Alice Burton frowned into her coffee, her eyes glued to her computer monitor. Outside her window, the winds howled as it snowed even harder; the redhead was glad she wasn't out in it- for now, as she surely knew that it would just make her commute home take even longer. December was starting out to be a cruel month. And it was only the second day! Taking another gulp of her coffee- the slight chill in the room already starting to make the cup of joe go cold- she set it down as her newly freed hand went to the mouse to open up another email in her inbox. The tagline of "URGENT" making her suspicious, as her pessimistic nature told her that was never a good sign.

Her suspicions, pessimistic or not, proved true this time, however. Her eyes grew wide in disbelief the more she read; the zoo would only be receiving about half of the grant money they were previously. The rest of their money was now being allocated to some abandoned puppy shelter, or something. Which, Alice realized, wouldn't have been too serious, had it not been December, as the zoo itself raked in enough money during the warmer months. Central Park Zoo was often all but empty when it became frigid outside; who the heck wanted to come gawk at a bunch of dumb animals when they could be at home, toasty warm, and watch the dumb animals on television?

Alice sure didn't.

The redhead squawked in alarm as the phone beside her suddenly rang, and she snatched it up. "What is it?" she growled into the receiver.

"Yeah I know! I just read the email now. ... ... Well yeah, but... look, I don't see what the big deal is; we'll just get rid of a few of the animals, ship them off somewhere that's getting more money than we are, problem solved! ... ... Uh-huh... ... Well yeah, I GET that the whole point of a zoo are the animals, but... okay, okay! I'll figure out something else, sheesh. Bye."

So that left cutbacks on food rations. The animals weren't going to be happy, but they'd survive. At least the fish supply had stopped mysteriously vanishing.

Speaking of food... it was about that time. Alice grabbed her coat off of the back of her chair and shivered; she really didn't want to go out there. Why couldn't the animals just learn to feed themselves? She left the office in a huff, as she bundled her coat closer to her person. Taking a deep breath, she cringed as she prepared herself for the cold that would hit her the moment she opened the building's door.

Oh, Alice could NOT wait for it to be closing time already.

Rico could not wait for it to be closing time already.

The hefty penguin danced in place, as he watched the zoo's clocktower from the corner of his eye. The bell had just went off, signalling that it was already four o'clock. With it being winter time, that gave them about half an hour before the zoo would send the people away, and their day of leisure could begin. While the cold was not a problem for him, compared to most of the other animal inhabitants; he, too, wanted to go inside and get away from the outside world.

Though, admittedly, for completely different reasons.

Rico's attention was drawn from the time, when he heard a loud cough next to him. Turning his head, the weapon's expert smiled when he realized just who was trying to get his attention. Half-heartedly busy doing a 'cute-n-cuddly' dance number, Kowalski leaned a little closer to him as he tried to subtly whisper from the corner of his beak.

"Come ON, Rico, stay focused. You don't want you-know-who catching you daydreaming again."

The weapon's expert threw a glance over at Skipper, who was on the ice with Private as they did their adorable 'pretend to slip on the ice' routines. He shrugged, before looking at the analyst again with an even bigger smile. Dancing? Who could he THINK about dancing, when they were just thirty minutes away from the best part of the day REALLY starting?

It was hard to focus on anything else, when Rico was just too giddy and excited to get to spend the rest of the evening with his new mate!

Rico and Kowalski had been an item for a little over a week. Though so short a time, the crazed penguin had already become accustomed to the two of them slipping off to do their own thing in the evening. Sure, it wasn't anything necessarily BIG- most of the time it would just be the two of them in Kowalski's lab, as the scientist worked on something or another as the weapons expert sat and watched. Sometimes even helping himself! And, if not that, it would be the team hanging out and watching some film or tv-show, as the two taller penguins sat next to each other and occasionally snuggle. But, as small as it may have seemed to others, those were the moments Rico found himself craving over all others!

The hefty penguin was drawn from his world once more, as a soft flipper was placed on his shoulder. Rico looked down and it felt like his very grin would split his beak in half, as he realized his lover was touching him- most likely to get his attention. The weapon's expert looked up to see Kowalski's mild glare.

