The scorched grass lay trampled, and even the leaves on the trees were starting to yellow. The foliage seemed cringe away from the sun, begging a respite from the merciless heat that beat down. A crow called racously, then cawed with laughter at the dust it's wings stirred up. Copper didn't even glance up.

A sharp pinging on the window drew their attention, and a few more drops fell. The carpenters slowed their work even more, if that was possible, and Ducky hollered up at them to hurry up and finish. A crack of lightning snapped in the still air, and then a boom of thunder echoed. A fast, warm deluge of rain fell, churning the swirling dust into mud and leaving puddles on the Tavern's floor. Grumbling, Bluez grabbed a mop and began soaking up the water. Admael grinned at him, and he scowled.

As quickly as the rain had come, it was gone, leaving the sun to burn away the clouds and begin evaporating the newly fallen moisture. Copper flicked a drip away from her and towards Bluez, who gave her a flat, bored look for her efforts. She turned back to the counter and sighed. "Hey Ad, can I have a Carrot Juice with Ice? Thanks." She sat there, sipping the cold juice, and watched the other customers laugh quietly and talk confidentially to eachother. They wouldn't leave until the sun went down, and she planned to do the same. Bluez walked by, carrying the mop and giving her a vicious glare for the extra water she had flicked at him. She grinned back, and slumped dispiritedly on her stool. It was too hot to think, talk, of move. She beat a hasty retreat to the shadows, and waited for sundown.

On really hot days like this, ppl would sleep during the day and do their business during the night. That was sensible, that way you skipped the hot part and woke in the cool dusk. All she could do was hope that tomorrow wasn't going to be this hot, dry and dusty. So she waited.