Delinquent Student and his Pet Teacher

A light flashes in the shadows as the wolf lights his cigarette. He waves and throws the match to the ground while he takes a long breath. Looking over his shoulder to a window leading right to the teachers office, he listens to the same two teachers talk about their plan of using one of their students through the slightly opened window. It was the same conversation we had already heard.

“Just be lucky the wolf isn’t around today.”

He turns his head. Yeah, they’re sure lucky that he isn’t right here. 

With furrowed brows he tries to swallow a growl and the wolf’s red eyes vanish in the darkness as he turns away to leave.

He now stands right outside of the school's entrance, having a clear view down the corridor and the door to the teachers lounge being wide open. As he makes his plans to barge in he sees a little cat leaving the room. So you came out to play, eh, Gatito? He perked up.

Reading it in his body language, Puss had heard the same conversation that he did. Curious of what he would do he decided against his plans.

He watched the cat trot nervously through the halls looking for him but the wolf knew his way around the school much better than him and like a shadow he always escaped peoples view too quickly.

The beloved teacher seemed a bit stunted today as he almost dragged his hurt leg on his ways. Oh, what would he do about this? The wolf wondered. His students had to be of importance to him as he always bathed in their cheers, gossiping the worst words about his colleagues, right?

The day went on and Puss didn’t seem much concerned about it at all. He watched as the cat slowly regained his arrogant charisma, a total play and front to fool everyone else in this building. This wasn’t the first time Muerte kept his eyes on him. It was always the same. Fake niceties to gain their trust and joy and a complete disregard for any of their troubles and the cat clearly knew what he was doing. He had heard him blabber on about how he’s not concerned about any of their wellbeing even if some of them had confessed about terrible situations.

Today was no exception it seemed. Watching Puss walk by one of his beloved students getting extorted for good grades and fake promises of a good future, he didn’t care. And Muerte clearly saw how he heard it happen. He knew it was happening and he let it happen.

The wolf watches with anger bubbling in his gut how this rotten cat listened to his colleagues boast about their amount of money, then and there he could see it. He could see it in the cat's eyes how the idea to do the same played in his mind.

Absolutely seething with anger the wolf walks down the hallway and looks right into the cat’s eyes. 

Oh but there it was.

Something about watching the little cat fall clumsily on the ground as he saw him approach. He lets his anger out on those disgusting excuses of teachers, slamming the desk into a wall and ripping the money that didn’t belong to them out of their grimy little hands. 

Right at that time he could smell it. Underneath the abhorrent perfume of these women he smells it.

Fear.

Walking out of the room, he turns to the cat who was completely paralyzed by his fear. His heartbeat echoes through the hall. His eyes wide. What a sight to behold .

He takes just one step and the cat bolts. Playing catch now, are we? The wolf couldn’t stop his chuckling before he whistled his signature tune into the hallways. Going a slightly different path then the cat he meets him head on after rounding a few corners.

He always hated sitting in the back of Puss in Boots classes, but they were a good source of information. The callous disregard of the people around him and him using them just to feel good about himself, to put himself up high on a platform.

What a joy to see him fall from grace so harshly. The wolf licks his teeth.

—

In the empty hallway in the back of the school we turn back to Puss’s perspective and see the wolf standing in front of him. Puss realised that there was no way to run from him and he was backed into a corner. He was in school, he couldn't just pull out his knife and fight. He had to think. The wolf came closer and now he was the one to pull out his blade. His face looking at him as if he’s ready to eat him. 

“Psst!”

A warning whistle rings in the air and one of the wolf's classmates runs into him and even bumps his elbow into his side. “Put the knife away there are too many people on their way right now.” He had put himself next to him to perfectly conceal the knife but the wolf didn’t look happy about it. He snaps at his classmate but immediately calms himself.

He was right, a whole group of students came out of a room right behind them.

Frustrated, he puts his knife away but turns to Puss once more before he leaves. “I’ll see you soon, Gato.” 

And as the wolf leaves, Puss stumbles back to lean against a wall. Completely exhausted he starts to think. What the hell did he do to make him so mad?

—

Lucky that there were still a few groups of people walking home from the school, Puss stuck between them as he walked out, still deep in thought. What would he do now and where could he go? He was sure Muerte would stop him on his way home. He curses at himself, why was he so afraid? He has to pull himself together.

In the middle of his thoughts he realises a familiar voice has been calling out to him. Right in front of him stood a small little dog wagging his tail, very happy to see him. “Puss! You’re outside again!” Barks the little one. His heart immediately in a twist, Puss doesn’t know how to react. On one hand he was so relieved to see Perrito and on the other he feared for his life if he stayed too long in his company right now.

