The warm rays of sunlight extended their way through the leaves of the willow tree. The tree was like any other tree in the woods surrounding the academy in all ways but one. On this specific tree sat a boy. The boy was busy cleaning his sniper rifle, humming a mellow tune. Darren had found this tree somewhere back in his first year at the academy (he was now starting his third year), and it has become his secret hideout ever since. Any day he wanted to be alone, this is where he would go. And this was one of those days. Darren wasn't really into the whole "mingling" thing, and preferred solitude. He thought that maybe later he might go see what his best (and only) friend was up to. But for now, he would stay in his tree, watching the academy and its inhabitants scurry around and "mingle".