Skipper wasn't about to let Private go, and they both knew it. "Sorry, Private I just don't think you're ready to have a solo mission yet." Skipper sighed. "Why not?" Private pestered. "Number one, you're too young, and number two, you don't have enogh experience!" Skipper retorted. "Wait, you were the one who said I was exendable. Why do you care?!" Private shouted offended. "Private, I do care. I just don't think this is the best idea." Skipper said calmly. "I think my uncle Nigel knows what he's doing! [i]"More than you do, anyway."[\i] Private remarked.
"What?" Skipper frustratedly bellowed. Private stormed off into the hole behind his mounted fish. "Fine, saulk then!" Skipper yelled.
Private put earplugs in to ignore him. He stayed in there for the rest the night. Kowalski had brought him his jantar that evening. Even he slept in there, but kept it opened. It was a matter of minutos before he fell asleep. Skipper noticed Private was shivering. Taking his blanket, he crept across the floor, and covered him up
"Goodnight, Young Private." Skipper whispered stroking the small soldier's head.
Just as he headed back he felt a flipper reach for his. He looked to Private who had done it in his sleep. "No matter what you'll always be my Young Private." Skipper vowed.
That morning Private woke up first. Slowly he crept to the bunks noticing each one of his fellow teammates sleeping. He whispered to each of them and was careful not to wake them. "Goodbye, Rico. Goodbye, Kowalski. Goodbye, Skipper. My uncle needs me. It's probably the best for all of us." Private said lamenting.
Finally he climbed up the ladder and slided the fishbowl. He was on his way and no one could stop him.
A feeling in Skipper's gut made him wake. He headed to get coffee when he noticed one of his worst fears: Private was gone. He had ran away. His memory made him think of when he had first met Private.
Chaos struck Antarctica. Penguins fled for their lives under the blood red sky. Seals broke the usual serene atmosphere of the penguin's territory. A mob of penguins rushed to safety. Screams filled the air. They trampled and shoved to reach their destinations.
Three daring penguins raced toward the crowd, disturbing the whole balance of the escape. Those three penguins were being herassed. But they were striving for a noble mission, that they would be thanked for later. You see, these penguins were no ordinary penguins.
When their neighbors would run, they would get into battle position and face the danger head-first. Foolish - you may think? Not really. Each pinguim had experienced training for every dia and extraordinary circumstances. The most highly trained one lead in front, Skipper.
Kowalski went to his right, Rico to his left, and Skipper stayed straight. They all kept their caution and paranoia up. They searched side to side, but the threat that was posed was not around them. It was underneath.
Once Skipper was alone, he heard a wailing. It was the cry of an infant. On the snow, an inch in front of him laid a helpless hatchling. He was so young. Skipper awed, and bent over to lift him into his arms. He cradled him gently.
"One mais step, and you would've been crushed. Aw, you're a sweetie!" Skipper said in a silly voice, and tickled the chick's cuddly belly. He got a charming giggle out of it.
"Where's your parents?" Skipper asked. There was silence. Only then, he saw the mob of seals feeding in the distance.
"It's all right. I'm here." Skipper hushed.
"Daddy?" The chick called out his first word.
"Daddy's here, and he's not going to let anyone hurt you." Skipper promised. The hatchling gently hugged Skipper's flipper, and they headed to safety.