Stable flies

It feels like summer, Dragon said. It's warm and the air is different. It's not pines and wild flowers. She curled up at the foot of an old oak tree. Her scales looked less red in the sunlight. I'm in a hot dip. Tortoise must be absent, because I don't feel like running into that old turtle again.

Suddenly Wolf appeared out of nowhere. He paced up and down in agitation, gasping for air.

"Damn flies!" he growled, his ears twitching wildly. A buzzing cloud of stable flies swarmed around him.

I hate those creatures! Why do they even exist?

The bites of the flies tore chunks out of his ears, and blood ran down his snout.

Dragon opened one eye. "Then stop being so busy. You're attracting more and more."

"It's easy for you to say, those damn flies ignore you!" growled Wolf. "Foul vermin, that's what it is!"

It was true. The flies stayed away from Dragon. Was it her breath or the fact that she could breathe fire? Also, her skin was thicker and resistant to the bites. They were clearly fond of Wolf because they kept following him.

Pad, the old bear, stuck his head out from under a fern. "Could it be your scent that attracts them?" he yawned. I saw you rolling on your back on the ground yesterday. Was it some carcass?"

"I didn't—" Wolf began.... "Okay, maybe for a moment, but it was for a good cause and certainly not a carcass."

Dragon sniffed the air. There was something strange about those flies. They didn't bite all the time—it was as if they were waiting for something.

"Let's take a hot dip," she suggested. Come on, old grouch. Tortoise's bath is probably still there, and in case of emergency, you can always hide. Those flies won't follow you into the hot mud."

"You never know," said Pad "they have that name for a reason. They like stink and filth and who knows what else.." He waved his paw frantically at the flies to give Wolf a helping hand.

"What are you saying, Wolf? If you don't come along, then I will. It's been a long time since I had a hot dip.. Is anyone curious to see if we can beat those flies?"

The three of them set off, followed by a cloud of flies that had eyes for Wolf only.

"I prefer winter," said Wolf, I've had it with the blossoming of new life.

_{2.5.25
Prompt: anyone curious - provided by @freewritehouse
Original text: Dutch}