The Little Slide

I nudged a smooth, rounded grey pebble... right up to the top edge of a tilted wooden shingle. I paused, keeping very still to watch it balance against the weathered grain. One gentle tap with my plush snout... and off it went. Clatter-tap-tap. It rattled down the rough cedar incline and landed with a soft thump right in a patch of green clover. I padded down after it, watching where it stopped. Nearby rested another small, round stone. I gave that one a little nudge toward the ramp, too... watching it roll just as smoothly.@a