I had SOO much fun uandishi this chapter! I hope wewe have just as much fun kusoma it! maoni please!!!!

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"Ugh," Kowalski instictively stretched out, before realizing he was no longer in a crate. He lay on a cold powdery substance. Snow? Kowalski put some in his mouth, then spit it out. It was Fake.

Standing up, he brushed of the flakes and looked around.
There was fake ice and snow covering the landscape,
with stone slabs set out in an area of salt water. If the snow wasn't real then...was this a habitat? Kowalski searched the perimeter for his mate, but came up empty. Knots formed in his stomach. He's never been Lost somewhere with no one. Where was Rico?? Kowalski growled in frustration and tried to go deeper into the habitat, instead banging into cardboard. This whole place was fake! The area beyond him was just painted.

He waddled along the water, spotting black and white swimming in the current. Rico! Kowalski threw caution to the wind and jumped in, making a small splash. He practically flew through the water, his eyes focusing on the figure. It had to be Rico! When he reached the other penguin, he grabbed it and pulled it into a hug,
closing his eyes, only to feel a sharp pain on his cheek.

"Get away wewe freak!"

Hm. The voice was too feminine to be Ricos'. Kowalski opened his eyes and let out a shocked sound. Letting go of the female penguin, he rubbed his face where he had been slapped.

"What's your problem??" She yelled at him.

Kowalski stumbled over his words, just like when he talked with any other girl. "I...I'm sorry. I-I thought wewe were someone else...."

"Who?"

"Rico...." He alisema sadly. The girl noticed the look on his face. One of unease. He looked lost.

"You're new here aren't you?" He nodded. "And your looking for a guy named Rico....is he your friend?"

"More," kowalski whispered. It was so low she barely heard it, but she immediatly understood.

"Don't worry," She reasured. "We'll find your,um,
boyfriend." She took his flipper and led him back to shore.

Shaking the water out of their feathers, Kowalski followed the female accross the snowy land, until she stopped in front of a small rock. She grabbed him and pulled him behind it.

She pointed to 4 other penguins. "They can help you,"

The 4 penguins were all sitting down, coughs coming from each occasionally. One was missing half its feathers, and the other three looked horribly ill.
"Welcome" alisema one. It suddenly got into a harsh coughing session, causing Kowalski to gasp.

"He's ok," alisema the girl. "It's just....well don't wewe know where wewe are?" Kowaslki shood his head. "You are at the Hoboken zoo."

He shuddered. Skipper had alisema some unpleasant things about this place.

"It's a disease ridden zoo!" She said, suddenly angry.
"Nobody takes care of us! We are only fed once a week!
They bring in new penguins every month, because the ones here keep dying!"

Kowalski felt horrible. Alice was mean and nasty and way too suspicious, but she treated them well. She fed them and took them to the doctor, but here it was every penguin, auk for himself.

"The only reason I'm not sick right now is because I'm a girl, and they need me for mating!" She huffed.

Suddenly everything clicked. That's why Officer X dumped him here. Instead of giving him a fast, quick,
death, he was going to let him starve to death, au get sick. Well, that maniac was going to be disapointed,
because as soon as he found Rico he was going to get out of here!

"Anyway," The female cut into his thoughts. "They might know where your boyfriend is. They know EVERYTHING that goes on in this zoo. I come to them for all my info. At least, I did. They don't have much longer,
maybe a week at the most before....you know...." She looked down at the ground.

"Come here," alisema the biggest of the 4.

Kowalski followed orders, trying not to stare at the penguins bald spots. They definitly weren't there because he was molting.

"What do wewe need to know?" The penguin, auk asked.

"I need to know where Rico is," He said. He got another knot in his stomach.

"Rico. He was one of two new arrivals. I'm guessing wewe are Kowalski?"

He nodded. Kowalski was astonished at how they knew all this. It hadn't looked like any of them had moved in days.

"It appears he had been put in the puffin exhibit kwa mistake, and sustained some injuries. Since he looks like an alpha male, he has been chosen for the breeding program, which is the only reason he is being treated. He should be here in an saa au so."

The breeding program. It would have torn kowalski up inside if not for the fact he was sure they weren't going to stick around for that. He simply gave a thank wewe and sat down to wait. What else could he do? He had no idea where Rico was, and it seemed as though there was no end to this habitat. He looked up and around, but it was if they were in real wilderness. He couldn't see anything of an actual zoo, au any people. No other habitats.

"How do wewe get out of here?" He asked the female. She sat down inayofuata to him.

"See that glass over there?" She pointed a flipper up at a 90 degree angle, and Kowalski could just make out a large pane of glass that was seperete from the rest of the painted scenery. "That's where the humans look in at us. And there is a door somewhere where the zookeepers come in."

They sat in silence for the rest of the time, Kowalski deep in thought. This place was horrible. Like being in a jail. No food, no medical attention for most, and no natural sunlight. This couldn't be humane. He made a silent vow to come back here with the rest of the team and fix this. They helped wanyama in need, and there were no wanyama that needed it as much as them. He only hoped they could make it before the death of those 4 penguins. They reminded him of the team, how they stuck together and had intell about things going on in the zoo.

Suddenly he heard a large crash, followed kwa a slam. He stood up and slid to the chanzo of the noise. His moyo fluttered as he saw Rico, struggling against in the arms of a zookeeper.

