New two-part fanfic. The titles of the chapters come from a Polish song. I don't live in N.Y, just using maps so apologies for any mistakes.
Preslash Skipper x Kowalski. In the next chapter there will be hints of other couples but I probably won't concentrate on them too much. I may do some changes later on, not sure. Hope you will enjoy this story :)
Part One: Mountains are burning...
1713 hours, New York City, United States, day 1
"Men!...and Marlene. Let us do it quick and soundless. First to the wall, then to the entrance, down the street to the tunnel, straight to the station...and then...then we will see." Skipper scanned the surroundings with his binoculars. His caution didn't come from the fear of Alice, since the zoo was early closed that day but because of possible lemur activity. Kowalski was busy studying the map and Rico took care of the equipment, swallowing each thing.
"I'm so energized, I have never been in the woods at night yet." Private trembled with excitement.
"And we will verify if Marlene has overcome her wild nature." Kowalski stated, looking up from the map at the otter. She didn't seem very confident.
"Don't worry Marlene, you're with us, nothing bad can happen on our camping night." Private sent her a comforting smile.
"Did I hear camp-in'?!" King Julien jumped out of nowhere, bumping into the penguins.
"Ringtail! Get off me!" Skipper waved with his flippers to pull King Julien down from his head. "We're in a middle of an operation!"
"Ya're taking a banjo and a guitar..."
"It's the necessary equipment!"
"And what's da operation's name?"
"Operation: Campfire!"
"Private!"
"Sorreh Skippah!"
"No campin' without da royal majesty. It's in da rules. Now, bird, take me to the camp." Julien didn't let go. Treating Skipper like a horse, he kicked the penguin to the sides. Unfortunately, the leader made a stubborn saddle-horse and the lemur had a hard landing on the concrete. "You're not going with us, Ringtail!"
"Oh, Skipper...maybe he shall go with us. You know how he likes such things...and the lemurs lived in a jungle...they can prove...you know...useful." Marlene tried to persuade with Skipper while Julien and the other lemurs were already leaving the zoo. "The king doesn't have to ask anyone if he can do or do not do the camp thing. Come Maurice!"
"Ringtail and useful..." Skipper grumbled, giving a sign to his team to let go and catch up with the mammals.
1905 hours, Railway Station, Catskill Mountains, New York State
After the train trip the group of friends embarked at the station. The Sun was slowly sinking below the horizon.
"It looks as if the mountains were on fire." Marlene stopped, taking in the beautiful scenery.
"The Sun is rolling through steep slope of the day..." Kowalski hummed.
"No time for poetry and singing..yet. We have to pitch the camp near the river asap." Skipper scolded them. "Move, move, move!"
2017 hours, Catskill Park, New York State
"I tinkered with the tents and now they will peg by themselves." Kowalski said proudly as Rico regurgitated the equipment. The scientist pressed a button on the control panel which was made from a box of matches and the three tents were standing in a turn of hand in front of the group.
"Pimp my tent, penguin style." Skipper commented while high-fiving with his teammates. Julien made his way to the biggest one: "The king needs much space." Skipper just rolled his eyes to this. The penguins should have taken that one since there were four of them but the leader didn't mind. On the contrary. The less space in the tent the closer he would be to his second in command. He smiled smugly at that thought...
CRACK!
"What the deuce?!" Skipper turned around and saw the big tent broken. "Ringtail!"
The lemurs crawled out from under the cloth, Julien taking the dramatic pose: "The king survived a number of assassination attempts but this was the most sneakier of all. Dishonourable sabotage..." He continued his speech but no one, except for Mort who was weeping next to Julien's feet, listened to him.
"Like an elephant in a china shop. Private, Rico! You two will collect the wood sticks, I and Kowalski will take care of the metal ones. Be within gunshot." The taller penguin was not convinced if it was a good idea to let the two go alone away but the thought of fixing the mess together with Skipper was very appealing to him.
2142 hours, Catskill Park, New York State
The whole lamentation made Julien hungry, so he made Maurice and Mort get him some fruits of the forest. Marlene joined them apparently.