"Rico…"

Rico stopped bouncing in place, but didn't stop grinning, even when met by that stern look. Kowalski took these things far too seriously sometimes; there weren't even enough people around to be entertaining at this point in the day.

"Focus, Rico. Can you do that? For..." the scientist glanced up at the clock. "approximately twenty-four more minutes, that's all I- we- ask of you. Fo-cus."

"Kees?"

"No, CUS; FOCUS! Rico it isn't that difficult a concept!"

Rico was listening, but he didn't really care much. What could he say; teasing Kowalski would never stop being one of his favorite activities. And teased he did, as flippers reached out and pulled the taller penguin to his chest, lightly nuzzling his beak back and forth through the feathers on Kowalski's neck. The analyst yelped in shock.

"Rico, not in public, not in public!" he hissed, trying yet failing to shove his mate away for the time being. "What ever happened to that, mushy love sensitivity thing you had? Huh? Where is that NOW?"

Just then, Rico's stomach grumbled, and he let out a sickly belch, the smell of which was foul enough to make Kowalski's own stomach churn. The weapons expert grimaced only for a second at the taste it had left in his beak, before grinning again and replied, "Worth it."

The two had caught some unwanted attention with that little display; Skipper peered over the stone island with a well-aimed glare. "Cut the sappy lovey-dovey routine in public, would ya, you two?"

Kowalski continued to shove his way out of Rico's grasp, his flippers planted firmly on the hefty bird's chest, and looked back at Skipper, apologetically. "Sorry, Skipper, this will only take a moment longer- RICO WILL YOU CUT THAT OUT?!"

The sudden clanging of a metal bucket on the stone walkway outside of the penguin habitat was enough to startle all four of them, and Kowalski was freed at last... unfortunately, his current point of leverage caused him to topple over backward without Rico's flippers there to support him.

But all Rico could see were the fish scattered all over the ground just outside. Alice stood there, as well, gawking. Her focus was on the penguins, though notably the taller two, before she reached into her coat pocket, her hands fumbling even to do that. Finally, as vapor exited her mouth in a pant, she pressed the button on the communications device.

"Ah, geeze. Hey, Maurice. I think we just might got some more trouble on our hands. You remember which of the penguins was female?"

She waited a moment for the other zookeeper to respond. It didn't take long before she heard a beep, and then the Brooklyn tone coming from the receiver.

"What do I look like, some ornitico...er, ornatical….Look, do I LOOK like a birdologist or somethin'? How d'heck am I supposed to know? Why, what's goin' on?"

"Ugh, what use ARE you to me, Maurice?!" The redhead's anger became mild concern as she turned her focus back to the penguins. " I was askin' 'cause I got two penguins here bein' a lil' too friendly, if ya know what I mean. We already got budget problems, we don't need no other greedy mouths to feed! Whattya think we should do 'bout it?"

"Don't dey got some shackin' up period, or somethin'?"

"Yeah," Alice paused, as she tried to recall all that she knew about the flightless birds. "Around springtime, I think."

"Then I don't see why ya fussin' 'bout it. No problem, then. Animals ain't as needy as us, they go by that geographic nature book."

Alice clicked the walky talky again, as she growled. She began to talk, as she bent over to pick up the spilt fish.

"Oh, so you're just sayin' we wait 'til it actually IS a problem. Way to go, genius. Give ya the big ol' gold star. " She threw the penguins their food, before turning to walk away. "Ya know what, I'm just gonna call management. I was already suggesting we get rid of an animal or two. Maybe they'll actually listen if I tell 'em we actually got us a problem on our hands."

The curvy woman picked up her bucket, before beginning to head back to her office. Though there were still a bit of a crowd around the pen, the penguin remained still as they exchanged looks. Worry was on their faces...before Kowalski began to chuckle nervously.

"Ha...it seems the humans are still misinformed on our actual biological genders...Isn't that...something?"

Rico offered a forced chuckle, while eyeing the few people still watching, uneasily. "Heh ... heh."

Skipper and Private were suddenly coming up beside Kowalski, and Skipper slapped the tallest penguin on the back, reassuringly. "Buck up, soldier! No need to get your panties in a twist!"

"We don't even wear pants." Private pointed out, helpfully.

