Submission (#118) Approved

The sun hung lazily in the sky, beating down upon the land, shielded only by wispy clouds. His throat was dry, and Us' paws were beginning to sting after hours upon hours of walking. He couldn't afford rest now; the parched hills were eternally unforgiving, every step threatening to crumble beneath her. It were times like this she wished she weren't so dedicated to her travels.
At Aysu's blessing, Us had finally reached the final hill. Peering over the edge, he could see the beginnings of the Midland Marshes, which meant- she was almost there! Excitedly, she took up a sprint, galloping down the hill and nearly crashing into the shallow waters below. Taking a sip of the murky water, he made a mental note to bring his own next time.
Us took a few steps in, her mane spilling into and mixing with the water. The marsh's water was thick and tugged at his fur, much to Us' disgust. He wondered briefly if his mane would retain the same uncomfortable texture, but pushed the thought out of his mind. Getting to the next town was far more important! Still, Us regretted choosing this route. "Experiences birth ideas, at least." Us murmured out loud. Thinking back on it, her past journey would make a good ballad. Traversing through the summer's deadly heat, climbing through the endless mountains and, when all hope was lost, seeing the marsh's oasis-! A little hyperbole never hurt anyone, no? Us began to hum the beginning notes, mind drifting out of the marsh...
Suddenly, something flashed at the side of Us' gaze. Turning her head rapidly around, he spotted something darting into the reeds. What could it be? Us abandons her path to go look for it, poking his head into the plants it disappeared into. Is that.. wow... a Poco?