Claws scrabbled against the shiny bars keeping the cats trapped in this  mysterious place. Applefang had given up escape, and now lay in the smelly nest in the corner of his cell. He couldn't see the cats on either side of him, but he could hear their depressed sighs and soft snoring. The cat to his right was desperately biting and clawing at the bars, hissing in frustration.

"Just give up. There's no way out." Applefang meowed.

The desperate feline hissed back. "I can't! I have to escape this hell before the twolegs return!"

The cat returned to clawing at the bars. Soon the sour scent of blood hit Applefang's mouth.

"Shit! Damnit that hurt!" The cat cursed, pausing to lick their wounds before returning to attacking thr cage.

"Why do you need to escape so bad anyway?" Applefang asked.

The cat sighed and he heard the sound of it plopping down. "The twolegs are going to take me into the White Room tomorrow.  They're going to kill me with the Poison Needle."

"Poison Needle?"

"Yes, if a cat stays here for too long, the twolegs take them into the White Room, stick a needle into them, and the cat falls asleep and never wakes up."

Applefang panicked. He had been there for what felt like forever, he had just assumed that a twoleg would take him and he'd escape in the process. Then, he knew he had to escape.

Clawing and biting wasn't going to do it. Instead, he threw his weight against the bars. The cage shifted. He slammed into it repeatedly until it crashed to the floor. The opening had been bent and he was able to squeeze out.

Now he could see the doomed cat with the bloody paws. It was a  young tom, solid black with a white patch just above his nose. Applefang leapt onto the platform that held the containers and pushed the tom's with all his might.

It fell to the ground just like his. The tom slid out.

"Thank you! I thought I was doomed!"
"You're welcome." Applefang meowed.

Applefang leapt up to the window that was slightly ajar and squeezed out.

"Hey wait!"

The black cat leapt out after Applefang. 

"Mind if I join you, it's dangerous to travel alone in this area."

Applefang could tell by the tom's expression that he wanted to be protected.

"Okay. But just until you get where you need to be."

The cat's face lit up. "Thank Felidae!" He exclaimed.

"By the way, my name's Venom, what's yours?" Venom asked.

"My name is Applefang."