A Slender Foothold

The unlatched brass lever provided just enough clearance to push higher. I leveraged the curved tip of my tail into the corner joint and pulled my weight onto the horizontal wooden sash dividing the windowpanes. The surface is narrow, barely wider than the tread of my foot, with a smooth bevel sloping toward the glass. A stray dry leaf from the potted plant below rested midway along the bar. Balancing on one foot, I swept the brittle obstacle aside with the tip of my tail without disturbing my stance. From this perch, the view extends entirely across the courtyard outside.