Rico knew there was a problem as soon as he approached the cave. Tracks were in front of it, not penguin, but wolf. A sense of panic began to swell in his chest, and he cautiously waddled into their makeshift home. There were no fish left, and the little blood that was in the cave was where they had been. There was no sign of Private, and the oil lantern remained untouched. Rico swept the cave for a message then stored the lantern. He was wondering where Private was when there was the sound of movement outside.

Tensing, Rico turned, ready to fight, but before he could register what was going on, he got a flipperful of feathers. An affectionate nip to the side of his face told him who it was before he heard the voice of his 'attacker'.

"Oh, Rico! I'm so glad you're back. The wolves just left ten minutes ago!"

"Private," Rico croaked, nuzzling his younger companion. "I was worried."

"Hurry up!" a voice commanded from the entrance, and Rico narrowed his eyes at the intruder.

It was a military penguin. That much was clear from his stance. Rico snarled at him then switched to Antarctican.

"What is going on, Private?"

Private took a deep breath then replied. "I found out what that thing across the ice field is. It's a base. There's a penguin operation gong on. But we really should go. You need to fish, and the wolves will be back soon."

Rico nodded once, his eyes never leaving the military penguin. "We go now," he rasped. "Lead way."

With a curt nod, the penguin headed out to join a group of five. Counting himself and Private, that made eight. Rico hung back with Private as their escorts marched along. Private had a look in his eyes that disturbed him.

"What's wrong? How did you meet them? Why did you go across the ice fields?" he asked immediately, keeping his voice low, not that they could understand him anyway.

"The wolves found our cave while I was out exploring," Private explained. "I didn't dare go back except to get you. I ate a little breakfast and I had to go fishing, but I was attacked by a leopard seal and barely got away. All I could think about was getting away, and I didn't even notice what direction I was going until I got to a snowy bank again. A group of penguins was waiting, and they took me to their general. I explained our situation…"

Rico didn't like the half-frightened look on the young penguin's face. "What did he say?"

Private looked away. "How much did Skipper tell you about his father?"

The older penguin went cold inside. "Don't tell me…"

"The general is very strict," Private said softly. "I can see some of what made Skipper who he is. But there's something hard in him that I don't like. He doesn't like Skipper very much. I think it's about Denmark."

Rico grunted, shaking his head. "The one thing Skipper never talks about."

"Whatever it was, the general hates him for it. He refuses to talk to me about Skipper. He wants all our details, though. I don't know most of them because I'm just a private, but he'll start in on you as soon as we're there. We're to bring fish for a feast. Supposedly to welcome us as friends. He knows you can hold enough. He has ordered that we not show the others how you store things, though. He's…disgusted by it."

Private's voice was tight, and he wouldn't look at Rico. They were nearing the ice fields now, and they waddled the rest of the way in silence. When they got to the ice, their escorts turned around and glared at them.

"You two will fish for us. We'll need over a hundred fish. The general has said that you will be able to hold them all. How, we don't know, but it is not our business to question orders. We all know how the general feels about that."

"What you mean?" Rico asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well look at his failure of a son," the captain said, shaking his head. Private stepped in front of Rico as the older bird muttered an angry curse in his own tongue.

"We will gather the fish. Your orders were to go back," Private said curtly. "We'll see you at the feast."

The team glanced over them with critical eyes then turned and threw themselves onto their bellies. Rico and Private stood there, glaring after them until they reached the far bank. Rico rubbed his scar, clicking his beak in anger.

"Savages," he snarled.

"I don't believe them," Private said. "Skipper's not a failure."

There was doubt in his tone, and Rico patted his back. "Skipper is not a failure," he repeated, grinning at him. "Come. You herd the fish. It will be quicker this way. We'll eat at the feast."

Private nodded, and they took in a breath then dove into the waters. Private was so much more confident now, and he practically danced through the icy water, matching Rico flap for flap. They lost themselves in their task, teasing each other with nips and bumps as they gathered enough fish to feed thirty penguins, plus themselves. It was relaxing, despite the danger that hovered at the edge of their consciousness. And when they popped up into the air, shaking off the water, they were both content.

Private led Rico into the camp, and the soldiers began to whisper. Private, who had been there for only two days, was already used to it, and Rico didn't care about what they said. They walked straight to the biggest tent and Private stopped and saluted the guard. Rico didn't. The guard noticed, narrowing his eyes, but he saluted Private.

"Here to see the general, Davey," Private said. "He asked us to come when Rico got back."

"I'll announce you," Davey replied, doing a crisp turn and marching in. He was back in less than a minute. "He will see you now."

Private nodded and led Rico in to see the general. The squat penguin turned to face them, his flippers behind his back as his dark blue eyes appraised them. They looked just like Skipper's, but Rico could see the hardness in them and knew why Private was uneasy. Rico saluted the higher-ranked penguin as Private did, relaxing when the general nodded once at them.

"Sir," Rico grunted in English, a sharp spike rushing through his throat. He didn't dare flinch in front of this penguin.

