Jacque knew that there were plenty of plants that would relieve his thirst just as efficiently as drinking, and they were probably abundant in the forest that he had just passed through, but he craved the cold, crisp and refreshing water that a natural spring provided. The more he drank, the more he wanted, but he had to force himself to lift his head after a few moments to take stock of his surroundings and ensure that there was nobody there. Satisfied with his brief surveillance, he dipped his head once more to drink from the cool stream.
Soon, his thirst was quenched and the water left him feeling content and considerably more able to continue his journey. He carefully shook his muzzle, removing the majority of the water that had formed droplets on his muzzle and his whiskers. Cautiously, he stepped over the stream's edge, dipping his foreleg into the water. He waited until he had found a relatively stable foothold before lifting his other foreleg into the water. He watched patiently as the ripples from both his disturbances of the water bounced around playfully on the surface. While stood in that way; straddling the boundary between land and water, a voice made him jump.
'Hello.' The voice said, startling Jacque and causing him to almost slip and fall. Regaining his balance, he looked up, careful not to slip on the wet, smooth pebbles on the river bed. 'My mother told me to never talk to strangers. But how does she expect me to meet anyone?' With this remark also came a snort, which was when Jacque remembered that it would also be useful to look at the owner of this voice, to discover who they were and assess the situation in greater depth. When he looked up, however, his fears were dismissed, for it was just a young (and probably over-curious) colt.
The colt's next question took him by surprise, and he realised he didn't really have an answer. 'Who am I...' he mused out loud, 'yes, who *am* I?' His thoughts floated around in his head for a few moments before finally slotting together. 'I'm terribly sorry for my rudeness, Akos, but I am horrendously out of practice! I am Jacque.' After a small pause, he decided to initiate a conversation, as it seemed unlikely that Akos would. 'What brings you out here alone, young Akos, without your mother?' Some time during this remark, he turned his head to the side, revealing his empty eye socket to the colt. He quickly snapped his head back to its original position, but he suspected that the damage had already been done.
Soon, his thirst was quenched and the water left him feeling content and considerably more able to continue his journey. He carefully shook his muzzle, removing the majority of the water that had formed droplets on his muzzle and his whiskers. Cautiously, he stepped over the stream's edge, dipping his foreleg into the water. He waited until he had found a relatively stable foothold before lifting his other foreleg into the water. He watched patiently as the ripples from both his disturbances of the water bounced around playfully on the surface. While stood in that way; straddling the boundary between land and water, a voice made him jump.
'Hello.' The voice said, startling Jacque and causing him to almost slip and fall. Regaining his balance, he looked up, careful not to slip on the wet, smooth pebbles on the river bed. 'My mother told me to never talk to strangers. But how does she expect me to meet anyone?' With this remark also came a snort, which was when Jacque remembered that it would also be useful to look at the owner of this voice, to discover who they were and assess the situation in greater depth. When he looked up, however, his fears were dismissed, for it was just a young (and probably over-curious) colt.
The colt's next question took him by surprise, and he realised he didn't really have an answer. 'Who am I...' he mused out loud, 'yes, who *am* I?' His thoughts floated around in his head for a few moments before finally slotting together. 'I'm terribly sorry for my rudeness, Akos, but I am horrendously out of practice! I am Jacque.' After a small pause, he decided to initiate a conversation, as it seemed unlikely that Akos would. 'What brings you out here alone, young Akos, without your mother?' Some time during this remark, he turned his head to the side, revealing his empty eye socket to the colt. He quickly snapped his head back to its original position, but he suspected that the damage had already been done.