Puss in Boots: The Three Diablos (2012)

Some time after his adventure with the Golden Goose, Puss in Boots is riding his horse through the desert contemplating the crossroads he found himself at -destined to be an outlaw or a hero?- when he is captured by Italian knights. He is then taken to Princess Alessandra Belagomba, whose “Heart of Fire” Ruby, the crown jewel of her kingdom, is missing. At first, Puss believes he is being wrongfully charged for the theft, but it later turns out that the Princess only wants to hire him based on his reputation, revealing that a French thief called “The Whisperer” was the one who committed the crime and that the Princess’ knights have captured three of his henchmen. The henchmen turn out to be three kittens (referred to as the Diablos). Though Puss cannot believe that such innocent creatures could be thieves, the princess and her guards are terrified of them. The Diablos agree to help Puss on the premise that they will be free if they return the ruby.

When Puss takes the Diablos to the desert, they quickly turn on him (revealing their backstabbing nature) and bury him alive. Puss later escapes and recaptures the Diablos using his wide eyes against theirs. Later, he talks about sending them back to jail for double-crossing him, but he learns that they have no family and are orphans like him. He then sympathetically tells them how he also knows it’s tough growing up not knowing whom to trust and being betrayed, making an example of how Humpty led him down the wrong path, just as the Whisperer has done to them.