Chapter One-The Foreigns
    “Oh, cool!” a very young 企鹅 squealed. “Look at them!”
    “Shut up,” the other one hissed. “They might see us.”
    Skipper yanked down the head of his friend who was peering over the snow drift they were spying behind. They just discovered something incredible. Skipper and Martin were just playing 雪橇 down a snowdrift away from their 企鹅 flock when they discovered some very strange penguins. They were not like any others the two had ever seen. There were eight of them and they seemed to be exploring something. They would walk along and observe their surroundings with caution. Skipper decided to spy on these strange penguins to see exactly what they were doing. Unfortunately, he had to take Martin with him. He wasn‘t very cautious with spying though and could be the end of them.
    “They are leaving,” Martin whispered. “Let’s go.”
    Martin was just beginning to waddle out of the drift to perfectly expose himself. Skipper quickly yanked him back. “Leave the leadership to me. 你 will be our downfall. Fall out on my say-so.”
    Skipper noticed the penguins stop to look around again. He didn’t think the eight looked dangerous, just curious. The leader of the penguins was very foreign looking with bluish gray and white feathers. A 企鹅 with blue fur? Skipper was amazed. He was even 更多 amazed with the fact that the leader was covered in dozens of battle scars. He had to be a fearsome warrior! The others looked pretty basic. He saw a 企鹅 about he and Martin’s age and could totally relate. The little 企鹅 looked friendly enough.
    During this observation, Skipper didn’t realize that Martin left his side. He looked to his left frantically. Martin was inching out in the open! Skipper gasped with horror and pounced on his friend. They both thudded in the snow.
    The youngest 企鹅 of the group stopped and listened. Skipper quickly rolled them both back into the snow drift.
    “Private, keep up,” the leader ordered.
    “Shh,” the private 说 warily. “I think I hear something.” He pulled out a notebook and scribbled something down. “According to my calculations, it came from behind that drift.”
    “Hmm,” the leader moaned like it was the most totally natural thing in the world. “Better scope it out. Fall out.”
    When Skipper looked out from the snow drift the penguins were gone. Where did they go? They couldn’t just disappear…Then there was a flash of black and white and Skipper felt something knock him in the side with force. He fell over and landed in the soft snow. The young 企鹅 that detected him was now on 最佳, 返回页首 of him. He was too stunned to 移动 as the private tried to pin him down. He wouldn’t give up that easily though. He rolled over to the side quickly and jumped to his feet. The private held a very awesome battle stance and prepared for attack. Skipper glanced over at Martin for help, but he was just watching from the safety of the snow drift.
    “Bring it on!” Skipper challenged the young penguin.
    He was about to attack when the 企鹅 pulled out a notebook and a pencil. He was scribbling something down while Skipper watched with curiosity.
    “..and if I carry the four and I can find the square of-“
    “Ah-hem.”
    “I can then detect the movement of my opponent based on 星, 星级 map and Aztec origin-“
    “Ah-hem!”
    The private looked up from his notebook. His topaz eyes glittered with annoyance. “Can I help you?”
    “You’re a dork,” Skipper answered rudely. “I thought we were fighting.”
    “Yes, KOWALSKI!” a fierce voice thundered. “I thought 你 were fighting too.”
    Skipper took a step back when he saw the leader 企鹅 from earlier appear along with the whole team. He looked quite scary up close and he wanted to retreat. He heard Kowalski, strange name, whine and shy away slightly.
    “What were 你 doing, Kowalski?” he ordered unpleasantly. “You have to fight like 你 are trained to do, soldier.”
    “Sorry, TJ,” he whimpered. “I just…had to make some calculations.”
    The leader, TJ, softened up when he noticed how guilty and sorry Kowalski was. That made Skipper feel a little less scared. Now would be the perfect time to flee but something kept him in place.
    “That’s fine, Kowalski,” TJ 说 gently. “But I expect some fighting 下一个 time we are under attack soldier.”
    Kowalski saluted TJ loyally.
    You’re under attack?” Skipper asked, drawing complete attention to himself.
    “Shut up, Skipper,” Martin whimpered from the drift.
    Coward, Skipper thought. The team was now looking at him carefully. He showed no fear and sought only an answer for his question. He felt so 《勇敢传说》 when he actually took a few steps toward them.
    “What were 你 doing hiding out in that snow drift?” TJ demanded.
    “What are 你 doing in my home?” Skipper shot back with a voice of confidence.
    TJ and the 秒 in command 企鹅 exchanged glances. Skipper winced with fright when he saw that the 企鹅 only had a right eye and a red mark where the left should be. He backed up a few steps before he accidently tripped and fell.
    Oh no! he thought. What did I just do? I should just lay here.
    And he did just that. He waited until everyone gathered over him, even scary eye.
    “Problem, little penguin?” the scary 企鹅 asked coolly.
    “Well…”He decided to tell it like it was. “You just caught me off guard, that’s all. 你 know, since…yeah.”
    The 企鹅 glanced at TJ coldly. Skipper felt like he was going to puke when the leader 说 “He’s all yours, Lieutenant.”
