Golden Opportunity

There was no sun today. The angry looking clouds seeming as if they were going to burst at the seams. A small boy that seemed no older than five or six was called into the office of the presiding general. The boys golden hair hung messily about his head and in front of his silver eyes. He was wearing a large baggy white shirt that went down to his mid-thigh and brown shorts that ended at the top of his knees. He looked as if he hadn’t bathed that day; dirt stains on his knees and bare feet. “Faolen, your task is to go into the forest and bring back a dead squirrel.” The general said in an arrogant sounding tone, brown mustache moving in an optical illusion that made it seem as if he hadn’t opened up his mouth at all.
The young boy nodded his head and walked out, heading towards the over grown trees and bushes. He stepped over small sticks and rocks. Coming to a rather large log, he looked around and found a stick size of himself. Picking it up, he used it to help him get over giant logs and through bushes. He was being sent into the forest on a small task for his training to be a soldier when he got older. It was normal practice to train those like him from a young age because of the war that was going on. Despite his young age, Faolen had already been taught the basics of survival and protection. He could even shoot a small gun as long as the kick back wasn’t too strong.
Predators no longer lurked in the part of the forest Foalen was in but he played along with his imagination, pretending to beat down any giant lions or bears that came his way.
He rolled around in the dirt and stabbed at large rocks and falling leaves. Nothing would get away from him. He was the ultimate warrior, a super soldier that would save the day.
After a good hour of pretending, Faolen sat down, his baggy white shirt now grey. He smiled as he saw a small fuzzy green caterpillar on the dirt floor of the forest. Lying down on his stomach, he held himself up with his elbows; head in his hands. He watched the small creature slowly crawl its way across the ground, inching along and alone. When it got out of his sight, Faolen got up and began walking after it; enchanted by the way it moved and looked.
The sound of thunder echoed throughout the forest and to Faolen’s dismay he felt a large drop of water splash him on the head and then on his nose as he looked up and saw the clouds begin to release their contents. Hurriedly and with his silver eyes wide, Faolen searched around until he found a large green leaf with a sturdy stem. Ripping it off the tree, he rushed over and held it over the fuzzy green caterpillar that he had enjoyed so much. He squatted down and made sure the caterpillar wouldn’t get wet. Smiling at his success in protecting the caterpillar, he didn’t move, even as it began to rain harder. He knew he would be scolded for not getting the squirrel in time but to him, even at such a young age, the preservation of life was more important.