“Perrito!” Puss nervously answers back. “Good to see you, how are your studies going, my friend?” Right at the school's gates they meet and stand for a moment. “Oh, absolutely fantastic! The professors there are a treat, they have good faith in me!” He smiles and almost jumps around in excitement. “I’m just so happy to see you outside again right now, are you feeling better?” They start to walk as Puss was way too nervous to stand still in one place, he keeps looking around him to make sure he wouldn’t see any red glowing eyes anywhere.

“Puss?” Perrito seemed worried again as the cat took his time to answer. “Oh yeah, no I’m fine, I’m good! Just hurt my leg a little, you see.” The fear and adrenaline still got him going, but man, does that leg hurt for sure. “Yeah I can see that… what happened?”

Perrito tilts his head a bit as he looks at his leg and back at Puss. Who in turn gave him a serious look and shook him off. “Oh! Oh, I see. Secret missions I can’t know about again, alright!” A little saddened but the small dog doesn’t let it bother him too much.

The conversation went on and on with Perrito trying his best to get some information out of him, the effort making Puss chuckle a bit. It felt nice to have a moment or normalcy back after all the miserable days he’s been through. Puss for once quite enjoyed the conversation for once and before he knew it, they were already home.

As he stood in front of the building it dawned on him again. What was he doing here, he knew he wasn’t safe. Still, Perrito was so kind and walked home with him, he had good company and nothing happened so far.

They casually stroll to the door when someone whistling a tune went past Puss. It wasn’t the wolf and it wasn’t even the exact same tune, but Puss felt his throat suddenly close and his heart beat increase. Before they even got to the entrance of the building Puss had to grasp at a railing to be able to stand.

Being able to breathe again he started to hyperventilate, wincing at the sudden rush his eyes tried to find the door to the building. He didn’t take in anything around him anymore, not the whistle nor Perrito who’s been incessantly asking what’s going on. Puss shifts his energy from the gripping onto the railing to rushing through the entrance of the building. He tries to fight it but he can barely stand and has to lean against the wall. Perrito insists he sits down. Having studied this well, Perrito now realises what’s happening and acts even when Puss wants him to go away. He snuggles himself under his arm and lays his head on his belly.

Puss is feeling Perritos warmth and heartbeat. He starts to calm down with his hand on Perritos head, the small dog talks him through a breathing technique to calm down.

“Breathe in, hold it for 3 seconds and breathe out slowly.”

After Puss successfully grounds himself with Perritos guidance, he thanks the dog wholeheartedly for his help, but the little one still seemed worried.

“What’s going on with you puss? This is the first time I’ve seen you like this…” Puss makes the same serious face as if to wave him off again, but something compels him to say something, anything. “I’ve… I lost in a fight… and I…” He still hesitates to tell him the full truth.  “I can't get over it.”

Perrito takes Puss’s hand and holds it tightly. “That doesn’t sound like the Puss I know!” His cheeriness softened since he still wanted to comfort him. Puss couldn’t look at him. Of course, it’s not like he still is the same as before. “The Puss I know doesn’t let one or two lost fights get to him that quick. He bounces back up, ready for a challenge!” Perrito jumps up and poses dramatically. 

Puss looks at him, too exhausted to really laugh at him but a slight smile spreads in his cheeks. “You’re not wrong, Perrito.” Perrito ducks down as if ready to pounce. “Puss in Boots never backs down from a good challenge!” He yaps and Puss waves him off chuckling. “I get it, yeah, you’re right.” Knowing Perrito couldn’t mean the same fight that he does, Puss still meets his gaze and shows him a more confident smile. “There he is!” The dog smiles back brightly and helps Puss get up. He insisted on helping him up to his flat, “You’re going to be a great therapy dog one day, Perro.” Puss whispers as if he wouldn’t want Perrito to hear, but he heard and his grin got even wider.

Back in his home, Puss had to assure Perrito that he was fine for now as he begged him to stay with him a bit more. He closed the door and then just stood there, paws on his hips, he shook his head. What would he do without this crazy little dog.

He brushed himself off as to shake away his last doubts and turned back to his room with just a sliver of his old confidence.

Perrito was right. Even if that was the first fight he’d lost like that, why would he just cower in fear like that? The wolf got a few lucky shots. Puss was smarter now, knowing how the wolf fights. Maybe it was time to get out an old friend of his.

In the back of his closet, safely tucked away out of sight, there it was. Just a bit too fancy for any normal heists or fights, but maybe this one would be an exception.

He opened a long black leather box and looked at his trusty sword. “I bet the wolf won’t expect this one.” He purrs at it and thinks about practising a little again.