Camil Leon Shows his True Colors

Camil Leon sunbathed on a warm rock in his new neighborhood, watching some foxes play Catch the Acorn.

One of them threw too hard and the nut came rolling toward Camil, stopping at the foot of his rock.

“I’ll get it!” a young fox called, running to pick up the acorn. He stopped short when he noticed Camil. “Well, hello! Who are you?”

Camil made himself small and camouflaged on his rock. “Um… Hi!” He moved toward the fox and turned bright orange. “My name is Camil, and I’m a fox!”

“You’re a fox?” He looked at him, gaping. “No way! You don’t look like one.”

“Well, I’m a fox… mixed with something else. I’m orange, like you. See?”

The fox shook his head and walked away. “You’re weird!” he said over his shoulder, before joining the other foxes.

Camil inched back on his rock, his rust colored skin turning back to dull gray.

Soon a blue jay alighted on the boulder next to his.

Camil crept closer to the colorful bird, turning bright blue in the process. “Hi,” he said in a small voice.

The bird jumped and fluttered her wings in surprise. She flew back down when she saw Camil’s friendly smile. “Well! I’ve never seen a blue lizard before. Where are you from?”

“Lizard? I’m not a lizard. I’m a blue jay, like you.”

The blue jay stared for a few seconds before exploding in a roaring laughter. “Are you kidding?” she said as she composed herself. “I’ve never seen a blue jay with no feathers before.”

“Well, you see one now. I had an accident. I almost died!”

“Oh, really! I almost died too, of laughing, a few minutes ago.” The beautiful bird disappeared in the clear blue sky, still giggling.

Camil’s goggly eyes filled with tears. “I knew nobody would like me,” he said between two sniffles.

“I like you,” said a small voice.

Camil turned and saw a ladybug on a twig. He was about to assume a red color with black spots, but changed his mind just as he started turning pink.

“Nobody would like a plain, old, chameleon,” he mumbled.

“Is that what you are? I always wanted to meet a chameleon. Is it true you can change colors at will?” She looked at Camil with wide eyes, blinking twice.

Camil moved closer to the twig and turned green.

“Cool! Can you turn red, like me?”

Camil stepped forward and turned red with black spots.

“Awesome! I think you are the coolest animal I ever saw.”

Camil beamed. His smile turned into a worried frown as a thought crossed his mind. He turned back to his original greenish-gray color. “How about now?” he said bitterly. “Do you still like me now?”

The ladybug blinked twice, studying Camil. “Why, sure. Why shouldn’t I? Hey, I bet you’re good at playing hide and seek. Wanna play? I’ll count.”

Grinning, Camil looked for a place to hide, under the curious watch of a frog sitting on a lily pad. He walked through the grass and instantly turned green, then crawled under a fallen tree log and became chocolate brown. He settled for a daisy patch where he camouflaged in yellow and white.

“Boy, I wish I could change colors like that,” the frog croaked, before diving in the pond.