El Renacimiento de Tierra

---

Ramon sat just inside the caves darkness, his .22 resting across his knees. The noonday desert heat blasted him occasionally from time to time, causing him to squint his eyes momentarily. He had drawn guard duty while everyone rested, which was fine. Ramon had grown up with the desert heat and so it affected him far less than it did the others. Their trek across the dry lake bed had done little to wear away his stamina, while the others grew steadily more weary and therefore vulnerable. So he sat vigilant, moving only when necessary, conserving his energy so he could stand watch longer, and allow the others more rest. They had scanned the horizon carefully, and Ramon had also been scouring the ground carefully, on the off chance that the desert held tracks not yet erased by the wind and endlessly shifting sands. No one had seen anything. With a little luck, the others would have plenty of rest.

---