    Then everyone backed up except the scary lieutenant. Skipper shakily stood up and whimpered pathetically. The lieutenants single eye glittered with challenge and the look that 说 “Hey, pipsqueak. I’m going to rip out your stuffing.”
    “I…uh…”
    He looked around for a way to retreat, but the 圈, 圈子 wouldn’t allow him to. He was trapped in a 圈, 圈子 alone with creepy scary- eye over here. He was about to be attacked.
    “Bring it on, little penguin,” he growled.
    Skipper found himself glancing at pathetic little Kowalski for help. He just shrugged and 说 “Nice knowing you.”

Chapter Two-An Unexpected Attack
    
    Skipper was rigid with fear. He glanced at Kowalski for help, but the young Private just shrugged helplessly. Skipper knew he was no match for the Lieutenant. Well, this was the end. He just stood there and was easy prey for his opponent. There had to be a way out of this.
    Then he noticed something. He was too busy spying to notice it before. Skipper swallowed an ice block when he saw a hole in the thick ice they were standing on. That meant only one thing: leopard seal. The seals were dangerous predators that hunted penguins. Every 秒 here causing recon was sure danger. His eyes were locked on the hole in the ice and his 心 pounded. They had to leave.
    He stopped looking at the ice and looked back up. He saw one-eye creepy freakazoid standing only about two inches from him. Skipper was immediately pushed to the ground. The Lieutenant’s flipper was over Skipper’s throat and tightening. He gasped for air and tried to push it off, but he was way too strong for the young penguin. He glanced back at Kowalski who was watching nervously. Skipper’s pleading eyes begged Kowalski to say something. Kowalski shook his head no, but Skipper was persistent. Finally, Kowalski decided to say something. What Skipper didn’t know that also was an advantage was that, being a private, he was Frankenstein’s apprentice.
    “Austin, maybe 你 shouldn’t…”
    “Shouldn’t what?” pressed the Lieutenant and didn’t loosen the slightest bit on poor Skipper.
    “Shouldn’t…put so much pressure on the soft tissue of the throat.”
    “No, this little guy doesn’t care,” Austin 说 in return and tightened on Skipper who was now whining with the fact that he could possibly choke to death. “What are 你 looking at? Ice?”
    Skipper had a response, but he couldn’t answer. They were in DANGER. Austin finally loosened his grip slightly so Skipper could answer.
    “Seals,” he wailed. “We have to leave.”
    Austin seemed confused. “What’s a seal?”
    He couldn’t even believe that. Every 企鹅 knew what a 密封 was! The whole lot of them seemed confused. Not even the smart intelligent Kowalski knew. TJ was equally confused.
    “Whatever a 密封 is, I’m sure we can take it,” Austin pointed out.
    That was when it happened. There was a crack in the ice followed 由 the vibrations from under the ice. Skipper was so scared that he struggled frantically. Austin was no longer paying attention to him and he was able to slip away to Kowalski. They all looked at each other frantically, wondering what to do. Then in front of them the ice exploded and a giant creature appeared. Skipper had never seen one so close. It was far bigger than all the penguins put together and its eyes were fixed on them: the prey. They had never seen a 密封 before and were confused.
    “Attack!” TJ ordered.
    “W-what?” Skipper exclaimed.
    What were they doing? They were no match for the seal. The best thing to do was to flee as fast as they could, not fight it. Unfortunately, all the penguins agreed with TJ. They all circled the 密封 and their fighting style was something Skipper had not yet seen. Kowalski tried to 移动 towards the others, but Skipper yanked him back.
    “Stay here,” he said. “It is suicide!”
    “I have to,” Kowalski replied loyally. “TJ is the Captain.”
    Then Kowalski was gone. Skipper stood back and watched the team 圈, 圈子 the 密封 who was trying to single out a penguin. Oh, he couldn’t believe this was happening. They would be torn to shreds in a matter of minutes.
    All of a sudden the leopard 密封 struck out at one of the soldiers, grabbed her, and tossed her aside like she was an old toy. She was tossed across the ice and quickly rose again. The others decided to attack. Captain TJ and Lieutenant Austin both sprang at the seal’s back while it lumbered after the others. They jumped away lightly while their leaders went in. Skipper just watched with amazement. They were using some fighting style he had never seen before and it was amazing. They weren’t has helpless as he thought.
    The 密封 flipped around suddenly and through off TJ and Austin. They landed swiftly on their feet and leaped nimbly away. They stayed together and a far distance from the others. They were not very strong with their attacks. They thought they could take on such a big enemy, but they couldn’t. It was way too big for a group of penguins. They would come in and do harmless attacks and then retreat, repeating over and over. All that effort was no good and it was still trying to get them. It kept trying to get Austin and TJ instead of the others. That didn’t work and the 密封 was not as dumb as it seemed. It squared up to the two of them and prepared to attack them again. They were as ready as anything until the 密封 whirled around and lunged right for the five penguins watching and being a distraction. They screamed with terror and tried to escape. One 企鹅 did not though. The 密封 lifted its head carrying a prize in its mouth: Kowalski. He dangled helplessly and tried to free himself. It was no use.
    “Kowalski!” Skipper wailed helplessly.
