Brew of Happiness

Brew of Happiness
> A peaceful meadow is filled by the sounds of summer
> At the center of this place stands a mighty tree slightly withered by the recent heat
> Below this vast tree sleeps a herd of fluffy ponies
> The summer sun beams down as the fluffies nap in their cool burrows
> Cicadas sing in the heat and grass begins to yellow
> The flowers of spring have been replaced with summer blooms as dragonflies zip across the ground
> Insects of all kinds are out in force while fluffies nap for most of the day
> Thick coats make playing and eating during "hawt time" dangerous
> Several young fluffies have suffered sunburns and worse when they decided to play
> Keeping the colts and fillies inside during the hot time is proving difficult yet again
> Gray fluffs have already tried giving the "zippeh buggies" and "good wawm bwight baww" a gift of red berries
> The dragon flies eagerly sip on the juice as the summer sun turns them into a sort of raisins
> Several large leaves are strewn about with red berries stacked upon them being prepped for a summer treat
> "Chewie nummies"
> These berries are sweeter after being baked in the summer sun
> Discovered after several lazy fluffies left their lunch out too long
> Now the tree herd places piles out intentionally each year
> Several young fluffies sleep with smiles, smacking lips and humming about the sweet berries waiting later today
> A young filly emerges from her mothers den
> She's too impatient
> Waddling out of the burrow she takes a moment to stretch her small weggies and arch her back
> She's seen the strong black kitty doing this and likes the stretches after naps
> Now awake and stretched she looks happily out at the yellow green field littered with leaves and berries
> "Chewie nummies! Yaaay!"
> She's been told about these tasty treats, but has yet to try them
> Very eager she tries to bounds and hop over the grassy field towards the nearest pile
> Only managing to trip several times
> "oopsies!" "Owie!" "Owwwiesss! Otay otay fwuffy wawk! Nuu mowe huwty!"
> Returning to a quick walk she reaches the first pile
> Red berries glisten in the sun beginning to purple and shrivel
> This filly doesn't know they aren't ready yet, and takes a little bite
> Nibbling on the berries she sits on her bottom and pouts
> "Dese nummies nuu chewie! Dey jus wed nummies... mmm... mahbeh offa nummies awe chewie!"
> Leaving the pile she proceeds to nibble a little off of each leaf
> Every time she's disappointed
> Eventually she decides that the nummies aren't good and decides to play
> No other fluffies are out yet, not even her friends who were out yesterday
> They got a smack on the nose for being bad fluffies
> It hurt but she doesn't care
> She wants to have fun with the flying zippy bugs
> With the oppressive sun beating down on her the playing doesn't last long
> Out for only half an hour, including trying the berries, she begins to pant excessively
> "Ahh...ahhh...ahhh...ahh... suu hawt... wan coow... aahhh...ahh..."
> She tries to swallow but her mouth is very dry from panting
> "gulh.. ulp! ahh... suuu haawwwtt.... bwight baww! Why hawt? Nuu hawt pwease?"
> She tries to sit back and hug the sun
> Only to stare directly at it
> "EEE! BWIGHT! HUWTY!"
> The sun burns her eyes as she gazes up
> Now on her back rolling around she flails her weggies and cries
> "MUUMMAAAHHH! HUWT!! HEWP! HUWT! EHES HUWT! HEWP FIWWY! MUMMAAAHHH! WAAAAH!!!"
> The filly is too far away for her snoozing mother to hear
> For a good five minutes she sniffles and cries on her back keeping her eyes closed
> "HHHuuuuuu huuuuu huuuu huuu... huwt... why nuu hewp? hawt... suu hawt... wawa?"
> The filly notices a wetness under her fluff
> Rolling over the filly backs up fearful of drowning
> She looks for puddles, rain, anything that could make her damp in this heat
> The land is as dry as her mouth
> Yet the wetness persists
> "Why wawa? Fwuffy wet! Nuu wike wet! Wet scawy! MUMMAH! HEWP! WAWA!"
> The filly is now running back to the tree
> Legs tired from a tantrum and playing in the excruciating heat don't carry her far
> Lungs desperately pull oxygen trying to keep the body running
> "MUUMAAH! AHH..ahh.ahh.ahh.. FIWWY SCAWED! HAWT! Ahh..ahh..ah..ah. suu hawt..."
> Half way there with legs trembling from exhaustion and weighted down by wet fluff the filly flops over
> Lying on her side she pants and sweats profusely
> Her small internal water supply, even smaller from summer drought, is quickly used up sweating
> The entire time she mewls quietly for help
> "hhhuuuu..huu...huu...mumm..muhh... hhuu..hu... suu hawt... fi...fiiwiy.. nee mummah...suu.. h..a...w..."
> Closing her eyes for the last time she succumbs to the heat
> It will be another three hours before her body is discovered by a distressed mother
> "NYUUU! BEBBEH!!! WHY NUU MOFF?! NUUUU! NUUUUUUUUAAAHHH!! WAAAHHHH!!"
> Sobbing she hugs the limp body late into the evening
> Her last surviving child gone
> Swallowed up by the drought like her other four foals
> Now, only a handful of the summer brood are left
> Adults and old fluff outlive their young children who try to live happy lives playing in the sun
> Only to end up a meal for the dark cat
> The herd is despondent as they munch on dry hard grass and a few summer blooms
> Mothers with infants remain below and are brought food
> They are terrified of risking sun exposure for their babies who constantly try to play outside
> Mares with surviving fillies and colts keep them close and in the shade
> Sobbing dry small tears from time to time for lost children
> Those who survive soothe their sorrows on sweet berries made bitter by tragedy