Nightstream must have paced the weird den a million times by now.

   He dug his claws into the unusual soft stuff that resembled a twoleg pelt, mewing and sniffing in distress. He could scent other cats, but wasn't sure where they where.

   "Calm down, your okay!"

   The voice made Nightsteam jump, and he slowly approached the front of the trap-nest to press his face against the hard webbing to try and see anyone else. At first he saw nothing but eerie shadows, until he spotted a gray muzzle poking from the trap-nest under him.

   "Oh!" The slick black tom gasped, "I'm Nightstream. Do you know where we are?" It felt better to know somebody was with him.

   "I'm Asher. These things are called cages, twolegs use them to transport cats. Don't panic. I've been trapped before, we can get out." The tom beneath him called up. Asher then added, "Your name sounds weird. You aren't a loner, are you?"

   "Um, no, I'm from the Clans." When no response came, Nightstream realized Asher must have no idea what he was talking about, so the warrior added, "They're those groups of cats from the forest."

   "Really? I've never met a Clan cat before. My mother told me about you." Asher's voice hitched for a moment as the monster went over a bump, making the unsteady cages fidget.

   Nightstream was about to reply when the monster suddenly halted. He glanced around the cage nervously, when a bright light hit his face. He wailed, seeing a twoleg reaching forward and grabbing his cage. Nightstream hissed and backed up against the back of the cage with bristling fur.

   The next while was quite fuzzy, and seemed to speed along without Nightstream realizing it. All he could tell is that his cage was brought into a twoleg den and brought to a long room full of other cages, all hosting their own cats.

   Nightstream was ushered into a new cage, were he growled and backed up against the wall again. The twoleg reached forward, but the black tom hissed and clawed at it. The twoleg retracted their paw quicker than a snake striking, before closing his cage and walking away.

   "Nightstream!" The familiar voice sent heat rushing to Nightstream's ears as he turned to see Asher in a cage beside him.

   "Asher!" He gasped, scanning the tom. Asher had a slender build, with long legs and large ears. His muzzle was unusually sloped. The tom's fur was the color of ash, with white patches on his belly and legs, leading up to glimmering yellow eyes. One of his ears had the tip missing, probably from a quarrel with another rogue or loner.

   "Don't panic, okay? A twoleg just has to pick us, and then we're free to leave!" Asher tried to assure his darker-pelted companion. Nightstream just sat down with his tail tip twitching anxiously, "What do you mean, 'pick' us? I don't want to be picked by a twoleg."

• • •

The two remained in the cages for many days. Nightstream paced until his paws hurt, while Asher just sat and stared around the room. Finally, one day, a new twoleg came into the room.

   "Okay, purr and be nice and whatever you do, don't hurt them." Asher demanded, before standing and nuzzling the hard mesh to attract the twoleg's attention. Nightstream watched for a moment then did the same, forcing a loud purr.

   An older twoleg opened the front of the cage and the first twoleg stuck his paw in. Nightstream wished to scratch it, but instead forced himself to nuzzle the weird furless paw.

   The twoleg gave a giddy squeal, turning to the older twoleg. They spoke in their weird language, Nightstream doing his best to make out the words and failing horribly.

   One of the twolegs exited the room, then returned with one of the twolegs who cared for the trapped cats. The familiar twoleg lifted Nightstream from his cage and placed him in another, this one with dark walls that he couldn't see through. He sniffed, glancing through the hard mesh to see where Asher was.

   His anxiety rose when he realized he was being carried away in the new cage, while Asher stood in the old one.

   "Asher! Asher!" Nightstream yowled, pressing his face against the hard mesh. He called all the way out of the twoleg den that he'd been trapped in for so long.

   I can't survive in twolegplace. I'll die without him.