    Austin and TJ heard Skipper’s worthless wailing and saw the poor Kowalski dangling from the seal’s massive jaws. Before TJ could think, Austin quickly jumped to the rescue of his poor apprentice. The 密封 quickly lifted a fin and swatted him right out of the air like a useless fly. He landed on the ground roughly and staggered to get up. The 密封 was completely focused on them so they couldn’t rescue Kowalski. Skipper knew this was life and it happened all the time, but he never thought he would see a 密封 prey on a 企鹅 in his lifetime. Any 秒 the 密封 would crunch down and break Kowalski’s back like an icicle. He would probably fail, but he really liked the young 企鹅 and had to do something.
    Kowalski, 你 better 爱情 me for this!
    Skipper mindlessly pounced on the seal’s head. It flinched with shock and tried to shake him off. He clung on as tight as he could. The 密封 tried hard to throw him off and he thought the tips of his wings would surely break off if he held on any tighter. He glanced down at Kowalski who was too stunned to do anything. He had to get the 密封 to let go, but how? HOW?
    Then Skipper’s left wing slipped off the seal’s head and the force made him let go. He was falling off. He desperately reached out to grab something…anything. He managed to find something and held on to it as tight as he could. It was Kowalski’s flipper. They both swung around wildly, wailing with terror. There was no help for them now. They were surely done when the thought to be heavy ice cracked. It was just a little crack at first, not enough to do anything. Then it burst from under them and they plunged into the water. Skipper was pulled under the water and the shock of the cold almost made him let Kowalski go. He couldn’t let go no matter what. If he did now, Kowalski would be done for.
    Luckily, the water also shocked the 密封 a little and its grip loosened on Kowalski. Skipper took advantage of that and yanked Kowalski free from the seal’s grasp. The stunned 企鹅 made no attempt to swim and began to go down. Skipper rolled his eyes, grabbed Kowalski, and swam for both of them to the surface. They leaped out of the water and landed safely on the ice. The rest of the team was already waiting for them. Skipper jumped up quickly, always ready for 更多 while Kowalski carefully got up.
    “It’s gone,” Skipper panted breathlessly. “No 更多 problem.”
    “Kowalski, 你 okay?”
    The sweet female 企鹅 the 密封 tossed across the ice already followed her instinct of checking Kowalski over. Luckily, the 密封 didn’t even puncture his skin and he seemed fine and dandy. Kowalski smile shyly at her attention and then joined her to the team.
    Maybe all of them aren’t jerks after all, Skipper thought.
    “That was amazing,” TJ praised Skipper and sounded like he really meant it. “You rescued Kowalski when the rest of us couldn’t.”
    “It’s a seal,” he replied. “The most dangerous predator around here 下一个 to the whales. Anyway, fighting it was kind of a dumb idea.”
    “You’re right, pipsqueak,” TJ replied. “I have never seen such heroism from such a little penguin. 你 took action and knew what to do.”
    Skipper was so flattered. Apparently the leader of a 企鹅 military was praising him for what he did. It was incredible and he swelled with pride.
    “What’s your name, little recruit?” TJ asked.
    “Skipper,” he replied. “Why do 你 need to know?”
    “Just to remember 你 by. Thanks for the help. Come on, team. We really need to get back to base.”
    Well, that was it. All the penguins turned away from him like he didn’t matter anymore. When they wanted to know his name, Skipper expected them to say something totally different like “What’s your name, big strong heroic savior? We need 你 to 加入 our military.” How stupid was he? He felt like wailing when they began to leave him behind. They were the most fascinating penguins he ever met and now they were abandoning him.
    When he thought all hope was lost, Kowalski 说 something to Austin he couldn’t hear. Austin nodded with approval and then Kowalski tobogganed back to Skipper who now felt a flicker of hope.
    “I know the odds of 你 saving me were like…58.753 to one and I really appreciate your help,” Kowalski 说 generously. “I kind of felt like we were abandoning 你 and I was just making sure we left with something, 你 know.”
    “Sure,” Skipper agreed. “Even though you’re a nerd.”
    “Yeah, everyone says that,” Kowalski replied, taking some offense.
    “But I like you. Friends?”
    “Yeah. Friends.”
    Skipper raised a flipper and waited for a high five. Kowalski just stared blankly.
    “It’s a high five, brainy. You’re supposed to slap me back.”
    “Oh…I get it.”
    Kowalski and Skipper high fived to present their friendship. Then Kowalski left to catch up to his own kind. Skipper just stared after them with longing. They were just so…cool. Everyone one of them were like this military force and took on every problem head on. At first he thought they were invader jerkfaces, but they were so much 更多 than that. He wished that he could be Kowalski and see how they lived. They were much better than his own colony of cowards who met absolutely nothing to him. All they cared about was watching out for seals. Martin proved the point 由 retreating and leaving Skipper to fend for himself. These penguins had a purpose in life and he wanted to seek that purpose 更多 than anything.
    What’s stopping you?
    Skipper couldn’t leave behind these penguins just yet. Staying far enough out of sight, he began to follow them. He wanted to see exactly what their 首页 base was.