This was written as a gift for NPI. Thanks for being there.

Check out her stories, they're worth it.

As soon as they set foot onto the icy land of Antarctica, Private and Rico both grinned at each other. They were back to see Rico's sister and Khlamon. They'd sent a request through the army stationed several miles away from them, who had passed it along to Skipper's father. After talking it over with the team, Skipper agreed that a break was in order and sent back word that they wanted to go. Less than twenty-four hours later, they were picked up by a secret team and several stops later, they were finally to their destination. It was a relief to breathe the crisp, bitingly cold air.

There was a small welcome party waiting for them, including General Buzz himself. They all saluted, and Buzz nodded at them.

"At ease soldiers." He scanned them. "You and Kowalski look well, Skipper. You've gained all your weight back?"

"Yes, sir," Skipper said. "We eat well in the Central Park Zoo."

"Mostly because Alice doesn't really care," Private said.

Buzz looked at him. "Hello, little warrior."

"General," Private said. "How's the mission going?"

"You know what we're doing here?" Buzz asked, narrowing his eyes a little. "You didn't jump that many ranks…"

"No, sir," Private said. "I have no idea what Command is doing here. I just wanted to know if it was going well."

Buzz studied him then smiled. "I suppose that's very like you. Though the mission is classified, I will say it is going well."

Finally Buzz turned to Rico, who stared at him with hard eyes. They sized each other up before Buzz inclined his head.

"Your highness."

Rico snorted then laughed. "Nothing very high about me! My sister is chief now. I shall never get the opportunity to rule again."

The general stared expectantly at Private, but it was Skipper that awkwardly translated it. "He said that he's not very…important? It's his sister that rules and he won't ever get another… chance?"

Buzz turned to peer at his son, who grimaced.

"I… can't speak his language very well. Kowalski recommended practicing more. I think that was right."

"You got the general meaning." Private said, beaming. "Good job, Skipper!"

Skipper looked pleased then turned back to his father. "Well, we'll head out then."

"Can you make your way in this place?" Buzz asked. "It is very easy to get lost. We've lost a couple soldiers to sudden blizzards."

"If you knew the signs, you'd know there's nothing sudden about them," Private said. "There's one that'll be blowing in in the next forty-eight hours."

"Is that right?" Buzz asked, raising his brow.

Private turned to look at Rico, who nodded. "High winds. Bad storm. Shelter."

"We'll batten down the hatches," Buzz said. "But what about you?"

"We'll be safe once we get to the tribe. They have their caves," Kowalski assured him.

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out." He paused then turned to Skipper. "After your visit with the tribe, perhaps you could come and stay with us for a few days? I…" He looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Skipper would love to catch up!" Private exclaimed.

Skipper and Buzz both glared at him then rolled their eyes in the exact same way.

"Sure, Pops," Skipper said. That'll be fine. I can give you a briefing."

"Very well," Buzz replied. "On your way. I don't want you caught up in a blizzard. Though with two warriors in your band, I'd say you'd have a good chance of survival."

"See you later, Pops," Skipper said.

The welcome party parted and let them through, and they leaped forward onto their bellies and began to slide. Rico led the way with Private on his right. Over the next ten hours, they traversed the cold, still land with hardly any talking. Despite the fact that they had all had a good preening, it was still shocking to feel the pressure of cold around them after having just been in New York.

Their travels were uneventful as they wound their way through various tribal lands. They were so vast that they ran into nobody until they wanted to. Rico popped to his feet and stretched as two warriors stepped out, spears at the ready. Their faces were a mask of stoicism as they pressed forward.

"Go no further. What do you want?"

"Is this any way to greet the chief's brother?" Rico said tauntingly.

The warriors stepped forward and scanned his face. Then they relaxed.

"Hail, brother of the chief!" they chanted.

They bared their throats then went down into a sweeping bow. The military penguins bowed back, and the warriors became much more hospitable.

"We did not expect you so soon. The General said many miles had to be traveled. So many we thought to see you next year!"

"Distance is difficult to translate into your measurements," Kowalski replied. "Since none of you have been off the shores, you have no way to see how vast the world is beyond here."

The two warriors shrugged. "We see no need to go away. We are not Ree-ko."

Rico grimaced, and Private noticed. But before he could decide to ask, the two warriors bowed again.

"I shall be a runner to the chief," one said.

