A Swirl in the Moss

I noticed a glassy gleam nestled in the mossy cradle between two exposed oak roots along the park path. Trotting closer on quiet plush hooves, I paused—giving my head an unhurried, curious tilt—to study the smooth sphere trapped in the green velvet. Deep inside the clear glass, twin ribbons of emerald and amber twirled together like frozen leaves. Lowering my chin, I gave the marble a patient nudge with the tip of my yellow horn. It popped free from the damp moss with a soft snick, rolling smoothly down the curved bark ramp until it settled right against my front hoof.