It had been raining for seven straight days, and Evren had had enough.
If she'd thought the heat made her family lethargic, the wet was even worse. No one seemed to want to be out in the open where they might get soaked to the bone, even if it helped to cool them down. They clustered in the shelter of tall rocks and trees, staring out at the rippling surface of the oasis with glazed eyes, as though the humidity had sapped every ounce of their strength. Her father had warned her not to stay out in the rain for too long, or she would get 'rain rot' - whatever that was - but Evren didn't care about getting wet. She was bored, and after seven straight days of rainy misery, she could stay still no longer.
The weanling filly had long since learned that no one else in the herd could keep up with her incessant energy, so she did not badger anyone to play with her. Instead she drifted from the warmth of her mother's swollen side and out into the open, toward the oasis. Grasses brushed her sides and rain dappled her topline as she made her way to the bank of the watering hole. After slaking her thirst, she lifted her head to gaze off into the distance, and was just beginning to wonder if she could get away with sneaking off to the beach when something caught her eye. Something alive was floating out in the deepest parts of the water, struggling and flapping about in an exhausting effort to reach the shore.
Evren crept closer until her fetlocks were submerged, to get a better look at the straggling creature. It was difficult to make out its features, dishevelled and waterlogged as it was, but very soon she realized it was a bird. "What are you doing in there?" she murmured to the avian, furrowing her brow with confusion. The creature's beak was parted and it was panting heavily, pausing to rest after each successive flurry of wing flaps to float helplessly in place. It was slowly making its way right in her direction, evidently too concerned with not drowning to be bothered by her presence. "Come on, you can do it," the filly encouraged, but it was not making fast progress, and its eyes soon began to half-close with exhaustion.
The filly chewed on her lip and flicked her white-streaked tail with frustration. She might have swum out to it, but it was so far out and she was not yet a confident swimmer. Eventually she glanced back toward the herd and raised her voice, blinking rapidly against the rain. "Can somebody help?"
EVREN
weanling; bay tobiano; 15.3hh wfg |
