Rico scoped out the area for an hour before deciding that it was safe enough for him to fish. Just the thought of actually facing danger for his food made his heart quiver within him, and adrenaline already flowed through his veins. He tilted his head back, inhaling the crisp air that breezed by, carrying small snow particles with it. The fresh air, untainted by human living, excited him just as much as fishing for himself.

Skipper and Kowalski had never understood his desire to fish for himself. The humans gave them food, so he should be content. But Rico was never happier than when he was taking care of himself. The few times he'd had to hunt on their missions, he'd gotten this same rush of adrenaline, and it was then that he realized just how much he missed being in the wild. His superiors knew a certain kind of instinct, but they didn't know all of it. Rico actually felt sorry for them; they never knew the satisfaction of eating something they'd hunted themselves. But the crazed penguin was determined that one day soon, Private would know that feeling.

As Rico prepared for a deep dive, expanding his lungs, sucking in the cold air and holding it for a moment before releasing only to do it all over again, he thought of the look on his young charge's face when he'd registered his first beak wound. Private had given up quickly, which was both good and bad. Good because Rico didn't want to hurt him any more than he had to, and bad because death would follow swiftly if it was any native of his homeland. He would really have to work on the boy, but it was doable. Private proved he still had baser instincts, something that Skipper and Kowalski had been taught from hatching to ignore and push away.

When Rico was ready, he inhaled a long breath, relishing the cold air, before leaping into the breathing hole. The water slid over his feathers, tight as a hug from Private, but it did not touch his skin. The preening had worked. After a cursory glance for predators, he danced through the water, twisting and twirling with delight. Oh, to be in open water again! Their habitat could not be compared with this true freedom.

After a brief surfacing for another lungful of air, he dove deep, his sharp blue eyes searching for movement. He scouted the area, looking for other breathing holes in case he needed to escape from a predator. I could be killed. The thought made Rico dizzy with delight. Now this was how to be a real penguin! No waiting for humans to feed him, to water him. If he didn't get food, he and Private would go hungry. Their dinner, their survival was at stake, and it thrilled him.

A shimmering movement caught his eyes, and he studied the gleam. Was it the eye of a leopard seal? A whale? The shimmering grew, and Rico decided that it was a school of fish. He tracked their movements, judging the distance. He didn't have enough air. So, he surfaced, took in a breath, and dove again. He went low, watching the fish with sharp eyes, forcing himself to pay attention to his surroundings at the same time. Private would starve and die if he was eaten by a predator.

When the fish passed over him, he rocketed upward. He caught two, swallowing them down to storage before the fish scattered. Rico chased a pocket, snagging three more before the need to breath overwhelmed him, and he surfaced with a loud gasp. Five wouldn't do. He'd have to fish again the next day, and that was an impractical way to use precious energy reserves. So he dove down again, searching for more food.

After two hours of fishing, he'd caught twenty fish, stored safely in his strange belly. As he swam for the breathing hole, he saw a large shadow shooting straight for him. Adrenaline kicked in again and he changed directions suddenly. The charging leopard seal missed him by an inch, and by the time the large creature had spun to try again, Rico was almost to the breathing hole. It would be close, Rico thought as they both surged upward.

Rico popped through the hole, sucking in air as he slid away from the water. A split second later, saltwater flooded the ice as the seal launched itself out of the ocean. It half pulled itself out of the sea then glared at Rico. Leopard seals were slow on land, and Rico stood far enough away that he could easily escape. He clawed the ice, water rolling off his feathers, and let out a triumphant crow then turned his back on the predator and strutted away, head high.

He ignored the curse that the seal pronounced on him and his offspring, making his way up onto the snowy banks. Taking stock of his surroundings and picking out small landmarks that he knew Private would miss until he was taught, he headed for the cave. It had taken him two hours to travel to the fishing spot, two hours to fish, and it took another two to get back to the cave. By the time he could smell the sour smell of the lantern oil, fat snowflakes drifted down from the sky. Rico sniffed and studied the heavens. It would only snow for a few hours. Then it would clear up. No need to panic about a blizzard. Yet. But Rico knew it was only a matter of time. Private would need many lessons before then.

Rico went in to find Private nursing his side, staring dazedly into the dwindling flame of the kerosene lantern. He turned his gaze upon the older penguin only after he was close enough to deal damage. Unacceptable, Rico thought. But now was not the time to push that particular point. Rico hacked up a bottle of fresh water that he'd pulled from a nearby spring. Pouring it into the bowl that sat empty beside Private, he drank deeply of the natural water.

"Drink," Rico ordered gruffly. "Then we'll eat."

Private blinked a few times then nodded. He grimaced, his flipper cradling his wound as he bent over to drink. Rico watched him, well aware of his weakness and knowing that any creature on that continent would be able to tell, too. He shook his head, hacking up several fish. He shoved two toward Private and swallowed his own fish. He loved fresh fish, and there was always something processed from the ones that the zoo gave them. Savoring the flavor, he tilted his head back and sent them into his stomach instead of storage. With his belly satisfied for the moment, he observed Private as the boy ate his fish.

