"MOMMY!"
Skipper awoke, sweating, tearing. It was dark, deathly still. His shoulder throbbed with his pulse, fresh blood pushing atop his skin. He briefly panicked, his eyes attempting to make shapes out of outlines. Very slowly, he got to his feet, making his way to the faint moonlight.
"Hello? Marlene?" he rasped. Skipper instantly berated himself. His position was in danger, situation perilous. Then, curiously, he felt his knees melt. His joints never failed him, but he found himself quickly leaning in for kiss with the ground.
Kowalski located Skipper in the morning, concussed, bleeding. Rico performed emergency medicine, propping up the patient on a bed of woven ferns. His head was bandaged, bleeding staunched. Kowalski set himself on examining the otter. Her fur was a dull brown, tinged with grey. A memory crawled into him, forcing its way into his consciousness.
"Marlene?"
The otter stirred at the noise, mumbling. Kowalski dumped a bucket of water on her face. His pulse quickened. "Marlene!"
And then he noticed. As the otter's eyes cracked open, astray from the regular emerald green, they were a pale, pale blue.
"Skipper?" she whispered breathily.
"It's, uh, Kowalski. Marlene." he found himself at a loss. How did you greet a female otter friend from the past? His logical brain gave him no answer.
The otter seethed, propping herself up. "I swear …"
"Ah, no! No!" the penguin quickly interjected. "He's under the care of Rico."
The otter frowned. "I can't be sure." Her mind was still reeling from the last night, her psyche shaken by the masked penguin's ruthless assault.
And she lunged at Kowalski. The penguin was knocked off his feet, his breath escaping him. He very briefly wondered what had happened, before she struck him with a sharp backhand to the temple. And then he very briefly saw stars before seeing nothing at all.
Marlene found her way to Rico easily enough, and it took more than a few tense minutes for Skipper to assure her there was no imminent threat.
"Rico, scrape Kowalski up. We're leaving."
Very slowly, the penguin shook his head.
Skipper flashed Rico a quizzical look.
Rico held out his flipper, slowly leading Skipper and Marlene to the back of the cave den. Huddled, sleeping on a nest in a corner was a penguin, breathing slowly. Clutched next to her was a single pearl-shaped egg, gleaming dully in the darkness.
Rico croaked out Kowalski's name, motioning to the penguin's mate and egg. With a twinge of emotion scraping through his heart, Skipper knew it was time to go.
The penguin slowly touched Marlene's hand, and they both set off. They recollected Skipper's bag and belongings, leaving doll and clipboard to rightful owners.
Meanwhile, Kowalski began to gently stir from his slumber.
It was nearly midnight again when they reached Boston, having to exchange sewer pipes numerous times. Once again, they appeared from the zoo grate, sauntering over to the penguin exhibit. The habitat was grand and gaudy, with plentiful tacky neon and ribbon.
It would be daybreak again before Skipper would find who he came to see.