A Row of Pebbles

I slipped through the slightly open patio door, stepping past the cool metal sill and out into the quiet garden. Along the flagstone border, several smooth flint pebbles lay tumbled haphazardly into the moss. I paused to study their contours, then pressed my front paws against the largest dark pebble, rolling it forward until it met the clean edge of the paving slab. With careful nudges, I brought two smaller, glittering stones alongside it, arranging them by size in a disciplined line. Under the clear noon sky, their polished surfaces caught the light in perfect, orderly balance.