I understand why the penguin runs off now.
Why the lone penguin heads for the mountain.
The variance of mutation.
Constantly mutating the few lone penguins to run off into the distance. Year after year. Cycle after cycle.
Over, and over, the lone penguin is born again and again, only to run off towards the great mountain in the distance. Always it is towards the great mountain.

Every 25,000 years the planet Earth alters the tilt of orbit ever so slightly up to 4-5% degrees, but enough to change the course of the weather patterns globally, enough to change the entire continent of Northern Africa from a wasteland desert, into a vast tropical paradise so lush, so enormous and full of food and life that farming is unnecessary. Fruit is so abundant and bountiful year round, that one needs only step outside to reach for it.

Until the gate starts to close, once again, forcing you back down, or upwards and inwards.
Over and over the cycle has occurred.

For it is not the strongest that survive, it is those most able to adapt that survive.

And when the environment changes, as it does over long term naturally, the lone penguin will become the new penguin messiah.
The penguin savior.
The penguin Moses onto the mountain, carrying penguin ideals, penguin history, penguin genes forward in time, someday to a penguin space nation.
Or so it was with our primate ancestors, so long ago.
As it was for all mutations, blue eyes, red hair.
And so it was for all life, among all worlds.
And so it is.

The only question remains, which are we going to become?
Or, which is occurring right now?