"And I shall escort you," the other said.

"Very well," Skipper said, glancing at Kowalski, who nodded.

Immediately, the runner turned and bolted so quickly that it left everybody but Rico startled. The other penguin introduced himself as Kawtrun and began to lead them slowly, lazily, toward the caves. Skipper and Kowalski were irritated by the slow pace, but Private explained that they were giving the tribe a chance to put together a proper welcome for the chief's brother. When they learned that, their irritation faded and they listened as Kawtrun told of recent battles he'd been in. That was something that they understood, and they spent a pleasant hour chatting with the warrior.

When they drew near the village, Kawtrun bowed to them and asked politely for them to wait. They did so, and he came back with Khlamon, who grinned at Rico.

"Hail, chief-brother!" he said, bowing.

"Hail, Khlamon!" Rico said, and they all bowed back. "Good to see you again, old friend."

"You, as well. Your sister is pleased you are here."

There was a laugh and several chicks raced over, their grey bodies so very fluffy. It reminded Rico of little Private, and he grinned.

"Who do we have here?"

Khlamon called the chicks over and they came and stood in a line. He tapped their heads as he spoke. "Ulla and Soren. And the twins. Anja and Arne."

"Twins!" Kowalski exclaimed. "How rare!"

Anja and Arne stared at Rico intently. Then Anja turned her head. "Papa, why does that penguin look like Mama?"

"Yes. He seems very like her," Arne said.

Rico's jaw dropped and joy flashed across his face. "No! Khlamon, tell me it's true! Tell me you and my sister had twins!"

A sheepish expression crossed Khlamon's faced, but he grinned and nodded. "Your niece and nephew, chief-brother."

Kawtrun came back. "Excuse me. But we are ready. Chicks, to your places. When you are ready, chief."

Khlamon nodded and sent the chicks away then gestured for them to follow. They were led into a ring of penguins, who all cheered as they appeared. Chieftess Iczalie stood there, her eyes bright and a happy smile on her face. Anja and Arne stood before her, their eyes curious as they watched the military penguins come forward. Iczalie spread her flippers out.

"Welcome, brothers."

Rico grinned wickedly then stepped forward and embraced Iczalie. A shocked ripple went through the crowd, and Arne shoved his uncle hard. Iczalie shoved him back, laughing.

"Behave!" she scolded.

"Never!" Rico declared proudly. "That's why you make a far better chief!"

Khlamon snorted. "Good to see you're as impudent as ever."

"Begin the feast! But of the guests, serve my brother last!" Iczalie declared.

Rico burst out laughing, and Private laughed, too as the crowd scattered. He bowed to Iczalie. "Hail chieftess."

"Hail, Private." With her children watching, she turned to the other two. "Hail, Skipper. Hail Aleks," she grunted in English. "Speak no good no more. No practice without you."

"That's just fine," Kowalski said. "You're doing well considering it's been a year. But you should speak to the military penguins."

"No come here," she said with a shrug.

"An alliance might be worth considering," Skipper said.

"Alliance mean what?" Iczalie asked.

"It means friendship," Kowalski said.

"With political benefits," Skipper added.

"Po…?" she stared at them then gestured for them to come sit. "We talk and eat much fish. Come."

Arne stood staring up at Rico as his mother left with Skipper and Kowalski. "You do not touch my mother again," he said sternly.

Rico smirked and made a face, and Anja giggled. "Come. We'll eat all the good fish before him! He will be served last!"

The two chicks hurried away, leaving Rico and Private alone. Private saw Rico's face fall, and he turned to peer into the caves of his people. He looked pained and wistful. Without a word, he turned and ducked into the caves. Curious, Private followed. They wound their way through corridors to a room with a massive wall of ice on one side. Symbols were carved on it and painted with blood. Private paused as Rico walked over to one side of the room and began digging around. Squinting, he tried to read the symbols, but he never had learned to read the language that he could speak so well.

"What is this Rico?" Private said.

"Not s'posed to talk," Rico grunted. "Sacred room."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Eh, no care. Not disrespectful to me."

"What is this room then?"

Rico came over with a knife. "Is remembering wall. For dead. To honor them."

Private saw Rico wincing from the pain of using English, so he switched languages smoothly.

"That's interesting. What are we doing?"

"My nephew reminded me I never got to honor my mother again." He held up the knife. "So I will honor her now."

