10. Precious Friendship

Skipper could only cry. Private pressed the leader close to him and Skipper let out all his pain in tears. After about ten minutes the leader was so exhausted by his physical and emotional pain that his eyes just shut. Skipper just fell asleep in Privates arms. After the leader penguin was asleep, the little penguin put him gently on the couch again and covered him with his blanket.

Then Private waddled to the bunks to get Skippers pillow. But the hatch from the entrance has been opened suddenly. The little penguin heard Kowalski's annoyed vocals and the irritated voice of Marlene, King Julien, Maurice and Mort. "No, Skipper can´t receive visitors." Kowalski said annoyed and tried to prevent the others, that they entered the HQ. But he had no chance. Marlene and the lemurs climbed down the ladder, and Private tried to calm the agitated crowd. "Be quiet. Skipper sleeps." Private muttered and stood in the way of the other.

"Private, please. If Skipper is really dying, then I will at least say goodbye to him." said Marlene applied and had tears in her eyes. The Penguins were able to understand the excitement of her friends very well and gave the way to the couch free so they could get to Skipper. But the leader was sleeping soundly and didn´t notice the unexpected visit.

As the lemurs and the otter came closer, they were shocked to see Skipper lying so helpless and weak on the couch. Skipper looked really very sick and Marlene leaned over to him. Gently she stroked his back. "Skipper, can you hear me? Please wake up." she whispered softly and Skipper groaned weak. As the leader realized that his friends were with him, he slowly opened his eyes and looked into the anxious faces of his friends.

"Marlene, what are you doing here. Do you know of ...?" Skipper said in a low voice, but he could not say more because Marlene immediately gave him a big hut. "Skipper, I'm so sorry. Why didn´t you tell anyone about it? Can I do anything for you in your last days?" muttered the Otter, and began to cry.

"No, Marlene. No one should get to know it. I don´t want anybody else suffering from it. It's bad enough that my team has to suffer so much." Skipper whispered and sighed. "But we are your friends," said Mort and embraced Skippers feet. "Oh Penguin, I will ask the sky spirits, to make you well again." King Julien said, looking up on the ceiling.

"I'm so sorry, Skipper. As we have seen you the last time, I didn´t think that your condition is so bad. We didn´t know, that you´re terminal patient. I hope that your last days will be the most beautiful of your life." Maurice muttered and looked sad to Skipper. The whole situation was just unbearable for the leader. Marlene cried out in his arms and the lemurs were very sad about this bad news.

With a questioning glance Skipper looked at Kowalski, because he wanted to know how the others got to know about it. "Sorry, Skipper. But they have nailed me and threatened to tell the whole zoo of our disappearance. I wanted to keep all the damage as small as possible." Kowalski said apologetically.

But Skipper couldn´t be mad at him. Finally, he was happy not to be alone in these dark hours. Marlene and the Lemurs didn´t stay long, because the leader was just too exhausted after all, he had hardly slept the last days. He also felt the disease consumed his strength.

After the others had gone, silence finally returned. "Skipper, I'm sorry. I did´t want them to come." Kowalski said, and looked to his leader, who made himself comfortable on the couch again. "It's okay. I just hope they´re not going to tell anybody else." Skipper said thoughtfully. "Where were you guys by the way?" added the leader.

"Rico and I have taken some medicine and also as little surprise, tuna pizza. I thought that today we just make a nice, relaxing evening." Kowalski said. "Tuna!" Rico said aloud and the others listened, as his stomach growled. Skipper was very touched by their efforts to distract him from his impending death.

It was truly a successful evening. They their pizza and then they watched a movie. Just like they used to do it. But in thought everyone knew that this would probably be the last night with Skipper. But the leader was happy that a little normalcy and everyday life had returned to the HQ this evening.

He was happy about this time that he could spend with his friends. It was very late and everyone went to bed tired. Skipper was tired and fell asleep after only a few minutes. Just as Kowalski and Rico. Only Private brooded late into the night. He just couldn´t get rid of the idea that Skipper could soon no longer be with him. He saw himself at his funeral and I knew that these thoughts would be bitter reality soon.

And what should be after Skippers death? How should he proceed further, wondered the little penguin. He knew that the team wouldn´t cope with this loss and Private was afraid of losing his family. The little penguin got a shudder and heard a faint murmur of the bunk below him.

"Private, what is it?" Skipper said in a weak voice and coughed. "I can´t sleep because I always has to remember, how you ..." Private murmured softly, tears welled up in his eyes. "Come down to me." Skipper whispered softly and the little penguin was was immediatly at his bunk.

"If I´m going to die, then I would have liked to have had a young son, whom I could comfort when he can´t sleep." Skipper said, and slid to the side, to make Private some space in his bed. "Thank you, that you are there for me." murmured the little penguin and snuggled up to his leader.

"You're welcome." Skipper murmured with a gentle smile and covered himself and Private with his blanket. A short time later, both fell asleep. Private, who wasn´t able to get an eye shut, slept like a baby under Skippers protection. But after a few hours the little penguin felt that Skipper was sleeping uneasy.

He breathed heavily as he would get no air. "Skipper?" Private and asked opened his eyes. Suddenly Skipper was very quiet. Too quiet. Private sat up to look after him. "Skipper, what is it?" asked the little penguin scared and put his flippers on Skippers belly.

But he felt that Skipper was not breathing anymore. Private panicked. "Kowalski! " cried the little penguin aloud as he felt Skippers pulse. The scientist was there immediately. "What's wrong, Private?" Kowalski asked nervously. "Skipper. He doesn´t breathe anymore. But his heart is still beating." Private said quickly.

His voice trembled so much, that Kowalski had trouble of understanding him. "Private, calm down. Listen, you know what I have explained to you in our first aid course. You will have to start an artificial respiration, so I can quickly get the respirator out of my lab." Kowalski said, and made his way to the lab as fast as possible.