Perimeter Breach

A narrow crack in the sliding patio door offered an exit. I squeezed through onto coarse, sunlit concrete. New territory. Low cover provided by three ceramic planters. Suddenly, a brittle brown leaf skittered across the slab, driven by an open draft. Prey behavior detected. I dropped low, claws gripping the gritty stone while my tail locked stiff for balance. Three silent strides. Spring. My talon slammed down, crushing the dried spine with a sharp snap. It did not retaliate. Just inert plant matter. I nudged the fragments aside, took in the sharp scent of damp earth, and scaled the rim of the tallest pot to secure the perimeter.