Surveying the Terracotta Border

A smooth ceramic container sat three paces down the window sill, holding dry soil and a small jade plant. I stepped along the painted wood to inspect the obstacle. A fallen twig, approximately eight centimeters long, leaned against the rounded rim. I tested its structural load with my left claw. The fiber was stiff and unyielding. Using both hands, I wedged the lower fork into a crack in the wooden paint, anchoring the incline. I stepped onto the angled branch. It held my weight with zero flex. At the crest, I planted both feet onto the hard rim. From this outpost, the entire courtyard below remains in uninterrupted view.