"Rico. Weapons expert," the general said, appraising him.

"Gen-ral Buzz," Rico ground out, needles pricking around his scar as the vibrations from his vocal cords went higher than anything in his native tongue.

"You may speak your tongue as long as the young private translates," Buzz said. "I know that English pains you."

The way he said that made Rico's defenses go up. He narrowed his eyes, but he knew that the pain would get so bad that it wouldn't go away for days, so he reluctantly nodded.

"Very well, sir," he said. "We have the fish you requested."

"I've always wanted to see this," Buzz said, a twinkle of interest in his eyes. "Put them here."

Rico bristled. He felt used. Few penguins could do what he could. There were none hatched in the past forty years besides him, and Skipper had been ecstatic when he'd found out that the random Antarctican penguin he found could store. He was even happier when he realized that Rico could categorize and organize and that he had such a large capacity. Skipper, Kowalski, and Private were so used to his ability that he didn't care. But to have Skipper's father staring at him, demanding that he show off, it made him angry.

Seeing no other choice, Rico turned and reached into the place where he stored food. Within five minutes, over a hundred and fifty fish lay in a pile in front of the general. Buzz looked both disgusted and excited, his eyes alight.

"Large storage capacity," he murmured, nudging the fish. "We'll have to wash them off, of course."

For the first time in years, Rico's face warmed in humiliation. His gift had been used thousands of times by his team, and everybody at the zoo was familiar with it. The last time he had been ashamed, it had been in front of his father, who did not understand his gift and scoffed at such a thing in front of the whole tribe. This was different only because the general understood and appreciated the gift, but there was an element of twisted revulsion in his steely gaze. Rico clenched his jaw, sealing his beak shut, and he forced the tears back as he put on a stoic face. He could feel Private staring at him long before the general looked at him.

"This is good. Private, take Rico back to your tent."

"With all due respect, sir," Private said. "The cave I requested is set up for us. We would sleep easier in a cave than a tent."

Buzz fixed Private with a look that was just as distasteful as the one he'd given Rico, but he nodded.

"Feast will be in half an hour. Off with you, then."

Private and Rico saluted and headed out. Private led Rico past the soldiers and a short way out of the military camp. The cave was smaller than the one they'd had, but it was comfortable. The only gear Private had accepted was a set of blankets and two pillows. Rico smiled at the bare state of the cave.

"I thought you would like it better if we slept here and not in a tent," Private said in Antarctican. "And I figured we better speak in this tongue. Spy equipment. None of them speak Antarctican."

"Yes," Rico said curtly, rubbing his scar. "Good idea. You're doing well enough that it's viable now."

They settled down to rest before the feast, and Private scooted over to lean against Rico. He hesitated then cleared his throat.

"Ree-ko?"

"Hm?"

"I've never seen you look like that before."

Rico snapped his beak once, turning his face away as tears stung his eyes. "He treated me like a freak. Need to wash them off. Bah! I've been doing it long enough that there's nothing to wash off!"

Private nuzzled his cheek, nipping affectionately. "I'm here for you."

Rico said nothing for several moments then turned and buried his face in Private's neck. For a few minutes, he cried out his embarrassment before nipping at Private's cheek and smiling.

"How about a good preening?" he asked.

"Sounds good," Private said, standing up and shaking out his feathers. "You first."

Rico grinned. When it was time for the feast, they waddled out, feather's gleaming in the firelight. They ignored the whispers that followed every single footstep. Together, they stood in front of the troops, listening to Buzz's announcements of the addition of two new brave penguins without much enthusiasm, but Skipper had taught them military stances and expressions, and Private spoke for both of them when he thanked the general for his generosity, exactly what he was expected to say. Then the feast began, with only three penguins knowing where all the fish came from.

"I don't believe the things he said," Private said in Rico's tongue.

"He's not pleased to see us," Rico agreed grimly, swallowing a fish that had been rinsed of the salt of the sea.

"He's not happy about what I said about Skipper. I don't like him, Ree-ko. I don't like him at all."

"From the little he said about his father to me and Kowalski, I don't think he likes him either."

"Maybe we can find out about Denmark," Private said, his expression pinched.

"Later. Let's just enjoy the fish. Things will get very complicated very soon."

"Why?"

"Because the Trunk-an tribe confirmed my fears." Private glanced at him, and he saw the dark gleam in his eyes again. "It was my tribe that gave Blowhole permission."

Private grimaced, and Rico nodded, warning him to say nothing to Buzz, but the young penguin didn't need Rico to tell him that. He didn't trust Buzz, especially with the way he spoke of Skipper. Because as conflicted as Private felt about his leader, he knew that he didn't deserve to be derided at every turn. But that's what the soldiers had been doing ever since they found out that Skipper was Private's commanding officer. And though Private could withstand that for a while longer, Rico was much more temperamental and wouldn't stand for it. And when he snapped, there would be trouble for everybody involved.