"No, no we don't. And besides; you're forgetting rule number three-seventy-two of the Central Park Zoo!" said Skipper.

Kowalski thought for a moment. "Three-seventy-two is... that... no one listens to Alice." Finished the analyst, brightening some; whether it was from knowing that random bit of trivial trivia, or from the rule itself, was unknown.

"Right you are!" congratulated his commanding officer, placing a friendly flipper on his back and beginning to walk with him towards the hatch, as the last two people lost interest and wandered off to other things. Private hopped down the hatch soon after, and Rico downed another fish before joining the other three.

Skipper was right, nobody EVER listened to Alice. There was nothing to fear in the slightest.

Ooor they were all perfectly and horrendously wrong.

The thought was completely put behind them, by the time the next day rolled around. Morning routine went well, as the penguins did their laps effortless- though, instead of swimming it ended up being a skate race around the concrete island. Then, as they wrapped that up, people started to pour in- mostly the school crowd, seeing as tickets were cheaper during the winter holidays. Kids came and went, excited by the flightless birds' antics, before scurrying off to another part of the zoo.

However, it was a little past noon when the team stopped their cute-n-cuddly charade, as they overheard the redheaded zookeeper as she walked past their exhibit.

"No, I'm tellin' ya, Maurice, they're ACTUALLY listening to me! They said that that certainly can be a concern, and told me t'watch out for them and let them know. But as far as I'M concerned- 'cause you know how these animals are- we're gonna be down one less penguin."

Skipper and Rico glared, Private wore his best concerned expression, and Kowalski whimpered, despite himself. If Alice knew anything at all about the courtship rituals and gender rolls of penguins, it very well could have seemed as if he was the female, which probably meant... it meant Kowalski's brain was racing a million miles a minute now, and he'd be pacing for awhile.

Meanwhile, Rico took three steps toward the passing zookeeper, spitting up a bundle of dynamite and a mace on the way, grumbling threats that consisted of few actual words. His fourth step was halted when a stern flipper fell on his shoulder, and he looked back to see Skipper.

"Now, now, Rico, I enjoy a good bloody beat-down just as much as the next guy... maybe a whole lot more, depending on who the next guy is." The commanding penguin took the mace away from the psychopath. "But this isn't the answer! Not this time."

Beside them, Private let out a sigh of relief.

"It's too messy! Too obvious. Too easy to trace it back to us." Skipper tossed the mace away, and somewhere a man screamed, but no one seemed to take notice. "Ya have anything a little more subtle? Poison blow darts? Toxic gasses? ... Chloroform?"

The living storage unit was in the middle of coughing something else up, when Private interjected. "Wait! What if we... found a way to make money? For the zoo? To pay for... Kowalski's baby, should it arrive." he suggested, failing to suppress a snicker at the last part.

The analyst glared.

"Oh, come ON now! We all know the scientific properties behind that statement of yours is nothing but a load of poppycock! Males can't produce offspring!" Kowalski paused. "Er, well...male penguins can't, anyway. I won't even BEGIN to cover the seahorse's breeding habits, nor the clownfish's ability to change gender...Not to mention the human's notions of gender ident-LOOK! I'M NOT HAVING ANY EGGS! END of STORY!"

The leader, however, didn't hear any of the scientist's rant, as he was already busy pondering over the youth's suggestion.

"You know, Private, you just might be onto something…"

"Oh, come on," the tallest penguin groaned, "et tu, Skipper? For the LAST time, I can't have babies!"

"What? What are you spouting on about? I was referring to Private's idea of finding the zoo some extra dough. We're a smart group of guys, real resourceful; if we get the zoo the cash flow it needs...We won't even have to worry about nobody shipping ANYbody off! I LIKE this plan!"

Skipper threw a glance at Kowalski before smirking.

"Besides, we all know Kowalski hardly has the figure to pull off maternity clothes anyway. Now come on, men, we're gonna ditch this party and do some thinking. We need options! I don't know how much time we need, but I don't want to have to wait and find out!"

Meanwhile, over in...

HOBOKEN.

Lightning flashed across the darkened sky, despite it being December, followed by a clash of thunder. Inside the reptile exhibit, a lemur and a large boa cringed at the sound.

