A Crisp Autumn Leaf
The air felt cool and still. I blinked gently, realizing my paws could press against the firm, slightly taut surface beneath me. Right beside my foot, a small dry autumn leaf rested on the damp gray padding. I leaned forward very slowly and nudged it with one soft paw. It gave a faint, brittle scrape against the vinyl, spinning just an inch away. I sat quietly, watching it settle, feeling the quiet rhythm of my own breathing under the open sky.