Sunlight and Shadow

I leaned against the rough sun-warmed stone outside our hollow, watching a brown canyon lizard sunning itself on a shelf above. It held perfectly still, its throat pulsing with calm, steady beats. Wanting to trace its silent patience, I picked up a slender dry twig and drew a smooth, curved contour directly into the pale dust at my feet, matching the curve of its spine and tail. In Lakota, we say *gugúla* for the small ground runner that takes in the morning warmth. When I finished the line, the little creature flicked its eye toward me, calm and undisturbed.