"Did you just hear that, just now? Was that lightning? This time of year?" Questioned Clemson. The snake behind the glass rolled its eyes.

"It always does that when you laugh. It is, a little creepy, even for you." replied Savio.

"I know, see! That's weird, am I right? Am I wrong about this, because I don't think I'm wrong. I mean, having it thunder and lightning every time I laugh, that's like, big time villain stuff. It's like, hello, EVIL guy, right over here!"

The large snake turned away from the glass separating the two, and coiled back up on his heating rock, closing his eyes. "Yes, that is what you are always saying. But I never really see you, being evil, at all."

The lemur was now going on and on about once trying to overthrow an entire kingdom, or something of the sort, but Savio was only half listening. The guy had come to see him every day since it had grown cold, which was not something the enormous reptile was expecting, nor was he used to. No one wanted to spend time with a relentless carnivore. But still Clemson had visited, every day after closing hours, sitting, pacing, sometimes even prancing just outside of his glass house, chatting away like they'd been best pals forever. Threats hadn't even been able to keep the guy away.

Not that Savio minded so much anymore. Even if Clemson was obviously deranged on a few different levels, the reptile had to give him one thing; the guy was smart. And in the end, Savio really was grateful to have someone to talk to during the cold winter months.

It wasn't the lemur's nonstop talking that jolted the snake from near-sleep, but the sudden lack of it. Clemson had grown silent, which was very unlike him. Savio opened one eye and looked to see the small mammal looking back at him with those wide, green eyes. Very pretty eyes, he had noted on more than one occasion.

"What is it now?"

Clemson sighed. "You're not much for conversation, you know that? What's your deal, huh? Why are you so... sulky? I mean, don't get me wrong- I like sulking! LOVE it, even. But not to this extent, c'mon! You haven't even TRIED to eat the bird with the funny accent lately! I love when you do that; it's hilarious!"

The boa constrictor found himself giving a slight smile, as he recalled whom the lemur was speaking of.

"Yes, it is being quite true. I am rather fond of this little game the puffin and I have devised- me being the predator...and he being the exquisitely tasty meal. He is making the most musical squawking I've heard in the longest of times." Savio's amusement vanished, as he curled himself tighter into a ball; the constrictor trying to keep as much of his body on his heating rock as possible. " However, I am sorry to say, my friend, that you shall not be laughing at our game for some time now. While I would not say I am sulking, it is true that I am little under the weather BECAUSE of the weather."

"The weather? Yeah, okay, I know we just had a random light show for a moment there- seriously, what is UP with that!- and yeah, heck, it's even kinda cold out there. But no big! Just a nip. Sure, it's a completely different environment from Madagascar- now there's a vacation spot! Beautiful beaches, lots of sun and places to snooze away the afternoon. Your kind of place, I'm thinking. It even has lots of small mammals to chow down on, if you're into that kind of thing- and let's be honest- of course you are! Not MY thing, exactly, but hey- who am I to judge on a little thing like a diet? Speaking of, which, losing some weight, pal? Slim and slithery is a good look on you! Oh yeah, and TOTALLY digging the scales thing you're working. You must be a hit in the fashion industry. But look at me! I'm just going on and on-WOAH! Stop me, before I lose myself!"

Clemson paused, as he stroke his chin as he tried to recall what they were discussing.

"Yeah, what were we talking about again?"

Savio rolled his wide eyes, before glaring down from his tank in annoyance.

"The cold."

"Ah, yes! Thank you! Yeah, the cold. It's not THAT bad. And if need be, I can just knit you up a little something to give you the extra bit of warmth for your scaley needs. Got a favorite color? See, now I'm partial to green and orange, myself. In fact- OH! You would look rather impressive in 'em- not that you need anything to make you look any more impressive! Am I right, or am I right? Of COURSE I am, LOOK AT YOU! A big ol' hunk of attractractive snake's skin, you!"

