Not alone anymore?

After days, a small amount of strength returned to him. His head still hurt, but the prison droids had given him medicine to stop any infection from the cut and seal the wound so he couldn't try to tear it open and bleed himself out. They'd also injected him with some nutrient solutions so he wouldn't die from utter malnutrition and lack of eating. How considerate of them.

Out of no where, he heard a sneeze and realized his cell bordered another, close enough to actually have heard the sneeze of the other inmate. "Is someone there?" Niko asked.

"Obviously," came a gruff response. "And before you ask any stupid questions... no... there's no way out of here... yes, I've tried... yes, this place is actually worse than you're imagining it is...yes, they mean everything they said in the little intro they gave you. Just be glad you got five years... I got 10 with no promise of sale and only then execution. And no, again before you ask, that doesn't mean I want to be your friend, have any care for who you are, what you did, why you shouldn't be here, or have any desire to know or hear a peep from you. Got it?"

"Wow... Cathar's are as crude as everyone says," Niko replied.

"What'd you say about me?!" the voice shouted and there was banging on the walls.

"As stupid too," Niko replied, glad to get him riled.

Within seconds, a piece of the wall went inward and there was an opening between the cells. An immense creature appeared in the space. It was feline, but more akin to a bear than a Farghul. It reached in the gap in the wall, seemed to fiddle with something for a few moments, and then leapt through the hole and grabbed Niko by the throat.

"Crude and stupid? Would someone so stupid be able to bypass all the security they have setup which should prevent this sort of contact between prisoners? I've got that disengaged and the video feed to your room on a loop and have exactly 30 seconds of freedom to tear you apart. And I'll only need 10..."

He raised an arm back, ready to strike.

Niko didn't skip a beat. "Smart enough to do that but not get out of here?"

The creature growled and tossed him against the wall. "What?! You don't think I tried? You think all their security could be so easily bypassed? I've tried, tried a dozen times and in as many different ways. It can't be done. Now, I won't get to savor this, but you've earned it..." And he walked toward him.

"But you never had me by your side before... and I can get us out. Not just out, but out and free, and NO one will be looking for us," Niko replied.

The creature paused. A small beeping sound went off behind him. He quickly went back through the hole, fiddled with something in the gap, and replaced the piece of the wall. "Not another word...," he said, "their always listening."

It hurt to do so, but Niko managed to smile.