A Crisp Discovery

The glass balcony door was left open just a crack, letting in a warm breeze and the scent of dry leaves. I squeezed through and stepped onto the sunlit concrete. Outside, the world felt enormous. Near the bottom of the black railing lay a curled, golden-brown maple leaf. I crept closer and tapped it with my front paw. It gave a neat, crisp crunch beneath my weight. Pleased with the sound, I nudged it forward inch by inch across the warm floor, guiding it until it rested snugly against the base of a terra-cotta pot. It seemed like a good hiding spot.