Serpent Lake to the town of agua fria rode a stranger one fine day

Alyx shuffled her arms forward, stretching her shoulders in the shade of a boulder until she felt a satisfying pop. She'd laid down there a half hour prior to rest and had yet to move. The long grass formed a lovely cushion under her and the breeze and shade both were a welcome relief from the stifling temperature out in the sunlight. Heat waves rippled over the stony ground, and Alyx could almost swear there was steam rising from the nearby stream.

On the other bank milled a group of three pronghorn, which was the other reason she remained. There was something comforting about just watching prey animals living their lives. It gave her a greater appreciation for the hunt and allowed her to learn more about them, too. One young male and two older does. No young ones. Perhaps the male was last year's offspring. Past them, she could see the caldera on the horizon.

Alyx yawned lazily and rolled onto her side, craning her head to check out her surroundings again while she tried to muster enough energy to get moving.