Skipper, the fearsome leader of the penguins had decided to take a short walk before sunrise. It was super dark outside, usually the time the Leonard was awake. But sometimes he ran into the beautiful otter Marlene, who offered to take a walk with him. As always, he though about it, coming to the conclusion of "yes." But something strange had happened one siku when they were walking.

"Hello Penguin!" King Julien alisema swinging down from the mti and placing himself between the two. "Hello beautiful lady."

"Oh hi Julien!" The always smiling Marlene greeted. "Me and Skipper were just taking a walk."

"If wewe gonna walk de walk, do it like this." He alisema taking Skipper's flipper that was closest to Marlene and placing it around the cheastnut otter.

"Julien!" Skipper yelled, removing his flipper from Marlene immediately. "We do not have that kind of relationship!"

"Oh sure don't wewe lie to me mister flightless bird." Julien said. "You know wewe like her. Better yet wewe upendo her. Wanna give her a little upendo peck?" He started making those silly pecking signals.

"Julien." Marlene sighed. "Me and Skipper have never liked each other in this way. Why do wewe think it's different now?" A blush formed across her face as she looked at Skipper. Okay maybe she did upendo him, but does Skipper feel the same way about her?

"You'll see wewe two. You'll fall in LOVE!" Julien alisema jumping back up to the tree. "Don't tell me I didn't warn joo!"

"Shut it Ring Tail!" Skipper yelled as he clenched his fist.

"Hey Skipper." Marlene alisema looking at him. "Do wewe think that King Julien might actually be right? That we truely do upendo each other?"

"Don't listen to him Marlene." Skipper said. He looked up to the sky. "I-I have to go before the boys worry."

"I better go to freshen up for the school kids today." Marlene said. "Bye Skipper."

"Bye Marlene." Skipper alisema waving to her and waddling back to his own habitat.

Marlene smiled and walked back to her nyumbani as well.
---


At breakfast, Skipper didn't eat one bit.

"Skippa. Is everything alright?" Private asked. "You seem pretty gloomy today."

"I'm fine." Skipper alisema playing around with his fish. He skid it into the middle of the table. "I Lost my appetite." The leader got up from his kiti, kiti cha and walked out the door.

"What is wrong with him?" Kowalski asked puzzled.

"Who know's Kowalski." Private said. "Skippa seems pretty emotional lately."

"Correct." Kowalski agreed. "According to my calculations this is something someone would do when they are....In love."

"Skippa in love?" Private jumped. "Oh goody! That is great!"

"Not always Private." Kowalski redirected him. "Skipper can be quite soft in these times. He refuses to fight, and he gets alot quieter."

"Oh really?" Private said. "Well I'm still going to find out who Skippa loves even if it kills me!" Private alisema sliding out the door.

"Poor Skipper." Kowalski alisema taking the picture frame from under his mto of a young penguinette with Ravenette feathers with dark turquose streaks. "I know how wewe feel."
---

Why can't I get her out of my head? I can't stop thinking about Marlene. Maybe Ringtail is right, maybe I do... Skipper shook his head furiously. Julien is never right about anything so of course he was trying to make me and Marlene date. Grr....he makes me so mad.

A small branch was in Skipper's way, so he kicked it aside. Ring Tail is full of baloney. Why listen to him?

"Oh hi Skipper." A sweet voice alisema as he walked kwa the otter habitat.

"Marlene!" Skipper jumped looking at the cheastnut otter. "Oh it's you."

"Yeah it's me." Marlene alisema jumping down from her wall. "Everything alright?"

"Oh yes, yes. Everything is perfect!" He alisema giving a nervous laugh.

"Oh Skipper don't wewe lie to me." Marlene alisema giving him a hug from the side. "I know wewe like me."

"I do not!" Skipper alisema pushing her away. "I would never do what Ring Tail said!"

"Come on Skipper." Marlene grabbed his flipper. "How about wewe come to my place to have some chai au something?"

Skipper obviously was to nice to refuse such a nice offer. "Sure." Skipper said. It was like a date.

"Great." Marlene alisema putting her head on Skipper's shoulder and walking into her habbitat.

Skipper was now happy, as he and Marlene told a couple jokes while they were having the tea. They also had talked about problems they were facing.