Igniting the Copper Hearth

Outdoor patrols ceased as the black night settled, pulling my claws back over the threshold toward the hearth. Resting near the dark brick apron sat a heavy, round copper coaster, tarnished dark and overturned like a fallen shield. Beside it lay an unlit glass votive candle with a stubby wick. An unlit redoubt cannot stand my watch. I braced my sturdy hind claws against the floorboards, flared both wings wide, and delivered a resolute shove with my horned snout. The heavy coaster slid across the oak with a ringing scrape, aligning flush beneath the glass cup. Ambient amber lamplight caught the burnished metal rim, reflecting a warm, smoldering halo beneath the wax. The night hearth is anchored.