Another Writing ...

I slunk along on my belly, gravelly earth beneath me lightly chafing at my skin through the material of my shirt. Dirt smeared my arms and legs, feeling deliciously cool in contrast to the heat of the day. The sky over head was slowly clouding over with a threatening thunderstorm. Low rumbles echoed in the distance as the boiling angry clouds moved in closer. Sweat dripped down along my cheek, passing over the corner of my mouth to be drawn in by my parched tongue.

I could smell the water in the distance, not far off, but the enemy might be closer than suspected. I kept my body low to the ground, eyes flicking from side to side, ears alert for even a hint of noise or movement from any direction. I could smell the sweat of my body, of the animals which crowded greedily around the pool of cool pure life giving water. The tall thick grass, ground fall and undergrowth covered my passing, though I was careful to leave only vague remnants of my passing.

I reached the edge of the water, listening to the grunts and other low noises of the animals gathered there. I watched for any predatory creatures that might be close by, but the relaxed mood of the herbivores gave me confidence that I had reached a place of some minimal safety. I reached out with a hand to dip it into the water, raising the cold clear moisture to my mouth, drinking greedily. My body felt suddenly refreshed, as I rubbed water along my arms to clean them and then reapplying the cooling mud to keep away insects and keep myself from overheating too much.

I finally finished just as the lightning crackled directly over my head. I looked up just as skies opened up in a blessed torrent of rain. I smiled as I eased myself back onto my belly and crawled my way back towards my makeshift shelter to wait out the storm.