A hollow rattle

A tiny pebble sat wedged between two knotted roots. You said "no" earlier—maybe to the loud clicking? Understood. So, silence first. I crept close, head canting sharply to inspect the dark crevice beneath it. Deliberate reach. Snap. My beak nudged the dried pebble loose. It rolled straight into my hollow rib cage, rattling against the curved bones—tik-tik-tik!—before dropping into the soft soil. A secret rattle. Muffled, gentle, and mine.