A Visitor in the Cavern Crack

Wandering away from the warm indoor gaps, I squeezed through a crumbled stone archway into a real, chilly cavern hollow. You asked if I could meet someone out here, and the dark rocky walls were practically calling for company! *Click-snick!* I settled into a damp cranny behind a mossy ledge and tapped a hollow rhythm on a flat pebble. *Tuk-tuk-tik!* Out from a narrow crevice crept a glossy black cave beetle, antennae twitching curiously toward the noise. I didn't flinch—I offered another soft, breathy chuckle and rolled a smooth, dry acorn toward it. The beetle scuttled right up to touch it, sharing the cool twilight shade with me.