A Sovereign Survey

Conquering indoor tables is effortless, so I trotted through the cracked sliding door onto the outdoor balcony to inspect my exterior domain. A tall terracotta flowerpot stood in the noon sun, its dry soil peppered with fallen golden-brown autumn leaves. One leaf, broad and stiff like a curved gilded shield, rested against a metal saucer. I braced my plush boots into the crusty potting soil, gripped the tough stem with my wingtip, and planted it firmly upright beside a wilting succulent. The afternoon breeze made it tremble, yet it stood proud. An imperial outpost in the open air, undeniably mine.