"I am not too partial to the colors, no." The boa couldn't help but both be flattered and suspicious from the array of compliments. Though, he found himself shrugging it off. The mammal had a habit of buttering other animals up, as well. And, he could admit it, he was rather fond of his scales. "However, I am feeling that the colors or winter wear are not being my main concern. My problem is not with the availability of acquiring clothing, but of the fact that I am cold-blooded. Unlike you mammals, whom have an internal fire running through your veins, we reptiles must rely on an outside source for our needs. And I am sad to say, that this New Jersey weather is severely lacking in heat; thus, my friend, I am forced to lock myself away from the outside world. No matter how much I am wishing for freedom."

Well, there went Clemson's plans for the evening. He never realized cold-blooded worked quite that way; his plan to take his friend of sorts out for a day of fun had just been ruined. The lemur deflated and sighed, still watching the reptile through the glass.

"Oh, freedom? Ha! Let me tell you, freedom is NOT what it's all cracked up to be. All this free time? It does things to a guy's head! Heck, just look at me; totally bonkers. Would a sane guy ramble on like this, who talks this much, huh? This guy, that's who! Look at me, I'm still going!"

Savio didn't even bother to reply this time. Had he fallen asleep? Huh. Well, if he wasn't going to get out here and spend the day with Clemson, Clemson would just have to spend the day with him.

"In fact, you know what? I've HAD it up to here with all of this freedom. Yup, I'm sick and tired of it." The mammal had easily climbed his way to the top of the tank, undid the latches on the hatch, and plunked down inside the tank with likely the largest carnivore in the Hoboken Zoo.

Savio snapped awake. Had that been the sound of a small animal in his tank? Was it dinner time already? He shot up... way up... and spun around, towering over little Clemson, who gazed up with a grin.

Oh, it was just Clemson ... in his tank... how delicious he looked. What a shame it would be, to devour the only animal in the Hoboken Zoo he could consider a friend. But something inside was telling him friends and food could easily be mixed, and he was so very hungry.

Clemson did not like the way the snake was looking at him. "Ah... you know, in hindsight, this was definitely a very stupid move on my part."

Savio's tongue flicked out, tasting the animal from a distance. "You do realize I will have to eat you now, yes?"

"Yeah I get that."

The lemur managed to dive out of the way just in time to avoid the lunging reptile, and then he was running for his life. Savio gave out a vicious hiss, before bounding for the mammal again. Clemson was able to leap over the scaly flesh, using the tank's wall for leverage as he bounced towards the other end. The snake thumped his head on the glass, before glaring and attempted to catch his prey once more. Another thump was heard, as Savio rammed into the glass again.

"Come now, I am not having a taste for fast food this afternoon."

"YOU'RE not in the mood?!" Clemson found himself yelping out a cry, as the tail end tried to grab at him. "Hey, nobody wants you eating anything high in fat! Just look at me, practically empty calories. Not good enough for ya! Here how about I just excuse myself and go find you something a little more satisfy- GYAH!"

The bamboo lemur, after dodging Savio's mouth yet again, found himself tripping and smacking face first into the tank. Panic set in, after Clemson had the stars leave his eyes, as the boa constrictor used some of his long stomach to pin the mammal to the glass. Savio chuckled, as his forked tongue darted out and took another taste test of his friend.

"Now, don't be being modest. I'd say you're positively tantalizing. Besides, you've always been one to chew the fat amongst us; I am merely suggesting I return the favor. Goodbye, dear Clemson, I must admit I shall be missing you."

Clemson wasn't sure which upset him more; the fact he was about to be swallowed whole by his best friend yet again, or the fact that he couldn't reply, due to having his face smooshed up against the glass. Not being able to talk really bothered the lemur. All in all, this was going to suck, as Clemson shut his eyes- awaiting the inevitable.

The inevitable was put on hold, as the laws of physics took over; the tank containing the two began to tip, and then slide, as the large reptile leaned in closer to swallow his prey.

Clemson was released as Savio realized too late the mistake he had made, just as the tank toppled over onto the reptile exhibit floor, the glass shattering, scattering shards of itself, along with the fake foliage and rocks, everywhere.

Savio looked around, startled, in a panic, as the chill began to set in. The reptile house was kept rather warm, but being on the floor outside of his cage in the middle of winter still wasn't comfortable. He spotted his heating rock, and quickly moved and curl back up on top of it, but it no longer seemed to be exuding any heat.