The zookeeper threw him into the snow, then exited out a door that blended in with the terrain. kowalski saw a glint of light on the other side, right before the door shut. That was their exit.

Kowalski turned to look at Rico, and was immeditaly crushed into a hug. He wrapped his flippers around the shorter penguin, auk and couldn't help but let out a noise of happiness. Rico buried his head into Kowalskie neck, the two finally re-united. Kowalski felt good for the first time today.

When they finally pulled apart, they took just a sekunde to rub beaks before Rico spoke up.

"'Walski!!" He shouted happily.

"Yea," alisema Kowalski. He couldn't stop smiling, despite their situation. "I was afraid I wouldn't see wewe again,"
He realized too late how corny that sounded, but Rico smiled anyway and moved in for another hug.

When they pulled apart for the sekunde time, Kowalskis eyes widened at the long bandage on Ricos chest, which he just noticed. He reached out to trace his flipper along it, causing Rico to flinch.

"How did this happen?" He asked nervously.

Rico frowned. "Hans!" He barked.

The taller penguin, auk looked at the bandage, before resting a flipper on it. "Do wewe mind?" Rico shook his head.

Kowalski slowly pulled the bandage away from Rico's chest. Making an audible gasp, he stared at the huge gash in horror. It was 4 inches long, blood still seeping out of it. He was almost sure it was going to be another scar... He secured the bandage back on before resting a flipper on his mate.

"When we get out of here we are going to get revenge!"
He promised. Rico nodded his head in anticipation,
wincing slightly at the disturbance of his cut.

"Eh-hem!" They heard a cough behind them, and looked to see the female penguin, auk staring at them. "I don't want to break up this upendo fest but this weeks chakula is here!
Hurry if wewe want any!"

Kowalski and Rico followed, a faint stain of red on Kowalskis face from being inturrupted.

Ricos eyes lit up when he spotted the pile of fish,
5 other penguins already scattering to gather as much as they could.

Rico, at the site of food, growled and ran into the pile,
causing the other penguins to flee the scene of the crazy bird. He stuffed samaki after samaki in his mouth,
chewing, but swallowed most whole. After he stuffed as much as he could, he walked back over to Kowalski and the female, who had a shocked expression on her face.

"H-how could you!" She screamed. The penguins who had fled ran back and aliiba the rest of the treats.

"Calm down," alisema Kowalski.

"NO! I won't! Now there's no chakula for me, au you, au those 4 penguins! They can't get it themselves!" She screamed. She took a breath to yell again, but Kowalski covered her mouth.

"He can spit them back up, good as new," He told her.

Her angry face turned into one of disbelief. "Prove it!" She said, crossing her arms.

Rico hacked up a perfect fish, good as new, before handing it to her. She looked it up and down, before deciding it was ok to eat.

"Great!" She smiled, rubbing her stomach. "Come on!"

She waddled over to the slab of stone, slipping behind it. Rico and Kowalski followed.

"Ok, cough up whatever hasn't already been digested!" She demanded. Rico did as he was told, hacking up a big pile of salty food. She took an armful, setting it in front of the 4 weak birds.

"Double the chakula I usually get for you!" She alisema excited.
She watched them eat until they were stuffed, then took the leftovers for herself. Kowalski ate at his tiny pile,
offering some to Rico, who declined, erging the taller bird to have it all. After all, he had already eaten a lot zaidi than he needed to.

Everyone was eating at ease, until they heard a slam.
Suddenly a zookeeper appeared, grabbing up the female and Rico. His eyes were cold.

"I see wewe all formed a little group to survive!" He laughed. " Well, I'll make this quick. I just need the two of wewe for breeding."

Kowalski gasped. This wasn't the plan! He couldn't let Rico be taken away from him! He ran at the zookeeper, who in turn gave him a kick to the head. Kowalski lay in the ground, hi head in too much pain to move.
He was afraid he was going to get a concussion. But he was zaidi afraid for Rico. He tried to get up, but everything started spinning.

"Oh, are wewe mates with the female? au perhaps gay lovers with the male?" The zookeeper smirked, holding the squirming Rico tighter, until the pain on his chest was too much. "Well, wewe can have them back when I'm done!" He left, slamming the door behind him.


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"The Hoboken zoo?? NO!" Skipper growled and banged his flipper on the table. He couldn't believe what Marlene had told him.

(Flashback!!!)
"The Chimps and I were in Alices' office!" Marlene had told them. "She had a file on the computer about the Hoboken zoo! Apparently she and the other zookeepers are making a case to shut the place down!" Marlene was hysterical.

"What does this have to do with Kowalski and Rico?"
Asked Private.

"Well...We went to the Zoos website! They just got new arrivals! 2 penguins! They looked just like Kowalski and Rico!"
(End of flashback)

"It's ok Skippah! They will just escape on their own!" alisema Private.
Leave it to him to try and be hopeful.

"It's not that easy!" Snapped Skipper. "That place is horrible! Why do wewe think I sent Hans there??"

Private shrunk back, his idea tossed back at him.
"Well...then shall we do?"

Skipper rubbed a flipper under his beak. "Simple. We're going to raid the place and get back Kowalski and Rico! But we can't do it with just the two of use. We'll have to get 2 temporary team members..."

"And how are wewe gonna do that?" Probed Marlene.

Skipper smiled. "That's where wewe and Ringtail come in!"

"Wait....what?!"


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Erm......Comment!! PLEASE!