Thanks for all the reviews and feedback! It's nice knowing that there are still readers out there. :)
It was cold. Freezing.
Private's beak chattered as he shook his uncle, the tears starting to freeze on his cheeks.
"Uncle Nigel, wake up! Nigel!"
The large penguin groaned as he woke up and was met with immediate excruciating pain from his stomach. His vision was blurry, but it was clarifying slowly… He saw white. Lots of white. And lots of red, too. Some other bird was leaning over him, a grieving mess. His nephew, Private.
"Private?"
He looked at his stomach and saw a huge blood soaked gash. "Private, what's happening?"
"Nigel, it's Blowhole. He was here. He was supposed to be here but left us in his place and injured you so that you can't escape! Uncle, they planted a bomb." The smaller penguin's voice was terrified. Hysterical almost.
"A bomb?" Nigel was suddenly more alert. "Who? Where?" He propped himself up on his flippers despite the indescribable pain from his wound. He saw that they were in an igloo, on the snow. A heavy snowstorm howled outside. The Arctic?
"The badgers! There were three furry brown creatures and they planted a bomb right outside the igloo! It was meant for Blowhole, but-" Private was cut off by a choked sob.
Nigel became grim. He looked at his nephew. "When's it supposed to go off?"
Private wiped at his tears. "We have about a minute left. We have to go. I'll carry you, Nigel."
The large penguin looked away. He never imagined it would be like this… He faced Private again and put a flipper on his nephew's shoulder, determination set on his face. "Listen to me, Private. You have to go."
"No! I can't leave you!" The small penguin clutched at Nigel's flippers desperately.
"Listen, lad, listen! You need to get out of here, now. Belly slide out of here as fast as you can, do you hear? Don't look back, just go." His voice was firm as he instructed his nephew over the sound of his sniffles and protests. "Private. Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be alright. What's important now is that you run as fast as you can."
He softened at the heart broken look on Private's face. He was such a sweet kid, and he had already lost so many… He hated to leave him, but this was the only way the lad could make it out alive.
His voice softened. "Chin up, soldier. We'll meet again, I promise. Just remember that I love you no matter what, Private. I'm proud of you." He smiled to his nephew's teary blue eyes, giving him all the confidence and strength he could.
"Now get out of here."
Private slid out of the igloo, leaving a trail of silent tears behind him. He had to get to the water, where he could take shelter from the explosion. He didn't have much time left. The icy winds ruffled his black and white feathers as he sped along. There was a small gray shape slumped on the ice, close to the water's edge. A young leopard seal, only a bit older than a baby. From where it was sleeping, it didn't stand a chance.
Private swerved into its path and collided head on, forcing them both into the water. Will you thank me later? He wondered. Seconds after he hit the water, he felt the explosion, chunks of ice hitting the ocean. Hot tears mingled with the saltwater. Nigel… He surfaced after the explosion, flopping onto the ice.
Past the smoke, he could make out three furry shapes in the distance…He squinted. Badgers…Or not? Squinting, Private thought he saw the creatures remove their coats to reveal slick black and white bodies. One tall and skinny, one medium sized with unruly feathers, and one short and flat-headed. They all hi-fived before belly sliding away.
Penguins?
Either way, he felt rising fear and hatred. They killed his uncle. They killed Nigel. He felt something else rising too and Private lost his lunch.
Nearby, the leopard seal coughed. She looked at Private, emotions swirling and bubbling inside. She didn't know if she should be angry or scared or thankful. Or just plain confused. The leopard seal came out onto the ice, gray coat shining.
"A heads up would've been nice too," she said, smiling after deciding to go with thankful. "So, you wanna tell me why I almost got blown up?" She looked at her rescuer, whose eyes were downcast.
"Not really," said Private. "It wasn't meant for you anyway. Just forget about it." He sniffed and felt more tears coming.
"Hey, you okay?" she scootched a bit closer.
"Yeah."
"Well, thanks for saving me anyways. Name's Hunter, by the way."
The penguin nodded. "Private."
"Well, that's a funny name."
There was silence.
Hunter coughed. "If there's anything I can do to repay you for, you know, saving my life and all that, I'd be happy to do it."
Private was silent for a moment, lost in thought. It's time to start fresh. "Actually, Huntah, I would be grateful if you swam me out to that furthest ice block over there." He motioned towards a small chunk of ice on the horizon. He could easily swim there on his own, but he didn't like having debts owed to him.
"Well sure thing! Hop aboard," Hunter exclaimed, taking the smaller bird on her back and diving into the icy Arctic water. She sped towards the white block of ice and reached it in no time.
Private climbed onto the ice. "Thanks."
"No prob. I should be thanking you for saving my life. Anyways, I'd better be getting back. My dad's waiting. See you around, Private!"
"Bye Huntah!" The penguin smiled and waved at the disappearing silver tail.
Neither would remember ever knowing the other years later, when they met again.
Private drifted for months, years maybe, deciding to start life anew wherever the wind took him. He hitchhiked on boats, floated on ice chunks, swam through rivers, and eventually made his way to New York, where he wandered for a while before allowing himself to be captured and taken to a zoo, where he would reside in comfort.
There he met his beloved uncle's murderers.
Of course, Private didn't remember any of that last part. He only remembered up to the point where he wandered without purpose, lost without his best friend and guardian. He never remembered meeting Skipper, Kowalski, or Rico. He only remembered the fresh pain of waking up every day and realizing all over again that Nigel was dead.
So that's why, when he woke up in his hospital bed again, seeing sleeping Kowalski nearby was like a dream come true. He hugged the man he thought to be his uncle, awakening and definitely startling him. Private felt his world was finally complete again. All those months of searching, searching for someone you thought you knew you'd never see again…
"It's so good to have you back, Uncle Nigel," he said, voice overflowing with happiness and emotion.
Kowalski let out an inaudible sigh and hugged Private back.
But when are we going to get you back, Private?
