save the king's daughter and his beloved and the image of a pair of cats who might have suffered just as much if they had fallen into in the hands of a stinking gang.
- I don't know what to do, Kevin, you make the decisions. Martin said and Kevin, like a strategist, pushed the oar just in time when time seemed to slow down.
The boat took off from the land and Puss with Kitty in his arms jumped with all his might, for a moment time really slowed down more and more and both cats flew over two meters above the water to crash into the middle of the boat, Puss with Kitty in his arms landed in the middle of the boat and quickly looked around to be suddenly tightly squeezed by a white-brown dog.
- when I was afraid, I thought you wouldn't come out of it clean. Perrito said.
- Perrito, let me, Kitty, what's going on. He said Puss in Boots putting his front paws by Kitty and together Kevin and Martin looking at the black and white cat who was holding her belly for a while with a strange grimace until the strange pain, spasm, everything that paralyzed her for a moment stopped completely, suddenly Kitty quickly and violently she took off the leather mask from her head and her blue eyes trembled for a moment looking at the four friends.
Suddenly, Kitty abruptly rose, hugged Puss and kissed him at which the orange striped cat dropped his hat from his head to look into blue eyes full of anger, which surprised him again.
- Puss, what were you thinking, you could be captured, dirty, all the worst could happen to you. Kitty said with a grimace of annoyance on her face with a white tear on her black fur.
- I would do anything for you, for my future wife. Puss said shocking his beloved.
- wife!, means that you, man, if I had known, I would have waited, you know what. Kitty giggled and her ears suddenly picked up the sound of rage and fury.
- what's going on again, and yes, these dirty people, and what about you, you're not following us, what!, you lack courage. Kitty said, swinging her fist while still holding Puss's right paw.
- let the soap consume you all and your hygiene, damn clean water!. Chief Armon shouted, shaking his clenched fists and holding two swords.
- man, who is this stinker. Perrito asked, taking some water from Lake Foirdes to rinse his mouth of what he had to do.
- is the boss of robbers, the scourge of our lands, and at the same time the dirtiest man in the world, as you have found out, his main weapon is dirt, stench, and everything that disgusts, up to a runny nose. Kevin Jons said shaking his head with his hands and his whole body as he thought about what he could and saw Armon the dirtiest man in the world using his special arsenal to fight and now he himself is screaming in rage and shaking his clenched fists holding his swords.
- the only thing he's afraid of is soap, that's the only thing he's afraid of, and when our caravans transport soap and other cleaning agents, that's the only thing this filth doesn't touch, just between us, our traders have been using it for their own purposes for half a year, they load up valuable stuff and then they soap it up and an armon like that will never come near it. Martin said as he and Kevin grabbed the oar and waved them together as they moved away from the shore of the artificial lake.
- Soap, do we have any soap here with us. Puss asked with big eyes.
- Yes, we do, one in my backpack. Kevin said, swinging his oar.
- Mine too, what are you planning?. Martin asked, looking at Puss with great curiosity.
- I guess it's a big deal?. Kitty asked.
- Yes, now look. Puss said, taking out one bar of soap from the gray backpack first.
Puss in Boots dipped his right paw in the water for a moment and when the soap frothed, Puss targeted the angry dirty man and threw the soap bar with all his might, the soap bar flew a few meters and hit the face of the biggest dirty man in the world, and he himself felt on his foaming soap suddenly screamed piteously as he hit his head against the water of the lake, then screaming Armon took his hands off his face and saw the most grotesque face he had ever seen in his life, a face clean and free of dirt, a face delicate and worthy of great models.
- what have you done to me, you will pay me, I haven't washed my face for years, my dear beard, my teeth, even they have whitened, you will pay for it, you will pay. Armon shouted, and Kitty, seeing him, suddenly slumped back onto the deck of the boat.
- Kitty what happened. Puss asked taking the black and white cat in his paws.
- man, when you wash him like that, this man is impressive, he's amazing, that square jaw, that delicate face. Kitty said, giggling every third word.
- that if you're crazy, now he regrets chewing soap on him. Puss said, looking first at the amused Kitty getting in, then at the bandit leader, furious and banging his head in the mud, hearing his furious threats again, always ending in the same way.
- I will drown you in soap you will see!. Armon shouted, and his voice was only an echo after a few moments as the small boat finally moved away enough that Armon and his gang were just a small speck on the horizon.
After all, when there was a momentary silence, Puss sat down worriedly next to Kitty and gave her his left paw, looking into her blue eyes with his big green eyes, not knowing where to start, but everything finally focused on only one thing.
