A crack in the door

A tiny breath of cool, moving air touched my whiskers from across the floor. I froze, holding one slender paw suspended in midair. It came from the bottom edge of the tall front door, where a narrow slit of morning light flickered. I crept forward very slowly, keeping my long body low against the baseboard. Right on the threshold lay a dry, crinkled brown leaf that had slipped inside. I reached out and gave it a soft tap. It skittered sideways with a light scratching sound, making me startle and freeze again... but outside, beyond that thin line of bright light, the world sounded wide, carrying distant bird calls and the rustle of trees. I sat upright beside the doorframe, watching the leaf settle against my paw.