Forster The Jaguar Cub

Chapter One

Your Heart Has Lots of Room

Thundershowers and the tropical sun make the forest green. Whenever a leaf turns brown and falls to the ground, a giant new one quickly grows to take its places. Not only that but the rain forest always has some type of tree bearing fruit throughout the entire year.

Forster, the jaguar cub, loved to lie on the ground in order to look up at the flying squirrels gliding from treetop to treetop. Did you know that there are jungle creatures that spend their whole lives in the canopies and never place their feet on the ground?

The rain forest is so beautiful that it is hard to describe just how beautiful it really is. However, when a jaguar does not feel good about himself, the forest does not seem green, mysterious or beautiful. A sad jaguar can even start to hate the jungle. Sadness makes the rain forest feel empty and cold.

Forster watched Paco and Cor playing with Flor. Forster's father studied his son like a hawk. Forster was black and pranced with strength and courage like he was an ancient Mayan god. His friends had golden hair with light-colored spots along their backs and sides.  Each spot had dark borders around them with a dark spot in the middle.

Forster said to his father, "Flor is boring. Why are they playing with her?"

“Son, why are you looking like a mouse waiting to be eaten by a python?”

"Cor and Paco don't like me anymore. They are playing with Flor."

Before his dad could say a word, Forster ran out of the cave. His father watched

him disappear behind the balsa and rosewood groves. Forster hated being alone. Being alone made him feel like he was in a cage and could not get out.

“Maybe all I need is to take a nap.  I feel tired,” Forster said to himself.

So he looked for a comfortable place to sleep. He wanted some soft ground with

piles of freshly fallen leaves. He found what he wanted in no time at all and fell fast asleep.

When Forster woke up, Flor was sitting quietly beside him.

"Hi, Forster."

Forster did not even say hello. He placed his head between his paws

and pushed his nose right into the ground. He said to himself, "Oh, no! How can I get away

from this girl?

"Hi, Forster," Flor said again.

"My dad wants me to get home. We have to go fishing,” Forster was fishing for excuses.