"You think it was sabotage. It wasn't. Someone would have had to get into my lab to manipulate on the construction. Besides I had checked everything before we set out."
"Why do you think I think so?"
"I know you better than myself."
"That doesn't mean I can't surprise you."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah, I can lose the hold on this pole for example."
"That would be truly surprising but don't you dare." Kowalski glared down at Skipper. Both of them had a chat during the reparation of the big tent, which was disturbed by Julien's complains. The leader made sure that the metal construction wouldn't collapse again and the scientist gave the tent its proper shape. They became silent. But it wasn't the uncomfortable type of silence. More the one that they understood each other without words. Finishing the task, Kowalski smiled lightly.
"What is it, soldier?"
"Nothing, it's nothing...we don't talk about things like this..."
"Maybe we should start?" Skipper looked seriously into his lieutenant's blue eyes. "So...?"
"I just thought that...uhm...this situation...it's like in our life, it's a metaphor of it actually. You, being the pillar, the mainstay that allows me to reach higher, do better...to succeed." Kowalski felt as if something had stuck in his throat, making it impossible to say more. He clammed up, staring back at his leader, barely breathing.
Skipper, on the other hand, inhaled deeply. He knew that whatever he would say, wouldn't sound like it should, but he was also aware that such a moment, when Kowalski would speak out, was as rare as hen's teeth. He wanted and had to say what he felt for his second in command. It wasn't born over one night but was a longer process which made it even more complicated.
"Oh, a stare contest! My gaze was declared the icier of all. Gentry was fearing it, I can tell ya." Julien jumped between them.
"Ringtail, It's not a contest!"
"Then why are ya eating the brainy bird with your eyes? It's a contest or simply ya do it cause no food is there..."
"Julien, listen..." Kowalski interrupted, pulling the penguin and lemur apart. "Marlene, Maurice and Mort will come back in a heartbeat. Besides, we do have provisions, just not for your taste." He felt a relief that the /stare contest/ was over.
"FIIIIIIIIIIIIIISH!" Rico cried out as he threw the dry sticks on one big pile, choking up the bazooka and setting the wood on fire.
2322 hours, Catskill Park, New York State
The whole company was all together again, the penguins grilled fish over the fire and the rest consumed the fruits. Then it was time for singing and dancing. To Private's dissatisfaction the party ended with ghost and bloody stories. The Brit clung to Kowalski who, apparently, seemed more amused than scared. He was content that the atmosphere lightened up, still embarrassed because of his previous confession.
"Okay guys..." Marlene made a pause to yawn. "It's an awesome camping and I'm very glad that I don't change into a /monster/ anymore but I'm really sleepy."
Skipper nodded: "I and Kowalski will be on watch. The rest can hit the sack."
Kowalski looked startled, probably a man-to-man talk was awaiting him.
"Good that you took an additional one." The otter was about to enter the smallest tent when she noticed Ms Perky inside.
"Actually we didn't. You have to share this one with Rico's girlfriend." Private chuckled while the weapon expert was growling at Marlene as if he wanted to say: 'No fault tricks.'
0001 hours, Catskill Park, New York State, day 2
Kowalski and Skipper were left alone. Just them, the fire, the stars and Rico's snoring. One would think it could be very romantic but it was awkward, at least for Kowalski, who nervously poked the fire.
"You aren't wobbly because of the horror stories,are you, Kowalski?
"The stories were unrealistic."
"How about mine?"
"Why should I be afraid of it? I participated in this mission, it was real, you just changed the names and localization."
"You recognised it, good. I rescued your sorry ass back then" Skipper smirked.
Kowalski was about to reply that it's what he always did, but kept his beak shut.
"Kowalski...about what we talked earlier-" Skipper tried again but the taller penguin shook his head.
"I'm not in the mood, sorry. We will discuss it in the H.Q in the morning."
"Right..." Skipper sighed and looked up at the sky. He had to wait, for the right moment, he wished that it would come soon. All the grandeur stars made him dazzle until he felt something heavy on his shoulder. It was Kowalski's head. The scientist fell asleep but Skipper didn't mind. On the contrary...