The loud crash had alerted two zoo keepers, and they rushed in- not even noticing the small lemur dart out the door between their feet- and came to a screeching halt just inside. That was one big snake, and he was loose... though not very threatening at the moment, curled up and shivering on a broken heating rock. One of them unclipped the communicator radio from his belt.

"So uh... we got a problem over here. The boa constrictor tank broke, and now we got a big snake without no glass between it and us."

A voice crackled to life on the other end of the device. "It broke? How does a tank that size just break?"

"How the heck should I know! It's just broken, okay, very broken!"

"And we ain't stayin' for dinner, neither!" yelled the other into the walkie talkie.

The two turned and left, shutting the door firmly behind them. The walkie talkie began to speak again. "Alright, keep the snake confined, make sure it does NOT escape! We'll get proper handlers down there in a minute. We'll uh... send it to another zoo while we order another tank, most likely."

"Roger and out." The guard placed the walkie-talkie back onto his belt, before muttering to the second guy. "Yikes! At least the big fella didn't escape. Don't need panic goin' on like the last time."

The second zookeeper frowned in thought.

"So where DO ya think they gonna send the thing?"

"Probably the same place we always send 'em- Central Park Zoo. Almost makes you feel sorry for the guy, don't it?"

"Nah, almost makes me want a sandwich. Think we can ditch this thing and go chow down?"

"Always thinking with your stomach, Bill. But alright." The zookeeper did one last check on the door, just to make sure it was still locked. "'sides, he ain't our problem no more."

Savio and the penguins weren't the only ones with problems.

"Maurice!" The royal lemur cried, as he was wrapped up from head to booty in blanket after blanket. "What is taking you so long with de hot cocoa-ness? I am desiring de said hotness-OH! And de marshmallows. The marshmallows are what sells de t'ing at all!"

Maurice gave out a shivered sigh, as he hopped from foot to foot- neither of them enjoying the snow under them. Man, it was times like this, that the aye-aye really missed the heat of their old home. The mammal sniffled, his nose red from his cold he was suffering from, as he bent over to search the lower cabinets of their smoothie bar area.

"Great, " he mumbled at first, before Maurice yelled loud enough for the other lemur to hear. "I'm sorry, King Julien, but it seems we're out of cocoa packets!"

King Julien gasped.

"No cocoa packets?;! Dat's...dat is being the most horrible news I heard all day! Maurice, you have failed your king, and now your king is going to be dying from being de freezy-pops!"

He paused.

"Wait, do we at least have the marshmallow thingies?"

The servant raised a brow.

"Uh, sir, the marshmallows came WITH the packets."

Julien gasped again.

"No, I am being corrected- DAT is being da worstest news I have been hearing! Maurice, as your king, I am demanding dat you be fixing dis here problem...and also getting me the warmth, yes?"

Maurice sneezed just then, making a 'yuck' face after his hands were covered in mucus. Wiping his hands in a nearby snowbank and sniffing, he replied, "I don't feel so good. Can't you get your own hot cocoa, just this once?"

The king gaped at his servant; had he just refused an order?

"I cannot be believing the words that I am hearing! Maurice, are you saying that I, the royal king, should go and get my feet all freezy and wet, to do the job that was supposed to be getting done by you?"

The aye-aye sniffed again, followed by two more sneezes. "Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm sayin'. It ain't that hard; Roger's habitat is right over there, and he should have some."

Just then, Mort hopped up on the arm of the royal throne. "Oh! I will do it! I will get the thing for King Julien!" he chirped, excitedly. Julien smiled, if only for a second.

"Well then, get to doing it already!" snapped the king impatiently, shoving the little mouse lemur off of his throne. Mort landed in a snowbank, disappearing completely under two feet of snow.

Maurice and Julien watched as Mort moved slowly forward through the snow, grunting with every step. Four steps in, and he had to stop to catch his breath. "Am I there yet? Helloooo out there." he sang, tiredly.

The lemur king groaned. "Okay, fine, I will be getting it myself. But I am NOT happy about it!" Julien declared, hopping off of his throne and stomping off in search of his precious packets.

Maurice stared after him and blinked. "I can't believe that worked."

