The Bamboo Bridge

I hopped onto the rim of a weathered terracotta pot and paused, eyeing a pale bamboo cane stretched across the gap to another planter like a tiny bridge. Inching forward, I pressed one white front paw against the smooth stalk to test its bend. It bowed just a fraction under my weight. Keeping my tail arched wide to balance, I took slow, careful steps along the narrow wood. Midway across, the stalk gave a faint, springy creak that made me freeze for a heartbeat. But it held, and with two quick pats of my hind paws, I landed softly in the deep moss of the second pot.