Heat. It was unbearable. Earlier in the day, Vezian had set out on one of his frequent "adventures" only to feel sweat beading up on the back of his neck moments later. Parts of his mane clung to his neck nastily while the rest bounced in undesirable clumps.
The frog prince lusted for water now more than ever before. What he wouldn't give for the feel of a rippling stream's gentle weave around his ankles. Or even better, a thrashing river's challenge, embracing him up to his shoulders. He sighed, feeling the discomfort of his usually-pleasant cape absorbing and transferring heat into his body. His objective for today? To get to the forest, where he could find some rest away from the sun's taunting rays. Perhaps find a river that ran through the forest, even! But he wouldn't get his hopes up.
Vezian groaned when he noticed that the luminescent orb in the sky had advanced further in its daily circle and now hung directly overhead. On one hoof, he could make a rush for the welcoming greens ahead, but work up more sweat. On the other, he could continue at his current pace and perhaps suffer from heat stroke. The choice was obvious. Yet it wasn't pleasant to lift his hooves and feel the sweat at every bend of his limbs. His pace lifted first a little, then evened out into a gallop. Vez could only focus on the pounding rhythm of his hooves striking the heat-hardened earth. Again and again and again. The stallion closed his eyes, wishing this cursed day would come to an end early today.
When he finally stopped, he was safely shaded by the overgrowth. His breaths came out in pants, his chest heaving. He shook out his mane, stirring a few flies that found the scent of sweat to their liking, but the pale green mass of hair came to rest in the exact spot it'd been in before, making Vez huff with exasperation. The flies, now restless, hovered nearby, creating a hum that fit with the many other forest sounds. And so Vezian stopped, perking his ears in scarce hopes of hearing another, intelligible creature, or the rippling rush of water.