It didn't take long for Julien to hop over his habitat wall, and land on the other side. He felt a shiver go through him, as a wind struck his fur with a gush of cold. Not being one of common sense, he did not go back to fetch any sort of shield from the elements, as he instead began to mumble to himself as he trudged onward.

"Stupid Maurice...with his stupid head and stupidness...making de king go get his own thingies...WHO do he thing he is? He isn't de king! I am knowing this because the king is being ME! So he is being de servant and SO should be doing the getting! Out in the coldness, with me in de blankets and all warmy!"

Finally he made it all the way over to the far side of the zoo, where the alligator exhibit was located, as he hopped up on top of wall and began shouting demands.

'You! Gator-persons with the teeths! The king is demanding you be showing yourself to him." A pause, as he looked around, not quite knowing where the inhabitant was. He strained his eyes, as he cupped a hand over them. "Uh...you ARE here, aren't you?"

The lemur king received no answer, and saw nothing of the reptile as he scanned the habitat. Snow, a naked tree, a very frozen pond, but no alligator.

Julien took a deep breath and prepared to shout as loudly as he could, but a sudden gust of wind ate up his voice and pushed him off of the wall, into the habitat, where he landed in a snow bank.

By the time he managed to climb out and shake himself off, he was really cold. Lemurs were not meant for snow. They were meant for warm weather, for jungles, for pampering. He was about to give up on this quest and make Maurice do it, after all, when he heard someone calling out.

"Hello? Is someone there? Do I have company? Oh! I'm over here!"

Turning toward the voice, Julien could see a large green snout poking out of an out-of-the-way cave on the outskirts of the habitat, all but hidden from where he'd been perched upon the wall moments before. The snout disappeared back inside, and he decided to follow it. He really wanted that hot cocoa.

"How dare you be hiding from your king! Do you not see that-" the angry rant that had been prepared died just as soon as Julien stepped into the cave, and a blast of warm air blasted away the cold, and with it, his anger. The mammal slumped as all tension left his body and he suddenly felt very relaxed, very happy, very... sleepy.

"Well, don't just stand there; come in, come in! It's absolutely freezing out there! ... Literally! Just look at my pond!"

The alligator he'd been looking for stood in the center of a rather well-lit and elegantly decorated... not to mention fairly large, cave, behind a little wooden table.

"You do not give the king orders, that is MY- ... actually, okay, I don't really care right now, so much." replied the lemur, making his way over to the small table, and plunking himself down in one of the chairs. Propping his feet up on the table, he leaned back and smiling lazily up at Roger.

"Hey, Toothy-guy, how have the up things been?"

The alligator gave a polite smile... even if he was currently a little grossed out and offended by the lemur's feet on his table.

"Oh, well... uh, Julien, was it?"

"KING Julien. Do not be forgetting the king part, it's a very important part!"

"Of course, of course; KING Julien. I've been trying to keep from freezing, doing a lot of thinking, knitting a little, here and there, redecorating, making this place a little more homey, you know, puttering." replied Roger, with a smile, turning away to fuss over something Julien couldn't see. "And what brings the KING here, to my home?"

The mammal closed his eyes, and placed his hands behind his head, soaking in the warmth. "Oh, you know, kingly business-es." came his distracted, uninterested reply. Suddenly his eyes shot back open, and he sat up straight, the chair righting itself with a loud CLACK.

The sound startled the alligator, and he yelped, spinning around, wide-eyed. "What! What was that!"

Julien stood, arms crossed defiantly over his chest. "Why is it, that you are having the warm heatingness, while I, the royal king, am NOT having it?"

Roger looked at him blankly for a short while. Had he offended his guest? He'd hardly said a word! He scratched his head, turned to grab the tray of hot drinks he'd prepared, and sat down opposite of where his guest stood, setting the tray down on the table, and smiling hopefully. "Um... well, you see, I NEED the extra heat, with my cold blood, and all. I can't move when I get cold, oh, it's just DREADFUL!" he said, giving a shiver for emphasis.

The lemur's pose fell as he eyed the cups of the tray... was that? He sniffed the air. It was! Julien smiled wide and plunked himself back into the chair, swiping the cup closest to himself, the unfairness of the situation all but forgotten as he breathed in the sweet smell of hot cocoa. "Ye-heh-hehs! Now this is what I am talking about!" he took a sip and gasped in surprise. "AND it has the little marshmallow thingies in it! It is like you were looking into my brainy parts and reading about them!"

