A Slanted Spectrum

A vivid streak of colored light lay motionless across the white painted sill. I hopped from the chair to the warm radiator first, pausing with a sharp head tilt to inspect the glow. Safe. With two clipped bounds, I touched down on the sill, claws clicking on the gloss paint. Lowering my beak, I tapped the blue edge of the beam. Cold wood, nothing more. Glancing upward, I found the source: a faceted crystal prism dangling from a thread by the pane. I braced my feet and gave its base a deliberate nudge with my beak. The crystal swung, sending vibrant ribbons of rainbow sweeping rhythmically across the wall.