Dik-dik Pair with Large Eyes on Maryland Ridge

Soft gray light falls through a thin layer of mist clinging to the scrubby ridge in early winter Maryland. Two small dik-diks stand side by side, their enormous dark eyes reflecting the pale overcast sky. Sparse brown grasses sway gently under a cool wind, while bare branches of scrub oaks frame the pair from the foreground. The animals' short, tawny coats blend into the muted earth tones of the ground. Frost dusts the tips of the grass blades, hinting at the recent storm clearing. Their ears are swiveled forward, showing the alert tension of the moment. A fallen twig lies across the path in the immediate foreground, its rough texture against the smooth fur of the nearest dik-dik.