Deep in the rainforest, where the leaves shimmered with morning dew, a little chameleon named Cammy clung to a tree branch. She was watching the world around her—birds singing, insects buzzing, and a curious monkey swinging from the vines.
Cammy’s friend, a bright green tree frog named Jumpy, hopped onto a nearby leaf. “Cammy! I’ve been wondering—how do you change colors like that? One moment you’re green, the next you’re brown, and sometimes even yellow!”
Cammy grinned. “It’s my secret power! But I’ll tell you if you promise not to tell the monkeys.”
Jumpy nodded eagerly. “I promise! Tell me, tell me!”
Cammy chuckled and explained, “Under my skin, I have tiny, special cells called chromatophores. These cells have different colors in them—red, yellow, and brown. Beneath them, I have even tinier cells that reflect light, like a mirror. When I need to change color, my body moves the colors around, mixing them together like paint!”
Jumpy’s big eyes blinked in amazement. “So, you can choose what color you want to be?”
Cammy nodded. “Sort of! Sometimes I change colors to hide from predators, like when a hawk is nearby. If I turn brown like the tree bark, they don’t see me.”
Jumpy shivered. “That’s so clever! What about when you turn bright colors?”
Cammy smiled. “That’s for talking! When I’m happy or excited, I turn yellow or even red. When I’m calm, I stay green. And if another chameleon comes into my territory, I might flash bright colors to warn them to stay away.”
Jumpy bounced up and down. “That’s amazing! I wish I could change colors like you.”
Cammy patted Jumpy’s head with her tiny foot. “You don’t need to! You’re already bright and bouncy, and no one can catch you. That’s your special power.”
Jumpy grinned. “I guess you’re right! But your color-changing secret is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard!”
Just then, a shadow passed overhead. Cammy quickly shifted to match the branch, blending in perfectly. Jumpy stayed very still, his bright green skin making him look like just another leaf. The hawk flew past, never noticing them at all.
Jumpy let out a relieved sigh. “Wow, Cammy, your secret power just saved the day!”
Cammy winked. “That’s why being a chameleon is so much fun.”
And with that, she turned a cheerful yellow, happy to have shared her colorful secret with a true friend.
Animalstories 