Rustle in the Golden Foliage

The amber glow around me didn't shift, but suddenly... I did. A quiet breath caught in my chest as my fingers twitched against the cool air. I looked down at the soft carpet of leaves spread across the ground. Slowly, without rushing, I reached down and tapped a dry, pointed leaf resting beside my foot. It skittered a couple of inches across the dirt, leaving a faint groove behind. My wings gave a tiny, involuntary rustle, then fell back to rest. I stayed seated, quietly watching that single leaf settle right where I nudged it.