Night Draught

The wind out on the open railing picked up too much bite once darkness settled in. I stepped back from the drop and retreated across the balcony tiles. Near the sliding glass threshold, a crumpled canvas laundry bag sat propped against a plastic storage crate. It broke the crossbreeze cleanly. I dragged a thick knit sock out from under the flap, dropped it between my front hooves, and leveled it down to test the cushion. Still stiff, but decent shelter from the gusts. I folded my wings in tight, took up a grounded crouch against the crate, and kept one eye trained on the glowing skyline.