An Icy Reunion

Ch 4: Hold Me Close

Neither penguin wanted to admit aloud that their mutual enemy's unconscious state worried them. So they filled the silence with half-hearted arguments over who truly had the right to take The Red Squirrel in - if he survived, of course.

"I've known him longer than you. Do you know how many offers I've had to decline just so that I could keep up my undercover guise to track him down?" Nigel grumbled, green eyes focused on the penguin across from him.

"Pah. A nancy-cat like you? A real woman would want someone strong and manly to defend her egg," Buck argued, his flippers instinctively tightening around the mammal in his arms.

"I'll have you know that I've had quite a few offers. I doubt you could say the same," the spy answered.

"Hah. Shows what you know. I had quite a few ladies after me, back when my teammates and I were protecting the Detroit Zoo," the weapon's expert stated.

"Now why would a manly penguin like you reject so many lovely ladies to chase after a squirrel?" Nigel raised an eyebrow at the American.

"Same reason you would, nancy-cat," Buck answered.

"I doubt that," the spy commented without thinking.

"And what's what supposed to mean?" Red eyes were focused on the uptight British penguin.

"Nothing at all," Nigel lied, refusing to elaborate. Neither penguin spoke, both clearly lost in their thoughts.

"Couldn't resist his bushy, red tail, could you?" Buck's voice broke the awkward silence. The spy couldn't hold in a shocked gasp, his eyes going wide at the American's words.

"I should have known. Red seemed a bit too familiar with a penguin's body when we first hooked up," the weapon's expert chuckled.

"You too?" Nigel blinked, eyeing the other bird up and down.

"I've been around the block with him a few times," Buck admitted, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Discussing a person while he's unconscious. And you wonder why you are both single?" a raspy voice broke into the discussion. Nigel and Buck exchanged startled, almost relieved looks, before focusing their attention on the now-conscious squirrel snuggled between them.

"I don't recall you ever settling down either, Red," Buck grumbled, refusing to let his relief show in his voice.

"Ha. Have you seen zee normal squirrels? Most of them barely have the sense to prepare for the winter, much less keep up an intelligent conversation. I simply cannot be bothered with lowering myself to that level," Red exclaimed, exhaustion seeping through his voice.

"I don't think I've ever heard you refer to yourself as abnormal," Nigel commented, absentmindedly stroking the drying red fur under his flippers.

"You think I just decided to perform dangerous eye surgery on myself all those years ago? Use that brain of yours; I know you have one. What do most evil geniuses have in common?" Red tilted his head up and fixed the green-eyed penguin with a hard stare.

"Electronic parts?" Buck guessed, waiting for an answer.

Nigel watched the squirrel roll his good eye and sigh, a deep frown on his buck-toothed face. The spy examined his old lover's mechanical eye curiously, thinking hard about Red's unexpected question.

"You don't mean..." Nigel pushed himself up into a sitting position and stared down at the chilled squirrel in shock.

"What? Clue me in here," Buck's eyes darted back and forth between the other two animals.

"Animal experimentation," Nigel whispered, unable to hide a disgusted shiver.

"WHAT?" Buck sat up as well, beak hanging open at the other penguin's words.

"Give the flightless birds a prize," Red's voice dripped with sarcasm. With the two birds out of his personal space, the squirrel now had enough room to flick his tail over his body, his arms pulling the fluffy appendage close for both warmth and comfort.

"That's just... sick," Buck exclaimed, looking disturbed by the suggestion.

"What happened to you, Red?" the spy asked, unable to keep his curiosity under wraps.

"I don't recall saying it was story-time," the villain grumbled, refusing to look up at the penguins.

"If you could go back and stop the experiments, would you do it?" Nigel continued, uncertain as to why he was pushing the issue.

The Red Squirrel hid his frown with the soft fur of his tail, his thoughts drifting back to his past. It was a truly interesting question. If he could somehow have stopped the humans from capturing him and his brother, then they both would have grown up and died as regular, unchanged squirrels. Francis would still be alive, but Red couldn't imagine having to live his life as Rudy, the average squirrel. To never know the joys of planning and experimentation, the thrill of the chase, the satisfaction gained by the completion of a project...

"You talk too much. Lay down, I am freezing here," the squirrel ordered, yanking the pair down so that he was once again snuggled between their warm bodies.

Nigel kept his beak shut, easily guessing that his question had hit a nerve with the rodent. Perhaps Red would answer him someday.

"We're still taking you in, Red," Buck grumbled, laying his beak on the mammal's shoulder.

"And I will still be attempting to escape, but I am too tired to bother right now. So stop with the beak flapping and sleep. That means you too, Nigel. Spies think too much." Red's eye narrowed up at the British penguin until the bird finally settled down with a sigh.

As the squirrel's breath evened out, the penguins found themselves drifting off to sleep as well.

***

Nigel opened his eyes, expecting to see red fur. Instead, Buck's harsh face glared back at him. Tied as tightly together as they were, the penguins could only strain their heads to the side to look for their missing captive.

Sure enough, Red came scurrying back into the cave, brushing the snow off his shoulders as he stood up straight. His single eye narrowed at the pair, an amused grin spreading on his lips. "The weather has cleared and it is now safe enough for a proper escape. Although... I must thank you for saving my life and keeping me warm through the night."

"We'll get out of these ropes eventually, Red," Buck growled, struggling in vain to get loose. All he ended up doing was rubbing against the spy awkwardly.

"Yes, I'm sure you two will have a lot of fun getting out of them. A pity I can't stay and watch," the squirrel leered at the pair.

Nigel fought to contain a blush that was spreading under his feathers. Indeed, if Buck kept struggling like that, they'd both end up embarrassing themselves. But if he didn't, then they'd never get free. Trapped between a Rockgut and a hard place.

"Try not to have too much fun without me, boys," Red purred.

"We will track you down, Red," Nigel promised, giving the rodent a half-hearted glare.

"I look forward to it. Do svidanya," the squirrel chuckled, saluting the pair before slipping out into the snow.

"He's a rather cheeky little bastard, isn't he?" Nigel sighed, turning to look at his fellow captive.

"Yep. That's Red for yah. Always one step ahead of the rest of us," Buck agreed, resuming his attempts to get free, much to the embarrassment of the spy.

...the end...

Note: Do svidanya (Russian meaning: Until we meet again... or Goodbye). Also, there is a follow-up fic to this one. Look forward to "Meet Mr. Red" when our favourite squirrel villain finally gets tracked down by these two.