def query_pop(query, prefix, sep='<STR_LIT:.>'):
terms = query.split(sep)<EOL>if terms[<NUM_LIT:0>] == prefix:<EOL><INDENT>terms = terms[<NUM_LIT:1>:]<EOL><DEDENT>return sep.join(terms)<EOL>
Pop a prefix from a query string.


    Parameters
    ----------
    query : str
        The query string

    prefix : str
        The prefix string to pop, if it exists

    sep : str
        The string to separate fields

    Returns
    -------
    popped : str
        `query` with a `prefix` removed from the front (if found)
        or `query` if the prefix was not found

    Examples
    --------
    >>> query_pop('Annotation.namespace', 'Annotation')
    'namespace'
    >>> query_pop('namespace', 'Annotation')
    'namespace'