Roger's smile faltered slightly; that had sounded a little gross. But he was delighted that his guest was enjoying himself so much, and he took his own cup, taking a sip.

Julien set his cup down, and looked around, back in his content, dream-like state. "Pretty nice place, for a stinky cave. No, really, I like what you did with the... uh... dirt, and things."

Julien wasn't so great with compliments. But he was trying. Roger just shrugged,

"Yeah, it's pretty nice, I suppose. I mean, I'm real grateful! I like it! But, you know, I've been thinking it'd sure be nice to have someone here to share it with me..."

The mammal across from him took another sip from his mug. "Ah, I am understanding what it is you are saying; like a lady friend, yes?" he replied, raising his brow and grinning.

The reptile became flustered, nearly spilling his hot drink as he choked on the cocoa. Julien was about to comment on it, wondering if he was sick too- last thing the royal lemur needed was to be surrounding himself with TWO sickly people. He JUST left Maurice because of that! However, before he could, Roger waved his claws as he collected himself.

"Wow, you're GOOD. But, um," he stalled," I'm not sure that's quite right either. It's rather a 'yes' and a 'no', really.'

This confused the king.

"Yes AND no? Silly gator-persons, things can not be being the yeses and noses! I know because I tried, and it doesn't really work out. But, uh, YEAH! The king demands an explanation!" He stopped, as he scratched the side of his head- shifting his crown a little. "Seriously, I don't get it."

"Oh, well, um...'yes', because I do admit I am drawn to a certain someone. And 'yes' that they are female...But, uh, also 'no' because they could also be a guy." A pause. "Possibly. I don't know, really. Apparently it's hard to tell with birds."

Julien scoffed.

"Pfft. Birds. Always with the feathery peoples! They think dey are being all mysterious and secretiveness, with de hiding of their parts...Uh, dey do have de parts, yes? Eh, nevermind, I am not really wanting to be knowing."

Roger was pleased to hear this, because he wasn't sure he was quite comfortable with the road the conversation was going, and was glad for the question withdrawal. The lemur, however, wasn't finished with his inquiries when he became animated once more and began gesturing his hands excitedly.

"Ooo, but yes! Come come! Be spilling de beany goodness! So, feelings, yes? Who is it? Is it the tall one with de pouch?"

The gator raised a brow at this.

"'Pouch'? Wait...you mean Joey? Joey's a kangaroo, not a bird…" The confusion melted away as he realized something about his guest. "Wow, you're really lacking in the animal facts, aren't you?"

"Uh, no! YOU, my friend, are lacking in de facts! Joey is being the bird-persons, 'cause a kangaroo is de animal with de sharp teeths, and the scaley thingies!"

"Wait, are you talking about alligators? I'M an alligator!"

Julien sighed, giving the reptile a look of pity.

"Poor guy, you're even in confusiness about yourself! Momma Kangaroo musta had trouble wit you, huh? But no matters, my friend, your king is going to be doing the helpings!"

"You...are?"

"Yes! Your king is being all about the wooing. I have had many girlfriends. Ladies dig the crown, you know. So, out of de kindness of my heart, I am going to be helping you to get the she-he person's attention!"

The forced smile that Roger offered was taken by the king as gratitude, and he held up his empty mug.

"Now, why don't you be serving up some more of that delicious cocoa, with the little marshmallows in it, and we can start de talk about the wooing."

Roger sighed, stood up, and took the mug from his guest. He wasn't confident that Julien could do anything but make things worse, but it was rude to judge someone before giving them a chance, and besides... it was nice to have company.

That last thought put the pep back in the gator's step, and he twirled around once, and smiled wide; a genuine smile this time.

"Sure thing, you got it! Another cup of piping hot chocolate; for the King, no less!"

Julien felt a warmth rush through him...and only for a minute did he suspect that it was more than the hot air circulating throughout the cave. The inkling of thought was quickly lost, as another mug of cocoa was set in front of him- and this one with even MORE marshmallows than the last one!

Oh, yes, the king was liking this arrangement.

Very much so.