The sun was high in the sky, burning brightly as its gaze warmed the sand dunes. The day was exceedingly hot for this time of year. Record breaking some would say. Minimal cloud cover, minimal gusts of wind, minimal places for water to drink, and trees to seek shade under. For Sanyue, this was not new. Born and bred for the sands of the Gigage Awoyeni, the hippogryph was more than ready for the scorching weather patterns that came with the impending summer months. Luckily it was never humid, which would have made the weather intolerable. A dry heat was much more preferable. Plus, she was also able to use her wings to her advantage, either through flight where she could follow the breeze that flowed through the area, or as shade to keep the rest of her body under shade. Granted, she knew that her darker coloring lent itself to getting hotter just a bit more quickly. So she always ensured she brought an extra water flask or two for her longer trips.Today, however, was hotter than even she expected. And Sanyue found herself looking for shade sooner rather than later. It wasn’t even high noon yet and already she was beginning to sweat, a clear sheen finding purchase on her fur. Due to this, she had to find shelter sooner rather than later. Not just to cool down, but to also refill her much-needed water. As she glided just above the sands, her eyes scanned the horizon for any evidence of an oasis nearby. Luckily for herself, the needed evidence of water came quickly, and she banked right towards the rocky hills to the east. In doing so she found a small alcove with water and some greenery, just the amount of shade needed where she wasn’t directly in the path of the blazing sun above.
A sigh escaped through her beak and she bent down to take a much-needed drink. Cool against her beak and tongue, the water was very much needed, refreshing her mind as her body began to cool. There was more than enough water and room for her to settle in for the night if she had to. While not ideal, Sanyue was prepared to stay here under the shade at least until nightfall. Once done drinking, she used her beak to pull her flask from her hind leg pouch and dipped it into the water to fill it. One down, one to go. However, as she went to do so, a sound nearby caught her attention.
