Puss in Boots: The White Eagle

VI - The Bad Past

It was already past midnight. Sun was trying to slowly rise above the horizon, yet only a few little sunrays were seen on the pitch dark sky filled with stars. Paweł kept on riding the horse forwards on the road. His paws were clean of blood now and all he was trying to do was to reach South easily.

Even after running for hours, Paweł's horse did not seem to be tired that much. But the cats were. Even though Paweł managed to ride through whole this time fully awake after having fought his way out, it still was not indifferent to him.

„Why are these forests so big, companero?" Puss asked.

While still looking forward, Paweł responded: „They have always been this way... Do you have such forests too?"

Puss slowly shook his head for no. „No, no, senor. But we have great landscapes of deserts and steppes."

Paweł responded: „...Maybe I'll get to see them someday, if God lets me to. You might want to see our steppes also, back in the East. They might seriously be beautiful for the eye."

Little did Puss know that on these steppes, Polish soldiers waged great battles against various tribes of Mongols and even Cossacks. Due to the vast and flat nature of the steppes, the need for specialized cavalry rose. And thus Poles were known to have the mightiest cavalry in Europe of that time. Yet it wasn't free of flaws and mistakes, just like every army in the world.

Just after a few minutes, Paweł spoke: „We shall rest right there. Let's dismount."

The horse went off the tracks and Paweł immediately got off of it. He searched the saddle pouches and found some flint and steel. Once he grabbed it, he pulled out a carrot and gave it to the horse. The mighty creature ate it with appetite and with no time. Paweł patted its nose carefully and then moved deeper into the forest to find some branches.

Puss walked forward while commenting a bit nervously to Kitty: „I-I guess I'll collect some wood too, senorita.".

After grabbing enough sticks, Paweł came with another portion of them. He stared at Puss while moving over and said: „Tak, that will do."

That was when he smiled and both cats tossed the wood to one place. Paweł crouched down and began to use his flint and steel. He hit the parts against each other a few firm times until sparks showed up and eventually lit up the branches, making a small-sized firepit.

„Not bad." Kitty spoke just when Paweł immediately went for another item in his horse pouch.

„If you want anything to eat..." He told them. „I have some bigos."

„B-Bigos?" Puss stuttered and Kitty stared at Paweł with a stunned expression. „Like jalapenos? What's that exactly? Is it even Spanish"

At these words, Paweł pulled out a small closed metal pot hung to the saddle and went back while holding it in his paws. He casually looked around, as if to check whether anybody is nearby. Then, he opened the pot.

Inside, there was a whole mix of orange-coloured cabbage with pieces of various meat in it. The dish was served with a pinch of salt and pepper too. It did not look amazing at all, even the smell of it was strange for both Puss and Kitty. Paweł seemed to notice their hesitation and just nodded while describing:

„Tak, it's cooked cabbage mixed with chicken, pork, and even venison. You could try it if you can."

The truth is, Puss and his fiance haven't really eaten for the past many hours since the time they caught a single mouse and bird in front of the tavern.

„No, no, no, senor." Puss immediately told him. „Why such indifference? Surely we'd eat something from you."

„You ain't seem to be too interested, that's what concerns me." Paweł spoke. „...I just do not like forcing anything down somebody's throat."