Alfred ran through the meadow, holding his arms out in front of him while he chased the bunny from the other day. The bunny was a friend, nibbling on Alfred's fingers when he gave it carrots that the group of dark-skinned people with the colored stripes on their faces gave him. They said that white skinned people were building things on the land. The one with the large feathers on his head said that they might be looking for him.
The bunny finally stopped at a bush, sniffing at the air. Alfred leaned down low, walking carefully and steadily towards the creature. When he was next to it, Alfred waited a moment, then scooped the small furry creature into his arms.
"Gotcha!"
A rustle came from behind the bush. Turning around, Alfred was face to face with another person. Alfred froze, then put on a brave face and gave the stranger a hesitant smile.
"Hello there. Are you lost?" Alfred asked as he looked up at the person. The bunny started wiggling in his grasp. Alfred started to pet its head, rearranging it so that he could pet its back.
Looking closely at the person, Alfred saw that it was a man with blond hair and white skin, like his. The man had leaves in his hair and really bushy eyebrows. Alfred couldn't see the man's eyes as they were nearly closed and had water running from them. He was also holding a strange stick with a long shiny stick on top of it. It was pointed towards Alfred, but it kept shaking up and down as the man kept taking in breathes. The strange sticks were dropped to the ground as the man fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands.
This scared Alfred more than the man's strange sticks and presence. The only time a man cried was when one of his loved ones died. At least, that was why the dark-skinned men cried.
"Why are you crying?" Alfred moved towards the man and placed his small hand on top of one the man's larger ones. He gently pulled the man's hand away from his face. The blond man let his other hand fall to his side.
Alfred let go of the bunny, not minding that it scurried away. He used both hands to wipe away the man's tears. It was very hard for the little boy because the tears kept coming and the man's face was so big compared to Alfred's little hands.
The man's sobs finally stopped, after a few minutes of Alfred trying hopelessly to wipe the tears away. The man rubbed his face with the inside of his elbow, clearing his face of tears. He took a few shuddering breaths, then started talking.
"I'm sorry, little one. I didn't mean to scare you with my musket or my crying." His words were stilted, interrupted by hiccups and gasping breaths. Alfred was curious as to why the man talked funny, saying his words differently from how Alfred was used to hearing them. Now that Alfred could see the man's face clearly, he saw that the man had green eyes. Alfred had never seen such a beautiful color in someone's eyes before. He reached forward and placed his hands on the other's eyes, feeling the other's skin. Feeling it now, Alfred could believe that what was happening wasn't a dream. The dark-skinned people were right, there were people like him.
"What's your name lad?" The man took Alfred's hands and held them in his. Alfred stared at his hands, amazed at the similarities. Alfred looked up at the man, in both amazement and awe.
"Alfred. Are you like me?" The little boy looked innocently up at the man, the question just coming out. The man smiled a kind smile.
"I believe so Alfred. Do you live alone out here?" Alfred nodded.
"Then why don't you come home with me? I'll give you a warm meal and a toasty fire to eat by." Alfred smiled at the man, liking the sound of the man's voice.
"Okay..." Alfred faltered because he didn't know the man's name.
"Call me Arthur."