- Kitty, tell me what happened to you there in front of the lake, did that smell hurt you so much. Puss asked, looking warily at the slightly embarrassed Kitty.
- I don't know, something, I felt strange, nauseous, maybe it was the smell, I don't know, I've never felt anything like that in my life, it's like going through the worst sewer in the world and that Armon, I don't think I'll ever get it out of my head how he acted, how he deliberately blew his nose, well, whatever. She said Kitty herself not knowing what actually happened and her words about the disgusting behavior of the thug chief made everyone spit into Lake Fordes.
- Kitty, please don't remind me of what I fortunately didn't see, but tasted biting them in the back part, may it never again in my life, please, never again, how can one be so dirty. Perrito said again, drawing some water from the lake and rinsing his mouth.
- Armon is a rebel, he always didn't care about the rules, when he needed to go backwards, when he wanted to eat the other side, well, a very strange man and a rebel, eventually he chose the rules of hygiene on his path of rebellion, they say, but I don't know much because his activity was first reported about seven years ago, and why Armon stinks worse every day. Kevin Jons said as he swung his oar with Martin.
- but how can you be, well, never mind, I think I understand him a little, but why his people are the same. Puss asked.
- Surely they are also some rebels, right?. Kitty asked gently stroking her belly trying not to think about what she saw anymore, until she shivered because something changed, and it was also felt by Puss holding her left hand.
- Kitty, is something wrong. Asked Puss in Boots looking into the eyes of his beloved.
- I don't think it's a bad thing. Kitty said avoiding looking into Puss's green eyes.
- if it's true, it's not a bad thing, on the contrary. thought Kitty, hiding that hopeful smile from everyone.
- Come on Kitty, tell me honestly. Puss suddenly said hard, getting up from a small bench and looking straight into Kitty's slightly trembling blue eyes, and she trembled, afraid of one thing.
- tell me the truth, do you like this stinker now. Asked jealously Puss clenching Mosno's front paws.
- You bastard, you're crazy. Perrito asked, then shook his head and looked back into the water, struggling with his own belly and what he saw and felt.
- you're funny you know. Kitty said suddenly, who regained her full strength and seriousness, laughing at the misplaced suspicions of her beloved and his complete inaccurate attention because that wasn't the point.
- all right, all right, let's stop reminiscing about this stinking horror, let's better concentrate to cross Lake Fordes before dark, and then our goal will be within reach, this great pedestal. Said Martin, swinging the oar with the greatest strength and speed so that the boat began to turn slightly to the left.
- come on Kevin, hurry up, you're not curious about what Cop we can find there, that epochal discovery for an archaeologist like you must be downright amazing. Martin added, and Kevin, sitting on the other side, suddenly began swinging his oar with ruinous strength and speed.
- of course it's like a dream come true for me, this discovery will be mine and mine alone, I will make it first, me!, all of us!, we will do it together and I as your leading archaeologist in charge. Kevin Jons said, and his face was full of excitement and incomprehensible joy.
- interesting that no one came up with the idea to use the power of the pedestal, tell me if any of you have been there in the past. Asked Puss looking at the map freshly taken from the archaeologist's backpack with a marked point where six large oak trees surrounded an unknown place, a stone pedestal where, as legends wrote, miracles were supposed to happen.
- it's hard to say, certainly this place is prosaic in its own way, but when you truly love someone, real miracles happen there, not always, but probably yes, this is how this place should work, but we won't find out until we get there. Kevin Jons said, swinging his oar like crazy.
- I am sure of it and none of you will take away my hope and faith in the good end of our mission, tomorrow we will find a holy place and save Jessica and then whatever happens I will at least be happy that this damn virus will never take anyone's life again early. Martin said, and together Kevin swung the oar with the same strength and speed, and the crystalline water rippled slightly as the boat, with the strength of muscle and great motivation, sped on through the middle of the great artificially created lake, for Lake Fordes and the further reservoir of Fizgarde were artificially created after three hundred years ago, the course of the Folin River was changed from the western to the eastern one.
However, there was something else in it, something that was now being recalculated, because Kitty, staring at the depths of the water of Lake Fordes, at the reflection of the first stars appearing in the sky, again touched her belly and looked at the water where the setting sun was reflected and the emerging stars to finally look only at the sky, and a smile appeared on her face and some conviction, but so far it was too early to draw conclusions today.
L
Armon, I've always wanted to create a character who doesn't like to wash himself like a baby, who is gross and obnoxious, on the other hand, if he's funny, judge for yourself.