Apsuzette Prison- Cell Block 3
Two Days Later
A giant alligator lumbers past the cell which houses Fenfeld and his snake cellmate. The guard slams his billy club against the bars of the door and snickers gruffly. Fenfeld, who is staring out of the cell, releases the bars and leaps back about three feet. The guard laughs again, happy with the result of his prior actions. Behind Fenfeld, his reptilian cellmate hisses with displeasure.
"That s-s-s-silly alligator," Kaatreel hisses. "If we were in the jungle. In-s-s-tead of behind the-s-s-se bar-s-s-s...I would s-show that grea-s-s-sy pile of armor and bone-s-s what I can do."
"Oh really?" Fenfeld says, whirling on Kaatreel with flashing eyes. "That's a surprise. You can't even manage to get ten words out without stumbling over them. You really think you can take on the Crocinator?"
"Haha. You think you're so funny...Monkey Boy! You don't even know the difference between an alligator and a crocodile. Haha. Grator is no croc. I've tangled with croc-s-s much bigger and stronger than that weakling. All it take-s-s i-s-s a moment. Onc-ce I have my tail around them...They are mine. They can roll all they want. In a battle in the water. I alway-s-s-s win."
Fenfeld's eyes narrow to slits and he purses his lips together. Kaatreel notices the change which comes over his ape cellmate and slithers off of his bunk. He rises up on his coils, staring Fenfeld straight in the eye.
"What are you thinking, Ape Boy? Where s-s-strength is-s concerned, I am the s-s-stronger. But brains-s...Are an ape man's-s-s frontier. What are you planning, Fenfeld? I can s-s-see it written all over your ape face. If it involves-s a daring es-scape from thi-s-s terrible pris-son...I want in on the plan. I have languished here long enough under that gator's-s ins-sufferable gaze. I want to escape. Do you hear me, Fenfeld? You don't go anywhere without me. Or I inform the guards-s."
Fenfeld glowers at his snake companion, all six of his hands clenched in frustration. After looking Kaatreel over, Fenfeld decides it is better to comply with the snake's demands. For now.
"Yes. I have a plan. Or rather, I am concocting a plan," Fenfeld whispers huskily.
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"Well, what is-s-s it?" Kaatreel hisses impatiently. "I don't have all of my lifetime to wait. Don't keep me in s-s-uspense."
"Not yet," Fenfeld gruffly says, turning away from Kaatreel. "I need more time. And a few accomplices. Your story about crocs and the jungle gave me an idea. But it will take some time."
"Time to do what?" Kaatreel inquires, flicking the end of his tail. "Both of our trials-s end in les-s-s than a week. We don't have much time, Fenfeld."
"We have enough," Fenfeld says with a sly grin. "I'm thinking...Water sports."
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The Following Day
Apsuzette Prison
Noonish
"Your visitor is here, Prisoner Fenfeld," Guard Grator says, slapping his billy club against the bars. "And you'd better hurry up and conclude your business. Visiting hours are almost over."
"Yeah, yeah...Half-pint!" Fenfeld says, waving his sextuplet of hands in a shooing motion. "Don't you have something better to do? Like get lost?"
The beautiful female fox from the town square, and the courtroom, steps around Grator. In her hands, she carries a scrumptious two-layer chocolate cake. The pleasant smile on Sassy Fox's plump red lips is absolutely radiant,--as far as Fenfeld is concerned--exposing every sharp white tooth in her mouth. The dress she wears, while respectful, subtly shows off every possible feminine curve. Fenfeld manages a friendly grin for his female companion.
When Fenfeld's fox admirer is less than three feet from the cell door, Grator snatches the chocolate cake from her hands. She turns on the alligator guard and her brilliant smile disappears in an instant, replaced by an angry sneer. She snarls at Grator and bares her claws.
"Give that back!"
"Or what?" Grator teases, using an armored index finger to swipe icing off of the top of the cake. "Are you going to hurt me, Little Lady? I'm positively shaking in my boots. Hahahaha!"
"You're a bully, Grator!" Sassy Fox screams at the tops of her lungs. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size. Oh...Let me guess. You never peaked in high school?!?"
"What? Huh?" Grator roars. "What do you mean...I never peaked?"
"Ah. Just as I suspected," Sassy Fox says. "You probably never even made it to high school. Such a shame! No wonder you have no manners."
Grator thinks on what the fox woman has said before handing her back the somewhat ruined cake. He glances over one muscular shoulder as he saunters away.
"Ten minutes, Prisoner Fenfeld," Grator growls under his breath. "That's all you get. Ten minutes. Starting right now!"
"That's all the time I need," Fenfeld says, grinning at the female fox standing outside of his cell.
On his bunk, Kaatreel hisses favorably.