"Tilt your head back to swallow them faster," Rico said.

"Why do you do that?" Private asked, his voice extremely quiet.

"Uses less energy. When you're out here, energy is important. That's a lesson you must learn quickly. Every action costs energy. When you think of doing something, consider how much energy it will use. Will it leave you too exhausted to get more food? Then don't do it unless somebody else gets you food. Food is important. Food is energy. And water is life. You will heal for one more day, then I will show you the spring of water that we shall gather from. And next time I go fishing, you're coming with me. You need to learn to survive in case something happens to me."

Private's dull gaze stared at him for a moment before it focused on his face. Rico tilted his head, studying the younger penguin. He knew that Private was exhausted. And now that he'd eaten, it was time for rest.

"You must sleep, Private," Rico said. "You've been awake for almost twenty-four hours. Sleep."

Private didn't move. His brow furrowed as he looked over Rico. After several minutes of silence, which Rico did nothing to break, Private shivered.

"You hurt me."

Rico nodded and repeated what he'd said before. "You attacked me."

"But…but you hurt me," Private said faintly.

The older penguin studied the vulnerable expression, which was half afraid, and nodded again. "I will not sugar-coat things for you, Private," he replied. "If you randomly attacked another penguin out here, you will be hurt. Most likely, you will die. You might have military knowhow, but that does not matter much here. They fight differently out here. They fight with a different code of honor. They fight to kill most of the time. That was a lesson that every hatchling must learn. Your instincts are good for many things, but there is a limit. If you let your desire to fight, hurt, and kill overwhelm family-bonds, you are asking for trouble. There is a time to fight. There are people to fight. But now is not the time, and I am not the person. Understand?"

Private shrugged one shoulder half-heartedly. "I don't know. You've never hurt me before. None of you have. I just…you won't just do that for…fun?"

Rico shook his head. "Fighting is not fun for my people. It is serious. I do not wish to harm you, Private. But lessons are often learned best through pain. What did you learn?"

The young penguin looked back at the flame, rubbing the healing wound. "Not to fight my family," he finally said. "Family should be stronger than my desire to fight." He paused. "I thought about what happened for a long time. I don't know how long you were gone, but it's all I could think of. I'm sorry for attacking you."

Rico nodded once the hacked up a pillow. "Here. Sleep. You are forgiven, Snowdrop."

Private giggled, taking the pillow and easing himself down to rest. His blue eyes were still a little dazed, but there was a fondness there that even exhaustion couldn't kill.

"You called me that on the ship. Why?"

Rico ruffled his feathers and lay on his belly beside Private, angling his feet toward the entrance of the cave. "Term of endearment. I used to call my sister 'Snowdrop.'"

Private hummed. "I didn't know you have a sister."

The older penguin shrugged on shoulder, resting his beak on the ground. "I have several brothers and sisters. My parents loved each other very much. They didn't miss a mating season until my mother died."

"Ah…"

Rico could sense Private's embarrassment. He grinned. "You know, Pol and Lita loved each other a lot, too."

Private let out a chocked groan. "Shut up!"

"Don't like thinking about mating?" Rico teased.

The younger penguin swatted Rico's shoulder. "Not my parents! Or yours!"

"You'll change your tune when you meet a pretty little hen."

Private laughed, covering his face. "I don't think Skipper will let me meet a girl, Rico."

"Skipper's not here. I am. And if I have to hunt for a mate for you, I will. You don't need to be alone like us."

There was a pause then Private turned over to face Rico. "Why don't any of you have a mate?"

Rico clicked his beak. "Kowalski fell in love with a dolphin. All he ever talked about was Doris. But naturally, it won't work. Interspecies love can never really get romantic. Friendships are fine, but mating is usually not an option. Dolphins mate differently, among other things. And Skipper…he mentioned a girl once. But it's related to Denmark, which he refuses to talk about."

Private waited, but Rico didn't continue. "And you?"

Rico stared at him for a moment then reached over and turned off the lamp, plunging them into semi-darkness. Moonlight filtered into the cave, and soft flakes of snow drifted in on a frigid breeze that didn't really bother Private. He was settling into sleep when Rico answered, a low, gruff tone in his voice, along with a note of true sorrow.

"Because I am an outcast who does not deserve a mate. I am a disobedient fool who brings dishonor and shame to my entire family. I am a mistake that should have never hatched." He paused then said in an even lower voice. "I am nothing."

Private reached out and patted his shoulder, half asleep. "You're something to me, Rico," he yawned. "You're something real special."

And the younger penguin fell asleep, unaware of how deeply his assurance touched Rico's heart. Rico moved closer, nibbling for a moment at Private's cheeks as he slept. And he fell into a light doze, his heart soaring like he was back in the ocean again.