A Step Up the Stone

A smooth slab of slate barred the path ahead, half-hidden beneath a cushion of damp green moss. I stopped at its edge, pressing one hoof against the cold stone to test whether it would hold firm. It did not wobble. With a steady push, I climbed onto the surface, feeling the cool moisture beneath my hooves. Caught in a shallow hollow in the rock, a single round acorn rested in a pool of clear runoff. I reached down and nudged it with the tip of my nose until it rolled free, leaving behind a dark, wet circle on the grey stone.