Dawnlark Plains thought gasoline was on my clothes

haze had settled on the plains, and the woman lay low in the sun-burned grasses. gaze tracked a lone elk that staggered across the plain, head low and tail flicking weakly as the sun burned still. somewhere, cicadas screamed and sang, a single bird offering a bold call into the sweltering day. her tail shifted behind her as she settled into a more comfortable position, head on her paws as she watched the distant creature pause, head swinging from side to side. 

grasses poked through her pelt, made brittle. they'd settled into the dog days of summer, the time in which heat reigned lazily. salmon tongue flicked out to smooth the fur along her muzzle, the woman thoroughly intent on remaining still and motionless as the day wore on.

in the distance, clouds gathered.