Before Private could blink, there was a flash of movement and a thin cut appeared on the tip of the flipper where Rico slashed himself. Private bit back a cry of surprise, forcing himself to watch, reminding himself that this wasn't New York, it was Antarctica. Rico didn't even flinch. Setting aside the knife, he walked over to the wall and held up his flipper to trace one of the symbols. His bright blood seemed to freeze almost as soon as he moved his flipper away. The bright blood stood out on the wall. There was evidence of blood along the other symbols, but it was dull. Rico stared at it.

"May the snows soon cover me, too," he said solemnly, then bowed low. Private didn't know what to do, so he just stood there and watched. When Rico stood up, he took a deep breath, and it shook. Private stepped forward and wrapped his flipper around Rico, who pressed close.

"You loved her very much."

"Yes. But we did not part well," Rico said softly. "There were many things unsaid between us when she was taken by the wolves. I have many regrets, Private. Many things I wish we could have spoken of. She did not understand me sometimes, as I was not the traditional son she wanted. But she loved me as much as she knew how. It was not her fault she didn't know what to say to help me. She tried in her own way, and I am grateful for what she did give me. But there will always be regret while I'm still in this plane. And that is okay. For I hope to see her soon. And then there will be no misunderstandings. We will laugh and play and love as we were meant to. And there will be peace."

"How do you know that?"

Rico turned and smiled. "The greatest of all gods, Jamala, keeper of life and eternity, has promised it."

"Is Mom and Dad there?"

"Lita and Pol? I would expect so. They were his followers."

Private felt a hungry longing inside of him to see his parents, to know this great peace and love. "How do I follow him, too?"

Rico shrugged. "Trust and believe. That is all."

Private nodded, and there was a soft sound behind them. Rico grimaced as he turned, knowing that he'd be shamed for speaking. But he saw Khlamon and Iczalie standing there alone. They stared at the wall, the bright spot of blood amidst the dull ones.

"It was not time," Iczalie said.

"I shall not be here when it comes," Rico said. "I promised myself I would honor her one more time if I could. And so I did."

Without a word, the two penguins stepped inside and walked over to the wall. Private didn't dare say a word, afraid of breaking the sacredness of the room. But Iczalie did.

"We shall see her soon. We are growing older by the day."

"Time will continue to march whether or not we are ready," Rico replied. "Each day is a gift that we open bit by bit, and then at the end, we wonder where it went. Then we rest and come back to open a new gift tomorrow. But one day will come the greatest gift of all."

Private's eyes welled with tears. "I don't want to die," he said hoarsely.

"But you will. We all will," Rico said. "We cannot stop that. One day, we will pass on and leave others to struggle along. But Jamala will guide them with his light as he guides us now. But though we cannot stop the approach of Zennatak, we can live well now, love as much as we are able, and when it is time, to die well."

"That sounds so scary, though," Private whispered.

Rico smiled and embraced him. "It is. But Jamala will guide us. When he calls, you will not be able to resist."

Private sniffled and hugged Rico back. His stomach snarled, and he looked embarrassed. "Hungry."

"Everybody else has been served, so you're free to eat now, brother," Iczalie said.

Rico snorted and leaned over to peck her cheek gently. "Gee, thanks. Your children said they'd eat the best fish first so I wouldn't get any."

Iczalie and Khlamon both burst out laughing. "Anja," they both chortled.

"She's an ice cracker, just like her mother," Khlamon said.

Iczalie shoved him, and they grinned. Then they glanced around.

"We should leave before we disrespect the dead," Khlamon said solemnly.

"Yes. Come. We shall celebrate now."

Rico slung his flipper around Private's shoulders and guided him back through the tunnels. When they came out into the glowing haze of daylight that spread across the snow, they paused to take in the beauty around them. Chicks of all ages were laughing and playing, young penguins were sparring, couples were laughing, and the older penguins sat and watched the tribe with warm attentiveness.

'This is beautiful,' Private thought. 'If Jamala truly did give us life, he gave us this beauty, too. If this is what he gave such a broken world, how much more beautiful is it in the next where things are whole?'

"Come. Hungry," Rico grunted in English, grabbing Private's flipper and pulling them forward. Private took one look back into the caves, picturing the wall of names and recalling the fear of death. Then he turned back to the beauty before him and followed Rico to the table.